Sunday, 28 February 2010

Motivation: homework for the teacher?

I've finished all the regular embroidery on my sample and I only have a few days left before the last class. I need to finish stitching on the gold wire stems, then make one more stumpwork leaf and cut them out.

In the last class we are attaching the stumpwork and berries. Then it will be ready for framing! I am going to have mine framed. Who knows if I will ever do stumpwork again?

I really like the look of it, I have enjoyed doing it, but if I am not in class, I won't be inspired to do stumpwork again... Does that ever happen to you? Maybe I need homework to show the teacher. Besides that, I don't want to look bad in front of the rest of the class..

Saturday, 27 February 2010

When is a PIG not a pig?

When it's a pair of socks!!
Folks from the U.S. may recognise these socks... but to us Aussies, I am speaking double-dutch!
During the Great Depression of the 1930s a lot of people wore these socks. They were your average work-socks.
People couldn't afford toys, so they made their own. But they couldn't afford to buy materials to make them either... so the sock monkey became really popular.
Rosie gave me this gift box containing Peejay for Christmas. I haven't been allowed to start it yet - Rosie bought one for herself too, and next week we are getting together to start making the little guy!! yay!!

Here are some other ways one might dress up their sock monkey. Rosie gave me an entire book full of pictures with ideas. I plan to combine the pictures with the line drawing instructions given to me by my good friend Jan...

I can't wait to turn this PIG into a monkey!!

NB. a PIG is a Project in Grocery Sack (you know, still in the bag you brought it home in..) This one has been sitting around for 2 months twiddling it's thumbs-to-be (or NOT thumbs actually, as this monkey will have none).

Friday, 26 February 2010

Doing it my way.

I am all over the place with these blocks...

Here are 2-turtle-doves finished!! Ta-da!

It used to be one of my least favourite blocks in the quilt, but I changed it a bit and I am much happier. I used clusters of french knots for the flowers....
and I used chain stitch for the cage hook, and for the tail feathers.
I also changed the colour of the cage from cream to a light green that would be visible.
I feel liberated!! What else can I do my way???
Oh, this is one of the blocks for the "Twelve Days Of Christmas" quilt designed by Viv's Creations. You will need to google the actual word twelve, not the number in order to find it... Have fun kiddos...

Wednesday, 24 February 2010

Still sidetracked?

It looks like I am really sidetracked from the Pieces of The Past quilt.... yes, I needed a break (still waiting on fabric) and I really needed to make this block. Might as well do it now...

It's 2-turtle-doves.


They look a little scared at the moment, their feathers are sticking up all over the place...

Plenty of stitchery to go on with...

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

8-maids-a-milking

This is one of my favourite blocks in the 12 Days of Christmas quilt.
8-maids-a-milking...
Can you see that one of the birds has spilt her bucket of milk and is standing in it. Typical chickens!!
I am really enjoying making this quilt. The colours are so soft, and it's the mixture of applique and stitchery that is so inviting.
It looks like I just whipped this up overnight, but I had done most of it before Christmas, it just needed a little bit of stitchery and an extra bucket appliqued.

Monday, 22 February 2010

Here's something I prepared earlier

I haven't shown you this yet... I was working on this block before Christmas. It's going to be 7 -swans-a-swimming...

They look like they are floating in the air!!

I am waiting on more fabric for the Pieces of The Past appliques. (That's my excuse for digressing.) When will they arrive?
I am working on the 12 Days of Christmas while I wait for the other fabric. (Okay, I was a little tired of appliqueing leaves... I'll be okay again when the new fabric arrives. I want to applique more birds. What can I say? I just love birds in quilts....)

Friday, 19 February 2010

It doesn't look like much yet...

No, it really doesn't look much yet...

But, this is a lot of work! All these leaves!

Yep, I am slaving away at the Pieces of The Past applique... when I get a chance...

