Blogland finds a friend

I would like to introduce everyone to Sewjourn - a new blog to me, by a lady called Jan.

Jan is having a 100th post giveaway - to Her Craft Studio in The Country!

I love giveaways and entered.

Jan wrote back saying Hi! - do you remember me - we met at playgroup (nearly 10 years ago!)......

Wow! How lovely to find a past friend through the magic of blogland!!!

I think I need a country visit.

Yummy Yummy

To celebrate my 200th post which is about to arrive I would like to show you some goodies from my overwhelming stash of bits and bobs, which I would love love love to give to someone.

Some fat quarters of vintage fabric - all cotton, all pre-loved, not sure how many yet, lets see how generous I feel at the time - you could get lucky!

Some applique packs that have not be opened by moi, so I hope someone else will use them;

Last but not least: some charm squares of Moda's  Woodland Bloom - very pretty pink, raspberry, teal and grass green colours - super duper cute!

What I would like to know from you guys is what is in your stash that you once loved but could not see yourself using again - and maybe could give away?

Comment here and I will do the random generator thingy by the close of business (ie when I go to bed) Sunday 2nd November.  It's a quickie, but a goodie! Of course, All Are Welcome!

Read the ......manual!

Inspired by this by Oh Fransson I want one too!  Using some of the vintage sheet stash, I have started my own ziggy-zaggy quilt.  I sort-of just started without any planning and so I have this row which won't be able to be blended into another zig-zag, because I used up all of these fabrics!

Dash it all!

I do love purple and green though, so I will probably put in at the end or something, somehow.

Another sneaky peak of my DQS5  - oh, boy, this is certainly a work-in-progress!  Again, i sortov followed a pattern - but it didn't work ie it made it far too big for a Doll quilt, and I thought I was being so clever and just wing it!....no good!.....so....change and change again - and that's okay!

This is post 198 - next post I will show you some goodies JUST FOR YOU!

My little Sushi Queen

Happy 9th Birthday, my darling girl!

Edit:  my new background chopped off the righthand side of the photo! Click on the photo for a little cutiepie.

Edit again; this is post 197! Anyone want some goodies?

DQS Fabric Tease

This is a little sample of my chosen ones for DQS5 - any doll quilt sleuths out there take a guess at who it is for?

My hand-quilting class was really nice! Large group of women all chatty and serious about our obsessions/hobbies listened to Jennie discuss her likes and dislikes re quilting. She was very easy to listen to; very approachable and didn't seem to mind the many questions (particularly from me!) The other women at the table seemed to have done hand-quilting before! They were so good! I need lots of practice and my doll quilt is perfect for that - sorry recipient!

I liked Jennie's laidback style of teaching and she was generous to emphasise that people could go to any quilt shop to get supplies (even though we were sitting in hers!), that we could do many styles of technique (not just the one she uses) and that what worked for us, was the right way! We got to practice on different squares of quilting with different batting as well as a quilting hoop - most if not all disliked the hoop but I found it stabilised the piece for me, which I liked.

This is yet to be proved.

I also particularly liked the HUGE range of Perle thread in different thread thicknesses - other shops have an 'inth' of Amitie's range - there were probably one hundred shades - dis is gude!

How do you like it?

The New Look that is.....

fun time-waster is the fantastic 'Cutest Blog on the Block' blog - with FREE backgrounds for you to so easily change your Blogger blog.


Link was from willywagtail - thanks willy!


This is about my 5th play-around - the children are wanting food - so must stop now

I might change it again tomorrow!  Edit:  already changed tonight - couldn't help myself!

Countdown to my 200th Post!

I was given this lovely award from Claire at Matching Pegs - My First Award! Claire has a lovely blog about her sewing projects and her gorgeous kids and she's a Melbournian!  I love her banner - that lined pegbox is to die for!  I can't say having to match my pegs on the clothes line is something that I strive to do, but if Claire hadn't given this award to me, I would be giving it to her!

The "Proximidade" or "Friendship around the World" award is for blogs that are special in some way and extend the hand of friendship around the world.  All I have to do is pass this on to eight of my favourite blogs, and ask that they do the same. I've picked eight (minus two, just because I am lazy) random blogs from my long long list of blogs I read 

So, I am passing this on to:-

handmade...by cathygaubert

(who has just had a beautiful bubbie)

pinsandthimbles

(organised a vintage sheet swap - goodonya!)

