Easy Breezy Weekend.

The sun is shining outside today, what a perfect day for some sewing, looking at blogs and piano playing.

I don't have any interesting news except that our son is going to camp this week for the whole week.  This is the perfect time for me to get ahead with work stuff and sewing.

I have started the Dear Jane quilt with the corner blocks and one of the border triangles.  These are shown in the photo.  I have also made two little bags.  One which I sent to my mother for mothers day and the other I kept for myself.  It is such a handy size.  I use it to carry my lunch to quilting every Thursday.

This is the one I sent to my mother for mothers day.  I used the main fabric for the body rather than the pockets.  It is still pretty.

This is the one I made for myself using the same fabric as the other one but in a different arragement.

The rosellas have started coming to the garden now and they are staying longer.  They are funny to watch and each have different personalities.

The other day I spotted Toffee and Pip sleeping in Unison in the sun, so I took a photo.  

Bye for now

Autumn Activities.

It has been a very busy time for me since my last post. Apart from the regular work related activities, I have been progressing on my various projects and starting some new ones.

On the 2nd of May a friend (Leanne of Lizzie's Page) and I went to Campania for an Autumn Gathering hosted by "The Quilted Crow", a quilt shop in Hobart.  Two designers were invited to tutor various techniques.  They were Helen Stubbings and Natalie Ross.  I have not put photos of this day on this post as I know that there have been quite a few others who have put pictures of the day on their blogs.  

Helen tutored the technique called "Colourque" which she devised.  This involves colouring in a design with pencils and sealing the colour with a medium and then stitching around as you do with a stitchery.  The effect is a beautiful applique like effect.  I have started a project which is pictured below, I just have to finish stitching the green areas and then have to applique on some hearts onto it.

When I got home I pulled out an old unfinished bag project which I was going to applique.  This was perfect for this new technique so I started colouring the design.

As a pre mothers day present, I have just purchased some new yarn to knit a jumper.  It is italian wool with different coloured fleck through it.  I will start this after I have finished the other husband jumper I have been knitting.

I have also started making some Dear Jane blocks which are not ready for viewing yet.  Perhaps in a later post.

Happy Stitching to everybody.

Marina

Autumn Exitement!

I love Autumn!  The colours of the trees are just so beautiful and inspiring.  The days have been sunny and cool and nights have been cold.  Alot of knitting has been going on here and so to some planning of future quilts.  

The arrival of a parcel from America with the Dear Jane book I ordered was received with great excitiment as well as trepidation.  The more I studied the patterns and quilt itself, led me to think "Its not so difficult".  Then to my cupboard to pick out fabrics, what a delight.  A quilt that lends itself to any type of fabric colours.

  

The fabrics that I have chosen are a mixture of reproduction fabrics and non reproductions that all seem to blend in well.  I still need to find more golds and lighter golds. This project is a milestone if completed.  I was a Dear Jane sceptic but and now seeing the attraction that so many have with it.

The garden is awash with colourful trees and foliage.  Two dogs are having a wonderful time chasing leaves blowing in the wind.  Toffee the Labrador and Little Pip posed willingly for the photos.

I have been knitting a husband jumper for some time now.  It is 8 ply wool so it is very slow going.  Its the second jumper I have ever made.  Its good to do at night in front of the television.  

This portion of jumper is half of the front.  The back is finished and is done in the darker brown colour.  The sleeves will be striped. 

I am sooo looking forward to May 2 in Campania.  It will be like a holiday which is way overdue.

I hope everybody had a nice Easter.  We stayed at home and ate Easter eggs and I cooked a nice roast on Sunday.

Happy Stitching 

Marina

I'm still here!

It has been some time since my last post.  I began to feel strange and anxious about what to put on this one.  I am running out of photos so will have to take some more especially now that Autumn is here and the trees are starting to change colour.

I have been working of late and more projects are popping up some of them too good to turn down.  So I 

have been busy with that.  Although last week I was home alone while our son went to camp with school and my husband when to work (He works abroard).  I got a lot of things done workwise and some sewing progress was made.

