Where do I start?

It's been so long since I've posted it's hard to know where to begin. I had an amazing trip to Japan with son #2. We started in Tokyo where I spotted this patchwork quilt of Mt Fuji and the joys of Fabric Town and the renowned Tomato stores in Nippori.

I made this little coin purse for myself by adding the felt cherry blossoms.

We then travelled north to Nagano and walked through beautiful cedar forest to see the snow monkeys.

Then we headed south to Shizuoka to stay with friends. We were so lucky with the weather as we left the snow of the north to experience beautiful warm spring days and the glory of cherry and plum blossoms in full bloom. Something that I have wanted to experience for years.

I also saw a display of these amazing flowers - botan (Japanese Tree Peony) that I had only ever seen in paintings or printed on fabric. The petals were like paper feathers.

We then went across to Kyoto to experience the contrast between the modern and the ancient. 

Kyoto Station

Kinkakuji Temple

On this visit there seemed to be so many young people dressed in traditional kimono.

Our last destination was Osaka where thanks to blogger Betty Stitchup I found this amazing 5 floor fabric store Otsukaya that had everything from Liberty, Marimekko, traditional indigo prints, taupes and Japan Moda. I posted back my purchases so I'll have to show you these when they arrive by ship in the weeks to come.

Otsukaya fabric store

Since coming home I have been to the Castlemaine Applique Exhibition and I have been doing lots of sewing. I think I'll cover these in separate posts.

Sayonara

Carole

Happy Australia Day!

Today we have a public holiday (yay!) and I'm going to try and finish getting all the borders done on Gossip in the Garden. This is when a design wall is very handy :)

And then I'll be spending the afternoon with Kate at the movies.

Then we'll probably have a BBQ.

Thanks for all your well wishes for my fractured foot recovery and have a great day fellow Aussies.

Comfort Sewing

We've all heard of Comfort Eating, well lately I've being doing a lot of Comfort Sewing. Before Christmas I stumbled down some steps and what I thought was a sprained ankle has turned out to be a fractured foot. So now I'm wearing a 'moon boot' and we've had to postpone our trip to Japan. This has meant lots of hand sewing.

I've finished another blue AWS block.

And a couple more in progress...

I've even returned to the very much neglected CCCQ. Sharon has relaunched this quilt to encourage both newbies and recalcitrant oldies like me. Some of the blocks I didn't really fancy so I've been looking for alternatives and luckily Wendy from Legend and Lace has started a new free BOM Red and Green Again. I think this first block fits in perfectly.

Red and Green Again Block #1

I quickly prepared Block #25 this morning to take on the bus. I'm using the back basting technique on this block.

You can see here where I'm cheating a bit by widening out some of those narrow inner curves.

I ummed and ahhed over whether to introduce some green into this quilt and I've decided to take the plunge. 

I've also completed another medallion for my Value Proposition Quilt. I was saving the fabrics I won from Karen Styles for 'something special' and then decided life's too short just use 'em! I'm glad I did.

Value Proposition Quilt Block #14

I've been sewing another block from Sonia's Cheltenham test pattern.

The first block is nearly finished for the Baltimore Bunnies being made by the G'nT Sisters. It almost looks as though that bunny is wearing a 'moon boot' in sympathy ;)

I'm really disappointed that I will miss the Tokyo Quilt a Festival but I'm trying to keep positive. On the plus side I'm grateful for the technological advances of the boot so that I don't have to wear a plaster cast or use crutches; I have time to do a Japanese refresher course; and I might get to see some cherry blossoms.

It's time

It's time to reveal my wonderful Christmas prezzie - a floor to ceiling design wall - woo hoo!

I've managed to fit three of my current projects on there, AWS, Gossip in the Garden and blocks from my Value Proposition Quilt. With much inspiration and emailed instructions from Marian, hubby and I managed to make and install my very own design wall. 

Before....

Clearing out the sewing room was a challenege

During...

Laying out the batting

After...

Floor to ceiling bliss!

No more pinning into the blind...

 ...hanging up quilt sections on Ikea coat-hangers over the wardrobe...

 ...or trying to find enough floor space.

Yay!!! Lucky, lucky me :)

It was a bit of a struggle to construct as it took up the practically the whole floor space. I'm sure hubby was thinking 'Time for a break, time for a Kit Kat'.

I'm calling my latest Value Proposition Quilt block the Kit Kat block because of the red wrapper and chocolate brown colours.

It has also been time to get some more Antique Wedding Sampler blocks finished. I worked on this one during our latest G'nT Sisters retreat.

AWS Block #18

I was also very lucky to receive a beautiful Christmas angel made by my sister Judy - I don't know how she found the time to make this  - check out the amazing attention to detail.

  

I think she's too beautiful to hang up just at Christmas time, she might have to stay up all year.

And now it's time to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope 2016 is full of lots of stitchy goodness for you.

Merry Christmas from Melbourne

I now work in the heart of Melbourne and it's been fun seeing all the decorations each day.

There's even been some fabulous Christmas yarn bombing on the city's tree trunks.

I love this year's Myer Christmas windows display. It's based on a book about a dog getting lost in Melbourne set in the 50s/early 60s and includes such Melbourne icons as a tram...



...and Flinders Street station.

The dresses remind me of the ones my mother wore.

Wishing all my readers, followers and fellow blogging friends a safe and Merry Christmas. I'll be be back soon to show you my wonderful Christmas prezzie, something that any quilter would love - can you guess what it is???