Be It Ever So Humble

There's nothing quite like progress!

Well, it's great to be home and have some time for sewing.  I've eventually put together enough of those little petal squares on my Windom Quilt adaption to make an informed colour selection.  After putting them up, "pales" won out.  Although now, a reasonable stack of "bolds" sit waiting for inspiration and yet another "something" quilt...

So, here it is - photographic proof of being busy at work in the Garden Shed!  FINALLY.

Above photos - 19/3/15

As I worked (photos above), I realised that the pale petals looked better.  Having them up on a design wall allowed me to juggle as I worked and by not stitching until I was really happy with the arrangement, I saved a lot of time and unpicking.  : )

The central medallion is, she said proudly, a UFO from a workshop at the Armidale Symposium. Yes, that was 1989!  It just goes to show that some things should not be rushed....

Photo taken 6/10/15

Back to the Books 2015

Spice Market is my last finished quilt and despite being almost there with another one, I won't be able to make it over the line before we take to the hills again.  Somehow I've developed a backlog needing machine quilting or handwork.  Not to mention finding time to take photos and do a little more research for my quilt album.  Are there ever enough hours in the day?  Still, it is nice to be up-to-date.  Well, kinda! sorta!

Also, I'd better put some time and effort into Textile Tourist, who must be feeling rather neglected this year given all the empty promises of tales of exotic places to be written up.  Still, there's the call of new horizons, lots more adventures on the high seas and quite a few stories to tell.  Just where will it all lead and what lovely textile finds will I discover....  So, I'll be back in time to see those glorious Jacaranda trees in bloom. 

Discovering treasures in humble Viscri, Romania

Game for Colour

Spice Market: 2013

You can understand why I was smitten....

The moment I saw Colour Game in Quiltmania (2009 #72), I knew I had to have a go - one day.  Aside from the colours, I saw a fantastic opportunity to use those lovely fabrics I had coloured in 2002 at the dyeing workshop with Gail Simpson in Mittagong.  Great, FINALLY using up fabrics from the stash and especially those not so easy to incorporate - hand dyes.  I also had a small selection of stripes left over from my Delhi Days and they seemed just a perfect fit too.  I think I’d planned to do something else with them but as they say, strike whilst the iron is hot!

At last, in April 2013, I made a start (that's only a mere 4 years later!).  It was certainly challenging, although fun, to scour my fabric boxes for just the right prints to match my Indian stripes and colour wheel hand dyes.  I must add that this quilt was designed by Roberta Horton, who along with Mary Mashuta must be two of my all time favourite quilt (& clothing - sorry wearable art) designers. 

The pattern was just so easy to cut and I used my “design wall” to place them ready for sewing up.  The design wall helped so much because after a while you get a little “same block” crazy and pieces can end up upside down or mirror imaged.  It also helped me with positioning each individual row of colour – this is where most of your time goes.  The fabric I used for my patterned yellow row happens to be from a vintage piece given to me by my mother.  I suspect it may have once been tagged for a dress for one of us.  It was fairly sheer, so I had to back it as well.

Now for some reason, I decided to keep notes on what I was doing with this quilt but only after I’d found myself well and truly into the process.  Never done it before but it was interesting that I’d spent:

• 2 days finishing the piecing after starting in May,
• then a day to baste it, and
• finally to quilt it, 17 hours (roughly calculated) by machine, using 15 bobbins & 2 reels of Signature Cotton Threads (variegated).

To all this, it is necessary to add time to cut, sew and stitch bindings – a couple of days at least, and then an hour or two to embroider on my label.  How long I spent (at the start) contemplating the pattern deciding on fabrics, cutting and arranging them on my piece of beige flannelette (Kaffe specified, of course), I’ll never know.  And this will most probably be the first and last time I take such detailed construction notes.  There is more to life – unless you are a professional of course and charging to make a living.

