Incoming Goodness!

Hi everyone,

This week has seen some new lovelies come into my sewing space….

My X & + blocks from the swap….I love them!

I saw this book over on Jess’ blog and just had to get a copy…I know, no self control but there are plans afoot for this book!

And lastly something that didn’t come in the mail but came home with me from Grafton.

The bottom fabric is flannel which I plan to make pyjama bottoms with for the boys, fire trucks for TP and some irresistible Kate Spain for me! I love those dragonflies!

Holiday fun ….

Hi all,

Last Friday we packed up the caravan and headed south to Wooli, NSW. What a beautiful location…only we have been chased home 2 days early by the tiniest little bugs – sandflies. BW seems to attract these types of bugs and has a bad reaction to them. Imagine a frustrated 3 year old who is itchy all over, scratching all night, not getting enough sleep….not fun!

Anyway, here are the highlights.

Riding scooters at the caravan park.

Pancakes anyone?

The beautiful beach at the river mouth!

I love this photo! Taken at the river mouth.

Those of you with a well trained eye will recognise what is in the background….yes we found a patchwork shop! Grafton Textiles! Nothing like a little retail therapy while on holidays especially when the kids sleep through it!

Canoeing on the river, it took the boys a while to get used to the canoe. BW had to be let off after about 30 seconds (screaming in terror), and TP lasted about 10 minutes (scared after daddy tripped and nearly tipped us out) but we managed to get them both in and enjoying it in the end!

Mini golf!

Jumping pillows and making new friends!

The view from our caravan site! We could sit and watch the water….it was really beautiful…damn the little bitey bugs for ruining it.

And one last photo that I love -

I should be packing….

Hi all,

I should be packing but I quickly wanted to share something with you!

Quilt Jane is hosting a challenge! The challenge is to Dress up your Roll….that’s right – a toilet roll!

Here is mine, it is water lilies on the water! This is the pink side.

This is the red side.

If you want to join in head over to Janes blog or the Flickr group to check out the details, you only have until the 1st of April to enter though!

We are heading down south tomorrow, into NSW…for a week. Yay, hopefully we will have some nice weather!

I will have my laptop so will be checking in from time to time! Off to keep packing now!

Pretty Purple

Hi all,

Most of you will probably already know that my favourite colour is….

PURPLE!

And this week I had an excuse to pull out my stash of purples and buy a special piece to make a custom order notebook. Yes I will do custom orders!

I had such fun playing and deciding what to do although it had to be a bit like one I had already made…but boy isn’t it pretty?!

I love these little heart buttons and they matched the fabric perfectly!

I saw this print at the local PWS after I had been given the order specs and knew I had to get some…so pretty!

Have I said “Pretty” too much? LOL

While I had the purples out I did a cover for my sewing class binder too…

The feature block has been lying around on my cutting table for probably a year (no kidding) so I finally used it. Can you see the glaring fault in my quilting? I will fix that tomorrow!

I’m hoping the pockets will hold some of my junk…

Is that enough prettiness for one day? What can I say….I love purple!

Swaps and Bees

Hi all,

So far this year I have only joined in on one swap and now I have joined a bee…

This is the results of the Name Game Swap -

This is the quilt I made for my partner who blogs at Piecing Light. I got the plus design from the Modern Blocks book and just extended it to the size I wanted.

The letters are raw edge applique and the font is my new fav “Cafe Rojo”. I used it on the eyechart mini too.

This is the quilt I got -

Made for me by Marissa in Florida USA – no blog that I know of. Very exciting getting a parcel from overseas!

I joined a Bee with a facebook Aussie quilting group, there are a few girls I already know (via blogging) so I already feel at home!

This dresden plate is for Jane. Jane is going to put the plates on the backing fabric herself and finish the middle circle too! I can’t wait to see this quilt finished!

I have a few other things to show you but I am waiting for the rain to go away so I can get some decent photos!

Learning…

Hi all,

Today I did a workshop with Deb Louie…she is an award winning quilter and teaches her techniques too!

We got to try Trapunto feathers -

Excuse my basting lines, it is a work in progress!

We did practice quilting, I guess you’d call this feature quilting because of the black thread and then we coloured in the flowers and leaves.

I have never done trapunto, feathers, flowers or leaves like this before so it has been great to build on the skills I already have. And I found out about a few things I didn’t know before which is always great – like wash away thread!

This is very much a work in progress, maybe a 2 day workshop would have given us a finished project but I will keep plugging away at it at home.

And lastly something else I couldn’t leave in the shop….

So pretty!

PS. Sorry about the less than fabulous pictures!

Modern Mini Challenge quilt!

Hi guys,

I was able to dig out my sewing machine this weekend…now that was exciting! LOL

I really wanted to get this little quilt done for the challenge and with focus I was able to finish!

I got the idea for the eye chart style from Jodie over at Ric-rac….she has one on her sewing room wall that looks fantastic!

If you can figure out what it says you probably know what movie the line is from….it is from Tangled – the song they sing in the Tavern.

These are my flying lanterns! I was going for the subtle look of them gradually blending into the quilting.

Quilt stats -
Size - 13” x 17”
Fabrics - Grey background from Sunkissed by Sweetwater and others from Katie by Jennifer Young.
Techniques – raw edge applique and free motion quilting.
Finished – 4 March 2012

“Way down deep inside I have a dream” – don’t we all? I think we should!

You can click on the above image for all the info and to check out the other quilts…I have to say there are some absolute stunners!

Guess where I am this month…

Or at least something I made anyway!

Go and check out Madam Samm’s blog here…

Have a look at the new March banner…Yes I am Jess! This is quilt featured -

Yay! I was hoping to show you something sewing related and this is the best I can do. Still tiling here and my sewing machine is under a sheet hiding from the dust!