Charleston Rhapsody Hexagons

It's been a very long and very busy week, but in amongst all of that I've managed to make some progress with the Charleston Rhapsody  hexagons . . .

It's a funny thing how something as simple as a needle and thread and a bit of stitching can help quiet the mind and cut through the stress, isn't it?

I've been cutting lots of these . . .



and with a bit of stitching I've made this pile of hexagons . . .



I got the pattern for the quilt in the mail this week and I'm really looking forward to making some progress. I did smile, though, when I was reading through the instructions and got to the part where it talks about making 842 hexagons.

842!

Now, I know it's a managable number, but 842 does make your heart skip a little beat momentarily.

842.

I'm not counting how many I've made just yet. I think I'll leave that till the pile gets a little bigger!

Skyfire

Last night we made our way to Lake Burley Griffin with about 130,000 other Canberrans for Skyfire 2010 (it's the 22nd annual event). It's a fireworks display put on each year by our local radio station. The display itself lasts about 20 minutes and is synchronised to music. We usually take a picnic dinner and try and find ourselves a good vantage point. I think we did pretty well this year - good view, easy to get there, easy to get home, great weather. Good night had by all!







There was a family sitting behind us with small children and they had the best time ever . . . I just loved hearing their absolute joy at the whole thing - the oohs and aahs and wonderment. Oh that we should all remember to just find the pure joy in whatever we do . . .

March Sew-In

I had big plans . . . lots of time . . . lots of sewing . . . lots of progress . . .

Things didn't go quite according to plan . . . but that's not always a bad thing.

We ended up chauffeuring our son around and sharing an unexpected dinner at our daughter's place. We had fun and a reasonably early night.

But I did get some sewing done when we got home!

I'm embarking on a new project . . . it's called Charleston Rhapsody by Carolyn Konig. I don't actually have the pattern yet (it's in the mail), but I was able to make a start on the many, many hexagons needed for this quilt . . .



And I'm going to be working with this glorious pile of fabrics.



Thanks go again to Heidi and Bobbi for organising another Friday Night Sew-In. Thanks girls, for sharing your enthusiasm and motivation . . .

Project Bag

I had this bag, designed to manage fat quarters, I think -  but seriously, is it big enough for that??? It worked well as a project bag, but didn't look all that thrilling to me.



I had a Bronywn Hayes stitchery which looked lovely, but didn't really have a home.



So what's a girl to do?

This is what you get when you combine the two . . .



I covered a thin piece of board and stitched it into the top (clear) lid of the bag. Now I have a safe home for the stitchery and  a great project bag!

How do you use stitcheries in your world?

Old treasures re-discovered

While sorting through some stuff I came across some treasures I had forgotten about . . .



The little covered box is one that I made about 25 years ago . . . I think it was probably the first "grown up" class I went to. We stitched the little design for the top and then covered an empty spice container in fabric. The top of the box has little rust spots (I think) all over it. Not too sure what to do about that.



And inside are a couple of little porcelain thimbles - one that my son brought back from his trip to the UK about 5 years ago and one that he bought at Floriade about 10 years ago.



Then there's the little heart shaped box. It's a paper mache box, painted antique gold with a little french knot heart embroidered at the top. I like doing french knots - once I did a box for my sister-in-law and the top of it was a garden scene all done in them.



The last little treasure is a pin cushion made by my Nan. It's a cathedral window block, which I've never done myself, but would like to try one day. I'm not so sure about the lace around the edge, but it's all part of the package . . . (definitely from the fabric covered picture frame and tissue box cover era!)



It's a bit of thrill when you come across something you had forgotten you had tucked away.

What re-discovered treasures have you found in your world?

Looking out my window . . .

This is what I see from my bedroom window (here in Australia we're getting into the cooler weather).



How I love Autumn . . . it's my favourite season .

Sure spring is great.

And summer and winter each have their own special kind of loveliness.

But Autumn . . . the colours . . . the crisp evenings and glorious days . . . so welcome after a hot summer . . . a gentle reminder that I'll be needing to get out the flannel pjs soon . . . the season that most reminds me of the passing of time and reminds me to make the most of it.

Which season do you most look forward to?

The Notebook (Journal Cover)

I have a thing for stationery.

And fabric.

And hardware.

