Friday Flaunt

Well have finished another block in my Winter Secrets quilt.  This is the sixth in the series which when finished will hopefully look good together as a quilt top. 

 I have really enjoyed making these blocks and actually using some of my many embroidery threads.  As there are 56 separate hexagons in the design I have attempted to use 56 different colours.. what is the point in having lots of colours if you never get to use them all?   

These blocks developed from my Raconteur quilt, which I have only finished just over 200 blocks for so far so there is still quite a while to go with that one:)

Friday Flaunt

Although I finished piecing this quilt quite a while ago... like about two years.  It is only lately that I have actually knuckled down and completed the quilting.  

Machine quilting is not my forte.  Hey I could even go so far as to say I am terrible at it.  Now this photo does not show my latest efforts at quilting but I have managed to free motion all of the separate blocks and now this is what I have achieved this week.... added a label to it!

So Country Stars is now totally finished and I have given it to my brother-in-law as a thank you gift from our dog Kendall.  Peter always looks after Kendall when we go away on holidays and as he lives in Boorowa, a really cold place, this seemed an appropriate gift.

I have also spent most of Thursday washing quilts.  A friend of mine is moving from a six bedroom house to a two bedroom villa and so needs to cull drastically.  She has in the last few years made many quilts and as she is changing her style, from country to french provincial  I will be selling many of her quilts for her in the near future. Unfortunately it rained most of Thursday so heaters have been going flat out all day.... almost finished drying.  I suppose I could have waited for a sunny day but hey that is a bit forward thinking for me. 

Stolen Copyright

Just received this email from a friend.  If you see the pattern being sold could you  please note the name of any contact person on the cover and let Liz or myself know.  Thanks.

Hi there,

..You will find updates on my web site (that’s as soon as I manage to get information uploaded) and also a free pattern – “Bear Hugs”.

This freebie has come about because I discovered just recently much to my dismay, that someone has been photocopying & selling my patterns wholesale. I have never sold any of my patterns wholesale & I understand that someone in the ACT may have been selling them at a quilt show. Now I don’t know who that person is, & instead of becoming bitter & twisted, I have decided to make it available to anyone who would like a copy! In fact this solution has made me feel very happy & I hope that you will enjoy making this little quilt – it has given me great pleasure. J

 

You can use this pattern to make quilts, teach if you want to, but I would appreciate it if you respect me as a designer & do not on-sell this pattern.

 

Elizabeth @ Berry Patchwork J

Oh also, if you want the free pattern keep checking back on her web site as it is being updated at present but things should be fixed soon.

Success!!

I have finally managed to upload my quilting website.   I have been trying to organise this for ages and once I even managed to succeed but couldn't find it.  This morning PJ helped out and viola her it is.  I haven't yet worked out how to add comments to it though but that will come one day.

Friday Flaunt

I have been working on many projects lately but here is something that I have actually managed to finish... well I have finished all of the blocks in the quilt that is.  

There are about 140 blocks and it is a QAYG project so it now only needs to be quilted, which will be quick on the machine and then joined together.

Hopefully after cleaning out Richard's room today I might have a chance to start the quilting.

Alaska was great

Well today I started to upload the photos from our last holiday.  Here is a picture of me on the train from Skagway to Ketchiken.  You see the snow in the background that is the height above the ground level .. it isn't going up a hill... the background is actually sloping down away from the train. 

 It was absolutely amazing.  This is the end of the season so you can just imagine what it must have been like at the height of winter.  

Actually in winter the train can't get through unless it has a plough go through first to clear the lines.  The lines had been cleared a few weeks before to allow the passenger trains through for the holiday season.

If you ever get the chance to go to Alaska and Canada take it... you won't regret it

Sydney Quilt Show

Well the winners have been announced and there were some real beauties among them, including my dear friend Margaret.  This was her first entry into the show and she won the ribbon for fourth in 'first time entrants'.  What do you think of her quilt... not bad for only having been at it four years.. no  not the quilt for four years... quilting four years!

The Winners Are Announced

Yes I realise I am running behind but the lucky winners have finally been chosen. Thanks to everyone who joined the party and entered this competition.

The lucky winner of the oriental pin cushion is  Mary in Melbourne - love pincushions . Please count me in.

while the overseas winner is Fred - love donuts and also surprises 

Could you both please contact me at opposite(dot)like(dot)conscious79@gmail(dot)com so that I can organise sending your pin cushions to you.

Almost Home.

Well our holiday is almost over... and there are still no snaps up on the blog. But just wait until I get a chance.

Our final leg home was postponed when China Air cancelled our last flight and so what should have been a three hour stop over has been stretched to 36 hours. Lucky we didn't have further connecting flights like some of the others. We have been put up in a hotel in Taipei and today were taken on a five hour tour of the city... fantastic. Will upload photos sometime next week.

Yes we do have some photos - I took almost 2000 and Paul took about 800! Paul suggested we invite over anyone who we don't want to revisit and show them ALL of our snaps... how horrific. I can still remember being forced to watch 'hjoliday' snaps of some friends of the family.... wll one way to clear out unwanted visitors - or at least guarantee they won't come back.

Looking forward to being home again. As wonderful as other places are they don't match home.

Holiday Prep Started

Well we leave shortly for our trip and as I had a feeling that I might not mange to finish all of my must do tasks I even arose early this morning and started my sewing. Now you may mistakenly believe that I started sewing the ski pants which I plan to live in for most of the trip but no.. there was something even more urgent....luggage tags. I have wanted some bright ones for ages and saw some beauties on my last trip but at $17 each thought it was a bit over the top. So now two hours after rising we have our own luggage tags. 

What do you think of them?

Off to have breakfast and then hopefully sew some ski pants!

