Memories of Maldon…

As I mentioned in previous posts, I had my annual retreat at The Parsonage a few weeks ago.   While I wasn’t very well over the weekend, and there were a couple of other sickies amongst us… it was still a lovely time and I think we all suffered a bit of a pang as this will be our last year at The Parsonage, and next year we will need to find other accommodation.

As usual on the drive up we did a bit of a shop hop, meeting up at Gisborne to check out Quilters Bazaar and the Drapers of Mount Macedon, and then on the advice of Catsmum, we stopped off in Kyneton to visit Pick Up Stitches, a new to me, Wool and Patchwork shop, who were having a sale.

So, I ended up with a bundle of Heirloom Magic Merino yarn and over the weekend away I stitched some more Grannies, which I found easier to work on while we sat and quietly chatted or watched movies.   I’ve enjoyed these so much, I rang Pick Up Stitches last week to see if they still had the same dyelots in store, and bought some extra yarn to make a largish lap rug.

The inspiration for these grannies comes from this post at the always inspirational Lucy at Attic24, which lead to me to here and more especially to this photo and all it’s lovely green goodness.

And for some more intraweb crafty goodness – check out the Quilt Gallery on Threadbear’s site of the splendiforous show and tell at The Applique Society meeting we were lucky to attend while we were away…    I could make all of these… and it was funny how many of these I have patterns for already!

Hooky Love

I’m a recalcitrant quilter these day… find myself being completely under enthused about any type of work that involves working with pieces of fabric…but what I am getting a buzz out of is crochet…

The Giant Granny Square has come to a halt as I’ve run out of the white wool, and haven’t had a chance to duck out and buy some more.   Though am very happy with my progress so far, even though it’s slow going now that the rounds are so big.    Still planning to do another complete set of each colour before finishing off with a white crocheted edging.

So, going through hooky withdrawals, I searched through yarn stash and found some yarn I’d bought (I think at Spotlight) awhile ago and started to make largish Granny Squares.   There are 8 colours, including black and I’m randomly placing colours inspired by this gorgeous thing on Flickr.

BUT, because I’m not sure where I got the yarn from, and not sure if I can get any more, I’m trying to eek out enough to get the right number of squares – currently have 8 finished, and I need to end up with either 9 or 12.   So, it’s likely I’m going to make some little 4 round granny’s out of the little bits of wool left and join them up to make the larger squares.

Plan is to finish off with a round of black and then join up using Attic24’s Joining Granny’s tutorial and then maybe do an edging… if I do, this will be first thing I’ve crocheted that actually needs to be sewn together… wish me luck!

Have been drooling over various colour/ yarn options to have a go at Lucy’s Hexagons or her Ripple or even having a go at Do You Mind if I Knit’s Little Squares scarf – but possibly in a more restricted colourway, reds, greys, blues, creams.

Can’t decide if I want to work with bright 8ply Biggan Design or the thicker, but much more colour varied Cascade 220 or to work with Tahki Cotton Classic… any suggestions?

Licorice Allsorts

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted on the blog, had disconnected my camera and it’s a major drama climbing under furniture to reconnect, and basically I was lazy!

And my oldest furbaby, Gertie has suddenly taken to taking up this pose everytime I sit in front of the computer… easy enough to surf the net, a bit difficult to type.

Gertie helping me update Flickr

So, this is a licorice allsorts sort of post, with an update of what I’ve been working on for the last little while and other stuff and nonsense.

OUT THERE IN BLOGLAND

First off, my lovely quilty fairy godmother Jasmine is having a blogaversary giveaway, she’s made a quilt from a jelly roll I sold in the big clean up last year!    She’s my fairy godmother, because the first time I ever met her in person, after corresponding online for awhile, she was wearing purple and black striped witchy socks with a tutu and a tiara!    And she almost conned a lovely man at the local pub into buying us a bottle of Moet Chandon – have loved her ever since.

Bobbi and Heidi have organised another Friday Night Sew-In for this Friday – Friday 19 March, you can find all the details here.    As Saturday is also International Quilt Day, I’m planning a night in on Friday that will probably extend over into the wee small hours of Saturday.   Will either do some more work on my Red and Green Sampler blocks like last time, or work on some Teapot blocks I am making as part of a Flickr Quiltalong.   By the way, I’ve finished the block I started at the last Friday night sew-in.

