Thursday 28 February 2013

time is flying...

It is the end of February already and I am afraid the 25th has passed and there is nothing to show for a christmas item as all my rare stitching time has been taken up with a special project that has finally reached the flimsy stage. The back is almost fully pieced with all the leftover fabric from my Sunkissed range. I think two projects with this fabric will be enough.
 I just have a block that needs to be stitched with a sweet saying and the stitched signatures of all of us office girls. I am very happy with how it has come together.
When I stitched this block for my own down in the garden quilt I swore I would never do all that stitching again but I really enjoyed making it again. I did simplify some of the flowers so the two blocks weren't identical.

 Here is the windy clothes line shot... I desperately wanted to get a pic to show the other girls. It is going to be such a surprise!
No 1 son thought it would be a good idea for me to embroider some singlets for a work colleague who had had a baby. Yeah thanks for the extra projects! I have a deadline for my gift quilt but managed to fit it in.
Well it turned out he bought a pack of 5 singlets!
here are three that I managed to snap a pic of..



well that is where I have been spending my time..... I have been briefly visiting blogs but not always commenting, just need some extra time to manage everything.
Better get back to that stitching as I want to baste the quilt and start the quilting this weekend. That gives me four weeks to get it quilted.
fingers crossed
Hope you get some crafting time!

cheers
marina

Sunday 17 February 2013

Magnificent Mill Rose meet...

Yesterday was the second Mill Rose Meeting in Ballan.
Everything was just perfect-the company, the food, the service and atmosphere, everything!
It is such a wonderful venue and we all enjoyed the day.
My companions on the road trip were Elyte and Robin, poor Annie had to work so missed out. Hope you can get to the next one Annie!
I will let the pics speak for themselves...
Elyte, Robin, yours truly

Rosalie and I-See you look fine Rosalie.

Here are the swap goodies that were exchanged. I received my gift again from Melody, the gorgeous bag in the French general reds! I was lucky to get it home safe and sound as there were some murmurings about pushing me out the car and driving off with the bag! There were so many different takes on the Rosalie Quinlan theme. The projects were very inspiring and beautiful.
There was some splitting of the group at lunchtime as we had to be on two tables. I was on the 'quiet' table (probably the first time in my life). I won't mention the names of the people on the noisy table-you all know who you are!
Next meeting the theme will be blue. Talk about being in heaven! Maybe I can kidnap all the swap goodies for myself...
These are the things I made and the lovely Sue received these gifts I made.

Here I am with my gorgeous new bag, photo courtesy of Elyte.

thankyou everyone for a fantastic day and the countdown is already on till the next meeting.
Oh by the way I did get some crafting done too! I only took my dancing dollies and got half the arms and heads appliqued. It has fired me up a bit to get the rest done. Not to mention the lovely blue french general fabrics that I bought to make some more hexie flowers for the Swan lake collection. Am looking forward to cutting into them tonight.
Happy days!
marina



Tuesday 12 February 2013

tuesday treasures

It's tuesday treasures time again....
this week I have some traditional treasures. These items are traditional crafts from the region of Italy that my dad comes from. We did live in his home town for a year when I was young.  A lot of dad's history has been lost now with his illness and it makes the little things that remind me of him even more treasured.
Mum bought me these plates when she and dad went for a holiday back home about 20 odd years ago. I was so excited when mum bought them for me.
the painting style is a traditional folk style. I have a dinner set and set of jugs in this style too. the dinner set only comes out for special occasions as they wouldn't be easy for me to replace any broken bits.
These two plates hang in my kitchen.
the rough translation for the first plate is.
Peace, a fireplace and love make every newlywed a king...
the second...
to have peace, listen and be quiet...
they are written in Friulano, my dad's dialect. They remind me of the words that he can't say any more.

these little slippers are part of traditional costume type clothing.
these are little mini's mum bought me as a souvenir. They are lovely black velvet with wool embroidery.

these are a life size pair that belonged to my nana, never worn but treasured all the same. They are too small for me but are lovely to look at and treasure.
thanks for sharing my tuesday treasures!

Only a few more sleeps till the Mill Rosie gathering in Ballan.
Can't wait....hope the rest of the week goes fast.
cheers
marina

Friday 8 February 2013

hanging flimsies?

I have finally put my Christmas hangings and quilt away to be seen again later this year.
I love the hanger I bought for one of them but don't have anything that fits it so I decided to hang my Down in the Garden flimsie over it. I am enjoying being able to see it as it is. It had been living on the quilt rack but not in the most prominent position. It will inspire me to finish my Dresden's in the garden centre block too.

Here is a little sneak peek which will stay secret for a little bit longer.....
Did the best corners I have ever done, talk about finally getting the knack of it!


Hope you have a great weekend!
marina


Sunday 3 February 2013

beating the purse frame monster

Yesterday morning I had a very productive session at craft group where I finished the second side of the hexie purse. I was so excited as this meant I could sew it together.
The pattern I used is not the Brigitte Giblin one this time but a studio Mio pattern. I just worked out how many hexies I would need and took it from there.
Last night I measured and cut as accurately as I could, not wanting to stuff up those hexies and it came together perfectly. Fitting the frame wasn't an issue and I took lots of care to fit the purse in the frame. Even my stitching of the frame is getting better.
I was rewarded with this finish...

It is a slighty different and perhaps a little smaller than the first one I made which is propping it up. Now to get a chain handle I think and it is complete!
(I really must remove stray threads before photographing!
 the mandatory gumnut babies inside as a label...

I thought these little keyrings would look cute with the gumnut babies. I will definitely be getting some more of these key rings from spotlight.

One thing marked off my February list already....Now the next one won't be that easy.
Happy days!!
Marina

Time is flying....

 Seems like my blog has become a little neglected again, this doesn't mean a lack of crafting though. Progress has been achieved on most...