Threadbare

Where Have I Put......Everything!!!!

2011-11-02T11:11:00.006+11:00

I havent disappeared of the face of the earth but I have been engulfed by the empowering abyss of................RENOVATING!!!

Last November, I had a small idea to make changes to our kitchen. It is just a modest little house and as our family grows, it seems to get smaller. So at the beginning of the year, plans were made, plans grew, plans got shelved, plans got made again and then life sent us a reality check.............life is short, theres no guarentee there IS a tomorrow!!! And thats when plans really grew!!!!

Ive spent the last 6-8 weeks working with the wonderful people at the Launceston Kitchen Centre, plus builders (thnx Georgie and Shane), plumbers, electricians and stonemasons to come up with a perfect new kitchen design and to get this new kitchen it has meant that basically HALF the house is now being renovated!!!

Its been so much fun and as things start to slowly happen......all very exciting!!! But to reap the rewards, you have to live in chaos!!

Im trying to keep a path in my studio to get to the sewing machine but its getting smaller and smaller!!! I have a heap of stitcheries to set into projects and I have a few quilts to baste......
......but these may have to wait a little longer, unless I can persuade the builders to set me up a sewing and basting table lol!!

Gift of Giving!

2011-08-07T13:43:00.007+10:00

Motivation and creativity have taken a back seat these last 3 months since losing Les's mum, replaced with the sad task of settling probate, clearing out the family home, choosing a real estate agent and then as of last week, finding a buyer!!

Admist all the processes and emotions you have to go through, I received a lovely email a few weeks back from Kelly of Ginger Quilts! She had been clearing out her sewing supplies and wondered if I would like to use some stitching supplies she had!

Of course I was thrilled that she thought of me and a few days later this parcel of goodies arrived on my doorstep!! (and I didnt notice until I uploaded this pic but one of the stitchery cottons has rolled to the top left hand corner duh!!). Some beautiful linen, pellon, stabiliser and those gorgeous cottons, plus a notebook which Kelly has written a lovely letter in!!! Thank you so much Kelly, I truly appreciate your generosity and have been itching to use it!!

I also want to share something that Maddi is hoping to do next year:

She has a great interest in the "Projects Abroad" program and in 2012, her college will be sending 10 students to..........

........Cambodia (and Vietnam). Their main aim is to offer assistance in the orphanages in Cambodia. She has already expressed her interest to the co-ordinator and has joined the fund raising committee. I have decided to offer a few new designs where my wholesale proceeds will be donated to the committee, more on that soon!!! Should be fun and hopefully successful as it will be a fantastic experience for the kids and one that Im sure Maddi will continue to do throughout her life (these programs are amazing!!!)

Time to hit the studio!! And Kelly, for my first fundraising design, I will be using your generous gift so its a gift that just keeps giving :)

Cubs Badge

2011-05-17T12:47:00.004+10:00

Cohen's BF Justin needed to learn a new craft to achieve his Silver Medallion for Cubs so he and his mum asked me to teach him how to stitch. Choosing a design was easy, it had to be Ben 10 right??? (so over Ben 10 myself lol)
This is Justins favorite character Xceler8 and it was a good choice because there are some fiddly bits but mostly large areas for him to practice on.
He did a really great job, especially since he has never sewn before and seemed to be enjoying it, all except the pink hoop lol......sorry mate, didnt have any boy coloured ones to lend you!!

Hes chosen some lovely Ben 10 fabric to use as borders and it looks as if we might frame the end result.........great part is, he will earn his badge, have learnt a new skill and have something to admire for years to come!!

More pictures when its completed!!!

Mothers Day

2011-05-09T10:05:00.006+10:00

I hadnt intended to be away from my blog for so long but life is unpredictable. Sadly on Easter Sunday my mother-in-law passed away.......a wonderful mum, best friend and treasured "Nanny Blue" to us all:

Evelyn Caroline Johnston

8/5/1924 - 24-4-2011

She touched the hearts of so many and will be very sadly missed. Yesterday was Mothers Day and it also would have been her 87th birthday. Although our day was very low key, it was wonderful to spend that precious time with Les and the kids, which is really what life is all about!

To all the mums, hope your day was special!

Hope to be back soon with some quilty news!

Greatest Gift!

2011-03-27T12:33:00.003+11:00

I have a project in the current issue of Creating Country Threads, the framed applique/stitchery on the cover!!!! Always a thrill to see your work in print!!!!

It is called "Greatest Gift" and heres a shot of the project page:

The wording reads: "The seeds we plant in life bloom forever in the hearts of others". I designed this not long after my grandparents died last year so they are quite poignant!! Love the way the magazines present the projects!

In light of the recent natural diasters, we participated in "Earth Hour" last night (even though the boys werent as keen as they would miss an hour of football lol).

We lit a few candles around the kitchen, grabbed a pack of cards and enjoyed our hour without using electricity!!! Hopefully we gave Mother Nature a much needed break and helped just a little bit!! Another great gift!!

Puppy Love!!

2011-03-18T16:29:00.004+11:00

Cohens best friend Justin has gone away for a few days to Adelaide with his family, so we get to do some puppy sitting!!!!
This is Scruffy and hes a 4 month old Shitzu/Maltese cross!!! Isnt that face the most adorable??? and I swear hes the biggest timewaster!!!!

Long Weekend

2011-03-15T09:49:00.006+11:00

We had a very much needed 3 day weekend, this weekend and while I would have loved to lay back and relax like some:

I had a very busy weekend quilting (which really is my favorite part):

Lots and lots of stippling, great fun!!! But every time you close your eyes thats all you see lol!!

Our thoughts are with all those in Japan! The devastion is heartbreaking.....what is happening to our world??

Odd Fellows Chain

2011-03-02T10:07:00.002+11:00

Its no secret I love piecing, thats why I enjoy the big sampler quilts so much. Theres nothing better than cutting lots of little triangles, squares and rectangles and putting them all together to make a stunning block! I love to incorporate my favorite blocks in my designs, so at the moment Im working on these:

The Odd Fellows Chain block...........very pretty as a 6" block and a little more complicated as a 4" block, lots of tiny, tiny pieces!!!!

Sometimes just because you can, doesnt mean you should.....but Im really glad I did!!!

Dear Jane- Row A

2011-02-24T09:51:00.003+11:00

I got super focused on my DJ quilt this week, instead of things I really should be doing, but I finished Row A, wohoo:

I had to redo a couple of blocks cause I wasnt happy with them but Im loving it so far. Row B looks a little more challenging (ekkkk curved piecing....these will be my humility blocks!!!). Block tally is now 54 and just to make sure I didnt fluke the first one (centre in pic):

I tried a couple more triangles!!! These were fun, so my triangle tally is now 3!

Back to what I should be working on.....these blocks are addictive and its hard to stop lol!

Thoughts to everyone in New Zealand........it has been heartbreaking to watch the destruction and loss of human life following their recent earthquake!

A Very Busy Week.....

2011-02-17T17:41:00.004+11:00

......and it isnt over yet!!!

Ive had a huge week in the studio and managed to prep some applique DJ Blocks ready to stitch at Craft this weekend and I also finished 2 of the pieced ones, bringing my tally to 50 Blocks :

A9- Cabin Fever, A11- Pebbles Protest

I started doing these blocks in random order (ok I just picked the easiest ones lol) but Ive decided to work my way through the rows and Im aiming to have Row A completed and sashed in the next week or two!

I also finished up a new Threadbare project...... more on that later:

And spent some time with the pencil, designing my next stitchery:

Please dont look at the messy pencil lines, drawing is a struggle for me....... lucky Im a neat stitcher lol.

Hope everyone is having a great, productive week!!!!

DJ Progress

2011-02-08T12:21:00.004+11:00

I took a few days over the weekend for a little "me" sewing time and was really inspired to get my Dear Jane book back out and sew some more squares. Finishing the squares for this gorgeous quilt is one of my 2011 goals and I was thrilled to add another 8 blocks to my total....now have a total of 48!!!

F7- Star Struck, E12- Mary Ruth

A4- Courtneys Stethoscope, E9- Quilt Jail

D9- Uncle Richard, M8- Enchanted Square

H10- Bens Bowtie, L8- Box Kite

Still have quite a few to go but Im going to commit myself to sewing a few every week. And just to see if I could sew one of them, I tried a triangle:

Wasnt quite as hard as I first thought, although this is one of the easier ones!!

To all Australians affected by Mother Natures wrath of cyclones, floods and bushfires on our beautiful country, our thoughts are with you and your families!!!

New Years Resolutions

2011-01-11T10:11:00.004+11:00

On a personal note, this year I have kept my New Years Resolutions simple........enjoy each and every day of 2011 and be kinder to myself but on a sewing note, theres always goals to be kept!

For the last 2 years Anne Ida and I made a resolution to "make what we loved as long as we finished it within that year".........it worked quite well for both of us but we both still have UFO's that we would love to finish, so Anne Ida came up with our resolution for 2011:

Its a perfect way for us to focus on our UFO's before even thinking about starting a new quilt and some of my UFO's date back quite awhile now:

My much loved Log Cabin and SBS are 2 quilts Id love to finish this year and theres the quilt Anne Ida and I sewed while she was here visiting us (I know she finished hers ages ago!!) which will probably be my first priority!! And then theres my Dear Jane, it would be great to finish all the blocks this year!! Feel free to grab the badge and participate if you need some motivation to finish off those UFO's.

Of course on the work front, I have heaps of exciting plans for 2011 and lots of motivation. Already working on my first commission for the year:

Think you can guess the theme!!!

Merry Xmas

2010-12-24T08:09:00.004+11:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Xmas and

a wonderful New Year!!!

Be safe and enjoy the time with those you love!!

Pretty Finishes!

2010-12-09T18:43:00.005+11:00

2010 has been an emotional rollercoaster year for our family and Im welcoming the New Year (bigtime) but Ive always found much needed "me time" and great solace in my stitching and over the months Ive stitched heaps and the pile keeps growing and the ideas keep flowing:
Every chance I have (which realistically hasnt been much in the last month or so, due to one thing or another) I have had some "pretty finishes" using my stitcheries for release later next year!! Picking layouts, fabrics and seeing the final result exceeds those "wild" ideas I had in my head, earlier in the year:

Still lots of work to do but Im slowly making progress and with every tick off my list Im finding satisfaction, "my lost mojo", a day to actually work and that pride of another "pretty" finished project.

Speaking of pretty finishes:

Our gorgeous daughter, Maddi finishes High School tomorrow and this is my favorite photo from her Grad night on Tuesday night!!! The whole day was magic and being able to spend that time with her, help her get ready for her special night, was an experience Ill never forget. A true mother/daughter day that makes me smile/cry (sob lol) everytime I think of it!!!

Love u Muff!!!! Goodbye High School, hello College!!!!

Blogging Friends

2010-11-07T19:19:00.004+11:00

I truely value the friendships I have made through this little blog and I was very fortunate last week to visit Leigh in Melbourne, who has been a blogger friend for 3 years now (even though she doesnt have a blog anymore but we keep in touch/stalking each other lol through emails and texts!!).
She opened her home and her family to me and I had a real "grown up" holiday, eating in lovely restaurants, shopping in beautiful shops and getting to know her in person, which I loved...... lots of chats and laughs and experiencing her fornightly Craft Group (loved it, these ladies really know how to have fun!! My place next time girls!!!!)

I had my camera with me all weekend but came home with about 6 shots (bad blogger me). Heres one of the views on the Great Ocean Road. The scenery was amazing and I enjoyed it immensely!!!

To all those Mums (and Dads) who sat with the kids and watched Paul Jennings "Round The Twist", this is the lighthouse where the series was filmed!! Huge lighthouse!!! And I also saw the cottage of Helen "Nell" Richards who lived next door!! Beautiful little town!!!

We did visit one new quilt shop and I picked up some Luna Notte fabric but my favorite purchase was this gorgeous scarf, very sweet. Thanks sooooooo much Leigh and Ross, I had an amazing few days in your home, got to recharge those tired batteries and cemented a lifelong friendship!!! You have to come to visit us in Tassie soon!!!
Just finally, in the garden today Les discovered these two little guys!! The nest is soooooo intricate and the chicks are sooooooooo cute. We think they are Wattle birds and if I can, Ill take photos of their growth and progress!!

