Im supposed to be finishing projects... but true to form Ive began another 3 new ones in the last week or so.  A crochet shawl, a knitted shawl (seaside shawlette) and a freeform piece.  The crochet shawl is because I really wanted to crochet something from the new book from Japan, the knitted shawl is because I thought I was going to need it and now it is started I want to finish NOT frog, and the freeform piece is to kill two birds with one stone: contribute to zentangles and get more involved in yet another group.

Is it possible to be all over Ravelry AND still achieve anything at all?    LOL

AND when will I be rich enough to pay someone to finish all my UFOs?

off to neighbour today... made for baby girl JL

MEMORY QUILT - little girl's pretty dresses

When I received these dresses in the mail I instantly thought of pretty shops with beautiful awnings and flowers and colourful girls with parasols

But .....

So often - when I put pen to paper, to draw up the pattern, I get dissatisfied with the first thought.

And so this collection of pretty colours is working its way into an art quilt.  To one side is the lower part of a nice looking tree.... that accommodates a stylish resident in its base.  The pockets from one of the dresses are toadstool caps and a fairy sits on one.....  towards the centre of the picture a bent Dandelion stalk holds a fairy swing.

I bought from USA some gorgeous colourful fabric squares that are now the colour wash background of this piece.

It has taken ages.... and there is still much embroidery to complete.  But I think the customer will love it.

What happened to the shops?  Well I didnt think that they worked in with a child and growing up all that well.  I much prefer how the fairy picture works for girls of all ages.... and there is a kind of Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree connection.... as it is one of my favourite books and it has always fitted in beautifully with my fascination with trees.

So.. Ive given myself 3 days to finish it.  We will see!!!
M.

Nov 5

It isnt starched or blocked... but I really loved the work straight off the hook and had to share....

 I like picot instead of just plain chain.  And I like this Round 7 :

Round 7: 1 sc in ch 2 space directly below (working over the sl st you just made),

*ch 6, into next ch 10 space work 6 sc, 4 picot, 6 sc, ch 6, into next ch 2 sp work (1 sc, ch 3, 2 dc), (5 picot) 3 times, sl stitch into base of first picot, back into same ch 2 sp work (3 dc, sl stitch):

repeat from * around, sl stitch into 1st sc, bind off.

Link here to a very kind lady sharing a wonderful snowflake crocheted for Christmas

ENGLISH PAPER PIECING ... clam shells

I will be back with photos... but I HAD to share with you this lovely lady who does fabulous 'perfect' tutorials.  DO look up her other videos.  Some lovely scenery and very clear instructions.

Part 1 Tutorial English Paper Piecing Shells / curves

Im working on 3 commissioned quilts at the moment.  It is a lot easier to keep fresh when I can complete step 1, 2, 3 etc on each quilt.  It keeps them moving along and Im really excited now Ive found a good system.  I think I will be able to solve problems and keep working to a much quicker finish this way.

The top set of fabrics have many jungle animals on them and it a boys quilt.  The second photo is a stack of pretty dresses... this quilt is for a girl!!!  The third quilt Im not photographing but it is for a teen.

One of the boy's shirts has a round motif... so circles it is.  The girl's dresses are really pretty and there are plenty of flowers.... so a little house in a beautiful garden will fit beautifully with the colors which are really bright with lots of pink. 

I was never worried about making memory quilts.  For the most part, the customer hands you the inspiration.  They are giving you colors and designs that they love... so you cant go wrong there.  And so far there has always been an obvious shape or colorway that just kicks off the creative process.

How lucky am I to be able to start a little business doing something that is really challenging each time... plus it is really enjoyable.

RED & PINK QUILT

My first memory quilt stack of fabrics featured delightful Red Riding Hood, Christmas deer and trees, Babushka and a lovely piece that looked like some Dutch dolls with a lovely tree.  Cute pink ducks and some tiny bright animal print too.  The colors that stood out were green, red, pink and teal.

The frist challenge was to decide if the red/green Christmas fabric could work at all with the pinks, one of which was really kind of peach.  At first I thought I might do one side Christmas and one side pink / teal (bluish).  But eventually a color wheel program showed me how they could all work together.

Another challenge was the different sized motifs that featured on the fabrics.  Some were quite large, and the Red Riding Hood motifs were tiny ... and Ive loved the story since childhood so this was disappointing on more than one level.  What to do.  I had an odd number of Dutch people and too few Babushkas.

It all came together with the colur wheel and the epiphany... that Red Riding Hood could cope with a little of the Christmas red around her piece.  So as crazy as it sounds.... it was the red that saved the pink!

Beautifully simple white on white and red on red floral fabrics meant I could have a rich white and that the red used as a feature between the Babushka and on the sleigh gave these pieces interest and depth.

I hope the customer enjoys this quilt design.  It took me ages and ages to relax and read what it was telling me.  But once I saw it... it only took me two days to put together.  It took two dedicated days to machine quilt and two days to bind.

Mind you.... 4 kids call on me whenever they like for all kinds of things... no matter how hard I try to just sew.

Ive learned so much.  Keep it simple, dont over work it.  Know when to stop.  How to save the colour wheel program so I can get around challenging colour mixes.

Im thrilled to move on to the next 3 quilts but Im kind of sad I dont have red/pink with me any longer.

A new take on a lovely old fashioned if you like ... essential for the wardrobe... lovely covered coat hangers

Pop over to this lovely crafty lady's blog and check out her free pattern to make your own.

Oh and.. some of the $2 shops have really cheap multi packs of satin covered padded coat hangers... they are what Im going to try out next... because this pattern has a bit of room... I think it will sit over the satin and just give a jumper holding hanger a bit more padding... beautiful.

Have posted off my first memory quilt to hopefully a very happy customer.

Ive learned so much.  It is such a responsibility and such an inspiration to be handed fabrics that mean something to someone... with the goal of putting them into a pleasing quilt design.  Color was my stumbling block.  But then I found a color wheel application that not only tells you complimentary and accent colors but allows you to see how the clashing colors will look right up against each other.

I love the quilt I put together and Im sorry to part with it.

But the thrill and journey begins again now.... Ive 3 more to do.

... Im sharing this from someone's posting on Facebook....
I suppose this could mean a little or a lot depending on how you feel about your life
Im spending some time thinking on it....  I think the person who limits me the most is me

It's my birthday today. 

Looking back on the last year... there have been so many people that regularly make my day.  My children and their father.  My family.  New friends that Ive met through Ravelry and Facebook that has brought me back in touch with friends I went to school with.  Meeting people at playgroup has meant new friendships and a church fellowship just across the road.... that has meant so much to me.  My dear friends J, L and more... who love me even though I now live far away.

My children have become more settled.  My tiny business is beginning to take off. 

I live in a wonderful country that enjoys freedom of speech, freedom of pursuits of happiness, freedom of religion. 

I feel like Ive been given so much this last year.  My goal for this next year is to concentrate on giving back.

Im finding it a real challenge to juggle looking after the family... and having time to think and organise and cut out... well work I suppose. It seems even if you get up early and make sure everything is laid out for all for the day... something goes wrong or someone wants something different and it takes a long time to get some creative time in. It's looking like work time will be when the family is sleeping... early early morning. And then taking care of everyone and the house can be during the day and evening. It's going to be a big commitment to rise extra early but I suppose no greater burden than if I was doing 4 shifts a week away from home... at a time set by someone else.

Cant for the life of me figure out a 4 strand braid... so will get back for the pull/straps for my new bag

I made this for my girl

Waiting for final photograph but baby quilt finished