I can't help but think this would make up beautifully in a collection of Kaffe Fassett fabrics too.  I want to be clear here, that I am not a total Kaffe tragic!  Well, maybe not on Tuesdays…  ; )

Finally, here is my version, which I must say I am very happy with:

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 141 x 168cm
Block Sizes: 22cm
Cut in: Apr 2013
Pieced & Basted: Nov 2013
Quilted: Machine Dec 2013
Quilt Type: Modern
Quilt Finished: December 2013
Exhibited: Never
Collection: Home# 057
Pattern Name: Colour Game
Pattern Source: Quiltmania #72, 2009 p65
Fabrics Purchased: From the Stash…
Fabric Design: Prints, Stripes & Hand Dyed
Fabric Style: Brights
Materials Type: Printed Cottons
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Pieced using left-over remnants

(Photos & measurements eventually.  I have to clean up my sewing room first!)

And a little close up to admire the machine quilting

No Quilting Here

2012/2013

I have omitted to put in a little about 2012, a busy year that slipped away without so much as a by your leave.  This was of course, the big “Year of Flooring” when the kitchen, lounge & garden shed floors (about 1/3 of our house space) were re-laid.  That meant significant upheaval, lots of dust and frequent blue language.  So, with no sewing room there was little quilting achieved and with no kitchen, we got used to BBQ’s, salads or sandwiches. 

To add to the misery, I had inadvertently left a window open (for 6 months) and my quilts had taken on that vague and somewhat unsavoury odour of a wet dog.  That meant a serious washing session, which turned out reasonably well with only two quilts shedding dye and another with ripped fabric.  The ripping was not a major issue and easily fixed.  Some black fabric I had purchased for an Amish style quilt was a little “cheap” and probably old, so it showed.  I simply re-appliqued a shape over the tear and no-one was the wiser.  As for the dyeing, the colour run stands testimony to care, selection & pre-washing of hand-dyed fabrics.  Always learning!

Once washed, it seemed silly to put my quilts away before photographing them.  This then, was the prime force in getting a move on with my blog.  So lots of washing, photographing and staring at a computer screen. 

Australia Day 2013

Then came the news that we were to celebrate Australia Day on the Island in 2013.  That meant finding time and a space to complete a few from the UFO box to put out for display. There was also the challenge of Aprons for the Cafe.  Somehow it all came together – after one too many late nights - and we managed to put up a lovely display for our many visitors.

Starting All Over 2012 & 2013

2012 & 2013

Last year we decided to forge on ahead with the last 1/3 of our cosmetic renovations.  That meant lounge, dining & kitchen.  All that stuff is now strewn around the rest of the house which we swear has given us a serious list towards the west.  Mr DIY is nearing the end of laying a brushbox floor and has offered to do my garden shed with the left overs.  Too right! 

The thing is of course, that the shed has to be emptied out.  I am now trying to move rather too “many” boxes of fabric stash, habby, dyeing equipment, and silkscreen frames into the house.  Not to mention the odd few sewing machines.  Just where does it all come from?  The other difficulty is trying to make it all look less than it really is…..as you must!  I keep pointing at the frames saying, “They’ll be on the wall soon.”  As if!!  The reality is however, that it could be another month or more before I get to do some sewing.  Sew, what to do?

My Garden Shed - more garden than shed in 2003

Garden & shed much improved but still not sewing, 2008

The answer I’ve decided, rests in the many old reference materials that I’ve brought in from my garden shed.  You know, the lot that you might need someday…  As a consequence, I’ve revisited my blog terms of reference to include a couple of additional goals.  It will continue to be a log of one quilter’s progress that is, mine.  However to add a bit of depth, I plan to include:

Significant influences – those ah-ha moments that set you off exploring down another path.  For some time I’ve read “The Books that Changed Me” in the Sunday paper.  Interesting choices.  What would I choose in my list?  Better yet, what were the occasions that changed my quilting life?

