Revolutionary Cake

Sew Hong Kong ...

2011-11-04T10:52:00.005+11:00

What a way to wake up in the morning and look over this:

It's Hong Kong Harbour. We are all sitting in our bed looking at the view will Pickles checks out her loot from the Night Markets last night and I am finally getting a chance to blog .

This is going to be a quick post, Pickles is starting to look at the pillows like they are food so that means that we are going to have to go looking for breakfast in a moment.

What I really want to say is:

Yes Cinderella, you can sew on the plane. I was told this by the ladies at the Cottage Quiltworks and they were "sew" right. But be smart, don't take scissors. But do get your hands on this:

Sewline's needle threader has a great thread cutter on the side and a small compartment for holding a couple of needles and pins. I made sure that I had two number 9 needles and a dozen clover applique pins, all very small and all stuck into a small piece of wool felt and then put in the chamber under the threader. I also had a sandwhich bag filled with thread and my thread heaven, plus the squares I was working on.

I sewed from Sydney to Hong Kong. And watched some movies at the same time.

At the Hong Kong disneyland Hotel.

And too and from Macao.

we have a couple of days left here and then back we go home. But it's been great being able to work on my new piece "Bon Nuit". I'll write more when I can.

I said I would ...

2011-10-26T22:49:00.003+11:00

Post and here I am. Posting. I am just buggered by the way. I want to know why it feels like I need 50 holidays to get ready for the holiday we are going on. I am washing everything that isn't nailed down and I have been cleaning the house (yucky, yucky, yucky).

I have been doing some stuff and I have been really enjoying getting my "mojo" back. so I have a bunch of stuff brewing in my brain and its in the process of spilling out and turning into things. I just love that. So I started to put together a travel bag for the holiday.

I went to the Cottage Quiltworks and I always come away from there spending way too much. I bought an amazing pair of really wee scissors and an amazing needle threader. I also bought some really beautiful Yuwa spotty fabric. French Blue Indigo, where have you been all my life?

I just love this colour, so much so that I am building a whole quilt around it and that quilt will be entered into a competition in March 2012, but more about that later. I am taking the laptop on Holiday in the vain hope that I can blog there too.

I'll post more pics of the bag when I get back home.

SO its been two weeks but

2011-10-25T23:00:00.002+11:00

I have been busy, and I have heaps of pics to prove it. I'll upload them tomorrow and when I got a chance I will post them here. I'm getting us all ready to go on vacation and I feel like I need 50 of them just to get over getting ready for this one. Aye Curumba.

There are pics coming and I am not going to go a year without posting again, so this is my wee filler.

Watch this space, no really, watch this space!

Being grabbed by the bits by my "muse" ...

2011-10-16T17:31:00.002+11:00

Whoever or whatever that is. But I feel like I am in the grip of "something" and everything is coming in a flood. I think this has been a very weird "watershed" moment. Weird. I feel like I am in a daze. I have to tell you that it wasn't just my quilting that was going to get the elbow, I was getting ready to heave my writing as well. I have been plugging away and plugging away. Sometimes however, it can get very weary and it sucks getting rejection after rejection. After rejection after rejection. And more rejection and then another rejection and a bit more rejection for good measure. But ... I had something happen that has seen me writing again with passion. It was a whirlwind 5 days I spent buried in this new project until it got sent off Midnight Wednesday. Ever since then it's been as if someone has set my head on fire and my creative juices should be bottled right now. Reckon they might be worth something with the amount of things swirling around in my brains at this present moment.

So here is what is on the menu as we speak.

A new laptop cover and a new block bag (for my workshops I am teaching)

A new quilt made from two packs of charm squares

A new quilt for teenagers made it mainly homespun but with a little bit of zhushing to make it fab. I think this will be my very first quilt a long for here

Plus a new fabric range. Oh, oh, oh a new fabric range to design. My brain is just humming and it all feels so bloody marvellous.

Like I just woke up from a very long sleep and now I am ready to get going. Lovley.

The charm square quilt will hopefully be going to Katoomba for their quilt show in March along with another quilt I have talked about here (but it needs to be finished as well), but I might spare a post for that all by itself.

And here is a wee spot of evidence:

I nearly died! ...

2011-10-13T20:12:00.002+11:00

I just saw the date of my last post and nearly had a stroke. Was it really that long? Yup, that would be right. To be honest, it wasn't long after I wrote the last post that I was thinking about giving up quilting and sewing for ever. I had a really bad experience in a local quilt shop and it was enough to make me never want to touch my sewing ever again. Ever.

But like that was going to happen. I love to sew, I just love it and not doing it is like cutting off my arms. Or depriving me of music. Or good books, or hanging out with friends or spending heaps of time with Pickles.

Funnily enough I have had some quilting things begin to grow and perculate in my brain over the past couple of months and slowly and steadily I have found myself getting back into my quilting groove. I just thought by chance I should check on my poor little blog, languishing in the doldrums and then it all happened all of a sudden I am back writing.

There are some things I have to do over the next two weeks. I have another block carrier to make and another laptop bag, both for samples for classes I am scheduled to teach. So I thought I would pop them here. I decided to make them in a different colourway then I usually do (tones of green!), and some of the notions will be different because I am making them for a store and have to use things they have.

I'll put the details and pictures here, as well as design notes for the new quilts. Yes, that is "quilts" plural. I have about three that I am going to make up for other classes and I want to wax lyrical about the Slice Fabrique. And then there is the Bonnet Project, I am really looking forward to that and a bunch of other stuff all hanging around in the wings.

I am back this time. Big deep breath.

Dark Night of the Quilting Soul ...

2010-10-17T21:43:00.005+11:00

That's where I have been. It's been busy and I have had a lot on my plate, but I also maxed myself out in a quilting way. I never thought that was possible but it managed to co-incide with me finishing the first draft of my novel. A wee spot of burn out I think but ... I am back in the saddle yee-haw! Well, woo hoo anyway.

I am sewing and quilting and starting to get stuff ready to make for the next two months and it's going to be full on. With any luck I might be able to sneak some stuff in for me, and make some more headway with my show quilt for next February.

It's this project that I have been taking with me everywhere, my show quilt. I'll post some more pics in a later post. But for now ... I'm channeling Alice. It's weird but I am being surrounded by Alice in Wonderland. Its making my mind brew and bubble and fizz. As I get more concrete ideas, I'll get them down and pop them here. I've just tried to load a bunch of pictures and blogger is making me miserable. So for now, it's down to Gwen.

This just burns my biscuits ...

2010-09-20T21:58:00.003+10:00

It really makes me mad. I was a textile designer a million years ago, pre pickles. I honestly have to say that the fashion industry world wide is a den of thieves. It survives on stealing and dishonesty. I know, I experienced it first hand. I could bore you all with a billion stories about stuff I was asked to knock off and my own work that was stolen. I am preparing a couple of ranges for my own pleasure and I might send them out. I did with a wee mini range a little while back. I was reluctant to post pics here in the blog, because I had visions of it appearing somewhere else without my knowledge.

So imagine my surprise and anger today when I was reading one of my favourite blogs.

I love Tula Pink's fabrics. Her range Plume was a particular favourite of mine. So imagine my surprise to see this lovely lovely range had been completely knocked off by one of the biggest chain stores in the US and UK. Walmart has blatantly stolen the intellectual property of Tula, and sold it in their stores. What every you do, if you see these knock offs in your local Walmart ... please please leave them be. Tula Pink hasn't got a red cent from this, as her work was pirated. Here are the pictures of the offending articles. Its really easy to tell the difference in quality but also how close the knock offs are.

As a textile designer, I was asked to "copy" work all the time. There have been murmurs that Walmart may not have known but they would have bought from a middleman or woman. That's true but a lot of the time, really big clients tell their vendours what they want and provide "samples" to show them. So, I have posted a complaint on the Below is a copy of the letter I posted to the Walmarts Ethics site. I raised an issue with the CEO, the HQ is in Arkansas.

Yup, I'm ticked.

Dear Walmart.

While it is great that your company has a special site for behaving in an ethical way and addressing ethics issues, its not great that it is all for show and not a premise practiced by the company. It appears that your company endorses and encourages theft on a particularly grade scale with a great deal of arrogance about consequences. Why would any consumer want to shop, or support a company such as yours if this is the case?

I am speaking directly the theft of intellectual property owned by TULA PINK tm. Her designs are well loved amongst the quilting and sewing community across the planet. Earlier this year she along with the well known Moda fabric company, released a ranged entitled "Plume". It was a lovely range featuring lots of feathers and birds. Yet today, we all found out that Walmart has just released a direct knock off of her range. Its an exact copy.

This is utterly outrageous and the CEO of this company needs to answer me on why stealing is encouraged, and released into stores across the US.

I refer your office to the following website:

http://tulapink.com/2010/09/19/outraged/

There, you will be able to see the knocks off and the originals side by side.

the following website:

http://www.unitednotions.com/un_main.nsf/mf_new_test

Is the moda site where right down the Bottom of the page, you will see listed under "January", pdfs of the "plume" range that can be downloaded and viewed in entirety and apparently, to be made available to walmart to steal at will.

I will be blogging about this on my blog (revolutionarycake.blogspot.com), and there will be others who follow suit. I will be reprinting this letter there, and passing this letter on to MS Pink. It's only fair for her to know that there are others out there who are outraged by this blatant piece of corporate piracy.

Its appaling to think that Walmart has made a call on what it feels it has the right to do. Which ever way you look at it, theft is theft. And your company makes a lot of money from it. Shame on you.

Jo Ellem

Well, I had a go ...

2010-09-14T17:03:00.004+10:00

here is my first attempt at free motion quilting. I have to say that I like it, free motion quilting that is, my attempts leave a lot to be desired however. But I can see how a little bit of practice can go a long long way. And my mind is fizzy with all sorts of ideas. So all in all, I'll be doing a lot more of it in the future.

Have a wee squizzy at this, isn't this gorgeous! Would you believe it, it's vintage Chinese fabric from the 1950s. China has a vast, wonderful ,and turbulent history. During the 1950s, China was going through the great leap forward. If you are interested, google it and have a wee read in Wikipedia. Anyway, here a couple of pieces of fabric from that time. Aren't they just beautiful. At a time when everything was hard and bleak, look at the colour and the design!

Coming from a textile design background, when I look at these pieces, I think a lot about who the designer must have been, and the people who did the printing, and about their families and their lives. I feel like I have history in my hands, and I can't help wondering about the stories that lay in the threads of the fabric. Which leads me to ...

This.

The good folks at Itizen have come up with these. Labels for you to put on the stuff you make. But, and here is the cool part, you can write about the story that went behind what you made and log it on their website, so when the item you made gets passed on, the giftee (is that a word?) can log in and see the story and then as the item gets passed on and on and on, the story behind the item gets logged and grows.

I just love love love this. If you go to the link above, they will send you a sample pack for nix. But I have to say that nothing will leave my hands now without one of these attached to it some way or other.

This, in a word, is awesome.

ITs been weeks and check this out ...

2010-09-04T00:50:00.002+10:00

HI all. Its been a little wee while since my last post. I will say that it has all be down to family stuff and life stuff and needless to say, my blog had to sit in the back ground for a bit. : (

But .... I'm back : )

I have had adventures with freee motion quilting and I will write more about that on Tuesday but for now, might I encourage you if you don't already to head over to Ryan's most excellent blog and have a good long read but also don't forget to entre his give - awy. I don't know about you, but I would sell my man's kidney for an Accu Quilt Cutter.

I have nothing to show, nut will have some pics of my free motion whatever it is, when I get back from class on Tuesday. So more then. See, haven't even been able to sew, no wonder I feel ancy.

Saturday Afternoon With Eda update...

2010-08-15T20:10:00.005+10:00

I thought I would keep a wee update of this quilt here when I think there is enough to show.

This is the quilt that I would have made for my Nana if she was still here with us. I really wish she was, but there you go. And this is the quilt that I am going to put in the Katoomba Quilt Show. Katoomba because that was the big town for Nana. She met my Grandpop in Wentworth Falls, and married there. As the quilt progresses, I'll get some pics of those special places she went, because they will play a part in the quilt too (but not in the way you might think ^-^)

Anyway, its a quilt with a story behind it, and here is the beginning!

