A or B? I’ll take B thanks…*Edited (ever so slightly)*

A?    B?

What A?    What B?

Well just like there are personality types classified as Type A or Type B, a recent discussion on Pins & Needles…(BTW, if you’d like to come and play with us send me an email and I’ll send you an invite – go on you know you want to)…came up with the theory that this can be applied to quilters as well.  So, do you see the new button on my sidebar that proclaims that I am a B Type Quilter?  Cute huh.  Clever Aunt Pitty Pat created the button and I’m happy to be classified as a Type B Quilter because for me quilting/crafting goes something like this:

Rules.  Rules? Rules?? Um, only 1 – HAVE FUN – the rest are guidelines, a bit like directions/instructions.  OK, you need to know the technical stuff but relax and allow your natural creativity to flow.

It’s not a competition or a race to the finish line – it’s a journey, relax and enjoy the ride and if a side road presents itself that looks interesting, go see what is at the other end.  I also apply this to driving long distances – they tend to take me twice as long as the person who just follows the highway but I get to see much interesting stuff along the way.  For example, the driving distance from my house to Canberra is 6 hours, my record for coming home is 14 hours – mmm, this could explain why I have SO many UFOs!! *LOL*.  Oh well, not to worry, I like my UFOs, they keep me company in the sewing room.

Encouragement and support – it’s much more fun having friends along on the journey.

So are you a Type B Quilter [or insert craft/s of choice]?

Type B Quilters Rock!

Type B Quilters Rule!!Kerry has a good point, why rule when a guideline will do just as well *LOL*  But Type B Quilters Guideline, well, it really does work as a slogan does it

Type B Quilters Create Originality!!!

Go Type B Quilters!!!!

By the way, Type A Quilters are the kind of quilters who use words like “you must” “you should” “you have to” “the right way to…” etc etc, otherwise known as Quilt Police – so not me, that would for a start involve reading directions and following the instructions to the letter, ummm, never been all that good at that bit.

Enjoy your crafting and…

Happy Sewing…

Father Christmas comes out to play…

Yep, still no stitching happening here so here’s another one I prepared earlier…He comes out to play each year for Christmas and I still like him as much as I did when I first made him.

He was the first Judy Golder kit that I bought and made up a few years back (I can’t remember just how very long ago it was).  Sorry about the truly poor photography but poor lighting options are on offer, his coat is actually more a burgundy than a purple – just use your imagination.  Oh, and he isn’t an amputee – he does have a had under that sleeve.

I hope there is more sewing and crafting going on at yours than there is at mine where it seems that creating has left the building – oh well, hopefully on the days off over Christmas.

Happy sewing…

Christmas Angel Quilt…

No stitching happening at this venue so…here is one I prepared earlier…

This quilt was the result of a group challenge.  Two of us set the challenge and the rest of the group took part.  The main purpose of the challenge was colour – we set very specific guidelines with respect to the use of colour and provided a traced stitchery, a skein of floss in either red or green (I got green obviously) and three 5″ squares of fabric, to be made into any item of the maker’s choice.  Both of us who set the challenge participated on an equal footing with the other group members and pulled a challenge bag from the basket along with everyone else.

As my challenge bag had green floss my item had to be 80% green. The other 20% to be red and gold.  No other colours were allowed to be used.  I saw a quilt in a magazine and used it as the basis for my item.  Of course I didn’t follow the instructions very well – adding the stitchery in the centre and the pinwheel stepping stones in the sashing – come to think of it I may have added the sashing as well I can’t quite remember.  There are seed beads on the stitchery and in the centre of the pinwheels as well, added a bit of a lift to the design.  Guess I just liked and used the star block, the rest I made up as I went along as usual.  I was quite pleased with the results.

The Christmas decorations have finally been unpacked and I have to say that having the fairy lights turned on in the lounge room makes this whole Christmas is happening whether I’m ready or not seem just that bit more convincing.

Happy sewing…

Christmas Table Runner…

Another find in the pile of Christmas decorations – I made this table runner a few years back from a kit (Cherry Xmas Runner) purchased from The Village Patch in Maldon.

I like the design of this runner, I have used it again for the pink/yellow table runner on my Quilt Tops – Done! page.

Having spent the day at a course for CFA, which was a lot of listening and group discussion, I am a bit weary.  Time to sit on the couch and do a little hand quilting on the miniature 1930’s quilt methinks – once I move the (still unpacked) box of Christmas decorations out of the way!

