small quilts

a box of charm squares

2012-01-28T23:34:00.000-08:00

I have accumulated a box of charm squares over the last few years

I can't resist the mini collection of my favourite fabric lines

I love them so much I find it hard to actually use them

but all that is set to change

my first attempt to empty the box is a Granny Charm Square quilt for a baby girl

using up 1 pack of Hunky Dory by Chez Moi & around 4-5 additions to make up the numbers

I saw this cute quilt over on Pinterest

I have purchased not a dot for this quilt & pieced some batting scraps for the wadding

mostly straight line quilting with some outlining of the inner cross

happy stitchy weekend form a very soggy Qld

xxx

Monday musings

2012-01-15T23:47:00.000-08:00

plans for a birthday quilt for my Ma

I will attempt some jelly stars

using this excellent Prince Charming jelly roll

and I need to piece a backing for this quilt & make some lime binding

2 more IPAD sleeves done in linen with some Liberty & Paris street map print

the youngest needs some new boxers .... I had bought a huge piece of this pink Liberty some years ago

a contrasting pocket will be cute I think

happy stitching

xxx

liquorice allsorts

2012-01-13T22:53:00.000-08:00

another wedding quilt top was finished this week

this quilt was inspired by the very clever Rita at Red Pepper Quilts

the bride & groom asked for modern design & lots of colour

as soon as Rita posted this quilt on her blog I knew they might possibly love it !

I'll spend the rest of the weekend wondering how I might quilt this

the original inspiration came from Nancy Crow & this book

meanwhile I have a little more of this to do :)

happy stitching or beach if you're lucky enough

xxx

2011-12-31T21:49:00.000-08:00

2011

the year in review

Happy New Year

may 2012 be the best one yet !!

xxx

a lull in the proceedings

2011-12-28T23:26:00.000-08:00

I started this way back in March & I have loved each step of the journey

Fabrics : all my Denyse Schmidt bits from various collections & lots of stash add ins

Quilting : Single Girl design by DS & machine quilted by Leone Ward

it was bound in the Queensland summer

think... fans & iced drinks to keep me going

My Echo quilt is also done

I had yet to try quilting free motion lines but this fabric got me started

I love the result

whole cloth backing in Echo too , will be looking for some more of this line !!

A pair of blue eyes passing during photos bobbed into view :)

I hope all my friends enjoyed a happy & peaceful holiday season as we did here , with all the family

home from their far away places

xxxx

lotta love

2011-12-05T22:03:00.001-08:00

my latest fabric crush is echo by lotta jansdotter , it so reminds me of the scandinavian designs that set the scene in the share flats of my student days

this quilt top is a simple block design placed randomly

some left over blocks became totes

This little quilt is made for a wee girl called Poppy

it is very sunshiney

used a dream on layer cake & yellow dream on yardage for backing

WIP below

a monster size star quilt

Gah !! It's December already ... I haven't finished 2011 yet

happy December

xxx

stars

2011-11-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

my latest project is a wedding quilt

these star blocks will be set on point in setting blocks

although I'm quite liking this layout

it will be queen sized

so these blocks are rather large at 16"

the colours chosen by the bride are hot pinks , red , yellow & some lime

my favourite block is this lime & loulouthi ( by Anna Maria Horner )

happy weekend stitching

xxx

baby apples

2011-11-04T01:53:00.000-07:00

Can't help loving this fabric !!!

I couldn't bring my self to chop it up too much , simple patchwork squares quilted in a crosshatch pattern

This quilt will be posted to a baby due soon in Singapore

Can't wait to hear the happy news :)

I am making a start on the Ohio Star quilt from Kaffe Fassett's book Kaleidoscope of Quilts

Very heavy on the red , pink & orange & I am more than a bit nervous about that

hmmm

we shall see

Thank to all the lovely peeps who have popped over to check out my Bloggers Quilt Festival entry

I loved hearing from you & have been so impressed with all the entries on show

happy stitchy weekend

xxx

bloggers quilt festival

2011-10-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

this quilt has come to be known as mr dotty

I finished it earlier this year for a young friend who chose the design from the Material Obsession

Book

It was my first Dresden Plate quilt & the mammoth job of appliqueing took me forever .

I struggled to find an applique method using my sewing machine but

eventually it all came together with much persistence & help from Ruth ( my quilting teacher )

and the beautiful quilting by Leone Ward

I have little patience for hand sewing

The recipient loved it so much she themed her wedding around the colours

Make your way over the Amy's blog for more quilt candy

stash enhancement

2011-10-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

my stash needed some lights , some Etchings to be precise

today these grey & turquoise lovelies arrived

checks & stripes

maps of Paris in several shades & Going Coastal crab print

I already have a small collection of AMH flannels & these will build my stash for a much longed for flannel quilt for our sofa .

