A Sewing Exercise!

As you may know- I'm on a diet!

A fabric diet!

Now this fabric diet had me thinking???

No diet is much good without exercise.

So I decided to have some fun with my rather large stash-

 Trimming it down with some sewing exercises- 

Sorting, ironing, measuring, cutting, piecing, planning.......

It also gave me an opportunity to deal with another of my intentions for 2011-

To use more green in my projects. 

And this is what I achieved-

This block is based on the tutorial by Elizabeth at Oh Fransson!

It's called a Mod Mosaic.

It was an exercise in improvisation, not something I am usually happy with!

It also kind of 'grew'- it now measures approximately 15 inches across at its widest points.

Not sure what this will become yet?

And this is a star block based on this design from Rita @ Red Pepper Quilts

It will probably become a mini quilt for a swap!

Now to decide on machine or hand quilting?

It didn't feel like exercising at all- more like Patchwork Play!!

Enjoy your playing!

SUZ

I'm on a Diet!

A fabric diet, actually!

I saw a post on Lily's Quilts linking to here.

I have decided I definitely have enough fabric for a least the next 2 months.  


Even though the Aussie dollar is so strong and the fabric on overseas websites is SO cheap!


But I have lots of small projects lined up that shouldn't need new purchases!


This blouse made it to the top of my 'to-do' list when I saw the fabric at my LQS before Christmas.

I was going for a vintage look

And I even had plenty of scraps left over!


That is a bonus....


maybe I should make more of my clothes from quilting fabric!

It really is a pretty blouse!


Can you tell I like it?


Just one more photo before I finish.......

Now back to the diet....


Perhaps it's time to go on a food diet too??????


Have a great day


SUZ

Stash Manicure- BANNER!

I have some exciting news!

I am being featured on the Stash Manicure Banner for the month of January!

(Still having trouble adding the button!)

Madame Samm chose one of my blue Mariner's Compass blocks!

This is the first one I completed early in 2010

Go over and check it out NOW!!!

I'll be here when you come back, promise!

So what do you think??

It motivated me to finally put my foundation pieced blocks together!

This was the design I decided on.


And I am really happy with how it turned out!

What a wonderful start to the New Year-

Check out the Stash Manicure's post tomorrow - that's where you get to hear a little bit about me!

Oh and I have a new page - at the top of this post!

Anyway- have a great day!

Did I say HAPPY NEW YEAR?!

SUZ

See you in 2011!

Now that the year is rapidly coming to an end, it is time to make plans for 2011.

After reviewing my completed tasks for this year (see previous post) I decided I needed to use a bit more 

green-

I picked up this bunch of scraps (and a few other smaller pieces) from my LQS for $3.00.

I love the green apples!

So it's already been used in this project-

This makes block No. 6, to be included in my plans for a quilt.

It will be added to my other blocks, 3 of which I received from the Embroider Bee earlier in the year.

So that's one quilt on my 2011 list.

I have had these fabrics for most of this year-

And a plan has almost been decided upon.

I want to cut the Eiffel Tower fabric into large pieces to make a feature of it.

And I love the color palette- 

Definitely green here!

And I have other plans too-

Little projects like a zipper purse, new cushions for my bed and a laptop sleeve for my new Macbook!

Oh- this need to be completed too!

I have already bought fabric to add to my stash and for some future projects, at the Clegg's remnant sale

the other day-

(TOP- "Essentials" by XLN and "Paradise Garden" by Amy Butler BELOW)

Nothing too exciting but still fun!

This is a 3/4 yard piece of decorator weight Kaffe Fassett "Lotus Leaf"which might become a bag or the 

laptop sleeve?

And these 8 little pieces of Italian silk, each about 6" X 16" cost me less than $8.00!

They are wonderful and soft- I love just touching them!

I am thinking of making a scarf, possibly for the Scarf Festival which I entered for the first time last year.

I'd love to hear what your plans are for 2011-

Enjoy your day!

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SUZ

As one year ends....

I feel it's about time to review one's achievements for 2010

These were the whole quilts which I finished.  The Pies and Tarts quilt hasn't been quilted yet and the 

Hearts & Homes was an 'old' top which I quilted on my new Juki this year.

I have included my Mariner's Compass in the next mosaic because it is still certainly a work in progress.

Ah! That's more like it.

Now I feel I have achieved something!

And 2 pincushions, 3 mug rugs and my Scrappy Quilt top are not included here!

Or the 6 or so tissue holders which were given to friends.

Oh, and the cushion cover too!!

