Giveaway Update

Thank you to all the bloggers who are visiting here and by email. Where are you Judy P.....don't see your name Robyn.......come out of the woodwork Lee. Everyone making a comment is in the draw to win beautiful fabric.

It's nice to meet you and your blog pages are wonderful. So much to learn from everyone.
What a great creative streak blogger has uncovered. Its like having your own encyclopedia so full of every kind of information. Does that makes sense??
Thank you Kim for this great idea. I only noticed today that at the top of her page Kim has written "Out with the new and in with the old" So I know I would be welcome.

Go along and visit all the other bloggers who are joining in with their great gifts. I wonder if anyone will win more than once.

ivyandlacecottage.blogspot.com nieszvintagefabric.blogspot.com

midwest neurotica Nonie Mae Shabby Shack

Home Made Simplicity Hidden Haven Homestead

Like Merchant Ships Hearth and Home

I hope you all enjoy your tripping around the globe.

One Womans Cottage Life - Giveaway

Hope everyone enjoys visiting all the blogs who have taken up Kims giveaway challenge.

Here at Rags to Riches I have decided that we should give away five items.

1 metre of beautiful Parisbebe fabric
1/4 metre of stripe to match
1/4 metre of white spot on blue
12 pieces of 6 1/2 inch fancy chenille to match also.
1 surprise pattern ( very pretty)



Visit our blog and you will automatically go into the draw to win this lovely fabric.
You also have a second chance if you tell my Tuesday girls something they didn't know about patchwork.




As we love giving at Rags to Riches we are going to give 1/2 m piece of ParisBebe fabric to the person who gives us the best hint about quilting or patchwork.
The girls in my Tuesday class who have been with me forever will decide who will be the winner for this fabric.

It is getting exciting.

Cessnock Quilt Show Pt 2

I took a few photos from the quilt show and am only able to load a few.
First of all this is Terrina - trying to set up. If you want really good beads then she has a shop opposite Rags to Riches.

A shot of Rags to Riches setting up.
The new baby born are so life like. Scary.

This is the raffle quilt which looks great.


I have bought tickets.


Meryl you did a good job in the design department








The freestyle stitching by Christine Rae is fabulous. Also goes to show a little paint never hurt a scene.

This quilt belongs to Chris. The centre is a panel.
One of the best works using a panel you will see. Her son loves it.

Chris is a "beginner" bought the panel - came to the shop and we sorted out some colours to go with the panel - then went home and worked out the blocks etc. Some beginner.

Love this lady's work.


Beautiful work Marcia. There is no light shining on the quilt it is the illusion of light (or no light)this lady does very well.

I am not a lover of machine embroidery but this quilt has been made beautifully. Don't come complaining to me Jean - about not being able to get a quilt together. This is done really well.

This is a label on the back of one of the quilts - love it!

Robyn sits quietly in the group on a Thursday and if you ask her what she is doing she will usually say something like "Just doing some work on a quilt"


Love your work Robyn and so do others.

It's time for tea.


Wish my figure was as good as hers.

The Cessnock Quilters and Embroiderers celebrate their 21st year and so a cake was in order. And they even had wonderful Hunter Valley wines to drink. I had orange juice... I know boring!!

Cottage Charm Giveaway

Rags to Riches is going to join Kim at her Cottage Charm Give Away Day on May 26th.

This is a multi blog contest and you might end up with all the give aways.

I will post rules for this giveaway - as soon as I work out how to pick a winner and the gift I would like to give them. It will be fun.

In the mean time you can keep up with everyone who is joining this give away by visiting Cottage Charm.

Cessnock Quilt Show

Some before pictures. The Cessnock Quilters and Embroiderers will be holding their show this coming week from the 19th-22nd April. This is the area that I have to work with for our vendor area. To the right is the entry door so it will be nice to say hello to a lot of quilters.

A great venue with plenty of room and light. Just great for displaying quilts. Will post more "after" pictures later on in the week.

Hope you can visit and say hello.

Rags to Riches will be open normal hours plus on Sunday from 10.00am-1.oopm.

Visiting Rags to Riches

I had to do a few photos for upcoming classes and thought it would be nice to show a bit more of the shop. The view is as you walk in the door.

The Feathered Star quilt is made by Louise Allen and is a class we have coming up in May. What Louise doesn't know about quick piecing is not worth knowing. Louise makes points pain free!

The bright "arty" quilt is quite stunning and was made by Christine Hare in a Brenda Smith class. This was Christines first jump into freeform style quilting and she has done a terrific job. I am hoping to get Brenda back next year to do a workshop.

The larger quilt at the end of the picture is called Jacobean Delight ...this class is full.

Jenny Rofe does the most beautiful applique and her new quilt called Lillians Garden will start in 2008 and we already have a couple of names down. This lady is an amazing teacher.

The two little quilts either side of Chris's quilt are samples for our Lisa Walton workshop. Lisa will show you how to do beading on your quilts. As she says do we really need another obsession!

So this is my post today ...hope you enjoy the information and have had a good break.

For romantics only

The White Magnolia Tree
by Helen Deutsch.

I love this poem.
If you have never read the following poem then get your tissues ready....hankies are more romantic. This poem is loved by many people.
This was also on a record in the 60's. Stupid question...but does anybody have a copy. Would love to hear it again. Always makes me cry.
If you are wondering ...there is very little known about Helen Deutsch. This poem is what she is remembered for that I am aware.
I remembered this poem after reading the one Gena found called Romance by Robert Louis Stevenson. As I said for romantics only.

The year when I was twenty-one
(John that year was twenty three)
That was the year that was the spring
We planted the white magnolia tree.

"This tree,"said John "shall grow with us
And every year it will bloom anew.
This is our life. This is our love."
And the white magnolia tree grew and grew...

Oh youth' a thing of fire and ice
And currents that run hot and white
And its world is as bright as the sun....

I was twenty-one...
And I wore a plume in my hat.
And we went to the movies and wept over "Stella Dallas"
And John sang "Moonlight and Roses"
(a little off-key but very nicely really)

And we hurried through our crowded days
With beautiful plans boundless ambitions and golden decisions.
There is so much the young heart clamors for
That it must have and that it cannot live without
And it must be all or nothing
For aren't we the masters of creation?

Oh valiant and untamed were we
When we planted the white magnolia tree!
And the white magnolia grew and grew
Holding our love within its core
And every year it bloomed anew
And we were twenty-one no more.

No more untamed no more so free
Nor so young nor so wild and aflame were we.
Dearer to us grew other things:
Easy sleep books a days quiet holiday
Good talk beside a fire the beauty of old faces...

We have known many things since then:
The death of a child and the bitter lesson
That a heart which breaks can mend itself again
(That it can and must be done)
And what loyalty can mean
And how real a word like courage can become
And that solitude can be rich and gratifying
And quite different from loneliness...

There is so little the serious heart requires:
Friends faith a window open to the world
Pride in work well done
And strength to live in a world at war
And still maintain the heart's own private peace...

Dear Heaven I give thanks to thee
For things I did not know before
For the wisdom of maturity
For bread and a roof and for one thing more...

Thanks because I still can see
The blooms on the white magnolia tree