No Pieces Missing

This is a very new event - on Sunday March 25th at St. Joseph's School Hall in Benalla - it will be a great day, organised by the very efficient Jan from GingerBears of Benalla. I will be there with my quilt patterns, some fabric, buttons, some specials such as ex-display quilts and framed stitcheries, and a few other bits and pieces - and I'll also be doing a demonstration of basic blanket stitch applique, for those of you who are new to quilting.
But a warning, once you begin to collect your stash and start putting together your first creation, you'll be forever hooked! It's addictive!
Speaking of putting together pieces, how's this for a lovely jigsaw?
Found in the op-shop, priced $1.50, and we have had so much fun putting it together.
1000 pieces, and the size is about 50cm X 70cm.
It has been on a table in a nice little corner, enticing anyone passing. Muttering has been heard - "I'll just do a little bit more....."! And another family member disappears for a while.
Now to select another jig saw from our pile of op-shop finds.
Liz
P.S. Is it a patchwork thing? Do patchworkers in general like jigsaws?

Faceless Self Portrait

Yes. Here we are. The self portrait is finally beginning to take shape.
My best friend, Helen, couldn't believe that I had a serious mental block about this - she lectured me in no uncertain terms to take a good long look at my Teddlywinks designs, and take it from there.
So I did.
I made a list of everything that is important in my life, then made another list - this time a short-list from the first list, then a list of fabrics and colours (I love lists - they are a great way of remembering to do stuff, and the list can be forgotten until it is read, to remind you of what you need to do next, so your mind does not become cluttered and muddled - did you understand all that?).
Then came the rough sketch which consisted of a 20" square piece of paper covered with cut-outs of all the parts of the design.
This sat on my table and every time I passed, I moved, altered or took away pieces.
The techniques (fancy word for how it was put together) used are much the same as in my quilts. Blanket stitch applique, hand embroidery and a little bit of machine sewing.
It's really a picture about me, not of me.
More to come - it will be chock-a-block full of (all relevant) "stuff".
How's this for a great photo?
It's my friend Detty - she found this sewing machine when they were on holiday in South Australia. Neat isn't it? Wonder if it works??!!?
Back to the self portrait!
Liz
P.S. Will it have a face? I'm avoiding that!

My Love of Stitching

Remember this?
And these?
It's finally finished! A small quilt (26" X 30") perfect for using up scraps, or doing what we all love, visiting our favourite patchwork shop and buying new, beautiful fabric!
Just the right size for displaying on your wall - doesn't take up much room.
It's my newest design and is only available from Lorraine at Patchwork Passion, 29 Hotham Street, Cranbourne, Victoria, 3977, Australia. Ph: 03 59954455
Her website is www.patchworkpassion.com.au
More designs flying around in my head - and not just quilts.
Have to be strong and complete a few unfinished patterns before I begin anything new.
Just hate having too many on the go.
Mixes me up and I get confused.
Which is easy to do these days!
And my self portrait. Well that's another story!
Liz

Love of Stitching

Keep your peepers open for a new design, "Love of Stitching", which will be available exclusively from Lorraine at Patchwork Passion.
It's a small quilt, but very cute - I think you'll like it!
Here are a few photos to entice you to pick up needle and thread!
It features thongs that Lorraine loves (and me too!!!!)
Available as soon as I get the cover photos done and patterns put together. Probably a week or two. I'll let you know, and you'll get to see the finished product as well!
Liz
Nothing like keeping you in suspense!!!!!

Ghastly Mistake

Many, many apologies to everyone who has purchased "Created with Love" - there is a mistake in the fabric requirements and cutting instructions for the 122 squares.

On the back cover of the pattern, about halfway down, it should read:

10cm each of eight assorted fabrics for the 3" squares (NOT 2 ½" squares) total of 122 squares.

On page 2, just after the Block 5 border instructions, it should read:

Cut 3" (NOT 2 ½") squares from the eight assorted fabrics, 122 in total.(Continue with the remaining instructions, substituting the 2 ½" squares with the 3" squares.)

Finding mistakes in my patterns is very upsetting for me - I like to have happy customers and I can only say, once again, my apologies, and I hope no-one has been inconvenienced by this mistake!

Aaaaaargh!!!!!! What a drama!!!!!

Liz

P.S. My thanks to Lillian of Esmes in Kings Meadows, Tasmania for letting me know! Thanks Lillian.

Secret Stitcher's Business

Have a look at the Country Hart Designs website - this is a link to Robyn's Secret Stitcher's Business page. (If this link doesn't work, look in the information section on her home page where you'll find a drop-down tab with the link to the Secret Stitcher's Business page.)
It's a fantastic program where you sign on for a project of the month, over ten months, and you will have no idea what the project is until you receive it in the mail! Just like having a birthday!
Robyn has managed to rope in popular Aussie designers (including Moi!) to create exclusive designs for her program! Each one different. At the end of the ten months you should have ten delightful, fully completed items!
Here is a small snapshot of the fabrics I'm using - but, shhh!!! It's a secret! That's all you're getting a glimpse of until my contribution is unveiled in June!!!!
Liz
P.S. I'm still avoiding the self portrait!
P.P.S. Shoot over to Tiramisue's blog (link on the sidebar) to see what she's up to - fish, feet and self portrait!

Avoiding the Self Portrait

I'm finding lots of trivial, mundane, boring things to do like looking for cobwebs (who actually looks for cobwebs?). It's because my quilting group has been issued a challenge by Tiramisue.
A 20" square quilt.
Subject matter? A self portrait.
I'm avoiding it.
I'm putting off starting.
It has to be completed by the end of February.
So I'm blogging quilt labels.
Of course!
This is how I like to make my quilt labels.
Hop onto your computer and choose a nice font.
Type out your message and play with the setting out and size of the words until you "like what you see".
I usually make the title a little larger than the rest of the message.
You can type as much or as little as you like.
Another idea is to trace a small design feature from the quilt and embroider it into the label.
Some of my labels are a little more detailed than these, but I couldn't be bothered going through the cupboard to find them ....... however, it seems a better option than the self portrait .......
Liz
P.S. Dearest Sue ....... it will happen. I don't know when, but it will happen .......