New Ruler, new day ...

2010-08-07T19:47:00.003+10:00

I was at the Cottage Quiltworks on the weekend. I love the Cottage Quilt Works. I have been going there for a long time now. I used to go up and browse for ages while Brent's Mum and Dad would have some play time, when the store was only a couple of streets away from their home.

And now the store is moved and settled in and about 15 minutes (or 20) drive away from the in laws now. Not really sneakable to. But it is on the way so a drop in isn't a poor compromise. In fact, it's a good one. : )

Everytime I go in there, I see something that makes my brain fizzy. With ideas. So when I went in there the other day to buy some lovely printed bias for Pickles Christmas frock (yes, I know ... it's August but I am planning here). I am making her a lovely Modkids dress. Anyways, I went in saying that was all I was going to get. Until I saw a very pretty little funky Dresden plate up on the wall. The spokes were about 6" in length and instead of being chunky looking, the spokes were slender. Lovely. So out I come with bias, a pigment pen and one of Matilda's Own 15 Degree Wedge rulers. So instead of folding up the washing, I spent the night playing with the ruler.

Love it.

Cover Me Silly Tutorial ...

2010-07-31T09:57:00.003+10:00

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. My husband was a darling he got me a sewing machine. Mind you, I gave him a brochure. And the store details, and the free motion quilting foot details. And surprise surprise ... I got a sewing machine for my birthday! Imagine that!

^ _^

But I thought I would take a moment to talk about the machine and why I chose it. I like Janomes. I guess it's because it was the brand of the first machine I bought for myself. I learnt on my mum's boxy little Elna. It was a cracker. But anyway I ended up with a Janome. Now don't get me wrong. I would love a bells and whistles sewing machine. There is a new Janome that makes me want to drool but that will be the machine I buy if my book (which is in editing now - I finished the first draft!) gets on books shelves.

But for now, I needed a reliable little work horse that would handle a large amount of sewing. All of the time practically. I used this machine at my Sunday quilt classes (soon to be every second Tuesday quilt classes). There are about a dozen of them there. I was impressed with the fact that the machine was quiet. Had all the stitches I needed. I could drop the feed dogs and it had a threader. It was easy to use and better still, it wasn't computerised. Now don't panic. I'm not throwing clogs in the machinery here, its just that when computerised machines break. They really REALLY break. Doesn't mean I wouldn't like one but for now? I'll settle for an awesome little workshorse that can help me produce all sorts of things and be the little engine that could.

So here is the spec sheet for the Janome MS5027.

And I've done nothing but use it every night since I got it. But there is a wee problem:

COVER ME SILLY TUTORIAL:

My machine looks exactly the same as my BSF (Best sewing friend) sewing machine. She has one as well, and there are 12 other machines like it at class. So what could I do to make sure my machine looked different and not looked like someone or something had thrown up on it.

Never show a designer or creative person a blank white space. It amazes me that we leave our sewing machines looking very clinical. I have seen machines however, that folks have painted or decorated. And I reckon it would be hard to see where the fabric started or sewing machine ended or vie versa. So here is what I did to make my machine identifiably mine.

Have you seen the stands in shopping centres or on ebay, normally from Korea, who sell wall stickers? I thought about them for a bit and then though ... Bingo! Just what I need. So of I went in search of some. As luck wold have it, there must be a convention in Seoul at the moment because none of my local centres have them at all. In the end, I found a Korean store that had wall stickers that were copies of the Korean ones that were made in China ... !?!

But they did the job. So here is what you do. Find Wall stickers that you just love, and then stick them all over your sewing machine cover, and place a couple sparingly on your machine.

Voila! Here endeth the tutorial.

It's Been How Long !?! ...

2010-07-25T11:16:00.005+10:00

Oh nuts. Its been nearly a month. I literally have blinked and here we are. I would like to say that in my own defence that I have been ploughing through the last part of my book. I have been writing like a crazy woman, and as a result, I think I can finish it up (nearly 100,000 words so far thank you very much) in the first three days of this week. And then it's off to editing and then back to me for a re-write. But there have been sewing and making stuff happening. When I write all day, I have to say that the last thing I want to do is write some more. So I have been using the evening after Pickles goes to bed to make stuff. At last I can get back to blogging. So here I am. Back. Again.

Other than writing, what have I been doing? Well, here is a wee look at some , only some mind, of the things I have been doing. Over the next few days, I'll get up to speed on the pics as well and do a complete reveal. I'l also update my Marie Claire Idees blog as well and then I can feel like I can hold my head up electronically until the next time. My man has my Pickles of to the park for serious bike riding. I'm still in my jamas, watching season 6 Sex and the City (the best season IMHO) and blogging in the warm winter sunlight. Lovely.

First cab of the rank:

Rhea, the lovely Rhea of Alewives put out a call for folks to make some samples for her store. I put my hand up. I've been yacking to Rhea for a bit now, and she is a really lovely. In fact, she's a doll. And then bless her heart ... she sent me an Amy Butler Tote to make for her. I'd make her anything ... even a bloody Amy Butler tote. Look, lets be honest. The patterns look great, really great. The fabric is lovely, it's all gorgeous ... except and I have written about this before ... the instructions in the pattern packs are in a word ... RUBBISH!

Oh Lord, it almost made me cry. Why use one clear cut instruction when you call fill it with a lot of extra words that all mean the same thing, yet manage to really confuse. Yup. Amy Butler patterns. So, here it is. The Tote bag. If you want to make it yourself because it looks amazing, read the pattern very carefully before you start and with a pad beside you, translate the pattern as you read. Then make the bag using your own notes. You'll thank me. If you get into trouble, email me and I'll help in any way I can. I'm not happy with the pics, the light was funny that day.

Cab 2: Pants for Pickles.

I have been meaning to make some Portabellopixie ruffle pants for Pickles for a while now. She needed a new set of winter jamas to go with her others so ... some Valori Wells flannel and a white long sleeve little T from Target later. Voila, jamas! So here are the jamas and Pickles little tummy.

Cab 3: We have been invaded ...

I made a bit of a mistake at the beginning of the school holidays. I gave Pickles a Zhu Zhu. Now we have four. And a Habitat for them to live in. They come with us everywhere. And she asked me to make them clothes, and beds and a handbag to carry them in. All of which I did. So here is a wee carry bag. The power of the Zhu and the cat and the Zhu.

Cab 4: I got me a new ruler ...

Yup. The Strip Tube Ruler. I don't normally like this sort of thing, but I could see the potential of it in a heart beat. So I had a play the other night, and here is the block I played around with. And I promptly did another 9 after this one. I'll show you the finished quilt when I have ... finished it!

Cab 5: For February ...

I also decided to take some time to cut out all of the bits I need to put my show quilt for February together with. So I have been spending a vast amount of time cutting stuff out. It's driving me cazy. It will make it a lot easier for me in the long run but oh my oh my oh my ... I hate my scissors.

So that's me for now. I'll tell you about my birthday in the next post. Oh bugger, the sun has disappeared, and its gone all cold. Well, time to get out of the jamas and get down to doing washing.

Sick, I'm sick ... cough cough

2010-06-25T23:49:00.004+10:00

I'm sick. No post on Wednesday, writing my butt off to get my book done and now sick. Bugger bugger poo bum wee.

But here a couple of pics to keep me feeling like I haven't neglected this blog as much as I really have this week.

Was at Ikea with two of the other Monday Mums on ... well ... Monday, and I saw this hanging up at the front of the store.

And as I went up the escalators, I got a better look. How cool is this?

Pickles went fishing and caught this:

The Mountains are feeling very close to me at the moment, as I start to think more and more about the quilt I am starting to out together, as I race to get my book finally finished, I have been thinking about the Mountains so much. And here is why they are called the Blue Mountains.

Should be right to post in the next couple of days and I will, and as I said, I will be going to two posts a week once my book is done. Which should be next week. Fingers crossed.

Oh that Quiltsalott ...

2010-06-16T21:12:00.004+10:00

It's Wednesday and here I am ... posting. I thought I would show you the gorgeous little purse I made. You can find the most excellent tutorial here . Quiltsalott is a great blog and one of my regular reads. I have this earmarked to be made into gifts for a very special group of women for christmas. Along with the totally gorgeous cotton holder and scissor keep. You can get that pattern from The Stitching Post in the Blue Mountains. The Mountains are a very special place for me, and I can go into that later but here is a picture for you, just to give you an idea of how lovely it is. Wish I could release some crisp mountain air and the sounds of Bellbirds coming up from the bush, not to mention the clouds.

Here are the pics of the Purse. I thought I would try something a wee bit different this time and I used my Hipstamatic app on the iphone.

So in next post, hope to show you parts of the next block for the show quilt and the bag ... don't start me on the bag ...

Idees ... Marie Claire style with a little bit of swing ...

2010-06-11T21:29:00.006+10:00

Okay. It's not Wednesday, it's Friday. My actual writing has been taking my time and brain away, so I will make a wee caveat. When I can I will endevour to post twice a week. On wednesday and on sunday, that makes more sense. My book is nearly done, nearly. So for the next two weeks I have to see how much work I can push out. I'll post when I can and once I can get the editing underway, I'll have a crack at regular posting.

I got my new (well, old actually, January issue 2010) copy of Marie Claire Idees. Oh lord have mercy, I just love this magazine. Every issue has me just beside myself.

This issue had a feature on using the Eiffel Tower as a design motif and have a quick squizy at this amazing little bits of lovelies.

Pickles is 5 years old now, but have a look at this divine little cardi for the mini diva in your life. How lovely is that?

Don't start me on the bags.

And to top it all off, I bought myself a dvd that day to. Sun Valley Serenade - made in 1941.

Pickles wants to learn how to skate and she has already written a letter to Santa (in March mind you) asking for a pair of white skates. She and I watched this sucker from end to end and she just loved it. I got an a-grade kick out of seeing Glen Miller and his band, not to mention the Modernaires as well. No, I am not 80, and I do like my music. But I do like all sorts of music and Swing, well makes me smile. Love it. How schmick do the Modenaires look in this pic? Fab, just fab . I got a gal ... in a kalamazoo zoo zoo ....

Rain, Cats and bag in box ...

2010-06-04T16:45:00.002+10:00

Any one want to see how sunny Sydney is today? You do? Well then, here you go!

Its been raining for days. Really bucketing down. Beatrix the wonder cat has the right idea, she decided for some unknown hair brained reason that she needed to go outside. She winged and complained until I put her out the back door. Five minutes later, seriously five minutes, the cat was standing at the back window. All I could see was a pink mouth and rows or sharp little teeth as she wailed her head off. And inside she came, and in front of the heater or snuggled up with one of her warm servants er humans and she hasn't moved since.

This is a bag. I'm serious, its a bag alright, bits of a bag. Its an Amy Butler tote and already its given me serious gyp. It took me hours to cut it all out, copy patterns , puzzle over instructions supposedly in English but are actually in Butler-ish. This bag isn't for me, its for some one else (mysterious wink) and I can you about the story of the bag in the next few posts but for the time being here are the bits, in a box.

Block Report: I have said to myself that I am going to try and complete one block a week for some of the quilts I am making. And to get the ball rolling, here is the very first block of my "Saturday afternoon with Eda" Quilt.

I am going to have to come up with something much better for carrying around my "on the go" quilting. Tonight, I am going to try to rustle up a bonza little purse I saw in a great Tutorial on Quiltsalott. Its a fab little thing, I have plans for this purse. I am going to make a bunch for friends for Christmas and tonight will be my dry run. It wont take long at all, which is good because I have a friend coming to stay from between 9 -10 pm tonight. Next big block of time I can wrangle will be to finish the bag bits.

Have a great weekend folks, I am endevouring to post on a Wednesday and Friday night from now on, and lets just see how that works. But for now, bon nuit lovelies!

The last of the great D.I.Y Block Carriers ...

2010-05-29T16:24:00.005+10:00

Its been raining and cold all day here. No sun, all grey. The cat just had a fang at my knee. Brent and Pickles are playing with the PS2, yes we still have a PS2 and they are having a ball. I thought I would grab the time and finally post the last bits of the block carrier here.

