The blogmeet...

What a lovely day we had, it was fabulous meeting so many crazy/lovely bloggers but there were so many there I feel I didn't really get to speak to everyone a lot. Maybe next time.....There are lots of photos around on the various blogs and once again I forgot my camera but you can find other reports and photos here....

Trashy, Four Wise Monkeys, Rousabout, Sonya, Our Shabby Cottage, Annie's Flower Garden, Silly Gilly Kids, Scrapbag, Ric Rac, Thornberry, Two Cheese Please, Little Red Hen, Janey's Relaxation, Nicole M Design and Don't Look Now.

A special thank you to Sonya who told us where to find a berry farm with the most delicious berries, loganberries, youngberries, boysenberries red currants raspberries but I added the strawberries.....guess what I had for tea with yoghurt.......yummo!

And of course to Jodie for organising the whole thing and for the new bits to add to the stash.....

Of course I couldn't walk out of Ballarat Patchwork without some fabric.....

These are for Magoo who is half made.

My name is...

Bernadette and I am an addict.....a fabric addict!

My friend Kerry and I had a lovely pre-christmas day out on Monday. First stop for the day was to Amitie. Neither of us had actually been to the shop before, we just loved their stands at the craft shows. Talk about overwhelming!!! We didn't know where to start there were just soooo many gorgeous fabrics, how could you pick a few to have a piece of?

So we decided the only thing was to find a quilt we loved, buy the pattern and some fabric for the quilt. I picked a quilt with aquas/blues and browns, a very striking masculine quilt, Saville Row by Judy Newman. Mine won't be quite as masculine as it's for me but I have always loved aqua or blue with browns and pink with browns so a pink and brown quilt will be on the agenda soon too.



I won't show you the fabrics as they are a mess now, but this is the start of my quilt.

Kerry has said that we can't go back until my quilt is finished, so I am on a mission. She didn't mention hers...vbg. Kerry chose a gorgeous quilt that was made up of Churn Dash blocks in the Denise Schmidt fleamarket range. Kerry (and I helped of course) picked out fabrics in lots of threes and I think she ended up with 9 different combination of 3 co-ordinating fabrics, can't wait to see hers together except then I know I will want to make one of those too.. and I do keep thinking about that quilt with the Liberty's.....

Next stop was Somerset Patchwork. Although very different this shop was also quite overwhelming (for two lovers of repros) as it was full of reproduction fabrics arranged by colour...where to start here??? We both ended up with last months fabric pack of 1800's which contained lots of the Vicksburg range, brown and blues. I also signed up for the mail outs which are 16x 10" squares bi-monthly as well as assorted 20cm lengths some eighths and a couple of packs of the previously mentioned poison green and cheddars.

Oh did I forget to say.........


this was the very first thing we saw in the front window.....I fell in love with this very antique looking quilt from Kaye England's Back Home Again fabric range available as a kit or BOM.
Guess what Santa might be putting under my christmas tree....

BTW if you haven't jumped over to Kerry's blog yet hop on over as she is having a Christmas giveaway...but you have to be quick it ends tomorrow.

Blogging good fun at Jodies.

I said I would tell you about the get together at Jodies...

I was invited along with some other local bloggers to Jodies for a day of.....sewing...talking....eating and fun! It was a fabulous day the girls were all great and Jodie is so very generous and THE BEST cook of shortcake and sausage rolls. I must get that recipe! She also has a project in the latest Patchwork and Stitching magazine, a gorgeous ballet bag which she gave me the pattern (and the left over fabric) for so I could make one for Isabella's 3rd birthday, thanks also to Kathryn for the bling button which was in her "shop".

We also helped ourselves to pieces of Jodie's felted jumpers stash to make our own snails....Kathryn's turned out much prettier than mine who still is blind, but aren't snails blind? They do look much cuter with eyes however. I am not saying anything about Annie's except that she must have large snails in her garden!!!! She was working on a beautiful red and white quilt, I just love it and now I am placing an order for some Kristen Doran Ladybugs fabrics. Kathryn made a gorgeous shabby purse for her glasses and Rachel stitched a beautiful redwork stitchery, she does the loveliest stitcheries. Kate made an appearance after lunch.

Jodie asked us to bring some bits and pieces we no longer wanted or needed so we also played "shops" and swapped bits...however I am sure I bought home a lot more than I went with!!

Thanks girls for the best day and a special thanks to Jodie for making it all happen.