Some of the best fun I had this year was by joining swaps via Flick'r.

I feel I have made new friends and the support out there is so encouraging and helpful!

I won a little giveaway, embroidered, paper pieced, foundation pieced, machine quilted, shopped on the 

internet for fabric and began my blog (Thanks Rita)!

And I've had so much fun doing it!!!!!!

Now it's time to think about what I want to make next year.

What are your plans for 2011?

SUZ

Great minds think alike!

You know what they say- Great minds think alike!

How's this for a funny "what did you get for Christmas" story?

My husband proudly presented me with this as one of my gifts this year- 

Many of my regular readers know that my latest Chubby Star Quilt came from this book.

So yes, I do already own a copy!

As if that wasn't bad enough, will I was explaining this to my family, No 1 son dashes to the bookshelf 

and finds that I also own this-

So he doesn't even want me to unwrap his gift!

Yes - he'd bought the second book of the series!

He told me he took a long time deciding which one of the two to buy but settled on No.2 because he thought I had less chance of having that one!

Never mind!

At least they were trying to make me happy by getting me something I would really love!

Just as well gift exchange cards were included and I can get some 'new' books for my sewing library!

Any suggestions?

What did you get for Christmas?  Any surprises?

Have a great day!

SUZ

Carols by Candlelight!

There is a tradition in Melbourne which started over 70 years ago.

Carols by Candlelight happens at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Christmas Eve.

About 12,000 people attend this amazing event.

It is special to me because it was where some rather significant events happened in my life.

I met my husband there in 1979.

And we were engaged there in 1980!

Would you like to hear the details- most people think it is quite an amazing story?

*WARNING- LONG STORY WITH NO PICTURES COMING UP!

I had gone along "Carols by Candlelight" with my sister; husband-2-be was sitting nearby with friends.  The five of us spent a pleasant evening chatting and sharing little bits of personal information.  Nothing unusual I hear you say.  No, but at the end of the evening, we said good night and went our separate ways.  I certainly didn't think I would see h-2-b ever again.  

HE had other ideas!

The next day at Christmas lunch he talked about his evening with his family.  And surprise, surprise, his sister-in-law was a client of MY hairdressing sister!  So he was listening when we were talking about our jobs and where we worked.  Coincidence, fate call it what you like h-2-b now knew how to find me!

Some four weeks later my sister arrived home from work with a scrappy little note (which I still have!)   from h-2-b, passed on though his S-I-L.  I was both surprised and intrigued because he hadn't made it at all obvious, at this stage, which one of us he was interested in. (I think he was keeping his options open at this stage!)

Anyway I was game for some fun.  After all, nothing much would come from it;  I was going traveling overseas for most of 1980, leaving in about 6 weeks.  So I rang him up and arranged for the 3 of us to go out the next Saturday night.  Well, by the end of the night it was obvious who he was attracted to.

We spent many days and evenings together before I went O/S and then until November our relationship was conducted through letters and the occasional long distance phone call. (No internet or mobile phones in those days!)

I arrived home on Melbourne Cup Day (early November) and he asked me to marry him on Christmas Eve, 1980 - one year after we'd met and with most of our relationship conducted by mail!

The rest they say is history - we were married in October, 1981, had our first son in 1983 followed by No.2 in 1985.  So come Christmas Eve 2010 we are celebrating 30 years since we were engaged.

Kinda think it was meant to be, don't you agree?

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS!

SUZ

The best presents!

The best presents are those which we don't expect, don't you think?

This wonderful parcel arrived in the mail last week and I wasn't able to get an appropriate post up about 

it because I didn't have my usual computer.

It was sent by the amazing Carol from mamacjt!

Check out the cute hand made card!

Carol is a fantastic fabric artist who I met on Flick'r where I have admired her work for a long time.

I made some innocent comment about wishing I owned one of her pieces, and then a  Flick'r mail 

arrived.

She wanted my address so she could send me something!

I said I would give her my snail mail, as long as I could return the favour in some way!

My little present is on its way.

Don't you just love both the colors and the compostion of this!

And the great 'bubbles' quilting!

What surprise presents have you received? 

Catch ya soon,

SUZ

My Christmas Creations!

I have already shown you my Christmas Belles quilt.

I have a couple of other pieces that are quite special to me!

(My husband and I live in a small one bedroom apartment so not everything comes out every year.) 

I made this little reindeer quilt many years ago... 

and I've only just noticed that I didn't quilt it OR label it!

It was a fairly simple design in country colors which I quite liked... at the time!