Trashcan

(cheeky and chirpy)

Film in the fridge

(has some stunning photos of her fabulous sewing)

1/4 of an inch

(Sunday Stash organiser and alround great gal)

pottymouthmama

(a great read - witty and not too potty)

Thanks everyone for being interesting and fun to read - and for keeping me at this puta for far too long - I actually get neckache from using the mouse for too long - 

this blogging is killing me slowly! Hehe.

That will do today!

Oops Forgot - did I mention a giveaway?

My 200th postday is not far away, in fact I'm up to 192 I think - pressie time!

I love giving pressies!!

Hand quilting class here I come

I have booked myself in to Amitie's Hand Quilting class - I want to learn how to do that lovely Perle Thread Quilting - Material Obsession gals do it all the time (see below) - and I love the idea.

Probably too that I really and truly don't like machine quilting -that oh so permanent stitch on my hard-worked pieces; the arm and hand ache as I haul the quilt to and fro; the fear of puckering! I think I kinda just like making the tops and then I like do the binding bit - the bit inbetween is kind a hassle to me, big sigh.

I'm going This Thursday 7.30pm - anyone want to join me?

This is.....

This is......my favourite movie:

Well, I do have several, but Top of the Pops is '50 First Dates'.

I first saw this movie by absolute accident. I had organised a get-together with Kinder mums to go see a totally different movie one day; well, no-body but me turned up and then the cinema had cancelled the movie.

What else was there? '50 First Dates'; yeah, never heard of it, but I have the time, why not! Well I had never laughed and cried so much in a public cinema before - I was hooked!

It is not deep and meaningful, not terribly realistic, quite silly but OMG - it makes me laugh out loud every single time I watch it (and I have watched it a lot!) - I laugh all the way through, cry, and sing along with the music, every time.

I love the characters; not just the main ones: Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, but every single one in the whole film! They are all funny, unique, quirky.

The stunning Hawaiian scenery, the 'island' music, and the natural chemistry between the two main actors allows them to play their scenes with such ease and realism.

The most beautiful rendition of a most loved song is 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

Do yourself a favour - and watch it - it won't solve world crises, but it will brighten up your day

I Promise!

Thanks to Hokey for the theme for this week - I too love The Darjeeling Limited! I have thoughts of making a quilt based on this film - all lovely aquas, turquoise, and orange!

Sunday Stash No. 3

Putting up photos of my first quilt has made me search through this stash to find some of my favourites - this whole collection is called '26 Letters' by 'Chloe's Closet' by Moda. This was my first collection of fat quarters (I bought them from Fat Quarter Shop many moons ago) and was my first big expense for a very large number of fat quarters.  I still have quite a bit left over and will have to re-investigate it further - let's call it the  'ooh, forgot I had that!' syndrome!

I Love Ice-cream

Back of quilt - Alphabet quilt

Back of quilt - Alphabet quilt
Originally uploaded by Whippet Good

This is the back! Click to see all the wonderful pictures!
This quilt was made in 2004.

How cool is blogging from Flickr?

Except - I seem to only be able to do one photo at a time!

Alphabet quilt for nephew and niece

Alphabet quilt for nephew and niece
Originally uploaded by Whippet Good

This is another quilt - my first truly duly ruly quilt - for my niece and nephew. Made with Chloe's Closet fabric - so super cute I love the soft blues, reds, pinks, polkadots and I just had to have the alphabet panel on the back.

Retro pictures are just lovely

I think I liked this quilt more that the recipients did - kinda lukewarm reception by young and old, but still, I really liked it. Looking back, my piecing Was Atrocious! I think I have improved since then!

Maybe some people just don't like handmade stuff - how weird is that?

Bunny cot quilt

Bunny cot quilt
Originally uploaded by Whippet Good

I didn't realise this was not on my blog! My hubbie's cousin's first baby; Lucinda May - this is for you! Actually made 2006, but it is never too late to post!

DQS5

DQS5
Originally uploaded by Pink Trees

Lounge pants no. 2

Don't you just like something old recycled into something new?

One of my favourite vintage sheet patterns - turned into what else but lounge pants  - I think my family are getting a set for Christmas (whether they like it or not!)  