Where we left off ... We had just turned the carrier right side out, pressed it and attached one set of the handles. Next off the rank, pin the top closed, making sure you add your tabs for the handles and making sure they line up beautifully with the side you have already done. Then sew along the top by hand if you wish or machine, take your pick! Then attach the last set of handles.

Now is the time to embellish your carrier in any way you want.

Once you have made it all purty, its time to attach the buttons to the sides. I did this by lining up the tabs on the sides of the flaps with what would be the matching position on the side of the block carrier. I then sewed on the buttons and put them in the tabs.

I then added a button for a closure on the top of the carrier as well. So the carrier is officially done. *There is something to think about however* I am contemplating put a button on each of the corners at the top of the carrier, as the cover tends to flap. The buttons would fix it.

But the Carrier is done. Finis. Phew. Next post will be about the bag I am making and there is a story there. And about Eda's quilt, its beginning ...

More Block Carrier D.I.Y

2010-05-27T19:43:00.005+10:00

Right. The block carrier is almost done, I am going slower than I should at the moment, bit caught up with the final few chapters of my book and life but its just window dressing really. So I thought I would let you know what I have done up until now and then finish off tomorrow night or the night after with the final fiddlies and a couple of lovely final pics.

This really wasn't too tricky at all. Its very straight forward, and how it looks at the end is all down to you. So, I am going to show you how I made this for me.

1/4" seam on anything.

What I did next. I decided that I might do something a little bit more interesting instead of just sewing all the red stuff together, so I went for sewing together the four squares. Wow, that was a big moment for the evening. Surprised that the police weren't called. Gave them a pressing and then joined that new square to one of the plain red squares (That I put the larger square of batting on the back of before hand). Big night at Jo's place. I then decided to really walk on the wild side, and I got out my Clover punch needle ... gasp ... and used it.

*IMPORTANT TIP* The Punch needle works like a little beauty when you use tearaway on the back of your fabric. The punch needle can be iffy on quilting fabric but it ceases to be an issue with tearaway, and whats more you can tear it away at the end! Bonza. Be doing this again.

I pressed as I went. So my front is ready. I then decided to be really daring, and sewed my smaller square of batting in between that last two remaining red squares. And pressed it. Woohoo.

I then decided to tackle the side flaps. I put two triangles right sides together, PUt in my loops where I wanted them to go and then sewed down the longest edge and the short edge leaving the middle length edge unsewn. The unsewn edge will be the edge that gets sewn to the edge of the main panel of the carrier. Turn the triangles inside out and press 'em. I also decided to add some yummy vintage (1950s) red ric rac to the main square as well. Because I could. So there.

I then placed the triangles on the edges of my main square.

I then put the all red squares with the batting attached face down on the red and main square with the batting on the back. Pinned it all in place and then worked out where the tabs for my handles were going to go on the bottom of the red squares and pinned them in place. I then sewed around three sides of the carrier leaving the top open. I turned it inside out and pressed it. I then got the craft wood piece and pushed it into the opening and down to the boom. It will be snug fit but it will fit. Takes some wriggling but it works. I then attached one of my handles to the bottom of my block carrier.

So, the Carrier is nearly done. Its now down to the fiddlies and final pics, and as I said, I'll post that tomorrow or the night after. Now I am off to post this and finish up the carrier.

Bon Nuit campers!

Need another DIY day ....

2010-05-26T11:16:00.002+10:00

G'day.

I said yesterday that I would post the rest of the instructions up for the block carrier. I said I was going to do that because I thought I would get it done. But .... I didn't. I will be able to finish it today and the instructions will go up tomorrow. Just a day late. SORRY!!!!!!! And here is a picture to show you how far I got last night. And you get to see my toes. Bonus.

Spring Quilt Festival ... (plus a word about the block carrier)

2010-05-25T12:06:00.005+10:00

I am supposed to be finishing my book. I am so close, but I made a mistake today, I checked in on Amy's site and saw that I am in the middle of Spring Quilt festival time. So instead of diligently writing, I am putting up my latest quilt for the show. I can't scrape the cat of it, or the child so don't be surprised at the extra organic features in the pics.

The story behind this quilt? Its for my little Pickles, my heart's delight. There is another one I am doing for her that is ultra special and thats an entry for next year. But this one? It's a Valori Wells pattern, and its straight from her, one of her freebie patterns. I decided to do this because my gf who wanted to quilt and had never done it before wanted to give it a go, so i said I would to. So when I look at this quilt, I see hours and hours of laughing and mayhem spent with Lydia, as we ran around our favourite quilt shop like a pair of five year olds making way too much noise.

Its taken way to long to finish this quilt, Little Bow was done during this time and also a bunch of other stuff. As well as something bigger on the personal front. We have been having a major knock down, drag 'em out battle with our government about adopting our second child. Australia is the hardest country in the western world to adopt from, so its been a real nightmare. But as I was finishing up this telly cosy (Pickles calls quilts cosy's and that what quilts are called in our place), we finally where given word that we are going to be able to adopt an older child after months and months of frustration and heartache. I now have decided I had better get another telly cosy underway so this new addition to our family can have their own cosy, and I think if the weather is cold when we have to travel it will come with us to be given to it's new owner, who ever he or she is.

How come all sorts of life changing things happen when I quilt?

Now a wee word on the block carrier, tomorrow night I'll post the rest of the instructions and some pics, or if I get a window and a chance to do some more work tonight I'll post then.

D.I.Y Block Carrier ... sew along anyone?

2010-05-23T19:39:00.005+10:00

Its been bloody cold here in Sydney today. We all slept in, and then we had the laziest morning. So by about 11.30, Pickles was making apple muffins with her dad and I was sitting in front of the heater with a sleepy cat. (Don't panic, I am getting to the block thingy.)

I was watching the Sleeping Beauty (disney version) and then out of the blue, had a wee idea for a block carrier. So I did a sketch, and then pulled out my fabric, put it all together to see how it looks and then bingo, all the bits are ready to go. So before I cut it out, I thought I would post the ingredients here to show you guys what I am playing with and seeing if anyone wants to play as well. This pattern could be gussied up in a number of different ways, so it has a bunch of different feels and reflects whatever style you like.

So here is what I am going to use:

1 14" piece of thin craft board (you choose your thickness, I settled for 1/8")

2 14 1/2" square pieces of fabric for the back of the block carrier - I used plain fabric

1 13 1/2" square piece of batting ( I use bamboo batting)

1 14 1/2" square piece of fabric for the back of the front piece (could be plain or co-ordinate fabric for the fabrics on the front.)

4 7 3/4" squares, in four different fabrics

1 14 1/2" square piece of batting (again bamboo for me)

4 flap pieces. Out of cordinating fabric I made a triangle pattern. I ruled a line 8" long going down, squared out a line 6" from the top of the line. Then I ruled a line form the bottom of the long line to the end of the short line and I had my triangle! I then added a 1/4"

seam allowance.

9-11 Buttons

1 gorgeous button or feature thingy

2" of cord or leather thonging

2 bamboo handles (14" wide at the base of the handles)

Scraps of fabric to make some tabs for the handles.

You might be wondering what the piece of Micheal Miller fabric is up the top, I am going to use it to make a block carrier charm, wait and see!!!

And that's what we need to make this. As I make it, I'll put the rest of the steps with some pics up in the blog so you can see.

Bag info and woolly bits ...

2010-05-19T19:57:00.008+10:00

As promised, here are the pics of the book that I used to make the wonder bag. It's a great great book and I am so glad that I bought it when I did.

"Les couleurs francaises" - The colours of France. The ISBN is 978-4-579-11276-0 and it's code is C5077. It was published by Hobbyra Hobbyre

Some folks are daunted by the Japanese quilting magazines and books. Don't be. They all have clearly laid out pictures to follow and the patterns are great and easy to follow. I'll be making some little bits and pieces from the books I have over the next few weeks, and I'll make sure I include all the details.

And here is a wee sneak peak of the next little project I might make from the book, its lovely but there are a bunch of things I need to do first but here it is ... : )

I am just spinning some wool for a jumper (sweater) for Pickles. Its cold here, and getting colder and I will be buggered if I stick my little pretty in an acrylic sweater. The wool is mostly merino with a tiny bit of silk. Its gorgeous and looks divine. And here it is ..

I have to get my skates on, I have a bag sample to make on the weekend (more about that in the next post), not to mention the fact that I have 7 or so more chapters to go in my novel and then my book is finished. Well, the first draft anyway, and then editing and rewriting and making it all polished and beautiful before heading over to my agent. And then there is a pile of quilts and bags to make. I'm going to put a project list on the side of my blog so I can keep track of everything and so I can show you as I go... and go ... and go ...

Confessions of a bag lady ...

2010-05-18T16:37:00.004+10:00

Thought I might let you know about the bag I have made, because I thinks it's fair to say that ... I love it.

It came from a Japanese Quilt book, I have written about it earlier but I'll also post a picture tomorrow so you can see the cover and I'll let you know the ISBN if you want to track it down. Its an amazing pattern, it has two, count 'em, two pattern pieces and it took me under an hour to make. It was super quick, and elegant and I just love it. So the pattern will be used to make some bags for chrissy pressies.

Some of the other mothers at school are making them as well and I am itching to tell you about the MM club, so more on that later this week for you as well.

I'll post again tomorrow about the bag details, and Pickles new Telly quilt and ...

Dollies and Spandau Ballet ...

2010-05-05T12:49:00.006+10:00

howdy doody campers. I thought I would show you a doll I have made. She is the blue print for a wee series that I have been cooking up. Poor little thing, I like her but she does have issues. These issues have been addressed, I think, in the next version of the dolly. I call them "Starlet Kewpies". Actually, they feature in the book I am writing. Its a book for teenagers, and I wanted to see if I could make up the doll I wrote about. Anyways ... taadah!

And yes, her face is a wee wonky. That is one of the first things I have fixed. Anyways, in the next couple of days I want to show my ideas for Down Under Quilts latest quilting challenge, I haven't done one of these things before so I thought I would give it a crack. And I want to show you a pin cushion that I made to teach some of the other mums in Pickles class how to do patch work. These girls are gorgeous and they are so keen to learn. I reckon these girls are going to just soar when they see how wonderful sewing can be. Woo hoo!

And I have been talking about this for a bit. I went to Spandau Ballet. Squeeeeeeeee!!!!! Aw look, it was great. They weren't my favourite of all favourites, but they had a place on my bedroom wall. To this day, "Cut a long Story Short" can still have me dancing around the room will the cat looks at me like I was crazy. It had me almost hit the roof of the Entertainment Centre in Sydney when they opened with that song. It was a great night. I was there with a bunch of other folks who were all for that tiny time, teenagers again. No cameras were allowed but I whipped out the ol iphone and snuck one any way. you can't see anything, but I took it there. : )

So you want to make a lap top cover? ... Part Trois (3) ...

2010-04-30T21:00:00.005+10:00

What a day. Its been long and involved and emotional. Annnnddddd I have another part of the lap top cover to finish. Its freezing here tonight. I have just hauled over the big heater and put it right on top of me ... ah yes ... I can now feel my fingers so writing here I come.

I have to warn you now ... I have to get technical here ... NOT!!! To make the lovely little curve on my flap, I went into the kitchen and rummaged around in Pickles drawer of plates and cups. I picked up her favourite yellow Ikea drinking cup, looked at it and thought "lovely". I folded my suede rectangle in half, made a little mark for the centre and ruled a line down to each point! Bingo stingo ... triangle. I then pop Pickles cup on the top of the triangle, just like in the picture and lightly traced around the arc of the cup. Take away the cup, cut around the newly traced line and your flap is now ready. You could put a large eyelet 1.5 cm down from the top point in the middle of the curve. I put mine in when I was completely finished. I think I may have forgotten to mention the eyelet. Sorry about that ... you need an eyelet. A large one will do.

Its now time to sew up your lap top bag. With the rights sides of your main lap top pieces together, and your batting piece lying on the wrong side of which fabric piece you want. Sew the pieces together along the top edge of the rectangles. Without turning anything anywhere, get your flap and place it in between the fabric piece and quilted piece with the long side of the triangle piece lined up with the edges of the other pieces. Pin in place. Grab your tap measure, and pick a side. From the first edge you sewed together measure up 50 cm ( 19 2/3" ). Place a pin in that point. On the opposite side, do the same thing. Measure up 50 cm ( 19 2/3" ). Place a pin in that point. Now all you need to do is sew from one pin up and over the edge with the flap and back down to the pin on the other side.

