Australia Day

It's Australia Day today - our national day. In Brisbane where I live there were plenty of celebrations planned, but there has been so much rain over the last few days that most of them have been cancelled. The rain has been so heavy that there has been flash flooding and releases from the big dams to prevent a repeat of the major floods of this time last year, which were due to overflow of the dam up river from the city.

This is my street yesterday. As a result most of the dirt is now at the bottom of the hill.



Anyway, it has stopped briefly, so I was able to take a quick photo in the semi-gloom of this little piece of hand sewing I've been doing. It's paper pieced which is a technique I really enjoy. The inspiration is from a little quilt in Quiltmania the 2011 Autumn edition; the issue has so many beautiful quilts in it that I want to make most of them. Lucy from Quilting With the Past has a quilt on the cover. I'll try to take a photograph of the little quilt when the sun comes out.



Chloe and I have been curled up together on the couch watching the cricket, trying not to go outside, and trying not to eat too much! I bought a Sizzix Bigshot before Christmas on special, and have been researching die. I now have a hexagon and a half square triangle, so I've been looking at the half square triangle quilts on Flickr, being inspired. I've been doodling triangles for days...

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.

RIP Bloglines

What a shock to my system to read that Bloglines is finishing up - what to do?  I have about 250 blog feeds on Bloglines and I've had to change in a hurry.  I haven't been doing much blog reading lately so I haven't had the chance to read what others have been doing so I've gone to Google Reader.  I'm still trying to find my way around it, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  What is it they say about not liking change?



Apart from that things are still a bit slumpy here (have I just made a new word?), but I've been forcing myself to do some hand sewing on the sashiko inspired blocks - I don't know that you could really call some of it sashiko.



I sit and watch tv at night and sew around patterns on the fabric or up and down in lines, or zig here and zag there and it's quite good fun just going where you feel like it.  I think though that I'm putting so many stitches in that it will never be finished.  I think I need to spread out a bit so I get some more blocks done or else it will end up as a cushion!  This is only number 3, and it isn't finished, but I do enjoy doing it.  I know you've seen it all before so it isn't very exciting.



In other news, there really isn't any.  My parents returned safely from their overseas jaunt, we are having El Nino or El Nina (the one that brings lots of rain) for a change , and the dams are full for the first time in 8 years.  2 - 3 years ago we were facing running out of drinking water.  The house smells like a wet dog, and the neighbours are crashing and banging next door on some sort of deck extension which is disturbing my sleep.  But as you can see they are all luxury problems, so nothing to complain about.

All I need now is for my sewing mojo to return in full and all will be well.

A Lot of Nothing

I haven't posted for ages and I can't really think what I've been doing.  Lots of nothing things really.  Dealing with things like not getting paid (thanks to my employer the State Government who couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery), not going sailing due to the weather, which seems to take up a lot of time planning and thinking, and not visiting my parents each week as they have gone overseas.  It took ages teaching Dad how to text, set the alarm in his mobile phone, access webmail, put the country code in front of his numbers in his phone book so he could text, and find things for Mum on the computer.  I have to tell you that this took ages due to the ridiculous set up of his phone, not his ability to learn! I'm also in charge of house and mail checking, plant watering etc.  They are 76 and 82 yo - good for them.  I woke up to a text from Dad this morning sent from Paris in the middle of my night, and they are doing ok.



I've been looking at clocks for the house for ages and not been able to make up my mind.  I was sure I wanted a silver rim around the outside and a white face, and poo-pooed this one when I saw it the other day.  Then within 10 mins was back in the shop looking at it.  I bought it knowing I could take it back and I still haven't decided, but I think it will probably stay.  It's 60cm across (24 inches), so it makes a statement, but the room is big and the windows are big.  The microwave is going to go from this spot.  It is really old (1988 I think) and has been the best microwave in that it has never missed a beat.  But it's BIG.  Far too big, but the wretched thing still works so it's hard to get rid of it. Maybe I could donate it to the RSPCA for heating up things in the Vet surgery and buy a new little one that I could put in the pantry out of sight? Thinking about it, but then seeing as I didn't get paid and now my credit card has been blocked due to a "suspicious transaction", I had better not spend any money at the moment.



