Monkey Wood Pineapples

My Whippet Good has not been on my mind at the moment - a possible change of job, within the library, has me all churned up inside; how will it affect my family - will my girls cope with disruption to their lives more than ever - will my extended family cope with more to be asked of them?

This of course, does not stop me from sewing or op-shopping: voila!

Lyons Op-shop in Wadham Pde Mt Waverley had some nice things (they only do cash, though, and my request to pay by credit card, led to the whole shop hearing that 'this lady wants credit' as if I was trying to ask to take now and pay later! Actually I wasn't offended, it just amused me.)

I went to the shop to buy some blue chenille (to add to doppling-over-stash) and came out with:

sugar bowl

retro fruit bowl (made with 'monkey wood') in great condition

blue chenille spread and cotton doona cover - great for summer for the girls' beds.

A little sneaky peak at my almost finished bedseat cushion - very happy with it - now I need to sit for 5 hours to stuff it very full with fluffy stuff.Hubbie is super proud of his role in this project - shocking photo of the table-now-seat, but will give you updated one soon!


Daughter 2's own cushion project - she chose the fabric and helped sewed it all together (while balancing on my lap and trying to keep fingers away from sharp bits). I have a very soft spot for a collection of fairy fabric and I really should use it up, in case fairies disappear from our garden all too soon!

Circuses of all types

'Circus Snowballs' for baby Daniel


Went out on a fun date with hubbie last night; we saw 'Yana Alana' and Tha Paranas, and The Town Bikes - very funny, eye-opening, burlesque singing dancing poetry reading catfighting swearing performance!

We have such talent in Melbourne; and you know what I love? The performers and musicians were all women in their 30s and 40s! Not a teenager acting as an adult amongst them! It had a packed audience in a fabulously intimate theatre (in the Arts Centre) and we were entertained for every second of the 1 1/2 hour show.

Bewarned! If the sight of a giant tampon left on the stage disturbs you, this show is not for you.

The place to comment? and a giveaway and more

Thanks everyone so much for saying such nooiiice things about my Kaffe quilt!

(I am always unsure as how to respond to people's comments ie. what is the bloggy 'etiquette'; do you go to their website and respond at their most recent post, which then they may not quite understand what you are talking about! OR

do you make a comment with all the other comments, which I have seen on others' blogs, but which I don't quite get, because would the person/s go back to the comments to see your response? OR

do you make a general comment on your own blog with a new post, as above , which may or may not cover everyone's comments or suggestions specifically, and maybe is a bit lazy?

I have taken the lazy option today, but if anyone has any suggestions of what works for them, please let me know. I ALWAYS love people's comments; it lets me know that I am actually 'talking' to someone out there, please don't think that they are unappreciated just because I am a lazy slob (at the present!)


Now, if you got through all of that dribble, you must go to Sharon's Handmaiden giveaway - really pretty earings for her 100th post. Sharon puts up some interesting posts about her life in Singapore and Melbourne and there is always something different on the cards.


On a quick trip to Ballarat, I can't resist stopping by Ballarat Patchwork - what a delightful shop! I am so shy that I couldn't introduce myself to Emma or to Annie, who came in and starting talking about Jodie! I don't really know why I couldn't say anything about our blogs (I didn't have much time to spare; we were late to see friends and I only had the same amount of time as hubbie to cross the road to the bakery, but I am hiding behind that excuse).


This is what I got; some more Kaffe deliciousness, some for my Snowball quilt, others just because!and some patterns I have had my eye on for some time (the Storytime Pinwheels was reduced to $5!)
Emma was very gracious in refunding me some coins, on Saturday, so I would like to say a public Thank You and encourage readers to seek out her shop, for some truly yummy treats!

Edit: I forgot to mention that there is a softie challenge at Scrap Bag: design a mascot for Ballarat Patchwork (would a Bella RAT be an obvious idea?)

A Box of Jewels

This is my Kaffe quilt for my mum, for her birthday; she was so happy and called it a 'Box of Jewels'; so be its name!

Blood, sweat and tears is what I call it; it truly has been an experience making this one - if things could go wrong they did; seams coming undone, wonky borders making quilting a Nightmare, running out of binding material (searching for a well-known Kaffe fabric with 3 days before deadline was interesting; a certain shop had staff who had no clue, despite it being on their website!) Hence, I felt embarrassed about the end result, but Mum's excited face and squeals of delight, when she pulled it out of the bag and draped it around herself, and poured over the magical colours, helped me relax, just a touch.

Mum is not a person to criticise others' work and was very gracious when I told her that it was not my favourite thing to work on; I found the colours glarey and the orange I couldn't stand, BUT, when I put it all together, It Worked! I Love It, and only squint now at the mistakes!


Edit: I would like to thank Tamara of Bluebird makes her nest, for the very helpful suggestions of colour choice when I was designing this one; the perfect Kaffe orange appeared and worked a treat!