A bit of Art History.  Groan.  Well maybe not.  I’ve kept years (and years) of notes thinking they would come in handy and as we plan to do a bit of touring Europe, I can reacquaint myself with what’s to see and do.  A sort of a Grand Tour inspired to some degree by the indefatigable Sister Wendy and Kevin McCloud.  Only I’ll add my photos as I take them and use words from my notes.  Don’t worry, they’re descriptive and fairly simple.  We weren't taught to think for ourselves way back then.  My teacher in year 11 described herself (a lot) as “Rubenesque”.  It’s the only thing I remember, except for thinking that that wasn’t much to live up too.

(For those wondering where all this is going, be assured that where possible some reference will be made to resources used, including books – remember them?  Main texts used over 7 years of schooling/college were Gardener’s Art through the Ages 1964, Herbert Read’s The Meaning of Art and Carl Roebuck’s The World of Ancient Times 1966.  College was slow death by a flood of slides.  A lot of the notes we were given were roneod, a method of copying first introduced in 1906 and still being used in the 70’s.  Remember that smell of metho in the classroom?)

Updated and going strong in 2021...

Bears in the Wild

Arcadia, Maine: 2011

Inspired after my efforts with the New York Quilt (it was quite the feverish high!), I quickly took up another stack of memento fabrics I’d purchased in Bar Harbor ME whilst on a trip through the Arcadia National Park (7/9/10).  This trip has special memories.  I was on walking sticks having landed heavily on (and badly twisted) my ankle a few days prior.  We’d also just ducked out of the way of Hurricane Earl and rather more pleasurably, eaten lots of freshly cooked lobsters. 

Despite being walking (just) wounded, I was determined, like a moth to a flame, to get into Fabricate if only to buy myself some quilting magazines.  To aid recovery, I assured Cap'n Doubtful.  In this lovely shop, I discovered some delightful fabrics that shouted “Maine” and I knew they would make up into a wonderful travel memento. 

Back home, I set about selecting a pattern of squares.  Based on my previous success with Kaffe Fassett’s designs, I found an energetic pattern made up of 6 squares.  (Jewel Squares, Kaffe Fasset “Patchwork”, 1997 p.138).  I fussy cut the squares to showcase the best of each design and then pinned them the next day at my regular Randwick meeting.  From there, it didn’t take too long to sew them up into a nice small-ish wall hanging.

Quilting design of waves, wind & mist

Back pieced to use up left-overs

I never did see any bears or even get moose-d but sought solace at Fabricate, 52 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor ME.  It all worked out for the best. The Cap’n would never have shared his cabin well with a bear for a guest… 

(Please note again, this is not an exact replica of Jewel Squares, I simply used the pattern piece sizes to construct my own arrangement of squares.)


And one for the photo album too.
Northeast Harbor, Maine

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 114 x 168cm
Block Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 inch
Cut in: 15 Apr 2011
Pieced & Basted: 2011
Quilted: Machine 2011
Quilt Type: Modern
Quilt Finished: 2011
Exhibited: Australia Day, 2013
Collection: Home#0 54
Pattern Name: Jewel Squares p138
Pattern Source: Kaffe Fassett, “Patchwork”, 1997
Fabrics Purchased: Fabricate, Bar Harbor ME
Fabric Design: Local Animals & Fall Foliage
Fabric Style: Travel Memento
Materials Type: Printed Cottons
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Pieced using left-over remnants
. 

Beep! Beep! It’s New York City

East River Hot House: 2012  (Started: 2011)

On display, Australia Day 2013

I purchased some memento fabrics whilst on a shopping trip with Annette in NYC’s Textile District (30/9/10).  We hadn’t seen each other since our Delhi days and it was a fun catch up & craft trip in one.  Aside from rummaging through heaps of button & bead shops, we discovered two quilting fabric sources, City Quilter & Purl Soho. We were Shopping...in New....New York.  Yaaaaaay!

This quilt then is all about the fabrics.  I needed a design that showcased their lively character so, chopping them up into tiny bits seemed almost sacrilegious.  Those special NY themed fabrics!!   It was back to the books for a bit of inspiration, and who better than Kaffe Fassett.  I settled on squares from his Morning Garden Quilt.  (Kaffe Fassett “Kaleidoscope of Quilts” 2006 p60.) 

