A quilt giveaway!

Did those words get your juices flowing?

No, not from me, but from Simply, owner of Thimbleblossoms - say Hi, create a link on your own blog and get lots and lots of entries in for the draw.

Bloggers are so cool; they hand out stuff willy-nilly, and all just because.....they can!


Good Luck!

The winner is.....

Norma from Random Stitches - she wrote:

"It is amazing how fast 100 posts add up. I am happy to say I just found your blog.........so how did I miss you in 100 posts?

Will be back..........."


Thanks so much to everyone who joined in - I feel really bad that everyone didn't win a prize (can you tell I threw a lot of home birthday parties!)

I will just have to run another giveaway sometime; not for any reason, maybe for just an 'un-occasion' ! Stay tuned!

HELP!! (edit: problem solved)

I need urgent help from you guys!
Just when I was getting up the guts to do some stipple quilting on my machine, the bobbin plays up!!

I did a practice piece which was fine, then when I changed my thread colour for both top and bottom, the bobbin thread jams up with multiple threads at the back! Where did they all come from? I take my practice piece out and watch as I 'pretend' to sew (trying to trick the machine!) and all looks fine; put material back in, and uuurrrrggggg!

Any suggestions?

Edit: Sorry, I just changed the bobbin to a different colour and the problem seems to be the top thread - it is putting double the thread through, if that makes sense.

Edit again: Okay it is driving me nuts - changed threads, rethreaded machine several times, changed embroidery foot back to normal and so normal sewing is working fine! Okay, changed sewing foot again, took off feed dog cover, put back on feed dog cover, Nothing is working!!!!!

Once more! Thanks heaps Kellie for offering suggestions and assistance - you're such a pal! the darn thing went okay for one stint of sewing, then it happened again and I went through all of my 'normal' steps for sewing and you know what? It was as simple as not putting the 'foot' down! Using this darning foot totally bamboozled me as what the normal position was and I had continually tried to sew with it UP!! Just a little red-faced for all the fuss I made!!

Noice!

Mini quilt top sewn; I often stop a project to start another, anyone relate? I am having such a 'purple' feast at the moment (my quilt is a little bit bigger than the specifics of 20" by 20", but I am wanting a certain effect and this can only happen if a bit longer, so please don't black ban me from further swaps, it is all for the recepient!)




Gee this material is noice!!!


I have added 'love' to my sign off; at first I thought it was a bit too familiar, maybe? But on contemplation, the world could do with as much love as it can get, so who am I to hold it back?

Signing off.....

I just found this site for making a signature for your posts. Everyone has to try the 'handwritten' signature thing you do with your mouse - not so pretty, it looked like I was trying to write with the pen in my mouth! Find the free stuff and you're all set.

Autumn bounty and a sneakypeak

I have been so pleased that people have joined in with my giveaway; I have loved connecting with new crafty blogs, so keep them coming in!

I have also been slack to mention meeting Tamara and Kellie at Amitie's sale the other week; it was a pleasure to have met you both. I felt kind of nervous going up to Kellie and saying 'are you Kellie from don'tlooknow?' then Tamara looked at me and said 'are you Bron?' Yes!!everyone answered!! I hope you are feeling better Tamara and have found some great material for the doona backing, and Kellie; it was a shame we couldn't have had more of a chat, but busy lives kept both of us on the go! It was so great to put a face on lovely bloggy people, hopefully we can meet up again, with more time, and health on our hands!

I wanted to post about our one fruit crop; mini tomatoes. A chance seedling sprung from compost dug into the soil, and voila; an absolute bounty of little red 'moonsquirters'!! The plant itself is exhausted, yet still it battles on, and on, and on. More and more fruits are plucked; this photo represents a small harvest just picked now.

mmmmm roasted baby tomatoes with garlic and basil, tossed through fresh pasta and extra virgin olive oil (Australian of course; we do it well!)

A little sneakypeak at my Minature Quilt for the Booty Swap - I am stoked so far! Must not get ahead of myself though; so much can go wrong!

A quick present for a child's birthday party; Daughter No 2 picked out the material and now wants to learn how to do a yo-yo! She loves the bag - 'so cool Mum, can you make me one too?'

100th Post!

Hey everyone, it's giveaway time! I have reached my 100th post and I'm feeling fine!


I love giving gifts and why not for 100 mins/hours/days spent at this screen, typing stuff, posting stuff and people out there seem to read it! It still amazes me that people read my stuff! I really feel like I am such an amateur at all this and my goods are nothing spectacular! But.....I still want to do it and so I Do!

I feel like I have made some good friends through my blog that I can talk to about my craftyness, which is so cool, and friendship is never anything to be sneezed at. To ooh and aah together about sewing, quilting, fabric, colour, pattern, techniques and so much more has become a big part of my life, which I enjoy so much; so thank you crafty blog people; big hugs to you all!

