Secret sewing business

Last night had a hankering for some sewing and none quilting related... so I decided to pop down and join in one of the Thursday evening 'secret sewing' run by Jennifer Kingwell on most
Thursday evenings.
Time: Thurs 7.30pm – 10pm
Date:
Jan 15, 22, 29.
Feb 5, 19, 26.
Mar 5, 19.
April 2

Click here to download full class list

I had much fun making what may or may not become a Christmas gift... so I have decided to not say what it was – leave as an Auto post as the Secret Sewing Post for 25th December.

Thanks Jennifer – will try joining a class more often next year..

:)

Tweek to the header

Hi,

I have decided that after a bit of an absence from here that a new look was and is required... I really should be able to make this thing look a whole lot better and personalized without having to have a completely hosted solution at some other location.

What you see now is a section of my Hexagon project with the colours tweaked and distorted ~ just cause I can... Was kind of interesting attempting to align in with the rest of the template nothing that a little maths would not solve.

I hope that with a little magic and the wonders of a 3G network and a modern phone that I will be able to post whilst on Holidays this year. That is if Optus can maintain their F&^ked network.... that is another story tho relating to getting $650.00+ credit from them and an new phone from Apple.

:)

Really - a post!!

Hello all....

I hope you have not given up on this space as I have been so busy with the rush to finish a Work project as well as settle into the new digs...

Well and truly settled in now and working on projects - even completed the XMAS quilt that I have been busy with - Photo to come later today as there will be enough light when I get home.

This was at the basting stage – was actually dark when I got home finally... so new photo tomorrow

Looking forward to the Christmas break - we are heading away with Leigh's new (to him) Caravan... so looking forward to having some photos of that to upload. Can you believe an old van (late 80s) that doesn't need new curtains - and the upholstery is in perfect condition - and only just a touch of Brown!!! Might have to make some new scatter cushions and a dedicated Quilt for the van...



Just a bit of a shame that the cushion classes are on week days... cough cough....

Blogging absence

Gosh Bronwyn – your right I have been absent a while,

It has been a while since the last post.... well what has been happening. I have almost finished the top of the quilt that I am making for a Christmas gift. Hour or so and I will be able to assemble.. best get a crack on with it.

The distraction has been moving home... After many many months of traveling from Yarraville to Ringwood I finally jumped and moved closer to Leigh. Most of the move was without much hassle for a do it yourself job... only one item that was damaged legs on my sideboard which has always had a tenuous grip on life. Well ever since I have owned it at least!!! Not the end of the world as we will be able to repair without much drama.

Have some rental curtains that need some adjustment... they will just not slide open or closed! Ponders if I will discuss with landlord or just attend to the issue... bugger it... will fix it, and on the subject thinks that some new curtains in my bedroom will be required.

Homophobia - the fear of gays breaking in and rearranging the furniture!

As this is a rental I think it will not be an Amitié job as it is just too expensive for that... so Spotlight here I come... unless there are some other suggestions of good 'cheap' fabric shops in the outer east...

Take care and will be back soon with the a cushion adventures of the Anna Maria Horner fabric I have.
Simon

The Liberty fairy has visited...

What a blessing, to be visited by the Liberty fairy, there is more than enough here for me to back the Hexagon quilt that I am addicted to! In fact there should be enough to make some pillow-cases as well.. what a delightful combination it will be.

This was exactly what I was hoping to use! the warmth and scale of the fabric – not to mention the quality and feel... will be a perfect match for the rest of the project.

Thank you my Liberty fairy! I am totally gob-smacked!! and overwhelmed!!

:)

Half of Row 8

Hey guys – I have had a lot of fun this evening reading some blogs, if you haven't had a laugh in a while... or need a reality check on your own normality. I would suggest that you read some of the wonderful links off my links...

Miss Angie

Miss Tigga

Dear Dancing with Frogs

I was at Amitié on Saturday – just for a little dose of Fabric, I managed to find some wonderful Anna Maria Horner fabric which will become the cushions for some chairs that I brought last week – That is another story all together and another blog...

Photo - Anna Maria Horner with thanks.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dancing With Frogs – who made wonderful comments about the my Hexagon project (Just started the 8th row today – OK actually finished half the row, it is the in between one which is easier). I think that Ms Frog was concerned about the number of stitches and pieces that are in the quilt. It is indeed a large number, however they are only one at a time, and yes it is addictive. Never let the numbers or the stats stop you from making one of these wonderful quilts.

On another note I am attempting to deal with my Hexagon Addiction... I have started a quilt for a lovely young lady – Leighs sister Heather it is even the beginning of knocking off the Christmas list of tasks and gifts. The Pattern is Darling Buds.

This is the stash – cut and ready for sewing...