For me, if you lined up  a stationery story, a quilting store and a hardware store I'd be pretty much set. Well, you could probably add a confectionery store of some description, just for good measure.

So making this journal cover covers  (1) stationery (the actual notebook), (2) fabric (the actual cover) and well, lets say (3) the fabric I used is as sweet as candy (and I think the buttons are pretty sweet, too). If I had actually needed to go to the hardware store to get a specialty tool for this project, then my life would be complete! I didn't need any special tool, but I think my life's complete anyway . . .

This journal cover was made with fabrics from my stash (previously cut for a log cabin project which never eventuated!!). It was for a gift and I was going for a "pretty look".



I like to use A5 visual art diaries, so that's the size this was made for, but you could use any size book really.



2 strips of each fabric made up the cover . . .



and a very pretty pink floral made up the inside lining and pockets.



This was a very quick project to put together. I've made a few of them now, but usually with one piece of fabric and maybe a stitchery for embellishment. But I think I like the pieced look, and I do have a few (lot) more strips left just waiting to be used . . .

What sorts of things do you make for quick gifts in your world?

Fabric Basket

I found this great tutorial by Pink Penguin on the net for a little fabric basket a while back and thought how cute it was. So . . .



I went ahead and made the little fabric basket . . . which of course would not be complete without a matching pin cushion and needle case and thread catcher! (This thread catcher is made differently to my others - this one is just like a tiny little bag.)



I opted for one piece of fabric for the outside bottom section (rather than pieced) and I added pockets to the inside of mine, which I find quite handy. I toyed with the idea of having handles (like a bag) but in the end went with the original design (basket/side style). And actually they work pretty well for me - after all, it 's a bit of a hold-all, not a carry bag. This basket often has the "project of the moment" bits and pieces in it, like embroidery threads etc. It's just the right size - not too little, not too big.



I had this braid, which I just loved the moment I felt it - so soft and lovely - just waiting for the right project.

All in all, this is one little basket that I find myself using A LOT. And it's such a cute and quick project to do. It would be great for all sorts of things - a gift bag with sewing stuff inside . . or pretty filled with hair ties for a little girl . . . or in luscious fabrics and filled with chocolates . . . the sky's the limit really with this one.

What little project has made your world a little brighter?

What a way to start the day . . .

This is what I see on my way to work!



What do you see when you start the day in your world?

Catalicious Block 2 . . . True Friends

I've had a lovely time this week stitching Block 2 of the Catalicious Quilt from Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly who is generously offering up a design a month for the stitching pleasure of us all in blogland.



This block was stitched with wonderfully named "Raspberry Parfait" thread from The Gentle Arts Sampler Threads. (It's hard to know if the colour or the name holds more attraction with some of these threads!)



I like stitching in one colour, and with these threads being variegated I still get a bit of interest with the colour . . .



I really like the way this block has turned out. It's certainly got a bit more oompha than the first block (colour-wise), but I'm happy with both really. The first block hasn't photograped all that well - it does look much brighter in real life . . .



I'm still keeping with my endeavor to use supplies that I have on hand and am looking forward to using some of the lovely reproduction fabrics that I have in my stash with this bed runner - I'm planning to make a runner for the end of the bed (where the cat in our lives seems to spend a good portion of her days). She's a bit of a quilting companion, so this will be in honour of her!

It seems like such a long wait until block 3 next month . . . I guess I'll just have to find something else to go on with - something from the long list of unfinished projects!

Do I have a circle thing going on?

Suffolk Puffs



Chocolate quilt



Drunkards Path



Round table runner



Spiral of words



It would seem so!

What shape finds itself repeating in your world?

The Chocolat Quilt

This quilt hangs on our lounge room wall for a large part of the year.



It's just big chunks of the Moda (3 Sisters) fabric called "Chocolat". Let's face it, who can resist a range of fabrics with such a wonderful name?

I really loved these fabrics and wanted to see them in all their glory, rather than cut them into tiny pieces.

And the varying sized circles were just a bit of whimsy . . .

What's hanging on the lounge room wall in your world?

March Sew-In

I've signed up for the next Friday Night Sew-In hosted by Heidi and Bobbi . . . it's on Friday March 19th!

Who wants to join in the stitching sisterhood?