It's Time to Decorate for Christmas

Well, I've always been told that that's when you start, and on a day that's forecast to be around 38degrees it seems like a great plan, not to mention that it's done indoors with the aircon turned on.  I also have plans to catch up on a couple of BOM's I've joined in so this is a short post so I can get into it!
Lyn my SSCS partner sent me a message letting me know that my parcel turned up, so now I can share photos of one of the gifts I made.

I tried taking a picture hanging outside but the sun/shadows weren't right, so here it is on the dining table inside -

the pattern is appropriately called "Aussie Xmas Swag" from Popcorn Tree Designs which I purchased at Patchwork Paradise in Rockhampton about 12 months ago.  I thought it would be lovely for Lyn - born in Australia, but lived across the Tasman for the past 20 years. I've even made a spare one for myself which as yet remains unfinished!  Perhaps another job for the weekend.

Moving Along...

Life's been busier than ever lately - it always is as we get closer and closer to Christmas and the inevitable end of yet another year. 

This past weekend we travelled to tropical Townsville (North Queensland) to celebrate a very special birthday with my brother-in law, Roy.  It has been a year of highs and lows for him, his health has not been great, so it really was wonderful to celebrate with him and his extended family.  Our accommodation was just behind the Strand so the balmy sea breeze and beautiful scenery more than compensated for any heat! (Actually I think it was cooler there than it is at home now).  A most beautiful place to visit.

But, before I left last Thursday, I raced off to the Post Office and posted the gift made especially for my Secret Santa Swap.  I can't share photos yet, but I am checking her blog and as soon as I get the OK I will post photos.  I was especially happy with the gifts I made and think I will have to make another set, just for me!

So my immediate sewing priorities are over, I'm not sure which of the many WIPs I have I will start on - I think I may have to shame myself by listing them all on my blog in the hope that this will motivate me to finishes.  It would be nice to cross something off as it's done.

 

Under-Estimation

I've been busy lately but it's not an excuse.  I plan in my head the whys and wherefors of what I want to do, allocate time and get into it only to find it takes me so much longer than I'd anticipated to actually get the thing done!  What's with this - is it related to age?

I cut this block out a week or so ago and as I was cutting it out, quietly getting excited thinking how much I liked the way the fabrics were working together etc,  so decided to cut another.  Then knowing I had plans the next day, I thought I'll just go and quickly stitch the block to confirm my thoughts.  Well I still like it, in fact I love the way it turned out, but it took me all day to get just the one block stitched!

 

The one on the left is waiting to be stitched (when I get to it, I'll plan to have the whole day to do it this time).  The one on the right is stitched, and I know all the outside seams don't match, but it's deliberately made bigger so I can trim the sides to be sure I get all the corner points in.  Here's a closer picture so you can see the fabrics I used...

 

 

Anna Maria Horner in the centre followed by some Amy Butler and I can't remember the two outer diamonds, but I like them and the outside fabric is one of the Pallete Pleasures from A Day in the Country.  Yummy!

 

The colours remind me of old movie posters from the 1950's - African Queen or Rebel With A Cause

so I might have to persue this when I get to cut more blocks.

 

This past weekend I've been working on secret projects (SSCS - sorry I can't post pictures yet) and again I've found I seriously underestimated the time it would take me to stitch them, so maybe my problem is simply that I should plan less and do more!

 

On that note I'm off to the sewing room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home Again...

Been away again,  catching up with family and to attend the  Queensland Quilters Quilt show for 2012 (you can see all the winning quilts by clicking on the link) and Stitches & Craft.  As always it's wonderful to go to these  shows, not just for the inspiration you receive from all the quilts but it's really great to see all the traders and their wares, not to mention catching up with the friends you haven't see for a while!

Here's my quilt all finished and on display -

I'm really looking forward to it coming home, then maybe I just might have to do a little redecorating in my bedroom.  Anyone else ever changed the room to suit the quilt?

I've long admired the work of quilter Robyn Ginn and someday everything is going to align and I will make it to one of her workshops!  In the meantime, I particularly loved this quilt - Welcome to the Village Green.  (Another of Robyn's quilts won second in the Professional category and you can find it via the Qld Quilters link above).

Slightly closer up -

 

 

Another of my favourites was a stunning little miniature by Margot Kitchen - Scraps Into Jewels.  This little quilt was I quess about 18inches x 12inches and I can't image the precision nor the patience you'd require to make it!

Most exciting at the show this year was finding two new (to me) patchwork shops located in Queensland.  The first Voodoo Rabbit is close to the CBD in Brisbane (well a short taxi ride anyway) and stocks a lot of fabrics you generally don't see, and the second shop is at Tallebudgera on the Gold Coast - Fifi's Fabricology.  With fabrics I like, I'm sure to find my way there in future.  Apart from my fabric purchases from them... some Reece Scannell shot cottons made their way home to join my small collection (yet another for one of these days....), new rotary cutter blades from The Scissorman and some stabilizer from Floriani ... and some lovely little Christmas stitchery patterns (that I now realize I've left at Mum's place).  I made the most of the day that I had there!

 

Heading West for Infinite Horizons

I hope everyone had as lovely a weekend as I did this past one!

