One thing leads to another

Have I been sewing lately? NO! because I've been doing this. Emptying my sewing room in preparation for the new carpet - wasn't that a job and a half. How can someone have so much fabric and stuff? Then we ripped up the old carpet and found a corner of the floor was rotten where water had come in. Behind the gyprok in that corner the studs had rotted as well! And while the room was empty why not paint it. I must admit it will be so much nicer when it's finished and imagine if we hadn't opened up the floor!

On a much happier note here is my Spring Swap for Erica in the US organised by Corry and her sister at Dutch Blue. It is a big cushion cover made using the Dresden ruler I've been talking about lately. I included a couple of fat quarters and a pattern of mine and I'm so glad Erica liked it. The swap was great fun and it was lovely talking to someone from so far away about all things quilty and more. My swap from Erica will be here soon - can't wait.

Hooray!

Hooray because the carpet was laid in my flooded classroom today. No classes at all this term so far but we begin again next Wednesday. Thanks girls for being so patient. It looks really good and my own sewing room is getting the same treatment. Thanks heavens for insurance.
On a more pleasant subject check out the two-page spread in the latest Down Under Quilts with good friend Marilyn's cheesy grin. It's a write-up about our quilt show in April with pics from last years show. How generous of the magazine for such wonderful exposure. Thanks Deborah.
Trawling thru blogland as you do I came across this blog from Wayne Kollinger who has lots of ideas for machine quilting. Really interesting ways to quilt the same blocks differently. He's now on my list of favourites.
I've finished my Spring swap for my friend Erica in the US and it will be posted off next week. I do hope she likes it. I can't put a picture up til she has received it in person. It has inspired another version which will be a magazine project in a future issue of Aust Country Craft. We have been emailing a bit about our lives and who knows maybe one day we'll meet. She sounds lovely.
Only 8 weeks til our quilt show and entries are trickling in. At the meeting last night it sounds like things are well in hand with lots that can only be done after entries have closed. So if you are thinking of displaying your work get the form/s in ASAP - closing date is 25th March.

Still waiting

Still no joy on the replacement carpet front but classes are starting here next week regardless!

These pics are from my latest Berrima class. Lots of Quilt-as-you-go noodle boxes and the start of three Reproduction Beauty quilts. Dianne's version (far right) has redwork sashiko-style in the centre and it looks fantastic. Another one of those "why didn't I think of that?" Students continually come up with wonderful variations on the original. But that's what it's all about isn't it? Pushing the boundaries and who knows where it will lead.

That's Dianne's Mariners madness top finished - she has been really busy over the break and the red and white Mariners is Hilda's - quilted and bound - well done. It is really beautiful and much better in the flesh but despite joining the guild we couldn't persuade her to show it at Darling Harbour. What a shame.

What a mess

We had 5" of rain here last Friday night resulting in a flood through our garage and into my sewing/classroom. The carpet has been removed and we're waiting on insurance to replace it. Meanwhile no weekly classes til that happens. Sorry girls! We are all missing our regular get-togethers to catch up on all the goss and look at who's been sewing what.





These two quilts belong to my good friend Pam. One is her version of my Hexagon Magic quilt with hand pieced and appliqued hexagons around a centre medallion. The colours are so lovely and she's doing a great job, as always.
The little cot quilt is for her new grandaughter and I had the pleasure of quilting it. The pic really highlights the quilting doesn't it.

The NYB quilt is Toni's from a Springwood class.

What a great use of colour! Hope she has it quilted for our Springwood show.

The entry form for the Darling Harbour quilt show arrived yesterday. Lots of new categories and much food for thought. I have finished my entry - this year my entry photo won't be just the unquilted top like previous years! - and I just need to add a label.

Put the dates 16-20 June on the calendar - it's the big quilt event for us here in NSW.

Connections

Life's full of weird things isn't it? Take these three:
1st - a lady rang me about a quilt in a magazine and after chatting it turned out she lived in the town where I was born and she knew my parents from 50 years ago,
2nd - Laraine was cruising my blog and saw Jeanette's wedding photo. Her husband is a long-standing very best friend of Jeanette's brother-in-law.
3rd - I have joined an internet swap - see the side bar - organised by two lovely girls in the Netherlands. I have been partnered with Erica (my daughter's name) from Washington in the US. On her to-do list she has my Mariners Garden quilt pattern from DUQ a couple of years ago.
On their own these are all interesting but all three happened in the last week! I think that's amazing don't you?
I'm out today with hubby (slowly getting better!) for a birthday lunch and a visit to Country Pickins at the Corner, one of the few patchwork shops I haven't been to yet. What a great way to spend the day.

William would be pleased

Back to my class at Blackheath today and look what was waiting for me. Laraine has been so busy over the Xmas break making this beautiful version of my Emperors Wheel quilt. William Morris applique blocks machine appliqued and the centre compass was her first go at foundation piecing. What a great job and a delight to look at. Maybe it will be quilted and bound in time for our quilt show in April? The way Laraine works I think so!

New year awaits

Great to be back home after a lovely seaside holiday on the Central Coast. In the top pic is our rental - the one with the flagpole and massive frangipani. We virtually camped out under that tree with occasional forays into the water when it got too hot. Lots of food and drink and visits from friendly pelicans and even relatives. Hubby tipped his kayak over and had to be rescued by the neighbours in their tinnie, then he cut his foot on oyster shells but THEN he fell over and cracked a rib! Lucky it was on our last night and I won't say how much alcohol was involved but he is in a great deal of pain and on some heavy duty drugs which make him dopey but not very friendly!

I finally found a 10 deg ruler and made this gem . What a lot of possibilities it evokes! You are only limited by your imagination aren't you and mine has been in overdrive.

My teaching year starts in 10 days time with the calendar pretty much fully booked. Over the break I visited Blueberries at Wyong where I have some classes in April. What a lovely, big, bright shop and the girls were so welcoming. Go visit if you have the chance.

Check out my sidebar for classes in your area with the addition of Bernina Patch in Penrith on the 1st Sunday of the month starting February.
Our raffle quilt is starting its journey around the shops in the lead-up to our quilt show in April. Suzie Anderson has done a wonderful job quilting it and all that remains is the binding and a label. Keep an eye out for it in your travels around Penrith and the Mountains.