Still here........

Busy doesn't even describe the past month or so:

• new job
• do.good Stitching
• sewing
• knitting
• crocheting
• veggie gardening
• felting
• embroidering
• article writing (for my classmates and I, we're Stitch Theorem and we have a couple of exhibitions coming up)
• CFA stuff (Country Fire Authority for those outside Victoria - it's a voluntary Fire Fighting Service and I've joined the support team - I don't go and fight the fires - my husband does that - I do admin stuff, sizzle sausages and stage manage a local Carols by Candlelight....)

Apart from the fact I love my new job (House co-ordinator at our local Community House) and all the wonderful challenges it brings, another fabulous side effect is that I have to be super-organised to ensure I fit everything in - so few minutes get wasted and I have accomplished loads of stuff that I wouldn't have in my pre-new-job life....brilliant!!

One of my exhibition pieces - not yet finished - I used a sun dye in 'bark' and used brown paper as the mask - it was a bit windy that day so I put a load of coins onto the brown paper to stop it blowing away and got a fabulous pattern I wasn't expecting - very serendipitous...

Both my boys are home for Christmas which I'm very happy about and my little brother and his wife will be coming to Melbourne in the New Year - very happy about that too :)

....the only thing I'm not happy about is the cricket...

Ok - back to it...

doing good...

So this month we had a request for feathers, AMH feathers - and the first time I made them (for another Bee I might add...) I loved the result but the process - OMG - pain in the posterial end.......

This time, I just got on with it - luckily I found the freezer paper template that I created the first time - although strictly speaking, I didn't 'find' it - I knew where it was because I'm a bit anal organised like that....

so, for this month for the Cherish circle of do.Good Stitches....

I quite like them

In other news....I recently started a new part time job and I seriously underestimated the impact on my 'creative' time.

There's a couple of things that stand out though - on the plus side, I'm finding I'm getting a lot more done in a shorter period of  time - cos you just have to do it in the time available so I find I'm using my available time much more efficiently.  On the downside I'm not getting any pj days - I LOVE (note, in capital letters, LOVE) pj days - I don't get dressed, or showered, my hair's all manky and it's BLISS - because you get the bliss of being, well, a bit manky and then the added bliss of feeling all fresh and new when you have a shower and do your hair....sigh........I guess there's always weekends......

Hope you get a pj day.....

doing good - again

At the beginning of the year, I had to resign as the Cherish do.Good Stitches mama due to lack of time - it's quite a feat putting quilts together from blocks made by different people and then quilting them - especially in the time frames.  So, reluctantly, I resigned.......but, I couldn't really stay away.

I stalked what the girls were up to and saw what beautiful quilts they made and gifted to people who otherwise might not have had such a wonderful gift.

So last month I rejoined - not as the mama, and not as a 'quilter' - I rejoined as a 'stitcher' which means all I have to do is make two blocks each month and post them off.  This fits in with the workload from my Diploma and I still feel great about contributing...win/win :)

I've made two months worth of blocks and the October request has just gone up (AMH feathers....hmmmm)

september - cream and green - any block

august - warm and cool - scrap vomit style

It feels good to be doing good again................

doing Good

A couple of years ago I answered a call out from Rachel, of Stitched in colour, to establish a do.Good Stitches Circle here in Australia and the result was the Cherish Circle.  This wonderful group of women have made lots of stunning quilts, all destined to be gifted to people who would benefit from a quilty hug...here are a few of them.....

these can all be viewed in Flickr do.good Stitches group
Flickr

Late last year however, I made the decision to  bow out for a while - my school work is getting more full-on and with various other commitments, time is at a premium.  We found a new member to replace me and Anne very kindly took over the leadership.  All I had to do was finish the last quilt - which was supposed to be finished by November 2012.......

Anyway - yesterday I decided it was next on the list - so I loaded it on the Gammill (I have these new Red Snapper things that make loading and unloading quilts onto the frame an absolute breeze) and freehand feathery quilted it all over.  The backing I pieced out of a few lengths of fabric that suited and the binding - all done by machine (and I have those Clover binder clips - wow - they make such a difference too) - was a blue stripe I've had for some time too - so now it's ready for a label and then handover to the recipient.

crap photo - another thing on my list of things to improve...

I've really enjoyed making with the Cherish group - I'll keep calling into the Flickr groups to look at what stunners they have come up with and there's always lots of inspiration in the main do.good Stitches group too.

All the best ladies - you made my tenure as Circle mama so very easy and I wish you all the very best.

Bee block catch up - and a new sewing group catch up

Fallen a bit behind in my Bee blocks - so made a concerted effort yesterday to catch up...