Table For Two

2010-10-12T12:08:00.003+11:00

I have a new pattern release "Table For Two" and this is a double pattern for a tablerunner with your choice of two different blocks.

I used the lovely Hartfield fabrics, which for some reason I had been hoarding for ages and they give them that soft, pretty feel; perfect for a bedroom or sunroom!

There is a choice of an appliqued block or a pieced block (and you could easily use any of your favorite block patterns, to make them your own!). They are quick and easy to make so you wont have to decide which one to choose; you can make them both!

Ahhh Spring, my favorite time of year. We have planted all our vegetables and flowers and the apple trees are covered in blossom, a great sign that our summer will be full of yummy apple desserts!

One Step Forward.......

2010-10-08T17:57:00.004+11:00

.......two steps back, is pretty much how its been this year, and my blog suffers!!! But I do have some things to share!!

Poor Maddi has had to wait so long for me to finish her Twilight Cushion (it just fell to the bottom of the pile next to my machine!) She wanted to keep the layout simple which was great for me after all that paper piecing, so this is what we came up with (and the last black border doesnt show up well in this dreadful photo!!!) She loves it so that makes me happy!

These gorgeous fabrics arrived in the post the other day from the lovely Fee. It was perfect timing and so deeply treasured........we had suddenly lost another family member (from Les's side of the family) and it was all I needed to remind me just how generous and caring people really are. Life is short and by doing what we love, we use every precious second!!! Thanks so much Fee!!!

So due to this burst of inspiration, Im madly pattern writing a new design......just a little sneaky peek for now but the whole reveal coming very, very soon!!! 2 patterns in one and I love them both, hope you will as well!

In the meantime, theres plenty of this happening!!! Maddi and I hit the open roads today for the first time and I am now sure I dont have enough hands (one ready to grab the wheel, one ready to grab the park brake, one holding on for dear life, one to cover my eyes lol).......NAH honestly, she is doing soooooooo well and yes at times it is hard...... hard to let go!!!

Secret Stuff!!!

2010-09-29T22:07:00.004+10:00

Taking some time out from RPA....for non Aussies, this is a "graphic" medical program which I watch in support (under sufferance, ewwww and try not to look!!) with our aspiring medical student, Maddi.....to actually post some "secret" work!

School holidays saw the whole family sick with the worst flu ever, so energy levels were low but I did manage to work on a project for Creating Country Threads. And I actually did use hand blanket stitch for this one, when my machine was calling me to cheat lol!!!

This project is called "Greatest Gift" and it will be in print earlier next year and I will share more then!! It expresses exactly how I feel right now! and it's such a pretty project!!! plus lots of fun to make!!

Ive also been hand quilting "another one of those projects I just cant share yet". As far as handquilting goes, hmmm Im not getting better but Im not getting any worse either lol Dare I attempt a full hand quilted quilt???.......hmmmm maybe, soon!! Im loving hand quilting!! That "puffiness" fills me with joy!!!

Back really soon with an overdue finish and a new pattern addition to the Threadbare range!!

Giveaway Winners

2010-09-04T09:50:00.003+10:00

I know Im late drawing my giveaway but its been a busy last week of Term 2 and then throw in a flu/sinus virus thats left me miserable and looking forward to the two week school break!

So the winners are:

Jeanette

Christine

If you could both email me your snail mail addresses, I will pop your patterns in the post for you. Thanks to everyone who entered and for all the lovely comments. Its back to the recliner for me with a box of tissues, some throat lozenges and a bit of stitching on this rainy Saturday!

New Releases & Giveaway!

2010-08-24T10:13:00.004+10:00

I have just added 2 new patterns to my range. You may remember these patterns from previous posts:

Garden Party - love this tablecloth!!!

Elida - love this bag too!!

So I have some patterns up for grabs. If you would like to win a copy of both these new patterns just leave a comment on this post and later in the week I will draw 2 names who will recieve a copy of each pattern. If you are a no reply commentor please leave an email address so I can contact you if your a winner! Good luck!

Invitation To My Niece

2010-08-22T16:16:00.003+10:00

In my last blog post, I mentioned my niece (Tamika) and she was thrilled beyond belief! (apparentley it means your famous if your mentioned on Auntie Rose's blog **sweet**). Plus she is adamant that she is going to follow in my shoes (love her!!!). She does have a flair for arts/crafts and true to my word, Id like to encourage her and her interest!

So today I went shopping at Spotlight for some supplies:

Some pretty Fat Quarters, hmmm what can we make? and of course some........

........buttons, ribbon and that gorgeous butterfly!!! Oh this will be fun!!!

So Miss Tamika , school holidays are just around the corner. Auntie Rose will come and "steal" you for the day and we can sew to our hearts content........you just have to bring the chocolate ok lol!! And when we are finished all the lovely people who read my blog will want to see some pictures of our day.......fun!!!!

When Doves Fly

2010-08-13T12:34:00.005+10:00

Its always great when one of your samples arrives in the mail after a magazine commission and when I received this one today, I realised I hadnt shared it, which is really bad of me. I like to share the project as soon as the magazine hits the stands:

This appliqued tablerunner is called "When Doves Fly" and it is really pretty. Its a good little project to brighten up your table for the Spring/Summer months that are approaching.

This is how it appeared in the Creating Country Threads magazine last month. I know I say this a lot but I do love how they photograph and present each of the projects.

My niece (8) insisted her mum buy this issue and she took it to school for "show and tell", which was really sweet........maybe I can make a quilter out of her, since Maddi has no interest!
Have a great weekend!

Thanks and Sweet 16!!

2010-08-10T18:35:00.003+10:00

Hugs to everyone for the lovely messages/texts/emails on the passing of both my grandparents. I havent answered anyone because I just cant right now (cant really express how I feel, just trying to keep it normal) but all of the family have read and found comfort in each and every heartfelt thought......thank u, from all of us! We will miss them both! Heaps!!!

Amid all the sadness, our sweet little girl turned 16!!! How did that happen?? I have vivid memories of her in her crib the day she was born, so sweet, so innocent, so dependant. Now she looks at me with that same "needing" but now its different, now its Driving Lessons:

Yeh she has my car (my"Oh no! dont hit, the Cruze" new car.........and for those who love and know me, this is a "biggie" lol). She will have her own car in the next few weeks and this leaves me pondering...........this whole "teaching kids to drive is tough, really tough" but Im a total control freak and neither of my kids will leave home without my "nagging" voice planted in their heads (Les is a fantastic driver and would be a great teacher.....did I mention Im a control freak???).

Im so happy for Maddi.......life is really starting to happen. She has never been one to grow up before she needs to, theres no rebellion, no sassing or resentment, no envy of other kids! Keep your focus baby, look at life on that huge scale and strive for your goals but remember no matter what happens, whatever path you take..............I will be there for you, right by your side, just as I was the day you were born! Love u Muff, 4EVA xxx
Happy 16th!!!

True Love!

2010-07-31T16:51:00.005+10:00

True love means always being there for each other and never being apart.

Rest in Peace! We love and miss you both!

Pop: 25 June 2010

Nan: 30 July 2010

Catching Up

2010-06-01T11:06:00.004+10:00

Im not ignoring my blog, I just cant seem to find that extra hour in the day to keep up with it. Im sure this is the same for everyone, life just gets so busy!!!

Its school holidays here and we are enjoying the break. Its been a huge start to the year for all of us with the promise of much more in the coming months! Board games have become our favorite way to unwind!

On the sewing front, I have been busy stitching projects for later in the year and working on magazine commissons, like the one above. This one is really pretty and the Hartfield fabrics are lovely, cant wait to share this one fully.

I came across a free Twilight BOM earlier in the year and I knew I wouldnt have the time to make the whole quilt but I really wanted to try this "Forbidden Fruit" block. Maddi is an avid Twilight fan (Jacob fan to be more precise) so Im using this block as the centre of a cushion for her. Paper piecing isnt my favorite but I actually enjoyed making this block, now I just have to remove all that paper!!!

Back to some stitching and watching DVD's with the kids!

Elida

2010-04-27T09:34:00.007+10:00

This months edition of Creating Country Threads is a Mothers Day Special and I was lucky to be asked to contribute a bag as one of the projects. I have showed a sneak peek before, so here is Elida:
Sometimes its hard to name a design and after a couple of brainstorming emails with Anne Ida, her mother suggested the name Elida (Anne Idas grandmother) and it was perfect! It was wonderful to name a design after a special lady whose passion for craft inspired so many!

I choose a fan as the centre stitchery as it reminded me of an embrodiered purse my Nan treasured. I still have the purse and I keep her old brooches in it.
There is also a profile of me and Threadbare Creations in this edition:

I was very excited and honoured to be asked and to see it all in the magazine is a real thrill!!! Danielle and the wonderful team at CCT have done an amazing job and the photos are just gorgeous!!

Thanks so much guys, I love it and its an issue I will always treasure!!
They say it takes a village to raise a child and I think the same thing can be said when caring for an elderly relative. Thank you to those who have emailed, sms'ed or phoned over the last few weeks regarding my MIL's recent illness (septic shock). It was a worrying and tiring time for our family and she is doing great! The love and support she has received from family, good friends (including one who sadly passed away on the weekend) and neighbours is a testament to the special woman she is and the lives she has touched and we are forever grateful!

Here Comes The Bride

2010-04-05T16:04:00.004+10:00

You may remember a sneak peek at this stitchery a few weeks ago:

I stitched this up for the ring cushion for our friends wedding. The wedding is Saturday and its been a rush to organise, we had 10 weeks. There hasnt been a true colour scheme to the whole thing except us bridesmaids are wearing lemon, so this is how it turned out:

Im happy with it, the bride is esctatic (and thats the important thing) and I guess its less traditional than the usual ring cushion (the bride didnt want traditional!!) but its still pretty.

We chose the gold ribbon to tie the rings on, much prettier than the white we had originally chosen. The rings are gold and white gold so it matches nicely!

And for the ringbearer I have added some handholds.......I sectioned it and he can slide his hands in there and will be holding it securely, less chance of him dropping it hopefully. Still heaps more to do but at least the cushion is complete!

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter...........lucky girl me, hubby gave me a copy of this:

Ive been waiting for this book to hit the shelves.......I am a huge fan of Masterchef and this book is truely lovely. Its very well thought out, got some great recipes and I love the section in the back for me to write our own Family Recipes and memories.
Lots of reading and not much cooking as yet, but I will!

Hand Stitching

2010-03-29T11:32:00.003+11:00

I seem to be the worst blogger lately, I cant share anything at the moment but I have been stitching lots, for upcoming projects!!!

This one Im currently working on needed to be soft and dainty so I chose to work the quilting by hand. Its been years since I handquilted anything, my Pfaff just makes machine quilting so easy, and Id forgotten just how relaxing it can be.

It took me awhile to get back into the swing of it and I could definitely benefit from more practice but Im pleased with how its looking so far. When I first started quilting, I hand pieced and hand quilted everything and you really do miss it!

I actually got to use some of my stencils which made me happy!! Hopefully over the next few weeks Ill be able to do some more and improve my stitching but Im really glad that I gave it a go!! It is quite relaxing and fun and I achieved the look I was after!!

Your Favorite Colour?

2010-03-16T09:45:00.004+11:00

Whats your favorite colour?? Without a doubt mine is Blue. I use it a lot in my designs and if not in the fabrics, then defintely in the stitcheries! My nan was the same, she used blue a lot in her embrodieries, just like the one below:

She always told me she felt better in a blue dress and she had lots of them but when she wasnt wearing one, she always had a blue apron. To me blue is peaceful and calming and so so pretty.

When I buy a range of fabric or when I open a Jelly Roll, I always dive for the blue fabrics and base what Im working on around them. At the moment Im working on some projects for a magazine and they have asked that the designs lean more to pinks, purples, lemons and apricots. Not a huge challenge I guess, especially when this gorgeous little girl came into the family last week:

Our new niece and cousin, Tiffany Jane and really....... pink has never looked so pretty!!! Its my new favorite colour right now! Whats yours?

