Tuesday 26 February 2013

sewing verus gardening!!

I still have a few more days holiday & I still have a long list of things to do!
It's defintiely too hot to garden, yes? - so I thought I should try tidying up my fabric stash in the spare bedroom, now my sewing room!   I had planned to get order, a  system of sorts ?!??!!?
But, I got sidetracked!
I found this quilt that I had made some time ago & then once I had it professionally quilted, I never got around to binding it. It was a vintage pattern that I purchased even longer ago when in Australia!

It's made from a soft combination of mushrooms/pinks/creams with a hint of red every now & then.

I had used a v. sweet Japanese linen fabric a couple of times as a focus point

and there were a few old liberties thrown in too!

You can't really see it, but it is quilted in an allover clamshell pattern (machine quilted by Annette /Wild Cotton Longarm Quilting Services). I went on a mad hunt to find something to bind it with.... watch this space! 

Needless to say, the new improved storage system hasn't yet taken shape in the sewing room!
Maybe I'll wait for a rainy day now!!!


Saturday 23 February 2013

FABRIC!!!!!

I have just had lovely  "extra"  week's  holiday down at our bach at Waihi beach!!  
The weather was great, swimming every day, lots of walks, and, of course, just a tenny wee bit of shopping!!
We visited "Katipatch"  in Katikati, a patchwork & quilting shop in a wonderful spot just as you enter Katikati.
Also checked out Cushla's patchwork shop in Waihi township....


When I had a look in our very seriously over endowered airing cupboard at the bach, look what I found - very old vintage pillow cases & a sheet!.......




And then, when I got back home, in the mail was more fabric!!!...................
A pack I ordered from Amitie/Australia "Green Tea and Sweet Beans" by Jen Kingwell.


and more fabric!!!!!.............
Material Obsession's  "Pretty" fabric pack that I thought I would check out.


A huge variety of fabrics just ready for cutting up!! 
Lately I have been enjoying using traditional blocks and combining fabric from my stash with some of the more recent modern fabrics.  I have made quite a few baby quilts using more solids /whites /greys than I ever had in the past 'cos they kinda fit in with what new mums want. And I have just loved making them, trying out new ideas, & the internet has been a great source of inspiration!!
Vintage, or scrappy, or modern, or mix & match, with a clear negative space somewhere for quilting, whatever !!!!!  I love it all.    (but I have to say.....I just  don't do "brown"  or batik !!!!)

We all put so much effort, & time, & money, & decsion -making into our next project,  so just make what you really enjoy making!!!!  There are no rules.
AND there is such a lot of lovely fabric out there!!!!!!!