These 2 are for Nicolette's October do.Good stitches quilt - Nicolette is a very, (actually, she rates in capital letters - VERY) talented quilter and I often sigh at her work (take a look at her blog and you'll see what I mean!) and she asked for a warm and a cool bowtie block - so here they are - they'll be winging their way to  Europe when I get to the PO tomorrow.

Next one is for Shirley in our Quilt Club Australia Bee...

Shirley asked for a convergence block in black and white - Shirley is the Queen of convergence blocks and whilst making this one I can understand the allure!

...and finally, I'm the Queen Bee for November for do.Good stitches so I've asked for Converging Corners in manly greys and blues - I don't think I quite mastered the process so I'll have to make a couple more...I like them though :)

Now - as the title mentioned, there's a new Sewing Group been formed by the indomitable Sally, the Peninsula Sewshells, and the inaugural meeting is at the Frankston Library...here's the flyer:

peninsula sewshells

Are you a quilter?

A bag maker?

A clothes maker?

Embroiderer?

Crocheter?

Thread artist?

Want to meet like minded souls, with a modern twist?

Then come to Frankston Library

Friday November 16 or December 14 from 6 til 10.

Cost $5.00 per person.

BYO project, sewing machine or hand project.

This is not lessons, it is a sit and create social evening.

Parking is available under the library, and a lift is available to the rooms.

Check us out on facebook – sew shells,

or at sewshells@gmail.com,

Or just come along!

So if you're in the area - come on down - I'll see you there!

do. Good Stitches - Cherish

Debra asked for a couple of blocks with a beachy theme and they had to be all one colour - so I've added a little artistic licence and we have a blue boat for sailing on the deep blue...

and a green lighthouse, who really wanted to be a greenhouse....

There was a couple of 'Y' seams when I joined the pieces together - that was fun!

These will be joined with the other blocks made by the clever ladies in the Cherish Circle and will become a gorgeous quilt for a deserving someone.

Squishy post

Some time ago, the Circle Mamas of do.good Stitches thought it'd be a great idea to get to know each other better, and a swap was arranged......

My secret partner was the very talented Hollie of Undercover Crafter fame, and I sent her this - happy to report she loves it and is using the bag - yay!!!

So, back to today........squishy mail in the post is always welcome at my house.....and the one I received yesterday was no different....

Jenn of The Knotted Thread must have been looking over my shoulder - look what she sent me...

The sewing roll is fabulous - great fabrics, a very usable configuration  and so, so pretty - the pins will definitely come in handy - I find I never have enough pins - not sure what happens to them.........maybe I have some Borrowers at home.........maybe they're left in pieces of work that I have abandoned in disgust, slowly rusting into the fabric........maybe they fall into the heating vents behind my sewing table and fall under the house when they become overheated and burn though the ducts, scaring the wildlife....I digress...

The pouch on the left is a perfect size for my rotary cutter - and that's is what is happily ensconced inside as we speak - and you can't really see the clever quilting - follows the chevrons on the fabric - noice!

Thank you so much Jenn - I love what you made :)

WIP Wednesday

It's been ages since I did a WIP wednesday - there's so much going on that I usually forget to post on the right day - but I got away from classes a little earlier today so thought I'd jump in quickly before going off to make dinner (laksa with chicken and prawns) - and before the evening classes start.

So, I had a finish, which I blogged about here and here's some close ups of the quilting...

intent was to do lovely tight spirals, but like my body, they got a little loose!

a little 3D action

looks like a ribbon

I put the 1st border on this one - and I think I'm christening it 'Ice Age' after a lovely comment...

According to my 'To Do' list there's at least 432 more things to be done and I will eventually (maybe) get to them.....

This next week I have 5 client quilts to quilt on the longarm, so best get into that, as well as starting a quilt I want to make up into a kit.....oh, and the do.good stitches blocks need to be made.....and I must finish the remaining blocks of the Farmers Wife........and.........bugger!

Hostess Swap

Some time ago, the Circle mamas of do.Good Stitches decided to have a swap amongst ourselves - we thought it'd be a great way to get to know each other better and too help introduce new mamas to the Bee.

In time-honoured tradition, the swap was organised as a secret - we had to create a mosaic of what we liked as well as a questionnaire (have to confess though that between me filling out the form and creating the mosaic, I'd forgotten what I'd written so the mosaic may, or may not, bear any resemblence to what I wrote I liked - sorry partner!)

Well, I received the details of a wonderfully creative hostess - obviously I can't divulge the name - but I did a little stalking, read the likes and dislikes form and viewed her (I can say 'her' - there's no blokes as yet...) mosaic.

Hmm, what to make, what to make??

