Around the Block we go

I popped this picture in first to show you my restraint in shopping Amitie Sale Day, a while ago - I knew what I needed - 10 spools of Perle thread for my crochet scarf - and because I can't seem to get enough blues, grays, purples in my winter colour diet, these are what I chose! They are so deliciously perle-y! (Please don't expect anything before Winter 2010 hehe!) Of course I did also get some Kaffe fat quarters, (how could I not) but with Mum and Sister waiting in cafe nearby (they couldn't cope with all us Crazy Women!) I had to be quick!!

My completed Chaletgirl Blocks - these are my last- 'tear'.

Lots of bloggy applause is being sent to Sheridan - Swap Host Extraordinaire - so glad I am in her next swap - I thought I was going to miss all her little notes of encouragement with each parcel I received - but hopefully, they will continue (no pressure S.!)

For Helen of Patchy Work of Mini Grey

I knew she loved the key lime Kaffe so I had to provide, along with some lovely scraps of 'vintage' Amy Butler.

Just discovered that I stuffed Helen's blocks up - sewed 5 FF blocks when they should be 4FF!! I wondered why I had one little piece left over - but unfortunately, had already posted them off to Sydney! They shall have to come back and I will unpick, resew, and repost..my sincere apologies to Helen for having to wait for this numbskull!

Finally, I did mention 'Around the Block' we go - well, this is the start!

This is a new quilting swap project with 16 members who decide on their own block pattern and fabric but get everyone else to make it for them!!

I love the idea and received my first fabrics (a little time ago) from Kate of One Flew Over.

Boy oh boy - cute cute and adorable! Some HR fish and swimmers and turtles and Japanese robots and spacemen and some lovely co-ordinates in blues, oranges, greys - all to be turned into Wonky Log Cabin Blocks.

V. nervous to start with - they were all so preciously someone elses - but it has ended up being so much FUN!

I added the animal print and the grey and blue large dot pieces - I do believe we could add our own co-ordinates and I needed to, to make large enough blocks. I hope they are okay Kate??

I have until Feb 2010 to decide on my own block and fabric - leaning towards some AB Midwest Modern - which I have oodles of, in maybe string block, or triangle block, or wonky? Just don't know!!! Did you check out Helen's Wonky House Block for her ATB - bright fabric too - can't wait to get mine!!

Back in the land of the living

Hello World! I am back walking and talking and coughing and working and coughing and sewing and running and...well you get the gist.

After a severe bout of throatus-most-painfulitis, then head-full-of-chartruese goo, then very very annoying tickle in the throat-must cough- can not stop coughing, which has now given me Very sore-needing to be strapped-ribs, I feel a little better!!

I am actually heading off to my first training session in weeks, despite the cold air playing havoc with my 'tickle' and my ribs having a little yell - and boy, am I ready! I am itching to go - this coming from the slobbiest girl in the world - you may think that's you, but no it's me - really!

After a good couple of weeks with very low sewing mojo - I found it again:

Chaletgirl Block Swap - 2nd last blocks to do

Bianca + Bron

DQS7 - finally started - my partner likes a certain designer/book/quiltmakers (can't say who incase they are listening!), borrowed the book from the library (of course!), found one I could do and whipped this up - not finished, but kinda close. Got to practice some curved piecing - it actually worked!

Got these most delightful prints in the mail from HiddenEloise

Just love love love love them - they have such a lovely ethereal, wintery, gentle look and I am a big fan of teddy bears from way back

This is a bookmark - a freebie! Can never have enough bookmarks!

(Still in its plastic, so shot is a bit strange)

Don't you love a seller who goes all out with their product - this is the envelope!! I could frame this too - maybe not, but it is not going in the recycling!

Biggest achievement for me at this end of The Sickness, is a spur of the moment sewing success!

Had a fave T-shirt - red and offwhite stripes with a large applique navy flower on top corner - started to fray on bottom - so I Cut It Up! Yes it felt good and adventurous and daring! The family were aghast! 4 inch squares, sewn together on the diagonal, gives me this:

Best and quickest and easiest scarf eva! So t-shirty soft and goes with my prodominately grey/navy winter wardrobe. Would love to say that the idea just popped into my tiny brain, but that would be lying - got it from here! Linked from wonderful site here!

