Another day another post!
Travelled to the other side of the universe today.  Since I moved here 18 years ago, I don't actually go very far afield.  I tend to hang around the neighbouring suburbs and not find much reason to go very far afield from my inner Northern suburbs. 
Well, that all changed today.  I travelled to Mount Waverley- an outer South Eastern suburb that is a long way away on the map.  Anything over 2" and I don't usually bother!  The reason for travel was an excellent one- a patchwork shop to visit.  I've been receiving the newsletter from Somerset Patchwork for quite a while, but haven't got the courage up to go over there.  I mean, it looks a very long way- do I need to take my passport? LOL.  Turns out, if you go in the middle of the day and take the Eastern Freeway, it doesn't take long at all and is very easy to get to.  I'm feeling very chuffed with myself. (I only recently made it to IKEA in Richmond!)
Oh my, there was some very lovely fabric- really lovely.  I'm afraid I had to bring some home with me to make the trip worthwhile.

Beautiful serpentine stripes that I can never find. 

And this delicious specimen that I needed for a quilt I want to stitch in Summer School next year at Patchwork on Stonleigh. 
I patted and fondled a piece of 19th Century Reds fabric, but couldn't make up my mind how to use it so back on the shelf it went.  Came home and called back the shop.  It's coming in the post on Monday.  Still don't know where I'll use it, but the gorgeous clear red paisley  just needed to come home with me.
Thanks goodness DH isn't home for quite a while, the kitchen table is covered in fabric and the DD's don't mind eating tea in front of the TV.

A lovely day was had by all today.  I spent the day at Patchwork House in Hawthorn with some very nice ladies and Kellie Wulfsohn of Don't Look Now.  We were working on one of Kellie's projects- Joseph's Coat.  It's been a work in progress for me for a while and the class spurred me on to get going on it.

I completed 2 more blocks in the class today, so now I have 3 rows finished.
Earlier in the month, I entered a give away of Aurifil thread from Jenny at Always Quilting.
Imagine my absolute delight at winning one of the packs.

I love Aurifil Thread.  I use the 50 wt for applique and find it's so beautiful and fine to use.  No slubs, no lint, no fuzziness,  nice and smooth through the fabric.
In the pack were several weights to try- 50, 28 12 weights, and a lovely 12 weight Australian Wool blend.
I can't wait to try the heavier threads and especially the Wool.
I got another parcel in the mail today too.
I recently was involved in a Christmas in July month long time of fun and patterns with Sarah of Quilt Fabric Delights in Adelaide.  Some very scrumptious patterns came my way, and of course some fabric had to fly over so that I could replicate the look. 

Now to go through the patterns and remember what they are for!  Some of the smaller projects will be perfect for the DD's to try.

Back on track.

I keep thinking of the song from old Western movies- I'm back in the saddle again.  After taking a bit of a break from sewing, I'm back into it.  Swimming lessons this week contributed these shapes to be stitched  for more Joseph's Coat blocks.

A couple more blocks to join the others.

And a piece of the scrummiest (a great word from my mum) fabric in the world.  Of course it's a Kaffe- rich colours and great textures.

I found it in my Joseph's Coat box, so now it's been cut up.  The colours in the flesh are much more intense, and the flower centres are lime green, but you get the idea.
I seem to have a problem now though!  I recently saw a picture of an old quilt C1800, that I've decided I love
and need to make.  I've started to draft the pattern at a reduced size, original is 3 m X 3.75 m!!  I love making large quilts, but that's too big even for me.  However, I seem to be at a loss for the time needed to get going on this.  Surely  someone  a quilter has invented a 28 hour day. LOL.

Where does the time go?

My goodness, nearly 2 weeks since my last post.  I can't believe it. 
I was lucky enough to get my new diary for next year in the post.  It's from the V and A Museum in London has released a diary to coincide with it's exhibition of quilts this year.  The diary has many pictures from the exhibition alongside each week.  Lovely.  I've never been this organised before.

I was also bitten by the purse-making bug along with my DD's recently.  It was quite satisfying to start and finish a project in one day.  Unheard of actually!!  It's size (about 4 " squareish) has turned out to be perfect for taking my bits and pieces in to work.

I do love Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably fabrics.
 I have been quite busy these last few days though, and not in a quilty sense.  My biggest DD is long and lanky.  She's too long for large kids clothes, but too thin for small adult clothes.  In this case, she's run out of winter pj's.  So, I thought- easy.  I'll just sew some for her.  It's been quite a while since I sewed anything not quilt related.  I had to relearn how to read a pattern- and did you know that 5/8 " is the seam allowance- a criminal waste of fabric!  LOL.  I had to keep reminding myself not to stitch 1/4 ".  I even got my aged overlocker out for some stitching.
Anyway, all turned out well.  Sewing machine manual out to help with the buttonholes and now they're all finished.