Now don't get too excited.....I have made a tote bag for you, but pleeeese don't expect wonderfulness - the nervousness of creating stuff for others got to me and there are boo-boos!!, SO this is not a bag to take to the Ballet, it was created to take to the market instead of the dreaded plastic bag. Made from pretty percale vintage sheets, it is comfortably cotton/poly and has that 'homemade' look about it; I know how it feels.

(speaking of the Ballet, did anyone in Australia see the broadcast on the ABC of Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake OMG it is so stunningly beautiful; I saw it in Melbourne 2 years ago and have never seen anything so moving since; the whole production should be given OBE's or Australian of the Year or more!)

Next is a piece of vintage chenille in a delicous apricot colour with motive 70" x 25" (90cm x 64cm) - great for maybe a long cushion, mini quilt backing, softie?
Last but not least, are two, count them, two quilt patterns; One from Fig Tree Quilts called Blossom, using 10" pieces, easypeasy, and the second from Sisters of Squirrel Hollow (how cute is that name); great for charm squares! Both patterns are brand new and in excellent condition!
Thanks everyone for sticking by me, waiting for the countdown to finally finish! ( Thanks too to Kellie for your kind thoughts)

Post me a comment - I can't wait to hear from you all and check out your blogs too, and I will pick out a name next Wednesday! Good luck!

Babushkas purple and green

It really has been far too long since any kind of crafting was shown on this blog, so....

here is my initial dolly quilt for the Booty Swap, which is now not going to my swapee (I have other plans) in progress.

I remember reading something about challenging yourself when it comes to a swap - don't just make the same old thing you are good at, but find a new style, a new pattern, new colours, whatever!

I have had this book for some time now: Cut-Loose Quilts by Jan Mullen; she has a 'Crooked' style (very refreshing!) of Stack, Slice, Switch and Sew and have made a wall quilt from her Mainly Rectangles; three-patch units (see this post) , but decided to give her 'double squarez-in-squarez unit' (she loves her 'z's) a go - you have to follow simple maths but she lays it all out for you in the book.

Voila - too easy! Why was I so scared? I love this little one peeping from the side:

I threw the quilt onto our patch of purple Salvia - I know it's not finished, but I needed to post!

Booty Swap

Miniature Booty Swap here I come! After missing out on DQS 3, by milliseconds, I found Toni's offer for all those (losers! like me) who were too slow to join, to run another one - good on her!

Her blog is the Quilting Pirate, so of course, a 'Booty' swap was created (not booty as in 'behind', but jewels and treasures!) I like it! I think everyone's efforts are a treasure to hold.

I have my swap-ee and am busily reviewing her blog for all detail relating to what she likes (and doesn't like) and basically what kind of minature quilt would suit her. I actually started something and realised that I must start again - I like what I did, but it is not her! That's Okay!

I have come up with my own design using the Forest collection I bought eons ago - piccies to come, promise.

Oh, speaking of promises, I am fully aware of the shirking of my responsibilities to actually post something - I have been quite a bit sad lately, crying at the drop of a hat for the death of someone quite distant to me, which has shaken me up, to say the least. Am I crying for them, his wife, myself, will that happen to our family one day? I never thought I was the 'mourning' type - 'suck it in and get on with it' more like, but lately I have found myself to be in quite a different place. I guess life (and death) does that do you.

Fabo oppe-shoppe finds

Visited Vinnies in Oakleigh, off Warrigal Road; tricky to get to, but oh, what a treasure trove.

I shall start my show and tell with:
a pair of Stunning Italian Leather pumps! Fitting perfectly; they were molded to my feet by little italian cobblers!



Metres of soft printed corduroy; I really think that it may be Liberty - anyone know?

My favourite find of the year: truly I kid you not, but I found a Kaffe Fassett shirt! Excellently made by hand by someone who knew and understood the quality of his material, pattern and colour.

It even came with a Spare Covered Button!

Gorgeously soft and beautifully printed vintage sheet; photo does no justice


MS Shop in Kingsway, Glen Waverley:
Another embroidered toaster cover; how many toasters do I have?
Two facinating Kuglehopf or Bundt molds; sort-of ugly but cute too. I actually saw one in a Antique store in Flinders, speciallising in French antiques, for $40!

( Anyone who loves the 70s era, there was a pair of really true-to-life iconic table lamps - very orange and brown, so ugly they were cool! oh, and also an crockery set with orange/brown pattern. I'm sure someone will love them again.)

I have turned a pretty but naff skirt from local op-shop into a makeshift cushion cover for Retreat Couch (it's becoming rather pink, with oranges and golds, mainly to hide split material on very old handmedown couch)
(Third last post til 100th giveaway - hang in there lurkers!)