I know I am going to lose you when you travel to those sites - but do come back sometime - I cross-my-heart I will be posting more sewing mojo successes!

Bit of a mess

A bit of a hiatus here at Chez Whippet - my apologies to my bloggy friends who may or may not have been checking this site for any updates, and continually finding nada!!

Have not been inspired lately to post anything lately - my crafty world is a little overwhelming for me at the moment - I think I have too many projects and deadlines and unfinished messes all over the shop for me to think straight, let alone sew straight!

I think this photo sums it up!

This is how my hexagon quilt is going, and basically it represents how my craft room looks and feels and subsequently how 'healthy' my dear little blog has been.

I think it is all due to this:

A major event for my kids' school is the annual School Disco and being a class rep for Yr 6, I and 4 other mums have the enviable job of organising it!!

Phew, what a huge job it was - really and truly - big eye opener as to Parents Who Don't EVA read (numerous) School Notices re time/cost/last day of ticket payment; Parents who just drop little Johnny off and don't sign in or out, leaving us the organisers with no idea if little Johnny has been safely taken home; Parents who send along their child with his/her Epi Pen and give NO instruction to anyone incase of emergency....I can go on....

Our theme was Ocean Odyssey - and we were given some fabulous glitter offcuts to go Crazy with - the floor in my workroom is covered in blue and green tinsell!!
I didn't get a photo of the final decos but I made lots of bunting with these pieces and covered lots of huge cardboard shapes of fish, sharks, octopus, whale tails - we had an art-day on a Sunday and painted and stapled and glued our little hearts out! That was so much fun!!


It was a long day - started at 1.30pm to decorate the hall (which we had to step over classes of children the whole 2 hours despite promises that we had the hall all to ourselves!) Finished at 4.00pm, quick home, change in costume - Yes (raided kids dressups)- back at 5.15pm for 6pm start of 1st session, 2nd session finished at 9.30pm, all packed up around 10.30pm.

I am so glad it is over.
I think I got tonsilitis.
I need to go back to bed.

pink and black arabesques

Some gorgeous fabric I got from Kelani Fabric Obsession stall at the Craft Fair - boy o boy was that stall doing a rip roaring trade!!! Elissa the owner and her husband helped me out with my purchases - they were lovely and very helpful but oh so busy! I hope they are having some R & R after the show - they needed it!

Ballerinas and french script on pink linen - so delicious! We have to get out the French/English dictionary to translate - it is fun trying to work it out.
This of course is for the Francophile Ballet Dancer in the house

This card is actually a pattern inside for the Mackintosh Rose - great gift for crafty types!

I couldn't resist this pattern also - crochet scarf made with Perle 8 cotton - the sample was so delicate and delectable - I bought the pattern just to say thanks to the seller - I know I can get granny square patterns off the internet - but I felt good paying for this - someone has put time, effort and a great concept into a beautiful product - why not reward that?

The front cover picture depicts the scarf made in some other wool that Perle - it looks too thick - you may be able to see the scarf on the back cover - much finer and just a touch more special. It uses 10 spools of Perle 8 Cotton - off to Amitie for their fabulous range of colours.
More patterns - this time Nikki's pattern that everyone seems to rave about - I haven't had a good chance to sit down and study - but I like the idea of the purse kit - great kids' pressie ideas and the clutch will be lovely to go out to the city with.



I'm feeling rather hungry, so here is a shot of THE most delicious, scrumptious dessert - Chocolate Almond and Date Torte - Super super super easy - really, it's true!

Thanks to Sharon @ Handmaiden for her great list of super desserts - I am such a dessert eater - favorite course for me! I made two - one for a dinner party with lots of 'foodies' and one for Sunday Brunch with family - everyone raved about it, all weekend long and I have had texts from people wanting recipe.

Squeak!

Someone arrived on the doorstep and I could not turn her away - she made a little squeak and 'nuf said - she belongs here!

That's my Squeak on the right - Leah from Handmade Bits and Pieces made her and posted her to me - I am having to fight my children off from cuddling her to bits - I want a cuddle sometimes! She is big and round and furry - just like my real squeaks!

Photo from Leah!

I am such a fan of vintage chenille - her softies are absolutely adorable - go visit her etsy shop and you will agree!

Melbourne Craft Show

I was too excited to eat breakfast on Thursday morn - cos I was getting the kids out the door off to school, to scooting myself onto the train to visit a lovely group of ladies at the Craft Fair at Jeff's Shed!

