Kinokuniya Bookshop in Sydney is, in my opinion, one of the best sources of books in the city. Plus they have a wicked Japanese section which appeals to the craft, quilting and Blythe parts of my soul.On Saturday, your correspondent went a little crazy.
This book is all bags, and written in Japanese. Don't worry - there are some good diagrams so you don't get completely lost, plus photographic "step-by-step" guides for making two of the more complex bags. It seems a few people are blogging about making the bags from this book as well. The best bags aren't on the front cover!
This book has been a favourite of a lot of Blythe lovers for some time. I think it might be Christina's fault, as she makes the most amazing little animals by hand, amongst other things.
And finally, a purchase I had resisted for some time, only for the reason that I thought it was more for beginning quilters. Once I had the book in my hands though, I saw this was not so. I'm still reading it, but it has some theories about design that I like. People are blogging about making quilts in this book as well, it seems.
Let's be honest - machine quilting is not my favourite thing to do in the world. I feel like Steve Irwin wrestling an enormous crocodile as I feed 3 layers of fibre through a machine which always seems reluctant to cooperate.Oh to be Hermione Granger and able to wave a magic wand, mutter Quiltus expectra! and have the quilt quilted to order!Given that I am a mere Muggle, I got the machine out and made a start tonight. Two-thirds of the embroidered blocks are now done, and I expect all the embroidered blocks to be done by the end of the night.
I'm trying not to get too excited - I've barely made a dent in the whole quilt.
I have been off work with a bad cold for the last 3 days. Before that, I was in Melbourne for a week for holidays.
My 2005 show quilt top has been finished for over a month. But it is still not quilted. Nor even basted...
So with a tissue shoved up each nostril, I just taped my backing, batting and top to the floor. That exhausted me so much I needed a cup of tea and a lie down.
Maybe it will get basted today...or not... I have until the first week of August to get it quilted, bound, labelled and delivered.
This winter's uniform for home is Bonds tracksuit pants, baseball top and hoodie. But the tops are too plain.No longer, thanks to designs from Sublime Stitching! This is the poodle one. I have another in progress - a grey marle shirt which will have Vespas on it.
I have had a lot of people email me and ask me about my twisted hexagon quilt, in particular the papers I use. The easiest and most cost effective use of your time is to get them already printed up, and all you have to do is cut on the line! I get mine from http://www.lizardofoz.com.au/ and I get both the 2 inch hexagons and the 2 inch long half hexagons.
I can't imagine tracing hundreds of half hexagons carefully onto card. I'd much rather be sewing!
That last idea for my 2005 quilt show quilt was just too grand, and just too large.
Meet the REAL 2005 exhibition entry.
It's a Block of the Month called "Pleasures of the Garden". Until last Monday, I had all the blocks embroidered except the large centre one. I finished off the embroidery, cut out the sashing, sewed together, added my own (bigger) border, and voila! We have a quilt!
I was going to hand quilt it ... but alas my neck has been giving me grief, so I shall machine quilt it in a couple of weeks time.
