Thursday, January 30, 2020

remember me?

Happy New Year!

It seems I have not blogged for a long, long time
and it has taken a lovely comment from a long follower on my blog to get me back here.
I am fine and doing well.
But my country:
it seems we are ruled by a team of lazy, lying cheating dimwits.
There I have put that out there.

Plenty has been said in the media if you want to look it up.
The East Coast of Australia has been burning for months losing many times the amount of forest that burnt in the Amazon and millions of our native animals have died 
while our crazy leader holidayed in Hawaii, 
was slow to action and 
continues to obfuscate about Climate Change.

I, like many Australians, am in complete despair.
There seems little we common folk can do and even if we had an election soon I fear the same forces that assisted this party  to be elected would be at it again.


 So I have done what most artists do and turned inward to get myself through.
This improv quilt is inspired by the great Nancy Crowe.
It's progress has been slow while I pondered design decisions but so far I am pleased.


And this beauty has been in the making for some time.
I have been exploring solids, 
quilts made from as few fabrics as possible,
traditional patterns but modern colours
and hand quilting.
I got out the old quilting templates!
I just love doing that kind of quilting.
You can stitch all (or most) of that angst into something.
Funny how when you pick up the quilt again those thoughts return.

So that's me for today. Take care.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

A Tale


I am part of a local artist group, SHAC, and we have just had a great exercise in collaboration.
All our names were put into a hat and then drawn out to form pairs.
You know how it goes. Completely random.
I scored a wood worker which initially worried me.
No need it seems.
He was thrilled to draw my name and had instantaneously formed an idea for his project.




So, how lucky am I?
He made me a quilt stand. To keep.
It is gorgeous.
Beautifully made. Brass fittings. Smooth...


 And I can hang one quilt with the removable rod or lots of quilts. 
And on both sides! 
Can you tell I am a bit excited?




Friday, July 19, 2019

slow stitch

I think this qualifies as "slow stitch" even though I am using a machine.
Usually I get faster the more familiar I get with a new pattern.
Not this time.
I seem to do more reverse sewing the more blocks I do.



It's effective though, what do you think my friends?
On another note...
What do you think of the developments over at Instagram?

I am seriously considering my account now "likes" are no longer displayed to anyone other the account holder.
Why like anything?
And why can't I see the people I follow CHRONOLOGICALLY.
That's what I want. And Ease up on the advertisements.


Friday, July 12, 2019

Carpenters Wheel


Have you made this block my friends?
I must say it is turning out to be one of the most difficult I have attempted.
I am using templates I bought ages ago and have finally decide to have a go.
This is an 18" block.
Some time ago I tried it in a smaller block and hand-pieced but that is unfinished.
Sigh....

This time I am using the machine but as i say I am finding it slow and difficult.
On the bight side: I have made 3 blocks!

Thursday, April 25, 2019


A few weeks ago I attended a workshop on "basketmaking".
( I know: very slack blogger not posting until now)
I use the term loosely because it was so much more than that.
It has taken me weeks to finish this beauty...




I have used scraps and selvedges from my beautiful indigo scraps
 ( yes, yes I save the tiniest pieces)
and wrapped them round rope to coil this bowl.
I think it was worth it don't you?





Tuesday, January 29, 2019

top done



Well I have finished the quilt top.
I decided to opt for a smaller quilt (7 x 7 blocks, 7 1/2").
I have enough for 2 quilts.
The other decision I had to make was borders:
I don't do borders.
The photo below shows the first attempt but it seemed the wide border didn't work so I cut it down.
What do you think?

Thursday, January 24, 2019

does size matter



This photo is dated January 2.
That's a good start for the new year don't you think.
They are a bit out of my comfort zone.


And I am well and truly underway.
So far I have made 77 blocks. They are 7 1/2".
I think I might have got carried away.
I was thinking these bright colours lend themselves to a cot-sized quilt but how big is that?
Should I add borders?
Maybe I'll make two (it's always handy to have a few in the "gift chest")