Source: Darlene C. Christopherson – A Perfect Union

FABRIC FONDLING

Mid February, inspired by my finishing the last of my Baskets full of Butterflies blocks, I dug out another old WIP.    This quilt was designed by Michele Hill and is called Folk Art Sampler, published in APQ Vol 12, No. 12 and 13 in 2005.    I bought the fabric for this quilt while away studing at the University of Ballarat in July 2005 at Gail’s Patchwork Emporium, prepped 5 blocks, and stitched one flower on one block and then put it aside, where it has remained ever since.   So during February and March, I’ve finished buttonhole appliqueing the 5 prepped blocks, prepped and started stitching another 2 blocks.    I bought some sashing material a few weeks ago, and want to finish the centre blocks and add the outer borders.    I think the easiest way to get this finished is to prep all my applique and fuse and stitch one side at a time.

WIP Folk Art Sampler

WHICH STITCH?

Since my last post, I’ve also finished another Blackbird Design Stocking as part of Dragon My Needle’s Christmas Design SAL – gee there is some lovely work happening in the gallery of photo’s.

Blackbird Designs, Love is in the Air - Be Mine, Stitches and Spice Gravestone 32ct Belfast Linen, The Gentle Arts Thread - Aged Pewter, Clover, Avocado, Harvest Basket, Apple Cider, Antique Rose

I’ve also made a start on Ink Circles The Bramble and The Rose as part of a stitch-along that my cross-stitch enablers Claire and Sandra are also doing.   There are a few stitchers working on this one on the Ink Circles Stitchers blog.   I’m using Threadworx Lava Rocks, which is more a solid colour then I thought it would be.   Was originally going to use 32ct linen, but didn’t like the linen I’d ordered online, so found a piece of what I think is 28ct quaker cloth and am using that instead.   Means will be a bigger finish, but am loving it so far.

The Bramble and The Rose, 1st Progress Update

TRAM TRAVELLING

I really hate catching public transport!    I miss my car, and being able to drive to work without the hassle of city traffic and parking.     The only thing that has made life bearable is that I am using the 45 minute journey to and from work as an opportunity to use needle and thread.   BUT, what to do while travelling that doesn’t involve major supplies?     My Butterfly baskets were perfect, as they were fused and all used black thread… but I didn’t have another fused applique project that didn’t require multiple needle/ colour changes.    So for the last fortnight, I’ve been working on another of my It’s a Redwork Christmas blocks by Rosalie Quinlan, and this is my progress to date.    There are 9 of these blocks all up, and this is my 2nd block, so this could take me most of 2010 to work on during my travels.

It's a Redwork Christmas

YARNING AWAY

And just to round out the whole needle and thread experience, I’ve also started playing with some crochet.    Inspired by Attic24, Do You Mind if I Knit? and Sarah London and some of the stunning work  they are all doing, I’m attempting to master the art of crochet.   While I’d love to try some of the more complex designs out there, I’ve started off simply, with a giant granny square, am going to use light pink, hot pink, red, yellow, green, turqoise and purple alternating with this creamy/white colour using yarn I had collected for another project that didn’t happen.

Giant Granny Square

And just to make sure she get’s her mugshot here, have a look at Gracie, my ever so slight crazy cat, assisting Mum as she prepared the surprise 50th quilt’s binding last weekend at my house.     I’ll post a proper photo of this quilt in a week or so, as the party is next weekend and it’ll be unveiled then.

Gracie helping with the quilting

Something….ummm…Red? South Seas Lace

Another finish for me this week, am on a roll!

This is a Debbie Draper design from The Gift of Stitching’s May 2009 issue.  Stitched using Threadworx Bleeding Hearts on white linen.

I started this as a Stitch Along with Claire and Sandra, but of course, I lagged behind, but was determined to catch up and get this finished.

