June 27, 2010

Something old ....

Winter and I just don't agree!  My body was definitely made for warm weather.  I haven't been able to do much sewing this week as my fingers are very much the worse for wear from the cold weather.  I counted 13 chillblains just on the right hand index finger yesterday, most of which are on the tip.  That's not to mention all the other fingers covered in red sore lumps!  Everything I do hurts, and it just hasn't been possible to hold a needle as much as I would like.

So ... I thought you might be like me ... I just love looking at lovely things other people have made, so here's an array of "something old" for you to look at, chosen for no other reason than that I don't think I have shown you before!


One day when we were out bushwalking, I took a photo of this little Scarlet Robin and later turned it into this raised embroidery picture.  Here's a bit closer on the bit that matters:


This is a little notebook cover I made.  I guess I have made dozens of these over the years:


I am quite addicted to bullion stitch roses!


And one more photo - a bag when I was in "on point" mood:


I hope you've enjoyed 'just browsing' my "something old"!

Happy stitching!
Val

June 20, 2010

Too much computer - and not enough sewing!

It was one of those weeks - too much to do on the computer and not enough sewing time!  I shouldn't complain as I had two more projects commissioned for publication, had to send off a quilt to a different magazine and was asked would I like to be profiled in another magazine!  It's just that what goes with that is lots of hours writing up patterns, doing all the necessary templates and paper work and answering heaps of questions. Now there's just two more projects to send off tomorrow and I should be able to see the sewing machine again.

I did manage to complete this project:

And while I had the camera out, I thought I would show you this sewing folder which I completed some time ago.  It's my Tickled Pink pattern, but in entirely different colours:

and the front cover:

It never ceases to amaze me how different fabric totally transforms a design.

And just to prove I have a reason to complain about our cold weather, here's a photo of our front yard this week, an hour after the sun came up.  It was the biggest frost we have seen in 10 years living here. 


Oh, I know, it's nothing compared to snow and ice, but it's cold for this true blue Queenslander whose blood only flows when it gets to the sub-Tropics!

Happy stitching!
Val

June 18, 2010

Quilt Aid 2010

Have you been to the Quilt Aid site and had a look at the 12 gorgeous blocks, plus 12 different quilt finishing kits that have just been launched?


The quilts use the beautiful Beach House range of fabric by Robyn Pandolf - scrumptious!

This is a wonderful charity deserving of our support.

Happy stitching.
Val

June 13, 2010

Free pattern - Gifts of Grace Block 5

Another month has whizzed around and it's time to let you have the next block in the Free block of the month pattern, Gifts of Grace.

Block 5 is "Kindness", a sense of compassion in the heart.


I hope you like this new block.  You can find the download here on my website.  Scroll down to the bottom of that page to find all the blocks that have been released so far.

I hear that some of you are finding it difficult each month to remember to go looking for the new block.  Well, I'd love it if you would become one of my blog "followers". That way, you will be reminded that the pattern is available - and you get to read all my ravings in between! 

Our bleak and cold weather means a lot of snuggling up under my quilt and lots of stitching accomplished.  I am a real hermit in winter and feel as if I only survive because I can do lots of hand embroidery!  This is some of last week's stitching:





I have had so much enjoyment working this embroidery - silk, damask, felt, variegated threads, beads, flowers - what more could I ask for!

Happy stitching!

Val

June 6, 2010

More playing with felt

DH and I had quite a few very late nights (or should I say, "early mornings") last week, watching the French Open tennis.  Oh well, Australia's Sam Stosur didn't win in the end, but it did mean that I was able to get lots of embroidery done!

DD gave me a beautiful range of felt for Christmas, so I've had it out playing with it again.  Here's one of my little birdhouse pincushions, this time with my favourite roses.
I made a needlecase to match: 


Then this little beehive pincushion popped into existence:

And something I made a while ago, but couldn't show you till after my friend received it for her birthday - just in case she looked on my blog!  I really love the way this came together and thankfully my friend did too!


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Keep an eye out for the next free pattern in the Gifts of Grace block of the month quilt.  It will be ready for downloading next week.  All the quilt top is now finished and I hope to do some quilting on it when I have finished playing with felt.

Hope you have a great week with some stitching time in there somewhere.

Blessings
Val