Some Eyecandy

First of all go and have a look at my friend Kerry's gorgeous new pattern.... she is giving one away if you can come up with a suitable name.

There are so many talented and creative people out in blogland, it's just amazing. The thing I find most pleasing to me are there are so many younger crafters out there......yay!! A few of them I have already discussed here but there is one I have been visiting lately that I just love. Kellie does some gorgeous quilts has lovely lovely quilting and I really love the way she puts colour together.....do yourself a favour and go and have a look at her blog........http://dontlooknow.typepad.com/

Go and say hello to Kelly

Kelly has just joined blogland! Go on over and say hello to her. Tell her I sent you...lol... and ask her to explain the name of her blog....if she will!
Oh and Sharon said I don't put enough photos of Saffron on my blog...so just for you Shan.

The point of no return.....

Point Impossible? Pointless? Get to the point??? Point Taken? What I am rambling about ? All shall be revealed in due course.





To start the story I had a thought on Friday.....TOWEMOTM (the one who earns most of the money) had to work on Saturday.....hmmm.......no males, cold weather and bacon bone soup cooking all day = sewing day. So I emailed Kelly who had been emailing me asking me quilting questions (which I then asked Rachel -thanks Rachel) and asked if she and her MIL my friend Sharon would like to come up for a sewing day so it was arranged.



Shortly after ten saw them arrive laden down as if they were coming for the weekend. I had everything set up and away we went with Sharon protesting the whole time that we had to have a cuppa first...lol....she doesn't know me when I get into a sewing mood however Kelly was of a like mind and away we went and started WITH not after cuppa!!!




So now we come to the title of this blog entry. Here are Sharon's lovely blocks. They were started as a mystery quilt quite a while ago now but she had been sick for quite a while and was unable to finish the quilt. I decided the time was right to crack the whip and get this quilt together so I suggested she bring it with her. It is going to be a very pretty quilt when it's done and will look lovely in her bedroom with the grey carpet and walls.

However as Sharon is a reasonably new and inexperienced quilter.....well some of the points had gone missing and by the time I saw them it was too late to do much about it. So we were trying to decide what to call the quilt. Sharon has a good sense of humour and as the quilt police don't live at or visit her house well who cares about points!! Does anyone else have any suggestions......we would love to hear them.

BTW we ended up with all the blocks finished and the top three rows together with me pinning and Sharon chain piecing. Only three more block rows (with sashings) to go. The finished quilt can be seen in my November 2006 post.



Here are Kelly's gorgeous Kaffe Fassett blocks. Her quilt is the Tequila Sunrise version of Lime and Soda from Ballarat Patchwork. Emma has picked out some lovely fabrics for it. Believe it or not this is only her SECOND quilt and she is doing curved piecing in the large drunkards path blocks. Isn't she clever.......oh yes (no show without punch) I can't forget Sharon.......yes so are you Sharon!!
Sharon keeps telling me I will be in trouble with her son Brenton for converting Kel.....I don't think so after all every girl needs something to do when the dreaded football is on!! AND she is about to start a blog too...watch this space.





And here is Sharon at the end of a day of me cracking the whip!!!!

(you asked for it Sharon did you think I wouldn't...lol....you know me better than that!)

Happenings.....

I couldn't help myself I have kept looking at this quilt Compasses and Vines by Deborah Dorward everytime I went into Ballarat Patchwork so I finally just gave up and booked into the class. Some things you just have to stop resisting! At least I should have enough repro's to make the entire quilt!! Although no doubt I won't be able to spend the day at BP without coming home with something new sneaking into my bag with me.

My friend Sharon (who is blogless) took me out to lunch with her and her DIL Kelly on Friday, it was a lovely day. I had shown Kelly how to do a stack and slash around November last year and I really only showed her minimal...well she just took off with it. The quilt which is for her bedroom is on the machine now. She wanted to have a look in Ballarat Patchwork so we stopped off and she got enough fabric for two quilts and some Melly and Me softie patterns. Emma said she should give me commission.......lol. It was almost as good as buying it myself!

