Yuletide Greetings to everyone

Wishing everyone one of you a very Merry Christmas and the best of health, wealth and love for 2014 and beyond.

I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for reading my blog.  Sometimes, I'm a bit slack in posting but that's because I felt I didn't have anything important to talk about.   A special friend mentioned to me - "Joy, you always have something to say, or have done something interesting - look around"; and I thought, you know, what I think is not important, may be very important or interesting to someone else.  So I'm going to keep a small notebook and write in it some jottings of what I did that day.  Sort of like what an artist would do by drawing what they have seen or done.

As you all know from previous postings I don't make resolutions for the new year, but take a word to inspire, to remind me to keep on track, and to live by (hopefully).  This coming year I'm still thinking about my word.  I will have new beginnings and a big change in my life (moving house), so I need something very special. I will post the word and my thoughts very early in the New Year.

Cheers everyone and take care over the holiday period.
...Joy

Forgot to mention....

that my Pfaff is back and like new.  Dr John had to replace the whole bottom section (the mechanical and computer bits), but it now sews beautifully. It cost me $340, but it's like it's brand new. (A lot cheaper than replacing the machine itself, but it was tempting after looking at the new machines in the shop!)  Thank you John.

Updates, late (better late than never...)

It has been a couple of weeks since my last posting.  My time being taken up with some family stuff.

But I did manage to get "some" sewing done.  The first lot of photos here are more of my blocks from Barbara Brackman's Grandmother's Choice BOW, that I have called Votes for Women.

 Another project I'm working on is a hand sewing one - to take along when I go to Guild and my local sewing group.  The centre is an appliqued quite large square surrounded by hexagons.  I have chosen to keep with a colour scheme of blues/browns for the hexagons to compliment the centre square.  I have sewn the strip of hexagons down yet - I need to trim the centre and measure the next strip of hexagons to make sure the fit the sides.  But you can see how it will look.

When the surround is finished there is another round of applique finishing with another round of hexagons.

Triangles, triangles, triangles...

What does one do when you find a box of triangles, all cut, some slightly different sizes and all types of colours, and materials.  I found these when cleaning up the other day.  They are left overs from various other projects, mainly from sewing a square onto a corner block then cutting the excess off which produces another triangle.

Well, I got out my trusty little portable Janome and started to sew them into pairs - no pattern or direction, just a coloured piece sewn onto a background piece.  Not sure what I will turn them into, but just couldn't leave them in the box could I?

There is still a lot more than what is shown here, but these are the neatest ones!! Once sewn some will definitely need to be re-trimmed to size.  I'm thinking the most common size of 2.5" square, unfinished.  I also have quite a few 2.5" strips so maybe they will all go together at a later stage.  Will have to get the 'little grey cells' in my head to work.  Maybe some of you out there may have some ideas for me.  If so, please let me know.

Also I was itching to do some machining while waiting for my Pfaff to come home.  I didn't want to start something very important as you all know different machines can give you different 1/4" seams.  Not sure what it is or why that is, but I do know if you examine the stitching different machines can give you different results. 

Votes for Women next set of blocks

I have completed another set of 8 blocks from Barbara Brackman's BOW acknowledging the strong women of the Suffragette movements around the world. Please excuse the edges as I'm not trimming until all the blocks are completed, so at the moment they look a little ragged, poor things!

I'm really pleased with my choice of sticking with the original colour scheme that the Women's Movements at that time had chosen for their message. With the addition of gold/cheddar which the Australian movement and some of the American women used it's adding a bit of 'zing' to whole scheme. I'm starting to get a tad excited about this quilt and want to work on it all the time.

At the moment I'm having an enforced rest from machine sewing - my dear Pfaff is at the doctor's - not well at all - the motherboard needs to be replaced. She just ran out of puff while I was sewing the other day and just stopped.  Just as well I had finished what I was doing and went over to the iron to press, came back and found the machine had 'turned off'.  Tried a number of different plugs and, nope she wouldn't work.