Back View

Built on a base of 3 squares, the largest being a big 9”; medium 6” and the smallest 3” (finished), this quilt cut up quickly and sewed even faster.  Perfect!  Then it was on to quilting.  I chose to design my own loose pattern of ginkgo leaves, a favourite street tree though out New York.  I imagined crusty brown leaves blowing in autumn winds through romantic Central Park .  Ah, dreaming again!  So after a regimen of 4 bobbins a day for 2 solid days quilting (and that was just a ¼ of the quilt), it was finally done and ready to hang.

(Please note, this is not an exact replica of Morning Garden Quilt, I simply used the pattern piece sizes to construct my own arrangement of squares.  Does that make it a copy?  Good question and one to consider in another post – on another day…)

Quilting Design

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 156 x 230cm
Block Sizes: 9, 6 & 3 inch
Cut in: 18/19Mar 2011
Pieced & Basted: 2011 & 12
Quilted: Machine Feb 2012
Quilt Type: Modern
Quilt Finished: 2012
Exhibited: Australia Day, 2013
Collection: Home# 053
Pattern Name: Morning Garden Quilt
Pattern Source: Kaffe Fassett “Kaleidoscope of Quilts” 2006 p60.
Fabrics Purchased: City Quilter & Purl Soho, New York
Fabric Design: City & USA designs
Fabric Style: Modern Memento
Materials Type: Printed Cottons
Wadding Type: Cotton
Backing: Pieced using left-over remnants

If you’re looking for quilting supplies in NYC then

• City Quilter is located at 133 West 25^th Street; and
• Purl Soho can be found at 459 Broome Street.
• (City Quilter even had these lovely printed fabric postcards that I couldn't help but use as my quilt label.) 

Never Give Up...

Floral Wreath: 2014

The completed block minus blue lines now part of my Windom Quilt

Finally, my floral wreath sample block started in Elizabeth Kennedy's class in 1989 at the Armidale Symposium has been completed.  Yes, it's only one block but really something to get excited about....it's been a long time in the making!

Part of the reason I disliked this block was that I had left blue fabric marking pen lines covering the design.  And they had heat set - a nightmare....  Nothing seemed to help remove them so I just gave up.  Finally, I decided that the only course of action (after some 16 years!!) was to embroider or applique strategically over the lines and splotches.  Besides, I had purchased a pattern in Mittagong at Timeless Threads - if I recall it was at their closing sale - called the Windom Quilt and I wanted a central medallion.  Why not use this block and get it off the UFO list?

Ah, but those dreaded blue lines!  Then of course I threw it in the washing machine with a good dose of "Vanish" waiting for the worst to happen.  But true to name, those lines just vanished.  Now, finished in 2014, it has a home.

Home# 021: 1989 started

Size: 51 x 51cm (without border)

Getting Organised…And in SLOW Order

I’m now at the stage of having more unfinished than finished quilts to document and it’s playing havoc with my plan to list them by the year I started them…and then post in that same order.  My plan has reached the term of its natural life and I’m starting to worry about OCD tendencies…  You know, running to my garden shed late at night to finish a quilt so that it features in serial order, by blog post.  Sad indeed!  Yep.

So, after much thought, chaos theory (order in chaos?) reigns.  I will now post as I finish.  And perhaps along the way  - as I’m sooooo very slow these days – I’ll post a few progress notes, a la “slow quilting movement”.  Perhaps I can sleep at night.

Slow sewing is part of the Slow Movement (we subscribe to slow boating, especially when the wind isn't blowing) but it does make you stop and think about the pace of life and need to dumb everything down to achieve more in your day... 

You might enjoy finding out more about the concept:

Mark Lipinski's Slow Stitching Movement; Sew Slowly's Manifesto on her Blog; Knotted Cotton invites us to be a slow blogger & this discussion on the Modern Quilt Movement by Leni Wiener.  All most interesting food for thought...chew slowly, mind!