Snip your corners and you are now ready to turn your baby inside out. You should be able to see just how your cover will look now. Its time to insert the timtex piece into one of the gaps and have a wee fiddle about until its sitting nicely.

It's home stretch time. The timtext should give you a guide of what to do next. You will need to fold up the bottom edge up approx 28 - 30 cm ( 11 " - 11 3/4" ) with patchwork pieces facing each other. Sew the edges of both sides together and then turn that pocket right side out. And guess what? If you tie on your suede leather lacing ( I threaded a lovely faux velvet heart bead on the bottom on mine. I say "Faux" because if its real velvet I'll eat my cat. But it looks nice.) you are now ... officially finished. Wooooooohooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know who's more relieved. You or me. AS I said before, I would love to see pics of the cover you make, don't forget to show! Hope you like it. The next projects on the drawing board are a business card holder, an iphone pocket, a wallet, and a doll or five as well as literally half a dozen quilts. I can show you one of the dollies in the next day or so. And when I pop up the dolly prototype up here, I'll finally tell you about Spandau Ballet ... true ... this much is true.

So you want to make a lap top cover? ... Part Duex (2) ...

2010-04-29T20:34:00.010+10:00

Part two guys. I am so sorry, trying to write up the instructions to make up the pattern or grid for the cover was starting to read like blue prints for a space shuttle. So I am going to grin and get on with it, and try to go astro navigation numbers down to a dull roar. There is a little bit to go, I am sorry about that, but's its nearly done. Really. It is.

You need to do the opposite side of the grid and that means some measuring along the bottom edge of the grid.

Hang in there.

Measure and mark the following along the bottom edge of the rectangle :

5" ( 12.8 cm) , 4 1/2" ( 11.5 cm ) , 4 1/2" ( 11.5 cm )

and now for the very last set of measurements you have to do on the last remaining edge at the top end of the rectangle.

1" ( 2.3 cm ), 4 1/2" ( 11.5 cm ) , 2 3/4" ( 7 cm ) , 1 3/4" ( 4.5 cm ) , 4 1/2" ( 11.5 cm )

Now, you have everything all set up to finish your grid. What I did then was to go to my first mark on the bottom edge ( the mark at 5" ) and then using my ruler, ruled a line from that point to the 4th mark you made on the bottom long edge closest to you. That line gives just the right angle you need to make your pattern zing. Now you have this great guide line done, you can start connecting the points on both side until you have made a lovely fat diamond pattern.

Now comes the easy part. And the fun part. On your grid, lay out out your squares in the order you want them. Laying them out will give you a chance to move the squares around until you are happy. Now quick note, the grid you have drawn will have squares of 4 1/2". Don't worry about your squares being bigger, they won't be when you sew them together. Sew your squares together, using your grid as a guide. Once you have sewn all your squares together, press the seams open and straighten up your edges with a rotary cutter so your newly sewn piece matches your pattern grid.

I am going to finish up for tonight and post more tomorrow, its been a night of phone calls and all sorts of stuff while I try to write here. So more tomorrow ...

So you want to make a lap top cover? ... Part Une (1) ...

2010-04-28T19:46:00.013+10:00

I needed a lap top cover. What is it with guys and laptop covers? Hmm, let me see, can I choose between the black lap top cover with black or the lap top cover with more black but a little grey. But then there is the grey lap top cover with a little bit of black and more black. Because I want something individual.

....?

I made the Amy Butler laptop cover, it looked great but it didn't really do the job. the protection for the laptop was only on the front. While making sure your screen was protected, the back of the lap top wasn't so well protected. There are a few tutorials floating around the web, I looked at most of them but then gave up. I looked at my little laptop, my superb little macbook pro and I made a mental list of all the things I need in a lap top cover. I needed protection for my laptop. I carry it in a bag that is not reinforced, so protection is the key factor. It has to look good. And because I just loved Rouenneries by French General, I wanted to use Rouenneries and make it look okay.

The old KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid.

This is what I tried to do, I don't know that I succeeded but I am happy and I have had some comments on it as well. I also wanted to keep the cost down and I used some stuff I had here as well. So here are the directions, please show me pictures of your lap top cover if you make it, I would just love to see it.

You'll need for a 13" laptop:

1 charm square pack - make sure there are 42 squares (I use MODA charm squares)

1 piece of pre quilted fabric 30" (76.5 cm) x 15" (38.5 cm)

( I got a cheap piece from my local Spotlight Store, so somewhere like JoAnns or any sort of budget fabric store ... thingy ... should have this. I would never use it on any of my stuff but for this, its perfect.)

1 piece of batting 30" (76.5 cm) x 15" (38.5 cm)

I then made a flap out of a large scrap of suede that I had, but the flap can made out of fabric but please remember that the following measurements I am going to give you are WITHOUT seam allowance on THREE sides. This is because I don't need to seam suede edges but I do need to make allowance for sewing the flap into top cover edge.

So my piece of suede was : 10" (25.5 cm) x 3 1/2" (9 cm)

50" (127 cm) of Suede cord or lacing that is 3/16 of an Inch or 3mm in width

You will need a piece of Timtex or similar that is approx : 20" (51 cm) x 14" (35.5 cm). This will give your lap top cover a bit of rigidity and the ever important protection your lap top will love you for.

You'll also need 2 pieces of A2 paper (Taped together along 1 short side on each piece of paper) plus a long ruler and a sharp pencil.

Aye Curumba this is a long post. Okay, lets kick off with the actual fun stuff, the making of the cover.

On my big long rectangle piece of paper I measured out a rectangle with my pencil that was 14 1/2" (37 cm) x 39" (99.5 cm).

This is where I am going to make my grid for laying out my charm squares. Grabbing my ruler I measure and mark out the following along one of the long edges of the rectangle ( the one closest to you would be easy) :-

1/4 " ( .8 cm) , 4 3/4" (12.2 cm) , 5" ( 12.8 cm) , 1 3/4" ( 4.5 cm) , 3 1/8" ( 4.5 cm) , 5" ( 12.8 cm) , 1 1/4" ( 3.2 cm ) , 3 1/4" ( 8.3 cm ) , 5" ( 12.8 cm ) , 1 1/2" ( 3.9 cm ) , 3 1/2" ( 8.9 cm ) , 4" ( 10 cm ).

***************************************

On the long side of your rectangle that is further away from you, measure and mark out the following:-

2" ( 5 cm ), 5" ( 12.8 cm) , 2 3/4" ( 7 cm ) , 2 1/4" ( 5.8 cm ) , 5" ( 12.8 cm ) , 2 1/2" (6.2 cm), 2 1/2" ( 6.2 cm ) , 5" ( 12.8 cm ), 2 1/4" ( 5.8 cm ) , 2 3/4" ( 7 cm ), 5" ( 12.8 cm ), 2" ( 5 cm )

I know this all seems very painful and it is a little bit but its over now and the easy part of your grid begins now. What I did was at the very first point I marked on the side closest to me, I ruled a line from that mark to the second mark from the beginning marks on the other side. I hope that makes sense, please look at the pictures, they should help. Basically, you will have drawn a connecting line that is on an angle, like in the picture above.

This line now becomes a guide line for me. I can draw up my grid, ruling from the next point on the closest side to me to the next point on the opposite side. You keep joining the dots until you have lovely lines climbing up your rectangle (the pattern looks like a barber pole). You now need to do the other side, please don't scream, there will be some more measuring to do but no where near as much as before. But you know what? I have been at this for a couple of hours now and I need a break so I am going to finish up for tonight and continue posting the rest of the directions tomorrow. Sorry about the break, I am trying to keep the language simple. So check in tomorrow for part 2 ...

As promised - laptop cover ala Jo

2010-04-27T21:28:00.005+10:00

Hey Hey .... as promised me compadres, here is the laptop cover I made. There are a few patterns around and there is an example earlier on in this blog of the Amy Butler Lap Top cover. But oh my, it had some problems, as with some of the other covers as well. I really hope I have managed to address those issues and keep it very simple. This is what it looks like and I will post instructions, its a bit to long to be a Telly Project so I'll just list it all tomorrow night for you, if you should want to make one.

Anzac Day ...

2010-04-26T21:17:00.002+10:00

I'm going to pop this in here before I show you the lap top cover, yesterday was Anzac Day. As a lovely mate of mine in the US said in email yesterday "happy Anzac day, whatever the heck that is ..." so I thought I might put a wee word about Anzac day here in my little piece of the web-a-verse. To put it simply, Anzac day is the most important day in our year here. Its where we remember all of those men and women who have served in all the wars that our country have been involved in. A lot of folks seem to think that this is a glorification of war, but it isn't. We not saying war is amazing or fun, we as a nation say that a lot of precious precious aussie blood has been spilt in countries across the globe, and we remember them. And honour them. And say thank you. So that's Anzac day, its a big big deal. Tomorrow, I'll show you some pics and give you directions on making a lovely lap top cover, I love it and of course, I have to mention Spandau Ballet but for now ...

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

THE ODE - Laurence Binyan

Little Bow and the Katoomba Quilt Show ...

2010-04-21T21:25:00.017+10:00

Hiya. Well, its been a little while. Six weeks. I have been in "interesting times" as in the old Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times." But, I did get to the Katoomba quilt show, interesting times or not. Here is Little Bow all hanging up. She was right near the front door, I thought she looked okay. I can't begin to tell you how much went into her, so to see her all finished ... finally, was nothing short of a relief. And I also have included some pics from the rest of show as well. It was a good show, and I'll be entering next year too. I already am building all the ideas for that quilt. It's called "Saturday afternoon with Eda." Anyway, here are the pics...

And the big news ... this was pinned to Little Bow ...

Katoomba was my very first quilt show, so this, well ... it was just lovely. I did go through a couple of days of thinking I had been in a field of three quilts and I had come last in three, but then I found out that there had been over 20 quilts in the category and I was just so pleased. Anyway, it was a big deal for me. Little Pickles was so funny, she has now turned into a major quilt critic. The show folks asked her if she wanted to vote in the popular choice category. She said she did, and then said she wasn't going to vote for me. She then had me walk around the show, taking pictures of the quilts she liked and then she sat on my knee and went through the pics so she could pic her favourite! She really makes me laugh ... I have a bunch of posts to come. Sorry about the silence, I'll promise to be good now ...

Urban Flannel Cosy and Imogen Heap ...

2010-03-15T17:05:00.006+11:00

There you go, that's not two things you normally find together. With Little Bow delivered all safe and sound to Katoomba, I can now go over all the errors in the quilt and all the things I should have done but didn't. Great, isn't it? I'll take plenty of photos on saturday, and post them here so you can see the highlights and with any luck a proper pic of Little Bow, finally. Here are a couple of wee pics of Little Pickles new Cosy. All in gorgeous Valori Wells Urban Flannels from last year, and the quilt itself is so super soft. I decided it needed to have something hanging from one side of it, just a wee hanging thingy. So I cut around one of the little motifs, and stuffed it silly. I also want to hang the little beady fairy of it as well as a couple of other thingies as well. I am going to make this "Tag" or "Tassle" for want of better words, removable so if the quilt needs washing, it can be done without ruining the thingie in question. Pickles little friend is getting one that is just the same so I thought I better make Pickles quilt easy to identify.

I went shopping for some clothes for Little Pickles today. Its nuts really, only March. The shops here are just bursting with all the winter clothes, but if I wait until the weather starts to get cold there will be nothing left. Let it be said that I can shop for the country, but today, it fair wore me out. And how come my kid gets better clothes than me? Because she deserves it and she stops traffic. I stop hearts, but not in a good way.

Here is a music vid by the incomparable Imogen Heap. Take my word for it, she's awesome. And when you have see the vid, off you go to the itunes music store. Chop Chop!

as promised ... taa dah!!!

2010-03-10T22:56:00.005+11:00

Okay, here is Little Bow, she is all done now except for the label and a tiny error on the back, and thats going to be done tomorrow. The pictures aren't the best. They had to be taken outside, the cat was being a major pest. It seemed like it was her reason for being to get on the quilt whenever she could, so I had to resort to hanging the quilt on the line. The light was awful and I was using my iphone. I'll take some better pics with my canon at the show. I'll post it all here anyways. So here she is.