The highlight was a trip to Barcaldine, 3 and a bit hours drive west of here to visit the Infinite Horizons Quilt Show.  This time I remembered to use the camera I carry with me  and this sight greeted us on entry -

 I can't tell you just how excited I was to be there!  These quilts are just delightful and I applaud everyone involved from the organisers of the collection to the quilt makers, the booklet producers with lovely stories from all the quilt makers to the helpers who have transported and displayed the collection in so many distant places with thoughtfulness and consideration.  You have all done a wonderful job!  Any money raised from the display of quilts goes to Aged Care in each of the participating towns.

I know the final display for this collection of quilts is to be at the upcoming Queensland Quilt Show at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 17 to 19 October and I can only say that if you haven't already had the opportunity to view it, it is well worth any effort involved to see it.  Speaking for myself who happily travelled the less than perfect highway for over three hours to attend and has the luxury of two patchwork shops in the town I live,  I am in awe of the creativity, determination and generosity of the quilt makers.

I'd better also mention that whoever did the catering on the day also did a wonderful job as did Sandy's many volunteers who presented the show with such friendliness and enthusiasm and due to rain had to move it at the last moment!

 

 

At this stage I'd better confess.  I'm in the middle of the photo above with my great friends Peggy and Evol and we had the pleasure of working together to make this quilt.  It was only here in Barcaldine that we discovered we hadn't done quite as well as we thought we had.  In our haste to get it made and quilted in time to send to Mount Isa we haven't quite finished the quilting!

Of course a trip to Barcaldine wouldn't be complete for me without a trip to The Silver Thimble and Sandy graciously opened just for us!  I've already packed away most of my purchases so they don't distract me from what I've been working on, but they're calling!  In particular the two patterns I bought, and the wonderful collection of Christmas fabrics I need for my SSCS12 project.

Finally on the way home I stopped to get a couple of photos of the wildflowers.  Evol told us all the names (which I don't remember), and isn't this just beautiful?

I think the last bush is a hop, and it had a deeper colour than the photo displays.  I thought any of the SSCS12 participants from overseas might like to see the countryside!  Emerald where I live is about 3 1/2 hours west from the eastern coast of Australia along the Tropic of Capricorn, Barcaldine is about 7 hours from the coast!

A Little Show and (I Shouldn't) Tell...

Once a month I get together with a few friends to make quilts that we give away, not because we don't want the quilt but because there are so many reasons to make someone happy from the simple gift of a quilt. The quilts are given anonomously and we don't seek thanks, nor do we want recognition simply because the gift has really been ours in the planning, construction and especially in working together.  It is a wonderful priviledge to be able to participate in this craft of making quilts, particularly doing so in the company of friends. 

Our rules are simple, we all have wonderful stashes of fabric, and speaking for myself I doubt I'll ever be able to use all that I've accumulated (and continue adding to) in my lifetime, so we use what we have and then because between us we also have quite a collection of inspiring books, we take turns to choose a design from one of our books - we try to find a book we haven't already used and that is what we work on each month.  With a couple of us cutting, another stitching, someone pressing and most importantly putting the design together, we are amazed at what we get done in the day.  So far the quilts have been simple designs, but who knows what we'll get to next!

Bearing in mind what I've already said about anonimity, I'm going to share a couple with you, because I just love how they turned out!

This past month we worked from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book.  The pattern is called Stone Cottage and sadly we didn't have enough of the blue bali fabrics to make the wonderful border that is on the original, so we're going to leave it simply with a solid fabric.

 

This photo really does no justice to the lovely fabrics we used.  There's just so much detail in each fabric and it makes me feel quite relaxed, even refreshed just looking at it. 

 

 

Next quilt I've shared on the blog before, but here it is completed with quilting and binding.

 

Quilting really adds a whole new dimension to the quilt, doesn't it.  Sadly it's quite overcast and the colour isn't as good as it could be, but it is a lovely quilt and we will be proud to pass it on.

That's all for now, I'm up to adding the binding on my growing up quilt.

Highs and Lows.....

I've always been here, just not blogging. Sorry friends. Not much to say lately and as always too much to do.

I'm madly racing to finish My Growing Up quilt but I keep getting distracted.  I have managed to get all four borders on and now I only have the binding, a hanging sleeve and tidying up to do. 

One of the wonderful distractions was attending the Infinite Horizons travelling Quilt show last weekend, hosted by the local Emerald Patchwork group.  The show was wonderful!  The red & white quilts were magnificent as was the display of quilts from local members.  However I was so busy having such a wonderful time that I didn't get a single photo!  Fortunately, Peggy, Evol & I had already planned a trip to Barcaldine at the end of this month when the quilts are there, so I will be sure to get lots of photos then.  I have copied the picture below from a magazine, but it will give you an idea of what was on display. 



One of my favourites was a quilt called Westpac Recycled, by Joan Robinson of Mackay.  I stood looking at it wondering why the maker had two beautifully made 'house' blocks in the middle of many stars and it was only after I checked the catalogue that I looked closer and realized that she had used her daughters uniforms from when whe was working for Westpac at Mount Isa and Normanton to make the blocks.  I too worked for Westpac back in the 1980's and I had the same uniforms.  They were lovely fabrics, what a shame I didn't see far enough to keep mine and make something like this.

I promise I will take photos in Barcaldine.