Turning 42

Well - it's my birthday tommorrow and I am struggling to find a positive about getting older. Recently I have realised I am gettting old lady fingers - they are getting stiff and sore and a suspicious arthritic looking bump has appeared on the most important digit on the most used hand. I have started taking glucosamine (with chondroitin) as well as fish oil tablets to try and support my joints - but can I tell you that fish oil repeats on me terribly? See - I am even starting to sound like an old lady - argh!!!!!!

I haven't posted for a long time because husband-man and the boy-wonder have commandeered the camera for important men's stuff (husband-man for "work", boy-wonder to film himself attempting "ollies" on his skateboard). Have dropped long and broad hints that a camera for me for my birthday would be a wonderful idea. I'd cross my fingers but I can't - because I have OLD LADY FINGERS!

I am off to Marilyn's house to help her get a website up and running - she used to have one but it lapsed - and someone grabbed her website address (don't you hate that?) So we'll have to come up with a new name - nothing crazy - just something that will help people find her (and her gorgeous patterns).

Later!

Eclectic Quilt

I've made another quilt - getting rather prodigious in my old age! This one is a pattern created by Lynne Wilson from Highland Quiltworks called Seams Like Fun - it uses 16 Fat Quarters to make the inside of the quilt in quite an efficient way. I decided to do it out of the Girlfriends Range by Jennifer Paganelli for Sis Boom. I wasn't quite sure anyone else would like it because it's a pretty eclectic mix of fabrics all mushed in together - but everyone who's come into the shop as I've been sewing it has positively exclaimed over it - so I guess that's a good sign huh? Because it's not my pattern it won't be in the magazines as a project but it will be a kit available to buy.

Visit from Ruth Prest

Ruth Prest is a dollmaker from the US - she is in Australia on a short visit and stopped by the shop today with Ann Maullin to say hello. That's Ann on the left and Ruth on the right. Ruth was such a lovely lady - she obviously couldn't bring a lot of dolls but she brought a book with all her dolls in it and Ann brought one of Ruth's giraffes that she had given her some years ago.

Ruth also brought some of her beautiful beading work which was stunning.

A group of dollmakers assembled to meet Ruth and brought samples of their work. Ruth is writing an article for Soft Dolls and Animals magazine about her trip down under - so we might appear in there at some stage!

Here's Marilyn Halcomb holding a new doll she's created - I can't remember what the doll's name was - maybe Purple Passion? She's got her corset on - but she's put on a little weight and can't quite get it done up at the back. I love the high heel slippers - very Gloria Swanson. (I'm talking about the doll here - not Marilyn !)

The little elf type fellow is Marilyn's version of Gloria Winer's new doll pattern. He really was an appealing little fellow.

Here is a beautiful textile piece that Erica had done with all sorts of beading and couching and interesting things on it. I previously attributed it to Ruth - but Erica let me know it's her piece. Actually I feel better now because I was so busy admiring all the things Erica brought to show that I forgot to photograph them!

Back to Ruth - she also had a couple of fabric postcards - love the Crane picture.

The tiny little baby troll was a gift to Ruth by Ute Vasina - here's a close up of it - you have to see this thing in real life to realise how tiny it is. If you look at it versus the size of the postcard - you'll get something of an idea!

It was a lovely day and so nice to see Ann, Anne, Marilyn, Erica, Annette, Natascha and even my Mum turn up to say hello to Ruth.

Being recognised as someone famous

I had a lady in the shop this afternoon who came in because she saw my picture in Patchwork and Stitching. Her daughter rang her while she was in the shop and asked where she was. She replied she was in the shop of a really famous person. Ha! ha! Very cute.

Now for all my dollmaking friends in the universe I said that they had featured my dolls in the article. When I said that though I hadn't actually seen the article - here's a scan of the pages - they really did make a feature of the dolls (and even my needlefelting ones too).

Very happy!

I am famous for a second lunchtime

Remember when I was famous (in my own lunchtime)? Well - it's happened again! My Freshcut quilt has made the front cover of Patchwork & Stitching magazine! Cool - here's a copy of the styled shot they did for the inside of the magazine too.

For those who actually buy the magazine - there is also a profile on me complete with my true love - cloth dolls! I'll be kind and spare you the photo of me though ;-)

I still think it's funny that I am on the front of a quilting magazine because I am soooooooooooo not a quilter. Mind you - have to say it's improving - what with all the quilts I've been making!