BOM Programs

2010-03-02T11:01:00.004+11:00

Just wanted to share Paulines version of my BOM quilt "In Pop's Garden" (pics borrowed from her blog, thanks Pauline!!!):
She has done a fantastic job and I really like these colours, reminds me so much of my Pops garden, he would be very proud and doesnt the quilting look great? Looks all warm and cosy!!! If your interesting in doing this quilt as a BOM or would just like to purchase patterns, Pauline would be happy to help!

She can also help with my other 2 BOM programs, Family Values and Tender Moments!

I love to see other quilters versions of my patterns and soon I should be able to share some pics from another shop who are running Tender Moments as a BOM/Class and from what I hear are doing some amazing work!!

Still seem to be "chasing my tail' so its back to the studio and this organised chaos!!!

Spotfiring!

2010-02-25T10:03:00.003+11:00

I have so many projects on the go at the moment, some for later in the year, some for commitments and some for my friends wedding which is in a few weeks!!.......it just doesnt feel like Im accomplishing anything. I needed a quick project and as the tablerunner on our coffee table was looking a little worse for wear.....perfect, it was time for a new one!

No time to design something new, so I adapted one of my own patterns Daisy Walk. I made it a little bigger and added the triangular ends. Im happy with the end result.

The warm country colours work well in our home and as Id originally designed this pattern in soft lemons and apricots, it was great to see how it worked with stronger colours.

Ive had these Madiera fabrics for ages, some of them had been cut up and stored in a box for a project I knew Id never finish so it was good to get them out and use and enjoy them. It may only be a small finish but its helped regain my focus and get back to all these other projects! Hmmmm but which one????

21 Wonderful Years!!!!

2010-02-11T08:52:00.004+11:00

Happy 21st Anniversary my favorite man!!
Every day has been one to treasure!!

Love you so much and look forward to sharing the next 21 years with you!

We walk this path together, today, tomorrow and forever!! xxx

(Promise to share what Im doing with this little stitchery soon. Friends of ours are getting married in a few weeks, which is very exciting!!!)

February?????

2010-02-04T09:03:00.004+11:00

If the Grinch stole Christmas, who stole January????? I cant believe its February already......that means that next week these two..........

........are back to school and what a huge year its going to be!!!!

We have had a relaxing holiday, lots of sleep ins, PJ days, swimming, LEGO, reading and cooking. Its about this time of year that I really wish I homeschooled these two. I love spending my days with them and dropping them off at school on Wednesday is going to be hard.

I just wanted to share their own little places here on the internet. Maddi has dreams of becoming a doctor but she is also an aspiring writer. She has her own blog here and over the holidays has been interviewing other unpublished authors as well as sharing all her teenage loves.......like her new addiction, clothes!!! She is part of a wonderful supportive community of writers and is able to contribute and learn so much.

Cohen dreams of being a scientist (this week anyway lol) but for his birthday he wanted a camcorder to make his own movies. He loves anything Lego or Pokemon and watches 100's of You Tube reviews. He is just starting to make his own movies and trust me, he is soooooooo cute. You can watch his movie here.

Guess with the holidays almost over, Ive got no excuse not to get back to work!!! Quilty post soon!

Abundantly Simple!

2010-01-24T16:34:00.004+11:00

The simple, fun and versatile Nine Patch Block. When I was teaching my Country Sampler quilt, this was the block we started with. Watching the joy in someones face when they completed their first block was wonderful!! This humble little block is responsible for a few addicted quilters out there!

These fabrics are gorgeous......they are Simple Abundance by Bonnie and Camille and I just love the strong colours and the wonderful paisleys!! I need to make quite a few more of these blocks for a new design Im working on. Fun!!!

Almost as much fun as a lazy afternoon spent skimming stones (or in Cohens case...throwing stones lol) into the river!!

Reminds you to treasure the simple things in life!!!

Great To Be "8"

2010-01-20T08:42:00.003+11:00

It seems like yesterday that you came into our lives and hearts.....

.....and then we blinked and you were this gorgeous 8 year old little man!!

Happy Birthday Cohen!

You make us smile, you make us proud and you make us feel loved!

Have a wonderful day and may all your dreams and hopes come true!!

Love from Mum, Dad and Maddi xxx

Lets Have A Garden Party

2010-01-11T11:16:00.004+11:00

Back in August, I shared this little sneak peek of a magazine commission I had just finished:

And now I can finally reveal that it was a summer tablecloth called Garden Party, designed for Creating Country Threads Vol 10 No 5:

Dont they do such wonderful photos?? I really love seeing how they present the projects and this issue has some gorgeous ones that you will want to try!

I do love this and was eager to get my sample back and when it arrived before Xmas I was thrilled! The Dresden Plate was made using Anne Idas method and the tutorial for it is on my sidebar and I love the border pinwheels, so pretty!

Nothing says summer better than butterflies, flowers and parasols (thanks Jules) and the stitcheries frame each corner so well. I had a lot of fun stitching these and dont be deterred by the Satin Stitch, Ive added my little tip for neatening it when finished!!

I had this little corner of our garden in mind while designing it. It does look pretty out there and is perfect for a lazy afternoon with some coffee and cake. Hope you love it as much as I do!!

Just finally, Anne Ida and I have decided to use our 2009 Resolution again for 2010. It worked well for both of us and eliminated a pile of UFO's that I seem to add each year. Feel free to copy Annes Ida's lovely badge and add it to your own blog to help keep those pesky UFO's at bay!

TwentyTen!!!

2010-01-09T09:19:00.004+11:00

Its all about family time at our house right now and with 2010 underway, we know its going to be a huge year, so we are taking our time in getting back to reality! Like those drifting bubbles, our lives will head in different directions with school and work, so we are holding on to each and every moment of this precious summer holiday!

I love having them all at home..........lazy afternoons spent reading (thanks for the book Leigh, Im loving it!!), lots of new recipes to try, swimming, DVD nights, BBQ'ed everything!!!

We have lots of goals for 2010.......as a family and individually and it will be interesting to see what this new year has in store for us!

Im doing a little stitching, when I find the time, working on my big project for Threadbare. Its coming together slowly and Im loving it! Ive also cut into a Jelly Roll for a new quilt design but Im in no hurry......Its all about making the most of the this wonderful family time!
Hope 2010 is a good year for everyone!!

Xmas Cooking!!

2009-12-23T13:33:00.004+11:00

So whats the best part of Xmas cooking??? The wonderful smells?? the chocolate truffles?? the shortbread biscuits?? the plum pudding???...........nah, its definitely the clean-up:

Thats the "lick the bowl" kinda clean-up lol

Merry Xmas from our family to yours. May it be safe, full of joy and a wonderful time spent with family and friends!!!

Let the Holidays Begin!!

2009-12-17T09:47:00.005+11:00

Its the kids last day of school today and then the holidays begin!! Both kids have had a fantastic year and you really have to commend the teachers on their hard work, their patience and guidance. They have done a wonderful job!!!

Its been a time of assemblies, BBQ's, concerts, SRC campaign/voting (congrats Mad on becoming SRC for 2010, wohoo!!!) and the production of Romeo and Juliet:

As a Shakespeare fan, I was eager to see the modernisation of the play and it was fantastic!! The teachers and kids should be very proud of the work they put into such an wonderful performance. It was great to see so many parents and relatives supporting the night and gaining a new understanding of a classic!

What little time Ive had left has been spent in the studio:

(playing around with the mystery quilt blocks)

(and stitching at night on a new design for 2010)

I know both kids will be eager for 3pm this afternoon and so will I (last school run of the year!!!!).

Let the holidays begin!!

A Huge Finish!

2009-12-08T08:36:00.004+11:00

Last week I finally finished my Philadelphia Pavement quilt:

Its a huge quilt, measuring around 96" square. I did add 2 borders (due to popular demand lol) and I think it finishes and frames it nicely. I was worried about getting it under my machine but it all went smoothly and painlessly!

I love how all the crosshatching puffs up the squares and its all quilted with a lovely soft gold cotton called "Honey Butter". By the time Id finished all the squares I wasnt up for trying anything too complicated in the borders so its just quilted 1/4" from each seam!

Im so happy with this finish, I kept my promise to Anne Ida to finish what I started in 2009 and I havent added any UFO's to my list (except for a few blocks I was playing around with, which never became a quilt top)

Although this quilt doesnt have an "offical" home in our house yet, its just lying on the quilt rack, Im sure over the winter months it will grace our bed....it is far too heavy for the summer!!

A huge finish which I know will be loved in the coming years!!!

Carolina Christmas & Winners

2009-12-06T12:58:00.003+11:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the Teen Dreams giveaway!! Maddi cant wait for the samples to come back and she has already "ordered" a wallhanging to match, so look out for another option using this pattern and fabrics! Ok the winners are Paulette and Kelly!! Thanks ladies, could you please email me your address and Ill post them out to you!

Ive been really busy getting ready for Xmas (all my lists, menus and recipes are in order) and been spending some time in the studio "me" sewing. Bonnies new mystery quilt couldnt have come at a better time.

Heres my Part One units. Although this is meant to be a Xmas quilt, I chose to keep it really scrappy and use up some of my old stash of country fabrics. My cream stash was depleted with my Double Delight quilt so for the background I chose beige/gold tones!! Part Two units:

I have no idea whether or not these fabrics will work together but that is half of the fun!! Its been nice to work on something where all the math has been worked out for you and not knowing how it goes together is driving me insane lol but I can wait!! Bonnie does such an amazing job with these mysteries and she is so generous in sharing them with us!

My Part Three units are almost all finished and I think Part Four might be already posted but I try not to peek ahead!! Its been good to finally find homes (and say goodbye) for some of my old fabrics.......last time I played it safe with my choices but this time Im just throwing it all together and hoping for the best!!!!

I also finished up one of my own quilts that I started earlier in the year. Ill share it with you next post as soon as I can get some good pictures!!! Its huge!!

Hope your enjoying your weekend!!

Teen Dreams

2009-11-26T20:46:00.005+11:00

What do you get when you combine a funky Jelly Roll, some gorgeous raspberry fat quarters, the old dependable white homespun and some input from Maddi (the most inspirational teenage I know!!!!!).......my new design, Teen Dreams:

This is a quilt and cushion combination and there is only a minimal leftover from the Jelly Roll, which makes me very happy!! Not only is this fun to make but Maddi is happy and its a great size for her to snuggle under to read, study and write that next great novel!!

Lots of simple piecing and applique make this a quick quilt to create and yehhh I have stippled it all over, I just love the effect!! The bindings are made from the left over Jelly Roll strips and they finish it off well.

Included in the pattern are two cushion options, because Maddi just loves cushions!!! I think you could probably make 3 cushions if you really wanted too!

This is my last design for 2009, Im taking the next few weeks to get ready for Xmas and to finish off a few quilt tops from my own personal collection.........so stay tuned, some of your favorites may become quilts very soon and Im also looking forward to starting Bonnies new mystery quilt! Anne Ida is doing this one with me and I know she has already pulled her gorgeous fabrics, Ill just wing it as I go!!! Should be heaps of fun!

So I have 2 copies of the new Teen Dreams pattern up for grabs!! Leave a comment on this post to enter. Good luck and stay tuned for the winners draw next week!!

Catching Up-Word Heavy Post!!!!

2009-11-18T09:50:00.004+11:00

I have finally found some time to draw my Gingerbread giveaway. Thanks to all who entered and I have really enjoyed reading your Family Traditions. Its precious that no matter how old our kids get they still enjoy those special things and hopefully will one day pass them onto their own children. I read a quote the other day which I think sums it up beautifully:

"When we recall Xmas past, we usually find that the simple things- not the great occasions- give off the greatest glow of happiness" Bob Hope.

Ill announce the winners at the end of this post, after I show some peeks of what Ive been working on:

Firstly another magazine commission. This is for a Mothers Day edition and I loved working on this. Usually a design has a name before I put pen to paper but this one was a little tougher. After a few emails to Anne Ida for ideas, her mother suggested the name "Elida" which was Anne Idas grandmothers name. Its perfect and a lovely way to honour a woman who inspired others with her love of craft! The stitchery is redwork and beads (I love using beads) and the fabrics are "Cottage Charm" from Helen Mulder Peterson......the red is just stunning!!

Ive also got a new quilt and cushion set almost ready for release. I wanted to design something that left little waste from a Jelly Roll, a few fat quarters and some homespun. Maddi will eventually have these samples in her room but they are off on a little trip for something exciting that is happening next year. These are the Chez Moi fabrics, Swanky.

