29 March 2012

Oh Look - It's my Anniversary.....

This time last year I sat at my laptop in fear and trepidation and wrote my first Blog Post.  And I worried about what would happen when I pressed that POST button on the bottom of the page.

12 months later and I have shared much more than a tip or two.  I have let you look through a small window into my life here in the place I call home - Melbourne, Australia.

So, Thanks for dropping in on my ramblings over the past year.  Some of you have become faithful 'followers' some have grown to be friends, some just lurk in the background and enjoy what ever it is that brings you back.  I certainly hope it is my quirky sense of humour or is it that you just don't quite know what I will come up with next!!!

'Til next time, keep smiling. Cheers Wendy

28 March 2012

It's Finished

Last week I put the last stitch into my very beautiful "Under the Australian Sun" Quilt.  It was certainly the most binding I have ever sewn and it took me 4 nights to hand stitch it.

Designed by Leesa Chandler to showcase her range of Australian Wild flower prints, featuring the spectacular Waratah, Kangaroo Paw and Flannel Flowers.  I chose the Brown/Orange colour-way rather than the Black and Red to compliment my furniture.






At 93" x 88" I decided to entrust it to Desley from Addicted to Quilts in Melbourne who beautifully quilted it in an all over windblown leaves pattern.  I think it compliments the backing fabric perfectly.





I tweaked the design of the quilts block and pieced the backing giving an added bonus, the quilt is also reversible!



OK.... I am really pleased with the result so here is another photo.....   ;-D



And I would like to thank Desley for turning my Quilt Top in to a beautiful Quilt.

21 March 2012

By the time I'm finished I'll need another cuppa....

G'day all!

I have been just a tad busy this week - or you could say  I have been 'bound up' in my work.  Yes I have been binding Quilts. All up I have made about 25 meters of binding.

I must admit it really is an AWESOME feeling to see your Quilt tops become Quilts! I got a couple back from being professionally quilted last week (I will show you more on them later)....
and have made my first Aussie Hero Quilt which is now sitting in it's box ready to post off.
 
I have also had a bit of fun finding fabric that could bring a smile when the Laundry Bags are being collected.  What better subject than the 'Gnome-some Traveller' with his very own (Army Issue Green) Laundry Bag!
Well, it has just started raining so it looks like I have the perfect day to sew. Hmmm Laundry Bags or binding or will I be really radical and cut out a new quilt entirely.....decisions decisions!

14 March 2012

I am so proud of him.....of all of them

Photo from "The Age" on line
"We're right now - the Big Boys have arrived!" was a statement I heard last week, in an online interview recorded in a small country town that was besieged by flood waters. My Nephew was one of those 'Boys' who came, sent from a Victorian Army base to help with sandbagging against the impending flood.
With the water not 20 meters from his tent he sent home a message...
 "It's going to be a long night".
                               *********
Then the very same day I had an email come through from *Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags) about how I could help make life a little more comfortable for our troops overseas.
So....  I have pulled out my Orphan blocks and started to put them together to make some quilts to send and have 'enlisted' a non quilting friend (yes, such a creature does exist) into making laundry bags.

This week I have been working on some Pink and Mauve "Drunkards Path" blocks (not all Heroes are Guys!) and next week I plan to pull out some of those excess blocks from a quilt I started a couple of years ago.  I realised the quilt was going to be WAY to big when I found myself moving the furniture to lay it out on the lounge room floor!  Oh well! At least they now have a purpose in life...
I may not get many done before the April 15th cut off date - but every little bit helps. And I can keep working for the Christmas shipment!





*Want to know more? - See Link on my sidebar to their Blog!

10 March 2012

Look who dropped in for a drink ....

It is always a fantastic feeling when you glance up from having a cuppa on the deck and find you have company.
This little guy flew in for a quick drink and was then on his way to catch up with a friend over the fence.

He is a New Holland Honey-eater and is found in gardens where Grevillea and Banksia are found.
Hmm... just might plant some more Grevillea if it means more of these little visitors.

8 March 2012

A little pack of Inspiration just landed in my letterbox...

When you are sick (I've had a rather nasty dose of Laryngitis all week, with a cough that could mimic everything from a Performing Seal to yes, a 'Dying Duck in a Thunderstorm'!)
It is always very lovely to have the Postie bring something unexpected.
Today my Newsletter from Logan's arrived with it's pages full of lovely new fabrics with samples to finger.

Oh how timely seeing all I wanted to do today was to go to the LQS and see if there was anything new.
Maybe here will be just the thing to use for the new Mystery "Forget Me Not"?

And, I will eventually collect enough of these lovely 5 1/4" Charm Square samples to make a fairly decent sized "I Spy" Quilt!  Oooh I so love usable samples.