Plus some yardage to sew flannel jammies for my 2 girls & me :)

and who am I to resist AMH's latest Loulouthi needlework prints

No sewing to share today but there are several projects in the works

Etchings by Moda purchased at the Fat Quarter Shop & all the Anna Maria Horner flannels & cotton prints from Fabricworm

happy stitching

xxx

2 things

2011-10-09T22:31:00.000-07:00

I bought a bag ... can't tell you how much I love it !!

leather handles ... sturdy design & great fabric

it is handmade using original drawn screen printed linen canvas

plus a bonus birdy coin purse , which is very sweet

check out Arounna's great work here at Bookhou

textiles , bags & artwork

secondly another baby quilt was pieced today

I managed to squeeze in some pics in between showers ... afternoon sun & a gentle breeze

start & finish

2011-10-08T17:46:00.000-07:00

A start & finish to show

this is for baby Olive ( not her real name )

she is due any time

I love the clamshell quilting

by Leone Ward

& a simple 4 solids to make this quilt for a colleagues baby

I have admired this Amy Butler design ever since clapping eyes on it

I have downsized it to fit a cot

happy sunday

xxx

blues (again)

2011-10-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

So , here is my version of the star pillow from the previous entry

I started out wanting to use a multi coloured palette but the aquas & blues won

hand sewing for me this weekend

a baby quilt needs binding

xxx

star pillow

2011-10-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I came across this stunning pillow on Pinterest & I knew I had to give it try

I'm using the tutorial by Tamiko , but am not foundation piecing

here are the first 3 blocks

This is destined to become a birthday gift

happy stitching

single girl

2011-10-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

here it is , pieced at last !!

I really love it , it's so fresh

now I need to decide if I'll add borders to make it fit the bed

I have made the twin size but with borders added to top & bottom it will fit this queen size bed :)

happy sunday

xxx

my small bit

2011-09-15T01:15:00.000-07:00

These blocks are destined to become a quilt for Amy who is needing some love & support

see Sarah's blog for more info

quilty bloggers are the best

xxx

weekend of the pin

2011-09-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

I am loving the process of making this Single Girl Quilt much more than I expected

half of the quarters are at this stage & if I owned more pins who knows where we might be by now !!

The lovely Melissa included a gift of a piece of vintage lace in my order last week

a zip pouch made from linen & lace might be the perfect gift for a bride

happy stitching

the mammoth pinning session returns

2011-09-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

this came out of hibernation yesterday & for the next few days I'll be happily ensconced in a mammoth pinning session

I'd forgotten what a cheery quilt this is & how it will look just right in one of my newly re-done spare rooms

I plan to finish this week !!

I'd like to introduce you to my new BF Bernadette , she has a few years on her ( like me ) but I have to admit she is a real beauty (unlike me !)

I had always wanted a Bernina but just at the time I was ready to make the big decision I was talked into another brand . I did love her too but this machine is giving me much finer neater stitches & I find myself now using her exclusively.

I'm not sure how old she is , anyone out there know ??

I bought her from my local Machine Service Guy for $300 & am so pleased I did.

I have been reading the NZ blog Tiny Happy for a bit now & love Melissa's fragile drawings , stitchery & floral watercolours .

I bought a FQ of her original fabric & some watercolour cards

Gorgeous

My lilac & grey baby quilt top is done & am waiting for the postie to bring some shot cottons to make a backing.

happy weekend

xxx

WIP

2011-08-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

lilacy + silvery grey

happy stitching

a week of small things

2011-08-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

These are our first violets , after several years of pleading with them to flower . The cutting was taken from my childhood home by my mother & brought north where much coaxing is required .They have the most heavenly scent .

A quilt is machine tied & bound & heading to it's small owner .

a pair of pillows for a work mate's birthday which sadly was months ago , finally spotlight have oblong pillow inserts :)

& playing around with a 9 patch & a mini for a newly decorated bedroom

xxx

quilt top for a baby boy

2011-08-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

I'll be busy quilting this modified Modern Log Cabin quilt top for Conor

a quilt in a box from the postman at work seems to have done the trick for Phoebe :)

at last a finished quilt

2011-08-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

the wonky cross quilt is done !!

lots of favourite prints for a girl who loves Liberty

backed in shot cotton "spruce"

and quilted in loops by Leone Ward

little pillows from scraps

and bags for girls in London

thats my lot for the week ... lots of planning for my next project & a baby boy quilt in progress

Happy Saturday

dye pot

2011-07-24T00:35:00.000-07:00

I am playing with some dip dye ..... inspired by these & especially this

I found some magenta dye I'd purchased at a craft show eons ago & decided to have a go .

The wee linen pillow / pin cushion is the result.

so then I tried some totes

It's a bit messy & I need to refine the technique so that there is less splattering

Phoebe says it's the coolest thing I've made

She has an order for a tote placed

My favourite treasures from the travels have to be this blue hand dyed cotton fabric from Cloth House in

Soho & 2 spools of vintage silk thread from the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.

The enormous flea Market in Paris

the cotton fabric has a texture much like linen & stunning blend of blue fibres

happy sunday

xxx

Phoebe says it's the coolest thing PI have madeThe cotton fabric is how

4am blink blink

2011-07-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

So.... home from my travels in England , Scotland & Paris except my body is somewhere in between .

Sleep irresistable at 7.30 pm & awake at 3am .

It's 6am & I've caught up on emails , grocery shopped online & looked with fright at my neglected blog

here are some pretty pictures for you because no sewing has been done in the last month :(

I had never been to England in the summer .... it was a picture . So green & pretty with flowers every where I looked.

All the above from my 6 mile walk from Howton to Glenridding on the stunning Lake Ullswater in Cumbria

1st day in London

my favourite for linen & all the little pretties

out & about in Canonbury / Islington

a wander around village lane ways in Peover , Cheshire

Sloane Square gardens

this was a magnificent espalliered magnolia

climbing roses I can only dream of in Queensland

last but not least 2 stunning brides & their not too shabby new husbands

Baronial Edinburgh

& glorious summer garden wedding in Cheshire

If you're still here after the slideshow , thank you for your patience :) . I don't plan to make this a holiday snaps blog & there are definite plans to get sewing !!