Mum's Quilts

Dear, fiona, Cathy, Louise, Maggie, Colette, Serena the team at Amitie and anyone else sending emails - Thanks for your kind words and support.

I was back at work this week after a lovely 3 week break. I took some pics of some of my mothers Quilts on a recent visit to Canberra. Was there less than 24 hours so we kind of ran out of time to dig them all out and take pictures. That just means that I will have to do some more – come to think about it I have another 3 here that I can post sometime soon...

I thought that I would share some of the inspiration that she left me us with... and of cause a few new pics and a story is a nice thing as well.

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

This is one of my favorite quilts - prrrrrr

I was looking for another one of the Hexagons that Mum made, was more detailed than this and random - had forgotten that she had made a Flower Garden.



Mum was always doing these kind of whimsical things, I have a couple of cushions which are on my bed that are like this...

Best not show Leigh's mother anything to do with Turtles...

I do like the scrappy feel of this one – I even have quite a few of these in my stash from Mum. There is even a UFO in the stash. Project for sometime soon.

Oh to be famous

Funny thing about blogging I only post when we have something show about a project,.. I have not posted for a few weeks, don't have a project completed or at the next stage of completion. It is not that I have not been active or working on them. However it is a pleasure to say that I have been included in a story on Living Creatively you will need to scroll a little but hey it is there.

I have finished the 5th row now on my Hexagon project – must say it is beginning to look fantastic, and even tho there are a huge amount of tiny little pieces that sometimes get tiring drawing and cutting out, every-time that I get a couple more on the top I get excited and think wow this is fun.




You really don't want to know the statistics about how many pieces - however here is the guess..... about 1148 hexagons, or about 6888 seams, or about 138,000 stitches... and that is without doing any quilting.

Hobo Bags - 1, 2, 4 and 7

Here are some of the other bags.. now I just have to get a picture of bag number 3, from memory it was a nice bag...

This is Heather's bag – a Christmas gift

This is Dawn's First bag – for Christmas

Dawn's elephant bag – for a Birthday

Lucky Tracy gets this one – for no particular reason

Introducing Alice

Albert was a little lonely - so we have created a partner and friend for him... so without any further waffling...

Alice – my Liberty girl... the nice thing is that Amitie sell Liberty scrap or little bits as fat sixteenths! and you can make this pattern with 3 of them.

Here they are together, just hope they behave while we are at work.

My first toy - updated

Introducing – Albert!

This was a bit of a challenge – then what is life without a challenge, I am looking forward to the next pattern. This is the first soft toy I have made! The pattern is from Audrey and Maude and was not as easy to follow as I was expecting either that or was being a dunce. Not that it matters – next ones will be much easier to assemble.

I have been told that I need a Turtle as the next Softie
- Tail optional

Brownyn – the scones were so yummy, Leigh is going to add a little more 'Orange' for the next batch. Most likely some zest of the orange.

Hobo Bag Number 5

I call this one my turkey bag (mind you I don't think you would have any issues putting a medium sized Turkey in it) it is called such because it is now kicking around Turkey and was made with a 'Middle Eastern' feel with the fabric.

I am told that it gets comments everywhere.

Owner: Susan Walsh

Hobo Bag number 6

Had a great day on Saturday visited Amitie early as I was on a fabric mission, returned home and was faced with an Oil and filter change on the car and then for the creative part... Bag number 6!



I love making these bags – naturally I never keep them! This one has been posted to the new owner...
This project was about 3 hours on Saturday from start to finish. Not including the selection of fabric and what seams to be usual habit of missing the lining sashing or the handle fabric (was the handle this time). There is a problem with the pattern and the supply list, so had to raid the stash for the handle.



I also spent a bit more time on my Hexagon Project have now completed 2 rows, will add another photo of it when I get a chance to get a nice picture of it.

Hexagons - 2 rows competed

Here is the latest picture of Hexagon's - I am finding it hard to photograph as it is very long and narrow at the moment so getting a true perspective is rather difficult. There are 9 flowers on one row and 8 plus 2 /1/2 size flowers to finish the ends.

Leigh's Quilt - Finished

It feels great to finish a project – I have already passed this on to Leigh and it was so nice to see the smile on his dial. I finished this at his place tonight – could hardly bring it home with me !!!

Here are some temp photos as I didn't have my camera with me and they never seam to be very good at night anyway. Will wait for the weekend to take some new pictures.

Leigh's Quilt

Well it is Leigh's Birthday today – Happy Birthday sweetie...

This is the quilt that will be getting lots of snuggles very soon.... bit of a shame that I didn't get to finish it in time for today. It is not really a bit surprise anyway as he has been watching it grow over the past months.

