I did keep myself busy!!

I haven't been that very busy with my work but a few 'major events' have kept me occupied, enough to prevent me from spending time to update my blog.!! Nonetheless, I have managed to finish a few small projects. They keep me grounded and contented. Those events have now passed, and I hope to be able to regularly write more about my handwork to share with everyone who is interested. Here are some photos and brief descriptions of the finished projects.

 These are the latest items that I have made. They are needle cases for my dear friends. Those ones I previously sent to them got lost in the mail, sadly.

 This is a teapot stand I have made for my son's 'Aunties Carlette and Colly' after we visited them at their new home. The pieces sewn were from when I was trying out the cutting technique that I read in a quilting magazine.

St Patrick rose is my favourite. The colour is, of course, yellow. I have got the actual plant in a pot at the front of my house. Fourteen of the roses (from a local florist) greeted me at the front door last week. My dear husband did remember our anniversary. :-) I have got the embroidery pattern, designed by Jennifer Reynolds, from a Handmade magazine borrowed from Hornsby Shire Council library. I changed the colours to my favourite shades of yellow and modified how it's finished.

 I thought to myself that I have to make these Hawaiian leaf cushion covers, designed by Lisa Cox of A Spoonful of Sugar, when I saw the pattern in a Handmade magazine that I borrowed from the local library. It looks different and exotic to me (Mind you, my husband thought it was an alien hand !!). Again, I didn't follow all the instructions.!! I changed the colours to my favourite blue and modified the finish.

 Noelene, one of the lovely ladies in my local sewing group, has given the patterned fabric to me after I told her that I really like its purple flowers with the green leaves and blue background. I cut it up to make a double Irish chain quilt (not yet finished) and used the scraps to make this table runner while trying out the Wiggly wheels pattern (again).

 After talking to Heidi, another lovely lady in the local sewing group, about Dresden Plates, I thought, perhaps, I could sew up just a few plates and make a wall hanging, and how could I not make another Sunflower one. :-)

 My neighbour, Ruth, once remarked to me 'Em, you 'seem' to like Sunflower'. I asked her (with a smile) 'how could you guess?'.

 I'm fond of Tulips and all Dutch things for no particular reason, and my beloved friend is a lovely Dutch lady named 'Marijke'. I bought the fabric while visiting Amsterdam in July this year with Marijke but didn't buy enough for a quilt. Hence, another table runner was made, teamed with scraps in shades of blue, of course. :-)

 This is the back of the table runner. I have decided to keep the Dutch theme and used up all the Dutch Houses fabric, designed by my (another) Dutch friend, Linda Robertus, that I have got left and the Tulip fat quarter given to me by Marijke.

 

We have got only one coffee table in the house. But here is another table runner made from scraps I recently bought from Craft Depot. If I appear to be 'mad' about making table runners...I like to try out techniques that I have read in craft magazines and quilting books. Working on a small project like table runner to try out the techniques is achievable within a reasonable timeframe (together with everything else I do). Also, it does keep me happy with using my two hands to do something I love and enjoy (very much).

My Gammill Statler

...It has been about 3 months since the start and after a few 'major events', finally, the installation of my Gammill Statler was completed last week (1st December 2011). It is now working beautifully. Having been working in a world class Biomechanics Laboratory while studying at the University of Sydney, I'm enjoying the well-design mechanics of the Gammill Optimum. The computerised part of the machine, Statler Stitcher, is sensible and user-friendly. The possibility seems endless... I'm a relatively new member of Statler Sisters Yahoo Group. It is a wonderful group of Statler users/owners with a wealth of knowledge and experience. It's comforting for me to realise that help and support are within reach (via email) and that although isolated, I'm not alone. I'm now looking forward to spending time practicing and getting 'acquainted' with my Gammill Statler over the break during the festive seasons AND I can hardly wait.!!

Quilting - Seriously

It has been a long wait and a drawn out process with my running of the household, busy job and the trips overseas. After putting in an order in January this year (2011), finally, my Gammill Statler has arrived and will be installed this Wednesday 24th August. I'm very much looking forward to working with the machine and making a lot of quilts. It's the biggest purchase for my hobby, so far. Trying to push a big lump of 3 layers through the small opening of my sewing machine while quilting will soon be something of the past, I hope. The computerised functions of a Gammill Statler has caught my attention, at first. With my educational background and my passion for patchwork and quilting, I can easily identify myself with the machine. It just feels 'right' for me. But I'm yet to find out whether the decision to acquire it is the 'right' one... Somehow, I will ensure that it is and I'm determined...

Wiggly Wheels

I was intrigued about how to make 'wiggly wheels' and, so have decided to have a go while having a bit of idle time during my stay in France this year (May-July 2011). My friend, Celine (she is Belgian who lives in France), took me to a 'tissue' (fabric) shop and I bought a few pieces of fabrics to get started. Without access to a sewing machine, I did all the piecing with hand sewing. I could only sew during the day becuase the lighting wasn't good at night time. I managed to finish ONE block.!! When I got home, it took me a little while to figure out what I wanted to do with the ONE block. One of the cushions in my home office needed a new cover and so, it was the purpose for making use of the block.

Maureen's needle case

Maureen is one of the ladies in the local sewing group near home that I have recently joined. She has always got something little that looks special in her sewing basket. A couple of weeks ago, before we finished up at lunch time, I turned around and saw her cute needle case. After a brief admiration, she kindly lent it to me, I came home and went a little crazy with my scraps and making 6 of the needle cases that afternoon. I have kept one of the cases (with yellow button) for myself and given the rest away.

Practicing the blanket stitch

I would like to feel comfortable working with the blanket stitch on my sewing machine. I have got an applique pattern of a bunch of Tulips that I think would be good for practicing the stitching. On a cold rainy day, while everyone was out watching a movie, I have made this applique on the background fabric from Linda Robertus's 'Dutch Houses' Range, and mounted it on a frame. I'm very happy with the outcome - and I love Tulips. :-) It has been a good exercise. I have gained the confidence and I'm now working on a quilt top with rounded shape appliques comfortably using the blanket stitch on my sewing machine.

Knitting and Crochet Projects

...Work is always busy and home is always busy... and I also like to keep myself busy, but it's not always possible for me to spend time in my sewing room when I'm not working or running the household. Knitting and crochet fill the gap nicely and it's a good way for me to make use of the wool that I have got, among several other craft materials. I, sometimes, choose to knit or crochet on the train to and from work instead of tatting when I'm not reading or working while on the train.!! In the past few months, I have made a crochet baby blanket for Mia, my friend's, Annica, new born baby girl, and couple more Domino knitted pot stands, so far. I'm knitting a poncho for myself at the moment but I don't expect to finish it until next winter...