Lists of things TO DO

I'm having one of those days. I have so much to do that I can't find any motivation to buckle down and do any of it!

It should be a pleasure, but it all feels like a chore. I'm bored with all my fabric and annoyed that my computer skills don't match my 'visions'.

I am spending the rest of today reading and RE-reading the EQ7 book and hopefully I will come through it feeling more positive about finishing some UFO's and commiting some sketches into design.

Sketchbook Project

I first heard about the Brooklyn Sketchbook Project from Pam Holland's blog a few months ago. It sounds so interesting. The basic idea is that you submit a 'diary' or 'journal' based on set themes (which you select) or you create your own 'open' theme. You then send it in to a travelling 'library' that people visit. Inside the library, visitors 'check out' diaries (on location).

What a great idea...I have had so many journals, and it's always fascinating how flicking through pages can instantly transport your mind to 'that place'.

2 weeks ago I received my 'Moleskin Diary' from the Brooklyn Project. I am still a bit suprised at how slim this 'Moleskin' is. I have been using Moleskins for years and did think I would be receiving the normal type. You can see one of my old Moleskins (below) and the new Moleskin for the project resting on top. It is significantly thinner! I have done some etchings and the pages are very thin. I am thinking about how to get around this.

My Catergory is "Storybook' and I was planning to journal the story of Red Delicious. I also thought that if I didn't get around to finishing it (this is definitely likely!) in time, that I could use my 'Project Moleskin' as an extra journal (I always need more of those).

Now that it's arrived, I really couldnt use it for anything other than the Project as its size is no good to me.

So that's some motivation to get working.... and this is my cat making sure I'm using my new camera right...I was fiddling about and she's always where the action is...

Have you heard about this project? Are you taking part? What's your theme? Has anyone visited the travelling library in past years?

Would love to hear your thoughts...

Vic Quilters Showcase 2010

It's that time of year again, the Vic Quilter's Showcase is here.

Red Delicious won 1st place in the small Quilts Catergory - Professional

Red Delicious won - Excellence in Domestic Machine Quilting

and Dream Fountain won- Runner Up in Open Art Quilts

I won three rossettes and I'm delighted! A big Thank You to the absolutely amazing sponsors of my prizes:

• Patchwork & Quilters Guild of Victoria
• Strathdale Quilters Inc
• Mini Jumbuck & Yazzi International

 It's such a nice feeling to bring home these awards!

Of course, it wouldnt be Showcase if I wasn't doing some last minute quilting. Yes, this year I was quilting 'against' the clock, eager to get In The Pink hanging at the show. This is why I've been absent from blogging. I've been so busy. Every year it's the same. I promise myself  'no more last minute quilting' because my machine ALWAYS plays up and I never do my skills justice when I am in a hurry. But I was so keen to get ITP out there, that I went ahead and finished it. Now I wish I really hadn't, because it's not hanging as straight as I'd like! This isnt too much of a problem as it will be washed and it is a bed quilt....but I am a fussy hanger and I would have liked to see my quilt looking better.

I didn't expect to win anything so my awards took me by suprise. So I didn't have my camera with me! I am going back in tomorrow and will take some snaps of my winning quilts, and if I can bare it, one of ITP too.

What a great show year it has turned out to be. I am in great company with the other winners. Congratulations to everyone and especially Linda Steel, who won Best of Show.  (pic above)

 I do have permission from Linda Steele to blog this pic of her quilt and I will take some more pics tomorrow. And I will take some close ups so you can see her extraordinary talent - it's a beautiful quilt. It's called “Eastern Elements”

Hope to catch up with everyone and see what's new at market tomorrow...

Part 4 is launched

How is your ITP coming along?

The BOM continues this month with partial assembling of blocks and borders and bird applique. It's 'the calm before the storm' block as next month is the biggest installment. So I have paced it to leave you plenty of enthusiasm for Part 5.

I am having a great time seeing so many quilters progress with this BOM. So many different fabrics are being used, it's a real treat to see ITP made so many different ways.

In The Pink (the complete pattern) is available for purchase. So those of you who can't wait, yes you can buy it and finish it ahead of time. I know one quilter is rushing ahead of the BOM to make it as a birthday present.

