With a combination of a few green thumbs and a couple of black thumbs, we have our vegetable garden set up with cauliflower, broccoli and beetroot and a whole lot of yuccas in pots. Thank you to the people who kindly donated seeds, seedlings and cuttings. Thank you to Bunnings for getting us started with the new hose reel and garden beds.

Each week we now have an option to be inside for art and craft activities, or outside in the garden.

How lovely it’s been, welcoming new members to our Women’s Shed nearly every week. It’s been wonderful to meet new people, hear their life experiences and see their crafting skills (even when they don’t think they have any). Check out our knitting, crocheting and quilting projects being worked on this week.

We’re still smiling, even after our second lesson in quilting. We speak a new language now that includes backstitching, binding, fat quarters, ditch stitching, basting and mitered corners, just to name a few.

Next week Kathy will be our ‘go to’ quilter, solving any quilting problems. Some of us have already gone back to a craft we know well. Check out Glenda, the Long Stitcher! She has been making some beautiful pictures. We might have to have some long stitch lessons in the future.

Let us know what skill you would like to teach or learn at our Women’s Shed Branxton.

We had our first lesson in quilting with lots of new members joining. Some of our ladies were very new to quilting while we also had some experienced too. What a great way to meet new people and feel like your part of our great Branxton community.

Thank you to Keren for organising the materials and providing the free lessons.

We have the QR code set up with hand sanitiser and reminders to stay socially distant. Most people bring their own keep cup but we have disposable cups available for tea and coffee.

Whether you want to learn to quilt, or bring your own crocheting or knitting, or just want to sit and chat with lots of friendly people, the Branxton Women’s Shed might be for you.

Our first meeting for the year is Thursday 4 February at 9:30am in the Branxton Uniting Church Hall (opposite the Post Office).

We are so excited to offer the first of our free lessons. The first two weeks we will be able to learn quilting. The cost of the materials is $10 and you can use our sewing machines (we have 3 only) or hand sew. Bring you sewing kits (needle and threads), your coffee cup and join in. No previous experience needed.

Happy Christmas to everyone from the Women’s Shed Branxton. We had our Christmas party yesterday, getting into the Christmas spirit with lots of food and fun. We enjoyed some very rummy rum balls, chocolate, ice creams, sick bon-bon jokes and Christmas music.

Thank you to everyone for supporting us this year as we look forward to a bigger and brighter 2021. Merry Christmas.

Diane was the winner of our lucky customer draw. She was so happy to receive her prize and is a keen crafter herself. Congratulations.

Remember, that we have our final meeting this Thursday10 December and then start again in 2021 on Thursday 4 February.

One lucky customer will be receiving a phone call today or tomorrow to let them know their name has been drawn in our Lucky Customer Draw. They will be receiving the Limited Edition tin of Roses chocolates.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. We would like to thank everyone who visited our stall on Saturday. It was so hot and windy on the day but it was amazing to meet and chat to lots of people who were so supportive of our group, both locals and non-locals.

Well done to our team who created and donated so many items that we were able to sell on the day, and to Kate, Keren and Maxine for setting up, packing up and manning the stall.

We will be drawing our Lucky Customer Draw on Thursday and getting in touch with the winner as soon as possible. You have a yummy tin of Roses chocolates coming your way.

This Thursday we will also be discussing our future plans and ideas for 2021. So come along and bring your ideas. We welcome new members at any time of the year.

Today at the shed we practiced putting up the cabana so we wont have any dramas putting it up on Saturday for the Twilight Markets. Fingers crossed it wont be too hot or windy.

We also had some new crafting adventures making some Christmas brooches and baby headbands, clips with bows. The final products all look amazing and are ready for sale. Unfortunately not all the Christmas bears made it. We had a couple of breakages. Poor teddies.