Under Estimating

 I under estimated how long it would take to cut 126 x two and a half inch strips ....

 I under estimated how long it would take to cut 15 x13 by 21 inch panels, and lots of circles and fabric for binding....... and I under estimated how long it would take to sew all of those bits together .... so it's been pedal to the metal to get this quilt finished for Christmas - and at lunchtime Christmas Eve it was done!!! It's for my nephew - .... and yes I know a 6 year old would rather toys for Christmas but that's what everyone else could get him ... I used Monica Poole's "Sea Spray " pattern - it' a quilt as you go - so the best thing is that it's all quilted rather than sending it off or struggling with it yourself (well, that's my experience of quilting!).

 I didn't applique as many circles as the pattern suggested - my time frame was tight ...

 The reverse:

 And so with an hour or two I finished these cute little lavender bags that have been in progress for a while .... they made great little gifts

 And for me??? Well, I've been very good this year - as opposed to other years when I've been bad (ha!) ... clever Santa brought me this necklace from some clever local girls - the Strutt Sisters ....

 It's reversible!!

 And how clever is that Santa??? I also got this handy little reference card set - it was advertised on Burdastyle I think - it's a "How Much Fabric" guide (not that I'm buying fabric at the moment - or probably for quite some time yet ..... but if I was .. I know exactly how much to buy!!!)

 And as quick as a wink - and inspired by these sweet girls .... I finished these key fob things on Christmas night .... bit late for pressies - but ready in the wings ...

 

Merry Christmas to you all!

Bush Dancing Anyone?

It's amazing what one finds in crumpled up plastic bags ...
All of these sweet little ladies have been trying to dance in the daylight
Many a netball game and training session has been used to train these girls
Even the odd school excursion to Luna Park .... completed some time ago and abandoned, this is a Sweetwattle Design - I can't find a website for them, but they are located in Wahroonga, Sydney, and they used to advertise frequently in Australian quilt magazines. The design was meant to be done in redwork, but I prefer to use colour and I thoroughly enjoyed stitching these cute designs.
They finally got an audience in my studio ... just for a very brief season ... . where are they now? Back in the plastic bag!

I'm a Finalist!

I recently entered the Amitie / Living Creatively Circles Competition ...

I made a duffle bag called 'SAIL AWAY".. The brief was to use quilting and the theme of circles to come up with a modern item ....

I quilted a denim base to make a circle ...

Then built the bag up from there - lots of red piping and white cotton herringbone tape ..

I quilted the amitie black and white ball fabric with the same design as the base...

Here is the ever faithful Clover Bias tape tool in action ...

I then joined my left over bits of amitie fabric with some red & white dots, and quilted that with a twin needle ....

I cut that piece of quilting into circles ...

I took all of my bits and pieces to a local sailmaker to put some jumbo eyelets in more tape for the top of the bag and for the little circles ....

I then appliqued those circles onto another piece of denim ...

Adding the final top layer of tape ...

Here is the lining - oops - photo not corrected - you get the idea....

Then we went to Lake MacQuarie Yacht CLub for the photo shoot - here is my son retrieving the lens cover from the lake ...

And here is the bag - and I'm a finalist!!! So exciting!

My bag is now living the high life in Melbourne at the Stitches and Craft Show - so if you see it - please check that it is behaving itself - and send me a photo if you can! It will then do Sydney and Brisbane later in the year - next time I'll make a bag big enough to put ME inside!