I think Kelly has well and truly caught the bug she saw even more quilts she wanted to make in the shop! I even caught her stroking the fabric on the way home...lol...a new obsessive compulsive patchworker has been born. I have been trying to convert Sharon for a while now and although she has got two quitls in progress (and also purchased a Chloe kit on the day) she is a dabbler really and not a true obsessive patchworker although she does like to collect a little bit of fabric!!!!! At least I only got 4 fat quarters, I couldn't resist these as I think I will make a Chloe quilt too, just the thing to do with my Prints Charming fabrics.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone that sent me messages regarding Menkaure both here or private emails. Your messages were much appreciated.
A special thank you to Lissa. She sent me this lovely package. It contained the most gorgeous chocolate which is all gone! I didn't even tell anyone I had it and kept it all to myself, thank you Lissa.





Also thank you to my friend Kerry. She gave me a gift I think to say thank you for helping her with her blog. It turned out to be one of my favourite patterns of hers Vintage floral dishes. I just happened to get the border fabric in Perth which was one of my favourite Old Sturbridge Village fabrics, top right hand corner photo under Perth spoils next to the slate rose fabric.

The countdown to Perth is on!

This time next week I will be in Perth attending the pre-retreat dinner....I am starting to get excited!! Next Thursday I am heading out to the scquilters retreat for 5 nights of eating, drinking, socialising and probably a bit of sewing. My roomie Lissa was very naughty and sent me this lovely squishy this week. What a surprise, just when I was feeling rotten with a cold that kept waking me up at 3-4 in the morning with coughing attacks. The pencil roll (filled with crayons) is just so cute and even has bee's on it!!!

And then there's the emery board (hmmm she must remember my nails), the scraps of 1930's for my scrappy log cabins the cute little handbag note book and last but not least the 1930's fabrics for my D.Irish Chain I am going to do. How spoilt am I???? Thanks Lissa, you're just the best. I will have to get you breakfast in bed...lol.

Free Pattern Give Away

Go over to my friend Kerry's blog and leave a comment, she is giving a free pattern away! It is for Vintage Floral Dishes, you can find the quilt photo on her blog under her Quilt Patterns Label on the side or on her website, linked from her blog. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do the quilt justice, it's made with lovely reproduction fabrics and looks gorgeous in real life. Also check out Christine's blog she has taken some gorgeous photos of Kerry's bits and pieces at the Hobart gathering.

Finally here is Thea's lovely large quilt, striking in batiks but challenging with all those loose triangles in each corner!

Kerry's Blog

Today I had a lovely day with my friend Kerry. She has done a great job updating her blog and adding a few of her favourite patterns on it for you to have a look at. Do make sure that you go back a page and have a look at the sneak peak of a couple of her projects for the gathering in Hobart I am just waiting for when she releases the pattern for them. Click here to take you there She loves to read the comments that have been left for her but she is still feeling her way around.
Kerry does the most exquisite embroidery (especially satin stitch which I am hopeless at) and her springtime quilt also comes with directions for a backstitch version as well as the satin stitched. You really need to see these quilts "in the flesh" to appreciate them, I especially love Vintage Broken Dishes....my kind of fabrics...lol.
I have been privileged to see her new six month block of the month which she is releasing soon so keep watching for that, it's just gorgeous for lovers of patchwork and stitching. I have also heard there could be a giveaway in the future. vbg Below is one of my stitched bears from Kerry's Honeybears pattern, Kerry used country fabrics but mine will be softer colours I think, not sure yet.


Ok so here's one of the reasons I was bashing my head on the desk after buying the Kaffe Fassett fabrics.......

Yes that's right....I had already purchased these Prints Charming fabrics from the Follow Your Imagination range.....plus two ring ins, the paisley green/blue one and the end blue/green cirles with flowers in, isn't it the cutest! And I have never beeen a blue girl!!!!???? See I am really turning retro, fresh and clean and there's more to come....but they can wait for another day.

Finally little Coco's quilt is on the machine, snuck in between the customers quilts. I am putting Springtime on it, a cute pattern with daisies and butterflies.

My Favorite Things

Go and have a look at my friend Kerry's new blog. It's in progress but you can go from there to her website. Lots of gorgeous patterns coming soon....stay tuned!!!
PS why don't you leave her a comment to welcome her to blogland.

Tagged!

It seems I have been tagged by Jane and Andrea

I am not clever enough to know how to link back to their blogs just by their names. (just worked it out too easy if you go to help!)

Here are the rules:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you
2. Post THE RULES on your blog
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog
4. Tag 7 people and link to them
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

1. I collect things....which probably won't be weird to any quilters but to non crafty people it's weird....mostly fabric now and quilting books (as opposed to patchwork books) but in the past it's been buttons, ribbon, lace, anything for crazy patchwork, wool and I still can't walk past a gorgeous ball of wool, plants eg roses and once was azaleas and camellias but I had trouble watering them enough so I just stick with roses now, so much easier. Oh and of course beads!