Later fans!

More Log Cabins and a new quilt

This is a quilt I finished at the end of last week. I saw it in Jean Well's Patchwork Made Easy and loved the colour combination. I realised I had just the right fabrics in the shop to make it up - took me a while to quilt it and bind it though! The purple is actually a rose print from Eleanor Burns - Through The Seasons range, as is the small purple floral, the red check and the dark mustard. The other fabrics are from Nancy Halvorsen of Art to Heart.

I've now started another quilt (not a log cabin). It is the free download pattern using the Empress Woo range by Robyn Pandolph. For those who'd like to see what I am aiming for you can look here.

I've been really, really busy this week.

Let me have a trumpet solo please - I have finished not one but two UFOs this week. The biggest one was a queen sized colourwash heart quilt for my mum and dad (Three years in the making from before they moved house). Will have to take a picture and post it here.

The second UFO was a log cabin quilt for Patchwork and Stitching magazine. I started it back here in April. Well here it is finished in one hit yesterday and ready to send.This pic is from before I quilted it and did the binding but it photographed better here than the photo I took when I tried to hang it up to snap it. Now I have to finish the instructions but that's the quick part - I am so much better with words!

I've been busy

One of the things I've been busy doing is helping my Mum and Dad clear their house out as they finally sold it. It's been the family home since 1968, despite various stints overseas (Petersfield in Hampshire, England from 1972 - 1975; Ossining, New York 1982 to 1984 and Holland after that).

They actually moved two years ago - but Mum wanted to be sure she liked her new digs before they gave up the house. Needless to say it was a big job - so Mum and I swapped several days - she went to play lady-in-the-shop and I went and got really ruthless with the stuff. Some got flogged on ebay - others went to the Salvation Army - books went to Lifeline for their annual book fair. Mum has an extensive collection of clothes from the 1950s - they went to Cavalcade of Fashion - where they will be properly curated and looked after which is nice to think. Anyway the last night the four of us (Mum, Dad, Kylie and I) had a "last supper" around the kitchen table. My older sister Ann was missing (gadding about in Bali for a month - smart girl!) But it was just like old times. It's kind of funny to think of it not being in our family anymore - lots of memories that's for sure. The best ones are always family dinners - where we'd sit around the dining table and laugh uproariously at something - you know the sort of laughing that brings tears to the eyes mixed with an inability to speak? Eventually Grandma would sob "oh stop, stop - before I wet my pants" and that, of course, would set all of us off again.

Here is one such scene - I am obscured by Dad's finger - and am wearing the floral circle skirt that I made as part of Home Science (mandatory in Year 7). That was the sum total of my learning to sew really.

Then it's Grandpa, my younger sister Kylie, Grandma, Mum, Nanna and my older sister Ann. This was taken Christmas 1978. Mum is about to cut Grandma's pudding (done the old fashioned way in a cloth (no basin) so it formed a floured sort of a skin). Ann and I had both made Christmas Cakes at school at the end of year activities week. The icing was as hard as hard but the cake turned out great! We only had one more Christmas altogether before Grandpa died in 1981. Each year someone would say, "this might be a Last Supper you know" - bummer when it turns out to be true. The most scary thing about this is that my mother's hair is a lot darker than mine is and I just worked out she is the same age in the photo as I now am (42 this year). Tempus Fugit.

Trade Show

Well - I should have posted this about a month ago but - well - I've been a little busy!

Went to my first Trade Show (I can do these interesting things because I own a shop). The main motivation was to hear Kaffe Fassett speak. I have been a long time admirer of all things Kaffe - being seriously so much in love with his books such as Glorious Inspiration and Glorious Interiors (and Glorious Needlepoint etc. etc.) that I have hunted them all down on ebay over the years and bought them all, mostly because I was embarrassed by how many times I'd borrowed them from the local library.

