Starry,starry skies
Q/S machine pieced and quilted Star sampler 
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Will I or wont I?
">LinkFrom someone who works in a sewing machine store:
"I just read your comment about men helping their wives buy sewing machines. I work at a store that sells sewing machines and one day a woman came to shop for a new machine. While I was showing her our top-of-the-line embroidery machine, she decided to buy it for her husband for his birthday. The reason? He had bought her a fishing pole for her birthday and an outboard motor for their anniversary. Sounds fair to me."
Well,my DH said "If you want it,if you'll use it.....get it!"
So today I've been attempting to research needle punching/felting machines ....
I've seen the Babylock embellisher
and the Berninas that a $300 punch needle adaptor fits(I'm happy with my 17 y.o. Janome,thank you)
I've tried to find if Pierrot machines are available in Australia.....the Links wont work! Grrrr.
Then there's the little machine at Feltcraft http://feltcrafts.com/needle-felting-machines.htm
Is there anybody" out there" who can give advice from experience?
Friday, April 21, 2006
Buttons and threads
Two brass fans and a dragonfly and the embroidery threads AND some bling buttons
Bootie!
Today I went with several stitching friends To the Brisbane Stitches and Craft Show .www.stitchesandcraft.com.au
Although I must admit to being a little disappointed because I found NO Wool Rovings or Heat guns, I was happy to find that one of my favourites, Button Barn had heaps more goodies than I had cash,so a "few' dollars changed hands....I won't see them again until next April/May,but I HAD to have at least one of their German vintage hand wrapped buttons..the one on the left!
I'll attempt better pics and editing over the weekend.
Naturally I also visited the Lace Cottage and bought several metres of tatting.............much better than my attempts!
I was really disappointed that no Needle felters were there--and now I'm very tempted to purchase a Babylock Embellisher! Less painful and a heap faster than hand/needle felting.
I'll go sleep on it!(Who needs food!!)
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Welcoming a new blogger
Link
Just a quick post to say go meet Katie at Katie's Place.
I met up with Katie after she added a comment on CQCrazy and hopefully we'll be seeing her as a member of Chain of Hearts also.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tropical Screamer & Tropical Dreamer: Knitted item requested
Tropical Screamer & Tropical Dreamer: Knitted item requested
I thought that this was too cute not to share.Thanks Darilyn!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Moreton Bay islands
I used a page from a tourist blurb for this journal: Moreton Bay Islands......(North) Stradbroke Island.Affectionately known as Straddie ,the island has white beaches and on one side,good surfing;On the inland side are oyster beds,quiet waters and remnants of sand mining ventures of the 70s
1000 Journals
Showing the covers of my five (mini)journals before they left today to SusanL in Germany.I first blogged about them back in February after reading about them on SharonB's "inaminuteago".
One of the several new challenges I have accepted this year.
(I wonder how many Susan has now?)
Monday, April 10, 2006
A Frangipani from Belle
Today's mail delivery disclosed this needle felted postcard from Belle.The lady in question has only been needlefelting for a month or so......
so imagine what the results will be with more practice!
I think I'll just give her my supplies and send commissions direct to her!
The way she has blended the rovings in the petals gives a really life-like effect.Can you see the crystal dewdrop glistening just above the darker shade on the upper central petal?
Thank you Belle!
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Finished at last!
The March AJQ,which was originally planned as being the February project is as complete as I can manage!
This is the "mark two" version;hopefully I'll complete the "markone" in a day or so,and publish it for comparison.
This one,I'm calling "Stagnation"------
As you may remember from earlier postings I'm attempting a series based on various aspects of the Murray River which is accepted as an Australian icon.
Unfortunately the river is not too healthy in parts these days,due to irrigation demands,climatic conditions and encroaching civilisation;so this was my attempt at portraying the patches of blue-green algae that occur sometimes in the Summer season.
Has it worked??
Saturday, April 08, 2006
A "Smart" bag
Who's a spoilt lady!
Me!
I still have to make some covers.The patterns can be seen at
http://www.sew-happy.com
There's a tote bag (like this) and a handbag!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Monday, April 03, 2006
Animal Refuge at Innisfail after cyclone Larry
Subject: Animal Refuge Pic.
Don't forget:
http://users.qld.chariot.net.au/~sanjo/index.html If you wish to sent donation to their postal address, it is PO Box 1498 Innisfail Qld 4860. Please make postal orders or cheques out to Innisfail Animal Refuge
Animal Refuge at Innisfail after cyclone Larry
Subject: Animal Refuge Pic.
The following is an excerpt from an email I received and wanted to share with you:
" We are getting so many animals brought to the shelter.
People have been wonderful with giving food donations, but as you can see by the couple of photos we have sent, the dollars are in great need to enable us to repair and or replace our structural damage.
Your support is so gratefully appreciated. Cheers John and Sandra
Animal Refuge at Innisfail after cyclone Larry
Subject: Animal Refuge Pic.
