Has it really been that long

I realised it had been a while but really has it been THAT long since I wrote a post. Time ,  he really is a thief.
I guess a lot has happened since my last post and really I'm not sure where I should begin so probably I just draw a line in the sand  and start afresh from here.
I haven't entirely been away from social media , I have joined the Instagram community and have found that to be a little more user friendly from my point of view. As the name infers Insta meaning instantaneous , it is very quick to upload a photo, simply add some dialogue and post , it is very quick and easy . Writing a blog takes more time in the sense that photos generally need to be resized, prettied up , I like to add a watermark and some borders , then write some sort of explanation , anyway enough of that, I have realised I have missed writing my blog and hearing from my followers, if there are any left after this very long interlude.
If any of you are Instagram users and are interested in following me my user name is @misslinen.

Spring has well and truly sprung here in Australia , in fact summer is only a couple of weeks away. My favourite flower, the Hydrangea is beginning to bloom , this is the first from the garden this season.

I am still madly sewing, with many quilts on the go . Expert tuition and guidance is given by the amazing Margaret Sampson-George. I'm sure you are all aware of her quirky style.

This is my adaptation of Marg's 'Going Green Gradually' as you can see mine is Going Grey Gradually.
I'm auditioning borders for my quilt, I think this is the winner

Cross Stitch is also another lovely pastime of mine. Recently I have been hosting a Pincushion Stitch Along , it has been really wonderful seeing all of the creations by the other participants. Many of the girls haven't cross stitched for a long time or had never cross stitched, cross stitch is making a resurgence for some and becoming a new hobby for others. I love it because it is so portable , I have been known to cross stitch at traffic lights , never any down time here
This was my entry for the SAL

There you go , my first post in such a long time, thank you for the many emails I have received asking me to continue posting , I must admit I do feel a little like a fish out of water !!!

See you soon

Happy sewing
j
 

It's Been Sometime

so I am constantly reminded.

Quite a lot of water has passed under the bridge since my last post on April 1 this year.

I think I will just post the pictures and let the pictures tell the story with a little intervention from me here and there.

First up was a trip to Melbourne to stay with my dear friend Miss Broderie.

Expert Advise

Wonderful Show and Tell

I tell you these Melbourne girls are prolific, gorgeousness everywhere you looked

a wonderful day of sharing friendships

yummy food

Next I was off to India, Mumbai to be exact. This was a business trip.

To say I was a little apprehensive is an understatment, especially as I was travelling alone .

I needn't have worried, I had the most amazing time and met the most wonderful people.

They treated me so well , I left with a very heavy heart.

There are literally hundreds of these funny little Rickshaws , very cheap form of transport

This day it was so hot and this woman was doing her labouring work in the baking sun. Can't help but love the bright coloured sari

Here I am with my team , such a happy lovely group, so proud to be a part of them.

I have to show you my x stitch drum pincushion. This was started on my flight to Mumbai via Singapore.
It is a Blackbird Designs pattern , it was a pleasure to stitch and easy , done on 30 ct linen using overdyed threads. These projects are great for plane travel.

I paid a visit to the Sydney Quilt show

and of course these days are great for catching up with friends. We look forward to our annual visit for the gorgeous Kate, who used to serve us at Material Obsession and who has now relocated to Singapore.
We miss you Kate ,Come back lol

Lastly I visited Melbourne again.
Marg was doing another weekend workshop. If we are not careful those Melbourne girls are going to claim her.

How divine is this. Jenny started this quilt on an old Marcella bedcover that belonged to her Mum. You can see at the top of the picture there is an appliqued basket. Well Jenny arrived at the workshop with a pile of Hexie rosettes that her mum had made many years ago and sought Margs help on "what to do with them" and this is what was decided. I just love it.

Jenny was thrilled with the suggestion so by Sunday morning this is what else she added

This is going to be such a wonderful 'memory' quilt.

Just in case you didn't get it 'I LOVE THIS'

Meredithe managed to finish her star, this quilt is going to be very pretty.

This gorgeous show and Tell was also made by Meredithe

This is the famous Camelot quilt , designed by Trish Harper , there is a pattern available and you can find it here

This is Candied hexagons made by Sue

Some fussy cutting on the above quilt

This is to be a cushion, love Clamshells

The Melbourne girls love to use Liberty , I say it is very 'Melbourne 'to do so :-) This was made by Carol. she originally used a different background, didn't like it so pulled it all apart and used this yellow. Well worth it I believe.

This gorgeous fussy cutting was on a star quilt made by one of the girls.

This is the corner of Lizzie's 'Not the Levens Hall' quilt. Designed by Marg Sampson George. So gorgeous

I have long been a follower on the blog of this Lady, it was so great to meet her IRL




I guess you must be exhausted by now reading all this. I know I am , no wonder the posts are few and far between.

Next up I will show you what I am working on.

Happy sewing
j

Easter Greetings and a Catch Up

Hoping you have all had a wonderful Easter, I know I have. I have been totally spoilt with this divine chocolate egg from very special friends.( I am savouring it , it is far too nice to devour just yet I am enjoying the continual temptation)
As usual we have spent Easter at our holiday Humpy and we have had some wonderful times shared with friends. Aren't these just the best times, sharing and making memories with people you enjoy being with.

It has been some time since my last post and as usual I have been stitching a few projects, I am sure you all know how it is.
Firstly my sheet now has the two side borders sewen onto the centre,so I can finally see an end to this epic.

It is going to be plenty big enough to cover the top of our bed

I had quite a time deciding on the centre, the branches were bereft of leaves and flowers for far too long.Thanks to a wonderful tutor Marg Sampson-George for her expert guidance this is what we came up with.

This is my first attempt at Broderie Perse, far from perfect but fitting for the quirkiness of this quilt.

