cinzia

Raconteur

2008-06-22T13:33:00.002+10:00

Another of my mini hexagons. I haven't been doing many of these lately although I have cut many more.

Will get back into it in a few weeks ... perhaps after I clean my sewing room ... and finish painting the laundry... which I am avoiding right now .. I have another half an hour before I need to start on the second coat .... not my favourite way to spend a Sunday .. but at least once it is finished I am free for another eight years.

I can't remember what I named this block but will update the info when I check back

Cucumber Sandwiches

2008-06-22T13:17:00.003+10:00

Strange name for a quilt I know but whenI was a child I had always considered it strange that people would meet for afternoon tea and have cucumber sandwiches... that this was what the 'better' people did. Strange what young children think?

Anyway this is a block from my new stitchery quilt. The designs come from my quilt 'Raconteur' which I am still in the process of making ... and probably will be for a year or two as it is now up to 436 different blocks.... oh for some forward planning rather than my usual whimsical this seems like a good idea planning.

Anyway I think there will be either eight different blocks in 'Cucumber Sandwiches' ... although I have already drawn up seven of these I have also started doing another different set on osnaburg so I don't know when anything will be finished... oh for an attention span longer than two weeks.

I did a mental count of WIPs and can count more than twenty at present. I hate to think how many I actually have since this was only counting what I can remember without bothering to look for them.

Where have I been?

2008-06-18T13:13:00.002+10:00

Wow it is weeks since I have written here. What have I been doing? Well a lot of nothing ... I have a clean house including having washed the blinds and have cleaned out SOME of Richard's bomb site.

I have been sewing lots but finished nothing. I have so many projects on the go and so desperately want to finish them but just haven't got there yet.

I have started doing hexagon stitcheries. Saw a really interesting one by Nikki Tervo but figured that I could design my own based on the Raconteur quilt. As I already have over 400 designs figured I would use some of them.

Did a couple on muslin with soft pastel type colours and they looked really cute until I saw a stitchery done on osnaburg. Previously I hadn't been too keen on it but this time it seemed to have a bit of class to it and of course the green eyes of jealousy wanted some of that too.

So I have designed some more and am doing those on the osnaburg using hopefully autumn colours. I am going to draw them all up and then take them with me on our holiday to Europe as I figure I can get a long term project in for very little weight or room.

Tomorrow I will upload some photos of my projects ... quite a variety there.

TAST

2008-05-22T22:14:00.003+10:00

Well over at Stitchin Fingers I have just started a group to hopefully work through Sharon's Take a Stitch on Tuesday challenge from last year. Great challenge for the beginning embroiderer as she introduced a new stitch each week and provided step by step directions. Stitchin Fingers is a new group for anyone interested in textile activites. There are groups for cards, beading, crazy piecing, felting and lots more. Go and check it out.

Crazy Quilt Blocks

2008-05-21T23:19:00.002+10:00

Sharon has created some wonderful crazy quilting blocks which are a great source of what to do when you have no idea.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

2008-05-16T06:58:00.010+10:00

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler is a collection of 140 six inch public domain blocks which have been put together into a quilt by Jenny Chiaverini. The quilt is based on an Elm Creek novel which she wrote about a group of women who make the quilt for a woman who is soon to be married. There is a link to FAQ as well as a block of the week group and a gallery of many completed quilts and WIPs.

Nifty Nine Patch

2008-05-15T21:52:00.004+10:00

Rachel Greco has made this amazing quilt and worked out a quick and easy way to construct nine patch blocks .. better than the old one where you simply sewed long strips together and then cross cut. There are step by step instructions as well as a printable page.

Stitching Fingers

2008-05-15T21:32:00.003+10:00

Stitching Fingers is a forum for embroiderers created by Sharon B. It has only been created quite recently and so is still establishing itself. Seems a friendly group so far.

Pretty Impressive Stuff

2008-05-14T15:13:00.006+10:00

Rissa has collated an impressive array of embroidery stitches and information plus patterns and everything you might want related to embroidery.

Her site Pretty Impressive Things has links to punch needle, shadow work, silk ribbon, crazy quilting, redwork, tassels, needle arts, needle felting and lots more things

Fantastic site worth checking out more than once.

Homeberries

2008-05-14T14:56:00.010+10:00

Jennie Baer of Homeberries the author of Modern Primitive Embroidery has created a range of simple stitcheries to fit every season.

There are also links to videos showing how to form many embroidery stitches.

This pattern is available on her site for only $3.50 and all proceeds go to charity.

Diane Gaudynski

2008-05-13T21:10:00.005+10:00

Diane Gaudynski has won many awards for her fantastic quilts.

On her site are many hints particularly for machine quilting. Don't you just love this quilt?

Take a Stitch Tuesday

2008-05-12T18:46:00.004+10:00

TAST is a great site. This was a weekly challenge organised by Sharon B last year. Each week she uploaded a new stitch with instructions and samples. Lots of photos and a wonderful way to learn new embroidery stitches.

The whole blog is still accessible if you want to work through it.

Capricorn quilts

2008-05-12T18:40:00.006+10:00

Bea uploads a new BOM every month. It is free for one month only. The present series "Quilters Blessings" is about things that quilters would love ... like never ending spools, or days longer than 24 hours. Each stitchery is 4 3/4in and with a border comes up to 6in.

