Blogger's Directory

Have you got your blog listed on Michelle's Quilting Blogs Directory?  If not, it is easy, just go here., and follow the prompts.  Michelle has a great resource site for links for just about anything you want to know about blogging and blogs of interest.  If the above link doesn't work, click on the label in the right hand column, have a look around while you're there and join up.  It's free!!

Guild Quilt-In

Spent a lovely couple of hours on Saturday at my Guild's Annual Quilt-In.  This is me with Rose on my left.

Geelong Patchwork and Quilting Guild, like most guilds in Australia host an annual Quilt-In where invitations are sent out for others to join in our fun.  It is a fun day, plenty of tea and coffee and lovely things to eat.  Usually a couple of our local quilting shops have stalls selling all the stuff us quilters just love.

We had a great speaker - Linda Steele, who talked and showed us her quilting journey and lots of her lovely award winning quilts. You can visit Linda's blog here to see some of her work.  While you're looking around the net you can also visit Geelong Guild's blog here and read about what we do and also have a look at the link and read our Monthly Newsletter.

The 'mess' in front of me is my hand sewing for the day - I was piecing some more Candied Hexagons.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Already I fee the need to evaluate my day and FOCUS.  I chose that word for my mantra for this year and now I want it to work for me.  Oh my, if I can't focus now what am I going to be like at the end of the year????

Early last year I decided to get my stash in some sort of order, especially my offcuts (scraps) as they were multiplying at a rapid rate.  My larger pieces are sort of OK - they are all in a cupboard relatively safe, but these other little beauties were getting out of control.  I have always followed Bonnie Hunter's blog and site - Quiltville - there is a link in the right hand side bar and also here and decided to loosely follow her way of organising these wayward bits and pieces.

I purchased a set of 3 large tubs that stack on top of one another like a mini filing cabinet.  You can access each one without having to take the top one down.  THEN I set to work and did the sorting and cutting and actually filled them - one with dark strips/strings; one with light; and the other with specifically cut 2.5" strips.  I filled 4 smaller tubs with other strips and squares.  They fit nicely in the space between the cupboard and the shelving where my TV and other stuff are located.

Now for the focus part of this epistle - When Bonnie announced  her new Mystery Quilt - a light in my brain went off - I can do it - I have now got my scrap bins sorted.  Downloaded Step 1 - sorted my colours, (I decided to use the same as Bonnie suggested) cut into the black and neutral strips - 1.5" wide; got out my rotary cutter to start cutting - woo - 'cut 448 pairs of neutral & black quarter square triangles' - that's right 448 pairs, ie 448 neutral AND 448 black!

Ok, I tell myself, this is Step 1, let's get it over with - the going will be easier after this!!  Once cut they are then sewn in pairs (Bonnie then says to TRIM THE DOG EARS - on 448 pairs......)   They are then joined to make 224 hour glass units.  This is them before the trimming...

On to Step 2 - We are now going to sew strings - easy peasy.....  BUT we need to sew 72 x 3.5" foundation squares!  The 3.5" squares, ironed and trimmed.

This quilt better be worth it in the end......

Of course before I was able to get on with Step 3 etc - along came Christmas and New Year.  This is why I need to FOCUS.  Bonnie has now posted the final step of this mystery and I need to get on with it.  So far I have resisted the temptation to look at the later postings - I'm afraid there might be more of these gazillion little pieces.  Tonight I will download Step 4 and work on it tomorrow - I sort of have a free day (if I don't go and do anything else...)  Focus, Focus - complete Step 4.

Wish me luck..

I've been surfing again......

and came across another fantastic blog - Linda Kemshall's.  Linda is half of Linda and Laura Kemshall, Design Matters.  I first came across this mother and daughter team while watching and reading Quilting Arts magazine and TV shows.  They hail from England and work with a large variety of techniques.  Their latest purchase is a huge printing machine that actually prints direct onto fabric by the yard!!  How cool is that?

Anyway I suggest if you love art, design, techniques, colour, pattern, quilting, mixed media, etc, then go and have a look at their blog.  I'm very tempted to sign up for an on-line course or their Design Matters TV shows - may have to use some of the $ I found in my Christmas stocking.

I have also put it in my reading list in the right hand column.  Enjoy.

Ricky Timms is coming to Australia

Quilter, Singer, Musician, Writer, TV Star is coming to Australia in September 2012.  The Australian Machine Quilters Assoc is having a one-day seminar at their Quilt Festival in Adelaide and if you want to attend you need to go over to their website here, and get the details. I'm going to register - just love his work and also have some CDs of his show with Alex Anderson.  Anyone want to join me - maybe share a room???

I won!!!!

Ocassionally when I see a give-away on someone's blog and if it is something I would like I enter.  Once or twice over the years I have won something.  This time over at Dye Candy, Chris was giving away a copy of one of the latest Jennifer Chiaverini's books - The Wedding Quilt.  I have all the others up to this one and had it on my Christmas Wish List.  I just received an email from Chris to say I WON!!!  How good is that!  Please go over and look at her blog - she has some fantastic things there, especially love her jewellery and of course her dyed fabrics.