I'd been eyeing off a tute put up by the very talented Ayumi at Pink Penguin and thought I'd play around with the dimensions a bit to accomodate what my secret partner said she'd like...

So....

French General linen, with Ruby Star Rising strip - the fabric flower on the front is Denyse Schmidt - and I hot glued it to a badge so it's removable

....and looking at the top

The Ruby Star Rising inner is sewed into the top of the bag to create a cover - ideal to shove all those things in there and fasten them up for safety

inside is a couple of little gifts..

a little pouch in the French General linen - it's lined with Good Folks and I stamped a little flower on the front

This is a piece of Kate Spain fabric that I've embroidered over - not all over - and it's made to hang on the wall - I think it's a 5" hoop, could be 6"

Once I replace buy some goodies to pop inside the bag too, it'll be winging it's way to wherever it needs to go.

Hope my secret partner likes it......

Stupendous Sunday

Today was one of those truly wonderful days that happen, unfortunately, all too seldom......let me explain.....

My bestest friend and I decided to go to Treehouse Textiles to attend their open day - we'd been meaning to go forever and not quite got round to it....but we did today. 

For those in Oz, and more specifically in Victoria, if you get a chance, drive on down the Peninsula and visit Emma and Sarah at Treehouse Textiles in Merricks North -  even though it was a cold and greyish day (the sun did make an appearance for a second or two), we had the warmest of welcomes, handed a coffee and a cookie (or a piece of slice - mmmm) and taken on a tour around the place. 

The studio overlooks a lake and it is set in beautiful bushland - perfect for that sewing retreat or to learn new skills.  Emma and Sarah have a sensational range of fabric - not so many that it's overwhelming but certainly enough to get those creative juices flowing

Cathy of Cabbage Quilts showed up (Cathy teaches at Treehouse Textiles) and it was lovely to catch up - we're having our inaugural 'Mornington Stitchers Group' meeting tomorrow night at Cathy's house so I had the opportunity to introduce my bff who will also join us.

After purchasing some gorgeous fabric from Emma (because I don't have enough!!), my bff and I headed to my house for some sewing.

We were well ensconced when we had a phone call from my bff's partner, Sparky,  - he's been cooking and can he bring dinner round for us all? - hmm, let me think about that - hell, yes!!  So dinner is sorted (fresh pasta, a yummo meat sauce and homemade bread - followed by cheesecake....yum) without me doing anything at all! 

My eldest son phoned, he and his lovely fiance are coming over to say hello, no problem, see you soon, and my bff said for them to stay for dinner, there's heaps.  In the meantime, Sparky had been speaking to my youngest son and he and his partner were coming for dinner too!

How funny - dinner at my house, I didn't actually invite anybody specifically, but I spent the day pursuing things I love to do (spending time with my bff, sewing and buying fabric), spending time with my gorgeous family, and I didn't have to make dinner - it SO works for me!!!

......and I got my do.good stitches quilt finished - another one off the list :)

Excellent all round really..

Bee blocks.......and lots of other stuff....

It seems like forever that I posted - in reality, it's been a week, but not getting on the computer everyday makes such a difference - the 'To be read' list of posts from the uber talented I follow continue to circle the globe and I don't seem to be making any dent in it with the paltry time I'm 'allowing' myself - hopefully all will change next term (this term really has been very busy and I'm hoping it's not indicative of the rest of the course)

So, I got up early, read a couple of posts and thought I'd quickly add what's been happening around here....

A couple of Bee blocks, the first for the Australia Bee....

such a pretty block

The next couple are for do.good Stitches - Melissa sent the pink dot for the final round and the rest we contributed...

The final pink round on the second one actually matches the first for colour - so the saturation you see is a bit exagerated!

These blocks have been sent off to their respective bee mamas.

In other news, the ladies in my classes have been busily sewing away their projects of the month...

The gorgeous Barb - and it's the very first thing she has ever made - love that beaming 'I made it myself' smile..

This months project - a zipped, lined pouch - they did a fabulous job.....

A couple of days ago I dyed some fabric to use for the stitched piece for school - the brief is titled 'colours of our lives' and I'm going red....reddish.....what the??

Buster had to get himself in the photo again - this time his 'other' end

 

So, time to go......today I'm mounting samples of fabrics dyed with various dye mediums (sun dyes, RIT dyes and Landscape dyes) and I really must make a start on the reports.......arrivederci...

WIP Wednesday - well it would be, but now it's Thursday and the link is closed :(

omg - I knew it had been a while since linking up with WIP Wednesday at Lee's, but just saw that the last time was 9th Feb - definately a long time between drinks!