Im also working on a Mix and Match theme for a tablerunner design. I love piecing and I often find myself looking at block books for hours!! This one may just be a prototype for now until I can achieve the look Im aiming for!

Of course it hasnt all been about playing with fabrics, this time of year is always busy getting ready for Xmas and school events:

Yesterday was Cohens Athletics Carnival and the weather was glorious. I love watching the kids enjoying themselves but this year I really noticed how competitive the parents are.....of course that happens but these kids are so precious and its meant to be about having fun, right??

Maddi is getting ready for a school production of Romeo and Juilet and although they are modernising it, I cant wait to see it. It actually got her interested in reading Shakespeare (which is good) so she has been devoring my old copy of his Complete Works. She is also nominated for SRC (Student Representitive Council) for 2010 and again for Career Leader so its been all about application letters, speeches etc......whatever happens hun, we wish you all the success!!

Now for the winners of the giveaway.......congratulations to Adelphesmum and Sweet Pea. Could you both please email me your snail mail address and I will pop them in the post for you. Thanks for entering and I hope you enjoy the patterns and your Family Xmas

Gingerbread Giveaway!!

2009-11-06T11:08:00.003+11:00

Its hard to believe that Xmas is fast approaching......where has this year gone?? My new Xmas designs may be a little late but they are quick and easy projects to stitch whilst listening to the Carols as we wait for Santa!!!

I love this little cushion "Xmas At My House". Every year I always plan on making the kids a Gingerbread House and I have the kit with templates and icing nozzles, but I never seem to find the time! This way Ill have a house which I can bring out at Xmas for the family to enjoy!!

The other pattern, "A Family Xmas" is a sweet little wallhanging. I knew I would use those Gingerbread cookie cutters I brought, eventually.....they made great templates to draw around (can you tell Im full of good intentions?? lol).

I find it challenging to work with Xmas fabrics but I think the red/white/blue colour combinations on both designs give them that festive feel!

So I have 2 sets of patterns (1 of each pattern, per set) up for grabs!! If you would like to squeeze in some stitching before Santa arrives, leave a comment on this post and to make it fun......share with me one of your Xmas family traditions. Ill draw the 2 winners next week!

And whats our family tradition?? Every Xmas Eve, we sprinkle reindeer food on the front lawn (oatmeal and glitter) and then we drive around the city looking at the Xmas lights, eating ice cream! Just before bed, we read the kids "A Rugrats Night Before Xmas"(which is just a fun rendition of the original) and then its lights out!!

All He Wants For Xmas!!

2009-11-04T18:08:00.003+11:00

Can you guess what Cohen wants for Xmas???

4 front teeth gone to make way for the 2 new "BIG ones"!!

Doesnt that lisp make you melt?? The spittle, not so much lol

Tooth Fairy has been here quite frequently lately, even after the one he swallowed!!!

Dont you love being 7??

Reasons To Smile

2009-10-29T11:50:00.004+11:00

This morning I was smiling when I received my copy of Creating Country Threads. Its a Stitchery Special with so many wonderful projects and in it you will find my little wallhanging "Find The Joy".

I had actually designed and worked the stitchery quite some time ago with a completley different project in mind, but I cut them too small (due to the fact my math is so bad lol) and they had been sitting in the cupboard till the editor was looking for something that could be sent to them within a week!

So I dug out those Civil War fabrics and turned it into a wallhanging, all within the deadline which was great!!! (Sometimes it does pay to have a UFO or two!). I love how they have presented it, they always do such an amazing job with everyones projects and it is always such a thrill to see your work in print. Ive got a few more projects coming up soon so I cant wait to see what they have done with them!

Another reason to smile today, Maddi is coming home after a fantastic 6 days in Queensland on a school trip. Here a pic of her at the airport Saturday morning:

We cant wait to see her, its feels as if the whole dynamics of the family have been thrown off cause she wasnt here. I thought I would fret much more than I have but she is such a great kid and she works so hard, so she deserved this wonderful experience....as did her friends (who are all great kids too btw!!) I know she has missed us, her phone bill will be massive this month lol

Still, Im counting down the hours till we go to the airport to pick her up and for the next few days Im sure she will be resting and filling us in on "every single detail" of the whole trip. Cant wait!!.

One more reason to smile, go check out Paulines version of Family Values. She has done a wonderful job and I just love it!! The colours are gorgeous!!!

Next post Ill have some quick and easy redwork Xmas designs to share!

In Pops Garden- The Finale

2009-10-23T13:10:00.004+11:00

Yeh, I can finally show the full quilt of the new BOM In Pops Garden........thanks for following the installments and for being so patient.
I love these colours, these are my colours and they also remind me of the colours Pop used throughout his house. I did keep the borders quite simple with just a small row of triangles to add some interest and frame the blocks but of course if you didnt want to include these, you could always put in a plain sashing!

I didnt want to over quilt this one and some may like a little more quilting but I was looking for that "puffy/snuggly look" (professional term there lol). To me its like a big hug from Pop and he gave the greatest hugs!

I am actually really proud of me, I did stitch a label (normally I find a spot in a corner and scribble it on with a Zig pen!!). Notice the hat, it also appears in the pattern cover photo on the chair! I have also included a couple of label ideas for you to stitch in the final pattern of the set.

So on to a winner!! I promised a full set of patterns to one person as a thank you for letting me share my Pop and the winner is................Vickie!! An email is on its way to you shortly!

For those of you interested in this quilt, please contact either here or here and they will so kindly help you out.

I feel so lucky to be able to use a skill taught to me by my Nan (stitching) to make a tribute to my Pop. He indeed touched my life and those who knew him, deeply. Miss you Pop!!!

In Pops Garden- Part 5

2009-10-19T13:25:00.005+11:00

It was a little premature saying that life had gone back to normal after Mums op, but today is the start of a new week.....so lets try again!!!

Block 8 is Pops chicken shed. Chickens are one of my favorites and we would spend all day running back and forth to see if the hens had layed. There was a long concrete path from the chicken shed to the back door, so sometimes not all the eggs made it safely inside in our eagerness to share what eggs we had found!!

Of course nothing tastes better than free range eggs straight from the nest. Pop could cook them up anyway you wanted and I think my personal favorite were the poached eggs.....I just cant cook them as good as he used too. Nans cakes would be lovely and yellow and her meringues, well they were special!!!!

There were 6 meals a day at Pops house.......the three main meals, then morning and afternoon tea and finally supper. It was usually biscuits for morning tea but Pop always enjoyed a cuppa and a piece of fruit cake in the afternoons. He seemed to have an endless supply of fruit cake and although he ate and drank from mix matched crockery, he always layed out his finest for his guests.

Pop was a collector of Royal Albert and Royal Doulton dinner sets. His favorite was the Old Country Rose and the Silver Birch and he used them regularly, even for takeaway Fish and Chips!!!

His hat appears in Block 9 again, discarded after a long afternoon in the garden. It also appears in 2 more places Ive yet to share with this design..........all will be revealed next post!!

Thanks so much for allowing me to share my Pop with you. The comments have been so touching to read. Be sure to stay tuned for the final installment of this quilt and if you have left a comment on this or any of the other parts of In Pops Garden you will be entered in a giveaway for a full set of patterns as a thank you from me!

In Pops Garden - Part 4

2009-10-10T09:43:00.003+11:00

We all know that two of the worst "pests" in any garden are cats and birds and Pop wasnt a cat lover till one day a stray, skinny cat wandered into Pops yard and took up residence in his wood shed, killing mice for food. A bond formed between these two, like no other, and Toby became part of the family!

Toby followed Pop all day every day and slept within a foot of where he was working. Of course he didnt catch mice or birds, cause Pop fed him so well. We used to call him "Toby the Wonder Cat" cause it was a wonder he moved at all, he was so fat!! It was a relationship that lasted for many years until Toby died of old age, and it broke my Pops heart!

Ive mentioned before that Pop used what he had so his scarecrow was nothing fancy.....an old hat and coat nailed to a pole. Sometimes there would be bits of aluminium foil tied on as well but Im sure the birds used to steal it and use it in their nests (probably made good roofing lol). All in all he had a pretty ineffective method of protecting his crops!!

Its hard to explain (or draw) the beauty of his flower garden. All year round there would be boxes or buckets of flowers that had been picked, waiting to go to the florists. Pop grew a lot of Gladiola's, Dahlias and the most beautiful Roses. At Xmas time there was always Holly on the table and in the Spring the house would smell divine with all the gorgeous blooms!

When my mum was a child, she used to steal roses from Pops garden on her way home from school and take them to her mother....... unaware that one day she would marry the young boy that lived in that house!! Neighbours used to call in and pick flowers for special occasions and strangers on the street would stop and ask for a cutting or a little bouquet to take home for themselves. His vegetables filled our stomachs but his flowers filled our hearts!!

Life for me is slowly returning to normal after Mums op. 2 more blocks to go and then Ill reveal the full quilt!!!

Thank You

2009-09-30T11:38:00.002+10:00

For all those lovely emails, texts and phone calls after my mums knee replacement surgery.....we thank you. She is doing really well and getting more mobile everyday. The true test of whether her home rehabilition is being successful will be tomorrow when she sees the therapist.

If you have emailed me and are awaiting a reply or are waiting for me to send something through to you, I am slowly working my way through my ever growing "to do list", thanks for your patience!!!

Back soon with some more of the new BOM blocks!!

In Pops Garden- Part 3

2009-09-19T19:28:00.005+10:00

Time for some more blocks. Pop grew just about everything from either seed or bulbs. His potting shed was a fun place to be. Little seedlings needing to be watered, thinned out and repotted. I remember that he used to have all his bulbs hanging above the potting table, drying out and he used to scrap out the seeds from his pumpkins and tomatoes and they would be drying out as well on boards, ready for the next years crop! It was always tempting to pick them off when you knew you wouldnt get caught!!!

Attached to the potting shed was the nursery where he kept all the seedlings until they were ready to be transferred to the garden. In here, he also had his collection of cacti.......some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen and it also housed a gorgeous rubber tree which grew right around the room!! He had a lot of indoor plants in here as well as inside his home, most of them he had grown from cuttings!

There was no way I could draw his vegetable garden to show its true beauty, it was far too large. It was an abundance of yummy home produce. Nothing tastes better than peas picked straight from the vine and eaten as you walk around the garden. Those plump juicy baby peas you found at the end of the pod were the most delicious!!! We would pick a box of them and at night sit around the kitchen, listening to music, while we shelled them all.........most would end up being eaten while we did it or on various trips to the fridge you would always grab a handful!

As a child, watching seedlings grow and then produce in the garden amazed me! It was satisfying to know that you had a hand in providing the vegetables that fed the family. When Maddi was little, I had my own vegetable garden and it produced well, a little too many squashes were cropped but the neighbours appreciated them lol. Maddi felt that same sense of satisfaction when she took her basket and filled it with food we had grown. We are going to put another one in this year (arent we honey?? sweet, wonderful husband of mine!!!) as soon as we design a good plan for it (just like the stitchery hun!!).

Hope you enjoyed these blocks as well. I will be MIA for a little while, my mum is finally having her knee replacement on Monday! Wish you luck mum, we are proud of your strength and love you heaps!!!!!

In Pops Garden- Part 2

2009-09-11T13:31:00.003+10:00

Pop was a fantastic cook. He learnt early in life that to keep a family together they had to be fed well. Sunday lunch was a tradition and Nan would be waiting at the back door, in her apron and there would be scones in the oven for morning tea. Pop would have a roast cooking and all the trimmings and you wouldnt be able to move after you had eaten....he fed us well. Sometimes there were others that joined the table but there was always room, lots of laughs and conversation and always heaps of food.

And he made the best jams, relishes and sauces. His pantry was full of jars of preserved goodness. I used to make my own when I was first married but they never tasted as good.

You would never find Pops house gracing the cover of "Home Beautiful" but it had beauty, warmth and love. It was an ecclectic mix of all that was comfortable and practical. If it broke you fixed it, if it got a hole it Nan knitted a blanket to cover it, but walking through that back door you knew you were home and I loved every minute I spent there!!!!