Some thank you's , 3 wedding quilts & 2 baby quilts , can't wait to get stuck in !

great to be back

xxx

oops where did the time go

2011-06-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

The Down Under Doll Quilt Swap has finished up ... many thanks to Kate for arranging this great swap. I hope there is another round .

Such inspiration from all the participants .

I lucked out big time !! My partner was Sarah Fielke the legendary quilter , quilt & fabric designer .

I have been a fan since I first saw her books & have them all. My wee quilt is so cute & I do love it.

Sarah kindly included some of her "from little things" fabric & some beautiful new Bari J

I have almost finished binding the quilt that is coming to Edinburgh with me in a few days , it is much

prettier in person and the quilting by Leone Ward is perfect . I can't wait for the wedding .... there will be

bagpipes !!!

Look away Lauren !!!

It has lots of my favourite scraps & the original inspiration for this quilt came from here.

It's a big mama & measures 96"X 96"

A liberty scrap pouch for the bride , did I tell you she loves pink ??

I hope to post from Scotland & England where I'll be for the next 3 weeks :)

hometown

2011-05-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

A mothers day ticket to spend some time in Sydney with my two younger children took me down to my hometown Sydney for a sparkling autumn weekend .

Sydney in all her finery is hard to beat .... inner city grime & noise is balanced by the green leafy streets & small gems of parks & beaches dotted all around the harbour foreshore.

Neilson Park is one such gem

I came here often when the children were small ..... it is my ideal beach with plenty of shade to retreat to when swimming is done . Intrepid swimmers were at it even still on this cool day lapping away across the teeny harbour bay.

And for these two there is life outside Darlinghurst :)

Surry Hills .... on a mission to find a brioche from here .

Next day I was heading to Balmain to find Calico & Ivy which is the sweetest little haven for fabric & craft lovers.

The inevitable followed ... me fighting the urge to fill my bag with lots more fabric that I don't actually need .
BUT a couple of looming projects necessitated a modest purchase & thank you to Amy for assisting me in that matter xx

orange clovers & green grunge

more blue Liberty & roses just because

" still life" by Alexander Henry & the teal is a Japanese print

All that & the Fringe Bar market as well . Torz has a stall selling her very glam jewellery line Lotus Mendes .

Go see her & deck yourself out the latest stylish bling . She's a doll .

All this time spent away from my sewing room means not a lot has been accomplished lately ... but am desperate to get the scrappy wedding quilt finished over the next week .

xxx

little piles of pretty

2011-05-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

a new & exciting quilt

this quilt is for a bride & she is the quintessential girly girl

so there will be pink

the groom will get a small look in

not sure how yet , but it may involve a thistle

this is my favourite addition .. I'm thinking I need some more

another baby boy quilt top finished too , this one for Lenny

it's been a long weekend here in Qld , so it's with much reluctance I head off to work

happy stitching xx

catching up

2011-04-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

just call me Louboutin !!

well not quite

these cute booties were made for 2 little boys

Lenny is having a bumpy start & will need some extra TLC

& the other one is yet unborn

Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner bootie pattern made in Folksy Flannel

I'm no flannel expert but this fabric is so soft & warm it will surely keep those wee toes toasty.

Check out Ana Maria's new fabric line ...looks like another winner to me

pieces cut & ready for sewing into a baby quilt for Lenny

my Easter weekend project

I have been trying a new bag pattern

the 214 tote by Noodlehead

this bag is really comfy & just the right size to be able to find all your bits inside

a tester for me

& another for my sis

with much trepidation I have finished my Down Under Doll Quilt & it will be sent off this week
I have made a ticker tape/confetti quilt using lots of my neutral Liberty Lawn prints & a mix of lots of favourites including the girl on the swing from Sherbert Pips .... I couldn't leave her out really.
I hope my partner approves :-\

a peek below

Happy Chocolate Days xx

trimmings

2011-04-06T21:13:00.000-07:00

Umbrella Prints have issued a challenge to create whatever you might like from a small pack of the trimmings sold in their shop.

I am a sucker for it !!!

my cushion is made with the black & white prints & some white linen from my stash

& a zip pouch with the remaining neutrals

head on over to the flickr group to see the results .... make sure you see the amazing pieces by Nova
I seriously covet those wee bits !!

My weekend in Melbourne was so lovely .... time with my sister , markets , shopping , eating very well & the inevitable visit to a fabric shop .... this time Patchwork on Central Park for some new Liberty & a pack of the monthly charm squares.

lots of pinks in the charm pack :-)

Also picked up this .... Sarah Fielke's new book which is luscious

& these from the Finders Keepers Market

at the Ink & Spindle stall

today my work space is overflowing with the rows of the Liberty Cross quilt .... I am hoping to finish soon

happy stitching xx

Dotty is quilted & bound !!

2011-03-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

Celebrations here , a very big quilt is all quilted & bound !!

Thanks to Leone & Ruth who collaborated on the quilting , at 90 x 100" it was way too big to attempt.

It is a happy smiley quilt & I love the finished look

with it's scrappy green binding

It's all yours Tess

Dollie quilts are so fun , I've been frittering away my spare time trying some new techniques

here's the latest

raw edge applique & some fussy cutting in a restrained colour palette of yellowy mustard / grey / neutrals / black

I just have to settle on a design for my partner in the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap

I'm off to Melbourne this weekend to visit my sister & spend some time in that charming city !!

Looking forward to some cooler temperatures & this , which just happens to be on :)

I'll be back with some pics xx

swap goodies

2011-03-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to my SUTK swap partner Safieh for these stunning placemats & napkins

I love the linen & colour combination .