There are only two truly scrumptious blocks to stitch before I can put the quilt together.  The photo below is of the four little lady heads that will be going in the corners in the centre of the quilt.  They are very cute even though they are not quite finished yet.

Last week we removed a very large radiata pine from our back yard.  It had become a big pain in the neck dropping needles and creating thick darkness, so out it came and the sun came through like a whole new world.  

The weekend was lazy so a pie was on order.  I made a delicious creamy chicken pie, with bacon, onion and mustard and three different types of cheese.

 

I have also been curious about a "Dear Jane" quilt.  I have ordered the book but as to whether I will make it is another story.  Perhaps one day, like all the other projects waiting to be made.

Signing off for now

Marina

Avalon Airshow 2009

Firstly, I would like to thank everybody who has made comments on this blog.  As a relative newbie to blogland, it is very exciting to hear from other bloggers out there.

Secondly, the subject of this post is the Avalon Airshow in Melbourne, Aust.  After meeting my husband at Melbourne airport we made our way to pick up a rental car and drove to our hotel for the night.  

Upon arriving at the Airshow the next day at 8.30 in the morning, we encountered a multitude of people in wet weather gear carrying umbrellas as the cold front approached with avengance.  We were unprepared for rain (how silly) but still made our way to the just arrived Qantas A380, which was absolutly HUGE.  We sheltered under the wing of something old and historic as the rain poured down.  A break in the rain appeared for a split second (few minutes in fact) as we ran to the shelter of the Lara Scout group tent where we stayed for nearly 2 hours with other soaked patrons.

Here come the rain clouds

Temporary shelter under wings.

After the rain cleared (or was reduced to spits every now and then) we were able to watch the flying of the A380 as it left to go to Sydney and the aerobatic stunt planes and jet fighters.  

Apart from the wet weather, the day was worthwhile and interesting.  We boarded a plane back to Tassie that evening and were back home by about 9pm.  It was nice to be home.  My Son and I are not very good travellers but rather a pair of homebodies. 

I have pulled out heaps of patterns that I have accumulated over the years and have been debating what to make with my newly aquired sachet potpouri fabric.  I have decided on a Rabbit Factory Pattern called "Blooms all Around".  It is really pretty.  I plan a weekend sewing marathon to get my BOM's up to date and perhaps start this new quilt.

So I will bid you all farewell, and send best wishes to everybody.

Bye Bye for now

Suprises Surprises!

What a great couple of few days this week.  I have just picked up two quilts from the quilter.  One is A Gardeners Journal and the other is Teddy's Garden Treasures. 

 

They both look excellent, the quilting is amazing.  Now, to sew on the binding and have them ready for exhibition in September for LPQ (Launceston Patchwork and Quilters).

Two parcels arrived this morning.  The first was the newest Homespun Mag and the other was fat quarters from the US.  

The fabric range is called Sachet Potpouri from Marcus Brothers.  The colours are so beautiful.  I have just the perfect pattern in mind.  I also received the last installment of the Truly Scrumptious BOM.  

Will be attending Avalon Airshow with husband and son this weekend.  That should be exciting, we have never been to an airshow this big before.  Have not had a holiday for many years.

Apart from that I will be sewing all weekend as always.  

Signing off for now, back to work I go.

Lovely Patterns!

Hello everybody.  It has been a very busy week or past few weeks I should say.  My computer was in a thousand pieces on the kitchen table a couple of days ago while a technician changed parts and adjusted faults.  We are now back in action.  There has not been much production in terms of quilting, but I have bought some new patterns from The Rabbit Factory and a new book from Bronwyn Hayes.

I am still knitting a jumper for my husband.  It is my second jumper and very slow going in 8 ply.  A photo of the finished piece will appear in the future.  

I have also been teaching myself how to use Photoshop through various tutorial magazines etc and it is a lot more difficult than I thought.  I will persevere because it is amazing.

Autumn is apon us and some of the trees in our garden are starting to change colour and we are getting visited by parrots and other birds.  It is a very beautiful time of year.  signing off for now, Happy Stitching to all of you out there.