Clamshell Club & Some Shopping

Today is Clamshell Club reporting day.  I have sewn 4 1/2 rows!  I'm really enjoying this project as the clamshells are already basted before I start appliqueing them down so it is just applique, no turning under.

I have decided to alternate the rows of prints with backgrounds.   The photos aren't too good today as it is a wet and dreary day outside BUT I'm not complaining as we need the rain and at least it isn't freezing.

We celebrated Nicole's birthday yesterday at sewing and Michelle made her wonderfully artistic profiterolle cake.  There is something about strawberries dipped in chocolate that I just can't resist and there were a few profiterolles left without a strawberry attached.

I have also been letting my fingers do the shopping at the Fat

Quarter Shop and this parcel of heaven arrived through the week.  It's called Luna Notte by 3 Sisters and I can't wait for the yardage to hit the shops - it's divine!  I think I have picked out my centre now for Swan Lake using a blue and a grey from this pack.

 

I also bought this glue pen a couple of weeks ago.  I had never seen them before except in blogland and always wondered what they were like.  I brought it home and tried it and wasn't really that impressed until last week I spoke with Lynette Anderson at the Quilt Show and she showed me the proper way to use it.  This is my new favourite tool for hexagons - I love it!  It is so quick to cover the papers and it has held together really well when sewing the flowers together.

Speaking of hexagons, I have been covering 1/2 inch hexies for the Brigitte Giblin bag and thought I might do a dummy run with the pattern to make sure I can actually sew the bag together before damaging all my hard work.  I found this piece of linen last week and made it up and it looks fantastic!  Can't beat red polkadots.

Have a lovely weekend everyone,

Sue-Anne xxx

A Wonderful Day with Old & New Friends

I had the best day yesterday!  We left home at 6am and headed down the Hume Highway for a day in Melbourne at the Quilt Show.  We visited the quilt exhibition first and there were many wonderful quilts made by some very talented ladies.  This is a snapshot of a small portion of my favourites.

This was AMAZING!  The display was called "Art U Wear Challenge" and the theme was Alice in Wonderland.  Please click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see the amazing costumes.

Once we finished looking at the quilts, it was time for shopping.  My favourtie stall was Threadbear and who did I see behind the counter helping Corliss - Di Ford of Phebe and Sarah Morrell fame.  Di's new work in progress was on display and it is amazing.  I recommend you all to go visit secretsewingsisterhood and be inspired by the work that Di and her friends do.

Me, Jan & Jean

While we were swooning over everything at Threadbear, Jan spotted Jean from Linen & Raspberry!  We were so excited!!!!  I love all Jean's work and we have gotten to know each other through blogging but to actually meet face to face was so good.  We were like a group of schoolgirls laughing and getting photos taken and totally amazed that we ran into each other. 

Jean, Jan and I bought Corliss's new pattern, The English Basket Quilt.  It is absolutely stunning and I need another major project like a hole in the head but just couldn't walk past this one.  In fact, I want to make every quilt that Threadbear had on display!

After all the excitement of meeting Jean & Di, it was time for some serious shopping and here are a few of my purchases.  I was so very very bad.

This isn't a very good photo but I just had to show you this linen I found.  It is gorgeous and the only problem was that I could only get a 30cm piece.

Michelle and I also got to meet Lynette Anderson!  She was demonstrating Punch Needle and we bailed her up with lots of questions about the thread she was using.  The brand is Cosmo and it comes wound in two threads on the spool - no more separating DMC threads.  It's fantastic and Lynette was lovely to chat to and very generous with her tips and advice.  I purchased a few threads and of course I couldn't leave without a pattern featuring her beautiful dog, Hugo.  Michelle confessed to us on the way home a secret she had been keeping all afternoon, she signed up for Lynette's new Christmas BOM.  Michelle is fast becoming the BOM Queen!

Elyte, Linda & me

Before we knew it, it was time for afternoon tea and we organised to meet Linda Collins from Quilts in the Barn fame.  And who should we run into, but Elyte from Tea, Fabric & Other Things!  Linda holds a quilt exhibition in her barn each year to raise money for Breast Cancer and this year, Di Ford and the Secret Sewing Sisterhood are the guest exhibitors.  I am really looking forward to travelling down in October to attend.  I have, as with Jean, developed a friendship with these two lovely girls and it was great to finally meet each other.

Before we knew it, the day was over and it was time to head back up the highway.  We stopped for dinner at our new favourite Chinese restaurant and apart from a detour through Nagambie due to a double truck accident (we were nearly to Shepparton Linda!), we had a nice uneventful safe trip and arrived home at 10.30pm with thanks to Helen for doing all the driving.   A very long day but well worth it to spend the day with my beloved Friday Girls and meet all my wonderful new friends.

Sue-Anne xxx

What have I Done This Week

I have covered some half inch hexagons,

made 5 Klosjes, bringing my total to 93,

made some sausage rolls to have with soup on the weekend,

have almost finished the applique on border number two of Swan Lake,

and had the rare pleasure of seeing son number two dressed up in a suit!

Sue-Anne xxx

My Late Klosjes Report

My Klosjes report for the week is 3.  Two short of my weekly target, but considering I didn't make any last week I figure 3 is better than 0.  Grand total is 87.

Even though I am trying to use fabrics from my stash, I did make a couple of purchases last week that were perfect for Klosjes and clamshells.  Actually, I have so many little ongoing projects like this that I can use up a fat eighth just cutting one Klosje, a couple of clamshells, some yo yo's (which have really been neglected) and a new little project that requires 1/2 inch hexagons - boy are they a lot smaller than 3/4 inch hexagons!

I am so in love with my clamshells at the moment!

I  have been sewing arms on headless dollies this week and have finally finished.  I think I have them all lined up when I glue them down, only to find that when I have appliqued them, there can be either a gap or an overlap.  I have done a fair bit of pulling out this week and maybe I might have to cover the next lot in papers to avoid my frustration.  Today I plan on joining this border with the hexagon border and applique some heads tonight in front of the telly.

Keep warm/cool everyone,
Sue-Anne xxx

Phebe & Other Stuff

I had a lovely surprise in the mail today.  A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a giveaway from Kaaren at The Painted Quilt.  She made this scissor fob and doesn't it look gorgeous on my little scissors.  Thank you so much Kaaren.

And look who is making an appearance!  Phebe finally has her 5 sheep finished!

She has been a bit neglected lately due to Swan Lake but I am very pleased to have completed these little darlings, complete with their black faces and feet.

Another little finish is this key holder from Anni Downs' new book.  I was very lucky to have Michelle bring me back the kit from Sydney so Friday was the day for making it.  Thank you Michelle.

I am still working on Swan Lake and have nearly finished appliqueing the dollies dresses for border number 2.  My shoulder is much better and thank you to all my friends in blogland for your warm wishes.  Keeping computer time to a minimum has definately worked, although I have become a bit of a computer junkie and have found it difficult to walk past it without sitting down for a quick look!

Sue-Anne xxx