There was no need for fancy tools and gadgets in Pops garden, he just had what he needed and used what he had. To help myself through College, I started working part time in a Garden Centre and it was a treasure trove of tools etc for me and even though I brought him these new super duper sprinklers or pruners he still used the ones that he had had for years.

He would spent all day in the garden, planting, weeding, pruning, watering and harvesting. Now that tap was an important feature for us kids. You would wander round the garden and pull a radish or a carrot and wash it at the tap before eating it and they always tasted so good. Of course helping to harvest the fruit usually left you with a bellyache cause we ate more than we should!!!
Ok that was block 2 and 3, more to share next week!!!

In Pops Garden- Part 1

2009-09-08T09:11:00.004+10:00

I promised to share some photos of the new BOM called "In Pops Garden" but just before I do, Id like to introduce you to the man and the inspiration behind this quilt.

(photo from family holiday in Hobart)

These are my fathers parents Mary and Allan and I have shared a lot about my nan on this blog, the gorgeous lady she was!!! This is about my Pop.

He was the eldest of 5 brothers and as a young boy he nursed his mother until her death and then a few years later, his stepmother. He took on the responsibilites of running a home and garden to help provide for his father and brothers. As a young man he worked for the apple sheds where he became an apple classer and where he met my nan. They brought their first home in Launceston and then after my dad was born, they moved not too far to the home which I remember so fondly!!

(photo from family holiday in Hobart)

Pop had two loves in his life, his family and his garden. He had a large suburban block and 2/3rds of it was planted with fruit trees and vegetables. In the early years he used to sell these to help put my dad through private school. The rest of the garden was filled with his flowers. He used to sell these flowers to the local florist (if any of you local girls ever received a bouquet from Hinton and Llyod Florist in the 70's and 80's then they probably came from my Pops garden!!)

(Pop and Maddi, aged 1)

I look back on the time spent at his house and feel so blessed to have had them in my life. There wasnt anything to "play" with as a child but there was always something to do. You could learn so much from him just following him around the garden, helping him harvest the vegetables, watching him plant the seedlings or feeding the chickens and you never left there without a box of homegrown goodness to enjoy!!

When my nan became sick in 1990, my dad took over looking after the garden all under strict instructions from my Pop (it was his way or else.....bit like me actually lol). In 1995 my Nan passed away and it took a huge toll on Pop. When you visited, you would still find him pottering about in the garden but he had lost his love, his will to live. He died in 1996 (1 year and 1 day after my nan) and there isnt a day that I dont think of either of them, nor wish they were still here!!!

There is so much to share about this man and I hope I have managed to capture a little of the wonderful person he was, in the 9 blocks of this BOM. Heres the first block and a little more about him:

One of my fondest memories was pulling up in his driveway. This was a familiar scene, him mowing the front lawns with his handmower......he would never use a motor mower!!!! I can still remember the smell of the freshly cut grass and his lawns were always so green and soft. They were a great place to practise our handstands and cartwheels cause we had a soft place to land. People used to walk past and they never failed to stop and admire his lovely roses and camelia's and he would take cuttings for them and give them advice to grow their own.

He always wore a hat in the garden and of all the things he left behind in this world, seeing his hat sitting there after his funeral upset me the most!!! My parents now live in his home and its not the same as it was when I was a child, they have changed it so much, so it was fun to draw up these stitcheries as I remembered them. I could never do the beauty of his garden justice but this way my memories will live on!!!

Hope you like the first block........next post will be block 2 and 3 and a little more about my Pop!!

First Day of Spring!!

2009-09-01T14:00:00.004+10:00

Spring would have to be my favorite season, its a sign of new beginnings and a promise of better weather to come and after the last few weeks of constant rain and wind, it will be very welcome!!! There is so much inspiration to be found in the garden and it boosts your creativity!

Id love to say Ive been busy in the studio but I have Cohen at home with a really bad case of the flu and he needs my attention, so Ive had to channel my creativity in other directions!! We spend a lot of money at the supermarket on museli bars etc so today I decided to try some of my own:

They are really yummy and according to the recipe, they are healthier than what you buy prepackaged, which is a bonus!!! These ones have dried apricots and sultanas in them but the possibilities are endless. Heres the recipe:

Homemade Museli Bars

2 2/3 cups of Rolled Oats

2/3 cup of Oat Bran

2/3 cup of Plain Flour

1 1/2 cups of dried fruit of your choice

2/3 cup of apple juice concentrate

4 tbls of brown sugar

4 tbls honey

1 ts vanilla

Bake rolled oats and bran on a flat tray in a 180 degree oven for 10 mins. Put fruit into a bowl with the plain flour. Add oats and bran when done. On a medium heat, cook the apple juice, brown sugar and honey in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add vanilla. Combine all together and press into a tin which has been lined with foil and sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Bake for a further 20 mins in the 180 degree oven. Cool, turn out and slice into bars..............Enjoy!!!

Another Commission

2009-08-26T08:41:00.004+10:00

I know sneak peeks are boring but its all I can show for what Ive been working on lately. This is for another commission with Creating Country Threads (new name for the mag and I love it!!) which will be released in January!

Im thinking of naming this "When Doves Fly" and yes it is a play on the Prince song.......I am a huge fan of his (to my mothers horror, Maddi could sing "Purple Rain" before she could sing a nursery rhyme lol)

I actually struggled a bit with this one! Not sure whether it was my choice of fabrics or whether I lost a bit of confidence but now its all finished Im very happy with it......it has that soft, sweet quality I was aiming for!!

I do want to show you the project I designed for Helens Quilt Marathon:

This is "Stitched With Love" and it is a lovely sewing bag, perfect for carrying you floss box and whatever project you are working on, plus a sweet stitched pincushion. If you havent joined up yet and you would like to, contact Helen and also Pauline, who is running a day for it up here in the north! Its for a wonderful cause and I think its important to support and encourage the kids who are so willing to give help to those who need it.......they are our future!!!

Promise to share some pics soon, of the new BOM which Im finishing up now. There is a story behind this (dont groan, theres always a story.....thats just me lol) but first I want to share with you someone who was a huge influence in my life and the inspiration behind this new quilt!!! All that next post!!

Summer Commission

2009-08-13T08:55:00.004+10:00

I have just finished and posted off a summer project for Australian Country Threads magazine. I can only show a sneak peek for now but I cant wait to share this with you........it is gorgeous and when I get the sample back, it will live on my blanket box in the bedroom (thats if Jules doesnt steal it lol).

Ive used the gorgeous Natures Chorus fabrics again, they are just beautiful and were perfect for a summer project.

It was difficult trying to think "summer" as its so cold and miserable here but it sure did brighten up my days and my studio!!! There is a little glimmer of hope that Spring is on the way. The trees are all full of blossom and the bulbs are being to flower:

I love Jonquils, much prefer them to daffodils!!! These are growing in a big tub in the patio with my Sweet Peas, which are yet to flower.

And in the window boxes are the Primulas.....these are a terrific hardy winter flower which brighten up those dark wet days!! Roll on Spring, Im sooooo over Winter!!!!

Quilt Marathon

2009-08-05T09:06:00.004+10:00

Helen from Hugs and Kisses is hosting a Quilt Marathon to raise funds for her daughter Molly to go to Naimbia, Africa with World Challenge. Molly will be one of a few students who will have the wonderful opportunity of helping another school group or community within the country.

If you are in Tassie and would like to attend all the details can be found here. But even if you are not or can not make the day, Helen is offering for you to join in online and receive your patterns and instructions via email throughout the day.

I think its a wonderful cause and wish Helen and Molly all the success and I will be keen to read all about Mollys trip to Naimbia on her blog!!

I have also designed a couple of little projects for the day, heres a sneaky peek:

If you are attending you will receive the patterns in your goodie bag and if you are joining online they will be emailed to you!

I had fun working on these and I hope everyone else does as well. Love that Avairy fabric, so sweet!!!

So if you havent already, show your support for Helen and Molly and sign up today!!!!

Fifteen

2009-08-01T08:43:00.004+10:00

To our gorgeous girl and bestest sister in the world, Maddi

Happy 15th Birthday!!!

We hope you have a wonderful day and all that your dreams come true!!!!

We love you with every beat of our heart, every breath of our body and every inch of our soul!!!

Lots of love from Mum, Dad and Cohen xxx

A Little Bit Of Cuteness

2009-07-29T14:43:00.003+10:00

Before I announce the winners of Threadbares 3rd birthday giveaway, can I just share this little bit of cuteness??

This is Ben, my parents new 8 week old puppy. A few weeks ago they lost their much loved German Shepherd, Rex which devasted them both (dad the most, he loved that dog!!!). It was very sad, Rex was always great with the grandkids and he took his role of protector of the property very seriously!!!

Poor mum is waiting on a knee replacement (possibly both knees!!) and has trouble walking and this little anklebiter doesnt make it any easier!!! She cant seem to take two steps and hes under her feet lol.

But he is a cutie and has a lot of growing to do and a lot of mischief to get up to, Im sure. He has gorgeous big paws and hes not very coordinated yet but hes a wonderful addition to the family!!

Ok so on to the winners!! Thanks so much to everyone who left a comment....and the two winners of the Family Values BOM kits are:

Tudy

Kerry

An email is on its way to both of you for your postal details.

Well Threadbare Creations is 3 years old and theres lots happening in the studio, most of which I cant share just yet but hopefully soon!!! Its been a flurry of creativity, the studios a mess, Im covered in cottons and it looks like takeaway for dinner.......but I wouldnt have it any other way!!!!

Three Years Old

2009-07-25T12:55:00.004+10:00

The other day I was sent a renewal for my business registration.......Threadbare Creations is 3 years old!! I really had no idea what to expect when I started and I could never have imagined that I would have done some of the things that I have in that time. I have met some amazing people, taught some wonderful women, shared lots of designs and had incredible support from some many lovely people!

I am very fortunate to live with three gorgeous people who are the source of my inspiration, my motivation and my creativity. Without them I wouldnt have achieved anything!

So I want to celebrate!!! I have, to giveaway, 2 full pattern sets of my first BOM quilt Family Values.

This quilt was actually the first pattern I designed but it didnt get released for a few months due to some layout and quilting problems. It represents the core of Threadbare and also our family. Every stitchery has a direct meaning to Les and I as parents or to all of us as a family unit. You can read more about them here, here, here and here. I often wish I could wrap up every family in this quilt......the world would be a happier place!

So please leave a comment on this post and I will draw 2 winners on the 29th (the actual 3 year anniversary) and remember to leave an email address if you are a no reply commentor.

I have enjoyed the first three years of my little business and look forward to many more.

3 Winners

2009-07-13T09:06:00.004+10:00

I have 3 winners for my new pattern "Butterflies and Blooms" Sewing Machine Cover. Thanks to all who entered and for the amazing comments, including the ones regarding Maria. She is a really anti-social cat but loves to snuggle up on my knee at night to supervise what Im working on.

To quickly answer a couple of questions from the comments......NO, Maria was not part of the giveaway (although if I find that she has attacked my curtains again, it could be a possibility lol) and secondly, if you are not a winner and would like the pattern, grab a cuppa and head over to Fiona's beautiful online shop. She has copies and will be happy to help you out!!

Ok so the 3 winners are:

Lissa Jane

Irene

Deb Sews Quilts

An email is on its way to all of you, for your postal address, so we can get them in the mail.

Last week was busy with some health problems with the older members of the family so I spent as much time as I could stitching on the new BOM:

Had to be a cat in there right?? This project is almost at an end and Ive enjoyed working on it and cant wait to share it and the inspiration behind it with you.

This week Im starting work on a magazine project. I have been brainstorming with a very good friend of mine, who wishes to remain nameless and creditless (dont worry Jules, your secret is safe with me, I wont tell a soul lol) on a summer tablecloth. Im excited about this and cant wait to get it all together!

Hope you have a great week!!

A Reveal and a Giveaway!!

2009-07-05T12:28:00.009+10:00

My studio is part of the garage and at night when the temperatures drop, it gets cold in there. I always cover Princess (my Pffaf) with the hard cover and then throw an old beach towel over it, to prevent the moisture getting in. It was time for a change, a sewing machine cover.

