A Christmas tree skirt

Feeling a lot like Christmas

I'm very pleased to report the Christmas tree skirt is spending this Christmas around its very own Christmas tree. It would be even more wonderful if the skirt was completely and abso-tively finished but "almost" is enough just for now.
You see if we wait until the tree skirt is really, really finished, that poor tree's bottom will be naked for yet another year, and nobody wants that.
So .... ta- da !!

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas

... and a rainforest theme

"Rainforest!? A rainforest Christmas theme?? ...
We haven't had classic red and green for a few years ... we could have that?
How about we revamp the shabby chic look we had two years ago? ...
Blue and silver was nice ... we could do a nautical theme again? ...
Please?"

Grocery Bag tutorial

Homemade and hard working

While most of us don't usually jump out of bed to yell "hooray, it's grocery shopping day!",
it still has to be done, for ever and ever. I am always grateful to be able to purchase the grocery items which we need and want, but it's still a bit of a chore and anything which will make that chore easier is most welcome.

Madame Dressform and the Hem

Time for "me" sewing 

It seems to be a common issue among makers that we can easily find time to make things for other people, but finding time to sew for ourselves? ... later alligator.

When the only apron left in my kitchen was a child sized one, it was clearly time to bite the bullet and do some sewing for me.  

Strolling (which sounds better than the clucking flurry I usually effect) through town I spied two pretty tea towels which could be easily transformed into aprons. Use the scissors to cut two slight curves, whack on several lengths of 1" cotton twill tape and voila ...

A sugar quilt reveal

... ta da! 

Hooray ... I can finally announce this beautiful quilt is now living with its new owner and I don't have to worry about accidentally giving the surprise away anymore :)  

                                                      

quilts are my sugar

A chocolate box of quilt blocks                                              

I received an invitation recently from my friend Megan, which involved fabric, quilting and talented quilt makers .... yes please!

12 designers + 24 different quilt blocks ....... fun modern blocks like this block of Megan 's ...

Ready to quilt

I love quilting!

In earlier posts I described how I prepared a quilt top for quilting, as well as basting together the top, the batting and the backing fabric. And now I'm ready to quilt.
Have I ever mentioned I love quilting? 

Quilting gives me the chance to tell the story of the quilt top. 

By changing the quilting design, my deer friend can be a Christmas deer ...

Join me in a cuppa

I've been busy whipping up some pretty crockery         

 ... unfortunately it's not dishwasher safe. 

September already?

That means it's only 16 weeks till Christmas! 

August is Winter here in the southern hemisphere, not a very cold Winter I grant you, but it's still Winter and the wrong weather entirely for Christmas.
So with the change of season, a waft of balmy breeze blows through the window, and my thoughts turn to Christmas.
Actually, any time of year turns my thoughts to Christmas.
I confess I adore, love, and shiver with excitement whenever I think of Christmas.

Backing and batting

to quilt vb. to stitch numerous layers together as one 

In my last post I mentioned that snail mail had delivered a very special quilt top to my house.

I've spent some quality time with it, checking and pressing seams, and now we're both ready to move onto the next phase of our relationship. 

Preparing a quilt top for quilting

Let's talk quilt tops 

 A parcel in the post is always a thrill, even when one knows the "surprise" is coming. It's especially exciting when it's a crafty parcel.

This particular especially exciting parcel contained a quilt top... but no ordinary quilt top.

This quilt top has united the talents of twelve patchworkers from all over Australia. How exciting is that! 

This beautiful quilt top took me three hours to prepare for quilting ... yes, that's  three whole hours before it went anywhere near the quilting machine. Where did all that time go?

Dishcloths and diamonds

Dishcloth fever has well and truly hit. 

When they first appeared in the kitchen, they were hardly cast a second glance. 
Their presence was accepted without question. In dark corners they began to multiply.