Today was supposed to be the day ...

2010-03-09T17:45:00.002+11:00

That I did the big reveal on on Little Bow. Until I came down with kid flu. Little pickles was sick last week and today was her first day back on deck. Me, however, have a tissue box attached to my hip and I am wondering if its bigamous if I say I want to marry the scientists who make codral cold tablets.

So, to give myself a well needed shot of vitamin c, I made myself a small cup of rose (just roses - nothing else) tea. Its loaded with vitamin c and all sorts of good stuff and as you can imagine, smells just divine. And had a look at my Noel Lumiere Charm squares. So me and my tissues are off to try and finish Little Bow. So near and yet so far. So with any luck, tomorrow will be the big reveal for Little BOw. At last. And then, I can show you pics of the nearly finished cosy for Pickles. She calls quilts ... Cosy's. I like that, I like that a lot.

Bubble Bubble toil and sew ...

2010-03-05T22:29:00.003+11:00

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. By this time tomorrow night, Little Bow will be 100% finished... YYYYYIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The DH looked at her yesterday and said "are you ever going to finish that?" he then told me it didn't look any different from when I started to re-work it. I have been at this now for weeks.

Aw, what do boys know? Nuthin as it happenes. And here are some WIP pics, and I'll post finished pics later on the weekend. Then I can start making some stuff. And I bought a 9" wedge ruler this week, and I am so ready to have a wee play with that. Little sparkles has told me that I have to make Telly mats for all her new little friends at school. There is 8 of them, and apparently I can do it by blinking. But that might make a great little project for here. I'll keep you all posted.

What I am listening to at the moment ...

2010-02-25T16:32:00.004+11:00

Calogero

I normally like to embed the vids so you can see them but ... Universal France likes to see them on You tube like so. But I simply can not get enough of this guy. Check it out.

There is much sewing of yo yos at the moment. Pics to come soon.

So I have been a bit busy ...

2010-02-20T12:37:00.006+11:00

I am a bit busy at the mo. I am racing to finish my book, I am about 1/4 - 1/3 ish through but I have spent a good couple of years getting all the planning and research together before the actual writing. If I keep going the way I am, I should be done by the end of April, maybe May at the latest. But I also have to get Little Bow ready for her public debut in MArch. And Pickles has started school. And the school seems to want me to start at school too.

Nuts. But ... the DH surprise me last night with tickets to go and see Spandau Ballet and Tears for Fears ....

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And with any luck I should get to see A-ha this year too and all my teenage wishes will have come true. How cool.

Anyways, here is the pic of the yo yo madness and a pic of something I getting together for my book. More on that later!

And I also won a competition. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Anyway, here are the wee prizes.

Here is the Book project. Well, the beginning of it... and it may not be what you think ... sort of ... maybe

And last but not least, and because I am so proud of myself ... here is a picture of my hydrangea that I grew myself. And this was a big deal for me, considering that prior to this I dound that I had a real skill for turning pretty green things into black crispy things. As my friend says "its amazing what happens when you water something."

Important gardening tip people, if you water something it grows. I just learnt that, cool.

okay, so there isn't a pic of yo-yos but ...

2010-02-07T19:18:00.005+11:00

I decided to get a wee bit distracted instead. I have this ripper bonza pattern from 1943 that was a bugger to find. But as you will see, I found it. It then came to me in a flash today that instead of burying myself in yo-yos (like I should), I would maybe make me some yummy 1943 slipper thingys (like I shouldn't).

All of this with the plan of making some up for pressies for friends so of course I have to make up a prototype. Its great the way to justify spending time not making yo-yos. The pattern wasn't in the right size at all, so adjustments had to be made. I won't touch the slippers until the weekend or I'll never get Little Bow ready in time. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Here the pictures of my guilty efforts.

I'm a yo you making fool but so help me ...

2010-02-06T19:53:00.005+11:00

I think I may have to do something else tonight or I will just cry. I am making yo yo's until I feel like I go to bed dreaming about making yo yos. And lord have mercy, what would I have done with out my Clover yo-yo makers. Oh no! Clover have put out an oval yo yo maker! Bugger. I have all the rest and now I have to get this one. Sigh ... yo-yos yo-yos bloody yo-yos.

Its "Little Bow's" fault. The quilt's fault. Yup, in case you might have forgotten, here is a wee pic:

This is the quilt that I am entering in the Katoomba Quilt Show . But I bet you can see the issues with this quilt in this little picture. They just jump out and scream and holler at me. So, I came up with a solution that involves ... you guessed it ... yo-yos. So, I am making yo-yos until they come out of my eyes in every shape colour and size. The quilt (I refer to her as "her, how deranged is that?) needs to be ready for the 6th of March. So its all hands on deck here to get her all spick and span for showing. I'll snap a quick pic of the growing mound of ye olde suffolk puffs tomorrow and put it up here.

What a long week. Little pickles started school. No one told me how that would feel ... for a mum. My baby is on her way, I only hope I can keep up.

I'm Back ... A

2010-01-24T22:20:00.007+11:00

What a past few months. I feel like I have ben dragged backwards through a hedge and run over twice. But I'm back, with pictures. I thought I might show you a couple of wee pics to kick off the new year. I am in a bit of a dolly fuzz at the moment. Little sparkles has been very worried about starting school. We have been doing a bunch of stuff to get her ready, and one of the things is getting her a doll that looks like her that I will dress like her down to a mini version of her little uniform. That all has to be finished by the 1st, the day I give her her new doll and her first day of school. So I will post the pics from the past couple of months here and then post again when the dust settles next week.

There is a bunch of stuff I want to talk about here but to kick it off, Little Bow is being entered in the Katoomba Quilt Show. She will be top of the list until the 6th of March when she gets delivered and I'll post pics here as she gets properly finished.

This is the pressie that I made for my friend Lydia. I made the journal, and that is going to be a telly project that will go up next week. I made the bird brooch as well.

Here is a closer look at the bird brooch, I took the pattern from a gorgeous piece of french handmade lace from the turn of last century.

And here are the dollies I made for little sparkles and her friends, they loved them and sparkles carries hers around all the time. I am going to put the pattern up on my etsy store, when I get round to getting that together as well.

Here we go 2010 ... we're off!

its been quiet ...

2010-01-06T10:26:00.001+11:00

I look at the last blog entry and ... its been a month. Hang fire folks, posting begins next week, all sorts to talk about and will do so then. Have some stuff to get to the US by then end of the week. Hope your Christmas was amazing and happy and joyful and all the best for the this coming year. Can't wait to get back on deck, love Jo

Sciting times ... we live in sciting times.

2009-12-04T09:26:00.008+11:00

As I have said before, I have been just ruined by French General. Just ruined. I am not interested in any other sort of fabric. I don't know why, I just don't look the same at them anymore. So, the first of my Rouenneries Bits have arrived (j'arrive!!!)

And here they are. There are many yards in the grey print and turkey red flowers. As for the gorgeous little boutons (buttons) and ruban (ribbon) and the divine Dentelle (lace). It all co-ordinates and that was by chance alone. A bit of a guess on my part. Well it's arriving so surprise surprise surprise, there is more coming. Just in time for the chrissy factory to begin here. I have another telly project to kick off for you all too. A Design Journal. I am still trying to struggle with blogger to get these projects to you. I think what I might do is set them up as a freebie that you can download from Etsy. but I'll let you know. And Studio-Rama sugar, we still need to go there! I think that might be for the new year. Anyway, off to get a christmas tree today!!! woohoo!!! Expect pics.

Let'a try that again ...

2009-11-28T12:38:00.006+11:00

Okay. All seems to be okay here for the time being. The last time I tried to post, something screwy was going down with blogger. I cut my losses and got out quick. But now, I'll have another crack at it and see how it goes.

Kellie at Don't Look Now is having a quilt - a - long and it's a cracker. Loved it so much, I decided to sign up and play. Its a lovely pattern, I so much prefer graceful curves to sharp angles. But I am going to change the over look of the quilt just a smidge, a wee smidge. And I am using Rouenneries by French General for Moda fabrics. I am currently wearing a path in my carpet waiting for my bf to call me to let me know that our mega order from Hancocks has arrived, one of three I should add. The first order has my fabric for this quilt along, and the next one has my rouenneries backing fabric so ... Here is a wee pic of how the block will roughly look.

I set it up on a pillow case. The actual background is a french general print from the same range. I'll post a pic of the completed block when the fabric arrives (hopefully) this week. And then I'll be on my way!!!

I haven't forgotten my telly project, that will go up later today, and I want to talk about Studio-rama too. but again, after pickles is in bed, I'll fill you guys in then.

2009-11-23T14:16:00.002+11:00

972. Nine hundred and seventy two. I thought if I wrote the number in words it would't look so big. I was an idiot, it looks huge. That's the amount if petals I'll have to cut out to make my blocks for the quilt. The quilt. The Quilt along quilt. I have signed on for a quilt-a-long. Kellie at Don't Look Now has a great project all set out to go. So on top of everything I have to do, I have decided to do this. But me being me, I am going to change the pattern a wee bit, not the technique, not the technique at all but the actual design of the blocks. And I am making my quilt bigger, so it will fit on my bed. It will basically be the same, sort of. I'll write more later as something tricky is happening with Blogger at the moment and I don't want to risk putting anything much up yet. But check out Kellie's site, and have a look at the links and the flickr group. More later.

I can't believe its all done ...

2009-11-22T22:29:00.006+11:00

for the record ... I am just buggered. Saying "tired" doesn't really cut it, nor really describe the depth of weariness I am feeling right now. Please USA girls, don't be offended, here in Australia saying you are "buggered" means you are tired ... not what it means there. I have the kind of weariness that has made my feet throb up to my knees and my entire body aches. Its been a whopper of a week and at last, its all done. Doesn't help being a million degrees here in Sydney, the house is like an oven, so all three of us are camping out here in the living room with the air con going. The cat is no where to be seen.

I really want to talk to you guys about the quilt along I have committed to, but that will have to wait for a day or two. I am still getting all my bits together before starting. So I thought I would show you some piccies and have a moan about French General Fabrics. I am moaning about French General's new ranges for Moda because I just love them and I can see them keeping me poor for an age. I am moaning because I have been juts ruined by these fabrics. I am simply not interested in anything else but these. My brain is fizzy with ideas and with three or more ranges coming out form them next year, I will just have a constant stream of yum to play with. And write about here. And show you. And give you tutorials for too.

I'll save that for later, but for now, have a wee squiz:

Yup, its a letter. big bloody deal I hear you say. Well, it's here because for me its a monster deal. I am entering "Little Bow" in the Katoomba Quilt Show. My first quilt show, the girls at Country Pickins were really encouraging. lynne, legend Lynne was rally encouraging and as for my mate Lydia ... well, I have decided I am giving it a crack so telling you too. I'll let you know the ins and outs and all the gory details as we get closer to the show.

Picture no.2

The dollies all done. I think they turned out just great, even if my husband said they creeped him out and didn't understand them. But the little girls squeled and loved them and carted them around all day, everytime I looked at them, they were cuddling their dollies so I reckon that is a good sign.

These pics aren't great but they'll do for the moment, stay tuned for more on the quilt along and I want to also talk to you about "Studio-Rama" as well. Take it easy, and check back in a day or two.

There are things coming ... things I tell you

2009-11-13T08:31:00.003+11:00

It's been a few days. Sorry about that. There is a bunch of stuff happening here all cumulating with a huge big week next week and then .... all goes back to normal before the christmas run around. But... there will be things here. This week is too big for me, 7 softies have to be done for Saturday, cooking all day friday and my little pickles is having a wee part on sunday. As well as having folks stay. It's a whopper.

So please please please hang in there with me. I am trying to sort out how to make my telly projects accessible without having to trawl through all the posts (Blogger, you guys need to fix that) and I think I have found a way but I can't sort it all until this coming week is over and then ... chocks away.

There is also going to be some major sciting going on too. My Rouenneries will be here and I am ready to play. The french General fabrics are me all over, and my brain has been getting all fizzy with the multitude of stuff that you will see here. and hang on to your hats, it will be mainly in French General fabric. I loves it, I really loves it.

