getting busy with it....

...because getting jiggy with it sends out all the wrong messages and seems to invite offers of unwanted accoutrements from 'anonymous'........

anyhoo - have been busy stitching up a storm.....

I completed a client quilt today on the longarm - I used a pantograph pattern I haven't used before - half feathers and a leafy type of shape...

Anne pieced large stars in this gorgeous range of fabrics - Will and Lily or something - not that - but I can't remember the name, mixed with some self patterned whites and creams.  The quilt is really prettily sophisticated and the pantograph I used fits it perfectly...

I also got stuck into one of my assignments for school - we've been studying art history this semester and each of us had to give a presentation about a period in history to the rest of class.  After each class we had to update a timeline and then do a little representative free motion stitching piece......here's the Venus of Willendorf from the Prehistory presentation - noone is really sure what she represents - could be mother, grief or simply prehistoric porn......

For the final assignment, we had to create a stitched piece using mostly machine stitching.  Originally I was going to design something close to my presentation - the Vikings - but after reviewing my notes and sketches, I got thinking about women's hair-do's...

We'd been shown the Willendorf Venus' beanie style hairdo, the flowing locks of Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and the tightly wound curls of Queen Elizabeth I, amongst others......so I played around with that (and recording development of the piece in my visual diary, just like a good student would!) and came up with this...

Each of these ladies had red hair which is why I used orange silk for the background - and then I stitched and stitched and stitched.  I added hand made cord to represent ribbons or bands worn in the hair and a few beads.  The only casualty was my finger when I didn't get it out of the way of the needle fast enough - that was fun - not - especially when I had a splinter in the thumb of my other hand...oh well, done now....now to finish the time line...oh, and the community house banner....and the ironing......and a Kris Kringle gift for sunday for my sewing group.....you get the drift....

WIP Wednesday and being just a little slack...

Not slack in the sense of sitting on my duff doing nothing, but slack in that I haven't done a lot of blog reading nor commenting this week.  Mostly this was because Telstra and I had a little contretemps - they insist that I exceeded my quota re broadband (which is horrendously expensive and SLOW in Oz) and reduced my connection speed to 64 bits per minute (or whatever the damned thing is) - a consequence of this is that the internet takes 10 mins to open pages and it completely gives up the ghost on my mailbox - a new billing month started yesterday so it's back up to speed - but I had a full day of teaching yesterday too (classes in the morning, afternoon and evening - BIG wednesdays during term times) so didn't get round to anything internet related....ooh, sound like a moan but really, just stating what's happened - and then the dog ate my homework....

Today, it's off to the sewing centre to find out why my new machine is giving me conniptions about FMQing, out for drinks tonight with friends and then tomorrow my course starts - phew!

So this is a very quick post of WIP's, a link to Lee's WIP Wednesday on Freshley Pieced, then it's off to the shower, get the laundry out and jump in the car..

This week I finished my Mouthy Stitches pouch..

Did some dyeing...

Made a couple of blocks for Quilts of Hope...

Made the February block for the Quilt Australia Bee..

Got one FWQA block done - Rainbow Flowers..

Started a new quilt (on my Winter/Summer Stitching list) which started out as a garden path block quilt, morphed into a Sanctuary Squares and then when I didn't like the look of either using the fabrics I have (the quilts I've linked are totally gorgeous - their colour and pattern combos totally work), morphed into this...

I think it needs a couple of more rows on the bottom - which will necessitate a trip to the shop for more grey solid (damn!!) and a bit more cutting out and sewing - any suggestions regarding layout etc will be gratefully received.

Then go and have a look at the other linkees - again, some seriously wonderful WIP's being whipped into shape out there (sorry about the lame joke!)

WIP Wednesday #12

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshley Pieced - thanks Lee - this weekly summary really helps in identifying what I've actually done (and still to do) - although the last time I linked up was 16th November last year..............so there's some progress to report!

I also love having a look at what others are doing - it provides so much inspiration - there is a seriously large group of very clever people out there.

