T-shirts off!

Unfortunately no, I'm not referring to Brad or George.... but rather the T-shirt quilt that was last seen spread over the lounge floor!
It has gone to the young 21 year old and surprisingly he loved it!!!

Funny though - he has 2 brothers who both claimed some of the shirts were theirs!!!!

The plane fabric worked really well as both a filler and for the narrow borders - young Stuart has trained as a pilot so if fitted fabulously. Backed it all with snuggly polar fleece, quilted fairly simply and machined on the binding. All finished at 11.58pm ... phew:)
Now onto some Christmas preparations...
Ciao,

What's on my design floor?

This has been on my design 'wall'/floor a.k.a the lounge floor since Tuesday.....

It's for a friends son who has turned 21, and it's from a collection of his t-shirts, shorts, old scout sweatshirt, school jerseys and rugby jerseys. Think even a dressing gown!!!!
Of all weeks though to get three days in a row relieving teaching and then another day already booked!!!!!!!
Yesterday I had it put together and borders on - phew!!!
Todays mission is to pin out, quilt and sew the binding on ready for the birthday lunch tomorrow.
Next posting should be a photo of the finished quilt?
I really do want to learn to have things done weeeellll before they are due!
Ciao

I DO like Wonkiness, Sam I Am!

Gee - where has the week gone!!! Or should I say week and a half? 
Phew - party partied...check.
Quilt completed....mmmm... not quite check.
BUT I have started to get the hang of this wonky business...

My wonky blocks got much better as I got going and a little less constrained.

The top finished but lacking something to make it "zing" and personal...

Yippee!!! Sam I Am added exactly the touch this quilt needed for my own "Sam I Am".

My own Sam is so not able to be fitted into any boxes, so not straight and linear, and has  a certain quirkiness to him. 
This quilt fits my "Sam I am".
And he loved it when he saw it on the night of the party. The backing is still in a state of construction as I had a sudden WOW moment.... watch this space.
Must show you the cakes.....

Doesn't Sam's cake even look like a Suess cake? We are lucky we have an Aunty Louise who is a fab cake creater:)
And where was I for a good part of the evening when I wasn't M.C. for the evening...

And my chosen alter ego for evening of Cheryl West from "Outrageous Fortunes" (a NZ TV programme) went down soooooo well....right from the start when I broke a bottle - totally unplanned of course!!!!
RIght, another quilt to construct awaits and I really do need to try to get this backing finished.
Ciao,

Take a breath - wonkiness here I come!

I have a plan....

I sewed my first wonky block - not really knowing how you sew a wonky block...

Mmmm - I know, not really very wonky and actually I found it quite stressful as I have rather limited fabric options to work with on this quilt. But carrying on...

I seemed to get a bit better - especially with the smaller blocks (this one is 7 1/2", while the other is 21 1/2" and a bit harder to work out).

By the time I was starting to get tea ready I had reached this point...

Wonkiness is getting WAY better dont you think?

Now, wonder if I will have this quilted and bound by Saturday ready to give Sam for his 21st birthday??????

Might need to pop my Superwoman suit perhaps

Ciao

Hint of Halloween decorating

Here in New Zealand we don't have quite so much of a big hoorah over Halloween. But I couldn't resist making a quilt to hang on my theme wall.

I made this a few years ago and it is based on a Linda Lum de Bono design with a few tweaks and alterations. It has always been one of my faves to hang because of the bright funky colours. 
The cool border fabric has glow in the dark eyes which are particularly great.
However as far as Halloween goes, that is the full extent of decorating in our house. When my kids were younger, I had made them fabric Halloween buckets for trick or treating but even that was something they only did a couple of times.
I do enjoy seeing what everyone does on their blogs though as far as decorating their houses - very cool.
Ciao,

A 1930's pretty - so not like me!

Take about 30 of these blocks, started in a swap oh..... well lets say quite a few years ago...

Now, I vaguely remember having a brief moment in my life when I must've thought "gee, those 1930's fabrics are quite pretty".

And they are quite sweet, but you know over time our tastes change, and if you saw me now you would think - whoaaaaaa these blocks must belong to someone else!!!!!!! Me, who has a kitchen painted in lime green, orange and turquoise, and drives a bright yellow VW!!!!!
BUT I am on a bit of a mission to try to complete some of my UFO's, and also to use fabrics in my stash so over this week while I have been staying with my quilting buddy Sam I worked on putting these blocks together.
This is what I have done so far...

This is about largish lap size and will be just right for my fave aunty who turned 80 a couple of weeks ago. She has always had the most fantastic garden, and this reminds me of the freshness of it, with all the lovely mix of colours. The open spaces of white will give me an opportunity for some free motion quilting - will have to think of what to do now.
However, I am still left with 21 blocks!!!!!!!!!!
Mmmmmm....... could be some cot quilts........and maybe another lap quilt perhaps.
Certainly makes me realise that I really need to work on completing a quilt within the year I start it before my tastes change!