So I am here and this week I am going to be quiet but once Sunday week is done, I am back on creative deck and my first telly project will be ready for you to play with if you wish.

Have a great rest of the weekend. I'll be back soon!!

Telly Project #1 - Coussin Epingle

2009-11-04T13:44:00.007+11:00

Here it is, my very first telly project for you. Coussin Epingle is French and it means "Pin Cushion". Please don't yawn, pin cushion yadda yadda but I wanted to actually use my Rouenneries Charm square pack instead of just gazing and gazing in awe at it. French General and Moda have created something so unbelievable yummy, so more-ish .. well, it's almost supernatural. So, I have fqs in the printed fabric coming, FQs in the wovens coming, a layer cake and I have 2 packs of the charm sqaures. I am beginning to believe I made need a jelly cake and I have a couple of prints that need to come home in yardage form. I have a problem. I have already pre-ordered the same in Rural Jardin. I do have a problem.... where was I? Yes, that's right the telly project.

This is a simple little pin cushion to make but it will take you a couple of nights. Still, its a great project to do in front of the telly.

Here are the things you need to make the Coussin Epingle with. Two charms squares, one quilted by hand (yes, you read right) with the pattern and some vintage ribbon. I also filled my coussin with wheat. Makes it feel nice and has a great weight to it. I really believe that if we go to great lengths to use the best natural fibre fabric we can, it would be nice to fill it with something organic too. Although with kids toys it sometimes helps to have something able to be chucked in the washing machine and you just can't do that organically without giving your husband a massive stroke.

This project is a freebie. Nix, nil, nada, zip is what you have to pay for this one. I am having technological issues with my scanner at the mo. It isn't working ... at all. So my wonderful friend is going to scan it for me and I'l pop it up here but if you would like me to send you the project (it's in PDF format), please comment and let me know you want one. I'll get it to you as soon as it's ready.

Keep an eye out ...

2009-10-30T10:12:00.002+11:00

This is going on the side bar. What is "Telly Projects" I hear you say? I am so glad you asked. "Telly Projects" is a project that can be done in front of the telly (TV) that will take one night or a couple of nights to complete. I am working on the first one now and it should be ready to motor in the next couple of days. I'll post the details and patterns under the logo for you guys to use and make yourself. For yourself, 'cause you are all groovy and understand that I'm putting this up here for nix to enjoy and not abuse? I know its all cool. So keep an eye out, first telly project coming up!

It's Sciting time .....

2009-10-28T11:13:00.007+11:00

"Sciting" ... it's a word my Nana used to use. It means having a crow or a brag about something etc. I have some stuff I want to scite about. I was going to tell my husband, but other than the fact that his eyes would glaze over and he'd go to his happy place. He would also start to look at the stuff and start adding up in his brain even though he doesn't really know how much it all costs. I'm saving his health by just not sharing with him my addict..er.. hobby with him. So I get to share it with you!!!!! Can't help it, just need to.

The lovely girls out at the Cottage Quiltworks have just moved. They used to be up behind my Parents in Law, and there were a few afternoons when the football was on the telly, Grammy was playing with Pickles and me, I was staring at the wall. So off I would go and just poke about in their shop until I bought way too much. They have moved to a bigger place about 10 minutes away from my in-laws now and they are having a 30% off sale on most of their stock until the end of October. So yesterday, My girlfriend and her daughter, myself and Pickles all went down for a bit of a look. Look hahahahahaha, yeah right. The little girls were amazing, they sat and coloured for ages and had a chat. We were there for two hours, and I bought these (scite warning) ...

Bar the last four on the bottom right hand side, are all for a new quilt design to come hard on the heels of Hard Candy but I'll tell you about that later. Lovely muted palette this time, and a little bit vintagey-shabbyish- whatever. I also found this, drum roll please :

Flea Market Fancy my friends, yes that's right and still on the bolt and it's mine all mine ... well, that's not quite true. I shared it with my girlfriend but I reckon it has to the last bolt in existence and now it's gone and here at my house and my girlfriend's. And just for the sake of it, here is my precious Flea Market Fancy stash:

I have decided to use some, I have too. Now because I felt like a guilty wife today, I went out to Country Pickins to see the lovely girls there and to let them know I hadn't fallen from the face of the earth and to pick up these:

Another couple of Matilda's Own Quilting templates. I have about 6 sets or more now and they are wonderful. I using one of the sets for Hard Candy and have ordered another set for the new project. The dresden plate is being used for the block carrier. When I am finished it, I'll post the details here so if you want to tackle it you can. And finally, this isn't a scite it's an apology. I should always be bothered to make sure the pictures you look at you can see. So sorry about being flip about my embroidery pattern. I am going to take some proper pictures so you can see her in all her glory. Check back in the next day or so, and this pics will be up!

2009-10-25T14:22:00.006+11:00

Its been a couple of days since I posted. Its been a busy week. Cai is back at all her stuff so that means we spent the week going from playdates to ballet to preschool to language classes to the zoo and on and on and on and now ... it's Sunday. So B is painting a cardboard Dinosaur with Cai in the kitchen and me ... I'm making China Blossom dolls for the special little girls we know and I have until the 21st of November to get them finished. So, I'm making dolls and listening to an audio book on my lap top. I thought I would show you a couple of pics of the block holder I am going to make. I figured I needed a block carrier for my Hard Candy quilt. And I muddled about for a couple of days deciding what I would do but now I have decided!

I thought I would do a wee bit of embroidery to put with a wee spot of something else to put on the front of my block carrier. So here is a picture I thought I would use as the embroidery:

Yes, its dark but I really couldn't be bothered getting out my canon, taking the picture, loading it in the puter blah blah blah. So sorry, here it is and its dark. And here she is on the hoop ready to boogie when I watch Bones tonight and I am going to cheat. I am going to use a combination of punch needle embroidery and standard embroidery. I'll keep you posted. I have a spot of crowing about a find for my stash, more on that later!

I had a bunch of stuff to do ...

2009-10-20T23:21:00.004+11:00

But instead I brewed up the rest of the new quilt, not to be confused with the quilt along but my new project campers. I spent a while getting the images ready to boogie tomorrow after the new ink cartridge arrives home. I pay for the Katie Jump Rope tomorrow, so it will be sent and as soon as it comes then it's cutting templates like a fury.

I have decided that I'll pop up a pattern for a block carrier using the same design I am using on the quilt. And the quilt has a name, and because I had a whole heap of stuff to do I decided to pfaff about and make a wee button for it ... because I could. And now I look at the button I am worried that it makes me look a little bit ... well less than the straight girl I am ... aw bugger it, I don't care. The image made me laugh, a cow and a woman in a bra ... what the???? But wait til you see the whole thing, I think it's going to have a wee bit of zing to it...

Eventually this button will sit on the side bar and have pics of the design process and the finished quilt. I'll do this for all the stuff I make and pop in here. Watch out for China Blossies, that will be up soon and I will put up a pattern for a Wee Blos and I think I might hold a swap. Anyway, here is the button. Hoody hoo!

Squueeeeeeee! It's here, woohooo!!!!!

2009-10-19T20:24:00.002+11:00

Look what came in the post today ...

I did my happy dance in the Post Office today ... internally. I almost leant over the counter and planted a big ol kiss on the fella behind the counter ... internally of course. But he did get a grin from me as I handed him my license (the book came registered post). To be hard honest, I thought that it was great he was checking my id, I bet there are a couple of girls around here who would have sold kidneys for this one.

I luurv Cath Kidston. And like a squillion others, I mourn the idea that we don't have a store here in Sydney 'cause we need one. Badly.

Anyhoo ... oh and I remembered a very important tip today. Yup, I remembered after everything was finished and I had been wondering what I did wrong. Jo's Wonder Tip for today ... when getting images ready for transferring onto fabric that you spent bloody ages dipping in Bubblejet Set, cutting out the Freezer paper while wrestling with a four year old for use of the really big scissors then trying to keep the same child from wanting to swim in the mix out back. Always make sure that your images are set on high contrast so when you go to rinse out the images you spent ages getting ready and then nearly using up all of cartridge printing out ... because if you don't, you loose half your colour and your totally fab images look like they need to eat a good steak. Learnt that today, just thought I'd share.

So, tonight I watch "Flash Forward" and read this totally gorgeous book and drool over the pics and hopefully get some work done on my new fabric range.

A big thanks to the lovely folk at Lark in Daylesford, I got their last copy and they were bonza good sports.

Make sure you check them out ... they rock.

It's 2.30 in the morning fer crying out loud ...

2009-10-19T02:37:00.002+11:00

Aaaaaaannnnnnnddddddddd ..... I can't sleep. SO, here I am at my blog. HAd some cacke too, just to make the no sleeping thing a bit more real. In my own defense I have to say that I have never done this before, eaten cake and blogged at 2.30 in the morning. But sometimes in life, you just have to go with it. That's what I am doing now. Going with it .. and raving a wee bit as well.

I am so very, very, very, very excited. I am going to do a Quilt-a-long. Hoody Frickin' hoo, been wanting to do that for a while now, and managed to locate almost every single one one the web only to find out that had been going for eons and I had come late to the party. Not now chickadees .. kellie at Don't look Now is having a corker of a quilt along and I am down to play. And for my fabric, I think ... hmmm (she says looking like an over weight Vivian Leigh at the BBQ in Gone with the Wind) ... Moda's stunning new range Rouenneries is going to be the go. Yes, I could attack my stash, I really could, and I could use the umpteen different scraps I have left over from little Bow or from the Satchel Bag or whatever but I really love this collection. Its yummy to die for and so I have deemed it to be, Rouenneries it will be for this. It will look seven kinds of gorgeous, and have a really different feel to it. A wee bit olde worlde.

In case you have been living on the moon for the past six months, here is the range I am yapping about ..

Here is the link

THere is just something so .. so ... yummy about the range and then at the other end of the spectrum, I would sell my husband's left kidney for a whole bunch of Tula Pink's new range "Plume", let me see if I can find it for you now where did I see it ... here it is at Hancocks of Paducah in Kentucky. Went to High School there, don't you know (said in pretendy posh voice).

I am loving The tula Pinks, Heather Bailey's, The Amazing Denyse Schmidts of this world as well. Too much gorgeous fabric, nnow it's 3 am and that's me for the night. Now I am tired and my brain is feeling sleepy. Sent my China blossoms off to the good folks at Moda to peruse, I figured ..what the hey, why not? Why not indeed ... now I am raving. Off to bed I go.

The blogging Quilt festival...

2009-10-15T14:03:00.006+11:00

I have just found about this . After reading through the requirements, here I am, writing a post about a quilt I have made. The pic is of the main panel, it's missing the yoyos and the rest of the zhuzzing that finished it all off. It's currently sitting in Country Pickin's store down in Dural. I wanted to get a picture of it all finished but I haven't had a chance to get down there but I have a class there on sunday so I'll snap a pic of Little Bow in all her glory and post the pic here in three days time. And if I didn't post today about this quilt, I'd miss out on being a part of the festival so ...

Every quilt has a story, everyone. Even if you don't think your quilt or softie or whatever it is that you are making has any kind of history behind it, baby you is wrong. While we make our stuff, while we sew and create, life whirls around us in a steady stream of phone calls, emails and whatever else happens in our lives. Your quilt has a story. Little Bow does, it's not a happy one but she has a story. She came about just after my friend Chris died. I need to make a wee point here, but Chris was NOT a girly kind of guy. He was a big fella, liked Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd. He wrote prodigiously, was a screen writer professionally and he and I had a shared in interest in WWII history, the people side. He would be liking the new book I am working on, and its a real bummer that I didn't get a chance to run my plot by him when I had the chance. So as I was saying, Chris didn't inspire Little Bow, but in the days after his death Little Bow was the driving project in my brain. I needed to get her into the store lickety split, and instead of taking two weeks tops ... she took closer to 4.

I cried over that quilt. Not because it drove me nuts, although pinning it four times drove me crazy, I cried for Chris. Brent was working a long run of night duty, my little girl was in bed and was working on Bow, by myself in the quiet.

So ... I look at little Bow and I like her, she looks great but ... and there will always be a ... but ... about this quilt. I will always look at her and know that it was made just after Chris left us. Which is both a good thing and a sad thing.