2. I was hopeless at sport at school, I would always be the last person picked on the netball team, the only sport I was any good at was hockey and I played interschool hockey. I was more the "arty" type. I played basketball when I was older with a group of mothers and I won a trophy for "most improved" I was stoked, my first ever sporting award! lol

3. I really like my own company, I can't understand people who get "bored" I never have enough hours in the day to do what I want to do.

4. I am a great starter of things not as good at finishing! I can be a bit of a procastinator.

5. Don't look in my spare cupboards as bags of "things" of a crafty nature are likely to come toppling out at you.

6. I hate, hate, hate, read LOATHE the hot weather!!!

7. I would love to go out dancing to a nightclub although rarely do, the only chance I get is at weddings etc.

I don't know if they are very weird but it's the best I can come up with.

So I am going to tag

1. The lovely Lissa Jane
2. Blessed Speedy
3. Sue D
4. Purrfectly Quilted
5. Cathy MG
6. Sion
7. Hops who has probably been tagged 100 times!

Ok that's all I can come up with everyone else I know has done one and maybe some of you have too...I am just following the rules!

Lisa's Wedding

Here are some photos of Holly's best friend Lisas wedding. Holly was matron of honour, Lisa bought her necklace from the bead shop and I had to add an extra strand of swarovski crystals with pale pink as her dress had pale pale pink in the bodice and shorten (read re-do) another strand so one strand ended up untouched! I also made her earrings as well as the bracelets and earrings of the bridesmaids. Coco looked like a little princess and she actually behaved like one when I had her from Saturday from 3 til Sunday til 2!

This week........

This week I caught up with an old friend I had lost touch with so that was lovely. Then I found my old best friend who I had also lost touch with over the years, I googled her as you do!! Lucky enough she had won a National Teachers award for her work at an underprivilged pre-school she teaches at so it was easy to find her.

The Workroom

I have been busy this week, first with Denise's quilt. This quilt has lots of retro fabrics and took quite a while as the pattern I chose Paisley Swirls took quite some time to get across the row. I think it was Paisley Swirls or maybe it was Paisley Plus as I have both??? Anyway I chose orange for the front and a variegated King Tut (hieroglyphs) on the chocolate backing. The quilt does sit nice and flat I just didn't lay it out properly for the photo!!!

Next I have been working on Jackie's Pansy Park type quilt, its not THE quilt but a slightly different version. I have to try and make a dent in my custom quilting list! I am having a mental block at the moment with what to do on the pansy border and of course I made a boo-boo and did the freehand feather motif the wrong way around in one of the side setting triangles...DOH!!! Also I didn't like the colour thread in the tree border so some unpicking to be happening when I take it off to turn it...yuk.

Here is a photo with the offending pansy border.....thinking thinking. All suggestions duly considered!!!

UFO UPDATE

What I have been working on this week.

1. The pink and brown from last week, not as much as I would have liked but it is half finished, well the blocks are I just have to join them.

2. I re-started working on my strip quilt (same as the intended voilet quilt)I have promised myself I won't start the voilet quilt until this one is finished and it's such a quick easy quilt that it really won't take me long. Yes it's in the same civil war/reproduction fabrics well mostly anyway, yes I am boring!!!


Danger danger..........
Things are calling me to tempt me away........
Here is why I end up with so many WIPS....oh no I think I am about to fall off the wagon.....



I saw a message from Julie from WA on the scquilters list through the week that she had finished her signature square quilt from Bendigo, I saw the photos, I was guilty I hadn't done anything so I pulled them out and started playing. I decided chinese lanterns would be just the thing....but I would have to make 132, too many, too time consuming so trying to keep it simple I have based it on Rosalie Quinlan's Rebekah Amy quilt. Very simple 4" squares with black frames, well a few different blacks and charcoals. So that left me with the offcuts which turned out to be just the right size(s) for Bento Box (Judy Turner Successful Scrap quilts)which I have had my eye on making for ages and today I went to the patchwork shop and got some navys.........so much for the other two I can see them going away again for now!

Waiting waiting waiting........

On the baby front we are now five days overdue. I have a feeling if it's not tomorrow Tuesday 26th it will be Thursday 28th after all when Holly is induced.