But more than that I love the tiny perfect hand stitching

another mini quilt completed in something completely different ... for me at least

strong colour ( shot cotton in sludge ) paired with a collection of neutral Liberty prints purchased from

Purl Soho

with just a dash of red & pink

Some serious thought for the Downunder Doll Quilt to begin now & I'm off to check out my partners style

doll quilt

2011-03-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

This may be the cutest quilt I've ever sewn

I am really annoyed with myself right now .... I sewed sashing on all the Liberty cross blocks without really being sure that it would work . Guess what ... I hate it .

So I'm unpicking 100 blocks .

To cheer myself up & get into practice for the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap , I made this yesterday .

A charm pack of Aneela's Sherbet Pips had been gazing at me from the shelf for longer than I could bear.

Not a lot would top this print for a doll quilt .

I had no yardage for a binding so I used the candy pink Glenjade liberty lawn that I had on the shelf.

I love it that you can finish a quilt in an afternoon !!

missing in action

2011-03-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

So I've been missing in action these last few weeks .

A week of family birthdays spent at the beach

where I spent a good deal of time gazing at & floating in this

There was sewing too ... the Liberty cross quilt is coming along & I managed to finish the cutting of my Single Girl quilt & pieced the first arcs .
I have decided to use a Bella solids in white as my background .
I was tempted to use a pale grey ... the picture is my grey kitchen bench . So I have been checking out everyones progress on the flickr group & love this one which looks so good on white .

There was also shopping !!

Little Peach at Bangalow use vintage kimonos to make these pretty covered buttons .

Simple way to brighten up a cardie methinks .

red and blue

Some dotty bowls for the cats

& a tumbler for me

Beautiful bright beads also for me , yes for me !!

This baby boy quilt came back from Leone the quilter , big round stipples again , they work so well on

the square design . this one goes to London .

phew that's a post & a half , not accustomed to this much concentration lately

happy Sunday

single girl quilt along

2011-02-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

I am joining up a wee bit late but am so excited to get started on this quilt that I've admired from afar but

been to ~~timid~~ cowardly to attempt .

Well now I have help .... around 200 eager Single Girl quilters in the quiltalong

My precious Flea Market Fancy Katie Jump Rope are all for the chop to make a baby / lap size SG quilt

Progress is being made on the cross Liberty quilt , all 100 blocks are done & waiting to be sashed

together

A couple of blocks were just too wonky to use so I have used some of this Kokka linen to make yet

another pillow

I can't say how much I love this linen

I have used lavender here

Billy Connolly awaits ... must run xxx

swap goodies done + a new quilt

2011-02-07T01:35:00.000-08:00

Here are the potholders for my partner in the Spicing Up the Kitchen Swap

I'll add the tablerunner & an appley placemat & hope for the best !!

I have started this Liberty cross block quilt for my youngest daughter , she has inherited an unhealthy

mini obsession with Liberty fabric from her mother .

So this quilt requires around 100 blocks which will be no trouble at all since I have been collecting

Liberty for many years .

Here are the first of many on the design board .

x block pillow

2011-02-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try making one these x blocks for ages

Used some of my Parisville by Tula Pink & Kona in white & coal

SUTK swap is bewildering me

I had decided to make some placemats , so I made 4

Then I read that my partner has many children & my measly 4 will not go around , so what to do ??

I have made a tablerunner .... but it has not gotten any sort of response from my partner though the

applique placemats have .

Which will I send ???

I am off to a baby shower next week so I wanted something simple for a baby of unknown gender

My first attempt at piping went quite well !!

I used this tutorial for the piping & this one to print the letters

Happy Sunday !!

baby blue

2011-01-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

This pattern "Frames" by Elizabeth Hartman is hard to beat for a quick Baby Quilt

The mother to be has requested a blue quilt for her new baby boy

There will be no argument from me

I could make blue quilts all day long

The focus fabric is an elephant print from a Cloud 9 fabrics collection "My Happy Nursery "

it is too cute

Around here it has been a relaxing weekend with some swimming & lots of sewing

Happy Sunday

winning bid

2011-01-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Angela for her generous bid of $420.00 for the MoMo quilt , I have emailed you

Angela .

Thanks also goes to all the bidders who helped make this auction a lively one and Toni at Make it Perfect

for facilitating the fundraising !!

Qld Flood Aid Auction blitzing it !!

2011-01-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

I read over at Toni's blog that the estimated total raised so far is around $45,000

thats brilliant !!

Head on over to check out the master list of all that is being offered

Good news on my auction front ... there are several generous bids in place & I'm hoping for more

check out the previous post & maybe you might like to support the flood victims here in Qld too

I am busy sewing my goodies for Spicing up the Kitchen Swap

some a success & some not so !!

I've taken inspiration from a book that I got a while back , Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman

Linen & scraps

Fun to make & really easy to follow instructions

Yikes , I hope my partner likes these designs as much as I do

This is an alternative design , laid out

maybe I'll have to finish both & then decide which to send

Thank you so much to all those who have supported the fund raising so far ... bidding closes next

Monday at midnight.

Flood Relief Auction ... bidding begins

2011-01-13T20:20:00.000-08:00

Please help us to assist the victims of the Queensland flood which has

devastated large areas of the state & the capital city Brisbane , leaving

thousands homeless.