His talk was most interesting and I had a bit of a chat with him at the book signing afterwards. This is where trade shows are so much better than retail - not half so crowded! He had the proofs for his new book (which is due out in September) and graciously allowed people to have a look through so they could get organised making quilts in it before the book comes out in print. I told him how much I liked his old books such as Glorious Inspiration. He asked me how I liked it. I told him, "it's probably not the thing to say to a very visual artist - but gee it's a great read". He took the compliment. My favourites of all his fabrics are the paperweight series and the planets series and the good thing is Rowan Fabrics (who produce all his material) are doing a series of classics that will be available on a permanent basis. As he pointed out people are still buying the books and get frustrated that they can no longer get the fabrics. Here are some pics I took during the talk. I was in the front row but the lighting was absolutely terrible. I've enhanced them to within an inch of their lives so you can see. The quilts are totally spectacular in real life needless to say.This one was my favourite - loved the blue.

The final thing I thought was suprising was how tall Kaffe was. He'd be at least 6ft 2" I think. I'd always thought he was a slight sort of a man having seen him in his various books - so it was a bit of a suprise. Also the fact that despite living in England for 30+ years he hasn't a trace of an English accent. Actually I thought he sounded rather like elinor. I'm sure they'd get on a treat.

Well apart from Mr Fassett, the show was also interesting for the other things I saw there. Monica Poole is a designer of really gorgeous handbag patterns and I spent loads of time circling her stand. I'll be getting some of her bag patterns in for the shop. She's actually in a DVD in the latest Homespun with a pattern and all the tips and tricks to make a bag - totally different process from the one I'd imagined!

There were gorgeous trims everywhere which I couldn't resist ordering as well as the more mundane (but necessary stuff) like handbag magnetic clasps and perspex bag shapes for lining the bottom of the bags. I also went to a talk by Julie McKenzie of Material Possessions. She is a quilt shop owner as well as a designer of patterns - she is responsible for the cupcake cookery book that you see around - very cute projects and her stand was just gorgeous. She was very generous with her knowledge about what works and what doesn't.

I also spent some time talking to Karen and Nora who have recently launched iQuilt. This is an online magazine - huge potential - and both ladies are right up there with those in the know about who's who and what's what.

Ok - this post is getting realllllly long so will buzz off now - more later.

Needlefelting continues

Haven't had much time for anything lately - thought I'd post a little gnome baby I felted a while ago - here he is - curled up asleep.

My L'il Monster

I didn't post a pic of my L'il Monster previously because he hadn't been quite finished. Here he is in all his glory - didn't quite turn out all cute like everyone elses - I must have been channelling my inner Goth. I think because I painted him black for the base coat and also because his mouth turned quite beaky for some reason. Anyway - I love the way the interference colours show up against the black. I also love the Jo Sonja Opal Dust which gives the sparkle. Here he is in the window of the shop scaring all the kids away.

Creative Beading

I forgot to post pics of the Beading class with Lisa Walton that was on here back in March (how silly am I)? What prompted me to remember was getting in the wonderful book from Nancy Eha which Lisa uses as the basis of some of her designs (and gives full credit too in case you were wondering!

Here are pics of some of the students works in progress.

And here are some more of Lisa's samplers.

Everyone went home feeling very clever and happy to be able to add some more dimensional interest to their handwork whether it was quilting or needlework or combinations thereof. Great class - great teacher.

Pam Grose workshop Part 3

Here they are altogether and finished - Don't they look great?

One of the ladies wanted to do one of Pam's more conventional dolls - here she is painting the lace piece on her skirt and her she is almost finished - a great effort for 3 days work!

Pam Grose Class Pt 2

OK - got sick of adding to the first post so thought I'd do a part 2.

The L'il Monster is a pattern but Pam also showed me how to do a wrapped armature and use the pattern pieces as cotton lyra skins - here is mine with the wrapped armature and beginning to put the skins over.

This is someone else's monster made with the conventional pattern stuffed around the armature and the stuffed feet

As you can see the creature can be posed in many different ways - creating the character.

Pam demonstrated an open mouth technique which was very interesting. Here you can see the basic form with the cardboard piece inserted to create the mouth. We then had to backstitch around the eyes to adhere the lycra skin to the base - this enabled us to put stuffing around the eye forms to make brow ridges, cheeks and so on.

Once the heads were put on we gessoed the whole body ready for painting. We also used Jo Sonja texture paste to add some dimensional scaly effects.

This is where it got really interesting as individual choices in posing, colour choice and layering reall has an effect on the outcome. I painted mine black.

Ann chose brown and green

Sharolyn decided on a water dragon

Stella decided on purple and green

Lorraine wanted a definitely female monster in purple and pink - don't you love the dainty pose and the long eyelashes?