We are getting so many animals brought to the shelter.
the dollars are in great need to enable us to repair and or replace our structural damage.
These pics are as you might gather,what is left of the Animal Refuge in Innisfail F.N.Qld.
If you'd like to make a donation,John and Sandra will make good use of it! Their web site is http://users.qld.chariot.net.au/~sanjo/index.html
If you wish to sent donation to their postal address, it is PO Box 1498 Innisfail Qld 4860.
Please make postal orders or cheques out to Innisfail Animal Refuge
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Rosella Jam
Yesterday while at the quilt group Mountain Quilters I was fortunate to be given some Rosellas.---
Not the feathered variety,but a member of the Hibiscus family!
Until I moved to Queensland some 30 years ago I had never come across these plants/fruits or jam,but now I would be one of my favourite jams.
The seeds are planted out in October and by late February through to April the fruits form and need harvesting before they mature and coarsen.
The plant itself is in my opinion worth having in the garden : it can grow to 5 foot in height,has shaped deepish green leaves and reddish stems and veins in the leaves;
The flowers are lemon single hibiscus-type blossoms and the fruit (hips) are a delightful waxy ruby red.
The only draw back is that they are an annual.
The jam is made by first boiling up the seed pods (which are removed from inside the red petals) in order to obtain the natural pectin for helping set the jam.
I'm off now to start on my first batch.
mmmm....homemade scones with Rosella jam and cream!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Hearts for Jan.....and others?
Not a great pic,but just to give you an idea.
The heart is yet to be appliqued to the WoW(white on white,self patterned) background fabric.
I was wondering what my readers would think of maybe making a small donation of cash that could be forwarded to some charity to help someone maybe restock their pantry or freezer.
Just a thought.....what do you think?
I know the Commonwealth Bank is accepting donations,and the Red Cross;
I wonder if anyone is doing anything for the animals!
AJQ mark2
Not really much to show (with me you get warts and all blogging)
In Mark1 I was happy with the water effects: the swirls of blue/yellow/green to represent water swirls and algal blooms so I'll attempt a similar procedure.
The river bank I've attempted this time with smaller fabric pieces and more mottled colourings.
After all,if I wanted true representation I'd use a photograph wouldn't I
March AJQ "mark1"
When I first committed to this project I thought to use various stages of the Murray River as my theme........
The March quilt started life as the February quilt..went into the "too hard"basket and my Cat-tonic came to life instead as a bit of idiot relief.
Returning to the proposed "Blue-green algal blooms" this is the result which still needs binding,etc.
I'm not happy with the "heaviness" of the top..........meant to represent the river bank,so it's back to the drawing board and see if "mark2" is any better!
Friday, March 24, 2006
Yummy yarns
These are the Nepalese Sari yarns that arrived today.The larger hank is knitting yarn.
I thought I'd get one skein to see how it compared with the designated Embroidery Sari yarn.
It's much thicker;doesn't feel quite as soft as the embroidery yarn,but I'll still enjoy using it!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Four inch heart template
Hopefully this will size up okay! it's a four inch heart template on a 6.5 inch square.
Seam allowances are included.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
a picture for you
Jesse has decided it's getting cool!
It doesn't matter that the quilt is MEANT to protect the furniture and the organza covered cushions!The lap quilt is firmly tucked top and bottom over the sofa to protect both the sofa cushions and a couple of organza covered cushions,but Jesse lifts edge of quilt,re-arranges cushions to his satisfaction and this is the result.
I must also add that the cushion embroidered with a cat is the one he prefers!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Where did you get it?
">Link
After my disastrous "knit,stitch,distress" Vickyth of "Gone to the Dogs" blog (http://vickyth.wordpress.com/ )wondered where I got my Sari or Tibet silk:
Dale of The Thread Studio in Perth has it listed in her "exotic threads"
but
I buy mine locally from Elaine at Highland-Cottage-Crafts and am lucky enough to get personal delivery.I buy my silk tops,wool rovings, etc from Elaine and now must go chasing more Sari.
I hope this helps.
I've found both Dale and Elaine to be more than helpful and very prompt in parcel dispatch.
I'm sure I also saw it listed on a U.S. site in the last day or so,but at this point,sorry,I can't remember.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
1000 Journals
Because I've been distracted by other projects,my Journals have been languishing in a corner of my work room.
This afternoon I cut and folded internals for another three.Hopefully they will be covered within the next 24 hours and be ready for mailing to the co-ordinator in Germany.
I'm planning on a Dreamtime theme for a couple,and the Sydney Opera House for at least one other.
Needle felting
Amongst other projects this weekend I've been playing with needle felting.
As this piece is roughly 6x4 inches,it may end up as a postcard, or stay in my journal alongside n/f notes...who knows!
