Charlotte is stitching

Stress, its a real killer, we know that don't we. My darling girl is very stressed at the moment at work and dealing with peoples enquiries about their insurance claims for travel insurance.

I know personally that when I talk to a customer care person I try to remember that they are not personally responsible for my problem/dilemma and in fact are there to try and sort it all out for me if they are able to. My daughter is yelled at on a daily basis and called some shocking names, all because of a few hundred dollars worth of camera or whatever the person is claiming for. And yes, we all know how slow these things can be. But we really need to put them into perspective.

I was very busy with getting things done for class over the weekend (beside having a shocking weekend at the drags, but I am not going there). So as I stitched a small design for a friend and trying to get it started at least so that I could then do the machine sewing at a later date, Charlotte asked if she could do some, well Charlotte is one very neat stitcher and I was delighted to hand it over to her. She was still stitching when I went to bed last night and when I went to my sewing box this morning, here was a note on top with the work I had given her half finished and asking to let her finish it tonight. No problem to me, I love getting the help and Charlotte said she relaxed last night with the stitching like she hasn't been able to relax for ages.

It is a really bad time energy wise at the moment, there is some really odd energy going around and some strange things are happening - hope the moon changes soon or something, lol.

Baltimore on and on

It feels like I have been stitching baltimore's for years but in truth it has only been 4 months. They are so devine, and as I stitch I remember why I love applique soooo much.
It is relaxing, it's medatative and as I stitch I think about the next block and the colours for it. I have done the cornacopia with fruit and will do an eagle block next perhaps.

Having sorted it all out in EQ6 has been wonderful and allows for me to free up more time for sewing. I have some Christmas pressies to prepare too for class as we have decided on a secret santa for this year and will be going out for dinner like last year but at an Italian resturant this time. Should be great fun. I am doing one of Christine Books little cushions with a blue bird stitchery in the middle, I may even turn it into a small wall hanging for the person I have in mind.

I have been buying a little lace and odds and ends to as I explore the mixed media a little more, as I type I have the embroidery machine chugging along stitching a design that I will then take and manipulate, layer, cut and paint add things to and develop into a little wall hanging.

EQ6 and designing Baltimores

Spending time on EQ6 is so much fun, I have found wonderful pallettes of fabrics that reflect my stash rather nicely and decided to see if I could represent some of the blocks I have chosen for the class Baltimore.

The girls wanted sashing and swag borders so this is my interpretation

I have no doubt as I work more in EQ I will find much more to do with it and lots more ideas generated.

Don't ya love it

Hey,

Classes are going wonderfully well, I am having a blast with these baltimore blocks, they are soooo lovely.

And a large amount of french ribbon has come my way, well okay, I had to pay for it but it is so nice and will give my students some lovely ribbon to play with.

I have also been working on Christmas things for class - not something that I have to do every year but I do keep my eye out for interesting things. Christine Book is a wonderful resource for me in this as she does Christmas sooooo well.

Come to think of it, I have not done any stitchery for so long and I am getting a bit of an urge to do some soon. The Baltimore must take precedence tho and even when I go to Margaret Cormacks class on wednesdays I still have to be sewing on the baltimores.

I am embelishing lots more now and have been trying out some flower making both from fabric strips and ribbon. I have also been asked to do some ribbon roses for a flower girls dress, this is in a lovely deep pinky red, the fabric was especially dyed over seas just for this wedding.

Baltimore quilt classes

I am currently working on a Baltimore style quilt for class, it is coming along so beautifully and I am so pleased. The second class was a great success and full of enthusiastic students, what joy.

I am working on blocks 5 and 6 at present and have managed to book a new set of classes at Pioneer Patchwork in Narellan for next year, 2010. This will run for 6 months as a monthly class.

I have also got a row by row quilt to do for a class or workshop, I just need to buckle down and get all this done. It is all very exciting.

Mamre house weekend has come and gone for another year and altho the numbers were down on previous years it was all fun and laughter as usuall and a bit of retail therapy. I was on Marg Low's stand again with loads of new patterns and delightful buttons by Barb Smith.

Christine offered some lovely projects, the theme being bluebirds which are some of her all time favourite things. Remember the little bluebird baby jewellry that was so popular? It is a memory from my past as I am sure it is for many of us, and I am sure we all have a piece of a little bluebird treasure in our jewel box.

I am off to do some more sewing, with a quilt on the frame and lots of sewing to get my workshops happening I have had less time than ever for this blog, please come back often tho so you keep up with all the happenings going on.

keep stitching

(the above pic is borrowed from a webpage and is not what I am teaching)

A month fly's by

Where does the time go? I have been busy with other things and neglecting the blog, I have been sewing some, doing some quilting for friends and getting used to the frame.

I have had to borrow my mums singer sewing machine as the Pfaff is still not serviced. Mums machine is very nice to use so I am not complaining but she will want it back sooner or later so shall have to get the repair man to fix my Pfaff.

Classes will continue over the school break and I will return to Wednesday class. I have been doing extra shop hours at work while Anne is on leave. It makes for a busy life. But be creative is a way of life and I could not be with out all my bits and pieces. Rummaging through my stash for bits of fabric, lace and ribbons, buttons, bows and thread is a dream come true for me and a way to indulge me time with out guilt - because It's the creative process that I need to survive a day. To make my life fuller and to be a better person to live with.

I wonder how many others can relate to this.

Pinapple log cabins

How stunning are log cabin quilts? I love the old ones, the deep browns
blues and reds of the late 1800's. The complexity of the pinapple log
cabin never fails to amaze and delight me. There always seems that
sense of movement and joy about them, no matter the fabric or the
expertise or lack there of from the quilter.

I am experimenting with some strippy piecing and finding this a great
deal of fun. Using fabric from a basket of scraps, I can quickly place and
piece as I go, cut down the created fabric into the desired shapes and piece
these together to create a shape, a block that can be joined to form a larger
piece.

So quick and easy, unlike the pinappel quilt.

Okay I give up

I have just been browsing some blogs and I have to say, "I GIVE UP".....
No not really but I must learn how to do more with my blog.
It is not the inspiring read I had wanted it to be.
It has become a place were I collect other bloggers. LOL

Resolution....

try harder