Ciao, 

'L is for...', and k-ute Kiwi

Am spending some 'chillax' time with my quilting buddy Sam which is always great for getting ahead on some quilting projects and have managed to complete a couple of wee things so far one of which is well overdue.....

I have been part of a swap I organised for our New Zealand online group Kiwiquilters. Each person chose either a block or theme for their swap, and this persons theme was "L is for.....", for her daughter Leah. My block is  'L is for Lovebug' from a design from Linderella and I'm pretty happy with it, as I think Holly dog (my friend Sam's poodle) is too:)

Next wee project finished is this 'k'-ute ( I know, pretty corny pun) kiwi that I made from start to finish on Monday night after Vince dropped me off here at Sam's house. Sam was out so I amused myself 'til she got home by making up this kit that I bought at last years Calico Christmas. I figured with this years exhibition fast approaching I'd better actually make up what I had bought before I went along and bought something new (how's that for justification of spending)!!!!!
Isn't he just great ..... am thinking he could make pretty groovy Christmas decorations for my Kiwiana Christmas theme.
Spread out on the floor at the moment are not one but two WIP's that involve 1930's fabrics - so not me normally - and they are both quilts that have been in my cupboard for quite some time. 
Will keep you posted on them ....
Ciao

50th birthday quilting marathon DONE!

Seems like forever since my last post as I was a whirlwind of creativeness starting Tony's (my husbands best friend) 50th birthday quilt. One would ask why, when I knew he was having a birthday for quite some time, I leave it till 4 days before the occasion to begin thinking about 'what to do'. Mmmmmm...... won't think too long on that one!
I knew I wanted the blocks to be a visual representation of moments and memories in Tony's life, but my biggest hiccup was how to put it all together. 
And you know how you actually create a wall and then just can't make yourself climb over it? Well that's what I seemed to do. I fluffed around and had bits of blocks all over the living room floor so that by Friday I was reaching the initial stage of "Ok, I really need to get myself going here cos tomorrow morning we are in the car heading up to this party!".
And like all things I worked to the deadline:)

Funny how it ended up leaning towards the blues colourwise, but I used the red to add zing through the lettering. Each of the blocks has its own little story and includes the logo from his company, favourite sporting activities, countries that hold special memories, etc.
Don't you love the birthday cake? It's from a Mary Lou Weidman (I think?) and I've got 10 candles on it to represent a decade, and 6 layers to the cake - 5 for the 5 decades of his life so far and 1 for the next decade he's entering. Deep and meaningful, ay!!!!
Worst block of all to work on was this one -

Those jolly Space Invaders were so small, but the words at the bottom were even worse! My husband and Tony apparently wasted some of their misspent youth playing this game and Vince really wanted me to have a block featuring this in there ( actually Vince wanted a block with a picture of him in the quilt but I said no way!).
SO for a marathon effort I'm pretty pleased with how the quilt turned out. Didn't hit the pillow til 5am Saturday morning then up again at 8.30 to hop in the car and drive the 2 1/2 hours up to Auckland. Lunch with my Aunty (who I still need to make an 80th birthday quilt for) to celebrate her birthday having spent parts of the trip handsewing the binding on the quilt and experiencing bouts of car-sickness along the way.
On to the house we were staying at where I continued sewing the last side of the binding while Vince showered then sewed the label on before I, too, had a quick shower then off to the 50th.
And did Tony like his quilt? Well, who would know, as he didn't open his presents!!!! 
Still waiting to hear................
Ciao, 

Jandals (or thongs) finally revealed....

I love being able to surprise people and today was a goodie:) This particular quilt was for the young teacher I released when she was just a newbie, and have watched her grow in so many ways. She is such a unique young woman, became a wife, and a little over a year ago a new mum to Kaea (who is just the bestus wee girl). KB turned one in June and this is the quilt I made for her

I think she kind of liked it!!!!! It's based on a Mary Lou Weidman pattern, and the colours are just perfect for Kaea's room.


When Rochelle left our school I hadn't quite finished her quilt so gave her the label for the back of it, with a promise the quilt wouldn't be long. BUT when I did complete the quilt top I never really felt it was right. Several years have gone by, and it was only a few months ago that "the" right quilt idea come along. I organised a block swap with Kiwiquilters, an online quilt group and this block was one of the swaps I had going round. The ladies who made blocks have done an outstanding job - I gave some background of Roch's personality, events and life happenings, and they captured these. Right down to the fact that she wore silver jandals (or thongs) on her wedding day.
And this is what I was able to put together for her

I have amazed myself in having blocks come 'home' to me from a swap and getting them put together and a quilt finished within a week!!!!!!! Talk about a record.
The border fabric is of bright coloured jandals scattered across a white background, which I picked up ages ago. I had fun quilting it, and have written lots of wee words for Rochelle to discover, affirming the fabulously multi-talented woman she is.
We had our mummy coffee group today, so I managed to sneakily organise for some of the teachers who had been at school when Rochelle was there to join us during their lunchtime, and that was when I made the surprise presentation. It hadn't been easy to stop Roch from taking Kaea home for her lunchtime sleep, either!!!!!!!

