Shake a Tail Feather....

Which is what I am going to have to do if I am going to get this Quilt finished in time for it's appointment with the Quilter!

Ever since I first started working on "Sing Me a Song" with my little 'Steampunk' style Bird, I just felt that he was missing something.

I set about asking, searching, drafting, photographing and googling in the search of a suitable 'rear end' for my bird.

Finally coming up with this wing and tail combination.

Don't worry --- I didn't destroy my block
I had a 'brilliant idea' !
(Well, I thought it was brilliant)
I photocopied the block,
Then cut out the pieces I wanted to alter - all without removing a single stitch.

I also copied the fabric that I wanted to use.

At 100% scale and in Colour, it gave me the advantage of "Having my fabric... and using it too!"

and what's more....
When I fussy cut out a piece and it didn't look right...
I just stuck it back into the page and cut out another one!

As you can see, my fabric would have been quite a mess in the quest to find the perfect Tail-Feathers.

Now I think That looks better!


And he can continue to sing to his little Heart's Desire!

I Spy.....

It has been finished and carefully wrapped up for ages, and now I can finally share with you the completed I Spy Quilt that I had been working on.

The problem with making a quilt for someone who you know has read your Blog, is that you can't post about it - or show it off - until it has been given....

It is intended to be a play-mat with lots of things for the 3 older children to find and teach the new arrival as she grows.  And in true play tradition -  I chose a backing of deep blue with silver stars so it can become a canopy of starlit Night Sky.

Did they like it?
Well, I think little Willow looks a bit ticked off that the older siblings had appropriated it so soon...


The last I saw of it - it was draped above the dining room chairs, underneath was stuffed full with every cushion in the house and a giggle of girls!

Getting Organised Pt 1

I like to be organised... 

this is a task that I fail miserably at... 

but I keep trying.

I know there will be LOTS of crafty ones out there that have already come to the same conclusion that I did last week... So I am going to share this with those of you who haven't!

And that is .....  Scrapbooking Paper Storage Boxes make ...

AWESOME block boxes!

 And Work in Progress Boxes!

And
"I bought all the fabric - Now what am I going to do with it?" Boxes....

And...
UFO boxes!

Ok, maybe that one isn't technically a UFO - it's more of a
"I bought a Kit and haven't had time and /or space to get back to it without interruptions" box
- but that doesn't fit on the label!

....you get the idea!
And they all stack up nicely.
(Can't show you a pic. of that 'cause I only have one box)
Yep.... real organised!

Cat in the Hat rescues Quilt...

This time last week I posed two questions, and received some great suggestions back, but ultimately it was my decision.

And that decision was..... 

...Pull it out - and do it again!

My Dad would say, If a job is worth doing it is worth doing well, and that applies to Quilting as much as it does to your daily 'Desk Job'.
So the Orange got tossed in the Scrap basket and the search began for the right fabric.

I was chatting to the ever helpful team from Logan's when I spied the "THAT'S IT" fabric sitting on the back of the stand at the craft show last Saturday.

This Dotty Blue Background from the Cat in the Hat range was perfect for the style of Quilt that I wanted to achieve.

The blocks went together reasonably well considering the (hideous) amount of bias seams that were involved.

...I saw a bug... and I jumped on it.....

The family all like the new colour scheme  and have been making comments about what it could represent -
(it even got Spike's seal of approval).



But the best came from DS#2 who stated :-

"Mum - That's what happens when you drop a "Bugs in Bottles" Quilt!

Curve Challenge Pt 2

I have cut out all the pieces for the blocks, some of which were rather tight curves, so when the standard small rotary cutter couldn't handle to job - I went looking for something smaller.  I found this at Spotlight in the Scrapbooking section.
Works for me (and Rita - my Hand Model)

The piecing is going together wonderfully with the help of the "Curve Master" accessory that I pulled out from the 'useless gadget' drawer.


The problem that I am having is:

1.  The fabric that I bought to use as background takes up (OK - shrinks) when I touch it with the iron - not to mention when it gets wet. - I know - I should have pre-washed it, but the test piece didn't shed dye when I tested it so I forgot to check to see if it had shrunk as well.  I also SHOULD have realised something was not quite right when I couldn't line up the selvedges!

2.  I think it may be a little bit TOO Orange - and that Blue would have been a better choice, after all the design is intended to be an Island.

So what do I do?

I can cut my losses on some rather not-cheap fabric and redo the background. - Wash and re-cut/re-use the fabric in something else.
OR
Continue on with the project, and Quilt the daylights out of the background in the hope that it may stay put when the quilt is washed.

So you can see my dilemma - In the meantime it stays on the floor, threatening to become a UFO until I can decide what to do!

Hmmm.. Any Suggestions??

No, seriously.......

... I am just trying to get to the QANTAS terminal!

Photo from The Hume Leader News

An Eastern Grey Kangaroo was found wandering on level 5 of Melbourne International  Airport (Tullamarine) Car park  this morning.  Staff, once alerted to his presence, cordoned off the area and called Wildlife Victoria, who tranquilised the bewildered 'roo before taking him off to a vet for a checkup prior to releasing him back into the bush.

I am sorry to advise my international readers that this is not a common occurrence, and usually the only Kangaroos at Tullamarine Airport are the flying variety!

But, having driven up onto Level 5 of that car park - It leaves me wondering ... How on earth did he get that far without being noticed?

Hmmm - was he was heading for 'Departures' ?

- maybe he'd just arrived!

Curve Challenge

Well, I suppose - seeing that I suggested the Challenge, I'd better participate, so when I found this really fun fabric - with lots of curvy bits on it - I just HAD to have some.

A couple of Shows ago, I bought a template set for a "Snake's Trail" block, and I thought this was just the project to use it.  

To get the idea 'down on paper' I had a play in EQ6.  But first had to draw up a block so that I could play with the design.
It was worth the time it took when the alternative was drawing and colouring each idea separately - over and over again!
(Oh yes, definitely - been there done that!)

Cutting the pieces individually is time consuming but I was able to place the template more precisely and cut out enough blocks from what was actually - not enough fabric.

One trick I did come up with was to number each block, then cut the pattern apart and pin them to the blocks as they were being cut and constructed.  

Well, at least I'll be able to see which bit now gets sewn to what and hopefully not get in too much of a muddle. 

That being said - I had better get on with actually making the top, before my time runs out!