Orphans and Under Dogs...

I've had a lot going on lately in my non-working life, but is made me make some connections to my working part of things...the other 8 hours a day....well, its more than that but I like to think I sleep for 8, work for 8 and live for 8.

I have always had a thing for the under dog, the one left behind, the one that surprises you (go Quintana - TDF reference here)  the little thing in my eyes that I think is gold, a tiny scrap, something that is left behind.

When I travel I pick up orphan blocks (the blocks that don't make it to a quilt), unfinished quilts and those ones many would leave behind, perhaps the corners don't meet up or they have a patch that needs replacing or some stitches to repair. I love them. To me there is so much potential, there is a story to them...there is a why?
They show a touch that is human and by hand. The wonky stitches or the patch that still has a button of the shirt cuff on it. Names of makers and friends, connections. There is a need in me to finish them or to find them a new home.

Those who know me well will know why this is and over time I will draw some lines to this and join the dots, but in the mean time, enjoy some of my collected underdogs....the unfinished or the abandoned and make them a part of your stash....give them a new home.

Open Drawer Camberwell for June

Hi all, you will find me and some of my goodies at Open Drawer in Camberwell over this June. Wednesday, Thursday and maybe Friday depending on clients in my graphic design side of things - I think I need to clone myself some days!

I will also be holding some mini work shops on Scrap Quilting old school style.
So all you need to do is bring a needle and thread, some scissors and a bag of your scraps. You know, all those bits you can't part with but don't know what to do with....yes, we all have loads of them - well I do.
The workshop will take you through string style piecing using what you have at hand and some colour theory so you can push your scraps about a bit.

Come on down!

Open Drawer is at 1158 Toorak Road in Camberwell (Hartwell Village)
You can get the 75 tram to the front door or the Alamein Train to Burwood Station.

1940s string pieced diamond block. www.thequilter.com

Up Close - 1940s Grand Mothers Flower Garden Variation

A lot of you have been quite interested in this quilt. So here it is up close so you can all get a better look at it.

The top was made some time in the 1940s. I picked it up on a trip to the USA a few years back and it sat in my stash for quite a while.
I decided that it was time for it to find another home, so it was purchased by one of my clients. Off it went to India where it was hand quilted in the traditional Fans pattern. It was then hand bound by me. Now its off to the other side of the county. So before it goes, here are some notes.

This quilt top was hand sewn. 1 inch hexys. What is so striking about this quilt is the use of black and the variation in the layout.

Notes on what you need....this is a big project! Brace yourself this is going to be a big one....finished is queen size. 225x210 cm.

Cut your template for fabric with an edge length of 1.5 inches. For a finished hexy of 1 inch. Cut your paper templates as 1 inch sides. I'd use template plastic or cut several from a cereal box to make sure you are not grinding the edges out too much. Or print off a pile on thin copy paper and snip out.

Black - 755 for centres and 'stars'.
White - 1062
Plains - this quilt has a mix of solids. Min 6 of each colour x 59. Or 354 in total - 59 colours x 6 hexys.
Prints - 708 - a mix of prints of min 12 of each - 59 prints x 12 hexys.

.75 yard/mt of additional white for inset edges.
.75 yard/mt black for binding.
Backing of your choice.

Vintage Grandmas Flower Garden - Cutting Plan

Start paper piecing and i'll see you in a few years....

Notes on this quilt... None of the prints or solids double up, some are really close but not the same. So start raiding that stash or ask friends if you can raid theirs for prints and plains to get this mix. You are aiming for 59 different plains and 59 different prints. Yay! We all love a challenge....

Playing with Colour

I've been playing with colour schemes at the moment, grouping colour and pattern together gearing up for some new projects. Tying things back with grey and white and maybe a little accent of that nice soft vintage black. I have a few favourites from my latest trip that I want to use so working with the colours in them. The lovely red, grey and yellow 30's cotton 4th from the top and the unusual grey geometric from the 20's. So have narrowed down to a red scheme and a blue scheme. The cornflower blue geometric 3rd from the bottom from a past trip always pops into things, It's one I love to work with. That shade of blue just makes me happy.
So when I fiddle with fabric I always have music on, each colour conjures up a song....I see red by Split Enz and Blue Jean by David Bowie spring to mind.

Weekend Wacky - Tin Horn Holiday

I think a few of you have been waiting for me to dig this one out. "Tin Horn Holiday". An amazing 1950's skirt border panel. Wacky looking ladies in cars with dudes as cowboys sticking em' up under palm trees, tv antennas and weather vanes.

2mts by 76cm skirt panel. 

New Arrivals

Here are the first of the new arrivals from my most recent time away. To see more please visit Flickr.
More buttons and curious items as well....
Time to get in quick at the next few markets coming up.
First off is the Yarraville market on the Saturday the 13th then Thread Den on Sunday the 21st of August.

New Arrivals for Winter

Well the weather has turned for the cold now, time to rug up and start sewing by the fire!
Here are some recently unpacked goodies to kick off the markets for May.
There is the Yarraville Market on Saturday the 16th, Thread Den North Melbourne Market on Sunday the 22nd and the Hand Knitters Guild on Sunday the 28th.
For more new arrivals photos, please head over to my Flickr page.

New Arrivals part 2

Another box has been unpacked.
Just a taste of some of them, for more vintage fabric excitement, please see Flickr.
Enjoy.