SEWN Blog Party Give Away

Spent the morning surfing the web, avoiding the must do task of making some ski pants for our upcoming trip to Alaska, and found what looks like being quite an exciting new blog, SEWN. Seems it will be an online resource centre for Australian designers, shops, you know whats all related to patchwork and sewing. It is being set up by Sarah Fielke who lives somewhere in Sydney.
the site has a launch day of June 1st and a big online party date of June 8th. As I will be away on the 1st looks like I will have to catch up with those happenings when I return but I will be home and hopefully alive by party date.

To celebrate the party Sarah is organising a party give away and if you click on the link you will find out all of the details there.

For my party I am planning on giving away two gifts. For those who come to my party from Australia you have the chance of winning an oriental pin cushion and for those who come from overseas it will be a donut pincushion (if I find my pattern again otherwise it will be a surprise:), which you will need to stuff.

If you would like to join my party simply leave a comment below and remember to check back after the party to see if you were the lucky person.
For an extra entry simply create a link back to this blog and leave a second comment with you blog address, this second comment will not be published though.

Some other places to pick up a few prizes are crafty librarian and here

Time is Running Out

Only seven days to go until we leave for Alaska.... I have to start sewing my pants soon as I only have one pair of heavy weight.  

Bought a couple of daggy pairs recently and only need to trim the legs down a bit and they will be OK.  Have even cut out another pair from some double knit I bought about eight years ago... top of the fashion then.  

I suppose that is one advantage to being 'old' you don't have to worry about following the fashion. Actually I do follow fashion sometimes.  Unfortunately by the time I start to follow them they are no longer fashionable.  And if I am actually making the item then there is quite a high chance that it will be fashionable AGAIN by the time I get around to doing it.  

If it wasn't for the upcoming trip then the 'proposed' ski pants would still be languishing in the proposed pile!.

Online Class

Well I have finally finished all of my notes for my online class with Quilt Campus and have a start date scheduled for September 19th.  I was going to start it earlier but as they are only a new online group they are taking it slow and not running any classes over the summer.  

Funny the things you learn as you prepare for an online class.  My photography skills have improved for one thing and I have learnt that my pet hate... paragraphs and sometimes photos splitting onto two pages can't always be avoided because of the myriad of printers which people are using these days.

Should be a fun adventure.. can't wait!

Nabbed Good Jobs

Ahha another benefit  of jumping in quick.  I have nabbed a couple of jobs for our retreat which are just perfect for me... co-ordinator of the FQ swap, meet and greet and (the real me task) organiser of the database.  Yes I do realise that to most people the last task is BORING plus but I think it is tops to keep things organised and my brain functions that way.

Richard hits the local newspaper

While talking to Richard this morning on google chat he nonchalantly mentioned that there was an article about him in the local paper.  Me being the mum of course immediately went out and bought a copy of the paper.  Paul being more the talkative person continued chatting to him and discovered that it could be viewed online.  Mind you one advantage I had over Paul was that I discovered that Richard was also on the front page!  Isn't he cute!

His article was even popular enough that he reached number 3 in the most popular stories for the day.... and I have the print out to prove it.  Yes I am very proud of him and I agree with the person who left the comment on the site that he was handsome!

Cutting long lengths using two rulers

	Placing the two rulers side by side, slide them so that they pass through the corner points of the square as shown.
Using the rotary cutter carefully cut along the diagonal until you have passed the halfway point
	With your right hand hold the smaller ruler in place as you slide the long ruler beside it until it passes the upper corner.
Discard the smaller right hand ruler and complete the diagonal cut through the top corner.

Paducah Show

Well the winners have been announced for Paducah and boy are there some beauties. You could spend an eternity looking over some of those beauties. Mariya Waters won with her beautiful Renaissance Revival which has to be seen in real life to be believed. The photos don't do justice to it.

Also heard that Nicole Bridges and Lisa Walton won third prize for wall quilts which is also great.

On a sad note... well for people who are not into applique.. it again appears as though there is no chance of winning a major prize at Paducah if you prefer piecing rather than applique... ahhh such is life!

2010 SCQ Retreat

Well I was the first!!! First one to sign up to follow blog for next year's Scquilter's retreat.  

It will be at Bathurst which is only next door to Orange, where I grew up.  

First opportunity in years for me to go back and check up a friend... I would say or two but there you have it... I only have one friend.  Well only one left in Orange anyhow and it will be great to see him again.  I could warn him but then again he might leave.  Hmmm might this suggest something about my circle of 'friends'?

How to cut large squares

OK have had a few friends ask me how to cut large squares if you don't have a massive square ruler. Now this method is not the best if you need absolute accuracy.... but when in patchwork have we needed absolute accuracy :)

This is actually the second cut but I can't find a photo of the first cut.  As the principle is the same you can follow from this. Place your ruler onto your fabric near the edge, lining up the edge of the ruler with one of the line markings on the mat. Hold the ruler down firmly and while pressing down cut away from yourself.  For a more accurate cut, and to lessen the chance of the ruler slipping,move your hand along the ruler when making long cuts.  Only cut 6-8 inches before moving your hand along the ruler.

If you have a large enough mat, for the fabric to lie completely on it, then turn the mat so that the cut edge now lies along the side closest to your body.  If your mat is smaller, then simply turn the fabric lining up the cut edge with one of the marked lines on the mat. Line up the cut edge of the fabric with one of the lines on your ruler.  Slide the ruler so that the edge is near the edge of the fabric and lies along one of the marked lines on your mat.  Taking care cut away the excess fabric. Rotate the fabric and mat again. and repeat the above steps.

My VERY first quilt

While cleaning out some things today I came across a photo of the very first quilt I ever made. I didn't even think we had any photos of this. Admittedly the focus of the picture was PJ but you can still see what a classy quilt it was :-)