I did some sewing for Christmas..

pj's x 3, boardies, a pincushion, a cushion cover, 2 stuffed dollies, a matching bag, journal cover and a little drawstring bag, and a frock for my ma-in-law

Made a skirt for me..

7 bags and pouches (other than christmas ones)

2 do.Good stitches blocks...

a Quilting Australia Bee block...

2 baby quilts with matching soft baskets...

14 Farmers wife blocks....

total finished is now 72, so 39 to go

put the hexy quilt together and am now working on the 2nd border...

loaded and started quilting the batik medallion...

made a journal cover for me...

started knitting a pair of socks..

and completed the first 4 of the QAYGFMQQA blocks...

I've decided to review my list of stuff I'm reporting on to keep it more in line with the winter/summer stitching lit - but not tonight - I'll do that when I post my progress against that list, maybe tomorrow...

Jump into Lee's blog (button on the right) and see what everyone else is up to...

De-cluttering, the weekend just gone and more Farmers

I was catching up online and reading Helen's Archie's Blog and she's got a fantastic idea - she got it from Di, who got it from her sister Geri....and no doubt there'll be heaps of folks adding a 'LIKE' button on their blogs to reduce the amount of wordsmithing - you know, when you want to acknowledge you've read a post, and enjoyed it, but have nothing really concrete to say about it - I say lame stuff like 'lovely colours', or 'great block' and while I genuinely love whatever it is, lame comments create additional work for the blogger who feels compelled to respond to every comment - even the lame ones!  So, in order to declutter and reduce time spent on the computer when I can be sewing, I'm going to use the 'LIKE' button if it's available and I have nothing pertinent to say - that way the blogger can see their post is appreciated without having to send a reply to me, the bloggee - and I've added one on mine - mine is 'What's not to....' and you click 'LIKE' if you're so inclined - and/or leave a comment obviously - I LURRRRVE those........and Bob is very much your uncle, as Fanny is your aunt...perfick!!

Last Friday, my husband and I (Queenly wave) drove to the Bellarine Peninsula and spent a couple of days with a whole host of folks, including family and friends of family with lots of babies, in a luxurious holiday home complete with lap pool, quad bike and tennis court.  Wow - it was wonderfully relaxing and wonderfully entertaining with all them babies (because I don't have babies at home, I can say that it was the best wake-up call - babies laughing and playing together - not sure their parents would agree!).  My sister, niece and I made a huge roast dinner for 12 adults on saturday night and overall there was a lot of talking, watching tennis, lazing, reading, playing tennis, swimming, quad biking and football (the AFL type - all the blokes were Aussies and have not yet succumbed to the Beautiful Game).  I even managed a spot of stash building at a wonderful LQS called The Naked Sheep (she hasn't got a website yet, but the shop is inside the Gateway Plaza Shopping Centre, 621-659 Bellarine Highway, Leopold 3224) and the service was absolutely sensational - Amanda offered to cut a FQ from any bolt in the shop as well as searched, downloaded and printed a sock pattern for the Noro wool I bought.  So if you're ever in the vicinity, go and check her out.

just picked what I like - nothing much matches!

and already started the socks - easy to do when watching the Tennis

 Before we left for the weekend, I had a bit of a spurt on and made 6 new Farmers blocks, so now I'm up to 72 (wow, only 39 to go....).  The Pine Tree block (no. 67) was a stinker - I had all sorts of issues with the points - I could say it was because I'm using my new machine and the 1/4" foot is really 3/16" and I'm having a couple of issues adjusting from the old 1/4" foot - but good workwomen don't blame their tools and all that - so instead of unpicking I got out the Inktense watercolour pencils and some fabric goo and coloured a couple in - stepping back you can't tell and I won't ever make the block again - not my cup of tea at all......