Dishcloths are a girl's best friend

Warning ... making dishcloths may become addictive

I have recently become a convert to using me-made dishcloths in the pursuit of a sparkling home. 
The benefits of making my own dishcloths are many. For one, they are a perfect opportunity to use up yarn left-overs.

what this really means = buy more yarn

The Quilting Gift - part 2

Finishing the cushion

Bailee decided a crocheted edge would look pretty. She chose two pastel colours of cotton yarn from Mimi's yarn stash. 

The Quilting Gift - part 1

A just for fun short story about a cushion

School holidays had arrived and Bailee had once again come to stay at her grandparents' house. It was always fun staying there as Bailee and her grandmother spent lots of time creating pretty things. It was Mimi who had taught her how to quilt and sew.

"Quilting and piecing", Mimi said, "is just like life Bailee. We take what we have and rearrange the pieces until we have something with which we can be content. Sometimes the fabrics are bright, sometimes they are muted, but they all have their place. It's not what we're given, but how we put it to use that makes everything fit together". 

At first, Bailee had helped Mimi to choose fabrics for Mimi to sew together on her behalf, but as Bailee grew older, she gradually learnt to choose fabrics on her own, and even learnt how to operate the sewing machine safely. 

My new favourite cushion

A pretty cushion cover

A pretty cushion cover was way overdue for my bed. When I say way overdue ... I'm talking four years overdue. 
I'm not sure why it is, but we makers can always find time to make things for others, but finding time to make something for ourselves is way down the list.

I decided it was time to break into my stash of Tanya Whelan fabrics. Her designs are very pretty and very romantic, yet with a modern twist.

Chanel Beanie

a beanie called "Chanel"

Winter may be toying with us, giving bright, sunny skies the colour of periwinkles and the chance to go barefeet, but I'm not falling for winter's capricious charms! Along with a sleeveless top and barefeet, I will also be wearing my new beanie Chanel, just in case Winter decides to resume its rightful dominance at this time of year.

The addition of a fuschia silk pompom guarantees Chanel will not be borrowed to cheer Queensland along at the next state of origin football game, nor go skateboarding at the local skate park.
Chanel is mine ....... all m.i.n.e !!!

The Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran is so soft and very, very light to wear. 
The 90% wool and 10% Angora blend was an absolute treat for my hands while knitting. I used 5mm needles as was suggested on the label. Using a size 4.0 mm crochet hook and some hoarded pink silk, I made one row of double crochet along the bottom edge to match the pompom. 
The pattern for the beanie is a freebie I found on the Debbie Bliss website here . It was very easy, with just a little simple decreasing.

Hello beanie

Hello beanie hat

Winter has finally arrived in our beautiful corner of the world, bringing with it maximum temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures of 7 degrees Celsius ..... it's a wonderful place to live.

Nevertheless, the drop in temperature during our late afternoon walks, is making the tips of my ears ache. Solution? A beanie! I'll knit one.

"Real" knitters know the meaning of mysterious abbreviations like "yo" and "ssk" (kiss spelt backwards?) Me, I'm more of a have-at-it type of knitter. Knitting a beanie for this Winter, i.e. now, seemed like good idea at the time.

First, decide on the yarn. I found a delicious looking Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran online. I could tell from the number of words in its name, that it would be special. 

Next, choose the colour. Hmmm ... something neutral to go with a maximum number of outfits. I settled on the Silver. 
Silver sounded elegant, refined and alluring. The silver yarn was ordered.

Silver yarn duly arrived. My initial reaction ... I was sure it had a great personality. 
It did feel gorgeous though, being 90% Wool and 10% Angora.

Welcome

Hello there ...

my name is Kellie, and this is my first ever blog ... hooray, I finally made it!

I am a "maker". When my children were little they referred to any creative pursuit as "making", and I think that term fits pretty well.

This is probably a good point to confess that while I may have fun blogging, I am an absolute novice in blogland. But I figure if I don't try something dangerous every now and again, life will get a bit ho-hum.

My first language is definitely "fabric",