So this is my new design Butterflies and Blooms. The fabrics I used are April Cornells Natures Chorus, which are just beautiful and with some pretty applique, ric rac, old buttons and lace it makes a wonderful addition to the studio.

Defintely a lot prettier than the old beach towel and more practical Im sure.

The top, back and side panels are all pieced and quilted as well. I have 3 copies of this new pattern up for grabs, so if you would like to win one, leave a comment on this blog post and I will draw 3 winners next week. (Please remember to leave an email address if you are a no reply commentor).

Maria kept a close eye on the binding process and she seems to approve, must be the butterflies. She agrees its a cover fit for.....the Princess!!

Psssst!....wanna sneak peek?

2009-06-28T13:35:00.005+10:00

This week I have been finishing up a magazine project which is due for release in October. I can only give a sneak peek for now.

I used a stitchery that I designed quite some time ago and paired it with some lovely Civil War Crossing fabrics, using my favorite borders, Pioneer Braid:

I love the colours, so warm!!! It all worked well together, cant wait to see it in the magazine now!! With the pattern almost written and ready for posting, I should be able to get back to this new design:

What could it be?? Hopefully it wont take me long to finish it up! (Thats if I can continue to keep this yucky flu at bay!!!)

I ♥ Sydney!!!

2009-06-19T08:58:00.004+10:00

What a gorgeous place Sydney is! Ive just been going through my 100's of photos and I really cant wait to go back, with the family and explore some more.

Jules and I stayed with the lovely Sue (on the left) and her amazing family. They made us feel so welcome and pampered, it was really hard to leave. Thats Sues sister Jenny on the right with her 3 month old son Declan, who was just adorable!!! We were also joined by Kathy from Rockhampton and we had a fabulous time!!

Jules and I became the typical tourists, snapping photos of everything and soaking in the Sydney lifestyle. It was great to eat a "grown up" lunch at a restuarant (no MacDonalds for us!!) and to be able to just take our time wandering around Darling Harbour and Circular Quay.

There was so much to look at and so much to explore and we didnt see half as much as we would have liked! But we managed to cram a lot into our little holiday!!

We were so proud of ourselves......we mastered the trains and the ferries and although we had to stop and ask for directions a few times, we didnt get lost!!!

Before we went to the Craft Fair, Sue took us to this remnant shop in Alexandria. It was a great place to look around and lots of bargains. All the Moda precuts and fabrics were very reasonable, so if your in Sydney pay them a visit or visit their website here.

The Craft Fair was great!! Lots to look at and lots to inspire. It was great to catch up with Chrissie from Blue Willow Cottage and to meet Sue Daley.....her work is amazing!!

We visited the Sydney Aquarium and I think my favorites were the penguins.....

.....and the Dugongs. We spent so much time watching them swim so gracefully. It was difficult to get good pics but they are beautiful to see!!

So what did I buy on our holiday? A few things for the kids and......

.....a few things for me. A Honey Bun of Hello Betty, a few fat quarters, ric rac, needles and of course buttons!!! Oh and a tape measure that is 120" long, which should make life a little easier.

Jules thanks so much for a wonderful girls holiday! I had so much fun and I cant wait for our next one. Where we going???

Top Almost Complete

2009-06-09T15:36:00.003+10:00

My Philadelphia Pavement quilt top is almost complete, I just need to add a couple of plain borders and its ready for quilting!

(I apologise for the photos but it is dark and wet here and its so big I just threw it on the bed). I think the colours work well together, even though they are different to the original quilt made by Barbara Snyder Stoner in 1895.

I love the centre diamond, this is a really lovely layout and it has been fun to do but I must say that Im pleased to have this part of it complete!!

It is huge already so I am debating on the borders but Ive got a few days to think about it......Jules and I are off to Sydney for 4 days, for some "girl" fun!! Cant wait, you packed yet Jules?? Ill tackle the borders when I get back next week!

Wet Weather Activities

2009-06-05T09:58:00.003+10:00

The first week of the school holidays has been cold and wet but we havent minded, keeping busy with inside projects. Theres been lots of reading, games to play, some cooking and of course, some sewing.

I decided to work on my Philadelphia Pavement quilt over the holidays. Its just over half way there now and watching the pattern emerge has been great!! Its going to be quite large when its finished, around 98" and although I have no plans for it (I just had to make it), Maddi has claimed it for her room........didnt I just make her a new one?? lol

Lots of tiny 1 3/4" squares ......cant wait to quilt this one! I plan to just crosshatch the squares but Im not sure what I'll do in the borders yet! My goal is to finish the top over the holidays but we will see how we go!!

Ive also finished my token winter knitting project for the year so I can pack the needles away! I really need to learn to knit something other than a scarf!!! I couldnt resist this wool though when I went shopping with my mum a few weeks ago. Its lovely and soft and the colour is gorgeous!!

I also wanted to share a lovely gift that Jules made for me for quilting her quilt.........which turned out lovely and was well received by her mum!!

We had been talking about storing ribbons in a straw container, so Jules made me one complete with a pincushion on the top, some gorgeous ribbons inside and if you look closely the bottom is filled with pretty buttons. I love it, clever girl she is!!

Back to the sewing, cant wait to see how it will look when its finished......that is after a couple of games of "Go Fish" with the kids, we got a tournament happening here lol

Jule's Quilt!!

2009-05-22T10:48:00.006+10:00

This week I have had the absolute pleasure of helping Jules with the final stages of her first pieced quilt!! Apart from a slight problem with the backing (my fault) its all gone smoothly. She calls this her "ugly" quilt but I think its gorgeous......makes u wanna snuggle underneath it with a good book and a cup of chamomile tea.

I want to share her lovely piecing, even though she will be crabby at me, cause I know when its finished she will photograph it so far away that you wont be able to see it lol!!

She has pieced the blocks all by herself and I think she has done a wonderful job!! Her seams all lay lovely and flat and its been a pleasure to quilt.

I wont show the full quilt......Ill let her reveal that on her blog sometime next week!!

Im hoping that this will encourage her to try another (actually I'll badger her too lol). She has done a wonderful job and Im so proud of her!! Well done sweetie!!

The recipient of this quilt is just going to love it but Im guessing that after its finally finished, Jules might have a hard time giving it up!!

A Time For Home

2009-05-17T09:53:00.004+10:00

I can finally share the magazine project I was working on back in January. It was for the winter edition of Australian Country Threads and they asked me to design a cushion which included a winter quote. So here is my A Time For Home cushion:
A sweet little stitchery with a simple pieced border to add some warmth to any home over the winter months! It is always such a thrill to see how your project is featured in a magazine and I love how they presented it. This is the project page:

It must be so much fun to photograph these projects, they always choose such wonderful settings. And lucky me, it made the cover:

This edition is on sale from May 20 and it has some amazing winter projects to cosy up your home because........

.......we all need something to snuggle upon or under during those cold winter months, right??

Birthday Wishes

2009-05-07T13:47:00.003+10:00

To our wonderful husband and father, Les,

Happy 45th Birthday sweetheart!!

We love you for eva and eva and eva and eva and then some more!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

All our love, kisses and hugs,

Rose, Maddi and Cohen xxx

Machine Applique

2009-04-30T10:44:00.003+10:00

One of my very dear friends Leigh, has just brought herself a new machine (lucky girl!!) and wanted some tips on the machine applique stitch, so I thought Id share them here in case it helps out anyone else as well.

The blanket stitch on my Pfaff, has 2 spacing stitches and then it makes the blanket stitch. Once you know the rhythm of the stitch you will know when to turn your work as you applique.

I mainly use matching colour threads for applique. I do have a small stash of embroidery cottons which I use but I also use my quilting cottons because they have a lovely sheen to them and are so easy to work with.

Make sure you set your machine to the "needle down" if you have this function. It acts like an extra pair of hands, I love it (and Leigh I know you have this). Begin with the needle down, right next to the edge of the piece your appliquing but not on the applique, on the background piece.

Work your way around the shape slowly. Do not turn your work whilst it is stitching the blanket stitch. Only turn when it is making the spacing stitches.

I actually stop with needle down, lift the lever and move it into position. When you reach a corner like the petal above, try and make your last stitch the blanket stitch to secure the corner before moving onto the next petal.

And then hopefully you will end up with lovely even blanket stitching all the way around your piece. And dont be afraid of the smaller pieces, they are done exactly the same just sew slower and remember to turn only during the spacing stitches. Hope that helps!!!

Dresden Plates

2009-04-24T17:32:00.003+10:00

When I think of pretty blocks I think of the old favorites, Grandmas Fan, Flower Garden, Double Wedding Ring and of course the Dresden Plate. So I had to incorporate the Dresden Plate Block in my quilt for our new bed!

I have always used freezer paper to construct the blades and then handsewn them all together but then Anne Ida wrote up a tutorial to show me her method of maching piecing and its so quick and easy and not a piece of freezer paper in sight (yess!!!). She has posted the tutorial here and I will add it to my sidebar for anyone who might like to try this later on!!

The plates are designed for a 6" block but Im using a 9" block so that I have a nice wide space to quilt around.......hopefully with some free motion patterns! Between the blocks Im using a Jacobs Ladder variation:

These will frame the Dresdens nicely. Im really loving these fabrics!!

Im also still stitching the new BOM and its coming along well. Heres another peek at one of the blocks:

Cant wait to finally reveal this quilt and the story behind it (yesss there is a story!! lol)

Finally, I always love to see how others have made up one of my designs and yesterday I went out to Calico Crossroads with Jules and I saw Paulines version of my Picnic Quilt (excuse the photo, all I had was my phone):

It really is lovely, although the colours arent accurate in this pic. I just love it!!

Have a lovely ANZAC weekend!!

Some Much Needed Motivation

2009-04-18T14:34:00.005+10:00

Ive been in a bit of a slump lately, my mind flowing with ideas but I have yet to actually sew anything!! Our new arrival has given me some much needed motivation:

Our new bed has finally arrived!! I love the country look of timber, theres so much warmth and character......a great contrast to our old brass bed! So Im thinking a new quilt, as much as I love the Double Delight, Id like something soft and pretty.

A new tablerunner or tablecloth for the blanket box.

And maybe some new cushions, an assortment of sizes......Oh Les is gunna love having to take them off every nite!! lol

I have a stack of April Cornells "Natures Chorus" which is just so pretty and soft. I think Ill use these for inspiration.

Look out studio, here I come!!

Winners and Mail

2009-04-09T15:46:00.003+10:00

Im a bit late drawing my giveaway, life has been hectic this week.......the winners of my 2 new patterns are Lulu and SarahVee. Could you both please email me your snail mail details and I will send your patterns off for you!! Thanks to everyone who entered and left such wonderful comments!

Just want to share some mail with you. The lovely Isabella sent me some gorgeous silk embroidery threads:

Arent they gorgeous!! The colours are beautiful. They remind me of threads my Nan used to have. Dont think Ill use them, Ill keep them with all my antique sewing notions!! Thanks sweetie, you know I love them!!!

Then today I found a parcel in the mailbox from Fiona:

She is such a sweetheart, a wonderful surprise gift!! Look at all those yummy buttons.......(for those who know me well they can guess I just played with them all afternoon lol) and that lovely polka dot fabric (which Im hiding from Maddi) but have a look at the gorgeous little brooch. It is sooooo sweet. I love the dove!! Im going to put this brooch on my stitchery bag. Thanks so much Fiona, I feel special!!

Just want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Easter!!!!

(chicken courtesy of Cohen....and yes the eye fell off in the car somewhere but we love him just the same!!!!)

I hope to get some sewing done over the Easter break, but I think the kids have other plans!

Pack Your Backpack!

2009-04-03T13:25:00.004+11:00

I have a couple of pattern releases to share with you. The first is Pack Your Backpack. I designed this pattern with Maddi in mind. Her Grade 9 trip this year is 6 days in Queensland and I thought this might be practical for her as carry on luggage and also for keeping her hands free as they explore the theme parks etc.

She loves the bright colours of Arrin Turnmires Pack Your Bags fabric and mixed with some scraps of denim gives it that teenage look. Hopefully with a nice bright backpack she'll be easily spotted and wont get lost while she is so far away from us!!!! lol

It was the first time I have made a backpack so it was fun watching it all come together.........even putting in those metal eyelets for the cord!!!