This quilt is pieced entirely from the Wonderland range of fabric by MoMo

backed in Prayer Flag damask in cream

It measures 74 x 70 inches & will fit a double bed

It has been quilted all over in large rounded stipples

How this auction works:

1. Bidding will start at $90 (Australian).

2. You can place a bid by leaving a comment on this blog post with your bid amount and email address. Please make sure that your bid is higher than the previous bidder.

3. Your bid must be in whole dollar increments.

4. This auction is open to everyone,I will cover cost of postage whether it be
local or international.

5. International donations

The account details for international donations are:

Account Name: Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800
SWIFT code: CTBAAU2S

6. The auction begins NOW and will END at midnight on Monday 24th January 2011.

7. At the close of the auction, I will contact the winner (please make sure your bid comment includes your email address). The winner will pay the winning amount directly into the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal and send me proof of payment via email. Once proof of payment has been received, I will post your quilt to you.

8. Thankyou so much for participating and happy bidding!

Qld Flood Relief Auction

2011-01-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

I live in the southern most part of Queensland & am so far safe from these horrendous floods but the

numbers affected are rising by the hour & it's time to help !

Please join in by donation or by taking part in the auction arranged by Toni here .

I will donate my wonderland quilt to be auctioned for the cause .

lets spread the word

look away

2011-01-07T22:24:00.000-08:00

that is , if you are offended by large piles of delicious new fabric

because the postman has had a workout in my area the last week or two

delivering my December purchases

finally I've got some Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey & it does not disappoint

it has Aneela's quirky charm by the bucket load

some charm squares for a possible baby quilt

my obsession with grey continues & these lovelies came from Patchwork on Central Park bought on a recent trip to Melbourne

This linen & collection of neutral / grey liberty prints came from Purl Soho

the delicate & subtle shades of blue , sea green & the palest lilac of the linens are killing me softly

here is the much anticipated Greenfield Hill

for me there is much to love in the mid & light shades . I am unaccustomed to using black in my quilts but am willing to be nudged there with these & I'm certain they will work beautifully together & apart

As predicted I do love the blues

These last pics are of the wall quilt I bought myself for Christmas from The Silly BooDilly

aka Victoria Gertenbach an art quilter from Pennsylvania

this quilt is made in the Boro style which is Japanese

go here to read more & see Victoria's work which I love .

I look & look at this quilt and am mesmerised every time

back soon

xoxo

The year that was

2010-12-26T21:40:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish you all a brilliant & creative New Year

I hope you all enjoyed the festive season as we have .

All the family have travelled from the 4 corners of the earth to be home & have spent some fun time together .

This is because we can't get out of the house on account of the torrential tropical downpour that has been falling over Queensland for the last week .

Flickr Pillow Talk Swap 4 update

I was so excited to be the recipient of this beautiful pillow sent from Dawn ( 2mayboys )

All my wish list requests are there in spades . I wanted blues, greens & grey on white

and the hexagonal design is just perfect

the goodies included were thoughtful & ever so sweet

I am eagerly waiting on some Greenfield Hill by Denyse Schmidt ordered from here . It looks so different & I'm dying to see it in the flesh . Hope Valley really didn't thrill me until I saw it up close & sewn up .Then I couldn't get enough of it & still have a stash I use regularly in projects. I'm guessing these blues will be my favourite .

2010 crafty bits for you

See you all in 2011

xxxxxx

sunday stitching

2010-12-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

holy moly I forgot a birthday

pillow made from echino cheater cloth + an owl & the pussycat purse might repair the damage

happy birthday evelyn

xxx

red things

2010-12-04T20:16:00.000-08:00

this ever so cute book full of stitchable goodies arrived this week

today we going to a Christmas party & I needed a small gift to take along

hey presto ( well 2 hrs later ) these little sheds appeared

I have one for myself & one to take along to the host.

there are a few more cut out to make as Christmas gifts as well

this week my red triangle quilt was finally quilted & bound

just in time for the festivities

I had collected lots of favourite polka dots & red & white prints to use in this quilt

inspired by this one

made by Cluck Cluck Sew

off to be merry now

happy december

pillow in the post

2010-12-02T01:51:00.000-08:00

PTS4

So now a nervous wait to hear if my partner is happy with her lot

I had planned to pipe the edges but after a frustrating attempt I abandoned it . It became clear that all the points of the zigs would be swallowed up by the piping

booo hoooo :-((

In other news I have had my first sale from my very small etsy shop ... yay to that !!!

certainly a small step in the scheme of world trade thingies , but there you are !!

a patchwork zippy pouch

I am busy working on my "dotty for dresden" quilt & finishing some projects that have been languishing around the place for too long .

back soon with some more

quilted & bound

2010-11-20T18:50:00.000-08:00

this little quilt was sewn a few months ago & just now finished & ready to be sent to baby Henry

quilting by Leone in big rounded stipples & hand bound in a Hope Valley print

the back

the front

happy sunday xx

parcels at the door

2010-11-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

The postman has been kind to me this week

I have joined a Liberty Club at Patchwork on Central Park , thanks to the heads up from Kate

& these beauties arrived yesterday

x20 6" squares to play with

I have another liberty quilt in the works , this time for my youngest daughter Phoebe

Sometime ago I purchased some vintage French linen & a piece of dotty linen from Shannon at petitsdetails

It arrived this morning from Paris tied with cute stripey twine ... it will make a little bag for someone at Christmas

And from my fabric benefactor in Sydney some gorgeous Dick & Jane print

I & many others learnt to read with Dick & Jane

if that is not enough the latest inspiration from Kaffe Fassett came from the Book Depository

if you haven't already found this online bookshop it is well worth a look

living here in Australia it costs a small fortune to buy books online

sometimes the shipping is more than the cost of the book , so I was more than excited to find this site where shipping is FREE