Slight panic as I got closer to the finish line and I realised my strands of thread were rapidly diminishing… that’s ok – when I bought this thread at Quilters Bazaar last year and showed Mum she loved it so much she rang and ordered 3 skeins… but had forgotten that Lorraine had ordered them for her specially so she had them all from the same dyelot… and they looked completely different!!!

Then remembered that Jayne had also bought a skein elsewhere, and asked if she could bring it along when we had dinner this week… again – different.  Much more a burgundy red/plum colour that I had.

So, I was very frugal with my stitching, thinking of the best way to do each stitch to minimise thread use, stitching down to the last little scant inch on the needle.

Was close to the finish line last night when I should have been in bed, but knew I had to finish it and put myself out of my misery… was I going to run out of thread or not… NOT!    The photo below shows exactly how much thread I have left over.   Finished at about 1.00am this morning, so a very tired girl at work today.

If I’ve finished something, can I start something now?

I need to decide, considering how much of a recalcitrant SAL member I was, whether I want to join along with Claire and Sandra and lots of others in a SAL on Ink Circles Stitchers to stitch Ink Circles The Bramble and The Rose, which was published in June 2009 Gift of Stitching, which begins on 1 March.

I do love this design and would like to tackle it, and while I’m loving my Blackbird Stockings, the lots of thread colour changes can be annoying.   Except there’s no way you’d be able to memorise the pattern for this one!

Have been pondering doing this in a dark grey mottled Threadworx thread on a pale grey linen piece I have in stash (need to check if the linen is big enough) – not red I know, which is outside my comfort zone a little – but I think would look really dramatic with this design.   Hmmm…do I or don’t I?

Looking forward to tomorrow night’s Friday Sew in -recognise a few names on the list – Jan Q, Blessed, Fiona and Kate.

Still can’t decide what I want to work on – though I’ve got another early start tomorrow – up at 5.00am to be at a breakfast meeting by 7.00am – so will probably just pick up a UFO or several and try to make some progress.

She’s making a list and checking it twice…

Put away the books, we’re out of school
The weather’s warm but we’ll play it cool
We’re on staycation, havin’ lots of fun
S-T-A-Y-C-A-T-I-O-N in the summer sun

Can you tell I’m getting a little excited?   Only 16 more sleeps before I go on leave and I don’t go back to work till the end of January – 43 days off – woo hoo!

This will be the longest continuous break I’ve had since I was diagnosed with glandular fever 20+years ago, and I spent 5 weeks at home feeling cruddy and the only energy I had was to cross stitch while getting addicted to Santa Barbara and Days of Our Lives (I watched the first episode that Patch appeared in and was hooked, lol).

But like then, I’m going to be predominantly housebound, apart from some small trips and a quilt class or two… and a friend coming to stay for a few days.   May actually be forced to be housebound, as my nephew’s car is off the road and he’s regularly borrowing mine to get to and from work.

Flossie (Mum) coming to stay for the 1st week of the New Year, we’re going to have a ‘bee’ between putting together some quilt tops and finishing off some small projects like wallhangings and bags.

It’ll be the usual deal of her using the machine, and my cutting and pressing…though I am thinking of getting her to help me make a start on either one of these gorgeous quilts by Roslyn of Bloom…Simply a Bloom or Sweet Menagerie.

A bit inspired by Blessed’s version of Simply a Bloom and the bundle of Allspice Tapestry Charm Squares and Jelly Rolls I found when sorting out the stash for the sale of surplus items!

Both of these seem like relatively simple projects for someone who is less than comfortable on the machine, as it’s just straight sewing…

Am busy getting organised and things prepped with the intention of sewing something every day!

Things I must do while on staycation:

• Get my blocks finished and posted to Aunt Pitty Pat for the Holly Jolly Christmas Block Swap – have got all my backgrounds cut, just need to sit down this week and start to prep the appliques, I’m doing Christmas Wreaths, Plum Puddings and Christmas Ornaments

• Make softie book/s of this panel – I commented on the Busy Thimbles blog and as a result the panels arrived today and I get to have a play… already have ideas swarming through my head

• Finish my South Seas Lace cross-stitch… as usual I’m lagging behind behind on this SAL, both Claire and Sandra have finished theirs… and I’m still stitching on mine, making slow progress… got bored with the narrow border and wanted to see what the final border looked like.

