Sentinelles update

These Australian sentinelles were lino printed onto hand dyed fabric by artist Dijanne Cevaal.

I bought them years ago when I was still living in a caravan. Blush. That must be 10 years ago. Far too late to join the stitched creations by other stitchers which travelled around in an international exhibition. 

But, I have these out, and the stitchingis finally done.

Next, to think about fabric to go with them. I've had one picked out for years, and it inspired the thread choices. Its possible I will need 2 or 3 fabrics though. Wanting 2 or 3 posh fabrics can turn a relatively inexpensive project into a bit of a money bucket. 

But they are for me, I get to keep them, which is always always a bonus.

And I've enjoyed the stitching on these over 10 years! (eep)

I look forward to finishing them!

 

Last finish before Christmas

This is indeed the last finish before Christmas, but I'm a bit late to send it to Mum.

I think it's going to be a Mother's Day gift now!

It's country colours, perfect for her decor.

Santa stitchery from the Red Brolly (Bronwyn Hayes pattern) Santa Cups

 

Santa in hexies

Woohoo, I scored some fabric pieces from the opp shop for a bargain, and it's just the thing I needed to go with this Santa.

Santa embroidery from a Red Brolly (Bronwyn Hayes) pattern - it's actually from a pattern for Christmas buckets made from fabric, but I didn't want to use it that way.

The Santas are so lovely, I wanted to put them on show.

I think this will be a little quilt for my Mum. (Shhh).

 

A Christmas finish.

Final reveal of "Tis The Season" stitchery design by Natalie Bird of Birdhouse Designs, I designed the quilt top myself, and it's been quilted Edge to Edge by Deep Creek Quilting in Vic by my Mum, Wilma.

When I saw this fabric, I knew I had to make something with it, so I looked through my future project stack, and found this little pattern book. That's how I estimated fabric quantities before buying. 

That mini range of fabric went so fast, I only just got some.

There she is. Hanging on the wall, getting the creases out, preparing to hang in the Townsville Agricultural Show.

A couple more close ups of the stitchings.

While they are very soft and pretty, I've concluded that I won't use a variegated thread that goes through so many colour extremes. Very dark and very light. What colour background do they work on anyway?

Theres enough of this gorgeous fabric to make some more little somethings, so I can group like colours together at Christmas.

I worry a little, that I am getting too many Christmas colour themes, then I remember that when you have 3, they all must go together really well. When you have 30, they have a mind of their own.

Cheers to my tradition of creating more Christmas pieces each year!

 

Almost show time

 It's almost local agricultural show time and Mum (Deep Creek Quilting in Vic. Australia) has express posted these quilts to me so that I can bind them in time to enter the show.

(This blue one is "Tis The Season" stitcheries by Natalie Bird, with my own quilt setting.

They often seem to end up last minute, although that's not my intention!

Why do I enter the show?

I noticed the craft and baking sections were incredibly small at the Townsville Show. I promised myself to enter at least something into baking or craft each year, so that this aspect of the show would still exist when my children are old enough to participate, and maybe my grandchildren.

If we don't enter these things, they will just drop away!

I have to get my skates on to hand stitch the binding down.

The baptist fans look beautiful on this  rendition of a selection of blocks from Tula Pink's 100 modern quilt block book.

Grunge days

I've jumped on this project from 2015 with renewed vigour and verve.

I feel like finishing things!!

What a great feeling it is to finish something, (rather than just start more new things). 

I knew a lady once that would spend $400 on quilt materials, get right into it, then buy and start another project. I didn't see her finish anything! 

I was in one of the local quilt shops when I saw this cushion made from EPPiflex clam shells. 

Well, I've always wanted to do clam shells, ever since i made a mini clam quolt a very long time ago.

So I bought the eppiflex special guide to ensure the clams line up evenly in a pleasant way.   The idea with the EPPiflex is that they are flexible reuseable plastic,  which really suits me! I love the way of creating hexies using plastic from ice cream bucket lids.  So I bought the clam shapes as well. 

I have plenty of fabric already right? 

Back to my grunge project... these little clips are such a delight to use!

And this is my progress on my very own stitchery design. 

All moving forward!

💛Rainey 

 

Sentinelles

I bought these linocut prints on hand dyed fabric from Australian artist Dijanne Cevaal around 8 or o years ago.

Dianne had been to France, seen the sentinels in medieval paintings, and then created this Australian version.

Originally, a whole lot of textile pieces were created and became a travelling suitcase exhibition. 

Mine weren't intended for that.  I just knew I'd like to stitch them.

I spent some time choosing embroidery threads for each colourway. 

I'm expecting to put these next to each other as a pair, or in the same wallhanging quilt.

The quilt will tell me when it's time. 

Ahh, it's so pleasant to have some hand stitching on the go.

What are you up to?

 

Add some Shot cotton

 I've been saving my Reece Scannell shot cottons for a long time...

I've decided that they would be best experienced through a number of quilts rather than all plopped into one.

So i cracked them open and used some tiny pieces as borders for the (now all complete! Yay!) Stitcheries.

Oh yeah! Check out the ugly jumpers with this!

