Inspiration in Natural Shapes

This is a snapshot of some flowers that I wanted to share with you. I have been lucky enough to spend a day sketching stash busting ideas with this glorious bunch in front of me.

The colours are just superb. I can see the most magnificent quilt in these green- grays, dusty & deep pinks ad splashes of butter yellow.




And I love the shapes too. These discs on a line are so simple and evocative.

It's so reviving to see the mastery of detail in flowers. I love it.

Fabric Dilemma

Loves the green vine print (new) & the chocolate print (old stash)

Hates the rose and stripe print! (new)

I broke my own rules last week because it was my DD's birthday coming up and I saw fabric online that I knew she would just love. So I purchased it online (I didnt plan this, I was just browsing to see what was new out there - to jog some inspiration from my own stash) and the perfect prints for a beautiful quilt just appeared. I had to buy them! Easy, I though, this quilt is going to be so easy...

The only problem is, she HATES the rose and stripe print (which is actually the perfect match for the vine print). I explained this as patiently as I could, but she has declared an absolute NO on those two prints. So now my easy design is stuck... I have a green vine print (the only print I bought that she loves) and some left over chocolate prints that I've always wanted to use somewhere...and thats it. Now I'm really stuck. I have been through my stash and...nothing!

This is incredibly frustrating. Especially as I am now -2- birthday quilts behind - I just never got around to making last years, its still on the list, and I was planning on using the beautiful rose print in the 2nd quilt as well, as a sort of running theme.

How fussy are non quilters?

I am going to wait a week and then go through my stash 'again'. I will not be purchasing any more new fabric for this quilt.

I will also not be browsing online fabric stores either.

Where do the years go?

I'm always saying on this blog that the months seem to flit by...and before you know it, another year has passed. Well it happened again - this past weekend was my DD's birthday.


Still, as everything seems to be moving so fast, it's nice to stop and admire a cake, almost too beautiful to eat...almost... and think about how quickly the rest of the year is going to pass. In my family, we have now entered the birthday 'season' where it's going to be very busy until the end of Feb 2010.

This means I am going to have to really keep to my schedule.




Wish me luck

My Quilt Midnight Garden

See, sometimes I do finish quilts!

Like this quilt? Why not make it? The project is in No. 39 (Vol. 8.5) of Quilters Companion - now available.

Knitting UFO

Uh oh, the UFO's in my house are not limited to my quilting... we also have a knitting UFO stash.

About 2 weeks ago, I came acros some beautiful yarn and enlisted my DD to knit me a scarf. 'Sure' she said 'no problem'. The only problem it turns out, is that the yarn cannot be worked in crochet and she doesnt like knitting. I knit and crochet so I really couldn't see an issue, but she assured me, you're one or the other. She persisted on needles for 2 rows before giving up. Going through the wool box, I found the yarn I had selected for last year's scarf and predictably... two rows knitted and abandoned. But that's not all. There is plenty of abandoned crochet work in there too. Half spirals, assorted flowers or as she likes to refer to it all : 'samples'.

Yes, I have passed on my bad habits.

Lone Star

This is my Lone Star. It's been in the wings for a few years. Now I've found it, I'm set on finishing it. It was a 'nice suprise' finding it cut out and bundled.

I was going for an autumnal color feel and I still like the tones I chose, it will all come together when it's finished. I will definitely be posting that proud moment as soon as I get to it.

Another week, another quilt (hopefully)

I'm hopeful. I have the Quilts That Must Be Finished draped over the ledge awaiting action. There's 4 there on the ready right now - so I have no excuses.

Those shirts you see on the side - they are what I should be doing with my time ( some ironing!). Unfortunately, I am not a shining example of applied house husbandry!

Although I have plenty to do, I have to admit that I am feeling totally uninspired today! So far I have been meandering and doing everything and anything except what I planned on doing...so...I am going to just sit down and do it. Get through the boring bits so I can move on. Soonish. Probably.