Actually, check out Sandra’s Grand Marquoir finish post… isn’t it gorgeous?   This is another project I’m lagging behind on, I’ve done 3 letters…sigh…

• Keep up to date with The Parsonage Dresden Plate Exchange – I’m working on Kylie’s at present … you can see one of her blocks below, I didn’t make this one, Jules did.    I’ll also have Jules handed over to me in the next fortnight.

• Start my Blackbird Design Stocking Series – I’m hoping to be part of Dragon My Needle’s Christmas Design SAL – a year long stitch along working on particular Christmas Designs.  I got the January 2009 kit from Stitches and Spice for these gorgeous little stockings, and hope to get the rest of the series during 2010.  So the aim is to stitch at least 1 stocking a month during 2010.

Things I’d like to do while on staycation (and more likely towards the end of my 43 days will be getting lots of things prepped so that I can just pick things up and work on them once I get back to work… including:

• Prep Aunt Millie’s Garden blocks – I’m using a white with black pindot background and lots of spotty/dotty/striped bright fabric
• Prep Love Letters blocks – I’ve got 2 lots of fabric for these, deep navy, burgundy, browns on tan backgrounds for Mum, and the 3 Sisters Chocolat range that was used in the original quilt for me.   Not going to make both – will get the blocks ready for Mum to stitch hers, and will prep and applique mine

• make a start on Kellie from Don’t Look Now’s Joseph’s Coat Quilt along

• Organise cross-stitch patterns for Aury’s Bride’s Tree SAL.  The Bride’s Tree is a German tradition. It is believed that a couple’s Christmas tree needs twelve specific ornaments for happiness in their life journey together. My eldest nephew and his girl get married in November 2010, and have asked us to give them money towards their honeymoon in lieu of gifts as they are funding the wedding themselves.   This seemed like a nice idea, to make them 13 ornaments for their 1st tree as a married couple, and I thought I’d look for quakerstyle patterns for each months theme, and have found some freebie patterns already i.e. the quaker heart to represent true love and love of family.

I’d also really like to aim to do a blog post a day… either a progress report on what I’m working on, or maybe dragging out some WIPs/PIGs and posting in more detail, in an attempt to shame me into progressing some of these.

Anyway, off away to do the dishes and to bed… coming home tomorrow night to progress the embroidery on some Christmas ornaments for a catch up with some girlfriends weekend after next.

Will blog a Christmas themed post at the weekend, hopefully to show the finished ornaments, and my first blocks for Holly Jolly as well as some show and tell as Mum has started decorating the house today, and I realised none of her Christmas quilts are recorded on the blog.

Stitchers Angel 2009

Well Kate has finally received my parcel, so I can post a photo of my Stitchers Angel gifts.

This was harder then I thought, just because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to make… initially stitched several of the freebie projects to make a similar set above, but was hugely bothered by the fact the stitching was so different on each design… so instead used a stitchery design from Natalie Ross and winged it!

Check out Kate‘s blog… how she manages to produce what she does, while looking after girlies and hubby and a menagerie of animals astounds me.   And if you’re a cat lover like me – the antics of Henry will crack you up!   She’s having a giveaway at present, so even more incentive to visit.

Not much else go on here, while I continue the great craft room purge, even more things being listed for sale in the next few days…

Though I have finished the first of the It’s a Redwork Christmas stitchery blocks as well as being shamed into working on my South Seas Lace after realising that Claire and Sandra have both finished theirs!   Will post photo’s later in the week.

Itching to get started making my blocks for the Holly Jolly Christmas Block Swap being organised by Aunt Pitty Pat – making Christmas blocks to swap in January 2010 – which gives us 11 months to put them together for Christmas 2010!!!   I think there are still a couple of places available if anyone wants to play?

And also itching to have a go at drafting blocks for Kellie of Don’t Look Now’s Joseph’s Coat Quilt Along check out the blocks made so far on the Flickr Group site – they’re all gorgeous.

So need to get this craft room purge done and dusted so I can get back to playing with needle and thread.