After working abstract shapes I overlaid Angelina fibres over the felting.makes for difficulty in photographing with flash.
Those Angelina fibres certainly bounce back the flash!
Since this "play" I found another site which gave good hints for beginners,so
back to the felting board for another attempt.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
knit,stitch,distress!
Well,that was the intention!
(I was attempting to follow Helen Cowna's directions as I'd blogged on Thursday,March 16.)
But.........
Yet again I've learned that I should read
re-read, and
read again....
before starting a project.
I knit the Sari yarn block......no problem there!
I laid the knit block on a toning cotton fabric block;I overlaid the Sari block with a couple of layers of (synthetic) sheers,and then--------
instead of using a heat gun,I attacked it all with a soldering iron!
Okay,I distressed the block.......without a doubt; But.......
for starters,I should never have laid such a light coloured fabric over the darker ones,and
NEXT time,I'll read the directions,and use a heat gun!
In the meantime,I'll see if I can excise that upper light coloured layer.
Watch this space..................
Friday, March 17, 2006
Photo of photocopy
The photocopy was one of those WET copies made in 1982 and is of the "Passengers' Contract Ticket" dated 14 April 1898.
It was the contract for my grandfather to travel as a Third class Passenger (steerage?) on the steamship Oruba from Tilbury (Port of London) to Albany,Western Australia, for the princely sum of 15 Guineas.
The contract also includes a listing of the weekly Sale of Provisions for each adult Third Class passenger,even down to listing an allowance of 21 quarts of water.
Talk about a BASIC diet: flour,bread,salt beef,suet,Rice,peas(dried split peas is my guess,sugar,treacle,cheese,oatmeal...........
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Needle Felting
I think I mentioned that I received a (dry) Needle felting kit from Rita the other day.
What I didn't say was that I have never actually seen needle felting "in the flesh";
I've only seen pics on the Web,and I do have troubles conceptualising the HOW of new tecniques.
So,despite the fact that I haven't shown you whatis the kit I present my first attempts.
Because I wanted to produce a tree for a particular project that's what I started with!
The choice of dark brown felt sheeting for the background was nota good idea,but I thought a non woven background fabric maight be helpful.
Then I thought that a chunky abstract piece might be a better/easier idea
Sari yarn
About six weeks ago I purchased several skeins of Sari yarn with the intention of using it in embellishing my CQ projects.
However, an aricle by Helen Cowans on "knit STITCH & Distress" in QA magazine issue 20 caused me to do a re-think!
If I wanted to test her procedure,I needed to knit up some sari yarn first.
Some of you may be wondering,what IS Sari yarn?
It's a yarn spun in Nepal using threads from the waste of the Sari looms in India.
Usually 100% silk,it can also contain rayon combined with silk sometimes and it can be purchased in different grades........I think mine was a low grade,juding by the uneven threadwhich varied from tightly wound and extremely thin,to very loose and bulky, and requiring care in handling so the thread doesn't fall apart.
Beautiful and soft to work with,I can imagine it being used in scrumbling because of its glorious colourings.........each hank is a different combination of colours.
Anyway,being a bower-bird from way back I hunted through my knitting needle collection from mother and Mother-in law,found a pair of 10mm needles and loosely knitted the skeins together.
Next step is to find and liberate from my fabric stash some synthetic sheer fabrics for upper layers and a toning fabric in silk or cotton(natural fibres for the foundation)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Buttons
A butterfly,red hat and a pair of thongs!
My booty after visiting with a new (for me) quilting group today.
One of the quilters is also a potter,and she crafts these buttons in ironstone.
There were butterflies,gumnuts,pigs,chooks,billy cans,honey pots(like Pooh bear loves) jam jars,flowers,gum leaves.
Thank goodness I have short arms and deep pockets!
Unfortunately S does not have a computer,so no web site,but if my friends are interested...................
Thongs;flip-flops,whatever!
Don't you LOVE them!!
3/8 inch wide by 1.25 inches long.......I can see them replacing the ones I made (a la Annie W) on my Summer bra.
Next time I'll buy the pink pair!!
Buttons
I visited the Mountain Quilters at Peachester today,and found that one of the members makes her own ironstone buttons.
I mentioned to Shirley that I was always looking for buttons for my CQ,and she showed me two shopping bags full!
I reckon I showed great restraint in "only" buying these....
I mean to say: HOW could anyone resist these thongs?
(there's always another Wednesday)
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Tuesday update
Link
Yesterday I completed a few more postcards for the Rocky Mountain Quilters/SouthernCross Crazies Swap,and the Craft club swap;
A trial one is stamped and addressed to try out its luck in the postal world and will mail it later today.
The pink lady heart is ready to go south to Sandie;
Mother Goose redwork blocks will also brave Ozpost today;I hand quilted the Candlewicked Balloon block last night,and today our postie arrived with my order from Rita at www.needlefelting.com so of course I wanna go PLAY............
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