So obviously there's a little bit of creativity going on in the meantime - most of which relates to the Textiles course I'm doing, but I got a few things done outside of that too :)

I have a finish which started about here....

Totally inspired by this

Here's the back........

there's actual sunshine in Melbourne today!

I finished up another quilt...

I'm in the process of adding hand quilting to this next one...

Completed some farmers wife and projects for school, sewing bees and my teaching classes...

I also managed to complete a few quilting commissions on the long-arm too - I'm sure there's more but it's been so long I think I'd be here forever finding all the photos!

Anyway - pop on over to Lee's and check out everyone else's awesome WIP's - huge amount of inspiration out there :)

Wild Waves Tute

Specifically for the lovely ladies of the Cherish Circle of Do.Good stitches for our April quilt - but obviously, anyone can have a go at this block - it's very pretty - and made in bright, saturated fabrics, looks a bit like bunting twirling in the breeze....

this is 2 blocks, side by side.....

Okey dokey, to make 2 x 12" finished blocks, you'll need the following....

from the white fabric - 8 x 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares, plus
                                     16 x 4" x 4" squares
n.b. - you can use any white

from your scrap box - 1 x 4 1/4" square of 8 bright, saturated fabrics - any colour and you can use a mix of prints and solids.

Method:

1.  With a pencil and a ruler, mark each of the white squares, on the wrong side, with 2 diagonal lines, 1/4" away from the centre diagonal (fig 1)

fig 1

2.  Pick up one white 4 1/4" square and place it on top of one of your bright 4 1/4" squares, right sides together, then sew down the inside of the drawn lines (fig 2)

fig 2

3.  Cut apart down the centre of the sewn lines.  Set the seams with the iron then press the seams open (fig 3)

fig 3 (showing wrong side uppermost)

4.  Repeat with remaining coloured squares and 4 1/4" white square until you have 16 HST's
5.  Pick up one HST and lay a white 4" square on top, right sides together - make sure the diagonal of the HST is NOT aligned to the diagonal lines drawn on the 4" white square - it should be opposite (fig 4)

fig 4

6.  Sew down the inside of each drawn line, cut apart and press the seam open as before (fig 5)

fig 5 (showing wrong side uppermost)

7.  Continue until you have used all the 4" white squares - you'll now have 32 small 1/4sq patches.
8.  Trim all of these patches to 3 1/2" square (fig 6)

fig 6 - I used a JT ruler to square these up, but you can do it just as successfully with a regular cutting ruler

9.  Using the following guide (to ensure the patches are oriented the same way - this is a little trickier than it looks - and please make sure the first column has the triangles pointing up :-)), layout your patches in 2 blocks of 4 x 4 patches 

please note the direction of the diagonals - your 2 blocks will be mirror images

10.  Sew 16 patches together to make a 1 block
11.  Repeat with remaining 16 patches
12. Send blocks to me (but only if you're a Cherish Circle member....)

There you go - please let me know if you have any questions - have fun....

Drawing and other random stuff

1.  My Diploma of Textile Arts course started a couple of weeks ago and one of the first things we've been doing is to learn how to draw - we'll need this skill to visually communicate an idea without actually making the idea up in fabric (or whatever medium we choose).

My eldest son has awesome drawing skills, but I've never classified myself as being able to draw.  As our teacher says, everything improves with practice and a little know how - so we have to practice everyday....

First page of my new visual diary - oh dear!!

My Doc Martins - the left boot looks like it would fit an ogre!

Doodling - zentangle style

My coffee 'table' - actually it's 2 stacked boxes  - and Picasso's Don Quixote is riding on in...

I'm quite enjoying the drawing - and try to draw something every day as instructed - and concentrate hard on getting perspective right - it is hard though!

2.  I'm actually supposed to be writing an Occupational Health and Safety report on my workplace/sewing room - but I'm bored already......

Garden Path block

Across the Sea blocks

3. I sewed a little yesterday and got blocks made for my Quilt Australia sewing bee and for do.Good Stitches.  I also repurposed a gigantor bag I made months ago which was too big to be practical - it's now a smaller tote bag, with lots of pockets, a pencil roll and a boxy pouch - I've made these to carry things to and from school and I don't have pictures as it's all a bit naff!

4.  My vegie patch is producing copious amounts of eggplant (and I'm the only one in the house that eats it) and purple beans - my freezer is FULL of purple beans.  There's also about 20 pumpkins (butternut and queensland grey varieties) and watermelon meandering all over the place - can't wait for these to ripen!

5.  My youngest son and his girlfriend have found a place and will be moving out this week - I have mixed feelings about this....

Now I really must go - only so many hours in the day and I have got soooooooooo much to do.  Arrivederci!