                                                  
KB was so cuuuuute as she tried to put her feet in the jandals, because the thongs or straps are free from the background, being attached only at the side and the toe part. Then she had fun finding each of the buttons and other interesting bits at the toe points. Now both Mummy and Kaea Belle have their own quilts.

And of course a label - but funny - I sewed it upside down on the top corner!!!!!! But decided that added to the uniqueness of the whole quilt.
So, a really special quilt for a 'real' woman.
Big hugs, Rochelle.


Ciao, 

'All you need is love' baby quilt

Where has the week gone? Well, I can actually answer that as I've been happily attached to my sewing machine:)
I was able to give the mum-to-be the baby quilt today and she was just so pleased with it.
This is how it started out 

I had a piece of fabric with the printed nursery print blocks in the bright primary colours with the black and white lurking in my stash so thought it was a great starting point. Aims loves aqua and I had used some of this aqua fabric in the quilt I had made to celebrate her wedding, so it seemed to work really well with these.

I bordered the blocks in a black fabric that was scattered with small red and blue patterns which looked fab. 
And then the back I managed to piece from polar fleece, which I thought would be great for Aims as the house they are living in has polished wood floors, and I was thinking this could be a blankie to throw on the floor for bubs to lie on.

And just to tie it all up - there was one block left that worked brilliantly for a label:)

Now can't wait for this wee treasure to make his or her presence known but that won't be until October sometime.
This is the quilt I made Aims for her wedding on behalf of our school - the photo isn't the best and I'm waiting for one from her now that it is in her home but it gives you an idea of her love of aqua.

It was sewn onto a blanket I had had as a child so was very special in lots of ways.
RIght, heading off to a 60's themed 50th birthday. Made my dress and the birthday girls dress so will post photos tomorrow........well, only if they look ok.


Ciao, 

First sewing room 'revealing' and madly quilting

Here it is - the first reorganised, sorted space in my sewing room/creative space. I know it's only a small area, but positive thinking - it's a start:) 

I love the old treadle machine but don't use it and at one point used to have my machine sitting on top of it but it was at totally the wrong height to work at. So now it can hold my baskets, which in turn hold my fabric scraps and patterns. The one on the pedal has my stash of new and vintage buttons.

        

The cape on my big torso is one the team at school made for me a couple of years ago when I finally completed the last few papers for my degree and graduated. It is very much 'me', covered in bright funky paper flowers.

The wee, blue suitcase was my first schoolbag - I remember swinging around with it on about my third day at school and hitting a girl in the mouth and knocking her tooth out!!!!! The nuns were not impressed. I've yet to decide what to store in that. Above it is a sewing basket I have had since I was a young girl, and perched atop that is a little tin sewing machine I used when I was a girl. Many a seam was hand cranked with that little treasure. It's past it's use by date now, but I do love it.

So that's possibly 1/6th of the room sorted. 

As for what else I've been doing ....... still waiting to hear about the job I applied for...... 

found this bright, rainbow mat at the op shop

  

which I think my lappy quite likes sitting on while I work on it in the dining room. Certainly makes tapping away a lot brighter:)

Then there has been the mission to de-fabricate an old lampshade that Gran gave me. Man has that ever been a mission.

Ripping the fabric off was fine, but the problem was the it seemed to be almost glued as well as stitched to the metal edges. SO I soaked it all day on Friday in a hot bath, then spent more time picking and peeling. FINALLY I managed to have success. My plan is now to wire and bead it and make a funky sort of chandelier for my creative space. Watch this space.

Oh, and in amongst all this was our midnight trip to Hamilton to collect our son from the airport after his 5 months working in Jakarta. Was lovely to see him, even if he was the last one to get through customs as they decided they would check every single item of his - and I mean every single item!!!! We were literally the last people to leave the airport at 1.45am, so didn't get home until 3.30. Ah, but he's worth it.

And since Saturday I've been madly working on putting together some blocks I got back from a block swap....... but more on that in a couple of days.......

Ciao, 

Black n white n zing quilt

While Sam's having a super experience in Jakarta, we headed off to his best friends 21st birthday armed with a quilt that I hope he will like. Pete and Sam were at primary school from when we moved up from the South Island, and have been through high school, rowing, and many experiences that probably I'd rather not know about!!!!!!!! So I wanted to give him something that, while he might not necessarily have put on his "Top Ten List of 21st Presents" , when he was older he might come to realise the meaning and love that had gone into making it.

I've always been a fan of the stunning clarity of black and white but this quilt particularly appealed with the addition of the bright jewel colours. Think it's the rainbow and sunshine part of me coming out :) Of course Pippa felt a particular affinity for this one - must be something to do with the similarity of her fur colouring!!!!!!!!

It was interesting how some of the black and white fabrics I went to use almost read cream and just didn't work. The squiggles worked in helping bring the border colours into the main part and link everything together.
We gave Pete his present but he didn't open it at the party so I don't know yet how he feels about it........mmmmmmm. Have my fingers and toes crossed on this one.


Ciao,