The second pattern release is the Sleep Tight Cushion which appeared in Australian Country Threads last October!

If you missed that issue then patterns are now available, so you can make an early start on your Xmas sewing!!

Just leave a comment on this post and early next week I will draw 2 names who will both receive a copy of each pattern! Please remember to include your email address if you are a "no reply" commentor, so I can contact you!!

And just as a tease:

Im still stitching my new BOM! Can you guess the theme yet? I having heaps of fun designing the blocks, cant wait to share it all!!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Seeking Trish!

2009-03-29T20:56:00.003+11:00

Trish from Chesterfield VA, you have left a question on my last blog post and Im sorry I cant answer you as you are a "no reply" commentor!! Could you please email me at threadbarecreations@yahoo.com.au and I can help with your enquiry!!

To make it easier, I have added an email link in my right sidebar. Hopefully it will help anyone with a question and I will be able to answer you more efficentley!!

Easter Fun

2009-03-27T15:11:00.003+11:00

In an attempt to make a little more effort this Easter, i joined up to the Martha Stewarts Easter Workshop. We dont usually decorate the house but this year we decided to have a go!! The kids had a Student Free Day at school today, so it was a good as time as any to get started.

First we made an Easter Tree for the table:

Our decorations are store brought but it was great to watch the kids have fun with it. I love the way that even though Maddi is 14, she still loves to do these things!!! She had to make a little nest for one of the chickens!!!

Only thing we didnt think of is that when your sitting at the table it blocks the TV, aw well!!

Next on the list was a "practise run" of some cupcakes to take to the grandparents on Good Friday. Now the kids loved doing these:

Inside each cupcake is a solid chocolate egg "surprise". Id brought them a few different sprinkle toppings to decorate them........of course what would a child do?? Yep mix them up and use them all together!!! And of course, since these are only practice ones.......they get to eat them!!!

Last but not least, we hung a Paper Egg Lantern just outside the back door:

Its meant to go over a globe but we couldnt do that because of how are light is positioned!! Still have a few more activities planned for them over the coming days, some fridge magnets and photo frames. The house feels like Easter is approaching and the kids just love it!!

Off to try a cupcake!!

A Sea of Pink!!

2009-03-22T15:02:00.003+11:00

This morning, Maddi, my mum and myself participated in the 5km Walk/Run to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness. Despite the drizzle the event attracted over 2000 women of all ages and fitness levels!

TV personalities, Rebecca Gibney and Jessica Marais from "Packed to the Rafters" participated as well, both sharing stories of how breast cancer has affected the lives of peple they know and hold dear.

The streets of Launceston were a "sea of pink" for a little over an hour. It was a fun, easy walk (no we didnt run!!) and a great way to raise some money for a good cause.

Some people went to that little extra effort and co-ordinated head gear with their bright pink shirts. Still on the subject of pink:

A little sneak peek of a new design. Just the pattern writing to finalise, so pop back soon for a reveal and a giveaway!!

Seeking Margaret

2009-03-16T09:20:00.001+11:00

Margaret- Wodonga, you have left a comment on my blog regarding the Family Values BOM. I am unable to contact you because you are a "no reply" commentor. Can you please email me at
threadbarecreations@yahoo.com.au
and I will be able to help you out!! Thanks!

Postcard and A Little Visitor

2009-03-14T08:23:00.003+11:00

Still working on my new BOM, so not alot to share but I did finish a little block for Leanne for her postcard quilt. She has asked a few people to stitch one for her, sign it and leave a personal message. I was honoured to be asked to contribute a block for her quilt:

Thanks Leanne and I cant wait to see your finished quilt. It will be treasured Im sure!!

We also had a little visitor this week. Cohen's class is working on "writing to recount", so they all get a turn at bringing home the class puppy "Scruffy" for a few days and keep a journal of his adventures while he is there. This week was Cohens turn and he so excited.......that smile when I picked him up from school, priceless!!!

Cohen and Scruffy were inseperable, so he had lots to write and draw about. This is Cohens favorite picture, Scruffy trying on his glasses.

He really became one of the family, joining in on meal time conversations, watching TV with the family and helping out with the homework...............there was one very sad little boy yesterday when Scruffy had to go back to school!!!

Winners and New Projects!

2009-03-02T10:56:00.003+11:00

Remember that bundle of solid fabrics I brought a few weeks ago, well work has began on the new quilt. As soon as I saw Traceys quilt, I knew I had to make one. The original was made by Barbara Snyder Stoner in 1895 for her daughter and I just love it!!!

The quilt is called Philadephia Pavement and I have changed the colours a little from the original. Instead of the bright red I have chosen a burgundy and Ive used black instead of the deep purple. Its been fun watching this come together but progress has been slow.

Ive also been madly stitching away on a new BOM and Im really loving how this is going:

Just a little sneak peek for now but hopefully some full shots of the blocks in the coming weeks!! This is a little different from my other 2, its a little look into wonderful childhood memories!!

So its on to the winners of my Seasonal Sampler giveaway.........the RNG has chosen Tracey in CT and Fiona. Congratulations girls, an email is on its way to you both and a big thank you to everyone who entered!!

Seasonal Samplers

2009-02-23T13:04:00.004+11:00

I have always loved Samplers! Whenever we visit the old homes my eyes are scouring the walls for an antique sampler. I love that many of them were completed by very young girls. It was part of their education to stitch these little lovelies (cant imagine them being taught in school nowdays!!). The ones completed by older women were a chance to show off their fine stitching skills and of course tended to be more intricate!

So I have designed a set of Seasonal Samplers. First theres Autumn and Winter:

Each pattern comes with 2 complete alphabets. One is for you to add your name and date at the bottom and the other is if you wish to personalise your sampler by changing the description of what each season means to you!! Heres Spring and Summer:

There are 2 designs in each pattern and I have 2 sets up for "giveaway". Just leave a comment on this post and the RNG will draw 2 winners later in the week. Please remember if you are a "no reply" commentor to leave your email address as well so I can contact you! Good luck!

Thanks to everyone for the Anniversary wishes! I have not been able to reply to everyone's comment but they were truely appreciated!

20 Years!!

2009-02-11T18:53:00.003+11:00

On February 11, 1989 at St Johns Church, Launceston we were married. Today Les and I celebrate our 20th anniversary!!! A union which has grown stronger every single day... has been tested with up and downs but strengthened with compassion, respect, commitment, affection, patience and love!!!

We had always planned on renewing our vows at 20 years but as the date grew closer we both felt that the ones we made so many years ago were all we needed, they have served us well!! Now our life includes two amazing children and we work together as a family, everyday! On Saturday the four of us will celebrate!!

Tonight we looked through some of the keepsakes and photos from the wedding! I still have my dress and veil, even the ribbons from the car but I also have something else:

I loved our wedding cake, so simple and elegant and one of my families traditions was to keep the top layer to be used as the christening cake for your firstborn. For us that didnt come as easily or as quickly as we would have liked so the cake was almost 6 years old by Maddis christening!! (so yes she had a fresh cake lol) But I still have that top layer:

Apart from the discolouring (and the strong smell lol) its still pretty much intact!!

Les,
Happy Anniversary baby!!! Your my rock, my soulmate, my best friend, my life!!!
I love you, forever!!!

We walk this path together, today, tommorrow and forever.........stronger!!!
Rose xxx

Around The Garden

2009-02-08T14:02:00.003+11:00

During the summer months we spend the majority of our time outdoors, especially mealtimes, so our dining table doesnt get used much. It was time to design a quilt to pretty up the table...

This is "Around the Garden" a simple pieced and appliqued quilt. Ive used In the Pink 2 fabrics which are so pretty and I think it brings a touch of summer into the house.

The applique is only on the corners of the quilt so that your fruit basket or vase of flowers can sit in the middle. The pattern is almost finished, so stayed tuned for a giveaway in the next few days!!
Around our garden, things are a little grim due to the extreme heat we have experienced over the last couple of weeks but our apple tree is loaded with fruit and ready for some serious baking:

Our thoughts go out to all those Aussies who are experiencing the worst bushfires, heatwaves and floods at the moment. The loss of life and property is tragic and hopefully that much needed relief comes quickly!!

Border Love!

2009-01-28T10:22:00.004+11:00

A huge big thank you to everyone who left comments or emailed me about my Double Delight quilt. It looks lovely on our bed and I am so thrilled with it!! I have had a few requests to share my border measurements and I am more than happy to help! (there will be no actual measurements though, as mentioned before I did have to "wiggle" them a bit to make them fit). So heres what I did......

I made up all the border units first and then attached them to the quilt centre, to help with fitting them on. There were another 4 "Rolling Star" blocks for the corner units (I did have to introduce another green fabric, but it worked!). There were 70 more square in square units and...

.....66 more of the little spacers (the centre strips of the Nine Patches). For my quilt I used:

16 square in squares units and 15 spacers for the short sides
and
19 square in square units and 18 spacers for the long sides

The burgundy, cream and green strips were cut at 1 1/2" wide and attached and trimmed to fit. Then I attached all the borders to the centre of the quilt, carefully easing them on! I actually found that the short sides went on fine but the long sides required a little persuasion! I do hope that helps those who were interested!!

Im working on a magazine commission at the moment and it has been heaps of fun. I cant show you the finished project until later in the year but heres a little peek:

Back soon with some more designs and a look at what Im doing with those solid fabrics!!

Double Delight

2009-01-21T21:41:00.003+11:00

Taa Daah!!! Its finished.....my version of Bonnies Double Delight!!!!:

Ok, I didnt follow her border options......I really wanted a pieced border!! I spent hours trying to "mathematically" make them fit (Im so bad at Maths....... apparently!!!) so in the end, I just decided to go for it and it worked, only just:

It took a wee bit of persuasion but Im so happy I did it this way!!! The centre reminded me of a mosaic floor and I really wanted to keep this theme for the quilt, so I did some research (and made plans for retiling our front porch lol) and the result was perfect!!!! Then it was time for basting (Maddi and I did this together watching a DVD, "Remember The Titans".......thanks for your help honey, watch those pins though, they are dangerous!!!!)

Around 27+ hours of stippling later, my Double Delight was ready for binding!!! (half way through the quilting, Id really wished Id asked Santa for a long arm lol!!!) Finished, it now resides on our bed in its full glory, which is a little bittersweet:

For 12 years, this quilt (my first EVER full sized quilt) has been our bedroom quilt. This is fully hand pieced and hand quilted and made at a time when I could only cope with 3 colours at once in a design!!! This quilt symbolises many cold nights, fighting for its warmth (it is a little small), lots of afternoon naps, sleeping upright with sick babies ( a few times its been vomited on!!), nights when Les's snoring made me seek the couch (shhhhh lol), games of "hide and seek" (mums quilts make u invisible.....did u know that???), times when us adults have been ill and needed that extra comfort, forts made with this quilt and pillows....... but more importantly, tonnes of times this quilt has been wrapped around all 4 of us........our quilt, our family quilt!!! What memories will this new Double Delight hold for us in the future???

Thanks Bonnie!!!

Today Your 7!!!

2009-01-20T09:54:00.005+11:00

To our gorgeous little man,
Happy 7th Birthday Cohen!!!
Hope you have a wonderful day!!

We love you so much (and those dimples will get you anything!!!)

We are so proud of you and enjoy seeing life through your eyes!!

Watching you grow into a loving and independant soul, has been our absolute pleasure!!
Happy Birthday!!!

All our love, Mum, Dad and Maddi xxxx

Giveaway Winner!

2009-01-15T12:59:00.003+11:00

Its time to announce the winner of the Whirl Into Winter giveaway, but before I do I would firstly like to thank Debi for organising another successful bloggers giveaway and also to all those who left a comment on my post!! The response was over whelming and it was wonderful to read them all. There are so many milestones, events and achievements to celebrate in 2009, its a shame there could only be one winner!!

With this in mind, I decided to design a stitchery, using the theme of Tender Moments and offer it to all my readers as a free download:

Its called Lifes Treasures and you can download the complete pattern here. (just click on the link and look for the download file button!!). Its a small way of saying thanks to everyone who visits and comments and I hope you enjoy it!!

Now to the winner and according to the random number generator................congratulations Karen. I will send you an email and we can get your Tender Moments kit in the post!!!

Once again, thanks to everyone who entered!!!