Link for lovers of the history of quilting

Doing some surfing the other day (as one does when one should be sewing!!!) and came across this fantastic site - The Quilt Index.  It's a resource and reference tool that gleans its information from very large and varied resources, such as museums, private collections, etc. The information on this site is mind-boggling.  They have a blog also and you can read it here. When checking out the blog scroll down to a posting on 1 Dec 2011 and have a look at the Embroidered Quilt by The Ilingelihle Women’s Project, in South Africa. Absolutely stunning.

Some of the quilts on this site are not old, but are significant in that they are reflective in their interpretation of life in different counties and societies today.

I will definitely be checking this site regularly.

Battings tested

A fellow quilter here in Aust, Linda Steele, has written an excellent article on the comparison on quilting with different battings.  You can read about it on her blog here with some surprising results especially with the thread that she used for the examples.  I generally use a cotton batting, but will now think of changing to a wool/poly mix.  Thanks Linda for taking the time to do this.

New Blog and a give-away

My friend Sharon from Two-Bits Patches has started a new blog and is having a give-away.  If you click here it will take you to her blog.  Sharon has an on-line business mainly dealing with I-Spy type materials and has some great packs and other stuff that she has available.  Please go and have a look at her site.

A blog for lovers of textiles

I haven't posted for a while - have been busy with family stuff - but I could let this one go by without letting you know - I have found a great blog for those who love doing textiles.  You may already know about it - has been going for some time.  Liz Kettle whose blog it is, is part of the team that have the website Textile Evolution - she also has a give-away going at present - so if you are 'biting at the bit' to get there here it is - click here - hope you like it as much as I do.

I'll be back soon,
Take care...Joy

A give-away on 3Creative Studios blog

If like me you are fan of this blog and also the girl's website you must go over and see what they are doing for the year.  It looks exciting.  This week they are having a fantastic give-away (3 in fact) of some of their fabulous stuff and all you have to do is comment on their blog here to be in the running.  I get a second chance of winning by posting their link here. But of course if too many of you go and post a comment that means my chances are less.  Boo Hoo.......

A word 2011.....instead of a resolution

How many of you out there make resolutions for the coming year, but find for some reason or other that you fail to follow them - you know what I mean - loose ? kls; get fit;  remember ALL your friends birthdays;  finish X number of UFOs; only work from your stash etc etc.  We all start out with good intentions, I do, but life happens.

After reading a couple of blogs and comments on the QuiltArt list on Yahoo, some very inventive people are choosing a word for the year - ie - Inspire;  Change;  Learn;  Persevere;  Believe;  Balance.  So if resolutions don't work for you, how about trying a word.  Make some signs using this word and place them in strategic places like near your computer screen;  on your message board;  in your diary; etc to remind you how/where to focus.

My word for 2011 is Relax.  I need to learn to relax  and not worry about things I don't have any control over;  I need to relax when trying new directions for my quilting and not be concerned if it isn't going where I want it to;  I need to learn to relax when working on my art quilts - they are not meant to be 'perfect' but to go with the flow.

What word would you choose for 2011?  Would love to hear your ideas.

To read more about choosing a word pop over to Linda Matthews blog and see what she has written.  If you leave a comment there she will also incorporate your word in a small gift during the year.

Take care and have a happy New Year's and make 2011 the best you can.
..Joy

Friends in Print

Some time back I told you all about the friends I met on my trip to the US last year who have a quilting shop in Queensland and that Frances has had some of quilts featured in Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine.

Well this month they are both featured - Frances with her beautiful quilt called A Summer Place and Peter has an article on the 'shed' he built in their backyard for their quilting - yes, I said 'their'.  Both Peter and Frances run the Cairns Craft Centre and he is a hands-on male - he also enjoys designing and making quilts.

The shed is some shed - a tad bit bigger than your average garden shed!!!

If you can't get a copy of the mag here is a link the France's blog where she writes and shows the quilt.  Congratulations to them both.

Fab blog on Threads

In my quiet moments in the wee small hours when sleep is beyond me I often sit here at the computer and 'surf'.  Last night I came across what I think is a fabulous blog on threads.  Everything you want to know is there - what thread to use for what project; how it is made; how to use different threads etc etc.  The latest posting is about using threads in the bobbin - great tutorial.  The blog is called Practical Thread Magic and you can click on here to see it or go to my side-bar and click on there.  If you go through the archives - and a warning here - you need lots of time(!) there is heaps and heaps of information.

This is one blog I'm definitely keeping an eye on.

Tesselations

I don't know about any of you, but I have always been interested in doing a tesselation quilt.  But have been put off starting one because it looked so complicated.

BUT one of the blogs I follow - Kay Sorensen of Quilts + Colour, has posted part 1 of a tutorial on designing your own tesselations.  It looks soooooo easy - if you click here it will take you to her posting.  You can also get to her blog by clicking on the link in the right-hand column.  It is a great blog to read.

Can't wait till she posts the next part.  I will put up a post when she does.