Those generous designers…

It always astounds me how generous designers are out there… and here are some more wonderful things available out there in the blogosphere:

Dorothy Baker’s Sweet Nostalgia – this 12 month stitchery project based on vintage children’s illustrations has just started, I’ve downloaded Month One – because we don’t yet have Cosmo threads in Australia, I’m wondering about stitching this as a redwork quilt (hmmm – might be a bit complicated!)

Among the Gum Trees – a collective of nine designers who have just launched a shared blog with plans for giveaways and freebie designs – go and check it out!

Fat Cat Designs – this designer is incredibly generous with her designs and currently has a couple of BOMs on offer free, with previous months blocks available to purchase.  I’m collecting Southern Gentleman – luscious applique quilt blocks

Gail Pan’s Christmas Wish has just finished… you can still get the block patterns and the finishing instructions

Bunny Hill’s A Tisket, A Tasket is up to block nine… these are gorgeous either stitched or appliqued

Stitchers Angel Swap – we’ve had 4 of the 7 free designs released for this years swap, each one absolutely gorgeous… makes it hard to decide which ones to make for my mortal – maybe all of them!

Flossie, the Bag Lady…

Having gone through a doll making phase that lasted quite a while, Mum is now becoming a bit of a bag lady… need to dig out some of the bags she’s made for me lately and snap some shots…

So, you can imagine she’s a bit thrilled that I discovered this site via Diary of a Quilters blog,

A website that is dedicated to providing links to free bag tutorials and patterns.

Must tell my friend Jayne, who is the original bag lady in my book – she’s got 2 completed bags on her most recent post – she’s amazing!

Abundance… bloggy goodness

Met up with a friend tonight who asked me to pick a card out of a deck of oracle cards and I got Abundance… that if I ask, things will come to me, a windfall or more time and creativity – but not having more than I deserve.   Well, I didn’t have to ask… got home tonight to a message from the Quilters Bazaar, to say I had won one of the doorprizes from Sunday’s open day.  Not sure what I’ve won, but I’m thankful for just winning!

Blogging quilters are good at sharing an abundance of riches, whether it’s giving away precious handmade goodies, or sharing their creative talent and know how… these are just a few things I’ve come across this week.

Giveaways

• Christine at Once upon a Quilt has a giveaway of some lovely handmade items that closes on February 7
• Mel at Mel’s Own Place has a giveaway for a handmade bag that closes February 11

Freebies

• Bird Brain Designs have a too cute Redwork tea towel embroidery in honour of Valentine’s Day
• Bea at Capricorn Quilts is offering a ‘Once Upon a Time‘ Stitchery BOM – block 2 has just been posted. And for those of you who missed out on last years Quilter’s Blessings (which is a lovely series of small stitchery blocks), she’s offering to send the pattern out if you send her a FQ.

Tutorials

• Carrie at A Passion for Applique has two great applique tutorials Freezer Paper Applique Points Tutorial and Applique Points using Needleturn. Scroll through some of the stunning applique blocks by Carrie and her students! I have the Piece o’ Cake Auntie Millie patterns – am very. very tempted to start these!
• And speaking of Applique tutorials – Cottons N’ Wool has a great tut on appliquing with wool
• Judi at Green Fairy Quilts has a great freebie pattern for a Child’s book bag

Gadgets

• And check out this fantastic little tool – The String Thing that I saw on A Needle in My Hand’s blog – I want one! Would be fantastic for when I’m doing black buttonhole on my 30’s projects. Any shop owners here in Australia stocking these?
• And Kim at Bitty Bits & Pieces has an interesting post on gadgets – have a look at the little roller towards the bottom of the post. Am wondering if I could make one of these to use to help press pieces as I hand piece? Need to talk to the man at Bunnings about how I could put one of these together… not that the man from Bunnings isn’t used to Flossie and I doing odd things… usually buying 6 foot long pieces of timber for quilt hangers and then going up to the man from Bunnings who cuts the timber and asking him to cut pieces 33cm, 58cm and 20cm lengths!

