Visiting 'Statler sisters'

During my last trip overseas, I was fortunate to have opportunity to visit a couple of the 'Statler sisters'.... Straight after arriving in Oslo, Norway, my family and I went to visit Karin in Stange. I thought the name of her shop 'Sy-Sammen', which means 'Sew Together', was very appropriate. It's an amazing shop, with everything I could want for patchwork and quilting. While Karin and I had a lovely afternoon together, chatting about different techniques for long arm quilting on the Gammill Statler Stitcher, my DH and Sunshine were having a ball in the Norsk Motorhistorisk Museum owned by Karin's husband, Ole. The museum also has a long arm 'sowing' machine.! Karin cooked very yummy roasted moose and baked mixed berries for dinner. We had fun trying to translate the Norwegian names of what we were eating into English. Before we knew it, it was time to catch the train back to Oslo. My Sunshine still talks about Ole's tractor museum and would like to go back to visit him again.... We all fell in love with Oslo, so we would like to make another trip there some day.
 

While I was in Sweden, I spent a day with Maria, a professional long arm quilter. Maria was the first person to own a Gammill Statler Stitcher in the country. Wow.! She was such a bubbly, cheerful and happy person to be around. We had so much to talk and share about our Statlers and also managed to finish an E2E quilting of a baby quilt, with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea in between.! Maria made a very nice apple crumble for our afternoon tea. I certainly felt very special. :-)

 Maria and I in her Quilting Studio

I'm progressing on....

At the end of September, straight after spending an extended time away overseas, I went to the second AMQF in Adelaide to attend a one-day workshop by Ricky Tims, and long arm quilting classes for Gammill Statler users with Susan Smith. I have learnt so many useful techniques and tips for patchwork, and for domestic machine and long arm quilting. Ricky was also good fun and entertaining. His music was interesting and different, and as far as piano is concerned, he’s wonderful. Susan was clear with her explanation while taking everyone in the class through Creative Studio 4.1 and working with the Gammill Statler. During the festival, I have also met a couple of people, whom I very much admire their craftwork and designs; Deborah Louie and Hermione Agee. I had a chance to have a little chat with Deborah during the short break but didn’t attend any of her classes. Hermione was bubbly and helpful while I was looking through all her lovely designed patterns. I have now got a few of her patterns to add to my E2E collection for my wonderful Gammill Statler.

Ricky was playing his instrument at AMQF Gala Dinner

on Saturday 29th September 2012.

Finally, flying into Sydney on my 14th flight of the trip.!

Very happy to be back home. :-D

My lovely Round Table Runner, by chance

Earlier this year, I visited a local patchwork shop, just to buy some cottons. At a glance, the decision was made, and before I realised, I was, sort of, a proud owner of this bright and colourful fabric panel with six different fun designs of flowers and a few leaves printed on it. But, I didn't actually know what I wanted to do with the fabric panel.!! After I got home, I put it on the floor. I looked at it, walked around it, and was wondering how I was going to be able to sew all the perfect 6 circles. One morning, I got out the biggest ceramic bowl we have got in the kitchen. At a moment's thought, I used it to draw a hexagon shape template for cutting out the six flowers. Then, it took quite a while to work out how I would go about sewing these big hexagons and finishing them off. I ended up using my wonderful Gammill Statler Stitcher to quilt the hexagons and did the rest of the sewing by hand. By adding one more hexagon in the middle, I was able to sew all the seven hexagons together to form a round table runner. It looks lovely on the round table and has brightened up our guest room at home.

When I met the Queen of the Tea Cosies

Loani Prior is such a lovely down-to-earth kind of person, considering her profile, in today's knitting world, particularly. I'm, no doubt, one of the many many fans and admirers of her tea cosies books. I feel fortunate and privilege to have met and had a good little chat to her for ideas and advice.... I'm not, by all definitions, a proficient knitter as I haven't progressed from the beginner level of knitting scarfs and squares since I started taking up the craft when I was SIX years old (and that was a few decades ago).!!! After meeting Loani, I have got a little inspired to become a bit more adventurous and spent a good chuck of my time 'in transit' (yes, I have been travelling) on knitting. See some of the finished pieces below. The patterns are from Loani's tea cosies books, of course.