I'm working on my pillow today , I need to quilt the front

I have decided to add piping too after watching this great tutorial

video by Erin Harris at houseonhillroad

the zip insertion tutorial was also excellent & the pillow back now has a neat zip

stitch away

sunday stash

2010-11-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

Echino

a fat quarter set from Fabricworm

and in other matters the third & final trial pillow front for my Pillow Talk Swap 4 partner

plus blocks in 1 inch squares

happy Sunday

pillow time

2010-11-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

So, I am taking part in my first pillow swap .... much excitement & nerves about sending my partner something they can love
this is the 4th round of this swap & I've been loving all the past pillowy pictures on flickr

I have been sewing up fronts like a maniac to get into a good design mode & playing around with fabric combinations .
Generally having a load of fun.
I don't want to give the game away too much but my partner seems to be really well matched to my stash
The cross block was my first attempt .... I thought it was a tad simple

So this zig zag is number 2 ... I do love it but will experiment further with another cross design in these fabrics .... what do you think ?

two men & a lady

2010-11-06T01:12:00.000-07:00

That's what it required to get a full shot of this BIG mama quilt that is finally quilted & bound

the boys are well positioned at the back & hidden from view but you can see the bejewelled hand of Jan

thanks team xxx

zig zag quilting & bound in a vermillion shot cotton

I love that word ...vermillion

just in case the front gives Adam a migraine the pieced back is a little more subdued

I hope he likes one side at least !!

more NY

2010-10-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

We are still exploring this great city , I love the frantic nature of the place but even more it's green spaces

central park

central park east

perfect mini gardens

and window boxes

can you see where my colour choices have come from ?

hah !

some NY fabric loot

some Liberty & echino ornament in green & purple

Moda cross weave , I'll be having more of these !

some assorted prints

happy Saturday

it's all about orange

2010-10-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

this post comes from New York City !!!

as I come from the land down under the sight of pumpkins large & small everywhere

is a novelty

we have been having the best time

so far we have

visited Chelsea Market & some dollars spent at Anthropologie

Cityquilter is just around the corner from where we are staying , yay

spent a day in Brooklyn ..a delicious brunch at Applewood & browsing at the Flea Market

New York City Ballet at the Lincoln Center

dinner at Scarpetta last night ....highly recommended , it was really very good

today we will visit Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty

I'm hoping to get to Purl Patchwork as well .

tomorrow we are heading out of town for some fall folliage & time in the country

best bit is seeing our daughter :-)))

more soon

Enforced blog break

2010-09-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

Drama here at small quilts !!
We have been burgled , so I am without computer ,camera , car and much more .
You'll be relieved to hear no fabric was taken
So while I attempt to replace all the essentials it will be quiet here
I'll post from New York in the next few weeks ...yay!!

Xxx

a catch up

2010-09-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

Seems a while since I blogged .... a weekend away , day job & the flu have been filling my time

Work on the orange dotty dresden quilt is coming along , I struggled with the applique at first.
I also struggled fitting the finished plate on the pattern block size
Next time I'll definitely cut them a little larger

I wanted to machine stitch & searching for the best result on my machine was becoming exceedingly frustrating

I finally accepted an offer to using a friends machine which has an almost perfect & invisible little applique stitch.

All the dresden plates are now appliqued & awaiting their orange centres

below you can see the block layout

there are a total of 30 blocks for the finished layout

This pillow is a birthday present for my friend who is a green freak

I think it's green enough

simple

2010-08-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

this baby quilt top was made using the Frames pattern by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson

it was super quick & easy to cut , piece & throw together

I'll definitely be using it over & over

Loved using all my favourite fabrics in this quilt

the elephant print by Laurie Wisbrun inspired the grey , citrus & aqua pallette

New fabric love

naive illustrations printed on delicate shades of pink and natural & snowy white

by Japanese fabric designer & artist Megumi Sakakibara

A fat quarter set from Fabricworm

& some more

the linen is almost my favourite , can't quite decide ??

it is a sparkling day here , the ocean is a translucent blue/green shade & the sun is shining

enjoy your weekend where ever you spend it

xxx

WIP

2010-08-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

easy peasy charm square quilt for a rainy day

1 of these

+ 1 of these

Take one charm square of print & one of the solid

Sew as half square triangles & construct pinwheels or any other combination that takes your fancy

blocks finish at 8 & 1/4 "

Charm Square pics from Fat Quarter Shop

mixed bag

2010-08-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

So the elephant walk block became a pillow

it is destined for Angus the wee boy born to Simone & Andrew in Brisbane

more zip pouches ... I seem to make these little doodads when I have trouble focusing on the main event

This tote is made from the most lovely French General linen/cotton blend & is the 1st thingy in my

etsy shop

& to round out this weeks eclectic makings are these cute natural linen & HR double gauze reversible

baby pants

pattern found in this book by Anna Maria Horner

Handmade Beginnings

it's full very cute items

Back to the business of applique

happy sunday

elephant walk

2010-08-15T02:14:00.000-07:00

I found this block here

elephants for a pillow & pink version for the wedding sampler quilt in progress

this block is the perfect size to use with charm squares

considering I have a ridiculous stash of charm squares I can see many more of these blocks popping up

maybe some in solids

Happy Sunday

:-)

tick that list

2010-08-09T01:40:00.000-07:00

green & purple borders added

I am loving the purple which is usually too scary for me

it's a rich grape shade

& binding ready to go

the backing for the zig zag quilt is HUGE but I'm quite pleased with it

here is a peek

See what you can do when you resist the urge to cook & go to the gym !!

more finishes & less starts

2010-08-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

all the dresden plate blocks for Tess's quilt are pieced and I'm working on my machine applique techniques

after many practice patches I think I've found the correct tension , thread , needle & stitch on my machine.