Top row: 69-Practical orchard, 71-Puss in the corner
Middle row: 72-Railroad, 68-Postage stamp
Bottom row: 67-Pine tree, 70-Prairie queen

I think number 68, Postage stamp is my favourite of these - red, asymmetrical - no wonder the fabulous Rita of RPQ  made a complete quilt using this block.  Now I really must make some more patterns up in EQ for the remaining 39 blocks so I can keep going - not this week though, too many things to prepare for class next week....arrivedeci

More QAYGFMQQAL

Laura posted requirements for the next 2 blocks and yesterday, without having another look at what they're supposed to look like, I had a go.....

This is the spirals block - and I  obviously need a lot more practice - it didn't help that the needle kept skipping stitches now and again  (apparently that means I have to change the needle) - the spirals aren't uniform at all - but as an old Polish fellow once said, "The first pancake is always lumpy" and it just means I have to beat it a bit more....

The 2nd one was supposed to be a stylised and loopy flower - but as I mentioned, I didn't go back to view Laura's, I just remember her post mentioning adding all the elements we've done so far, together (loops, flowers and spirals) - so off I went....and unfortunately, the 2nd pancake is lumpy too..

It looks a bit better from the back....but still looks like the huntsman after I sprayed and sprayed last night!

For all that, I'm enjoying the FMQ on the domestic - it is making a little more adventurous on the long-arm and that's always a good thing!

BTW, look what came for a visit it my house yesterday..

A cormorant decided to stop by - he sunned himself on the rocks next to the pool, then every so often dived in to cool off.  He stayed for about an hour having a high old time then flew off.  We get ducks on the water, minahs, cockies, grassies and wattle birds fly in for a quick drink or a splash, but this is the first time I've seen a cormorant.

QAYGFMQQAL - almost sounds like swearing -

which I did - several times - and loudly...

I cut the fabric (I'm using hand-dyed fabric), bordered it in spotlight prima homespun beige, used more hand-dyed fabric for the back, dropped the feed dogs and put the FMQ foot onto the new machine.  Had a quick review of the instructions, put on my el cheapo hy-flex rubber gloves and started.....top thread snapped (mumble, mumble).  Took off gloves, unpicked, gloves on, started again, top thread snapped (mumble, MUMBLE).  Gloves off, checked 'troubleshooting' section of instruction book, rethreaded machine, changed the needle, gloves on, started again.....much better, got all the way to the end, not too shabby, til I turned the damned thing over....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Gloves off, unpicked (at least it was easy to unpick), piece now looking like it's spent some time as bedding in the echidna enclosure at the zoo, walked away, poured a wine, sat back at the machine.  Rethreaded (I had missed the all important take up arm - how did I do that?? I've threaded machines forEVER..........)

..........gloves on and then had another crack...

and then another..............

This is so different to using the long-arm - for long-arm quilting, you move the head of the machine and the fabric is held in place by the rollers, not moving.  FMQ on the domestic sewing machine means the machine stays put and the fabric is what moves about - 'encouraged' by the wonderful hy-flex gloves - it's a lot more difficult than I expected (as you can see by the results - those flowers are not supposed to have a spider web in the centre!)

I know it'll get easier and I'll get more accurate as I practise along - and I need to have FMQ skills on the new machine so I can use them for my course (Diploma of Textile Art), which starts in a couple of weeks - so I'll persevere - but the 'blue' cloud created from all the swearing has not yet dissipated in the sewing room, so I may leave it be for a couple of days, think I might go and visit the Farmer...

FMQQA with Laura

Laura, over at Quokka Quilts, has just launched her Free Motion Quilting Quilt Along - I am already behind the 8 ball having not prepared fabric, or adding the button (will get to that later) - and Laura has asked me, in my capacity as a long-arm quilter, to share a FMQ pattern or two - so I really have to get my skates on and jump right on in.

Fabric is chosen - lots of fat quarters I hand-dyed last year - so I'm off to cut them up and have a crack at the first 2 - will post photos when I've done them!

There'll be a linky thingy on Thursdays for a show and tell - so hop on over, get prepared and have a crack - Laura has created 2 fabulous videos to point you in the right direction and the voice over is very soothing....