A little relax

I needed to pull out something that didn't need much brain power.

Back to 'Tis The Season by Natalie Bird if The Birdhouse.

The colours are so pretty.

I've pulled the thread colours from this "ugly jumper" print which will be used in the border somehow.

 

Final blocks made

 That's the final blocks. 12 made.

Watch me make the last two.

10 finished

 Two more blocks finished for Tis The Season little stitchery.

I just have to fondle this fabric, it's so so pretty!

Tis the season update

 8 out of 12 blocks finished! I am stitching every night using Cottage Garden Threads in a gorgoeus blue/aqua.

Will stitch some more tonight!

A new project

I spotted this Christmas fabric a little while ago and resisted. For as long as I could. It was quite pricey, I have a lot of Christmas projects to make already, and I didn't have anything in mind to make with it.

So I went looking for something in my pattern stash that I could get a handle on.

Aha! I found a little stitchery pattern, and it only needs a small amount of each print. 

Being satisfied that I knew what I would make with it (one of my conditions of buying most fabric, I say most, because some designers I just have to collect their fabrics. I just do. Non negotiable).

This little pattern is perfect.

The stitcheries are small and simple, so I can do them all in one variegated thread while watching TV in the evening, and this will get it started.

There's nothing like a project one has their teeth in, and can't put down. It's a driving force, and it's why some fabrics have to be bought. They just do. Patterns too.

Did I mention I am sewing in my Grinch slippers?

Of course, sometimes I take them off too.

Oh yes, oh yes. So beautiful. Love the fabrics together.

Let's get this made before Christmas! And go!

(And this is why the bee got shelved for a while, really it is... all this passion!!)
 

Tis December

 Hello December, here I come with my mad Christmas making rush!

This year it's for me, but it's still a mad rush!

Pattern: Tis The Season by Natalie Bird

At lease when I make myself something with a Christmas theme, I use it once a year. I hand embroidered a table cloth once, which took me about 6 months. I haven't used it even once. What a waste.

I saw this blue Christmas fabric and couldn't resist, but I didn't want to buy it, without a project in mind. So, here's the project. Can you figure out my brain? See the fabric, choose the project, so that I can buy the fabric to make the thing. Hee hee.

Five years, and it's finished!

 I've been working on this little stitchery for about 5 years I think. That's the label added.

It was a project I would take out from time to time... the kind of stitchery I do when I;m not desperate to work on something. 

Does that ever happen to you? You're desperate to work on something, cannot be swayed from doing it, or if you stop to create something that needs to be made for a gift by a certain time, you just KNOW you will be sidetracked big time, and it could be ages before you come back to it...

Well, you're right, I am describing myself. 

This little Santa stitchery took up so little space in a bag that it was easy to transport for a project on the go, away for the night or something like that.

No wonder I didn't get it finished! I haven't been away for a night for a very long time. Hahahaha.

That surrounding Christmas tree fabric was the inspiration, I just wanted to use it in something, and it was so expensive I bought the least possible amount. Have you ever done that?

When your sewing machine gets sick...

I was so excited to be finishing the Swedish Baby Quilt for my sister. She is due in only a few weeks, and so her baby could come at any time!! I finally finished all the applique, spray basted and prepared to quilt.

Alas! My sewing machine decided to have a melt-down mid-quilting.

Some of the quilting around the outer edge remains, and the binding must be stitched on.

My poor machine needs a service, and hopefully I can pick it up as soon as possible. Not only am I trying to finish her gift in time, but I want to finish the tapestry cushion, and I have been nesting like crazy by sewing away. I've added lots more leaves and flowers in the quilting - hence the quilt will be called Swedish Baby Garden.

Sigh.

Here is a little snippet of handwork I have been carrying around in my bag for Dr and Hospital waiting rooms. It's going to be a gift for our friend Laura. I wonder if she will use it as a wallhanging or on a table. She will Know what to do with it.

It must be the Right time to catch up on my blogging, do some reading, and exercises to prepare for a relaxed and calm birth.

baby quilt for Annameike Rose

Just finished tiny Annameike Rose's little baby quilt.

Check out the binding!! Two colours! I used leftover pieces, and these two sections were the perfect colours.

Soon to be given away, I am glad to be able to post another "finish" to my list for 2010.

1950s again...

All the blocks have borders around them now. I love this diagonal plaid-print.

I have the blocks on pin-boards to inspire me to keep working on them... I guess you know if they are out of sight, they are out of mind. I am trying to do the opposite.

Next I am adding blue spots around the stitcheries. Is it working? I plan to add some applique in the large "open" spaces.

I have drawn up a rough plan, but most things tend to evolve as we make them don't they? I'll just let it grow a bit before I decide on too much.

BTW, I am sticking to the list of four:

1. 1950s collection

2. Baltimore Album

3. Dollhouse BOM (not that I have thought about it for a few days)

4. Jo's Little Women Baskets needs to be finished... but I haven't thought about it either- I am machine piecing the 1950s at the moment

5. I guess I will be working on my designs for my "Ginger" quilt, but I want to start a miniature LoneStar quilt and the new applique pattern I bought at showcase.