Guest Speaker at Latrobe Valley Quilters

On Saturday my family and I drove to Morwell where I was a guest speaker for Latrobe Valley Quilters. In appreciation they gave me these beautiful flowers. Everyone was very warm and welcoming and made me feel at ease. It was nice to share my story with them.
It  also made me happy to be with my family in the car for a few hours, where we could talk and catch up with each other. I was grateful for their company on the journey.

The Australian Challenge Quilt Series

If you would like to order any or all of my fiction novellas please contact me by email:

rowekeys01@optusnet.com.au

Marmalade Quilt on the Design Wall

I thought I was on the home stretch. Today I was determined to finish blanket stitching around the final set of petals, and I was nearly out of white DMC thread but managed to squeeze every last millimetre out of the thread and finish the bundle sitting on the arm of my chair. It was a lot of fun putting it all together on my design wall. When all was done I stood back to admire the process, then realised I was missing eight petals. I'm sure you can see where they need to be.
Last week, with the suspicion that I would run out of white thread, I went to my local Lincraft store only to have wasted my time - as usual. That store never has the colour DMC thread I want. White is not a particularly unusual colour. You would think they would have it. Now I'll have to drive further to get some from another store ... maybe tomorrow.

Having fun with Dresden

After reading about the request for Quilts for Japan I spent a couple of days pondering what type of quilt to make. I decided to use bright fabrics to make the most cheerful quilt possible. Already working with brights for my Marmalade quilt I thought using the leftovers would be a good idea and found the perfect pattern at The Patchwork Teahouse (my happy place). The pattern is called Dresden Star and the white points are actually folded and sewn into the seam. I am having a lot of fun making this. I have no idea what the finished quilt will look like, but it will just grow out of love for my fellow human beings.

All Petalled Out

Have been busy cutting out Vliesofix petals for my 'Marmalade' quilt. Unfortunately using right handed scissors means a leftie like me gets serious pressure dents on my thumb and forefinger.

 This is what I am working on.  I love the fabrics, having recently been more and more attracted to 'brights'.

Super Moon in Melbourne

Listening to the news this evening I learned that Melbourne would experience a "Super Moon" tonight at dusk. We have not seen this phenomenon at Melbourne in over two decades, when the moon would look much larger than normal. Unfortunately I did not heed the words of our illustrious newsreader, Jennifer Keyte, when she foretold the event would be magnificent as the moon rose over the horizon just after 7:00 pm. I was half an hour too late when I went out to photograph the event. The moon had risen too high for me to see it at its best effect. But here it is between the gum trees at the local primary school a couple of streets away from my home.

The Sun was too Bright (hence - I need a light box!)

I was tracing another block pattern for my Amelia Challenge Quilt when the sun came over the treetops and blinded me. Hubby's caps are usually (annoyingly) on the chair next to where I was standing - but not today. I had to venture into the garage (aka 'his cave') to borrow his gardening hat to shade my eyes from the glare so I could continue my work. Ten minutes later - accomplished.

Decorated Journal

I was so inspired by a friend's decorated journals I had to do my own. It started with a piece of scrapbooking paper I found recently to which I added fabrics. From left to right: beautiful red silk, a strip of white antique braid, the scrapbook paper, and a piece of black brocade (unfortunately you cannot see the gorgeous texture of the black fabric). There are four keys - my husband's surname is 'Keys' so they are completely appropriate =). One key is a little diary key, one is my DH old FC Holden (no longer living), the next is DH family home front door key (house no longer there) and the fourth is to the front door key to our first marital home together.  I finished it all off by tying scrap pieces of the red and black fabrics to the spiral binding.
This is not as good as my friend, Marion's journals, which inspired it in the first place. I'd love you to see hers at www.redthreadz.blogspot.com

Xmas in March - fabrics delivered to my door

 

Xmas knocked on my front door this morning when the delivery man came with a box from The Fat Quarter Shop. Daughter and I had a fabulous time pulling out all the beautifully wrapped parcels and discovering what was there. I can't express enough how fantastic the service was - I ordered on Saturday (Melbourne time) and it was delivered Thursday. There was even an envelope with "Thank You" printed on it. How nice.

