Back in the Garden.

Autumn in Melbourne really is the Best time of year!

Cold Mornings herald Beautiful afternoons and promise Crisp Evenings that are Perfect for sleeping.

Coupled with a dryer than usual April - it makes Very good Gardening Weather.

Last 'Working Bee' had us digging out trees that were not quite working.
Neither Bird nor Bee were interested in the meagre blooms it struggled to make.

That done - it was time to tidy things up!

This area has become a place to put the stuff that doesn't have anywhere else to live - INCLUDING the old Gazebo!

Today's task is about making this unloved back corner into something that ties the whole Garden together.

DH moved things out to - - I have no idea where!

We re-levelled the Old Gazebo frame and moved its supporting fence across a section, which opened up the view considerably.

Did a Lot more Weeding
And went for Coffee at Bunnings...

(Do you think he may suspect I had an ulterior motive?)

Some beautiful new Nectar rich Aussie Natives to fill in the gaps.

And all those Things that had nowhere to live?
They just needed to feel useful again!

All that was required was a few seedlings, some markdowns, and even things that just needed repotting.

There is a lot we can't do until our rear fence is replaced (hopefully soon) but until then - It is a Start! .....

One of THOSE Days . . .

It really is not supposed to be this difficult - Is it?
You have a great pattern, Your Feature Fabric has been in your stash for not that long.

So WHY is it so hard to choose Fabric?

For me- it is the worry that I will make a very expensive mistake and end up with something that just doesn't work.

So it stays in the too hard basket.

I have been agonising over such a Quilt for months or is it years?

Time to get it off the shelf and into the TBQ* box.

[*To Be Quilted. I have a box for tops I have finished and they are waiting to be quilted when they are needed.]

With some help from my (always coordinated) DH, we laid out the fabric choices on the floor and played around with 'What goes Where' until we were both happy.

Cutting out the blocks should not be difficult or time consuming,  That is until I discovered that there was a printing error on one of my rulers....

The ¼ and ½ lines are ⅛ of an inch out, sitting on the ⅛ and ⅜ positions!

Cutting the Sashing strips took more time and a LOT more frustration.

The Pattern said I needed 32 x 1½ inches WOF cuts - I had enough fabric for 30, I was 3 inches short!
No time to fret. I didn't want to start cutting only to find I couldn't get any more fabric so - Off to the Shop I went (an hours drive away...) hoping that the small bolt would still be there.

SUCCESS! And I got some fabric for the Border - Now I can relax.
Now I can start cutting my Strips.

Put my Audio Book on and - No?
DS#2 is working from home today and it will distract him.
Put the Ear buds in - That's better.
Well - I don't need to tell you what happened next. As they say a picture is worth 1000 words.
What was I saying earlier about expensive mistakes?
Fortunately I managed to stop the rotary cutter before severing the cable completely and one ear still works.

The Quilt sewed together quickly - an advantage of working with big blocks and large prints. And the sashing looks really good between the oriental fabrics.
I had decided to cut the strips as I needed them and when I finished.....
I had 12 inches of my Original fabric left over!

Oh - and the Fabric I picked up for the  border - would have looked good as a small piece IN the quilt but not for a 7 inch border AROUND it.

SO - I will have to go back to the Shop and find a Suitable Border Fabric

Yep - It was just NOT my day!

ANZAC Day

We WILL Remember Them...

We WILL Thank Them . . .

Lest We Forget

Australian Quilt Convention 2018

Never say Never!

Not so long ago I said I would never

 'Be good enough' to enter a Show. 

But I got brave enough, 

took a big deep breath 

and did!

And of course I said I would Never win a ribbon.

But..... 

Someone liked my Quilt and - I did!

And not so long ago I replied to a friend's question saying I would NEVER have a Quilt on display at the AQC.

(The Australian Quilt Convention - Held in Melbourne Australia, is the largest Quilt Show/convention in the Southern Hemisphere.)

And the Moral of this Post is . . .

Never say NEVER.

I will admit that I was 'blown away' when I received a letter from the Victorian Quilters requesting My Istanbul for display in the

 "Best of the Best" 

at this year's Australian Quilt Convention. 

(There was a bit of scrambling to be done - Retrieving it from my DS & DIL.  Having it Valued etc which was all a bit nerve wracking.)

And here it is, hanging in some awesome company.

And standing back, just another quilter in the crowd - watching and hearing snippets of conversations and wonderful compliments.... Made me feel Happy that other people liked it too!

Thank you!!!