Resolution Badge

2009-01-14T11:52:00.003+11:00

One of my tasks before the end of a year is to compile a list of UFO's in the hope that I can complete them. Anne Ida and I have been having big discussions on feeling guilty about starting new projects when our UFO lists are so big, but we have decided to make a a pledge to each other to work on the projects we love (without guilt) and finish everything we start in 2009!!

Anne Ida has decided to set this resolution in stone by designing a badge for our sidebars (isnt she clever???) If you feel its a resolution for you, please feel free to add it to your blog!!

Of course we will both be working on our UFO lists throughout the year but if we find a project we just have to do, we will!! Which makes me feel less guilty about this stash of solids I brought yesterday:

They are for a quilt that I fell in love with and just have to try!!! More on that later!!

Dont forget to check my blog tomorrow for the winner of my Whirl into Winter giveaway (there is still time to enter!!) and also a special surprise for all my readers!!

The Mystery Slowly Revealed

2009-01-09T20:37:00.003+11:00

Ive really enjoyed working on the Mystery Quilt! Parts 4 and 5 went together quite quickly and easily and they look great!!

The pink/burgundy started to grow on me and when they were sewn together I was actually quite happy with my fabric choices:

So while working on Part 6 some decisions needed to be made on the setting triangles. Bonnie had used pink and although I was happy with the fabrics Id used, I thought there was enough pink in mine, so I opted to continue with the cream:

And I think it works quite well, I really love this!! Now I just have to wait and see what options Bonnie posts for the borders.......cant wait!!

Mystery Quilt

2009-01-04T22:00:00.003+11:00

I decided to have a go at Bonnies Mystery Quilt, Double Delight. Its great as a summer holiday project and I was determined to only use fabrics from my stash. It makes it a little more challenging to pick fabrics without seeing the design or the finished quilt, so I tried to follow along with the colour combinations as best I could.

Part 1 was 120 cream, blue and gold square in square blocks. These went together quickly but I was happy when the last one was complete, only to discover........

Part 2 had 120 more lol!!! I had to use green instead of the brown because I dont have a lot of browns in my stash and what I did have were very different shades. The green is the only yardage I have used so far (still a little more trimming to be done here!!!)

Part 3 was 120, 9 patches and 80 cream blocks......these were fun and used up a lot of those old fabrics that have been lying around forever!!!

So I was excited this morning to see that Part 4 was up, just to see how these units all went together:

The Rolling Star block!!! Looks more complicated than it was......not sure about the fabric choices for the 9 patches now its together, but I think it looks ok!!! 29 more of these to do and then onto Part 5!!!

Bloggers Giveaway!!

2009-01-01T00:14:00.005+11:00

Its time for the Whirl Into Winter Giveaway and heres my prize for one lucky commentor:

Its a complete set of my BOM patterns for Tender Moments. Ive also included a few DMC threads and embrodiery needles to get you started. This quilt has special meaning to me and it is dedicated to my husband! 2009 promises to be full of wonderful new experiences and opportunities but one of the highlights for us will be celebrating 20 years of marriage in February.

To be in the draw just leave a comment on this post telling me which special event, milestone or achievement your family is celebrating in 2009!! Ill look forward to reading your comments! If you are a non-replyer please include an email address so I can contact you! The giveaway will be drawn on Jan 15. And just a reminder of which quilt the patterns are for:

Tender Moments

Good luck and dont forget to click on the link and check out the other bloggers giveaways!! Happy New Year!

This giveaway is now closed. For details of the winner and a special free download for those who entered click here.

Enjoying the Quiet

2008-12-30T09:59:00.003+11:00

Maria pretty much sums up how we all felt after a wonderful Xmas!! Santa was good to us all and we enjoyed yummy food and good company but since then we have just been relaxing and enjoying some family time at home!! Theres been a lot of reading and playing games (oh and I very quietly turned 41!!!) and nothing much planned until after the New Year!!

Dont forget to pop back on New Years Day for the Whirl In Winter Giveaway:

Debi has organised another fantastic bloggers giveaway between Jan 1 and Jan 15 with almost 60 bloggers participating, which is just great!!! Well done Debi and thanks for organising another bloggers giveaway!! It should be lots of fun!!

Hope everyone has a safe New Year and all the best for 2009!!!

6 More Sleeps!!

2008-12-19T10:38:00.004+11:00

(Sam the Elf, made by Cohen)

Its been a busy few weeks and today is the first day of the school holidays. The children have had a fantastic year at school and I want to congratulate them both on their awards and their school reports.....Mum and Dad are just so proud of you both!!!

There is still so much to do before the "big guy" arrives but we are looking forward to our holiday and some sewing time, especially since this arrived this morning:

"Swanky", Chez Moi newest line!! Maddi just adores their fabrics and we will be busy making plans for these Jelly Rolls. She has some ideas already......I just love to see her passionate about playing with fabrics (even if its just to order what she wants sewn!!)

Im going to take a blogging break till after Xmas, hopefully then I'll have something to share, but for now I'll leave you with a sneak peek of some new designs for 2009:

There are a few at different stages of completion which I will work on when I get the time:

I wish everyone a safe and peaceful Xmas and all the best for the New Year!!

Of Xmas Past

2008-12-08T12:20:00.007+11:00

There are so many beautiful Xmas trees and decorations in blogland. Our tree is a collection of Xmas's past. Lots of decorations the children have made at school over the years:

Its a wonderful reminder of the special Xmas's we have shared as a family. There are always stories told while setting up the tree and lots of "oh i remember making this in....." And then there are our little Xmas quilts:

I made one of these for each of us a few years ago and everyone gets to hang theirs on the tree.

Im not sure who's design these are but I remember there were in a magazine and I think they were stitchery patterns I converted to applique. Of course we do buy one store brought decoration each year for our tree and also for my MIL's tree (in rememberance of Poppy!).

This year Cohen decided our newest family member shouldnt miss out, so he took the little tree and put it in the sunroom with Maria:

Even though she much prefers all the dangly things on the big tree!!! lol

Stippling

2008-12-02T19:41:00.004+11:00

Ive had quite a few emails asking for some advice on stippling. Im no expert but I love to use stippling in my quilts, so I thought Id share what works for me and the things Ive learnt along the way, and hopefully answer your queries.

When I first started, I scoured the internet for information, watched a couple of quilting DVD's to find some tips but they all made it look so easy!!. Its been trial and error!! One of the most useful tips I found was to "draw your stippling":

We can always find time to doodle....while we are waiting for a "human" telephone operator (my phone book is covered in doodles lol), waiting in the car at school run, while trying to complete a crossword etc......just draw up a block and doodle in the stippling to fill it up!!!

Good tools are important to help make stippling relaxed and effective:

My machine came standard with the darning foot on the left but I much prefer the "open toe" darning foot on the right, which I purchased seperatley. It allows a better view of the area Im working on (but currently mine is broken......overuse!!!! and Im waiting on a new one from the shop!!). I prefer to stipple with my feed dogs UP, I feel I have much better control. One of the features of the Pfaff is that it has 2 presser foot settings, so I use the first niche and it works fine for me. If your machine doesnt have this feature, Id suggest you put your feed dogs down!

Always remember to take a few "bunny hops" to secure your stippling and if your machine has the "needle down" feature, use it because it anchors your needle when you need to stop.

Most important tip.......stippling is quick and fun and very "forgiving". The only rule is to not cross over your stitching but in the big picture, if you do...... keep going, no one will notice!!! There will be days when your stippling is nice and even and then days where its not (on those days, turn up the music and keep going!!!!)....its all about having fun and bringing that quilt top to completion.......Hope that helped guys, happy stippling!!!

Ben 10 Has Left The Studio...

2008-11-28T09:02:00.004+11:00

......and I bid him the fondest of farewells!!! This has been a challenge but I have enjoyed working on it. The bindings were finished late last night and I must say Im glad this quilt is complete but not as much as Cohen! He woke this morning to find it on his bed.

He has been extremley patient and I have enjoyed his visits to the studio, checking on my progress, telling me more than Ill ever need to know about Ben 10 and his efforts in helping me finish it for him!! Wonder if he will still visit as often, now he has the quilt? lol

This morning it has been dragged all over the house, which I love to see and Im sure if he could have fitted it in his schoolbag, it would have went with him!

Really there is nothing better than seeing them appreciate the hours that go into making them their own special quilt.......but next time Ill think very carefully before I say "Sure hun, you can have whatever design you want!!" lol

Stitching At Ross

2008-11-23T10:44:00.004+11:00

Yesterday Jules, Kerrie and myself heading to Ross for the Bloggers and Friends Gathering. It was organised by Jo and she did an amazing job....the day was so much fun. Thanks Jo!!

There were 19 of us and we spent our day in a lovely room at the Stables Bakery.

It was great to catch up with some bloggers we knew and to meet others and to see their gorgeous work in show and tell. Everyone kept busy, stitching and chatting!!

After a yummy lunch, some of the girls explored the shops of Ross (I think the dreadful weather stopped most of us!) and then there was a "Secret Santa" Fat Quarter swap and some wonderful lucky door prizes, kindly donated by The Quilted Crow and Helen from Hugs and Kisses:

A wonderful, relaxing and inspirational day..... I do hope it becomes an annual tradition!!

Ben and His Aliens!!

2008-11-14T19:02:00.004+11:00

The applique for Cohens quilt is finally complete. Ben and 10 of his Alien persona's:

Im happy this part of the quilt is over. There has been a lot of fiddling, a bit of ad-libbing and a touch of tweaking to make them look as close to the originals as I can, using fabric!

Cohen has been extremley helpful with colours and details that need to be there and he is being extremley patient!! He doesnt even mind that Ben looks like he has chickenpox lol (should have gone and brought some plain skintone fabric!!!).

So now all there is left is to set them. I have a plan which I think will work (loosely translated....Im winging each step of this quilt and hoping it will work!!)

Its difficult to find "boy" fabric to match but I opened a Jelly Rolly of Miss Jumps Scrapbag and the majority of the fabrics work. All i have to do is match some sashings and borders. Better get back to it, the " 6 yr old boss" is watching!!

The Dimples Made Me Do It!!

2008-11-08T20:25:00.004+11:00

Whats gunna happen when your 6 year old son sees his sister and her new quilt??? Of course he is going to ask for a new one for himself!!! So when Cohen came to me with his own ideas, how could I refuse, his dimples are to die for?? But I didnt fully realise what Id agreed to......he wants a Ben 10 quilt, complete with 10 of the Aliens Ben transforms into using his Omnitrix (an apparently, very powerful watch!!) to fight the evils of the world:

This is "Greymatter" and his claim to fame is thats hes small and smart!!!! OK. I could have stitched these, but Cohen is more impatient than his sister and I think the applique gives a much better result. I machine appliqued in black to emphasise each Alien hero:

This is "Heatblast" and he is able to expel flames from his hands, all for the good of the world and all that!!! (I had to use tweezers with some of these to get them into position!!!

And lastly there is "Wildmutt" apparently this creature can bite and claw his evil opponent....Im feeling safer, how bout u??? lol 3 down 7 more to go and then the centre block "BEN 10"!!

After a lot of indecision about this quilt, I embraced the challenge and who says it all has to be feminine and pretty......lets embrace the superheros and lets do it for those adorable dimples!!!

With love from Mum!!

2008-11-04T15:39:00.003+11:00

After a marathon quilting effort, Maddis Charisma quilt is complete, the bindings went on last night and she woke this morning with it wrapped around her:

There were squeals of excitement to find her quilt complete. She is going away on school camp tomorrow, which would have meant I had more time to finish it but I really wanted her to sleep under it for a least one night before she went:

She is so thrilled with it!! The colours are gorgeous and I tried a bamboo wadding this time. There was a little more movement than I would have liked but it quilted up lovely!!

All it needs is a label...I was going to do it today, but havent got to it yet, and now she is home Ill be lucky to get a hold of the quilt to sew it down. The majority of it is stippled (if I close my eyes I can see stippling lol):

It now takes pride of place at the foot of her bed, replacing her well loved Horsey quilt (which isnt that far away....folded neatly in the cupboard).

She wants some new cushions from the left over scraps but I think Ill take a few days break from the machine, at least until my neck and shoulders stop aching!!!