a Rainy Tuesday

Comment Update: I thought I had my commenting ability back - but for unknown reasons, I am still unable to blog on some blogs - and not others. I am visiting blogs and I love strolling through WOW entries, and I will keep on commenting when I can. If I dont comment, it's because I can't. I will persevere until it sorts itself out.

It’s been raining today and I have been pottering around my things. I’m getting over an annoying bug and haven’t had the motivation to really do anything except the basics, so I definitely haven’t been productive.

I thought, I may as well do a few stints of tidying up my studio so that when I do feel better, I will be ready to get stuck in.

Then I found this. Tucked away under some rather beautiful fabric. It’s my Easter Table Decorations. I purchased these 2 little crates in January and thought, wonderful for Easter –to brighten the table during cake and coffees. Except of course, we didn’t enjoy them at Easter because by Easter I had completely forgotten of their existence…and there’s no way I would have found them in the nick of time, because they were stashed near a project which is still a WIP.

 Another reason to sort my things out. I think I will have to create a decoration box. A place to put all the wrapping paper, ribbons, gift boxes and such that goes missing whenever we have to actually wrap something. Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Now I just have to actually do it.

It is just me, or is your stash so serious

you find things you forgot you purchased???

WOW: WIPs On Wednesdays

I'm sure many of you have heard of Sharon Shamber - she's an extraordinarily talented quilter. I am a member of her network, and once a week I like to take the time to sit down and watch one of her videos with a cup of coffee and get inspired.

I domestic machine quilt freehand, so before getting stuck into quilting work I like to warm up on a cushion, or a table runner or failing having any of those lying about waiting to be quilted...I sketch.

This image is of my quilting sketchy journal. It's also stuffed with recipes and I think there's a long lost invitation in there somewhere too. It's one of those journals that eats important slips of paper and refuses to cough them up when you're frantically looking for them!

I do love quilting and I love how ideas just flow out when I am doodling quilting lines. This is all good news of course, because it means I will soon be quilting something bigger - which means I will be finishing something soon. Ahhhh, I love those days. For today though, my Work In Progress is quilting ideas - pulling in inspiration, mapping out sketches and letting my pen run free.

What's happening in your wednesday?

Thank You For Commenting

Thanks to Everyone who took the time to comment on my last post. It's a relief to know that Blogger is having issues as I sometimes feel like these things only happen to me.

I can't leave comments on blogs - otherwise, it's business as usual on this blog and tomorrow is WOW again. This sure is motivation for me to keep busy!

Monday Madness

Did you take time to browse through WOW last wednesday? Well, I was delighted with it. 19 bloggers took part and I really enjoyed visiting each and everyone to see what they were up to. Thursday and Friday I got back into my own workload and hopefully I will be able to start sharing finished WIPs soon...ish....maybe.

Apologies to those who I was not able to comment on directly, something strange is going on and I am unable to post comments on other blogs at the moment. I was able to post a few and then my sign in fell out - and it never re-accepts it. This only happens via other blogs when I try to sign into the comments section with blogger...and it doesn't effect my actual blogging. Very strange and I can't understand why.

Blogging can be so maddening! I dont know what to do about it, I am hoping it will resolve itself as it's definitely something to do with blogger.

Today, trying to resolve this blogger thing has driven me to baking! Well, yes, I had been putting it off as I've been too busy quilting to do any baking and it's so easy to just buy some nice biscuits. Except, when I read the ingredients listings on biscuits nowadays - it drives me back into the kitchen.

I know it's easier to buy them but I can't ignore how much artificial junk is in them and I like to always have homemade biscuits in the house, for my DH.

Today I have gone the way of Too Simple with this easy easy easy recipe: (makes 25 - 30 teaspoon sized biscuits)

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour / cornstarch

Simply mix all together ( I put it all together in the kitchen wizz), pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then, spoon off some mixture and bake for 10-15mins at 180c or until golden.

These simple failproof recipes are the best. For the jam variety I made a dip with a spoon and filled it with home made jam, for the almond variety I just sprinkled some slivered almonds on top and pressed down.

You can spice it  / modify so easily and it turns out perfect all the time.

Now that the biscuit jar is full, I have quilting work to do, and hopefully I will be commenting again soon...

WOW: WIPs On Wednesdays

My WOW (WIP On Wednesday) this week is a quilt top

It’s an art quilt. I love the curved piecing, the shape really interests me. It’s super bright – this photo doesn’t do it justice, and it’s from my hand dyed stash. I love using my hand dyes. The idea with this WIP (it doesn’t have a name yet) was to create a central design with an original stencil of mine.

I have actually made the stencil…and cut it out…and mislaid it. I’m sure I saw it during the last tidy, so I have hung the quilt up (well, draped it over a ledge) to remind me, to get it done.

Another similar art quilt idea I actually finished was Upstream (this fish quilt, right) and this art quilt also used my own hand dyes and I stenciled the fish over the colour waves to create a design. I then stitched over the stenciled fish.

This is the feeling I get with this current quilt top. You can’t see much now, but with a lot of my art quilts, it comes together at different points, this top isn’t there yet. I’ll be glad when it’s finished.



With this type of quilt top, I really have to wait for the momentum to pick up again, it isn't something I feel I can force. (Excellent WIP Excuse #5)

What's your Wednesday WIP?

Join in, it's easy:



WIPs on Wednesdays

Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know that I used to post a (sort of regular) “Esther’s Occasional Quote For The Day”. I received an email last week asking me what had happened to my occasional quotes?? Well, nothing happened to them. Except that I have been somewhat sidetracked by my WIPs. You know how it is – blogging is a great resource, it allows you take a look into other quilter’s online journals. I do think of my own blog as an online journal…it helps me keep track of my work and lets me share what I think and do with a wide range of people.

Blogging also takes a lot of time and it’s a balance to decide between doing work and taking time out to share the work you are doing.

Something else has also struck me recently – there are so many readers out there doing their own thing. I have a modest following (498 and counting….this is wonderful) and I’d love to know at a glimpse, what you’re all doing! I know there’s a good range of interests out there – so I’m fairly confident that one thing we all have in common are Works In Progress (WIPs).

So from now on, Wednesdays on this blog

will be WIPs on Wednesdays.

What does that mean? I’m inviting you all to create a blog post regarding whatever it is you’re doing…that is, your WIP …and link to it on this blog every Wednesday. That way we can all get a snapshot of what everyone else’s WIPs are looking like. There are lots of interesting things out there, let’s share!

Ok, I know it’s Tuesday- I’m just eager to spread the word and hopefully inspire as many of you as possible to join in. Starting tomorrow…

<a href="http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="WIPs on Wednesdays" src="http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/estheraliu/WOW280.jpg"/></a>

Try Stenciling For Free

Have you tried stenciling yet?

I have to admit, I do love stenciling. It's a rewarding technique that allows you to be creative and in control. Once you have mastered the process, it will change the way you look at quilt designing - I have always enjoyed turning my sketches into a design and knowing that it's completely my own.

Stenciling can be including a single stenciled block in your next quilt or creating a whole cloth masterpiece.

If you've ever thought about stenciling...but wasn't sure, why not give it a go? I am offering my Tulip Delight Table Runner Pattern for free via my website. Why not print it out and see if it suits you?

Visit my website to download this free pattern  

Why not  visit my Original Stencil Quilt Gallery to see how creative and diverse stenciling can be?

The snap shots above are taken from my gallery, click on an image below to link directly to it