So in response to Little Bow, I have come up with another idea today and its a cracker. So before I post anything else, I'm off to search the web for some Katie Jump Rope .... oh yes .... oh we go .... taa dee ta dum .... whistle!

Hi all, here are the pictures of the finished quilt, she looks okay and the girls at the store said folks have been asking about her, I think that's cool. Anyways, here is little Bow ... all finished!

And here are some close up pictures of some of the detail on Little Bow ...

Sewn ...

2009-10-13T20:02:00.002+11:00

And, I almost forgot ... you might also want to sign up for Sewn. I did, and here you go, off to Sewn with you!!!!

If your wondering what Sewn is, here is the "About Us" form the site, it sounds great and I am so glad to now be a part of it!

"ABOUT SEWN

SEWN is new and innovative online quilting and sewing community for all lovers of fabric crafts. We have Tips and Innovative Tools to help with your projects, an Advice Centre for all your sewing questions, online forums and chats, and information on your local shops, sewing groups, quilt groups and classes.

SEWN will feature designers and shops from Australia and New Zealand, as well as the latest from the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan.

There will be articles, interviews and tutorials from industry experts, competitions and free patterns! We’ll even be reporting via podcast from craft shows around Australia and the USA.

It’s going to be way too much fun! Get excited with me sign up to the SEWN Club for all the latest news and offers from SEWN and our partners, read my blog to keep up to date on all the SEWN news.

Happy SEWiNg!

Sarah Fielke, Creative Director
www.thelastpiece.net"

Give Away at the last Piece...

2009-10-13T19:46:00.002+11:00

I love The Last Piece

Its become one of my favourite blogs, as highly read for me as Allsorts . Sarah Falke was one of the quilting Divas who owned Material Obsession, now she is out on her own and is a mega super quilting diva. The give away is fantastic, French General's beautiful fabric line for Moda is lovely and Sarah has generously decided to give away six Rouenneries Honey buns. The details are all there in her blog, get to it!!

Here is the link

Something brewing ...

2009-10-08T13:38:00.002+11:00

Found these last night, they look groovy together. Bit of Heather Bailey, bit of Kaffe Fassett et al .... Hmmm. I have some things for the Marie Antoinette Mailing list to get out, and thats proving to be tricky. Printer issues, but I'll post the pics here so at least the pages can be seen. I also have some flowers to make plus 5 book pages all before 1 Nov.

The quilting is a distraction, a lovely one but a distraction all the same.

Back to Marie Antoinette Mixed media I go ......

A visit to Mecca ... I mean Material Obsession ...

2009-10-07T13:14:00.003+11:00

I spent most of Monday night reading blogs. Don't ask me why, I have no idea myself. BUt as I read Blog after Blog after blog, it became apparent to me that a visit to Material Obsession was needed. I had been reading a few accounts of the Sue Ross B.O.M club. I was drooling. I wanted to play so bad. There are a bunch of girls out there doing it, 150 according to M.O themselves. the club is completely sold out : ( but there is a waiting list for a second round in Feb. 2010 : )

On the waiting list I went, and then I decided with all the raps the M.O was getting about the traps in blogs etc. I thought it might be a grand idea to go out there and check it out. So after lunch with Brent and Cai Cai and all her little girl friends at Macquarie centre to watch the Ice Skating while they all demolished the nutritionally questionable Happy Meals we were dumb enough to buy for them.

Then it was off to quest for M.O. It wasn't hard to find. I left Brent dozing in the car and with Cai Cai in tow, off we went. I got a wee bit of a surprise, it all looked a bit bare. And that really did make me wonder, in fact, there wasn't a great deal of anything there but and this is a big BUT ... the quilts that I could see were to die for. Absolutely stunning. I bought the two template packs you see in this post, came home and promptly started on one straight away. I'll pop the piccy of what I've done so far below. But I was thinking about it all afternoon yesterday. I get what they are doing at M.O . There was a lot of focus on using contemporary fabrics to make the old traditional quilt blocks to come up with something so new. They have done it. Its cool. I like that a lot. I love the idea of using old things in a new way to come up with something new and hand - downable! (I invented a new word!) . What's the point of spending hours and hours of time tom make something temporary? Let's make stuff out great great great grand kids will love and their kids and so on.

I think there has been a shift at M.O. The girls who started the business seem to have parted company. I don't know how recent that was, maybe its still new days for the changes. The website is no where as extensive as it was, and there was a definite feeling that a lot of stuff was missing so I'll keep an eye on things there and let's see what happens. Yup, I want to start that B.O.M as soon as pos.

Softie Blossoms ...

2009-10-07T13:12:00.001+11:00

As if I don't have enough on my plate to worry about, I now have 6 softies to build for the 20th of November. All self inflicted of course but ... I think they should be cute and I'll post the making process here.

I have been doing something, I really have ...

2009-10-06T15:40:00.007+11:00

I have, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I finished the quilt. Yup, it turned into a quilt, the lady in the pattern, I'll post a pic from her new posie at Country Pickin's . If you get the chance, check out this store if you are Sydney local or check them out on line. Their fabric range is great and the girls are just bonza ! And ... they put up with me, it seems like I spend half my life there!

I spent a great deal of time sewing by my sewing machine light. I reckon it has to be one of my favourite light sources, the little light from my sewing machine. Not the best for the eyes but it's just a nice feeling. Well, that makes me sound nuts.

The lady is done, it was a real exercise. I thought that having all the pieces being big and grand, I would save myself a whole bucket of time. Yeah, right. I still had to pin the thing four times to get it right before I quilted it. Four times. Thank God Brent wasn't around to see me sticking taping the thing to the floor and swearing as I put the quilting pins in only to drag them out again. And then there is the Yo-yos ... sorry, Suffolk Puffs. It was a wonderful idea to use yo-yos as decoration on my quilt, to zhuzh my lady and make her look fab. Even with the help of my much loved Clover Yo-yo makers, it still took an age. But I love the Yo-yo makers, I have three shapes (circles, Hearts and flowers) and they work like a treat. I was so greatful to my mate Lydia for lending me Aaron Sorkin's great series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." I watched the entire series while making this quilt. Its a crying shame that only one season was made, the writing was clever and sharp, the characters engaging. I guess Mad Men will just have to keep me going.

Here is another wee peek at Little Bow:

The new project ...

2009-08-26T19:38:00.004+10:00

Okay, I have the opportunity to maybe teach a wee class, maybe. I have to get the quilt done as fast as I can ie, in a week or two at the very latest. So, here is the start of Little Bow. The pattern you see here is for the panel in the centre. I'll keep you updated as it comes together. I found out all this today, so I came home and drew this up. Let's see what happens ..

Look at this, its stunning.

2009-08-24T20:19:00.001+10:00

Go on, its amazing and captivating.

Men In Film

So very ... Charming ...

2009-08-15T15:26:00.006+10:00

Okay, Charmings. I made 'em. I call 'em. These are basically charms, in this case used for my lap top cover. These can be made in ANY size, I used a combination of fabric and paper with a covering of mica sewn together and then hung off a mixture of bits of jewelry I had. Some of it vintage, some of it from what we call here, the $2 shop.

Again so super easy, in the next few days, I'll post a tutorial here so anyone can else make them.

Fabric doesn't get used much for charm making outside quilting and fabric arts but it is so versatile. I have the the makings of three fabric journals all ready to go, and I have a bunch of ideas I want to try and I will be posting here what happens and how. So keep us all going for a bit, here are some pics of the Charmings, you'll be seeing more of them here.

Charmings m'dear and a laptop ....

2009-08-14T13:18:00.006+10:00

I have made a cover for my new lap top ( I lurv it). I cheated, I bought a pattern. It's an Amy Butler pattern granted. Whoo wee I thought I was so clever, loved the look of the patterns. Loved the way the finished projects looked, I was short of time so instead of nutting out one of my own I used Amy Butler's.

Slick advertising can be so pretty, you want to run right out and sew while you run through a wheatfield, kilos lighter than you are, head full of luscious hair that doesn't have to be coloured. it's all amazing. Until you open the pattern and try to bloody read it. IT'S IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE! I have a degree in Fashion Design, four years at design school, experience in the industry. Millions of years of sewing behind me, I started when I was 6. I can sew, I am a pattern maker, I can get real technical but when I read this pattern I thought I was studying some weird form of engineering law with a mix of quantum physics chucked in just to make sure I didn't get too comfortable. This is NOT a pattern you read once and then say "goodio, I'm ready to make something wonderful". This is a pattern you read through once and then walk around the house afterwards saying to yourself "I'm a smart, tricky girl but what the!?!"

The official site says that the pattern instructions are "super friendly, hip and cool". There is nothing hip or cool about feeling like you wanted to enrol in a primal scream therapy session after tackling a sewing pattern written in venusian. Great advertising though.

I have read reviews of this pattern and it's listed as being a pattern for experienced sewers but that's crazy. The pattern itself isn't hard, its a great pattern for beginning and intermediate level sewers. What makes it hard is the way the instructions are written. And that's useless. I am going to rewrite the instructions for my friend so she can make it without having herself committed. All the lawyers sniffing about can settle down, the instructions won't be posted here, I will give them to her and then make sure she eats it or gives it to her dogs when she's done. The product is amazing, the instructions to make it should be amazing as well.

So here is the pattern :

And here is my finished lap top cover, it's not beautifully photographed but it will give you an idea of what it looks like and how messy my table is. And you will see along the edge of the laptop cover flap, you will see my charmings. Charmings you say? What's a charming? You'll just to read on and find out ....

A New Day and Back in the Saddle ...

2009-08-14T13:09:00.002+10:00

I am back in the saddle boys and girls. I have decided that what I write about here will be about anything I want. I can't limit it to one thing or another. I don't work like that. So I guess it will be fair to say that you won't know what will be here when and if you look. Making stuff, photography, writing, movies ... whatever.

For Chris

2009-08-07T08:22:00.002+10:00

Hi. It's the day after Chris Wheeler's funeral and I want to write about him. It was a huge water shed day for me, the impact has been tremendous. Today, I feel as if the rug has been pulled out from under my feet and my heart is sore. And I dreamed about Grant Chapman and myself opening a hotel all night, so I can guess that is why I am feeling a little wigged out as well : ) Chris taught me: It's never to late too late to follow your dream

Persistence in the face of all odds

Always ask "why" and then find out "why"

Read, Read then read some more

Courage

Writing is lonely and hard but incredibly rewarding and challenging

I always felt, and Chris was so good at this, that he had faith in me as a person and faith in my abilities. There is something that I have told Shannon and Glenn but I will put it here as well, because it means so very much to me. Shannon, myself and Chris went through a period of time where we would go and hang out in a coffee shop in the spanish street in sydney. I can't remember the name of the street because today my head feels like its wrapped in cotton wool, and because I know it so well I'll remember it in the middle of Cai's play date today and swear like a trooper. Anyway, we used to go to this one coffee shop on the corner just down from the Spanish Club. We would sit there and argue, laugh and spend hours and hours just talking about all things big and small. It as a wonderful, wonderful time in my life. One afternoon after Shannon had left, Chris asked me to come with him. So I did, and we talked and talked some more. Before long we down at the bottom of Druit Street , I think or the one past that one. There was a little script shop down there, it's not there now but you could buy a shoe box flat off the plan if you feel so inclined.

In we went, the guy who owned the place knew Chris and they both smiled and then Chris turned to me and said, "pick one, one you think is really really good." I was floored. I wasn't working and neither I might add was Chris, but he wanted me to choose a script so I did, and then despite all my shock and protestations he bought it for me. He told me that he wanted me to go home and read that script and learn from it, study it, get to know it inside and out. He wanted me to do this because he said I could write, and he wanted to me to just "do it". He believed in my ability to write so much that when he had nothing he willing found the money to buy me something he felt would encourage and inspire me to write.

Well guess what, it did. I have an agent now, a really one! She can't sell my books thanks to a financial world wide collapse, but she's still trying and that's cool. I have been working on my third book now for coming on to well over a year. I have been in and out of the Jewish Museum, I have been interviewing and reading and researching and writing but over the past three months, I have been going through a bit of a "dark night of the soul". I have been really questioning what I have been doing. writing has had my in a haze, my brain is always churning about with the deeds of the characters and my internal analysis of why they are doing what they are doing. My book is for teenagers, and it felt as if the clock had been turned back to me as a teenager, it bought back a whole bunch of stuff. Some good and some bad. I was eating, dreaming, sleeping my book. I was wondering if it worth it, if I was fooling myself that I could write in the first place. I wanted to ring Chris, and I should have. He really would have understood.