However while I have been waiting in the workroom I have one more quilt out of the way, I haven't taken a photo yet but Lindas quilt is one more off the list and Sharon's is loaded ready to go.
I have also done some knitting although Holly doesn't want knits!!!!

I found a pattern for premmie babys and I knitted booties and beanie for 5-6lb baby. I have actually knitted two the first set was white and she has put them in the suitcase to wear in hospital. I have since knitted a green beanie and lemon booties.

I have also been working on my Honeybears flowers and bees quilt by Kerry Gillespie, My Favourite Things.

The Scquilters Retreat

What a great time we had in Bendigo! I finally made it to my first retreat after 6 years as a scquilter. In previous years I had been to southerncrosscrazies retreats (which were local except the Canberra one)when I was into crazy patchwork and to the 2003 and 2005 Australian Machine Quilters Conference as I had to learn so much so I couldn't afford to go to the scquilters retreats as well. Well now I will have to make up for lost time.

What a wonderful time I had catching up with old and new friends. So many I can't name them all but it was really great to see some of the old "icq chatters" In fact we decided we missed it so much that we would like to try it again but we would have to try another way as icq is too complicated now with the new format. Unfortunately I didn't get many photos as my batteries died in my camera and then I just forgot to take it. So thanks to Wendy W for the longarmers photo and the one of Melody and me. In the second photo pictured are Rosemary (jezebelle old icq'ers) Dot and Gill from Bacchus Marsh and Sunbury.

In the angel/mortal swap I had a lovely angel Kim Brown from ACT who spoilt me with gorgeous fabrics and bits and pieces and made me a gorgeous blue and white floral bag. I got to know her a bit better on the shop hop on Monday, what a wonderful time we all had, me especially as I had waited all weekend, resisting temptation and walking past those traders stands without buying a single thing. Hmm made up for it on the shop hop!

I signed up for a new BOM, Girls Day Out by Libby Richardson at Attic Crafts, http://www.atticcrafts.com/ what a gorgeous shop that is if you love embroidery like I do. I bought a couple of patterns from Attic Crafts, the vintage dresden pattern and the cute fairy pattern Honeysuckle Fairy and Baby Bundle by Mayblossom and made with velveteen, perfect for Isabella and maybe the new baby.


One of my favourite shops for a different reason, Threadbare in Castlemaine had lots of gorgeous reproductions and civil war as usual lovely quilts, I couldn't resist buying the pattern for the quilt hanging in the front narrow room I think it was called Country Pathways. They have the most beautiful BOM from last year it was hanging in the back room and I am waiting for the pattern to come out so I can start that one, I voted for it in the Castlemaine show last year.

From Honeysuckle Stained Glass and Patchwork I got an Amy Butler bag pattern and some of the new Robyn Pandolph range (Empress Woo) which I thought I didn't like until I saw it NOT on the internet, I also loved it in the quilt that Nicky had made up so maybe that tipped me too anyway thats what I chose for my Amy Butler bag, the art deco rose and filigree print for the reverse side with the rose bouquet for the bow. http://www.honeysucklepatchwork.com.au/Robyn%20Pandolph.htm just have to make it now, and if all that wasn't bad enough, what did I do but go and sign up for a class for Tuesday mornings for the next three weeks. So tomorrow morning I am off up to Bendigo again. I couldn't resist it's painted and stitched pink ballet bears by Rosemary McQueen from Teddyworks just perfect for Isabella especially as her mother and aunty danced for years.

My mortal I had great fun with as I stayed with Wew (formerly known as Bubbles or really Wendy W) on Thursday night and on the way to the pre-retreat dinner she said she had to pick up a retreat virgin....and who did it happen to be but my mortal Melody. So it worked out very well as I got to meet her and sit with her all night. Di aka Nanna Bowles (aka Blessed or speedy to icq chatters) and Linni (Linnibea) had great fun telling her they knew who her angel was at dinner on Friday night after she had given them the clues she had, well done girls you kept her guessing. Anyway Melody "inflicted" herself on me at the shop hop, thanks Melody it was great fun. I will now be forever known as the floosie angel!!!

Some of us longarmers also caught up so it was great to meet those girls too that we hadn't met! Vanessa, Desley, Wendy, Lorraine (Madge) Jodie (the noisy one of our room lol) and Liz, Maree, Janine, Nic and a ghastly photo of me. Not that the one with Melody is much better as my eyes seem to have disappeared!