Boy time flies...

Boy, when you get down with the flu, time really flies... thought it was time to get back on the blog. I've already created a blog tonight, then when I went to add the photos of some sweet little orchids that I found on my block only to discover the SD card has become corrupted and all the photos converted to scrap objects when I copied them from the card to my PC... never to be viewed again. I've just spent the last hour trying to get them back. Now tired and grumpy I've just shredded the lot and reformatted the card.

It's so disappointing when technology let's you down. Especially when it means losing images of potentially one off opportunities to capture nature at it's best. Now I'll have to wait another whole year in the hope that I'm around at the right time to witness them again. Fingers crossed!

Well, you all enjoy Halloween, I know I will... It's my little girls birthday so I'll be enjoying cake for dinner!

Moda Abundance...

Let's just say I am completely and utterly frustrated with my Moda 'Abundance' fabric panel. Don't get me wrong I love the colours and the crackle. These photos don't do it justice. It was going to be my cheats Baltimore quilt. Problem is the panel is not actually symmetrical. The squares are not squares, more like diamonds, and even these are not all the same size. The corners and other triangular floral motifs all vary ever so slightly, so you can't cut them into individual pieces each the same size.

My original plan was to chop it up and make a square lap quillow about 150 x 150cm (or 60" square) so that way I would have had a block leftover to make the pillow front once it was all folded away. A quillow is a quilted blanket with a pocket so that you can fold it and tuck it inside itself to become a pillow or cushion. Great for travelling.

This ones not 'Abundance' but it's still a Kathy Schmitz design and carries the same crackle and toning of the abundance range. This is to be my backing fabric.So where too now? I have only seen one of these panels made up as a long narrow wall hanging with the full panel intact. It just didn't hook you in and looked as though it had been thrown together within an afternoon.
Has anyone else witnessed a completed example using this fabric that they could direct me to for ideas? If I let it sit in the too hard basket for too long it may never surface again.

Show and Tell time...

I thought since I'm not working on anything new at the moment that it was a good chance to showcase my last finished project. In fact it's the first finished project that I've actually kept for myself. Yes I have a few UFO's like every other quilter, but not the big stacks of finished quilts that some of you are displaying. Oh how I envy your dedication and time management skills.

Back to my recently finished project... It's made totally from recycled cotton work uniforms, both shirts, polo tops and pants. I made it to celebrate our 10 year anniversary as Parks Victoria as well as my ten years service with them. I collected a sample of all the uniform styles and shirt colours that we've had over the past 10 years, which was no mean feet in itself. There are a couple of rare shirts, I actually felt guilty cutting up some that were the last in existence.

I even included functional pockets, a complete unbuttonable shirt, commemorative badges, epaulets and the garment labels themselves.

This was the first quilt that I had ever had machine quilted.. basically because of lack of time and because I previously never had the nerve to place my many months of hard work into the hands of a complete stranger, let alone trust the postal service with it's return. Leslie from Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia quilted this. I gave her a rough plan of attack, but basically left it up to her discretion and judgement. She did a lovely job, especially the freehand gum leaves and flowers around the border. Needless to say she was cursing my name and broke many needles trying to get through the thick layers of cotton drill and moleskin pants fabric (the dark green that looks more like black in these photos).
I have much shirt fabric leftover from this project already cut into triangles, waste not want not. I plan to put together a complete top of triangles like this block or just in the beige fabrics.I'm pleased with the overall finished project and received some beautiful comments from other work colleagues after displaying it in our annual Art Show. I think however I will stick to hand quilting... even if it takes me forever. It will serve as a wonderful piece of memory in years to come.

Good afternoon world

Well it would be good if it wasn't so lousy. Today I am the proud heir to my fathers cold. So is my mum and my husband. No doubt in a few days I will be proud to pass it down to my kids. Bring on the bulk purchasing of aloe tissues, eucalyptus and Lemsips. There's a lot to be said for keeping relatives at a lengthy distance.

It's strange how lousiness brings on the need for comfort food. The girls were deeply disappointed to find the last big slice of chocolate mud cake missing from the fridge after I had a whirlwind clean out in search of a drool potential vegetable combinations for dinner.

Mmmm... Pumpkin, potatoes, fresh sprigs of rosemary and beure boss pears, crisp roasted and caramelised with brown sugar are now wafting around my kitchen. My daughter is preparing individual little garlic breads using store bought dinner rolls, organic butter and fresh mashed garlic. She's inspired by Jamie Oliver to cook and I'll be tickled pink if she becomes as resourceful as myself in the kitchen.

Pardon for talking over myself... I'm just instructing my husband from my writers seat as to how to prepare the lamb chops he bought. He's no Jamie Oliver in the kitchen, but would survive nicely if he had to fend for himself in the kitchen and he's just as cute. Fingers cross the timing of all these items comes together nicely. If not, at least the roast vegies will be delish and I'm sure there's some sour cream in the fridge that I can dollop on the side if all else fails.

Let's play with pictures

Yesterday I was able to savour a little me time whilst the girls and Craige went ferreting for the arvo. Our future home site (currently a vacant block) produces some of the most delicate little bursts of colour at this time of year. For my own personal interest and in the attempt to educate my children I've been taking photos of my wild orchids to compare with what has already been recorded in the nearby flora reserve. Aren't they just beautiful.

Hmmm... pictures can be a little tricky!

Well here goes....

When a moment of boredom leads to a Google search that takes one all over the world admiring quilts and the lives of their owners, one can only be inspired to start a blog of her own. Well why not! As a quilter I've started plenty of other unfinished projects... this will just be another work in progress.

The purpose of this blog... I'm sure this will evolve but in all this blog should allow me to express myself in such a way that in many years to come, my children or my children's children may get a real glimpse of me, and not just a snapshot. Let's face it, as the photographer in the family, there will be plenty of photos by me, but not many of me. The question of 'Why did I take a picture of that' will all be explained.

Thanks must also go to Lazy Gal Quilting! If not for your whimsical, somewhat twisted fetish for wicked creatures and spooky playmates, (that I adore immensely) I may never have considered how much fun and inspiring a blog could be. When I learn how to drive this blog a little better I will link to her little take on life, promise.