The other thing I did do was put up the stainless steel shelf, rail and knife magnet that I have been planning to do for 5 years. I haven't done it as I knew that I wouldn't be able to find studs behind the plasterboard where I'd need them, and I didn't know which screw thingys to use. A quick look at YouTube, a visit to the hardware store, and there you have it. Amazing what you can do when you decide to do it. That YouTube is incredible. It continues to amaze me that people all over the world (but mostly in the US it seems) spend their valuable time making little videos of themselves doing things like screwing things into walls just to show you which screw thingys to use. Who knew?



As for sewing, I am relieved to find that I have a photo to add here, but I've hardly touched it for weeks.  The handsewing is about the only thing I've done in ages.  I have had a bit of a clean-up in the sewing room though, which is pretty big for me.



Otherwise not much else to say.  I've been spending a lot of time thinking about not eating too much, but I don't seem to have lost any weight, and when in the library the other day I tried to enthuse myself by looking at the quilting books but found myself staring at The Oxford Companion to World War 2 which isn't my cup of tea at all, so I don't know.  The one thing I do know is that the mojo will come back, it always does!

(I haven't even published this post yet and I have 27 links to it on the preview. How can that be?)

Le Tour

All normal activities (apart from work unfortunately) have ceased for viewing of Le Tour de France.  A little hand sewing is being done, but not a lot.  We get 4 hours of TV each night between 22.00 and 02.00, so I have been recording it and trying to watch it between shifts and on days off.

Go Andy!

Sashiko block 2

It's very cold here today. Well when I say cold remember that this is the sub-tropics and everything here is designed for keeping cool. No carpet, no curtains (only a few blinds but they're upstairs) and a nice high house to catch the breeze through big expanses of glass. The ugg boots are on and the dog has his coat on.



I have been sewing a bit on my sashiko while sitting in front of the TV watching recorded shows. I've started a second block, and I'm a bit more organised when it comes to the edges. I've zigzagged, and I'm not going to sew too close to the edges so it will all go together a bit easier.



The flowers and leaves I've sewn over are already on the fabric as a faint outline, so I've just used them as a guide. I'm getting quite into this hand stitching - nice mindless stuff.

Sashiko

I've been doing a bit of sashiko, sort of 'rough' sashiko in bigger stitches. Inspiration has come from a few places as I've been looking at heaps of sites and blogs with old Japanese textiles lately. These pages however are the ones I go back to regularly.







I just started without thinking it through, but I think what I'll do is make a Quilt-as-you-go type quilt with the squares just sewn together and the back just roughly sewn down. I'm using fabric from the extensive Japanese stash which I accumulated while making my Japanese Quilt.

I'm amazed at how much I'm enjoying hand sewing these days. When I first started making quilts there was no way I'd sew by hand - too slow, too boring! Now I really enjoy it, who'd have thought? I'm off to the Mainland today so I'll stock up on some more sashiko thread if I can get any. I might have to buy online to get what I want.

There has been plenty of TV watching lately, and with Le Tour (de France) only a few weeks away there will be plenty of time for hand sewing.

Do You Believe It?

Laura's Christmas quilt is finally finished - better (6 months) late then never, right?  The weather is cooling down so at least she'll be able to put in on the bed straight away and get under it.



I used a different batting this time that's cotton but thicker than I usually use, so it will be nice and warm.  It also makes the quilting a bit more obvious.  It was a bit hard to get a decent photo as of course it clouded over and started to spit just as I put the quilt out on the deck.  I tried it over the railing but these quick pics were the best I could do.  It hasn't been washed yet and due to the hasty draping over the chair it looks a bit 'bubbly' between some of the random quilting lines, but it looks much better when lying flat.



She is addicted to pink so she can turn it over if she likes.  The 'handover' is tomorrow night.

New Neighbours

The house next door finally arrived yesterday providing free entertainment to half the island. These photos are taken from my neighbour's deck across the road. As you can see it isn't finished, but the worst of it is done. It looks a lot better now that it's put together, and will be much nicer when it's all finished off.