We have had the flu in our house this past week, so things have been slower than usual. This time next week I hope to have my EQ7 up and running. We'll see if I manage it...

While I was away

I've been away doing family things and while I was away, the eagerly anticipated EQ7 package arrived!

I am looking forward to installing and getting stuck into some new designs. Hopefully this will save me  hours of drafting line drawings. I am reading (Ok, flicking) through the book, waiting for my daughter to explain the finer points to me.

I am hoping that EQ7 makes my designing life simpler and more productive. I really have so many designs I have not had the time to develop into actual work yet...this may make the difference...or not....it seems that computers rule everything nowadays, but I don't know what they have improved. I am hoping that saved time will be the big change. I've also heard that EQ7 allows designs to be turned into needlwork patterns, which my daughter is excited about (and so am I as I would love to see her work some of my own sketches into embrodiery.) We'll see....

As I've been away, I forgot to blog that Sunshine & Shadow won an award at the Sydney Quilt Show. I expected to be there, but at the last minute was unable. Many thanks to Deborah Laurie who went to the effort of posting my quilt back to me along with my prize. I won fabric which I am commited to stash busting quickly. It's a lovely new edition. They are fabrics I would never have bought, so it's nice to be working with fabrics outside my 'usual'. Thank to Charles Parsons for sponsoring the award. I also received a pack of batting, which is always useful! I love new wool batting, I find that it quilts beautifully.

To see the winning quilt gallery, click here

A catty posting

We have a very naughty neighbourhood cat. He is black and I think he/she is a Burmese. Every morning I come down into the kitchen, and within a few minutes of the household stirring, there he is. He sits so that the first thing I see when I look out the kitchen window is him. Then he trotters around the house and looks into my sewing studio window to see if I'm in there (of course I am!).We have started a morning conversation ritual where he mews at the window and I chat to him and then after some more mewing, he leaves.

All seems harmless enough. Except he comes back and stalks the house

until he has caught the attention of our pampered indoor cat and then they argue through the glass. This ends in my cat stomping around in a huff for the rest of the day.

This pic is his morning perch position. Yes he only has one eye. I wonder sometimes what kind of mischief caused that.

At the moment he isnt being too distruptive because my own cat is too busy basking before the heating vent to bother looking out the window and starting a fight.

Thank you to those who let me know I have a Lucilia. Apparently a difficult shrub, this one is somehow hardy. I have neglected it and we have been in draught, so I dont know how it  pulled through -it has not been watered once.

I am thinking about a Peony Tree in a pot after seeing some beautiful pics of one on Feather on a Wire's blog. Sally's peony tree made me very envious. It is so beautiful. I don't think it would last in our climate - I will have to look into that.

Back to UFO's: this is my focus until EQ7 arrives (waiting....waiting...), then I will be jumping into some new designs.

Cozy Weather

It's cozy weather at the moment. I was busily quilting and lost in my 'quilter's trance' that I get into when I'm working. Then all of a sudden the electricity cut out and I couldnt believe my eyes... we had snow! (Ok, just hail) but it was suprising none the less.

Twenty minutes later and the house was full of warm sunlight. Very weird weather day.

Usually when I get home I'm fast to get into the house and don't pay  much attention to the foliage at this time of year. But today I had to stop and take a photo and bask in some appreciation for the bush pictured here. It is blooming. I have no idea what it is. It's scent is sometimes powerful and almost off putting. Other times it wafts in through my bedroom window and it is delightful. For those of you who like Estee Lauder, when it is in a delicate mood -it smells exactly like "Tuberose Gardenia"

I was so lucky to catch a glimpse of a honey bee at work (?!) and he is in the fuzzy bit of the 2nd photo. I think its a confusing time for the garden at the moment. Warm sunny afternoons, sudden drops in temp and freezing nights.

With weather like this, I long for a cottage and an open fire (which my husband will dutifully stack, light and keep burning). No such luck. I am making do with bread and butter pudding and winter soups.

There is something so satisfying about winter cooking though.... I love dusting off my old cookbooks and thinking about recipes that can't even be contemplated during the rest of the year on account of the heat.

Oh yeah, have spent the week pottering througgh UFOs and I'm really pleased to be getting through them - the end is nowhere in sight. But you have to start tackling the list somewhere!