 Even Mischief, our cat, was able to benefit from the delivery.

Now ... to get sewing =)

February Lost

Would somebody please tell me where February went????????

The Amelia Challenge quilt block

This is the first completed block for The Amelia Challenge Quilt, the next book in The Australian Challenge Quilt series. As you can see I have chosen redwork to give me the detail I wanted. Applique would have been too hard. I want to make a decent sized quilt so I will need 13 of these blocks. Better get cracking.
I will be at the Loch Festival on Sunday 6 February from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. You will find me in the CFA building with all the quilts from the Australian Challenge Quilt series. At some point I will give a talk and I will be signing books all day. Hope to see you there.

Mum's Bag

Finished at last! This is the bag I wanted to make my Mum for Xmas but I only finished it yesterday. It is the 'Every Day Carry All' pattern from Blue Willow Cottage. With 3 compartments on the inside and 4 pockets on the outside, it should carry whatever Mum needs to tote. I'll save it for her birthday in July. [One more thing marked off my bucket list]

Optus Fails

My husband and I are completely fed up with our Optus TV service which has been playing up for weeks now. FOUR TIMES the Optus repairmen have been out to fix the problem, but it still doesn't work. We start enjoying a show, then it pixilates, screeches, and at times drops out all together. They will receive yet another call on Monday.
They don't provide the service but they still charge us for it !! Not good enough.

Now I'm Wiser

Oh Blogger! Not the desired outcome at all! But at least I know what doesn't work. I have joined the ranks of those who knew the transfer would completely cover the image area with a plastic coating. This is no good at all for my purposes. Back to the drawing board.

Experiment about to Happen

I need to repeat my pattern onto blocks 13 times for the planned quilt and the idea of having to hand draw every piece using my window as a light box does not appeal in the least. Even if I owned a light box I wouldn't be looking forward to it. The brain has been working overtime. I cannot print the pattern directly onto the fabric using my printer because the block is 10" wide. So I am going to attempt a transfer. I have faded the pattern so it is quite pale as I do not want a dark black line permanently printed on my fabric. But I'm not sure how the transfer will affect the sewing. Will give you the results when they are to hand.

The Amelia Challenge quilt Pattern

I thought I might start sharing the journey a little more. Now The Caroline Challenge Quilt has sold so well, I have turned my attentions to the fourth book in the series, The Amelia Challenge Quilt.  I need to make the challenge quilt myself to experience what my characters are going through. Here is a photo of the pattern for one of the blocks.

Craft Diversion

After finishing 3 quilts in the last two weeks of December I felt I needed a craft diversion. I have been working on my scrapbooking, finishing albums started years ago but not quite completed. It has been very rewarding to do so, and I am nearly done. It will make working on my next album feel a whole lot better as I don't have to feel any guilt about incomplete albums on the shelf. And soon I will be marking another thing off my Bucket List.

Daughter's 21st Birthday Quit

This was my best kept secret.  I have been working on this quilt since May 2010, waiting for days that were free of other commitments and when my daughter was not home in order to create her a 21st birthday quilt that would be a complete surprise. It was finished 11:30 pm the night before she came home for her birthday, which was the following day. We had a wonderful time together on her special day, and she loves her quilt. Jacob's Ladder is the pattern, a symbolic gesture on my part to remind my daughter to climb the ladders in life that she wants to in order to achieve her goals.

Mum's Xmas Quilt completed

Just completed Mum's Xmas quilt, including the label. Feel happily accomplished.

Pressies for my Patchwork Friends

My little patchwork group had our Xmas lunch on Tuesday and swapped lovely pressies. These are the bonbon pressies I made for my friends. Inside a rolled piece of cardboard hides a colourful mouse pin cushion and the bonbon is made using a fat quarter (naturally) in a fabric I thought each friend would love and use, tied with ribbon from my ribbon stash.