Shaping Up 2011

First, start a blog....

So begins the epic kitchen reno...bring on that BBQ!

January 2011 marked the beginnings of this, my OTS blog…now a big 4 years… and my early efforts to shape an unruly quilt list into an on-line album!  It also heralded yet another Australia Day Exhibition (2011) so the midnight oil was burning to have MORE quilts to hang.  Well, we couldn’t hang too many of the same ones could we?  And the best result...more finished quilts.  Yahooee!!

Visitors came to help us celebrate Australia Day 2011

We had lots to look at and talk about!

We also celebrated that year with a couple of shopping trips; one in the metro area and one to the Blue Mountains.  Great days if not a tad long but a few little extras to add to the “cut-and-come-again” stash!  (Anyone who has read Norman Lindsay’s “The Magic Pudding” (1819), a famous Australian children's book will understand what I mean.)

Ribbons & Rainbows at Blackheath - now sadly closed

Finally time came to start something new – a chance to celebrate after being such a goodie two-shoes - so I began to make up a couple of “Travel Stories” with those bits & pieces I had collected during my travels.  I was in part inspired by an article I had read in Quilters Newsletter Magazine (June 2003, issue #353) some years ago by the esteemed Helen Kelley.  In the article, she describes the quilted postcards she had made to celebrate her travels.  “Hmmm, nice idea I thought” but picture quilts weren’t exactly my cup of tea, so I let the idea percolate for a while.  It wasn’t until later that I realised “Bush Picnic” with those lovely Aboriginal fabrics I’d been collecting was a kind of homage to my Perth, WA trip (2002).  Inspiration at last!  So began some serious work and I polished off two more small quilts fairly quickly and also started to play with something a bit flashy; a rather nice collection of purples & acid greens from The Purple Patch.  (This must have meant I visited the store before it closed down, but memory escapes me when that was exactly.)

A Material Matter

Australia Day Exhibition 2010

Honestly, these two years 2009/2010 just flew by.  Somehow in 2009 and despite the demands of being in my 5^th year of a serious house make-over, I managed to find the time to help make another cot quilt (always a great warm-up – in different ways - for both maker & recipient) and to get away to Kangaroo Valley for a “mini retreat”. 

Then, and only then did I have time to became completely absorbed with my UFO box and preparations for our first ever Australia Day Exhibition, January 2010.  It was a big event for us, given that our group is small but somehow quilts came out of the woodwork and we had a lovely showing.  Some of the ladies were kind enough to let us “air” out their quilts in the garden for the day.  We had some very nice comments, although many visitors could not understand why we weren’t selling them. 

It’s always hard to explain to non-sewers exactly why a handmade (or even hand stitched item) is either difficult to part with or so expensive.  On average it takes me two years to make a lap or single bed size quilt.  Anyway, I know I’m preaching to the converted but the lesson is for the maker to take the decision, keep or sell (or give away).  And if you sell, remember there’s more to a quilt than the sum of its material parts.  Rather than re-invent the wheel, here is a great summary from Katie’s Quilting Corner.  For a different perspective, try Caryl Bryer Fallert’s comments.  Three cheers for sensible answers!

A Few Challenges

Gee's Bend Comes to Town

With four unfinished samples from my Art Quilt class, I began to realise the extent of my UFO collection and felt rather keen to do something about it.  Thankfully I’d started keeping a UFO List way back in January 1997.  Every year from them on (with only a few exceptions!), I had made a New Year’s UFO List.  Somehow 2008 became my year of retribution & shame given the large numbers of bits & pieces languishing in my stash.  However, the year got away from me before I could put salve on that distress; though not before stepping out to the Gee's Bend Quilt Exhibition (31 Oct- 2 Nov 08) – sorry no photos allowed – and participating in a group cot quilt for one of our friends.