Not my best work - think humongous buttonholes, back piece too short, not so straight sewing,.....but......I got the hem just right (actually the sheet was already hemmed!)

This one is going places...for a blonde o.s.

I just liked this view today......

Blog Action Day 08

Blog Action Day -08 POVERTY



Heavy topic - but so important!

What does a middle-class girl from the suburbs know about poverty? Not much I can tell you that - I grew up in a family which didn't have everything easy - Dad had a professional job, which he seem to hate, but stayed there until retirement; Mum did shift work at a yucky factory, just so they could put us kids through private school education. We never had take-away meals, we never went on holidays, we always had crappy cars. Did I know poverty? Nup.

Now, money is easier to come by and my children's lifestyle is quite different to what I remember mine being. Presents are lavished on them by all relatives, their bedrooms are full of 'stuff', they have drama lessons, music lessons, ballet and jazz lessons, Girl Guides - do they want to do something, try something new; sure why not? Do they want sushi for dinner; a trampoline in the backyard, a new pair of glasses; sure, we can do that!

Don't get me wrong - 'No' is a word often said in my house. I emphasise that because I don't want anyone to think that my kids are overindulged, maybe spoilt, winging, have everything just because I can, kinda kids - OH NO.

BUT - we DO have so much - we as a household, as a street, as a suburb, even as a city, have SO much.

A person said on TV today that there are 1 Million people below the poverty line in Australia - ie earning less that aprox. $270 a week for a single, $670 per week for a family of four.

Is this you? Can you imagine?

That is aprox. 5% of Australians are living in poverty; including 400,000 children.

Australia - the lucky country, beautiful, wealthy, opportunites galore, The place to bring up children can still have such problems.

There are far far worse situations in other countries; but Australia is what I know.

Education and support - are the two best ideas from me to help minimise poverty. Will it ever be 'eradicated'; I doubt it, but give people the opportunity and I believe most will take it.

We give money to charities like everyone else does I'm sure - but do we give our mind and our heart and our actions? Not enough; that I'm sure of too.

Sunday Stash 2

Looking for a piece of stash that was a bit out of the ordinary and grabbed this one:

'Spirit Place' designed by Bernadette Wallace for M&S Textiles Australia (as so reads the selvedge)

Would love a whole quilt of this and just handquilt around the circles. The colours are so pretty -earthy but gently so.

Don't know if I could ever cut into it - it feels too special. I have always wanted some Aboriginal art for the walls - maybe a wall quilt could be the answer - not authentic but pretty close!

Doll Quilt Swap No. 5

Okay - be warned - this post is so messy I just want to close my eyes and make it go away - but I need to get some lunch so: first para. of underlined stuff is not meant to be and then every photo is on some neck-crunching angle! AAAAArg - but do read on if you must.


I'm in and I have my partner!

This is a quick turnaround - but I have a good idea of what I am going to do - I have always loved the pattern 'Lady of the Lake'

Inspired by this -
and using some stash I hope to produce something Very different to my usual - I don't often do scrap quilts but I really like them - I think it is the stress of putting strange colours and patterns together and hoping they work out.

The pattern instructions can be seen here - but I want it 'on point' with darks on the bottom as the lake - I think the effect is so much better. If I do two large triangles across and two down hopefully it won't be too big for a doll quilt - I shall think of it as more of a wall hanging and definitely do the hanging points on the back. (which now I can't find my link to that piece of essential knowledge!)




I love this pattern


from here:




I bought this book:
I love this one too:

New and old swaps

Vintage Sheet Swap goodies arrived and these are my favourites - plenty of brights to make a easy throw rug for down at the beach - I love the idea of the 'rock pockets' to hold it down - being mainly polycotton - it won't crinkle like a cotton one - and make me feel guilty for not ironing it - which of course I don't do when on holidays!


Thanks to Anne for being our Swap Mama! Great job!


Our furry friend has gone back home - Gemma was a delight; hard-work I must say but the 5 weeks we had her went quick!

As a thankyou (and to make sure we handed her back, I think)- her parents gave us some very gorgeous delf plaques for the wall - I told them I didn't like blue (tongue firmly planted in cheek!) - No - I have always love delfware and even the packaging is something special (far left) - please ignore 'sunspot' on tile - just the camera getting its own way.