Noah's Ark

2008-05-12T18:29:00.004+10:00

Lynette Anderson has designed lots of great stitcheries.

She is the creator of the books An Angel's Wish and Friends for Christmas which have some naive style stitcheries and quilt patterns.

Scroll down the left hand side and you will find a gorgeous free BOM - Noah's Ark.

Needle 'N Thread

2008-05-11T12:02:00.005+10:00

For a blog that has resources galore related to embroidery you can't miss Mary Corbett's Needle 'N Thread
From this site you are able to link to an online video of many stitches, a huge number of online embroidery books, discussions of relevant tools and accessories, review of books, some free designs and a whole lot more as well as more links.

Sarah Smith

2008-05-11T07:08:00.007+10:00

Sarah Smith teaches postcards and machine quilting.

The variety of quilts is quite extensive and well worth looking at for ideas.

Quilt News

2008-05-10T20:54:00.013+10:00

Quilt Newsis a blog for quilt designers who wish to advertise their recent releases. There is a short paragraph or two about their latest projects and then a link that takes you directly to the new blog.
Marguerita who owns the blog has also put together a large number of interesting and/or useful links for both the avid quilter but more importantly for designers.
There is also a list of distributors and wholesalers as well as fabric companies.

Positive Moments

2008-05-08T21:45:00.000+10:00

What a coincidence. Paul has been reading about ways to alleviate anxiety and one of the methods he has been suggesting I try is to focus on the positive things around us.

Well being unable to sleep I decided to do a little surfing and what should appear on a blog I often check out. Interested? Check out Erica's blog. As she says focus on the positive moments in life. We'll all be the richer for it.

Plus she has some pretty interesting quilting ideas that she is trying out if you are into creative things.

Today's positives - a girl I work with has been practicing a saying "If I can say it, I can write it. I can do it".

She has difficulty saying words and so is reluctant particularly to say new words in case people think she is silly. Have you ever tried to spell a new word without saying it .. even if it is only in your head? Today she tried it and happily spelt most of the words correctly and more importantly confidently.

Mini Monday Madness - Raconteur

2008-05-05T22:29:00.001+10:00

Blueberry Pie don't you just love them. Paul makes the best pastry in the world and there is nothing better than one of his fruit pies especially with homemade filling.

The lion

2008-04-20T11:18:00.000+10:00

If you're attacked by a Lion
Find fresh underpants to try on
Lay on the ground quite still
Pretend you are very ill
Keep like that day after day
Perhaps the lion will go away

Spike Milligan

Have a Nice Day - Spike Milligan

2008-04-15T12:10:00.000+10:00

'Help, help, ' said a man. 'I'm drowning.'
'Hang on, ' said a man from the shore.
'Help, help, ' said the man. 'I'm not clowning.'
'Yes, I know, I heard you before.
Be patient dear man who is drowning,
You, see I've got a disease.
I'm waiting for a Doctor J. Browning.
So do be patient please.'
'How long, ' said the man who was drowning. 'Will it take for the Doc to arrive? '
'Not very long, ' said the man with the disease. 'Till then try staying alive.'
'Very well, ' said the man who was drowning. 'I'll try and stay afloat.
By reciting the poems of Browning
And other things he wrote.'
'Help, help, ' said the man with the disease, 'I suddenly feel quite ill.'
'Keep calm.' said the man who was drowning, ' Breathe deeply and lie quite still.'
'Oh dear, ' said the man with the awful disease. 'I think I'm going to die.'
'Farewell, ' said the man who was drowning.
Said the man with the disease, 'goodbye.'
So the man who was drowning, drownded
And the man with the disease past away.
But apart from that,
And a fire in my flat,
It's been a very nice day.

Spike Milligan

Interesting Trivia

2008-04-14T21:48:00.000+10:00

A grasshopper has its hearing organs (ears for you and I) on its knees

Free Graph Paper

2008-04-14T21:25:00.000+10:00

Want to print some graph paper all kinds available but I do have difficulty with the darkness at times

Sunday Smile

2008-04-06T22:22:00.002+10:00

You are driving in a car at a constant speed.
On your left side is a 'drop off', the ground is 18-20 inches below
the level you are travelling on, and on your right side is a fire
engine travelling at the same speed as you.
In front of you is a galloping horse, which is the same size as your
car and you cannot overtake it.
Behind you is a galloping zebra. Both the horse and zebra are also
travelling at the same speed as you.
What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?

For the answer click this

Scatterday A

2008-04-05T01:50:00.005+11:00

A is for ALCOHOL which is readily available in most restaurants.

A is also for amazing turquoise coloured APERITIFS such as the glow in the dark ABSINTHE. Test this out for yourself with a pocket-sized black light or ultraviolet light . Simply shine the light on products and look for a glow.

Last but by no means least A is for Absolut vodka advertising campaigns which in some countries is quiet in your face and which can definitely leave one feeling very much in the dark.

source: http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/03/05/glow-in-the-dark-drinks.htm
http://www.emergencemarketing.com/images/spoof%20absolute.jpg