New Date

That is fine with me as it will give me time to finish all the postcards I've signed up for (12 in total) but 4 different themes, Buttons and Bows, Best Foot Forward (use a foot that you haven't used before (I'm using my pintuck foot), Go Make it
(using one fabric and at least one embellishment you haven't used in the past year) and Fruit ( the phrase (or is it a song title) 'Life is just a bowl of cherries' keeps coming to mind. Also to catch up with my journals. I'm already 2 weeks behind so I've got to try and make 2 this week!!! I want to sign up for another of Sue's classes but I won't until I've done all of the above!!!

I think....

....a new date is a must! Baby permitting of course! Did I tell you that for 3 weeks from 12 May I will be living in Hamilton taking care of ballet studio etc for my friend who is off to your neck of the woods? So, I thought I could take my machine and maybe just concentrate on the one thing....being the Art Quilt book. However, there is a huge problem with that as I won't have my stash with me and you can bet I would take all the wrong things and get 'stuck' because I would know the exact things was at home in a drawer!!!
So how about June 1st???

Just Delayed A Little

We need to re-focus on the Art Quilt project. I know you have things that need to be done and you have places you have to be and people to care for and I have signed up for more committments than I should and I'm behind with my journals. Now how about setting another date or shall we just pick it up when we can. Personally, I think I need to have a date. I am going to go for Saturday 3rd May. That doeesn't mean I will have done anything by then but I will start working through the book again. Perhaps jot down some new ideas. What do you think?

ATC

In an ATC group I am in, one swap was the theme Country of Origin. Here's the Sporran that I made!

Pleased....

I am pleased that my quiltie got to Jo safely and that she liked it!

Onto some baby stuff....I am making bumpers for the cradle and decided on four panels each side (they are white) and I machine embroidered each a different pattern and my idea was to use some doilies on each. These were either done by me, my mother or my grandmother and as Susan & Mark are into recycling and things old, I thought this would look lovely. Wrong!!! It looks awful!!! In theory sounded nice but reality the doileys look too heavy even though they are fine thread. I think it is because the panels are narrow which of course means if I had done them one piece I could maybe only used 3 instead of needing 4 each side. Anyway onto plan B and maybe applique on something cut from a childs print fabric. Don't know but better decide soon!!

Strange how we set this blog up to work through the Art Quilt book and of course we haven't got very far. Things just agetting in the way!!!

Agonising............

Over this quiltie!! As you said in your previous post do we put too much into these things when other people seem to throw things together and that's it!! I am pleased this one is coming your way but even if it hadn't I would have put as much into it anyway. I think I've made the mistake of instead of looking at the 'whole' I've had an idea and done it and it now makes the balance difficult (is the is a 6" square of fabric I'm talking about!!!!) and I haven't even thought about the back. Well tell a lie I have but haven't the slightest idea how I'm going to achieve it. Wing it as usual I suppose. Anyway will be finished this weekend and hopefully in the post by Monday. Will let you know when its on its way.



Was going to Birmingham this morning but just heard there are bad holdups on the motorway due to some accidents and that's not how I fancy spending a Saturday morning so will put it off for another time. I'm sure I'll survive with the supplies I have.

Fabric names.

Thankyou for your kind comments. What you see as scrim, is what I call baby muslin or gauze....it is that fine bandage like fabric. It isn't called muslin in US as they call their cotton/calico muslin. All very confusing. What I am using up at the moment is the cut off bits from the muslin baby wraps I made for Bella. She now uses them as a cuddly and must have one when she goes to bed!
I'll send you a bit of dyed and plain for you to see. I have a wee pile of stuff for you and would love to include Liquid Beadz but they are in Aaron's Emporium in Napier. On my next trip I will get you some. Today I get to make bumpers for the cradle, in white, so that will be rather strange.
Wonder if I actually have white thread!!!!

It is-------

Superb. I love the background stitching and also how the liquid beads lift it. Did you use some sort of silk paper to surround the corset or is it just painted scrim? A really lovely quiltie and I am sure Jo will love it. You are a clever lady.

Finished!

Finally it is finished. The close up of the corner is Liquid Beadz. I bought very fine gold which are a bit dull but they do come with larger beads, much like a regular soup mix of beads and they are more sparkly. I imagine the gel/glue they are in dulls things a bit. You put them on with a palette knife and leave to dry 12-24 hours. I was still able to work on the Quiltie after about an hour and the beads didn't fall off but if you touch them they are likely to stick to you! (Guess how I know)?

I hope Jo likes the rough edge finish....always difficult for a traditionalist to accept. I tore dyed gauzed and just used running stitch in a very rough silk thread.

Now to get it in the post!!

Do I???

Do I do too much when in swap situations? I find I am spending a lot of time on the quiltie yet others just seem to throw something together. I have firstly dyed the fabric, fancy stitched that to felt and this afternoon made a clay corset....painted and burnished it with metallic wax. I have added 3 shisha mirrors (the cheats way as the edging was already done) then a piece of own dyed gauze, then scrunched fibres, three (expensive) glass flowers and some not quite so expensive leaves. Running stitched the gauze on with silk natural thread, hand dyed at some other time, started to add seed beads and still I'm not finished!!!!!!!! Have dyed the fabric for the back and will use a fancy wool (I think) to go around the edge......blimmey I'm tiring myself out just writing.
However I am pleased that I am sending to Jo as she is a lovely lady and I really enjoyed spending time with her in Sydney. Because she has only recently 'found' Quilting Arts I think I am purposely going a bit over board so it is a bit arty for her.
That all said, I realise I don't mind the time I am spending, it is looking really good.

Trying...........

Yes, the post out date is the 11th, so relax my friend.

I do hope everything is OK with Susan. Do let me know.

Done a little bit more on my journal tonight. going to start putting in signatures and pockets etc tomorrow night. Off to London in the morning for my Bernina day!!!

Trying....

Yes we are 'trying' indeed!! I am leaving mine now....on my third idea.....and off over to Napier to see Susan. She has a scan later today which will be very exciting. Hopefully it shows baby in the correct position!!!
Will complete quiltie when I get back....posting date is the 11th isn't it???? Please say it is!! You can send your to me any time you like so don't stress over it.