BUt he isn't here, and we are all the more poorer for it. But I would like to think that he is in the halls of Valhalla watching us and waiting for us to cross the rainbow bridge to Asgard. And when we get there, he'll be so overjoyed to see us because now ... he'll have someone to argue with, laugh with and hang out with. I don't think Vikings "hang out" but Chris and his Viking spirit will be filling the halls to the rafters and introducing Thor to the finer musical nuances of" Aqau Lung".

I am finishing my book, I am finishing it. Chris in his final act of inspiration has lit a fire in my belly. He believed in me, along with Glenn Fraser. And that's enough, that will keep me going until the day I stop breathing. It's a bit of a trite saying that a dead loved one "Is all around us", but the way I see it, Chris will be in every word I write.

Thank you Chris, you will never, never know how much your support and belief meant to me so I am letting all our friends know. We all miss you.

Honey, I'm home ....

2009-07-23T14:11:00.004+10:00

hiya,

I'm back. I have finished my designing - for the time being. I have been so focused on tha, I haven't had any room in my brain for anything else. But, now I send it off into the wild blue yonder.

Its been a month, and here I am at my blog. I am tucked up in a doona on the lounge at the moment. I am sick, really sick. My little girl is at her Grammy's until tomorrow. SO here I am, the house is like a tomb, I really miss her. So, all that's left to do is watch I don't know how many episodes of the Rose of Versailles on you tube while I post here. And there will be a feature lenght remake of the Rose of Versailles coming out this year. It will be in Japanese but here's hoping a great english sub version won't be far away. And here is a wee picy:

Hit google or you tube and have a wee look if you are interested. Ever since I was a kid, when I saw "Kimba, The White Lion", I have had a real soft spot for Japanese animation. And not all of it mind, it's like anything. Some of it's good and some of it ... well, not so good. The Rose of Versailles is Japanese animated soap set in 18th century france. Perfect for a girl with the flu feeling less than shiny.

I am going to write something about dolls now, so if you get bored by that, look away, get a coffee whatever. I am sick to death of trying to chase BLythe dolls, just sick to death. Its been hard, way way way too hard. If these dolls are really only available for collectors in Japan to get, then the company that produces the doll should have the guts to say so. Dealers charging hughe prices within days of a release, the bulk of the dolls being readily available in Japan and really no where else. The CWC so called lottery system. I have had it. I found one of my old pullip pictures on the old mac. Hit the net and bammo ... have a wee squiz at what's coming to my house:

Taa dah!!!! She has a bloke coming with her as well, poncy old Alberic. Don't you just love the idea of an 18th century play doll? Me? I loves it, I really do. Will post piccies here when they arrive. Have earmarked another three after these two. Hmmm, now the 64 dollar question, how to pay for them .....

Anyway, done talking dolls, you can come back now. Will post again later on today/ tomorrow about some other stuff.

And the Response is ...

2009-06-26T09:29:00.002+10:00

Underwhelming. That's right, no one wants to play Wiz challenges with me. Well, okay, I can always try later. But for now, I have a bizillion things to think about. I finished the Grande Dame and ... she has problems and is now sitting in front of my little girl's bedroom door.

She isn't fit to show anyone, which is a shame, her face was just lovely. Until I stuffed it (literally) and because her mouth was low down on her face, it almost disappeared entirely. It pulled and by the time I had finished, she looked like she should have been a reality show moaning about a lousy plastic surgeon. I am really happy with the Mini Grandes, they work a treat. So the acid test is the mid sized girly, I think I can use her to sort out issues with the large doll, so I can then turn around to make Grande Dame Mk2. Stay tuned.

I am focusing on my fabric range at the moment. So as you can see, its been about two weeks between drinks. So will endevour to talk to me self on a public forum more often. I have to tell you about my idea. Its brewing, I'll get the range out of the way and then post the idea here ... maybe. Stay groovy, if I can bare it and not crack my camera lense, I'll post a picture of my not so grande grande.

The Tin Man's Heart Challenge ...

2009-06-16T12:59:00.006+10:00

Now my lovelies, its time to unveil the first Wizard of Oz + Gone With the Wind 70th Anniversary Arts & Crafts Saturnalia (try saying that five times really fast). There will be a logo for this momentous event soon. But here is the first challenge:-

Using whatever medium you love (art dolls, mixed media, ATC's, spinning, knitting, polymer clay ... whatever floats yer boat) come up with an item of your choice no taller than 15cm (6 inches) based on the theme "The Tin Man's Heart". You have until the 10th of July to sign on and then one month to complete your piece. When done place a clear, well photographed image of your piece on the challenge flickr album. You will have to be invited to join this group, so when you are done you will need to let me know that you have something to show so I can invite you to tell!

Look on the left for the Button for the swap, and please don't forget to link back to me!

all the best creatively

the 70th Anniversary Year ... The Wizard of Oz & Gone With the Wind

2009-06-15T23:41:00.007+10:00

What a year 1939 was. It was the year that saw the planet plunged into war and it was the year that saw not one, but two films make an impact on us all that would still last until today.

You must be living under a rock if you don't know the two films I mean, my two all time favourite movies ... The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind.

So, in honour of this momentous event, I thought I might propose a few challenges, celebrating these amazing films.

In the next week, I'll get the first badge for the first challenge done. I will open the challenge for 20 folks, if I can get twenty. If, by some major miracle, there are more folks wanting to play then I'll open the challenge up for some more.

So, if you want to make an art doll, a mini quilt, mix media you cat or pop a piece of mail art into the post then this is something fun. Family teams (mum and daughters/sons/sisters/aunties/friends whatever, can team up to play and then post the pics to a flickr album I'll have organised along with the buttons. There will be at least two swaps, one will be a christmas decoration swap. You will have to make two christmas decorations based on either the Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind and then post them off to your buddy in time for christmas. If we are all having too much fun, then maybe we keep it going in the new year but considering there is only me so far ... we'll see what transpires.

Okay, the first challenge will be called "The Tin Man's Heart". Because it's the first challenge, I'll say you can make it in whatever style you feel comfortable with, but nothing bigger than 6 inches (roughly 15cm for all of us metric folks). I'll take folks wanting to be part of the challenge from now until the 30th of June. So if you want to sign up, please leave a comment or send me an email and let me know!!

Oh, btw check out the Amazon links if you want to order the amazing special editions that have been done for the films, I am drooling already!

I really like this...

2009-06-08T16:55:00.001+10:00

I love this little tin. It's Japanese but with a serious French retro twist. And the little lollies inside it were seriously yummy.

A mini grande - a madamoiselle!

2009-06-08T15:58:00.001+10:00

So I am supposed to be writing. The house is quiet, hubby and baby at the park. Heaters on, house is warming up and ... I thought I would post a pic of my mini practice doll in readiness for the approaching completion of the grand dame. I figured if I could get the mini version working, my grande dame should be a breeze. Anyway, here she is. Oh, by the way ... I have had an idea. I think it's a beauty. If your lucky, I might just let you in on it. But you have to be good.

Another cat pic

2009-06-08T00:16:00.001+10:00

I wasn't going to post any more cat pics but this was taken on the iPhone and I think it looks great. The cat was catching some almost winter sunlight, the shadows were exactley the way you see them. I think I might have to take back what I said about the iPhone "cam" .

A Quick Show and Tell ...

2009-06-06T13:48:00.009+10:00

I loved painting this piece, well I say paint but it had paint, copic marker, prisma color pencil, lace, paper and bits on it. She looks haughty and she has a wee bit of opal shimmer on her "do" to give it a bit of omphhh. I like her.

My problem child. A small art quilt with a hand drawn centre (don't panic, I have spelt "centre" correctly at least for all of us here in Australia, NZ and the Uk). It was for another swap. It took a great deal of time to finish. But it had problems.

A mixed media painting done by me, some od the detail can't be seen at this res but at least it gives a rough idea of how its supposed to look.

This is a wee dollie thing I did for a swap awhile back. She is five inches tall. Not my usual style but I thought I would give it a go.

Hiya,

Just thought I would pop a couple of examples of my work up, so you can see what I do. I am frantically working away at my textile design, and my book is eating my brain a bit ... but I will post again in the next couple of days, so I can have an excuse to do some more work on the Grande Dame. Not that I need an excuse.

Le Grande Dame

2009-05-27T13:27:00.002+10:00

The work in progress

This poor thing has been a work in progress for about 12 months now. She is drawn and coloured with Prismacolor pencils. I love those pencils and I use them all the time. The colour has a lot of depth. A quick iron across the back of the fabric and bingo stingo ... image all set.

Very cool.

Poor thing tho, she is my project for next week, to finally finish her off. I'll take a proper picture of her next week with my really camera instead of my ultra hip but kinda useless iphone cam. See, its a "cam" because its really only half a cam-er-a. Anyways, her completed pic will be posted here.

I am trying to put together a textile range at the moment. About a million years ago, I was a textile designer. I have an Honours Degree in Fashion and Textile design and Textile design was the thing I loved. I worked for a bit in the fashion industry aaaaaaaannnnnnnnnddddddd ... just hated it. I have done some paper designs for a craft magazine here, done other little bits and bobs from time to time but this a complete collection that I want to see if I can foist it onto some poor unsuspecting huge company.

I might pop some teasers up here.

I also write ... books ... just thought you should know. Its kind of funny, when I was designing for work, writing was my hobby. Now I am writing (well, trying to) designing is my hobby.

Hang on, that ... makes my head hurt.

The latest addition to the family ...

2009-05-26T19:28:00.002+10:00

Beatrix the wonder cat.

This very artistic shot was taken by my little girl with my iphone. We were at the vet visiting Beatrix, then just known as the "cat". My cat of 17 years had been put to sleep. It was awful, I am still devastated but the day after neighbours came knocking. They had found a black and white cat who was very friendly. They had miniature dachshunds who were terrified and fretting. They didn't know what to do. I told them to go and take her to the vet so they could check the cat over and scan for a microchip. But I did ask for the to let me know what happened.

A few days later, they were back. The cat was at the vet's and the it turned out to be a "she" as well as a pure bred British Shorthair. And no microchip. I rang the vet, no one had come to claim her but they were getting her ready to go to the pound. I asked to see her. My little girl and I went the next day. My husband, well, I thought he was bound to run about the place yelling "ARRRRGGGHHHH" at the top of his voice but he didn't. He sighed and hummed a bit about the girls at the vet but he was curious.

And so we went to see her. And the next day, and the day after, and the day after (when the above pic was taken). The vet faxed everyone they knew, all the local pounds and further afield. No one came to claim her, so last Thursday she came home. We are all in the getting to know you phase although tonight ... well, she was just gorgeous. She jumped up on the desk in Brent's study while I put my links on the blogroll, then I felt a funny little pat pat on my shoulder. I turned around and there was Beatrix (we called her Beatrix after Beatrix Potter). She was sitting right at my shoulder. I smiled at her and she climbed down my should and sat in my lap.

She is a real little sweetie, while I miss my other furry little girl, this one is a delight. There is nothing relevant to design, art, making stuff or whatever but this is the closest thing you'll get to the anything "personal" here. Its about a cat. I think she is cool.

Ladies and Gentlemen ... we have lift off!

2009-05-25T15:42:00.003+10:00

Hi, Blog is now up and running. I guess this is the part where I wax lyrical about what I like to do and how it "moves" me ... but heave a sigh of relief, I would rather set my head on fire than wax about anything. Its bad enough getting a real wax, the wonderful lady who does my eyebrows said on the first visit I had with her, as my eyes streamed after a particularly vigerous pull ... "Jo, there is no beauty without pain." That was over the top of the whale song and rainforest atmosphere.

Nope, I am good here. I should be folding up the towels, they are piled around me, and then there is all the loot I bought at Ikea today. Better get that looking smaller before my hubby emerges.

This blog will be about the stuff I make, the stuff I like and anything else I can think of or be bothered to get up here. The little pic above is a bit of a glimpse of how I do stuff, sometimes!

Ciao!