Wednesday, 17 February 2010

But wait there's more


Here's something else you have missed out on for a while... While I was remiss in blogging, I was still stitching. Can you see Santa's foot start to appear at the end of his leg? And that's a pair of boots appearing on the right.
This is definitely on the backburner now, with so much applique to do at the moment. Who has any spare time??? Not Me!!

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

The One-Day Quilt

When I say it's a one-day quilt I mean it in two different ways.

I always wanted to make a French Braid quilt "one day"... One day I will get around to it... you know what I mean?

Well, I've just had that day (well day and a half really, as I didn't sit and sew and cut and iron for the entire time)... Here are pieces from a "Berry Bliss" Bali Pop (it's like a jelly roll, that is, it's 40 2 1/2 inch strips of fabric cut across the full width bolt - these are batik fabrics).

That's the Blue Willow rainbow ruler I used with their pattern for making the quilt.

Here are my pieces all divided into little piles.


Ooh, aren't these strips looking nice.
As I sew, I am seeing a real sea-theme. I think I would like to see this quilted with seaweeds.



And here's a close-up of the fabrics...
And here is my finished quilt top. OMG!! It's gorgeous!!



It could be more masculine, or you could keep it for yourself like I will....
I can't believe it really, here I am thinking I will have seaweeds quilted on it.. and there are anchors, shells, seahorses and turtles in the border print!



I still can't believe it, I made the entire quilt top in (almost) one day...
Now that's a one-day quilt!!!

Monday, 15 February 2010

more Pieces

Here are a few more Pieces for the "Pieces of The Past" quilt.

Andrea has finished piecing the last of the 9 blocks for the Pieces of The Past sampler!! (I hope Stashbusters forgive her for not working on her UFOs). Thank you Andrea.

I've been working like a mad thing on the applique blocks...I will show you the next one a bit later...

Friday, 12 February 2010

Pieces Of The Past

Do you remember when I was working around the clock to make the QuiltAid Bluebird Of Hope quilt?
I'm flat out like a lizard drinking once again...
These are 2 blocks I've made from the Pieces Of The Past quilt. Michelle Yeo designed all 9 blocks, and 9 of us are designing finished quilts using only the Judy Rothermel fabric range "Civil War Tribute".
I've got about a month to design and make my quilt top using Michelle's 9 blocks, then a few weeks to write the instructions and have it quilted etc.
I decided to combine the pieced blocks with applique. Here is the first piece.
It looks a little dark, but we must only use fabric from this particular range...



Thank goodness for best friends like Andrea.

Andrea has pieced the rest of the blocks for me, so that I can focus on the applique.

Now you know what I will be doing for a little while. I will keep you posted!! (No, I mean it!).

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Keeping warm in India

Here we go... this is the second border (at the bottom of this block, just for display purposes). It's 12 lords-a-leaping. I stitched these borders while I was in India.

Stitchery is great for carrying when travelling. You don't need many tools, and you can work it on the plane or the train...


They are all wearing scarves and hats, just like I was!! I took hats and scarves to give away to poor, cold children, but I had to wear them a couple of times.

This is me at Sunset Point at Mt. Abu, Rajasthan, India. It's a tourist spot for locals - they can snap themselves at sunset without skyscrapers blocking the view.

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

9 ladies dancing..

This is part of a border strip. So far, you have seen only 3 of the 9 centre blocks for the 12 days of Christmas quilt.

After that, there are 4 borders just with stitchery on them. These are the 9 ladies dancing.
What darling ballet dancers!! I have stitched the whole border, but I can't photograph them to show the bird details if I include the entire strip in the photo. I hope you don't mind...

Monday, 1 February 2010

12 days of Christmas update

It's a little bit past the 12 days of Christmas isn't it? But, that's what I have been working on. I plan on having this made EXTRA early - way before Christmas in July. LOL!!

This is the 3 French Hens block.

Aren't they cute? Just a little bit tizzy, as French Hens should be...

I have already made the partridge block and 4 calling birds. Plus, I have 2 more blocks almost finished. I would like to finish one of those tonight...