It's a New Year

Yes, it's a new year and I'm going to try and sew more this year, and blog as well. I haven't blogged since 2010 which is pretty bad, and I have to say that I haven't done a great deal of sewing since then either. But the thing is that I still think about quilting, I read quilting magazines and books, read the occasional blog, look at fabric and fabric sites online; all of which makes me feel like I've been quilting. Then when I'm forced to confront the reality ie no blog entry since Oct 2010 and no actual quilt progress, I'm always a little surprised.



Some things have happened in 14 months, not least of which was having to have my gorgeous old beagle Simon put to sleep. I have had him for over 14 years and he was always a gentle soft dog, so it was sad to see him deteriorate and I adjusted my life to look after him for as long as I could, but in the end he needed medical care that his body couldn't take. Now it's just me and Chloe, and we're doing fine. She's quite independent and seems happy being an only dog - this is a recent photo of her. She somehow seems to be looking at me in a slightly disapproving way as if to say, well, now what? Is it dinner time, walk time, sleep time, bone time? Let's get on with it!



I recently bought some fabric for the border of the double pink 4 patch that has been waiting a few years to be finished, and I've also had a little buy up at a local shop that was having a closing down sale. I normally don't go there as it is a store that does a lot of country style stitcheries and pretty quilts, but I had 15 mins to wait before a dentist appt so thought I'd calm myself by touching some fabric. It turned out that they were closing that day, and everything was heavily discounted, making the fabric still more expensive than it can be bought for on the Internet, but not too bad. The thing that drew me in was the red reproduction fabric which I had decided to buy online only the day before, so I bought what they had left which was on two bolts. I also found some Kaffes and spots, and a lovely book on the history of Dutch Quilts that was half price.



Otherwise the cloud of my ever worsening eyesight has been hanging over my head this last year or two. It seems that it is quite normal for "someone of my age", but I can't seem to get with the programme and accept it. I had new glasses again in October, but I can't handsew with them, so I have to go back and get some stronger ones again. I have always had excellent eyesight, so I'm feeling a bit shocked at how quickly they've deteriorated. I can't even read the labels in the supermarket anymore, let alone the tiny writing on ampoules at work! It's like I'm working through the stages of grief, but I really have to get over it.

If I pop up on anyone's radar I look forward to rejoining blogland and catching up with you again.

Oh Happy Happy Day

There's an awful lot of blog posting going on in Fairybread Land lately, and the sad thing is that one day I'll just disappear again. But then with winter not too far away hopefully I'll stay true.


Today is a Happy Day. The postman came bearing fabric from the US (in a blo*dy big box). Normally I get one or two envelopes, but this time a box. The order was dispatched from Whittle's Fabric last Saturday, and here it is on the Monday 9 days after. Pretty good service. Whittle's say on their shipping page that they don't ship to Australia, but they do. They bent under some pretty heavy blogger pressure apparently.

I usually buy 1800s Repro fabric, but this time I bought some modern and/or bright fabric. I've been reading my Material Obsession books bought el-cheapo from the Book Depository in the UK. I'm quite inspired. *Aussie and Kiwi alert* all the books are heaps cheaper than in Australia, plus postage is always free. Compare the prices - you can easily pay double here. It's very fast, less than 10 days, and you can have all the prices displayed in A$ on the site if you like. HIGHLY recommended.


Anyway, back to the fabric. Bought some dots, stripes and stuff from modern designers, but I think the floral is my favourite. I bought 4 yards so I can use it as a border or something. Better than Christmas!

Exciting Find at the Craft Show

I ended up going to

the Craft Show yesterday after all. The place was practically deserted, so I had a quick tour around the stalls. My main find was these 3 books, all in the Bargain Bin! I couldn't believe my eyes! All 3 I have been thinking about buying, and have had the Jo Morton book out from the library for 2 months. The small photo below shows the prices which are beyond belief. I snatched them up while looking over my shoulder.

Then the 3 Civil War fabrics for a very reduced price, 2 other blue FQs and a Eighth of the black and white 1930s fabric for the quilt in Fons and Porter this month that I am going to make.

Then I bought 2 balls of Noro with the silk in it to make me a scarf for winter, and a roll of freezer paper for my Civil War blocks.

I had a good trip, the only thing I wanted that I couldn't get were some 1 1/2 inch Thangles. So all in all I was pretty pleased.

I still can't get over the books, but I'm sure I will soon LOL! To think that they couldn't sell them? Amazing. Reproductions aren't as popular here as in the US, but there is still quite a following.

I would like to start my scarf, but I am determined to finish the 2nd sock first. I tried to buy some soft mohair, maybe with a bit of silk in it, to make a scarf for my Mother, but couldn't find anything. There were really only 3 nice yarn stores there, one being the LYS, which was disappointing. I overheard one store owner saying that it had been much quieter this year, and felt she probably wouldn't make the trip next year. I suppose people are tightening their belts a bit here, with an election coming, industrial relations laws in upheaval, and interest rates always threatening to, or actually rising. The other thing that is really noticeable here is the increasing cost of food, no doubt as a result of the 1 in 100 year drought we are experiencing.

I'm fairly lucky here, being right on the edge of the coast, but half an hour's drive west to my Parent's place, their garden is nearly dead, and their tank nearly empty. Dad was telling me that it has been 500+ days since there has been more than a sprinkle of rain. Our dam is below 30% capacity, and the latest initiative is to recycle sewerage. Great!

Collaborative Quilting Style

I read a fair bit of the Collaborative Quilting book last night in bed, and I was struck by the similarity to the syle of 2 Australian quilters. You may or may not know of them in the States, but Judy Hooworth and Jan Mullen both work in a similar style.
I have the Judy Hooworth book out from the library at the moment. Listen to this quote in her 2001 book entitled Razzle Dazzle Quilts (That Patchwork Place, ISBN 1-56477-322-1).

In Exercise 3 she says... "Now let's add a zinger. Black-and-white fabrics contain the two extremes of contrast - the lightest light next to the darkest dark. Used in small amounts, black-and-white prints sparkle and add movement and rhythm to the quilt surface. Choose a variety of black-and-white prints, and cut them into 2 1/2 inch squares. Arrange them with the colour squares and rectangles as shown in the photo on p18. These black-and-white squares provide a place for the eye to rest, although it doesn't linger because all the squares are different."

Also have a look at Jan Mullens patterns from Stargazey Quilts Stargazey Quilts . Interesting isn't it?

When I posted that photo (of the scraps from the quilt I haven't made yet!), with the black and white centre, someone mentioned that it reminded them of Collaborative Quilting style - I was thinking more along the lines of a log cabin with stripes or a string pieced block inspired by Judy Hooworth.

It is likely that they have all drawn inspiration from the scrappy blocks or the 1930s, but isn't it interesting to see how they have all developed along similar lines?