Cathy from Cabbage Quilts invited me and even waited for me inside the door - lovely gal with the most beautiful blonde hair!
We also met: (front row) Rita from Red Pepper Quilts, Lurline (from WA, no less!) from Lurline's Place, Kate from One Flew Over, Andi from Patch Andi
(back row) Karen (Rita's sister - a professional quilter!), Miriam from Yellow Roses, Cathy and Me!
A quick coffee and lots of chat - Lizzie from A House in the Country and her friend Jen came later, from Ballarat.

Photo from Cathy's Blog!

I spoke to Jan from Sewjourn helping out at Somerset Patchwork stall - busy busy lady - she still needs a good cleaner for her place in Lancefield, if anyone is needing some extra pocketmoney - and then bumped into Louise from Lululollylegs! Gee, crafty women are ace!

Of course I forgot to take my camera - and now it won't hook up with the puta - so I won't show you my goodies just yet - will wait for Super Hubbie to fix issue - lets just say sore feet could not damper my day - seeing all the women on the train coming home fishing in their bags for their new BOM patterns and their scrap kits and their wool and their brochures (just like me!) made me smile!

DQS7 Favorite favorites

DQS7 Favorite favorites
Originally uploaded by MimiPark

Doll quilt Swap 7 is up for members!! Come on Aussies - get in it quicksticks! I know you want to, so just do it - I have been so blessed with my swaps (some not so good, but the good ones are so over the top good that they make up for any shortfall!)

It is great fun to be part of this huge group of little quilt makers all over the world! i already have ideas of what I might do.....



I did just steal this montage from MimiPark - she had already put some beauties together, and it is too late in the night for me to go to such effort as to get my own...lazy girl!

Made my own....

Take a pipe or two, bit of a join, add some granny sheets........Any guesses??

Add a block, add another one, bit of a strip, add some pins........

Ta da!! My first design wall!!

i'm on a roll with posting tonight, so nobody stop me....

really truly needed a display wall for my patchwork...

so many projects I couldn't do anymore of because I didn't have a wall....

Now I have a wall!!

Thanks Hubbie - you rock!

Snow after Fire

Our girls had never seen snow - 'gasp' - so when the invitation came to go with friends for a day-trip to Lake Mountain during snow season - we went!!

Just me driving made me feel a little nervous - about a 2hr drive each way - but we got there and we got home ok!

Stopping through Marysville was sobering - virtually nothing is left of the already small town, just paddocks and cleared blocks and the knowledge of something awful happened in its past. A few businesses are running out of portables and vans, and people are living in tents. Strangely, a few buildings did survive, namely the Crossways Historic Inn, which held some lovely memories of a family wedding there a few years ago. It didn't look singed at all!

I loved a sign made at the foot of a cleared block - "I'm coming home" - made me smile inside.


Driving up to the mountain after Marysville was equally as strange - hill and valley after hill and valley were all black or brown - everything was burnt or looked 'cooked' - no sign of regrowth could be seen Anywhere - I hope it is just because of the cold - I hope Spring shows its regenerative power soon.

The striking colours of white, black and blue have been etched into my head, and I really feel the need to get that image into some kind of textile art.

We found a wombat!!

See the fencing in the background - the trees are so fragile, there is no exploring today.

Still not enough 9-patches...

But wait, there's more!

These are my lot going back to Chaletgirl - Swap Mama

The yummy yellow dot is Chaletgirl's Feature Fabric (FF): I teamed it with some great Kaffe fan fabric and some Babushka dolls who randomly float across a purple haze (what-the?)

These ones have some 'Nest' rows of bright and cheery mini eggs
and some mesmerising full-on colour spot:

The FF is from Donna: love my purple birds - one of my first stash and still have heaps! Yay!
The red is really gorgeously rich and deep, soft and warm - love it!

There is also a really interesting discussion between friends about whether a fabric is female or male (another what-the?!) Lara thought this FF was 'ladylike' and I commented that I felt it lent towards being 'masculine' - the discussion is not that serious, but I am curious as to whether you think that some fabric 'feels' like a certain gender or not...hmmmmmmm....

This FF from Loulou is a little more tricky to pair with - but I found two in my stash which, I think, go really well - photo does not do it justice!