And, as of today, I'm on to the last block of Domino Knitting for the back panel of a poncho I intended to make for myself that I started 3 years ago. Here, I'm hoping that I will have it ready to keep me warm by next winter. I shall see.!

 

Well, I was curious....

During my recent work trip, there was a chance to have a little break one afternoon. And, visiting a local craft shop seemed a natural thing to do. :-) There, I discovered the balls of what I call 'ribbon' in various variegated colours for making a 'fluffy' scarf. But how? I was curious....So, I bought a couple of them to try out. They were quick and easy to make and were definitely very 'effective' accessories for winter wears, judging by the many occasions that I was stopped and asked to explain how it's done (7 stitches of garter stitch and used up all ribbon of the ball). The range of colours available for the ribbons was so attractive, and I couldn't get passed those shades of blue/green colours. :-)

....Then, one thing led to another....I was inspired to make a few more scarfs (for children, this time) after seeing (and feeling) those beautiful wools that were hard to resist at this year Sydney Quilt Show.! Thanks to Katrina, my sewing friend and monthly school canteen buddy. She got me going with my knitting and crocheting, in between the English Paper Piecing and some hand quilting I'm working on at the moment. So, tatting is taking a back seat for now (but not for long, I don't think - I would like to finish the edging for my piano runner soon).

 

mE and my Show quilt

I was a volunteer, white glove lady, on the first day of the 2012 Sydney Quilt Show at Darling Harbour, Sydney, today. It was good experience and fun. I have learnt quite a few things about quilts and quilting, both by hand and machine, while on duty. After looking at and admiring all the exceptional and exquisite quilts on display, I have come to realise that, being a practical kind of person who I am, I probably wouldn't make a quilt that would be a prize-winning quilt. I very much prefer to make a quilt that is 'effective' and can be re-made by others without too much difficulties. And just as well, unlike tatting, I haven't had a desire to make a prize-winning kind of quilt, either.... I had a chance to take a few photos of my own Show quilt after I finished my white glove duty. Meg Orr, my quilting teacher, whom I respect and am very fond of, was very kind and insisted that she must take a photo of me in front of the quilt. Here they are....

Time does fly, but here is my Show quilt for this year

Since my last post in March, I have been keeping very busy with organising my overseas trips, on top of everything else that I manage to fit into my day. I'm off to Europe again, for a couple times this year. The tricky part was for me to be back from the second trip in time for my trip to AMQF in Adelaide at the end of September. And, yes, I will be back from Sweden one day before flying to Adelaide. So, never mind the jet lag, I will be sure to cope, and keep awake and entertained by Ricky Tims's seminar/workshop.! ....After this year travelling, I hope to be staying home and having more time to spend on my sewing and tatting. My Gammill Statler Stitcher has been wonderful, so far. Apart from my own quilts, I have quilted a few quilts for friends (and for a fee). My latest quilting project has been completed last night (5/06/2012). It's my Show quilt for this year. It will be on display at the Sydney Quilt Show next week. I have got an idea for the quilt pattern from a picture of the quilt called 'Fresh Traditions' by Darlene Zimmerman, published in the American Patchwork & Quilting, February 2007 issue, while reading about the border basics. All fabrics were from Craft Depot's last year sale. The 'journey' wasn't all according to plan. Nonetheless, I'm very pleased with the quilted quilt, including the variegated 'Poppy Blaze' Signature thread and the 'Daisy Doodles' E2E pattern by Apricot Moon Designs that I have chosen for the quilt. I have named my quilt 'Blooming at Night'. Here are some of the pictures.