I am tossing up using a more solid looking orange centre fabric than the orange kei dots I had planned on using ... any thoughts ????

as a practice run I made this one up into a pillow & used a hope valley citrus/ grey in the centre on a kona coal background.

Now onto some finishes I need to cut & sew borders for this & sew pieced backing for this

these fabrics will give the backing a more subtle boy look I hope

happy stitching

for phoebe

2010-07-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

a tiny wee quilt made of 1 inch squares

made for phoebe

it's my niece's birthday

so the last of my Promenade Patchwork cheater cloth has become a cute bag

& the other side

work continues on the dresden plate quilt .... something to show soon

xxx

new skills required

2010-07-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

I just love the excitement of a new project

I have spent the last few days cutting out the pieces for this quilt

It will be an orange version of Dotty for Dresden

found in the book Material Obsession 1

green orange pink aqua & blue for the blades

orange centres for theses blocks chosen by Tess

little piles of petals

I now need to perfect the applique technique

the days here are sunny & clear

this is the view from my kitchen sink

made prettier by my 2 sisters

roses from Robyn & ceramic birdy from Pam

apologies for the dark picture it was late afternoon

I am quite lucky in the sister department

xxx

fast & fab

2010-07-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

I needed a quick fix

1 jelly roll = Wonderland by MoMo

1 quilt pattern

nearly there in an afternoon , now I just need to choose some borders

such fun ;-)

hope valley

today I used this tutorial to begin a new pillow

the thing is

I love it so much now I'd like a whole quilt made with these blocks

patches are 1 & 1/2 " finished

block with borders measures 19"

no more sewing for me for a few days , off to work I go

hope it's a fine week end for you all

how to brighten up your garden on a dull day

2010-07-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

measures 96" x 98 "

Kaffe Fassett shot cottons + ikat wash + aboriginal dots

on my design wall today

2010-06-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Well design wall is stretching the truth a bit ..... it is a large piece of board that I stapled some batting onto & it serves the purpose quite well

the sampler quilt uses many shades & prints in pink

a special request

here is block 2

Road to California a traditional block

those little geese are the cutest thing I've seen in a long time !!

2''x1" finished & if you look closely you can see the wee elephant print

Happy stitching .... I am hell bent on finishing my zig zag quilt this week !!!

home

2010-06-20T02:11:00.000-07:00

so...... we are back from this green valley
-2 C was a bit of a shock to the system while washing outdoors

I took rugs , blankets , quilts & hot water bottles to keep us snug , which we were !

on our return home I got stuck in & am now just 3 rows off finishing THIS

I had run out of one colour so needed to order more shot cotton

so in an effort to save money on postage I chose several more to make the purchase more economical

am I the only one out there who spends to save ??

they were in the post box on my return home

I am now officially besotted with solids

I was unable to resist cutting the new colours & this is the result

mini 1" squares

try as I might to hold back on new projects & stick to my plan for this year , I have started a sampler as a wedding present for my daughter to give to a dear friend . She will be the bridesmaid in Scotland .... I am wondering how I will bear not being there .

block one ... now complete
inspiration for this quilt was taken from one of Rita's beauties

In an uncharacteristic sporting comment ... booo to Harry Kewell's red card

unfair decision

short & sweet

2010-06-10T00:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of projects that don't require much time but are a sweet distraction from the main event which seems never-ending

Lavender sachets to hang using a couple of Snippets charm squares

& bag commission of fantastic Echino linen/cotton

We have a long weekend coming up & I'll be heading to one of the prettiest places I know.

Situated on a cattle property about an hour from home ...no one but us , the creek & the odd platypus.

can't wait

No running water or bathroom just lots of ingenuity & hard work by the menfolk to provide us with our outdoor shower & that other thing .
Much loafing around with a book , fantastic food & red wine at night by the camp fire.

I have some hexagon papers so that I can become a fully paid up member of the hexie craze .

I hope to return with a bag of hexagons to show

sky blue

2010-06-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

This is the sky here today

Our winter skies are always clearer , summer tends to be a hazy shade

I love these clear azure skies

I open the door of my sewing room so that I can see some of that blue while I continue to sew my zig zag quilt. All the blocks are sewn now ( 840 of them ) Lots more trimming to do though.

Here are some of my favourite combinations .

Kaffe Fassett Jade shot cotton / green ikat wash

Lime shot cotton / red ikat wash

scarlet shot cotton / blue ikat wash

I am planning to make Dotty for Dresden from Material Obsession 1 , these zingy orange dots will be used instead of the red in the original . Can't wait to get started .

I have also joined up in another quilt along ( even though my last quilt along is not yet complete ).

This one one looks so much fun .

Kaleidoscope blocks by SugarStiches . I am going to make mine scrappy .

Jennifer is also having a giveaway of Heather Ross Far Far Away II

Go have a peek you might like to join in .

Off now to start that Australian fav ... Roast Lamb .YUM

bluebell bliss

2010-05-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

Bluebell dawn

I have often thought I live on the wrong continent , no more so than when I see landscapes like this .