I am sure you must all be tired of seeing this cos I certainly am.

These are the corner blocks I still have to complete a couple

Hopefully next post I will be able to reveal a completed top. Fingers crossed.
















The whirligig quilt top is also completed ready for quilting. This is a Brigitte Giblin pattern. I hand pieced it and thoroughly enjoyed every stitch.

In my hoop at the moment is the Blooms quilt that I started last year when I visited Broderie

I am using Perle thread in a few different colours to quilt this one. I have never used Perle thread before and it took a little getting used to but I like it.

I really like the backing but feel I should have used the version that was more subtle, paler pinks and mauve's, too late now though.

The girls in class at Material Obsession are still madly creating masterpieces , quite often the input from the other girls is invaluable
Here Maree was trying to make a decision on a border fabric.

Many hands make light work and the winner is

not this one lol, it is the stripe one that Marg has her hand on in the top picture.

Well I think that is enough from around the traps for now.

I'm off to play with my mate for the last evening of our Easter break, there is a chilled bottle of Champagne that needs to be consumed and I may even share some of my choccies with her.

Until next time


Happy Sewing and Happy Times.

j

Good Wishes for 2013

I thought it was high time I checked in to wish all my followers and readers much good health, happiness and sewing in 2013
Lucky for me I am still on holidays , I haven't really picked up a needle for the past couple of weeks so today I am indulging in a little sewing time.



I need to complete the centre on my sheet, I have been stalling for far too long. I find that if I am not happy with something I tend to put it down, it just becomes too hard to move on, anyway I took it to class just prior to Christmas and got Marg to give me a hand so this is my task today, I have a had a talk to myself , I cannot return to class without this being completed.

I have been doing a couple of other things in between , I have made this whirligig quilt that was a Brigitte Giblin pattern published in an past Quilters Companion magazine.






I had cut this quilt out many moons ago, I was going to machine piece it but after trialling one block I put it aside as I wasn't keen on that method. I needed a little hand piecing project that didn't require too much brain power so out this came again, after adding a few more current fabrics to it I became hooked. I just need to add the final border with is scrappy diamonds alternated with a white one. I am happy with the way it has turned out, nice and fresh looking.
I must go and get on with my ' today ' task so I will have something to show you very soon.

I hope you are enjoying or have enjoyed your holiday.

Until next time
Happy Sewing

j

The Love of Hexies Continues

I'm still in love with covering paper hexagons and Brigitte Giblin still manages to fulfil my need with her wonderful patterns.
Those of you that read my blog will remember the small hexagon purse that I made using Brigitte's pattern, now there is a pattern for a larger bag using 1 inch hexies. (You could really use any size however the larger the better for showcasing fabric)

a fussycut rosette on one side

and some wacky lining

must be wacky as this image does not want to load the right way up. You get the general idea though.

I haven't decided on the handle as yet but there is plenty of inspiration here.
The pattern has full easy to follow instructions and you can also purchase the handle and papers.

I know I am a little late in posting about Brigitte's new book as I have read on many of your blogs that you have by now your copy, in case you don't Brigitte has launched a new book full of patterns that you too can make especially for those of you that are not here in Australia to be able to join in on one of her classes.

You can purchase online, it is a great coffee table book also, and just to whet your appetite a couple of page views.

Just to finish off while we are talking Brigitte, Brigitte also has a new Blog, this blog gives tips for constructing and images about quilts in her book.

In between covering paper I have also been working on my sheet. I have been helped with the expert guidance of another wonderful teacher Marg Sampson-George. Marg doesn't have a blog unfortunately , I don't think she would have time for that she is so busy fulfilling her class commitments. Who knows one day Marg may publish a book of her quilts, we certainly hope so.

I am onto the final borders of my sheet and it looks like blogger is going to play havoc with my images now, I just don't get its logic sometimes :-(

This border goes on the top and bottom, sorry the pics aren't great and the border has folds as it has been put away ready for the day to be constructed. I have just placed so hopefully you get the idea.

This is the start of the side borders , obviously there are some more elements to this border which are undecided as of going to print lol but Marg will help sort that out I am sure.

Some detail of the baskets in the top and bottom border, hope you don't mind being a contortionist. :-)

This past week has seen Sydney host its annual Quilt Show at Darling Harbour, sorry no quilts pics to post.  There were many great stalls, Hatched and Patched from Bathurst. Annie always has a wonderful stand and didn't disappoint this year either. Marg Low from The Albury/ Wodonga area. Kathy and her gang from MO  Carolyn's Quilting Room from Wodonga.This lady is an outstanding quilt maker , reproducing antique quilts that would easily satisfy the quilt purists out there. Most of the quilts featured are available as BOM's either patterns or pattern and fabrics. Take a look I think you will agree that these quilts are begging to be made.

This lady just oozes passion about her quilt making and didn't mind in least us taking photos.

This sundial is amazing and the colours are so similar to the original, I know there are many versions out there, it is always nice to put a little of yourself into quilts but I must say I do love this and am tempted !

This quilt Carolyn calls the marriage quilt, smaller than the original but divine, I love the replication of colours,browns, blues and pinks.

George the 3rd ( I think), folk art and another that the name escapes me.

The quilt show is a great place to catch up with old friends and acquaintances and meeting new ones. Meeting Cardy and Chooky in person after sharing blogging friendships and sharing a glass of bubbles at days end with friends Janet , Kate and Bernadette ( we missed you Maree and Laurel)

I'm enjoying the last of the iceberg roses ahead of their dormant period and heavy pruning before they flourish for spring. I just love the pink tinge.

It is the first month of winter for us southern hemisphere inhabitants , for the first time in years it really feels true to form, I think it is going to be a great sewing season.

I hope where ever you are you have plenty of sewing time.

j