Still Here!

My life has been in a bit of a whirlwind since arriving home from our trip to the west.
We went a lot further West than I had anticipated we would, and all in all we travelled some 10,000 kilometres.
Seeing the Indian Ocean for the first time was awesome ,and I must say I am a little bit in love with the State of Western Australia and can’t wait to go back for another visit.  There were many, many photos taken and I will attempt to show little bits here and there as time permits.  Many contrasts of landscapes.

The magnificent Indian Ocean in Broome

Red sand hills in the Simpson Desert.
Since coming home I have had the Toowoomba Quilters Club Quilt Show to attend, a trip to the delightful town of Childers to catch up with a cousin, and a quick fling to Brisbane with my adorable sister to see “Jersey Boys”.

                                                             My sister looking out from our Brisbane hotel room

Sights of Brisbane (The jacarandas are out in bloom and looking bloomin’ wonderful).
P.S. I had a terrible cough and flu for the trip to Childers and Brisbane and only just recovering after almost 2 weeks!!!
The quilt show was brilliant this year. It just seems to get better and better and the new venue is working out very well.  It is such a fun week being able to just hang with my quilting mates and catch up on all the new and exciting things they have been doing.  Also good to finally catch up with my dear friend Shirley again (who by all accounts missed me a bit). 
Not much sewing done but this weekend is our annual quilt retreat so I am hoping to get a bit done there.
BLOGSPOT – I notice Australian blogspot blogs have had the au added onto the end of their addresses.
I haven’t seen any notification from Blogger about this.  ????

Oyster Stitch

This week the stitch for TAST was oyster stitch.  It is such a versatile and textural stitch, and I loved it.  It is like the stitch Robyn Ginn showed me which she calls row of roses. 
Here is where I used her row of roses some years ago on my still unfinished crazy patch.

I have used it on the heart in the middle of the block, and also as buds on the flowering peach tree.  The way she showed me was slightly different to the instructions on the Pintangle site.  I can’t for the life of me remember her way of doing it now.
This is what I did this time for TAST:

It is mostly done in various thicknesses of DMC stranded thread and the border is a No 8 perle cotton.  I painted the background which was just a white cotton fabric originally.  To put it into perspective, each strawberry is just 5mm or less long.
You can see some beautiful examples of oyster stitch over here on Pintangle.
This past Friday was a very special birthday for my dear quilting friend, Marleen.
My friend Joan and I put together an album for her using some textile pages made by her quilting friends and some photos of happy times we have spent in Marleen’s company.

Happy Birthday Marleen and you don’t look your age!!! 
You are the bestest friend ever.

Ethnic or Olympic?

I did this piece for the basque stitch (TAST) last week and as I look at it today, (after watching the Olympic Games Opening ceremony)  I can see I have used most of the Olympic ring colours.  Purely coincidental.  I have called it ‘Ethnic Blouse’.  Basque stitch was fun to do and is now a favourite. 
You can see more inspiration on basque stitch over on Pintangle .


I just wanted to do something a little bit different this time and not use the usual inspiration – nature.
Now for a Nana story – My grand daughter and her mummy were playing games before bedtime and  were both giggling, when GD, Lilian, ( 3 1/2 years)  stopped and looked at her mummy and said
“Mummy, you are the right Mummy for me”.  Isn’t that just the cutest??

Felt Donuts–TAST revisited

It is cold around here of late, and all our minds are thinking about is food.  CARBOHYDRATE type food!!  This is even reflected in my stitching – LOL
I have done my small sample for TAST Week 28, Up and Down Buttonhole stitch.  There is a great yawning gap between the last TAST sample and this one – like- uhhhm – 7 weeks!  You might say I am a little bit behind.
Even though I took my stitching with me on our last trip, it is difficult to stitch when travelling to the far away (filthy dirty) places we travel too.  One never feels clean enough to handle the stitching.  Camping in sand and red dust is just not conducive to it.

(Felt Donuts)
The circle theme on Sketchbook Challenge was my inspiration for this piece.  That border of very close U & D b/hole stitch nearly drove me mad,  and I was wondering why I do it to myself???? 
I am really keen on having a go at the next stitch, basque stitch, if I get some time – it looks very interesting.

Bags of Stuff revealed

Well, today was the big reveal at Toowoomba Quilters Art Quilt Group.  It was quite nerve wracking to begin with, but as proceedings went on we all became more comfortable.  It isn’t easy making a quilt for someone else we have discovered!!
Please visit the Toowoomba Quilters blog to see all of the wonderful quilts the ladies created from their bags of stuff.  It is amazing http://www.toowoombaquiltersclub.blogspot.com

Here is the quilt I made with my bag of stuff from Lyn L.  I loved the Philip Jacobs leaf prints, so based my quilt around them.  The top left corner is woven cheesecloth with a leaf hand embroidered.  Below that I couched down some fabric strips (ala Judy Martin) and these represent Autumn.  Thanks to Shirley for guiding me with colours and placements.  xxx

Linda Wrench (no blog)  received my bag of stuff and this is the gorgeous quilt I received from her today.
She has used some chenilling and has painstakingly quilted around those little Kaffe Fassett ‘trees’ in gold thread.  Very small cornelli quilting – I am in awe of it.  The whole piece is based around the orchard and the ‘fruit’ on the top right is made with little circles of fabric each stitched down with a sequin and bead.
Thank you Linda, I love it very much.
We had a lovely day at art quilting today!!

Bag of Stuff–A Challenge

All of those near and dear to me (especially Shirley) will be pleased to know I have put together the challenge quilt from my bag of stuff. I think I was driving everyone crazy with my indecisions and procrastinations!!!! 
Our Quilting Art Group put this challenge out around February, and of course, true to form, I have left it until the last minute to finish it off. (I work much better under pressure )  I did start on some of the elements before we went away in May, thankfully.
Tomorrow is the big reveal day.  We will see what each person has done with their bag of stuff.
The only rule was to use lots of the contents of your bag of stuff, you were allowed to add your own stuff as well.  Keep it to within the parameters of 20” on each side and at the end of the challenge, hand back what is left in the bag plus the recipient's completed quilt.
Here is the bag of stuff I received back in February.

I loved those Philip Jacobs leaf fabrics, so, basically, the quilt I made is around this theme.
I will show the finished quilt tomorrow evening after my partner has received it.
Here is the bag of stuff I handed in.
Can’t wait to see what my bag of stuff turns into!!!

Back from the Bush and Waaaay Behind

Looking out from mouth of the river and beyond – Vrylia Beach – Cape York (Western side)

Campfire and drinks on the banks of the Archer River – Cape York

Our bush loo – very comfy.

This is our truck with the camper set up.  It is a slide on camper called a “Travelander”
It folds down from the back of the truck with a remote control and takes only a few minutes to set up.  The bed is made and all.  The only thing left to do is get out the chairs and tables (which are stored on the bed for travelling) and relax!

This is the kitchen which folds down from the rear of the vehicle.  Fridge on the far left, pantry in the middle and the fold out arm contains the gas 3 ring cooker and sink.  It is so cool!
I have so many photos of the tropics and our travels, but I wouldn’t want to bore you with them.
We had such a wonderful time.  Now my DH would like to pack up again in a couple of weeks and head west to warmer climes.
Soooooo, no time for stitching lately and I am very, very behind with my TAST.  I have just been enjoying looking at all the wonderful examples everyone else is doing.
Also, I have some very pressing deadlines to meet for the art quilt group and other secret women’s business to attend to before end of July.  YIKES.