THE PURPLE MONSTER LEAVES HOME......

Well today was the day!! My littlest grandkid has finished "day care". She has been with this day care mum for almost 4 years and I don't think that it has sunk in..... all the changes... she is off to Prep next year and joins here sister and brother. All now 1 year apart at school, not because of their ages, but how their birthdays fall. I digress... Margie has been day care Mum to all three and so I wanted to make her something special... And she adores, adores, adores... purple ... also pink and purple... but just make it purple first. Well here is the monster!! Purple is not top of my hit parade. I'm more of the earthy - Debbie Mumm; definitely country; leaning over towards primitive as well. So this was definitely an adventure for me!!

I really must pubicly thank Jenny of Elephantz for the use of her stylised rose at the top and also my great pal Wendy of Sugarlane Quilts for the idea of using the rose. My first thought was to plonk pansy's around the border, as to me they represent purple!!! However I'm chuffed with how the baby turned out. I wouldn't get any prizes for the crazy patch as you can see it's a bit regimented. I cheated and used lots of the fancy stitches on my machine to run over the edges. Also the embroidered roses are done on the machine as well. The fancy stitch on the second border is a machine one as well. This is the first quilt that I have free hand quilted and sooooo.... I'm not giving you a really close look!! Then....... I used satin!!! I had this nice piece of heavy lovely satin that just leant itself to the leaves.... Then the back.... well the quilt police nearly had a fit, when I used the satin on the back... I did say that it was a very heavy type of material didn't I??? Probably had been used for a bridesmaid's dress, I think?? Another glorious find...

Well the kids signed their names on paper and I stitched over it on the label at the top. So their childish signatures are saved for posterity. I really should do a quilt for myself or their Mum with their handwriting now!! That's a thought!! Anyway I popped my little label down the right hand bottom corner.... and she was set wings..... and away she flew.... Margie was a bit overwhelmed.... She thought that I had taken the 4 years to make it!!! She thought she may hang it on her wall.... but I said to use it. Anyway, it's hers now..... so the purple monster has left home..... I'm sad already!! I'm not good with my projects being finished!! But now there is a race on to make something for Christmas for my staff members. Yep... I think I work better under pressure..... or could it be I'm not well organised!! But #1 staff member has almost been finished.... no peeks... as I'm teaching her to blog [or look] and she may not get a surprise!! #2 is only new, and today I casually found out she probably likes PURPLE!! Am I being punished??? #3 has gone off Christmas and is not bothered at all!!! So something nice will have to perk her up!! Must off.... a lovely day awaits tomorrow.... my first Saturday off in over 12 months...that doesn't have Guild on....aren't I lucky!! Have arranged things that now I will only have to work 1 Saturday in 4, and that will mean that I get this lucky Saturday every month!! Yeayyyy!!! Of course I still work every Sunday :-[ , but what have I planned for this special day, you ask.... well of course I am going to finish off the pantry!!!! Oh well, I guess it will look beautiful when I finish. May even take a snap!!! Now that will spur me on...

Nightie night.... and rainbow smiles.... Gloria :]

PS..... I did hand stitch a little spiders web in one corner of the crazy patch.... so that will placate the Quilt Police

Garage Sales

Here I am again.... boy, has it been hot today!! The storms are well and truly due..... so let it rain!! Last week end was my morning off.... and you guessed it!! That means it's a sewing day for Guild.
But first DD and I went walking from 6am to 7 am with a local group of Road Runners and Walkers......
Then..... oh Joy of joys.... off we went to the garage sales.... They are so much fun!! We even seem to have a sub culture of "garagies", and we look out for pieces for each other. Anyway there were quite a few... and just look what I scored!! This pile... firstly there were 2 bundles of 5 fat quarters each and the girl had put $6 a bundle on them!! I said "Oh joy of joys" didn't I. They are some of the bright pieces at the front. All done up as they come from the fabric store!! Well of course I snapped them up.... really quickly... then there was this other scruffy, piggledy pie stack... some of them cut... all new.. just thrown there haphazardly. So I offered $20 for the lot.... and she said YES!! When I got home and spread them all out.... this is what there was!! The pieces at the back are all over a yard, and the next row is at least 1/2 a yard... then the next two rows are fat quarters and the front row is fat eights!! Apparently the lass is not going to craft anymore... Oh silly girl.... but Oh what fun!!
Rainbow smiles..., and cheeky grins.... Gloria :}

Ooohh...it's been so long....

Christmas is coming.......

Well...it's been soooooo long.... and well, you know I've been a tad busy!! So here are the promised catch-ups and the piccies. We had the guild Christmas party and here is my present...ready to go.. You remember ... it was the bargello runner, made with Christmas fabric. Now here it is all wrapped up.. and this is my contribution to using selvedgeages ... note the wrapping ... I used them here!

Anyway we swapped presents and the lovely Lyn made mine.

It is beautifully done and I just know that I'm not going to be able

to keep it!! The eldest DD just loves blue!!