Happy sewing…

Christmas is Coming…

…apparently, so the world keeps trying to get me to comprehend.  Yesterday was our Christmas BBQ at fire brigade…Father Christmas of course arrived on the back of the tanker.  Our members who do the Santa runs are busy busy at this time of the year taking Father Christmas around to the kinders, schools, etc.  I didn’t think to take my camera yesterday morning, I expected to come home after doing my turn for the radio SKED (check) and maybe go back at lunchtime or not, I wasn’t decided as I had to mow the yard and spray the many many weeds, but once there I ended up doing a little refresher training and then it was time for the BBQ and I didn’t wander back home until about four hours after I expected to.  Oh well, it was nice to chat and catch up a little as I haven’t been around much at fire brigade this year between fire seasons.

So, after being reminded (yet again!) that is indeed the month of Christmas, last night I dragged the Christmas decorations down from the top shelf of the linen press. Hopefully the box will not just reside on the couch until New Year and the contents will see the light of day – so far that hasn’t happened but one step at a time.  I’m always surprised when I start this process of what I find that I’ve completely forgotten I have.  And this was surprise no 1…

The second surprise being I actually managed to hang it up already – LOL!!!  I think it was 2007 (it may have been last year but I don’t think so) that I won these stitcheries at sewing group.  We all made stitcheries with Christmas design/s of our choice using the same background fabric and the same DMC thread colour.  All the stitcheries were then divided up to make a number of sets and lucky numbers drawn out.  I was the lucky first to win a set.  I was so excited and they make a lovely reminder of the sewing friends who made each one.  I had two colourways of the same Christmas fabric design and made them up into simple quilt as you go squares, joined the squares together with buttons and a Christmas swag was the result. Amazingly I did this straight away and had the swag ready for Christmas that same year.

So, in the countdown to Christmas…

Happy sewing…

Kompleted Kris Kringle…

Ta dah!  One Kris Kringle gift…

The bear stitchery I was working on turned into a pincushion and I made the little Simple Sewing Companion complete with its mini needlecase to go with it and make a kind of set.  (The pattern for the Simple Sewing Companion came from this site which has lots of interesting bits and bobs to explore.)  The additions of a packet of pins, a packet of needles and some floss skeins completed the package.  That just left making the bag to put it in.  As I rarely (OK never) get to go to this group anymore I wasn’t there for the gift bag making workshop but was told that it was a decorated paper bag so I went with something fairly simple…

I added the crotchet Christmas Tree I played with the other day from The Royal Sisters tutorial just because it was there.

That just left actually getting it to the group, as I am not able to attend the End of Year Dinner due to work so I was going to mail it.  Kris Kringle by correspondence!  This morning I had a panic attack that mailing it may not get it there in time as it is on Tuesday night, so instead took myself across to Gisborne to Quilters Bazaar, bought a nice Christmassy looking fat quarter to wrap the present in, with some red ric rac as ribbon, and gave it to my friend to take along to the dinner.  Whew, at least now I know it is in safe hands and my Kris Kringle person won’t be left without her present on the night.

Then it up to Castlemaine to Threadbear to pick up two hand quilting hoops that were waiting for me – a 12″ and a 10″.  I have a 14″ frame but I find it too large to hold for miniature quilts so ordered the two smaller ones to cover all bases.  The 10″ one is already being gainfully employed…

with the continuation of hand quilting on this small quilt, much easier to handle with the smaller hoop.

Jindi enjoyed a walk around the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens after waiting patiently in the car while I played patchwork shops so we both had a day out that included favourite things.

Happy sewing…

Baskets WITH Borders!…

A finished quilt top – Hanging Baskets now has borders…

The plan is that if it ever gets quilted, and therefore needs binding, that the Sturbridge green background will be repeated as the binding.  But for now, it can go play with its mates in the Quilt Top Done pile.

Happy Sewing…

Daylesford

Yesterday Mistea and I ventured to Daylesford in Central Victoria to check out the Christmas Makers Market and have a general look about the town. First stop (after coffee, so second stop) was the Makers Market which was held in the Town Hall. Lots of nice things to look at and marvel at and gain inspiration from.

Of course, I came home with bounty…

I picked up a couple of things from Jodie of Ric Rac fame which did nothing to reduce the Christmas shopping list as they are both for, um, well, probably, yep, ME! Oh well, the intention was to look for Christmas presents, guess I just failed in that task.  Hey, it’s not December – yet!  I couldn’t resist either the kit for the little hedgehogs, Monty & Pearl, or Mushie & Gnome – isn’t the toadstool just so much fun.  Oh well.

We went from the market and explored the shops where I did manage to pick up indigenous design postcards (sticking up from the back of the Monty & Pearl kit box) which I am going to use as Christmas cards to send overseas.  I just this design is wonderful and it says Christmas to me. So I didn’t neglect the Christmas list entirely.