 Of course, they are on and in bed tonight.
Finished off a few more Dear Jane blocks for this month.  Intrepid explorer me was off to my Dear Jane gathering earlier in the week along with 6 other explorer souls.  We stitched to our hearts content.  All blocks coming along nicely.  Most are machine piecing and can't believe that 2 of us are hand stitching.  But when I look at those teeny-tiny pieces, it would "do my head in" to even contemplate putting these blocks under my machine foot.

I started from the centre out , so have nearly finished doing the red row, next on to the pink.
I won't mention my near disaster when my blog background was no longer working, blood, sweat and near tears later I have blue dots.  I couldn't for the life of me remember how to change things like that.  A lot of swearing under my breath with that one. 
Back to my applique- I'm still working on the first block of my Princess Feather quilt by Kim McLean . 

My Week.

Well, this weekend was quite productive in this household.
Both DD's decided that they wanted to sew.

Such an easy pattern, they even put their own zips in with me pinning and giving lots of advice.  Even I'm not that good at putting in zips.
They were very happy with their achievement, they've already asked for another pattern thanks.  They want to graduate to toys.   Only problem is they were each using one of my machines- I only have 2, what am I supposed to sew on?  They've started calling each machine "theirs".
I've been doing a lot of hand sewing lately (no wonder!LOL).
More Dear Jane blocks have been made, I'm not quite up with my goal of 10 each month.  I've stitched 5 this month.  Might get 5 more in the next couple of weeks.
I've also been stitching some more Joseph's Coat blocks- nearly finished 14 blocks.  That's enough to make the first 2 rows. 

I'm finding these blocks to be quite therapeutic in the preparation and sewing.
I also decided that I wanted to make a start on another project that's been in the wings for a few months.  I attend Summer School in Wodonga with Patchwork on Stonleigh each January.  I love the quilts designed by Karen Cunningham from Sydney.  I'm receiving the patterns for her adaptation of  a British quilt by Jane Pizar called Irish Circles.  The patterns are coming monthly. 

I've cut the borders, centre and block backgrounds.  The green stripe for the border was purchased last January before Ms A and I even left Summer School.  We were the ones at McD's using their internet to browse around looking for it.  Eventually found the last few metres on the planet in Texas, USA.  We were very happy. The pink is for the centre circle.  Think I'll start on the blocks first.  They're only 8" finished, so not too big, and a nice mix of piecing and applique.
Plenty to keep me busy whilst my machines have been hijacked!

What's happening here?

Well, no wonder I'm getting minimal sewing of the good kind done.  My DD's both got new point shoes this week, and guess who gets to sew on the elastic and ribbons?  Yes, that would be me!

I have no idea how they wear them.  Like standing on blocks of wood on your toes.
Now onto better things though.  Last week I was lucky enough to win some fabric from Natalie Lymer  at Cinderberry stitches.  Well it came in the post yesterday, and was I soooo happy.
Seven beautiful pieces of Beach House.

Now, just to pick the perfect thing to make with them.  I particularly love the plain/ tone on tone fabrics and the stripe.  So useful, but of course the florals are special too.
I gave in to the DD's who are on school holidays until Sunday- they saw honeycomb making on Masterchef recently and have been driving me bats with requests to make their own.  Tonight I relented.  We made some.  I think I need new bicarb of soda.  It fizzed up some, but not as much as I'd expect.  The box is probably 3-4 years old because I only use it for cleaning and it's a big box.
Guess we'll be doing it again soon.  Lucky me!!

Of course, we probably should make some for DH so he doesn't feel left out.  LOL.

Lookee at what I won...

Well look at that gorgeous little bundle of fat 1/8ths in the middle of the photo.  They are all mine. 
Natalie of Cinderberry Stitches recently had a give-away on her blog.  She was highlighting the plight of women in Ethiopia who suffer severe birth trauma, and receive treatment from the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital.
This year, Quilt Aid 2010  is once again being conducted to raise funds to help these women to lead lives as normal as possible, by donating money to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital where they can receive treatment.  Please take the time to visit the Quilt Aid site and look at the wonderful quilt that 12 Australian designers have produced.
I'm surprised that no-one heard the yells from my house, or felt the earthquake from me jumping up and down when I discovered I'd won that gorgeous fabric.  I never win anything.  Ever.  Ever.
Oh the planning now taking place - what to sew with the fabric.  Of course, I will have to just fondle it gently for quite a while.