This little mat is only about 8" square and quite different to the first one.

I think I bought a kit for this, so someone may recognise the designer.

There is red embroidery on white linen surrounded by Christmassy colors/fabric.

And finally our little tree.

This year Christmas at our place will be a little low key.

Last year No. 1 son was away, this year it's No. 2's turn.

So brunch with friends and dinner for four.

Trust your plans are progressing well!

Catch ya soon!

SUZ

The Meaning of Christmas

(Those who read the Melbourne "Age" newspaper may recognise these characters from page 10 today -22nd Dec'10)

Took this photo recently-


I was amazed to see this beautiful deer being led through our local shopping centre by Santa!

He was a such a lovely looking animal!

And as we get closer to Christmas,

Enjoy this link!


May it bring you some peace in the hustle of Christmas preparations!

                                                         The meaning of Christmas

ENJOY....

And have a happy day!

SUZ

A New Home!

No, it's alright I'm not moving again!

I've made a new pincushion in the form of a house.

                               

    It was a delight to make!

(In fact, I'll make another one or two, including one for myself and maybe one for a giveaway!)

I bought the pattern recently from Magic Patch Quilting in Tyabb.

It is weighted down with lead shot (so it won't wobble around on the sewing table) and fibre fill.

I embroidered flowers around the door, front and back.

It is a present for a Flick'r friend!

I hope she likes it.

It may not get there for Christmas, but that doesn't matter-

She doesn't know its for her-YET!

I love surprises, don't you?

Have a great day,

SUZ

One hand tied behind my back!

Hi friends,

This is a short post to let you know I am without my usual computer for a few days.

I don't have the ability to share photos at the moment but will try to rectify it soon.

I feel like I am operating with one hand tied behind my back!

I did receive an amazing mug rug from Carol!

But I can't work out how to even copy and paste the Flick'r link!!!!

So in celebration of an Australian summer- enjoy this one!

Catch ya soon!

SUZ

Christmas Belles!

My Christmas decorating is being kept simple this year!

But I always love showing off this quilt though; I made it back in 2006.


(sorry the photos are quite bad today!)

It is called Christmas Belles and it was the first quilt I made as a 'block of the 

month'.

It was a very pleasant experience- embroidery and piecing at a rather leisurely pace.

This little Christmas angel is my favorite!

And these plum puddings are pretty cute, don't you think?

Here's the kitchen fairy making her Christmas puddings!

And this yellow spotted fabric is an all time favorite - wish I still had some of that!

I hope your days during this Christmas season bring you some  PEACE....

SUZ

One House does a Neighborhood Make!

Beth over at Love Laugh Quilt had a wonderful idea!

In celebration of how wonderful Quilt Blogland she has decided to build a quilty neighborhood or two!

She has put out a call for all quilter's in Blogland to send her a 12" square house block.

This is the one I sent off today!

It took about an hour of improvisational piecing to come together.

I haven't really attempted something like this before, but it was fun!

Beth will then put all the blocks together into quilt tops and give them away to some lucky donors!

I really look forward to see how all the quilts turn out!

I've even managed to put one of my little Alexander Henry 'scraps' in the window!

Beth needs all the blocks by January 1st so if you feel you'd like to join in-

Go ahead- its a bit of fun!

Chubby Star Quilt

Firstly, thank you to all my readers who stopped by and made a comment on my Mariner's Compass Quilt.

I have decided to put it away for a week or two and then I will probably unpick and re-align some of the points.

I will be much happier then!

Now for my latest achievement.

I am very proud to add this quilt to my list of finishes for 2010!

I have posted about this quilt before so I am sorry you are getting a strange feeling of deja vu!

 But it is finally finished!

I had purchased the Alexander Henry owl fabric ages ago and wanted to make it into something special.

The pattern came from the first of the Material Obsessions books- the pattern was called Strawberry 

Fields.

In retrospect I don't think the fabric choices were perfect but I was guided by the girls at my LQS.

What has made it special though is the amazing quilting by Karen at "Quilts on Bastings".

She was even generous enough to feature last month it recently on  Amy's Quilt Bloggers Festival.

Look at that beautiful quilting!

Yesterday I spent nearly 4 hours machine and hand sewing the binding on.

I love the spirals in the centre of the stars!

Why do they remind me of pavlova?

I forgot to take photos of the back.

I chose a very plain monotone print but again Karen has made that a feature by quilting in different 

colors to great effect! 

This will surely become a family heirloom!

What are you working on?

Have a happy day!

SUZ