13.00hrs


15.00hrs


Time to panic


16.30 hrs


17.00hrs



From my window today (yes it's raining again).

Half a House

Have been busy working this last few weeks and busy finishing off Laura's quilt. I'm half way through sewing in the 100s of threads, then just have to do the binding.  Nearly finished!

The weather here has finally turned towards autumn, cool at night and occasionally overcast and cool during the day. But lots of the days have been beautiful - so nice to see the sun.





I took these photos of half a house on the way home from work the other morning.  As I drove past the barge terminal I saw this big truck (and some "men at work")  waiting to get on the barge.  The next morning the other half was there but I was racing to catch the Waterbus so no time for photos.  This is pretty much what the house next door will look like I think.  It's meant to be coming on Friday night so I'll probably miss most of the fun.  It will be funny to come home from work to find a house where 10 hrs before there was nothing much. 

The sun shines again.  I just had to step over Chloe who is working on her tan.  She'll get so hot that she's panting, but she won't move.



I've had a lovely gift of some Chocolate and Pink repro fabric in the mail this week from Bonnie.  So generous when all I did was direct her to a pattern.  For someone who says she doesn't know her repro fabrics she made a pretty good choice I think.  Thanks Bonnie!  Looking forward to seeing your progress on the bird quilt, even though you did drop the pattern in the bath (?!)



I've also been thinking about how to hang these 3 Flying Seagulls.  I've had them for a while now and was all ready to hang them one day when Mum came over to hold the ladder, but we couldn't decide which way to hang them.  I always thought that the 3 Flying Ducks your Grandma had on the wall of the kitchen were arranged with the biggest on the left, then the middle one and the small one flying away into the distance.  The small one is smaller because it's further away.  Mum thought they should go with the big one on the right with the others following behind like the ducklings following the mother duck.



So I did a bit of research and couldn't really find anything that said one way or the other, so I'm just going to hang them the way I thought, as above.  I traced around them onto newspaper the other day and put them up with a bit of tape on the back, pushed up there with a stick, to get a feel for where they should go.  It was a good idea as I think they need to be a bit further apart and the middle one is a bit high.  I'll get them up there sooner or later when someone else is in the house so I don't fall off and break something. We had a patient at work this weekend who thought he could fly after having a few too many drinks and jumped off the roof of the house.  He has bilateral broken heels and will have to have an operation and lots of time off his feet.  I asked him if he had his Superman cape on - no.  What an idiot.



Not much in the way of sewing, but I did manage to sort out my needle problem.  I was going to put the machine in for a service but it will take 4 weeks!  I'll never get the Christmas presents finished if I do that!  There is a little bit of a chill in the air the last few days, so the pressure's on to finish Laura's quilt.  I have done some crochet on the hexagon medallions, but the bamboo and cotton is so poorly 'twisted' that it has become very frustrating to work with.  As a result there will only be a few more done then made into a cushion cover.

sashiko

I've been doing this sashiko kit this week - it's nearly finished, just a few lines to go.



What have I learnt?  That I need to pay more attention to the crowded areas,



That I need to keep the thread twisted or it makes these thick open stitches,



And that it takes quite a long time to do.  The lines printed on the fabric aren't all equal in length either.



But I enjoyed it, and will do some more for sure.  I have a pale pink kit like this with cherry blossoms on it 'somewhere', lost after a clean-up. It's also a very portable project.

Well you never know if there's a crumb in there that was missed...



Who me?  It wasn't me in there, I swear!  Anyway, what's that outboard motor doing on the floor in the house?  (quickly changing the subject)



All it does is rain all the time.  What do you expect us to do but sleep on the couch?  We are guarding the hexagons...

Thanks to those who commented on my most recent post.  I admit to having been a bit down in the dumps, but I'll get over it.  I manage to use the "cooling off period" technique a lot of the time, but sometimes something creeps through. 

The down side of having a blog is the tangible evidence that you're not getting anything finished - no more blissful ignorance! I have gained so much inspiration from blogs over the last few years, and I love seeing photos of other places and hearing about other people's lives that are so different to mine, yet oddly the same.  I love the snow photos and I love seeing other people's dogs! I will quickly insert a photo so that you don't get bored with my mutterings.