I attempted to bring some bluebell bulbs home to Australia a few years back only to have them confiscated at the airport by customs .

So I have been sewing some blues up this week

And some pinks in a little string pillow

perfect sunday here ... hope you have one too xx

bloggers quilt festival

2010-05-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry into the 2010 bloggers quilt festival , head on over to see all the entries

So, this is the birdy quilt I made for my sister

It was so much fun to make although my first attempt at machine applique leaves a little lot to be desired

All the birdy fabrics were chosen by my sister from the stash , it was the first time I had worked with a real eclectic mix of colours & fabrics .

I was also having a small obsession with all things birdy.

I love the bright yellow inner border , I think it brings all the birds to life !!

So thats mine , where's yours ??

binding

2010-05-20T22:02:00.000-07:00

I'll be spending some time on the couch binding this over next few days ,

which is a fine thing as the weather here is grey & rainy

Sunshine arrived in the form of these kona solids from here $4 a yard on sale

Colours from top are Cyan Sage Peacock Bahama Blue Chartruese & Papaya

happy weekend to you

small projects+BIG quilt

2010-05-16T23:22:00.009-07:00

I have been away to Sydney for a bit so am well behind with my big zig zag quilt.
By doing 2 rows each session I am slowly getting there .
I think I am almost half way.

My eldest daughter is having a birthday , she is living far away from us in London so I am compelled to make her some more homemade "crap" for her birthday
This time some Liberty boxer shorts .

They appear to be ginormous so I am hoping they don't fall to the floor when she puts them on !!
Cute handmade buttons and a contasting pocket.

My blue star quilt is ready to be picked up from the quilter so I have been experimenting with some Rural Jardine charm squares to make some cushions for a complete bed makeover.
I am a blue freak to be sure !!

getting started

2010-05-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

this quilt is requiring much perseverance

I feel as if I have been cutting & drawing away for weeks .... well 1 week

there are 30 rows of half square triangles to create the zig zags

I have done 7

the squaring up is taking an age

it's a good thing I am very fond of the design & intended recipient

the colours are beautifully vibrant in real life

I have made a template showing each row colour to guide me through , you can see it blue tacked to the wall

as a distraction I started on some hexagons .... which are too cute !!

happy sunday xx

I love wednesday

2010-04-20T20:10:00.001-07:00

my day job leaves me free most wednesdays to pursue the things I love to do

AND the postman has called

and left me the most delicious pile of fat quarters and these dots in colours that make me smile ;-)

Freebird by MoMo it's yummy

this tutorial by Amy on her blog inspired me to immediately slice up my Hope Valley for some instant gratification

and here is a pillow made up of left over bits from the zig zag pillow

happy wednesday xx

just one more

2010-04-15T21:33:00.001-07:00

ok . I'll stop with the pillows now

back to my paint box quilt

a little bit of zig zag

2010-04-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

today I made some pillows using my new found zipper insertion skills

thanks to this tutorial

I admit to more than a little bewilderment as I bumbled along

but hey presto once you take out the basting stitches ... there it is !!

your zip neatly incased in a hidden seam

I love it

unsuspecting family members will be the recipients

the days here are splendid autumn ones , sun + sea breezes = heaven

hope your days are splendid too

xx

fabulous find

2010-04-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

I am loving this gorgeous cushion purchased from the ever so talented a stitch in dye

It has come all the way from Texas to live on my couch

Sunshine in a pillow really

I have finished free motion quilting my window pane quilt

& here it is

I am determined to keep it up & become proficient !!

Happy quilting or whatever makes you happy

loving the stillness

2010-04-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

all is quiet

most things are closed here & boat traffic on the river is not yet busy (noisy)

this little quilt top has been quilted simply & just bound after languishing on the shelf for months

babushka backing for a new baby girl called Annabelle

I have been practicing my free motion quilting & hope to finish a largish quilt over the easter weekend

all that will be missing is Ruth's calm voice telling me to "slow your hands "

Ruth is the ever so patient quilting teacher I see most weeks at a small quilting group , she assures me that it will get better !

I am impatient for that day.

So I hope you have a peaceful & chocholatey Easter

pastel snowballs

2010-03-30T00:52:00.001-07:00

this pastel quilt is back from the quilters
lovely feathers quilted all over to compliment the girly fabrics
now the hand binding is all done & it's waiting to be sent off to California & my sister-in-law
hope she loves it

fabric parcels and new projects

2010-03-23T00:24:00.002-07:00

Some beautiful shot cottons arrived for my next quilt , a zig zag design in Kaffe Fassett's book Quilt Road
I do love that book to bits , this is the 3rd quilt I will have made from it .

Plus some more Hope Valley .... lovely citrusy yellows .
That excellent tree print is from Modern Meadow by Joel Dewberry & it looks so good !
Citrus polka dots from Laura Gunn's Poppy Collection
I am thinking I'll combine these with some greys I've been collecting .

Some lime binding sewn on this little quilt & one more tick against the WIP list

Hope your week is skipping along

wellies required

2010-03-19T23:17:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to turn this cute fabric by Laurie Wisbrun into something fun

like this

& remember my moaning about the lap top bag

so , after much bewilderment & sulking

I did finish it & am secretly a bit pleased with myself

It has not one but THREE zippered sections

fabrics used are Amy Butler print & grey solid in home decorator weight + Hope Valley stripe + galvanized shot cotton from Kaffe Fassett

Some gorgeous Nicey Jane oilcloth arrived in the post & it is just the best to sew with

Feels so soft & looks divine.