Till then,  take care,   Joy

Another productive weekend

The fifth weekend of the month (when it happens) is usually pretty busy for me.  This last one was no exception.  Saturday was the get-together of the Geelong Scquilters.  We usually meet at The Blanket Box in Geelong, but this weekend we went to Pentland Patchwork in Bacchus Marsh, for me about 1.5 hours drive.  A really lovely day with a bunch of lovely ladies.

Then on Sunday I drove to Hoppers Crossing (about 1.3/4 hrs this time) for the Blue Willow Cottage I-Spy Charity Quilt sewing day.  These little quilts are donated to the Cancer Ward at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.  The girls at Blue Willow have been organising this day each year for some time now.  The Regent St girls (who I belong to) sew I-Spy quilts for them during the year, but some of us also go and join in the sewing bee.  It's great fun - no pressure; good lunch provided; they even bring around your coffee/tea for you instead of making it yourself!

These are some of the quilts that were produced or in the process of being sewn.  It's like a production line - someone is cutting; someone is ironing; some of us sew the blocks together; put on the borders; some do the quilting; and of course someone is sewing on the bindings.

In this photo afternoon tea is being brought around to us.

This photo shows LeeAllan, Dallas, and shy Sharon with her head down, busily sewing and some more of the quilts around the walls.

I'm afraid I forgot to take my camera with me to the Scquilters get-together, so no photos to show you. Will tie a piece of string around my finger to remember next time (???)

Have a good week, till next time,

Joy

A beautiful parcel...

 was delivered by the postie to me today.  I sent a reply to a posting on Frances Leate's blog Quilting Owl a couple of weeks ago and won this fantastic parcel.  I thought it was only going to be the 'bag kit' but she has generously included other items.  As you can see there is a pattern of one of her quilts; a Halloween pattern from Thimbleberries with a piece of halloween material; and three pieces of Fossel Fern fabrics - all of which I love and will make good use of.

The bag is one of Frances' latest patterns and features aboriginal material and there is also a magnetic closure which is included.  Thanks again Frances, I will have fun making this bag.

Don't forget any of you reading this to go have a look at her blog and see some more of her work and what they are doing at The Cairns Craft Centre.

Famous friend

A friend and fellow blogger Frances Leate of Quilting Owl has had another beautiful quilt published in Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine, Vol.19 No.1 - it is not in the shops yet - I got mine as a subscriber.  The quilt designed by Frances is called Hampton Court and is on page 36.  Frances and her husband Peter own the Cairns  Craft Centre in Cairns, North Queensland.
A beautiful quilt Frances.

Found - a great textile art blog

While surfing around the net (as one does when one has nothing else to do!!) I came across this fabulous blog - In Good Company - they are a group of 4 textile artists who are very generous with their knowledge.  They have subscribers who each month are given a small package of 'play material' with instructions on how to use this material, some samples of what can be achieved etc.  All the information and 'eye-candy' is posted on their blog for others like myself (and you) to enjoy.  I have also put a link in the right-hand column so I can keep up to date with what they are doing.  Fabulous stuff.

The posting on gelatine printing is something I just have to do.......... just got to go and buy some gelatine.

I'm back

I'm back in blogland - wow, what a busy last couple of months. Christmas. New Year. Stinking hot weather. We have had days of 35/40C (95/104F) and even some up to 45C (110F). That's hot, but here in my part of Australia that is summer.

You know the drill - when you live by yourself and have now retired everyone thinks you have 'time on your hands'. That was 2009 and end of a decade. The year 2010, the start of the next decade, is my year - for me; for saying no some of the time; to enjoy my retirement more doing what I want; for finishing some (at least I didn't say all!!) projects that have been sitting around for a long time; etc etc. I'm not brave enough to put up a list of these, plus a list of what I want to do, ie start to do. I feel if I do this it will be so overwhelming I might crawl in a hole and hide!! Just looking at my tubs is enough.

On this subject of finishing projects - I did make a New Year's resolution, which I should be able to keep - I'm not going to start a new project until I finish an old one (regardless of the size of the unfinished one, it could just be a bookmark rather than a full quilt) but hopefully it will keep me on track then I wont feel guilty about starting some else!!!

One the major things I wanted to do is sort out my sewing room - I know everyone wants to do this and how many times do we do it? But is for real, cull, sort, list, put back.....(did I say put back!!,) put back what? what I have culled - no, hopefully I can be strong and only put back what I really want to keep.

I can now say, it is done.

A good thing that is already happening is a few of my friends are now starting blogs. One in particular is Frances Leate, up in Cairns, (northern Aust). Frances designs quilts and with her husband Peter, they run the 'Cairns Craft Centre' a quilt/sewing/embroidery etc shop. You can see Frances' blog here. She has had designs in APQ and there is one hers in the next issue that is due out soon.


I have now sorted my photos of my trip to Houston last year and will put some more up over the next week or so with notes of what we did.


Another thing I've done since Christmas is get some pics of my early projects, quilts, needlework etc and will gradually put them up here also for you to see. So check back every week or so and see what I have been doing in the past.


That's all for now, folks! Will get those photos up soon. I think I'm now a bit more organised.


Till next time,