Sadie the Cleaning Lady and bloggy goodness

At Chez Frou today I’m playing Sadie the Cleaning lady***… not a role I play easily, but it had to be done, while there are advantages to having tiles everywhere except the bedrooms, the disadvantage with two indoor cats is that their fur just sits there!   Well, it had gotten so bad the collected fur resembled tumbleweeds rolling through the desert…I kid you not…

So, I’ve been doing a clean up, something I detest with a passion… and in cleaning up found more things… sigh… (need another long weekend to sort out patterns, and knitting and cross-stitch)… might be some giveaways here soon!

Have some ideas about creating a space for me to do my crafty bits  ala Atelier Frou, but need to get the tape measure out and see if my proposed re-organisation is doable.

Can’t do housework without stopping, actually can’t do anything without being distracted, so the way I manage it is my 45 minute rule.  I set the kitchen timer and must do 45 minutes of housework at a minimum.  When the timer goes off, I’ve got 30 minutes to do something else – read, play with cats, blog or surf the quiltnet.   It’s how I managed to do all my study, and works effectively for me.

Below find some of the results of my surfing today…

May Britt at Abyquilt is running a Finish a Project a Month Challenge, that I thought about briefly – yeah, right!    But in looking through her tutorials, I like this little paper-pieced pincushion.

Kay McKenzie at All about Applique has a very cute freebie pattern in time for Valentines Day.   I first found this blog by a google search for red and green quilts leading me to this post and this stunner.   Site has lots of tips for applique techniques, which are easy to find using the categories sidebar on the left.

Not sure how I stumbled on Inspired by Antique Quilts blog, but she’s a girl after my own heart… look at this gorgeous red and white single irish chain quilt… I must hunt up some ecology cloth and give it a try as over the net it looks like a colour that will work well with 30s fabrics as well as older reproductions, and the Bella solid red look fantastic.   Wonder if anyone here in Oz is going to stock these?

Stephanie at Loft Creations has organised a Time for Tea Swap that is now closed, unfortunately, I found her just a bit too late.   But she’s got some links to some fabulous teapot themed things on this post including links to some free cosy patterns.   And another great pincushion tutorial here.   And if you look at her most recent post you’ll notice she’s a bit smitten with Bella Solids too!

And that post and the delightful teacosy featured led me to Anyone Can Quilt, and what do you know, her most recent post is about a craft room makeover… which is just define… a cosy little room, but a place for everything.   My friend Jayne had already found this post and sent me a link last week, so it’s a small world.   Love the fabric in hoops as decoration on the walls.

Reading back through all Sarah’s posts I found she participated in a Christmas Cottage Houses swap organised by Nanette at Freda’s Hive – another blog I discovered recently (I’m guessing it’s her swap blocks on display in her craft room post!).

I love house quilts, but have avoided making any but reverse applique houses (I’ve made a few of those – some for me as part of my Amish Style Row by Row, and some for a swap partner years ago – made hers in yellows and blues).   But have avoided pieced ones, because there are too many pieces.   But this pattern looks like fun.   And who can argue with red and green anything!

Now that leads me to Freda’s Hive – this is a great blog, particularly if, like me, you like retro, 30s style quilts and things.   I’m slowly reading through all the posts here, and taking much delight it in it.   There is a lovely Heart pattern available free for Valentines Day.   And some other fantastic tutorials including a cute Doll’s House Pot Holder.   Both Nanette and Cheryl from Polka Dots and Rick Rack have organised a Great Ideas for a Handmade Christmas 2009, where bloggers can post crafty gift ideas for people to make through the year.

For the Janiac’s reading here – the following treasures are for you!

Check out the progress on Karen’s 2nd (yes, that’s right 2nd) DJ quilt… love the red and white combo.   You can see a photo of her finished “Insanity” DJ No. 1 quilt here.

Oh well, back to the duster and mop bucket…

***For our non-Aussie readers, Sadie was a popular hit here by a very young and spunky John Farnham, who went on to have a career with Little River Band and a resurgence with Your the Voice.   You can see a video of the song here... check out the dancers!

Sadie, the cleaning lady, with trusting scrubbing brush and pail of water…

Worked her fingers to the bone, for the life she had at home, providing at the same time as her daughter…