Only have a couple of rows to quilt and then off to visit Amitie for some binding at the weekend.

Update 18-06-08 – The pattern is called Nimble Thimble, I purchased this as a kit from Addicted to Fabric in Canberra and kind of expanded it as it was not a large quilt.

Bronwyn asks how did I do the image in the image – I combined the images in Photoshop. Not a very difficult task alas not one that is easy to explain here, contact me by email and we will see if there is a way we can show you how to do this.

Hexagons

Here is a bit of a teaser for the hexagons... some are joined, alas this project on hold for a short while while I finish a quilt that I have started at Christmas for Leigh.

The colour has been so much fun...

Queens birthday weekend

Well – that is the last official long weekend until the end of this year. What a shame we should have a lot more of them. They are good for the soul and general wellness.

As promised – some photos of the Van with nice fresh Curtains and seats... WOOT – no more yucky brown stuff. Have to admit that the green scatter cushions are just cheap ones from a $2 shop.. but the colour is good.

As close to the old photo as I could remember... even listened to the metal note to clear the table this time!

This is the reverse image – with my Hectic from Amitie some pillow cases and of course Leigh's hefalump guarding the van.

What did we do? well mostly nothing! some more nothing and then enjoyed the day out at the Alexandria Truck, Rod and Ute Show. Now for a little extra joy there was a quilt show on the side – what a combination!!! I have to look it up but there is a group that I think meets the 1st Saturday of every month, now to plan a few weekends so that this will fit into the plans.

Like this Quilt – am told it is rather traditional - this is in a bright colour way – quilt is by Corey Witlox from Alexandria Quilters group

NO need for the Husband chair (not that there is a real need for one as I am very lucky that my interests are well supported) as he could wander off looking at the big toys for a while. I was amazed just how many people were there, there were blocks and blocks of Trucks, Rods, Utes and a few cute guys to boot...

This doesn't even come close to the amount of people.

How Cute is this Yellow toy... and they say we spend heaps on our hobby!!

Love the colour – Orange is so strong

Regards

Poor Angie

This is my little Angie - poor thing is now wandering around the house following my every step as she spent the day in hospital having an internal clean out – the less said the better!!

Vet says she will be all OK now, but I should watch her. What I would like to know which one is using the litter - NO please you don't need to tell me thanks...

hmmmm

Update 5-6-08 - Angie is much better today, and everything seams to be moving in the right departments..... :)

My First quilt

As a gift rather than the one that I first made, pics and a yarn about that are yet to come – have to say now that I am making them myself, what a wonderful thing it is to have someone spend so time effort and in this case LOVE – Thanks MUM. I am sure she knew that I would treasure this as I do, thanks were said and it is a real treasure today.

The dark blue at the bottom of the photo is the back of 'Hectic Eclectic' ...

I was living in Brisbane at the time, and after my mother saw the bed that I had she decided on the log cabin quilt that I should have, Mum really had a great colour eye and could see the big picture - I have several others and will take photos for here at another time. I think it sparked my interest at the time and remember thinking then that I would like to do this, then thought well how girlie..

Bronwyn – you are so right, I don't think that this is girlie at all. I like it – and the process produces wonderful results that I and others who receive the gifts.

It was not long after I found the exit to the closet that was my world - remembering too quietly burn it after I found the exit ( ok ok - there was nothing quiet about the burning). Life events and career kind of took over and I put the quilting interest to the back of my mind. - think doof doof boom boom...



The log cabin quilt is now about 15 - 16 (don't really want to count the years) and starting to be a little worn in places, so I am using it less and less.

Thanks for reading - aka Bloke

gasp - Early 80's van fabric...

I warned you – the van is great, but let me tell you the curtains and cushions were past their prime a good many years before it was Leigh's. There is nothing nice about Brown open weave and beige with brown plastic hooks that are half broken.

It is now a very different place to be as they have all been replaced and have lovely silver plastic eyelets.

This was really my first venture into the world of sewing in the middle of last year, whilst away at Pambula on an annual holiday with the family.

I will post a few new pictures after the June long weekend as we are heading away for that weekend with the van.

Just begin

Gals and friends,

Well have been badgered (encouraged) to begin this – it is a bit like starting a Quilt really, it will never finish and it will never be seen if not started.

So here we go – what is it that started this process... It was my partners Caravan... if you had of seen the cushions and curtains well you would have had a fit... so borrowed a machine off a friend and sorted all of that out.

I have to grab some pictures and post them - that will be a task for the weekend.

Here is a preview of the Hexagon project. The estimate at this point is that there will be at least 1054 pieces - have done most of the flower centres.. and begun to join them.

Daylight will mean a better time for photos - of this and the other 3 projects completed and well – almost completed.