Yes I've been crocheting due to some online inspiration.  Crochet is one of the things I've always been able to do, but not kept it up regularly due to the "doilyness" of it all.  Yes I know that isn't a word.  It's like the tatting  I blogged about recently - I still haven't had a go at that.  The good news is that crochet is becoming a little more relevant, or modern.  The granny square will never go away, but lovely new yarns and colours are making it popular again.  I love the look of cotton, and now bamboo is joining that group of yarns.  The yarns above are either cotton, cotton with a bit of synthetic, bamboo, and bamboo with cotton I think.  I bought them at my local Lincraft store (maybe like Joanne's in the US?), and I have to say that I wouldn't buy the bamboo again without looking a bit more closely at it.  The twist in it is very loose making it difficult to crochet with, but I do love the colours.



I've also been loving this Japanese crochet book and the bags above.  The crochet chart idea is new to me - I much prefer written instructions - but the chart idea is useful when the book is written in a foreign language.  Here is a photo of the explanation of the chart.  I also think that we use different names for stitches than in the US, so the chart idea helps with that.



I've also had a trip to IKEA this week for a bookcase with a glass door.  Living on a dirt road in a climate that demands leaving the windows open all the time has resulted in a new vow which is that never again will I buy a piece of furniture without a door.  Man I hate dusting.  I bought 2 small Billy bookcases with glass doors which will go in my bedroom out of the sunlight to hold books and quilts.  I just have to put them together...  I wonder if there is a home in all the world that doesn't have a Billy bookcase?  Last year I was reading a blog that linked to Bloombergs who had created an index with the prices of  Billy bookcases around the world.  It seems to be a one-off, but interesting reading all the same.  I have 3 Billy bookcases downstairs which I would like some glass doors for, but after perusing the catalogue I find that 2 of the shelves I have don't fit the doors, and also that the colour I have is no longer made.  I had to buy the very pale colour for upstairs, but would rather have the darker look for downstairs. 



I also saw this quilted bedspread - look at the price!  The cost of just over 3 metres of quilt fabric here.  The red and white ones on the right also have perfect stippling on them.



I have an updated photo of the progress next door.  They have cemented in these poles which the house will sit on, and they have to sit for 2 weeks to harden, so the house shouldn't be too far away now.

Some days I think I'll delete my blog. Yesterday was one of those days. Today, I could go either way. Mainly because I don't seem to achieve much, which in turn can't make it very interesting reading. My friend Holly deleted her blog (And Sew It Is) and I was a bit shocked at the time. Now I can see it from her perspective. Why do I need a blog when I have all yours to look at?  I think I need to get out more.



It seems that this blog is full of posts about the fabric etc I've bought.  In the photo above though, I did buy the Kaffe book, but the sashiko book is Mum's, and the Owl kit is a belated birthday present from Mum.  Very cute.  I went to Mum's for coffee as I do most weeks excited to share the new Kaffe book with her, but also to give her a Japanese embroidery book of little Japanese motifs, which I didn't photograph.



I also went to Threads and More, the only decent yarn shop in Brisbane (that I'm aware of), and bought some of this gorgeous Organic cotton to do some crochet with.  I just love those Japanese books and also bought a crochet book.  Luckily I can crochet fairly well and can usually figure patterns out by looking at them, but this book, although in Japanese, explains in a visual way how to read a crochet chart which makes it fairly easy.  I love the subtle colours of this cotton.  The true colours are a little darker in real life. 

I was about to take a photo when I saw this pen on the table.  I like to use it for work because it's easily identified if someone else picks it up and claims it's theirs.  A day on the front seat of the car made it melt.  Yes it gets hot here in summer.



The Rowan milk cotton was a bit of a treat as I love this colour.  It was on sale for A$10 (I still thought that was fairly expensive) from A$18.75 - eeekk!  For some reason this photo has turned itself upside down and I can't get it to go back. 

Plus the sun is shining today - what a treat.