blog giveaway : )

ok, so i have been feeling a bit sorry for myself lately...i am totally hooked on sewing, quilting in particular, but it just seems to be a massive expense....especially when you are not working. i look at fabric stores here in oz, and it just blows my mind how expensive the designer fabrics are...so i look online in the states, and see that it is much cheaper...but then postage is a killer. so to make it more economical, you really have to fill the whole package...which means i am blowing my budget out. so i had a big whinge, a little cry and now i have moved on! i have decided that, especially while i am still learning, i am going to op-shop it for a while. i headed down to a couple of my local ones, and i did manage to find a couple of old sheets. but my fave find were some old pillowcases...they are all linen, which i have never sewn with before, but i wanted to make a bit of a retro, florally picnic rug (yes, i know its winter!) and i thought maybe linen would be a little tougher? so then i thought, well why cant i use tea towells- you know, just the cotton ones...so today i am off to ikea to find some el cheapo's! i guess the whole reason people started quilting was to use up any old bits of fabric, clothes, bed linen, whatever they had...it was born from necessity, not fashion...so i too am heading back old school : )

my thrifty finds- aren't they sweet

then, to top off my thrift extravaganza, i entered the coolest blog giveaway over at imagingermonkey. as she lives in the UK, i could only enter the giveaway for her scrap bag...but i WON!!! YAY FOR ME!!!! WOO HOO!!!! do you know, i am totally in love with the thought of someones old scraps...it may sound scabby, but i think its cool...someone has lovingly picked out these fabrics to make who knows what awesome creations....now its my turn! hopefully some of the creative juices are still running hot through these goodies! How awesome is that bag of goodness!?!?

when i checked through my blog roll look what i saw!! YAY : )

i have my eye on making a fabric basket and maybe a drawstring bag, like these...
you can find tutorials here.

This is an awesome blog- her creations are fantastic and her fabric is to DIE for!

But for now i will have to wait and see what exactly is in the bag!
so, there you go...my lesson: be patient, have faith, and enter ALL blog giveaway's...you never know your luck ; )

Thanks Ginger Monkey x

help me choose a quilt...please!

I need help-desperately! I have been scouring blogs, books and the Internet in general to try and find something to do with my new fabric...I bought a few yards of fabric (far left) and also a few sample packs from Fabriccloset on Etsy. They are 9'x11' and i have about 25 of them to use. I bought them with a play mat in mind, but now i think i want to quilt with them instead....But what to do??? I don't know if they are too small to make a log cabin...i have never tried that before...or maybe the half triangle squares with linen...hhhmmm what do you think? Can you help?

a glimpse of sunshine

During all this crazy cyclonic, torrential rain we have had over the last few days, we got a brief moment of sunshine...K and I made the most of it by spending some time in the garden...how beautiful is this boy!?

oops not this one! this is our newly acquired 'second hand' dog Cookie...I know, I know, not the most inventive name, but its the name she came with!
now, here is the star attraction! Mr K in the basil : )

oh i am much too much too in love with him xx

quilting sucks....

but i do love it! dont know why- it really does stress me out when things dont go my way!! i was having such a good time quilting, and of course i had to go and wreck it by trying to do binding : )

i'm sure it looks pretty, and i'm sure its not that hard, but like anything, the first time was not easy (or very successful!). i did endevour to do machine only quilting, which in theory is pretty easy, and i didnt do too bad, i just sucked at the end of my binding strip...it ended up very crooked...so i quick unpicked (alot) and started again...

the finished result was a LOT better, and i am almost happy with it- still not up to a standard that i could sell, or even proudly give away, but i am getting there. and although i didnt really love the whole process, i do feel a little bit of a sense of accomplishment...even after the fights i had with it. i thought crafting was supposed to be a relaxing hobby...this is basically how my project went:

stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch....oh crap....stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch....oh crap....rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip................... stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, ...oh crap, crap, crap!! rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip.....................stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch, stitch............. i give up....the end!!

honestly, by the end, i almost wanted to stab myself in the eye with my quick unpick : )
but like i said, not a total waste, and i guess it can only get easier...i definately do need to go in for some lessons though!

here is the end result...worth it??? maybe just...lucky i LOVE this fabric, or it would have ended up in the bin!!!

cool aussie sites...

i stumbled upon some really cool aussie sites that have gotten me feeling very creatively inspired (and my credit card itching to come out of hiding!) so i thought i would share some of the goodness!
Lark is a gorgeous handmade company running out of rural Victoria, by the very talented Allison. here is a sample of some of the great Ethical products they stock:

are these not the cutest badges ever!?!
i am TOTALLY in love with these prints- there is a whole series and i could easily have all of them

and loving these organic soaps- reminds me of ones i had as a wee little girl
and this knitted teapot set- isnt it just too adorable

these magnets are devine...

Are they not just some of the cutesest things you have ever seen! Here is the website...and her blog is here, so take a look and keep yourself updated with all things Larkmade...

another coin quilt

i have started my next coin quilt, and so far so good! i am using moda (who else!) Soiree charm packs for this one. i LOVE this line, it is so cute and fresh and girly....this will be a cot sized quilt by the time i am done...well hopefull anyway- you know me- i dont measure! i have got some devine blue polka dot fabric for the back, so tomorrow i should be done sandwiching and quilting. then i am going to attempt my first ever binding experience! i am a bit nervous, but excited, i mean, how hard can it be, right?!?! and i think the overall look of the quilt is a lotmore professional once this has been done...so wish me luck! what do you think so far??

finally more quilts!

ok i have been really slack on posting about my quilt making successes (and failures!) so thought maybe it was about time i updated! i have just finished our quilt and i LOVE it! it is almost a perfect fit for a queen bed, but since i dont use a pattern, or measure anything, i came a little under...but not to worry, there just isnt as much overhang as i would like, but other than that, it does the job! i used, gee i think 3 in the end, Moda Nest charm packs and backed with this lovely hhmmm what would you call it- Jade maybe, fabric. this was used for the sashing and borders too...very plain really. no binding or anything flash, but i love the fabric line, so i dont think it needed much else... here are some shots!

Kalan helping with the sandwiching

pins, pins and more pins!

starting the actual quilting..i went with a criss cross through each square...nice and easy considering the size of the quilt!!

what a cute helper!

and he even matched a little too :o )

the finished result!!

and again...i really love it!

and a very irresistible foot x

bye for now....

giveaway..

ha tricked you! NO its not me having a giveaway, but daffodillhill too

pop over and check it out...or not! i would love to win!!

cheeky arent I

the colour of my rainbow

Your rainbow is shaded green and brown.

What is says about you: You are a deep thinking person. You feel strong ties to nature and your mood changes with its cycles. You feel closer to people when you understand their imperfections. Those around you admire your fresh outlook and vitality.

http://spacefem.com/quizzes/rainbow">Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.