Jason drives a Mrazda!

I am just bouncing in my seat - the first song is so happy and has that lovely 'island' sound which I so love - I spent ages searching through youtube for lots more of his songs;

Looking forward to his new album.

Jason has done done me!

A little bit of Australia in a Quilt

'Quilt Australia' was in the op-shop window, calling my name softly!

This book is a great showcase of talented quilters in The Quilter's Guild, in 1988. The collection of quilts came from the Guild's Exhibition, and has some remarkable pictures, stories and a sad postscript.

Australis by Fiona Gavens, Whiteman Creek, NSW

Both my mum and hubbie were pouring over this one, to work out the pattern.

Aerodrome by Jan Irvine, Sydney NSW
'The light in the Australian landscape is, at times, arresting and timelessly beautiful'.

Peninsula by Pamela Timmins, Sydney NSW

Barrier Reef Quilt (2) by Cynthia Morgan, Brisbane, QLD

A Sunburnt Country by Judy Turner, Canberra, ACT

I love the birds.

But I Like A Happy Ending by Sue Rowley, Wollongong, NSW

Monday, at Work on the Willoughby Bicentennial Banners by Margaret Maccioni, Sydney NSW

Bicentennial Birds, Beasts and Blossoms by Star of the Sea College, Melbourne, VIC

Impressions of Broken Hill by Margaret Maccioni, Sydney, NSW

Landscapes by Beverley Sach, Canberra ACT

Landscape - Eternal Summer by Batik Association of ACT, Canberra, ACT

Emma's Quilt by Sally Evers and Betty Brown, Kettering TAS

Unchanging Hues, by Dianne Johnston, Kingaroy, QLD

The Postscript: my heart was gripped when I read that in

"Nov 1987, a group of the exhibition quilts were gathered from around Australia to be photographed for Quilt Australia. Tragically, there was a fire at the studio and 17 quilts were burnt.....The recurring reaction of those whose quilts had been burnt was an incredulous 'but my life was in that quilt'.....Everyone shares in the loss'. Dianne Finnegan

Can you imagine if this was your quilt? Hands reaching out of the ashes - quite symbolic.



Now for something nicely ''kitch' - a tablecloth - is Hungrary's head on backwards?





I read a snippet of this book and must have it - perfect for the 'home from school' questions like what was the name of Captain Cook's ship; who was our first Prime Minister; how many stars are on the Australia flag and so much more!


My Pillowcase Tote from Creative Kismet and Green Mumma - thanks Girls - I have used it many times already and had compliments!

Bouncy happy

A quick 'Whippet' up of a baby blanket for friend's 3rd baby girl!

Vintage pink chenille and some happy bouncy bunnies.

So good.

Fav find no. 2

My little $5 smoked glass-topped table is transforming - a project for both hubbie and I.

Here are some stages; hubbie's new found love - pot belly black paint (we won't see this bit, unless we are rolling around on the carpet hehe!)

Bunnings nicely gave us the perfect top for $5!!Top may have been a bargain, but the trim was not - but it will go so beautifully with our other furniture - especially our covered bedhead and chair (see this photo for fabric pattern)


Still to be filled and stained but such an improvement!

Found the Hydrangeas and Raspberries top piece for the cushion easily from my stash - just the thing! (I was actually going to use this for a Bento Box quilt I am cutting up for Daughter No. 2, but just couldn't do - so glad I resisted), but couldn't find Anything to go on the back - old golds? different reds not quite right?

Some fat quarters I won a long time ago (from Di Mill) are Absolutely The Ticket!


My dilemma now is what sort of pattern to do on the back - I am nervous that if I cut the pieces up too much, I won't have enough to fit the back of the cushion piece (1m x 60cm) and I would like something 'old'ish to match the style of the patterns, ie not too modern, more traditional.

I want to sew two buttons through the cushion for that nice 'puckered' look (does it have a name?) and maybe have the buttons in the middle of the pattern, so that I can turn it over for a new look every now and then.

Any ideas friends?

Fav finds

This is...(one of) my favourite op-shop finds.....

I find so many 'favourites' I have just put a simple one - a pair of cushion covers - linen, William Morris style - perfect!My vintage sheet has become....

Wide Leg Lounge Pants (from Amy Butler's In Stitches)

wide legged they are but I am pleased with them - still a little too long - I wanted to use the nice crisp hem of the sheet as my leg hem - just lazy - and made the pattern 3 inches shorter than stated, even so, I nearly tripped UP the stairs today!

I love the orange sorbet colours - a little taste of summer for Melbourne in winter.



They remind me of Dr Seuss' pale (green) pants in 'What was I scared of?' - listen to it here or read the story

'what was i sceard of' (sic)

as written by 'Thomas'. Thanks Thomas!