S0 I'm not going to be selfish... I'll pop it in with her Christmas presents and she can share as well..... Isn't it

pretty... Lyn has promised to show us how to make this

one.... next

year!! 2010 Ohhh gosh......

Anyway...back to this lovely runner..... can you see the pretty flowers.... no... they're not suffolk puffs!! ....

something more

complicated.... that's why we want to know how to make this runner!! So we had great fun exchanging gifts... and guess what?? I won a prize. Now here is another project !! Isn't it fun to win things..... I can get excited over the smallest thing!! Just the fact that you have WON!! So here is what I won..... just the cutest little pin cushion, and a great looking pattern!! Also some lovely smellies.... Ooohhh .... that's just what I need here at this time of the year!! It is HOT...HOT...HOT... and now my lovelies... I must off, as this is the time I should be at work... [but I just had to sneak in a little word with you all]!! I will try very hard to get back to you... maybe tonight.... It's a date!!

Rainbow smiles.... Gloria

Monday... well Tuesday

Need a little fabric... well just go over here.. Ohh what fun has a new meaning.
Rainbow smiles... Gloria
PS proper blog with piccies coming soon... promise!!

You've got to enter this one!

Oooohhhh.....I've just popped over to retro mummy's and shes giving away some beautiful material!!! Shhh... keep it between you and I... Just thought you might like to pop over and have a little look.... I hope that I have added the link properly..... I'll show you what I bought yesterday .... maybe tomorrow... probably Sunday!! Rainbow smiles.... Gloria

Last one today.... I promise!!

This is what I was supposed to be working on tonight .... the middle of the runner for this Saturday's Christmas swap is ready to have the borders added and the ends done!! Ah well ... I was virtuous and was working!! I even did a little bit of house work this morning [well yesterday morning]. I'm getting a little more organised. So now I will have to work on this little bargello tonight. I think it's pretty and boy how easy was this one after the complicated "pink princess". Ahh well... off to bed... now that I have caught you up on the excitements of this weekend. Goodnight dear reader.... and rainbow smiles... Gloria

Tuesday 24 November .... the story continues ...

This is my first ever quilt.... started long before I went to Quilters Guild.... and then I found out that you don't do some things..... The Quilt Police would have hauled me away... I left the selvedges on and had a merry old time. The material was two cushion cover sets that I had purchased many moons ago and they were in the pinky colour and the blue. Don't ask me why??? I guess I liked them both. But not as cushions obviously.. lol .... there they were languishing away .. until I decieded that I was going to become.... A QUILTER!! Then these little ones shone as the first attempt.... and then they languished in the

background as I wove my way through lots of others that the quilt police would approve of!! But now I have decided that my babies that are resting will be allowed out to play, and so there number is being called. So the oldest is out first! Of course being me.... I had to go right off with the first one and hand quilt it!!!!!!!! Silly me !!!!

I've shown you a little of the quilting..... it's squidgy close in some areas. What was I thinking of, you ask, dear reader??? I asked as well, when it took sooooooooo long!

Now last Saturday .... when I really should have been fininshing off the "Purple Monster", you know that it has to be backed and quilted ready to hand over in a couple of weeks ....well I think it's 2.... ooooh .... I hope it's 2 !!! Yikes I had better check some time!! Anyway... I thought well before I spread the purp... out, I'll just run around the edge of this baby and pop the binding on ... and hey presto.... finished!! Well .... no..... on eof the gurus [much more experience and such a

delightful help], informed me that I needed to quilt the border before I cut anything off and the binding would have to get in line as well!!!! Ohhhh my .... well there was no way that this was going to be a hand quilted job I can tell you. So here is what I did!! Lovely waves around the whole blessed thing..... and then more lovely waves back the other way .... almost around the whole thing again!!! Then there is going to be a little heart and line thing going both ways in the middle. Did I get it finished you asked, dear reader, well no!! The waves have to be finished off on the last side yet. But it is getting closer!! Maybe it could get finished this year??? I think I started it 3 or 4 years ago!! So time obviously is not of the essence!! Rainbow smiles ..... Gloria

Monday 23 November

Yeah....I've got photos to show.... and stories to tell! Does this sound familiar, then I guess we're showing our age!! Well it was off to Guild last Saturday. You call always tell which one is me!! The demented sewing one, that doesn't have time to stop and eat ...or drink... and it doesn't do me any good, as I don't lose any weight either!! drats... Well here is my quilt top from the round robin that we worked on for 6 months [well in my case it was 7...as I was one of those deliquents that got behind]!! I was absolutely thrilled with this dear baby!! I love chookies and roosters and I amazed myself when I saw the centre as I had forgotten what the rooster looked like. Now the top will have to go into the queue to wait for either another border [or maybe not]! and then to be quilted. Does anyone else have this burning ambition that they have to finish off their own quilts? I worry about me sometimes... lol ... as I have to do it all from woe to go!! Ah well.... Now because I can never remember how to do these blogs properly [and I haven't got the hang of that Live thing from Vicki at Tozz's Corner], I'll finish off and start again with the new bit! Rainbow smiles ...Gloria

Yep...there's more!!

