Ruth McMonagle
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ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Ruth McMonagle
@ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
780 followers 520 following 1.3K posts
Textile artist. Nature lover.
Saving the planet, one stitch at a time.
She/her. Aotearoa New Zealand

#art #textile #fabric #recycle #reuse #quilt #sew #stitch #craft #thread #climate #MTB #travel #adventure

Lover, mother, friend.

ruthmcmonagle.net
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ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Very cool snake. Stuffing does take time doesn't it.
One of my urchins wore a similar stuffed fabric snake as a scarf one winter.
December 2, 2025 at 8:50 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
I had some "helpers" today. One just randomly pulls the pins out. The other knows he is not allowed to sit on the project, so he guards the very last corner that I have to pin last. He is grumpy when I move him off to finish the pinning.

#sew #quilt #reuse #recycle #art #fabric
🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶 🪶🐾🐈
A grey cockatiel walking over a sewing project that has open safety pins holding fabric layers together. A grey cockatiel using his beak to pull out an open safety pin from the pinned layers. An elderly tabby cat sits at the corner edge of a patchwork quilt. There are pins being put into the fabric layers, in preparation for sewing the layers together. the corner near the cat does not have any pins yet, but they are getting closer to him. A tin containing pins sits next to the cat. A red scissors is next to the tin. An elderly tabby cat is giving me a quizzical look, asking why he has to move. All the fabric layers are pinned, except the one square that he is resting on. He is most reluctant to move.
December 2, 2025 at 8:47 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
I've worked out that I need this coming weekend for the handsewing part, so probably giving that to the reindeers on the Monday for delivery. Will send other gift this week.
#SecretSantaAoNZ
December 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
I'm at the stage of construction of..., "what if they don't like it, have I got the colours wrong, what if they think it's dumb".

I go through this each time I play #SecretSantaAoNZ.

I have always loved the hand crafted gifts I have received, especially the knitted / crochet ones.
November 30, 2025 at 11:25 PM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Today I sewed, and sewed, and sewed.
Made great progress.

🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶
#sew #fabric #art #textile #reuse #recycle #quilt
Close up of a sewing machine foot and needle at the edge of a brown half snowball fabric block. The construction seams of the half snowball are visible. The blocks are being sewn into columns. A pile of fabric blocks all being sewn together, awaiting seams being pressed. Not my favourite thing to do. A row of fabric blocks on an ironing board. The seams connecting each block has been pressed.
November 30, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Ruth McMonagle
oregonthedm.bsky.social
Part 7 of 200 in historically interesting things to inspire your ttrpg

Chantilly Castle wrought iron railing
Big ole rams head that looks like a steampunk railing
November 13, 2025 at 4:40 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Yay! #SecretSantaAoNZ

Found something similar in AoNZ, so can get it sent this week!
November 29, 2025 at 8:16 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Made the most of Saturday.
Stuck the half snowball blocks on the design wall.
Had a bit of a play.
Completed a design I was happy with.
Created number tags from an old calendar so I can keep track of the columns.
Tomorrow I sew.

#sew #fabric #art #textile #reuse #recycle #quilt

🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶
Various half snowball quilt blocks on a design wall. The snowball dark triangles have been rotated to form a downwards pointing triangle. The colours of the fabrics are brown, turquoise, and purple. They are varying shades of each colour. Stretching out the Turquoise half snowball blocks along the design wall. Dark purple blocks repeat the below the turquoise blocks. It looks like another triangle is formed to the right of the initial design. Some extra music themed blocks are scattered below the design, as I need to work out where they are going to go. Cut up numbers of a calendar from 1 to 24 scattered on a desktop. Safety pins are in the top of the image. These will be pinned to differnet columns in the design, so I can keep track of where the sewn bits belong, and not get anything out of order. I have decided to split the length of the 12 columns in half, that's why there are 24 number tags. Snapshot of the design on the wall. Turquoise and purple half snowball blocks. The numbers 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 are pinned in order to different coloured blocks in preparation of sewing fabric blocks into columns .
November 29, 2025 at 7:18 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Only has 170 gm flour that you could substitute almond flour. I will make one for my gluten free friend. It's eggs, sugar, butter, and chocolate, plus vanilla paste.
November 29, 2025 at 6:34 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
OMG. I dont like brownies but this is AMAZING!!! Even though it has 2 blocks of Whittakers, it's not sickly sweet. I suspect the 1 Tbsp of vanilla paste has something to do with that.
The recipe was too big for my 23 circle pan, so I transfered it all into a slice pan.
#cook #bake #recipe 🍰🧁🍫
Two pieces of brownie. Icing sugar is dusted on the top. A small indentation of one of the brownies indicates some strawberry is hiding in there.
November 29, 2025 at 2:49 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
I cant believe anyone has commented about the Springbok Choy riots back in 1981.
#nzl 🌱🇳🇿
November 29, 2025 at 12:05 AM
ruthmcmonagle.bsky.social
Thanks, hoping the Santee likes it.
November 28, 2025 at 8:28 AM