Dear Jane

Around the year 2000 I, like many others, embarked on a Dear Jane project. I decided to make it quilt as you go and it slowly grew to 3 rows (out of 13). I bought most of the fabric on

travels up the East Coast of Australia as I wanted to mainly use the reproduction fabrics. In October I dragged the project out of the back of the cupboard and since then have added another 5 rows! I am very pleased with myself and it has helped me keep my sanity knowing there is some hand stitching to relax with in the evenings. Sure is more productive that doing Sudoku puzzles! I should add that I mainly purchased fat quarters of fabric, not realising I only needed about a 10 inch square. The other fabric is currently being put to good use in a machine pieced quilt which I started recently. I do think I will also do a variation of Dear Hannah - not sure when I'll start with the Textile Art - see the blog below!

Christmas Gifts

My daughter discovered a new quilting shop in Toorak and bought me these lovely yummy bits. What she didn't know is that the owner of the shop is a friend of mine!








And before Christmas I ordered these gifts for myself from the USA - they arrived on Christmas Eve which was a lovely surprise as I'd forgotten what I'd ordered!

I am hoping to become more creative and make some Textile Art as opposed to quilts - I just need the time and inspiration - I have all the goodies to start with - I think.

Christmas Day

I can't believe it is 4 months since I last posted - I guess that life has been a little crazy!


Christmas - a
time for relaxing - well for me that is! This year was very quiet - we normally have a breakfast with our neighbours but that didn't happen this year - so it was just Wayne and myself.
Here is the platter that was cooked - just for two!


And the table - including my champagne - please note that we did spend the whole day outside - perfect weather.




Our son joined us for lunch (well we called it entree) and dinner - the entree was kebabs etc on the barbie for our son who doesn't eat prawns which were delicious.

Dinner was lots more meat - pork in the Weber and chicken pieces plus veg. A very indulgent day.

Evening Sky over Launceston

Yesterday evening (on the last day of Winter 2007) I was driving to our local museum for a function. I stopped the car to take this photo of the storm clouds over the city. The museum is actually in this photo behind the trees. You can just see the image of the double rainbow - it was much brighter a few minutes earlier - when I didn't have my camera!





Looking towards the mountains (behind the clouds) from the car park of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.






With the Museum buildings in the foreground.







And another featuring the lights of the car park.











And looking East from the same spot.

Patchwork

At last I have found some time to do some creating - albeit in a small way.

A couple of weeks ago I went to an art exhibition of Christl Berg (who works in digital media - if you google her name you can see some of her work). One wall of the exhibition space was covered in leaves - so I made mine from fabric. I have painted and thread drawn on the leaf but the backside (which is a batik) actually looks more realistic! Need some more creativity.











Next week I am going on retreat so needed some simple projects to while away the time.
The first is using some Australian toile which I have dyed with Parissien essence to take away the stark whiteness, although it hasn't shown up in the photo. I am going to make up some 9 patches with the other fabrics for the quilt.











And I've always wanted to do a square in a square - was browsing through my book the other day and came across Judy Turner's scrap book. So I raided my stash (including some of my precious fabrics, which have remained precious for far too many years), bought a few to make up the numbers and have started to cut up the strips so I can hit the ground sewing - so to speak.

Watch this space for the finished projects.

Freycinet

Yesterday (Friday) I went to a Management Retreat at Freycinet for work. It was too nice a day to be sitting inside working but I did manage to get this snap looking across from the lodge towards Coles Bay on one of our breaks.











This morning one of the other girls and I got up early and braved the showers to walk up to the Wine Glass Bay Lookout. First we had to clear the track of a tree which had blown down overnight.








We also caught a glimpse of this rainbow through the bush.












I love the way the stripped bark has left these trees.














They had built a new track since I was there 4 years ago, and have used the local stone which comes in beautiful colours.












This rock is typical of the structure of the Hazards.











And we finally reached the lookout - the sun came out at the right moment and it was worth the climb.

Early this year friends asked if I would make them a patchwork tablecloth - the fun bit is that the table measures 3 metres by 1.5!! After much consultation I have finally finished the top - it won't fit on my clothes line but you get the idea. This is one that will definitely be sent out for quilting - the binding will be enough for me to do.