Still quilting and a bit more

Things are coming along with the quilt here.

A trip to Melbourne and the wonderful Amitie Textiles for some advice, some batting, some binding fabric, and a lovely cotton to hand quilt with had me ready for the next step.

There was more crawling around on the floor getting all the bits together.

Smoothing it all out and getting it square, then putting in big safety pins to hold it all together was another test for my knees. My quilting friend wisely said that this would be the tedious bit, and she wasn't wrong!

But the reward is the hand stitching. 

We've had friends visit, and there was nothing nicer than to sit and stitch while chatting at our table.

I am loving watching the stitches form, starting to make the quilt look quilted.

Judy from Amitie suggested this duck egg blue coloured thread, and I love the way it's hue changes according the colour of each fabric. On the darker ones it's silvery, and then moves back to duck egg on the pale fabrics. Bliss!

I haven't completely stopped on other things though!

Scarf season has begun, and nice parcels of these have gone to Follow Store, House of Balaklava, and Poppi & Pippa.

You can find them in my online shop too.

I had the pleasure of a couple of shirt orders as well this week.

This one here is off to Spain for a holiday.

Lucky girl!

This week

The last fortnight has flown past.

I've been a bit quilt obsessed! 

Making new scarves has allowed me to carry on patchworking with Liberty, and I'm finding it hard to stop making these too.

A quick look at the calendar reminded me that I have another trip to Melbourne this weekend for Shirt & Skirt Market at the always beautiful Abbotsford Convent.

It's been quite a few months since I've been along to this one, so I'm looking forward to being back there this month. 

Fingers crossed for a glorious sunny Autumn day!

Shirt & Skirt Market

Abbotsford Convent,

1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford.

Sunday April 21

10am - 4pm

Enjoying the journey

I'm having a bus man's holiday this week.

I'm winding down to embrace a bit of a quieter time of year after a full on Spring and Summer.

With all the shirt making I've been doing I had a great big satisfyingly stuffed bag of beautiful scraps of Liberty just calling to me.

Some have gone to scarves, but seriously, there's still plenty!

Way back when, I decided I'd have a go at making a quilt from some of those scraps, and with less on my plate, and the weather starting to turn, the time was right.

I've quickly realised that making this quilt is a bit of long haul journey and not a dash.

I'm not used to this long process, mostly I start and finish a project in a day! Perhaps I'll learn some patience while I'm at it.

I had more than half of the blocks made, so finishing the rest of them was like reaching the first port of call.

The fabrics mirror my own journey with Frankie & Ray. There are some there that I used when I first started out, and from then on all the way through to now.

Perhaps this is part of the allure of this quilt, it's a part of my history too.

Laying the blocks out took an entire afternoon.

I had to move furniture, rugs, and animals to get the floor space I needed, and then I felt like I was playing a giant and complicated version of Twister as I shuffled, and shuffled, and shuffled the blocks.

Eventually I reached an arrangement that I was happy with, and so now I'm sewing them all together.

So, that's my journey so far.

I figure I might be half way, and loving the trip!

Wrap up

Another fabulous Finders Keepers!

The beautiful Royal Exhibiton Buildings make an amazing venue.

And how lovely to meet new people, and see new things!

One part of me longs to go to these events as a visitor, but I love being there as an exhibitor!

So, there's always too little time to get out and see everything *sigh*.

Just the few things I made a beeline for when I got a little break....

The gorgeous ceramics of Adriana Christianson.

And I am in LOVE with Dandelyne!

My only purchase for myself was a bangle made from upcycled plastic from Dale Hardiman.

Colourful, tactile, wonderful!

It was great to catch up with so many market people, love your work folks!

And thanks too to all those who came and introduced themselves to me. 

I especially love the community that is Instagram, it's such a friendly place!

The Finders Keepers!

Marking the (almost) end of my big market season, the Melbourne Finders Keepers is on again at the end of this week!

If you haven't been to this event before, you're in for a treat. There's an amazing line up of talent from all around Australia. And there's great food and something to drink. And good coffee, of course. And live music as well.

I'm fit to burst with excitement, and I can't wait to show off some of my new things too!

The designer directory is a great way to take a first look at what you'll find, and maybe make a little list...

The pointy end

The next few weeks are full and busy with my favourite markets all lined up. 

Just in time to think about some new things for this little turn towards Autumnal weather.

This Saturday you'll find me back in Seddon at the Maribyrnong Makers Market.

I love this market, you will too!

And then on Sunday, I'll be back in Geelong for Piccadilly Market.

Another favourite, in a lovely venue.

And I'm going to be neighbours with my very good friend Crayon Chick.

That'll be fun!

After that comes Easter here at home in Apollo Bay.

I've been working on lots of new things, including some gorgeous heavy and soft jumbo cord skirts.

Perfect for cooler days (at last!).

We're having a heatwave

Today marks the 10th day in a row over 30c. And it's Autumn!

Our home is a fibro beach shack built around about 1970, which basically means it's as hot inside as it is out.

It's not too bad really.

I've got a fan to stir the air, my workroom is downstairs in the relative cool, and I've got some of the nicest beaches in the state right at my doorstep.

I've been bunking off every afternoon for a swim, the best way to cool down!

I'm reminding myself that Winters are long and cold and wet down here on the coast, and once this weather does turn, it'll be a long time before the next swim.

Still, I am kind of looking forward to giving a new shirt an outing!

Hello Autumn

Hooray!

The Finders Keepers will be back in Melbourne quicker than I can wonder how the Summer's passed so quickly.

March into April is full up to pussy's bow with lots of lovely markets lined up.

Just as well I've had a bit of a break visiting my adorable Aunt and the rest of her (and my!) family up in Newcastle.

The weather was tropical (but I missed the rain), the Hunter Valley is a green lush oasis after the brown countryside of Victoria, and I had a great time walking the city streets one morning.

With a great coffee or two, good food and just a few wines, and some late nights spent chatting, I'm all ready for Autumn.

Shirts in the shop!

For the first time in ages, I seem to have enough stock in hand to actually list some shirts in the shop!

Enough said!

Here they are.

A new shirt

There's been new Liberty fabrics arriving again this week.

And one of them came speaking of cooler days.

While I love February for the warm and settled weather, and all the afternoons we've been visiting our lovely local beaches for a swim, I couldn't ignore this fabric.

I sketched out an idea for something that would do justice to my favourite fabrics.

Simple and easy to wear.

A shirt tail hem, an idea I've been wanting to put into practice for a while.

And, so here is the result.

A new shirt!