We also popped into Threadneedle and Purls Palace to check out craft related supplies.  In Purls Palace I just couldn’t resist this crochet hook – made from sustainably harvested domestic birch hardwood. I gave it a bit of a whirl this morning – just a few chain stitch – and compared it with a regular crotchet hook and I’m mighty happy with my purchase. It slips through the yarn with no drag and feels really nice to hold and work with, less muscle tension in the hand than with the regular hook.

So, it has taken me about an hour and a half to get this post together as technology is not playing nice with me today and the photo took four tries and way to much time to upload so best get something else achieved this afternoon like forcing the stupid DVD player that has decided that actually playing DVDs isn’t part of it’s plan to work so I can watch and sew.  Darn technology!!

Happy Sewing…

Geelong Tripping…

Saturday Mistea and I took a short Road Trip to Geelong to visit Geelong Patchwork & Quilters Mad Quilters Hat Party which was full of lovely quilts to drool over and glean inspiration from.  There were signs requesting that photos were not to be published in any medium so you’ll have to visit their site to see the winning quilts and also the challenge quilts.  There were a couple of shops as well and of course some fabric had to come home as a souvenier…

Yummy, huh?  I just love the chocolate/aqua-blue combination.  Mmmm, mmmm.

No progress on the stitchy front, real life getting in the way too much – darn being not rich!

Happy sewing…

Parcel Guy Cometh…

*WARNING – This post is Looonnng and has LOTS of pictures.  Level of excitement over subject matter slightly high *LOL*

Here goes my day yesterday afternoon…

…scoot home from one job to get ready to scoot out to the next one and as I pull into the driveway I notice that Parcel Guy has been as the front screen door is ajar (he leaves the packages between the doors for me good boy that he is) and yep, there is a box from the US of A.  I look at the return address sticker and it is from Mary, who was my partner in Aunt Pitty Pat’s Halloween themed Bumps in the Night Annie Swap in October.  Now why is Mary sending me another box thinks me?  This is very puzzling.  Anyhoo, as I’m making my way into the house the thought occurs…oh how funny would it be if Mary is my Stitcher’s Angel 2009  Swap Secret Stitcher as well as my Bumps in the Night partner.  I had about five minutes to get changed and get back out the door but I managed to open the box and find a lovely card that tells me that yes, indeedy, I have had the same partner for two consecutive swaps, one direct and one secret.  How funny is that!!  No wonder my secret stitcher didn’t ask any questions of me, she already knew!!!!

And what riches did I find in that box of treasures.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  I have been thoroughly and truely spoiled rotten.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.  I LOVE each and every thing.  First of all, the box was filled with many packages wrapped in tissue…

I managed to open one squishy package and the card before I had to admit that I really couldn’t play with the box and I HAD to leave for work like NOW!  Inside that lovely squishy parcel was a gorgeous quilted triangle pouch and inside the pouch was…

more parcels!!

So I had to wait until too many hours later when I finally got to unwrap all the lovely treasures…

Yes, I was THAT spoiled that all this was inside the brown cardboard box.  Let’s take a look at what Mary put together…

A lovely mini quilt, stitched in blue with a yellow fabric “frame” around the stitchery centre. The fabric on the back is beautiful too, lemony yellow with tiny blue and yellow rosebuds.

Aforementioned quilted triangle pouch which isn’t just beautiful on the outside … it is also beautiful on the inside.

A bag, the perfect size for purse and camera to take to quilt show tomorrow.  Mary must have heard me say to Mistea just a couple of weeks ago that I needed to make a replacement for Wren Bag which had come home from the Big Trip Over the Water very much the worse for wear!  I haven’t had a chance to make the replacement model and only the night before Parcel Guy delivered these wonderful gifts did it occur to me that I really wanted it made before this weekend and that wasn’t even a remotely feasible proposition.

The most divine needle “book”.  It opens up just like a flower – very fitting for the rose theme and the button is beautiful – like a tiny crotched rose that has solidified to stone.

And, as if that wasn’t enough there was even more…

A packet of note cards and a matching journal, some lovely chocolates, including ones that we don’t get here so I’m looking forward to trying those,  a 2010 monthly calendar that is a mousemat, cool huh!, (it is actually a 14 month calendar that starts this month so I can use it now), a lovely little Cape May Lighthouse tin containing Orange & Spice Tea Bags (how good do they sound! Yum, yum), and the most adorable little quilt block suncatcher.  Even the beautiful card is rose themed – a gorgeous quilt Michegamee’s Wild Rose by Marie Sturmer, just stunning.

Whew!  What an incredible box of gifts.  Did I mention Mary that I LOVE each and every thing.  All in my favourite blue/yellow colour scheme (matches the inside of my house).  Mary, you have blown me away with your genorosity.   Your work is divine and I love the fabric choices.   A box of treasures indeedy.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Happy sewing…