My DQS 7 quilt

Based on a design from Material Obsession Book 1, which Leah, of pugglelogic, mentioned, I made this view out the window, oooh, that reminds me, I haven't named it yet;

Window View will be its name.

It's got curved piecing, crazy piecing, needleturn applique and iron-on applique - the mixture of applique is a long story - basically, I was growing too impatient with the needle-turn, and not really putting in the hard yards to learn how to do it properly (sorry Claire and Cathy; n-t-a queens!!) I really need a hands-on lesson methinks!

It is not my best work, but I was quietly pleased with it - of course, hubbie wanted it to stay home - He Loved It! God Bless him! Maybe that had to do with his wonderful suggestion of quilting sunshine rays across the quilt.

Fluffy clouds on the back!

(Label not entirely accident free)

I added some cute sock monkey and banana fabric - I think they would all suit Leah and her family! Glad she likes it!

Wonky houses

This is the fabric that Helen gave to Bron

This is the house that Bron built

This is the block going back to Helen

Phew, that was exhausting!

Check out all the other wonkies that are just around the block!

Always needing some ideas

Always on the hunt for new ideas, I am pretty much addicted to searching Flickr - my groups, my group members' groups, picking up a thread here or there for some link to another quilting bee swap or quilt maker extraordinare....

I have discovered the feature of creating a Gallery in your own Flickr account - this may be old news to some if not all of you, but I thought this was perfect for storing all the wonderful pictures that I came across, but could never find again!!

Mine is for the Around the Block Quilting Swap - Kate from One Flew Over was the first (in August), now it is Helen from Patchy Work of Mini Grey for September!

My month is March, so I have a bit of time to plan and de-plan, as is often the case, so that' s why ideas are needed - I have loved the Sew Connected Quilt Swaps; I think they are up to No. 3 - there are plenty of suggestions there for me.

Such a pity the photos are teeny tiny -this is my gallery link and see them for all their glorious beauty with owners named and linked!!

Book Hunt

While enjoying a rare moment of aloneness amongst shelves of crafty books (ie both kids away, hubbie in some other part of the bookshop), I came across this gem:

A very interesting book with lots of technical advice on the scary world of quilting my quilts - the pictures of quilts were so good that I feel like getting the book just for the pictures!!

The book was a little too expensive for me to buy then and there - but I can not find it anywhere else, except for sites such as Amazon where it amazingly seems to be twice as dear!!

Tried my beloved 'Bookdepository' and no luck

Anyone got one they would like to part with or swap - I am open to suggestions!!

Beautiful bright day, beautiful bright fabric

Soooo enjoyed the sunshine today - my girls came home early from school (2.30pm finish, not 3.30pm) on the last day of term - gained an extra two squealing gigglies and off to Dairy Bell Icecream shop we drove - A Melbourian icon for cheap but yummy delight.

Humungous ice-creams were consumed quick smart, despite the two big scoops one on top of the other, threatening to topple at any lick! Looking forward to when the Festive Pudding Fruit and Ice-cream flavour comes back in a little while, for....well, you know what's getting closer and closer!! I'm just not saying that word!

Who said that?

The most delightful sunshine streaming in through my upstairs window provided me with some great light for photos of the fabric I am currently drooling over

- my pile of Jennifer Paganelli - some from her Dance with Me range, Flower Power, & Mod Girls. The colours are so bright but not glaring, feminine but not 'weak' - is that the right word? Definitely Girl Power comes to mind!

Found a wonderful range of Downloadable Patterns at Pink Chalk Studio - they include a lovelyPeasant Dress for Young Ladies (of which I have two!) in some gorgeous fabric - Love love love the hot pink tunic with the bell bottom sleeves - I think that's a goer!

Anyone bought and used any of these patterns - please let me know!!

Also am craving some great Cherry House quilts patterns - can't decide which I like the most!

One last photo of some fabric which I also couldn't resist - will make an excellent stripey-spotty binding one day!

My creative space (of mess)

After finding one of the most messiest creative spaces on the internet...Sheridan's....you know you are! (though I love and adore the pink wall).....I found the guts to show THE messiest creative spaces...MINE!!

My little machine - a Janome Jem Gold - bought off ebay for a few cents - does me well, except for the few wonky sewing stitches and really not coping with quilting major quilts - in the foreground is a pile of new lovelies from Z&S fabrics - jennifer paganelli's Dance with Me and Flower Power - love the bright but feminine prints and colours - rich pinks, aquas, yellows, limes.

I would always see lovely colour-coordinated spaces with beautifully folded rainbows of fabric lined up with a ruler on a pristine white shelf and turn around from my computer and sigh audibly.

I have tried to colour-ise my fabric, but I often have my piles in project-ness instead; I actually find that in colour-coding my fabric, patterns get lost and forgotten - I think I have more of a pattern-print kind of memory, then hue or tone.

It is utterly amazing that anything at all gets done, let alone finished in this tiny space gradually disappearing under piles of fabric big and small.

Now that I have shown you all of my mess, I may live to regret it...where is 'Craft Room Blitz' when you need them?

More DQS7 peeking

Well, first, as promise, fabrics for the back of my Patisserie Hexagon quilt:

now, a little bit more of a peek of my DQS7- I am kinda sorta happy with it - again, hubbie loves it and wants it to stay - it is not something that I would normally gravitate to - so maybe that's why he loves it so??

I have taken it to work to sew the binding, and now that I am looking at it - it does look a little wrinkly - hmmmm? More quilting needed??

Just a little unpicking..

I have been sent back my last Chaletgirl Block swap Blocks - cos I stuffed up the sewing on all of them! (see last post) ...little message on the back of the envelope....'if at first you don't succeed...' - Sheridan always gives me a giggle!

Edit: I hadn't quite finished my post - I was in the middle of writing and photo placing, when blogger decided to have a jolly long think about life the universe and everything, then I realised that I had x minutes to get changed and drive to work on time!!

So...yes, Cathy picked it right - this is my half hexagon quilt-along quilt

(still just the top, but still..)

and these are for the back - I just had to have the French Alps Map - with some french looking roses - the striped 'Paris Cream' is for the binding...photo won't load - next time! They look good, believe me!

Just a random picture of some glossy yellow fabric - gives you a feel of the metres of yellow sparkly slippery little suckers...ah no...skirts I had to....no...wanted to make for the school concert - the example made by a friend was so so neat and straight I wanted to cry at my end results...still...it is just the school concert (a first for our school) and the MC (principal) was very thankful to all the wonderful school mums who helped with costuming. Aw shucks!