Quilting Fit

Last year I had a car accident…well being taken out on a roundabout by someone who didn’t give way kind of accident.

It was a shock and annoying and my beloved car was banged up pretty bad, but so was I.

Strapped to a hospital bed and not being able to move until I had the all clear I wasn't with a serious neck or spinal injury...sure, it hurt a bit, but I thought I was fine. A neck brace for a while and lots of physio... but at the time, I did all that they told me to do, but I have to say I haven’t really been the same since.

But what it really made me very aware of is how it now affects me when I work, especially when I am cutting and sewing.

It is really important to take lots of breaks, do stretches and keep strong if you want to be able to keep doing what you love long into the future.

I have found yoga to be fantastic for this but I think I need to be doing it 3 times a week with a teacher…I need the teacher, because if things start to get a bit strenuous, I tend to just put it in the too hard basket and lay on my mat for a little rest...the corpse pose (ha hah), but I do take the time out and do lots of simple poses and stretches on my own that make it easier to keep sewing during the day.

Stop for 5 minutes every 20 or so and waggle your wrists, rotate your hands, stretch those shoulders. Maybe do a yoga class. It will all keep you fit, happy and strong so you can keep making all those amazing quilts you love.

Pick 'n' Mix

One of my fondest childhood memories was being given a silver coin and going to the local Milk Bar and getting mixed lollies.
It was such a treat and so, each selection took careful consideration. Was it so many milk bottles, chico's and pineapples or did I feel like eating chocolate and want mates and bullets?
Either way, that little white paper bag was my sugar fuelled treasure and I savoured eating every single one of them.
I feel the same way about my little bits and pieces of fabric. They are all little treasures that each hold so many possibilities. As you may have worked out by now, i'm a scrap quilter. I love scrap, unfinished projects, half made quilt tops and ones that have seen better days. I love the challenge that they present. What can I do with that? Do I re-work it and find in my scrap stash fabrics that suit from the same era? Do I pile my scrap into colour schemes and make a new quilt or project? Do I restore it or just finish it off the way the original owner set about to do?

So for as long as I can remember I have been hoarding scrap. Now I have so much its time to share it. I now have giant boxes in the studio full of scrappy off cuts, blocks and pieces large and small. You can Pick 'n' Mix your own bag and its sold by weight. $15 per 100grams of 1950s to 1970s scrap. This will give you about a meter give or take depending on what sort of fabrics you select.

Yes, I did share my mixed lollies with people I liked. Well, never the 'mates', they were mine, I loved how the chewy caramel got stuck in my teeth.

New Year, New Arrivals....Back to Work!

Well it's the New Year and its time to get back in the swing of things. I did take time out over the break and did some things for me but this week its been right back to it filling orders, unpacking new shipments and my new thorn....uploading things to the online store.
Yeah Yeah Yeah I know i'm slack in that department but it will bet better soon I promise, we are sorting all that out....is that a New Years Resolution???

This year is shaping up to be a good one for the studio. We have new stockists and lots of repeat orders to fill which is always comforting. It means you are doing something well.

We also have lots of new design and consulting work coming in the door so we have decided now to open Saturday and Sunday 10 to 4pm so its easier for us to work with our clients and to take off to Melbourne and interstate if we need to mid week. We are still happy for you all to visit during the week, just give us a call to organise when you would like to come and we will make sure we can be here.

Big events as well...The Australian Quilters Association Dear Jane Exhibition in Feb and the Ballarat Fibre Forum in April to be at as well. A few Guest speaker spots and and all you wonderful quilt groups who are planning visits....the coffee machine is operational and we can cater for you as well with our super chef...the secret weapon....What better than to be amongst lovely vintage fabrics and quilts inside a heritage listed building than to have it with Scones, Jam and Cream? I know that would make me pretty cheerful.

I would like to thank you all for your wonderful support in making this studio a reality, without you all it would not be here, it would just be me and my stash! So welcome to the New Year, its going to be grand!