For the next couple of weeks it is hand sewing for me - and do I have a lot of that!!! 

Civil War, Reproduction and Barbara Brackman's BOW

Last year Barbara Brackman of Civil War fame published another Block of the Week (BOW). Every time she has done this, I tell myself, must do, must do!  But - while I downloaded all the patterns I have never started one - you know, one day etc etc.

With this last one that she called 'Grandmother's Choice' and after reading the preamble for this BOW, I knew this was one I would HAVE to do!  She chose to represent women and their fight for equal rights, in particular the right to vote.  Every block is a representation of a particular woman in different countries around the world.  Even though I'm not a 'feminist' I do believe in equal rights.  As I wanted to make it in colours that represent the various Suffragette movements and also to keep to fabrics that weren't 'too modern' I began collecting (as if I don't have enough anyway!!)

The main movement used the colours - Purple (for Dignity); White (for Purity); and Green (for Hope). The Australian women used these colours but also included Gold/yellow, but very little white.  The gold that was used was very similar to what call today 'cheddar'.  I based my choice of fabrics around these colours.

A fortnight ago I went to a quilt camp and looking for a project to do, I gathered up all my sorted fabrics, printed off the patterns and took the project along.  Not a lot of sewing was done, but heaps of chatter, laughter, eating etc.  But I did manage to cut and sew 4 blocks.

This weekend I made another 4.  These are in no particular order - just as I printed off the pattern/templates and chose the material I wished to use.

None of the blocks have been trimmed - leaving that until the last one is made, then will do the lot at once.

My plan is (??) to complete two blocks per week. That's the plan I hope!!

If you wish to read more and see all of the blocks, go over to Barbara's blog 'Grandmother's Choice' here, or check out the link on my side bar.

Chapter 3 - All aboard!!

On my way...

Have I said in previous postings how I loved, loved the Cruise.  The Celebrity Solstice is a magnificent ship. Quite large - taking over 2,500 passengers plus crew.  But not once did you feel there was that many people.  It's not a 'party' ship.  Most of the passengers were older with a sprinkling of families with children.













We had a great stateroom - two very comfy beds, plenty of room, even a small lounge area with flat screen tv and double doors to the balcony.

The main foyer - 4 decks high

Of course, the pool area - with 4 spas.

At last my Hexagon is finished!!

You may remember some time ago I started sewing a 'candied hexagon' project.  All hand sewing which I love, but it does take some time to do.  You can see the earlier photos by clicking on 'Candied Hexagons' in 'Labels' located in the right hand column.

Last night I finished the sewing down the binding.....Yeah!!  Isn't it great when you finish something you have been working on for while.

I changed the name from Candied Hexagons which was the original pattern name to 'Hexagon Carnivale'.  I felt that my hexagons were more in the genre of carnivale than candied. I hope you like my photo.

Seattle - before Alaska

The next chapter in my trip was 3 days in Seattle.  A really beautiful city, nestled around the bays and with mountains in the background.













One of the many attractions you must see is the Pike Street Farmers Market.  A very busy, fun place with lots and lots of stalls, shops, things to see.










We did the 'Tastes of Seattle Tour' which took around 2 hours - with so many things to taste we didn't need to have lunch.  Our guide was Santino and he carried a pink umbrella so we wouldn't get lost.  They also give you headphones so one can hear what Santino is saying.

Another fabulous attraction is the Chihuly Glass Garden which is located at the base of the Seattle Needle.  What a garden - best seen at night.  The magnificent glass sculptures are located in various parts of the garden, on the roof, and inside as part of the exhibition.  You can see by the one above how tall some of them are.  That's Bernice, my roomie, taking a photo.

As promised

Before I went to the US - I showed some photos of the work done in Caroline Sharkey's class at Ballarat.
As promised I can now show you more photos of fabulous work completed in her class.

by Helen

2nd one by Helen

by Lyn

Aren't they fabulous.  Even though we were all in the same class everyone worked on a project that was different from the others.  This is because of the great tutoring by Caroline.