Friday, July 6, 2012

Making plans

Let’s be honest, what passionate quilter isn’t planning her next project even as she’s beavering away on her current one? {Yep. I see you nodding}

When my English Quilt buddies gathered recently several were absolutely bursting with future plans.

Robbie’s about to immerse herself in a glorious heap of applique with these “Aunt Millie’s Garden” blocks by those Piece o’ Cake girls, Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.

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She’s even started putting together her delicious collection of fabrics, and isn’t that one of the BEST parts of planning a new quilt?

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She says she’s going to make this cute Paper Dolls Play Book for her granddaughter, but I wonder if it’s really for herself! {Or is that just me???}

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I used to love playing with paper dolls as a little girl, dressing and undressing them, and the pocket inside the cover of this book holds a generous enough wardrobe to amuse any little girl (or ‘old girl’!) for hours.

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A little further down the track Robbie has dreams of making this stunner as well, and she probably will. And she’ll do all the quilting by hand, mark my words.

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Jill’s plans involve using these fun nursery fabrics in quilts and cosy wraps for her expected grandbaby. As you can see, she’s going to be well prepared whether this bub is a boy or a girl.Collages2

Back from her safari in Botswana, Anne wasted no time picking up her Lynne Alchin-designed quilt again. Love that fussy-cut centre!

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Also ‘out of Africa’ was Wendi who’s been away from us for far too long. Ask her what she’s working on and she’ll extoll the virtues of English paper-pieced scrappy stars as a wonderfully soothing pastime and a perfect project to pick up whenever there’s a spare moment. She says she has enough stars finished to make at least three large quilts!

But why stop now?

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It might not look exactly like the real thing (photographed on safari by Anne) but don’t you think Lyn’s Sue Spargo woollen giraffe is going to look wonderful on her Folklore quilt?

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Because it’s always nice to have a “slow burner” on the go (as my friend Erica has dubbed them) Robbie’s quietly working away piecing tiny scraps of fabric into the jazzy quilt seen here in her photo. When does that girl sleep?

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Finally, what was I doing, you ask? Apart from admiring everyone else’s creative efforts and taking the photos, I spent a little time putting the finishing touches to this young fella for the St Luke’s craft stall.

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Awww, I know he looks a little sad but trust me, from another angle he’s actually smiling, and I’m sure he’s very happy with his new owner and getting plenty of cuddles in bed on these chilly winter nights.

Di

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Retail Therapy

We have just a few items left from our hugely successful craft stall for St Luke’s Care last week and, rather than find space to store them till next year’s fundraiser, we decided to offer them to you!

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We felt the easiest and fairest way to do this was to list them on eBay as fixed price – “Buy it Now” – items, and you can find them  here.

We’re in Sydney (Australia) but we’ll be very happy to post to most overseas destinations, and the good news is that shipping won’t cost too much because our goodies are all quite lightweight.

So, do you fancy a little retail therapy Be right back ?

Speaking of shopping, as part of our ‘recovery program’ after the fundraiser, Di B and I tootled out to Patchwork Products last week.

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With the end-of-financial-year sale in full swing it was a great chance to stock up on new fabrics for St Mark’s Quilters to make into Blankets of Love for RPA Newborn Care, and kindy quilts for the tots at The Marcia.

A few of these came home with me too, for a Top Secret Project!

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Now you know why we need the storage space Smile

Di

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Thank you!

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Brrrrrr!! Big Ted and I nearly froze our little socks off as we set out very early on Monday morning for the Card Day organised by the Rose Bay Committee for St Luke’s Care.

After sewing, knitting, and stuffing* toys for weeks (and weeks!) Di B and I had stuffed* her car to the limit with our treasures, tables, hangers and all the paraphernalia  for our stall, and we were just a little excited once we had it all laid out. So excited, in fact, that we completely forgot to ask someone to take a photo of the two of us on the day!

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We had lots of help…

Others on the Committee had made those cute little monster softies, and cooked delicious meringues, cheese biscuits, marmalades and chutneys, and Di B’s mum, Margaret, had made jars and jars of her lemon butter and green tomato pickles (and she grew the lemons and tomatoes herself!).

Two of our St Mark’s Quilters (also Committee members) helped too - Di C donated four beautifully made baby quilts, and Moo made four of her baby playmats in bright fun fabrics, as she does every year.

Thank you everyone!

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Even the job of keeping our money safe through the day was made easier with the multi-pocketed sewing aprons Linda gave us a couple of years ago.

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Finally, you – yes YOU, my wonderful bloggy friends – are to be thanked for all your encouraging comments, support, prayers and general warm fuzzies. Mwah!!! XXXX

The craft stall was a HUGE success this year, and raised MUCH more for St Luke’s than it ever has before. Indeed, the entire fundraising event yielded a great result and will enable the hospital to buy more hand-held scanners to use with their state-of-the-art computerised sterilising system.

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And another Thank You, this time to all of you who were kind enough to vote for my quilt “Alhambra Romance” in the “Favourite Applique Quilt” section of the latest Bloggers’ Quilt Festival run by Amy of Amy’s Creative Side. My quilt didn’t win, but it was a thrill just to have made it into the finalists.

Amy will be featuring interviews on her blog with some of the entrants, and if you keep watching one day you might see a mention of someone you know Winking smile

Di

* Just quietly, we were rather stuffed by the end of the day too!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

For “techie babes” - and tiny babes

Covers for Kindles and Ipads

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Applique baby singlets

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Beanies

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Patchwork balls for little hands

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Owl Backpack Buddies

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Sock Monkeys

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And bears (do we have bears!)

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… and anything else we can finish before tomorrow’s big day Open-mouthed smile

Di

Saturday, June 23, 2012

These should brighten up a few kitchens

Appliqued Tea Towels

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Insulated Heat-resistant Trivets

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‘Cupcake’ Potholders

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…and Owls

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Oven Gloves (yes, that is potato-print fabric)

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And Oven Mitts

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And what self-respecting market stall would be without a pretty covered coathanger (or 30!)

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Di

Friday, June 22, 2012

Only 4 more sleeps (3 if I don’t get to bed soon!)

With Monday’s fundraiser fast approaching we’re putting those final touches to our stall goodies, tying bows, and wrapping what we can in cellophane and colourful curling ribbons.

In addition to yesterday’s items we have gifts for golfers -

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Golfers’ Hand Towels

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Clip-on Water Bottle Holders

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Cards Compendium

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For the dining table -

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Christmas Table Runners

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Placemats

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Drink Coasters

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Even a couple of really useful over the shoulder tote bags -

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But wait, there’s even more Winking smile

Di