SSCS Gift from Wendy

For some reason blogger has decided to stop letting me post photos from my computer, so to get around it I’m writing this in Windows Live Writer.  I don’t know if it’s good or bad - I know I’m not alone in not wanting to make changes, especially with tools, familiarity is good!

Anyway that’s my gripe for the day.  I did manage to get a picture of the gifts Wendy sent me, taken outside on a sunny day the quilting really stands out doesn’t it.  The little quilt will hang most happily next Christmas and as I mentioned in the previous post, I especially love the scarf and am looking forward to the weather cooling a little so I can wear it.

Over the Christmas break I did get a couple of opportunities to sew, so continued progress on my Gypsy Wife quilt (BOM from Amitie).  This photo doesn’t do it justice with the blocks on the wall like this but you can get the idea.  I’m enjoying doing it – a little at a time and now I’m only two months behind!

I particularly like the fabrics for the block in the middle photo – they’re not something I would normally choose or put together.  The picture on the right are actually Farmers Wife blocks that I made a while back and then decided I didn’t like the background of greys. The colours and patterns compliment this project, so I’ve added to some of the blocks to increase their size and will use them here.  I’m enjoying the freedom of just playing and I’m really looking forward to receiving the final two months instructions which tell me how to put it together.  I suspect I’m going to have a lot of playing to get it to work.

This next photo is a quilt my friends and I got together in December to put together.  The pattern is Bounce from Miss Rosies Quilt Co and I just love it!  I’ll take a much better photo when it’s finished, but five of us got together raided our stashes and this is the result.  The fabrics we used are from the pansy era back in the 1990’s and we’re especially happy to make such a contempory quilt using them!  This quilt will eventually be gifted as are all the quilts we make, but gee it gives us a lot of pleasure working to put them together!

Anyway, that’s it for now – I think I have time to just get another block done for the Gypsy Wife before I start work if I go now.  Hope this finds everyone safe and well.

Delivered...SSCS Parcel/'.

Happily for me the Postman was busy this week and delivered my lovely SSCS gift from Wendy in USA.  Being particularly challenged with both crochet and knitting needles, I especially love the scarf Wendy made for me.  I will enjoy wearing it when it finally starts to cool down a little.  I have a lovely photo to share, but blogger and I seem to be at odds today (this is the third time I've tried to post today) so it will have to wait intil it's playing nicely....My sincere thanks go to Wendy who made me such lovely gifts and to Chookyblue for the inspiration she brings and her patience and skill in organising the swap.

I'm off to visit family to the next couple of days so I will try to post again when I return.

Finally, my thoughts are with all Australians suffering through these past heatwaves and now shocking bushfires.  Please stay safe whereever you are.

Regards, Bev

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.