Happy New Year

Best wishes to all for a wonderful 2013.  Did you stay up and watch the fireworks?  I was at work until 9.30 last night, so it was simple to stay awake and welcome in the New Year (although to be really truthful I was reading a book with the TV in the background).

As always at this time of year I reflect on the happenings of the previous one and I can only say for me it was a very full year.  Lots of changes, challenges, work, pleasures and fun spent with great family and friends.  Already I've got lots of plans for 2013.

First up however, I must acknowledge my wonderful partners in the Chookyblue Secret Santa Swap for 2012.  I've previously posted about the Swag I made and sent to Lyn  who lives in New Zealand.  Lyn sent me a lovely email just before Christmas letting me know she'd opened my parcel early because she was travelling to Australia to spend Christmas with her Mum in Sydney and she loves my gift, so now I can share it here. 

 The instructions for the Table Topper came from the book "On The Run" by Heather Mulder Peterson and seeing it display on my garden table, I'd really like to make another for myself!

Sadly (because I've seen the photos) I've yet to receive my gifts from Wendy.  Patience has never been one of my virtues and the postal service has let us down - I'm not happy!  I had the perfect spot to hang the lovely little quilt Wendy made me - but it will look just as good in 2013, once it arrives.   I know how disappointed Wendy is feeling right now - in the 2011 Swap my partner in Chile didn't receive her gift from me until February, despite me posting it in the first week of November!  I actually gave up and posted a second gift although happily both did eventually turn up.

My thanks, gratitude and admiration must also go to Chookyblue for arranging the swap.  I can only imagine the work and time involved in coordinating the swap.  I love participating - from the planning of what to make, the pressure of actually finishing the gifts to get them in the mail on time and most especially reading all the blogs of the participants (the downside of which is that I'm forever being inspired to be more creative and start more projects) (Is that really a downside???)).

Best wishes for 2013, Bev

 

Time's Flying.....

It's been a busy couple of weeks as it always is in the lead up to Christmas.... Not many opportunities for sewing, but I am hoping to find a little time this coming weekend. 

Most exciting this past week has been the arrival of the Class Booklet for the Taupo Symposium 2013 Fabric Art Festival. My friend Peggy & I purchased our plane flights when they were on sale in July this year to go there next year, our accommodation has been booked, we've just been waiting to find out what classes were available, knowing there is a fantastic line up of tutors.  We've not been dissapointed - all the classes look wonderful and I've felt a bit like a kid in a lolly shop, but I have chosen and sent in my application, now I need to be patient as I won't hear until the end of March which classes I've actually been allocated.

Neither of us have visited New Zealand before so it really is especially exciting. I work with several Kiwi ladies and they are all full of advice as to where we should go and what we must see. They are also enjoying the thought of me, a true Queenslander very used to the extremes of heat visiting New Zealand in the middle of winter! Little do they know just how many coats I own, and I think the cold will just add to the charm (and I'll appreciate coming home even more).

Anyway, I must be off.  As I've got no sewing to share this post, I thought I'd share a picture of one of my favourite quilts from the Tokyo International Quilt Show where I visited in January this year.  Sadly there were no English labels so I can't tell you who the maker was, but I do love her work.

 

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!