I wasn't quite as excited about the Gee's Bend Quilts as I imagined I would be.  I think this was in part due to the venue not showing the quilts to their best advantage.  It was crowded and the lighting poor.  Having recently read Nancy Crow's account of her first experience with these quilts (in "Crossroads"), I can better understand the excitement they generated in the quilting community. (By the way, her Artist's Statement is worth reading too!)

Find this catalogue here

Out of interest, here's a couple of links to Pinterest sites so that you can enjoy the eye candy of:

• Nancy Crow's work, and
• Gee's Bend quilts

During our November meeting, we were Stash Challenged by one of the group (who shall remain nameless – and it wasn’t me) with some real uglies.  But I guess that’s what makes it challenging!  My “challenge” pieces sat for a while in the bottom of my garden shed but eventually another challenge for Australia Day 2013 saw them rise to the fore.  They thus became the basis for my “Apron Quilt”, a submission for the Café Exhibition in December 2012 and subsequent "silent auction" during our Quilt Show, Australia Day 2013.  It was a nice little earner for our cause and went to a good home off-island.  You see, all good things come to pass….

Front view

Quilting close-up

Back view

The idea behind this quilt is that even when "relaxing" with my sewing machine, family duties, especially feeding the masses, is not far from my thoughts.  So rather than quilt the apron in a traditional fashion, I wrote a menu of family favourites (with my trusty machine).  I finished it off with tape measure ties - a subtle reminder that there's a need to watch the kilos.  Too much eating, sewing and sitting can be dangerous.  This was really a rather fun exercise (if you'll excuse the pun!). 

Russian Red 2008

Getting All Antsy Pantsy*: UFO  (Started:2008)

Hard at Work at the NSW Embroiders Guild, Concord

It seems hard to imagine that I started my Explorer Series 7 years ago.  Where did that time go?  In 2008, I signed up for an Art Quilt class at the NSW Embroiders Guild with Carolyn Sullivan in the vain hope that working in this genre would better suit me.  I wanted to work smaller, more creatively and in series (in effect - smarter).  (Does that sound a familiar refrain?)  It was also a great opportunity to learn how to better organise a journal (or two).  The classes ran over 8 sessions starting in Feb, so it was a full year commitment.  I was very happy that some of my Randwick quilters signed up with me – we often met out of class to inspire each other and thus managed to finish many of our set projects. 

  #1 The Research Station (33 x 33cm) 2008

#2. Coral Garden (32 x 38cm) 2008

Whilst my plan was grand indeed, I managed to miss a couple of sessions and so those pieces sit quietly in my UFO box waiting, waiting…  My journal though is quite a resource and if I live to 100, may get round to exploring some of the many ideas that came out of it.  It was a fun and thoughtful class, certainly guaranteed to shake out the cobwebs and lead you gently into the world of art.  Sometimes you just need that!

As I wanted to work in series, I set myself a theme of “exploring an exotic life”.  My inspiration was the life and work of a Russian Marine Scientist who lived and worked in Sydney (1878-1887).  Explorers, maps, travel, the ocean & its creatures and Russian red drove my design choices within our monthly sessions.

So began my Voyages of Discovery. My Explorer Series (Collection# 51) followed our monthly tasks:

1. Built Environment - Windows (The Research Station)
2. Natural Environment - Leaves (Coral Garden)
3. Natural Environment – Networks (Voyages of Discovery)
4. Women’s Work
5. Simplify the View (Immersion - yet to be finished)
6. Personal Icons & Symbolism
7. Movement (Rock, Paper, Scissors)
8. Just Script

#3. Voyages of Discovery (38 x 48cm) 2008

#7.  Rock, Paper, Scissors (46 x 47cm) 2008

*My family interpretation of this saying, antsy pantsy was "that you were getting a bit above yourself" or a little bit fancy.  Does that help?  No, probably not.....

And if you're wondering, the dragonfly is a symbol of regeneration & change.  I also added an inked stamp from a Chinese chop (seal or name stone) that I had made in Singapore.  The red threads were added for "luck & prosperity".  These "marks" were on all the pieces I made in this series.

#5.  Immersion (& a work in progress still!)