Now what could this be? On the left of the table is the makings of our Guilds mystery quilt that has now been postponed until Feb next year! Drats! I'll have to put it in an another basket. I like baskets and cart lots of things around in them!! But the pieces in the foreground....well they're for a table runner that we have to make for our Christmas break up...and yelp.... that's real soon!! So it's on to this one and the poor dining room tables will have to be left just as they are....works in progress!! I must away to bed... Have fun dear readers...smile and enjoy life.... Rainbow smiles... Gloria

Friday 13 November ---Lucky for some!!

Yep...it's early morning...but I'm determined to get these up on the post. This is what I am currently working on. The purple monster for the grandkids, day care mum! Purple is not my colour...so I'm living outside the square...and using all sorts of material. The backing is going to be a very heavy satin...the green of the leaves, and I must thank Jenny of Elefantz for the use of the stylised rose at the top. The suggestion came from the delectable Wendy...from Sugarlane Quilts blog. She is one of our Guild members and a very dear friend.

Thursday 12 November - Round Robins

T

Well sorry dear reader....life got in the way...DH had a really bad back..I got a whopping great cold...life!! But now I can show you some of the round robins that our Guild has been working on for the past 6 months!! From the top [I'll get the hang of putting these photos where I want them soon!], is the wonderful Sandy's - I put that last border around hers and was so proud of myself. Beside hers is Annette's Christmas wall hanging and I pieced and appliqued the 5th border on hers. Eleanor's is the cherry red one and I did the border with the hearts and ribbons. Lyn started with a blue and green celtic centre and I did the celtic type border on hers -well actually Sandy helped me out by using the right type of material. My design went well...but the material frayed...don't you just hate that!! Sandy came to my rescue!! At the bottom is the first border that I did on Jill's. She wanted muted tones...and that's hard for me I realise now. My colours are always bold!! So this is me toned down. I tried to do something different on each one and stretch myself. Boy I was stretched, I can tell you!! I'll take a photo of the quilt they worked on for me and post it later. Rainbow smiles..Gloria

Monday 2 Nov...November all ready!! I meant to write this last night...but ah..well. Here is what I have been working on this week. Our patchwork and quilting club [and any other hand crafts] have had this round robin of adding borders to a central block. This is my last one...and of course it is due this Saturday!! I have been dithering as it is for the delectable Sandy, who does such beautiful work...and I wanted to make a really good job of it! I have tried to try out a new technique for each quilt that I have worked on!! Sometimes with quite disasterous results....and the darling Sandy has helped me out. I used absolutely the wrong material for making bias strips on one and they sprung about everywhere....and had me pulling my hair out and wailing...I can tell you. But the lovely Sandy came to the rescue. So as not to give too much away... I have just shown part of the border that I am working on. Of course I didn't think to measure the sides and work out if the little blocks would fit...I relied on blind faith to get me there...and guess what 17 fit perfectly along the side!! Yahooo..... now of course I want the colours that I sat and put painstakingly [Sandy's hand died coloured ones.....I told you she's a whizz....didn't I?]. Anyway I have now cut out 19 for the bottom, and another 17 to go up the other side. And yes I have them in the order so although I will work down from the top...the colours will really go up from the bottom!! Yeah I know....I can sometimes do it!! Wahooo....and now all I need to do is cut the last 19 for the top... and of course get them on. I kept telling myself that the pressure was on and they had to be done by today....that way I shouldn't have to sit up Friday night finishing it off!! Well I'm off to sneak a little more stitches in....and I'll show the whole quilt top next week!! Yayy...I love it when it all comes together!! Rainbow smiles :] and cheeky grins to you .... Gloria

Well I should have waited for the weekend....but this was too good to wait for....you really must go over to Canton Village Quilt Works. Jackie is sharing a whole heap of wonderful goodies....you really must not miss out!
Rainbow smiles...Gloria

This is how the cute "little" pink baby has turned out so far! I am so proud of her....I designed her, using a pic from a mag, and I poured over the calculations, to get her just so.....but when it came to actually sewing her together from the very complicated pattern....I found that I really had forgotten to work out the length!! lol....now she is a very looong baby and just may have to become wider than I had thought....just to balance out her length. But hey....that's the fun of making things...right? To see more pics from our weekend...check out Wendy B's - sugarlanequilts.blog!! Hers was much more manageable and soooo pretty! Well dear readers I must off and iron something for work in the morning...yes one must work if they wish to purchase materials....and threads....and well, you know....
Rainbow smiles to you all...Gloria

Well here I am....an official blogger, at last! Well it didn't take that long to make....well maybe half the day and into the night! Just kidding!! And I have learned to download my photos from the camera onto the computer! So there!! I think I could be become a "learned gentleman"...well "woman" any time soon!! To start me off...I've popped a piccie of the 19 strips that went in to make my bargello quilt last weekend! Our quilting group had a glorious weekend creating bargello masterpieces! And this is the start of mine.....