Grow your Blog 2014

Welcome to all the newcomers to my blog.  I have been blogging since 2009, mainly about my embroidery but also occasionally about whatever is happening of some importance in my life.

I love surface embroidery, Goldwork and Stumpwork, all of which I try to incorporate into my Crazy Quilting which is also what I love.

I didn't start doing embroidery until a few years ago, but now this is all I do.  My son and I recently created a FREE Embroidery App for iPhone-iPad-iPod, the link is on the left side bar as well as here. It's gonna be a while now unfortunately before I get an Android version up an running, son now has a full time job, and so our time is very limited what time we can spend together on it.

I teach several classes a year with Joggles.com, in the top page tabs you can navigate to the page where more info about what classes I do or up coming are listed.  My next two classes are: The needlelace Dolphin on the 20th Feb 

and Cheerful Flutterings on the 8th April.

Also on these tabs are the FREE Tutorials and template downloads for the projects in our Embroidery App. You can also download my new FREE 2014 Printable Calendar.  I posted a few posts ago on how to put it together.

 

I am a member of several Yahoo online forum groups, but mainly I am involved with Crazy Quilting International and their swaps, Southern Cross Crazies and their swaps, CQJP and their Annual challenge, but I would be far more involved with StitchMap, where you can learn many different forms of embroidery for Free.  To get more info on these groups their 'buttons' are on the left or right side of the blog.

My ongoing major project this year is the CQJP project, which is the 12 Days of Christmas Wall hanging.  Worked with goldwork and stump-work elements as well as incorporating crazy quilting. I am currently up to number 6.

I am locally involved in two craft groups and Scouts Australia.  Fibres and Fabrics are a local fibre arts group which I am involved with.  Here is the link to their blog.  I am also Chief Steward of the Arts and Crafts division of our local show, here is the link to the Show Schedule if you are local and wish to enter.

I live in the wonderful north Queensland city of Townsville on the East Coast of Australia, a place of great inspiration for my embroideries.

I hope you decide to come back and tag along with me on my journey into Embroidery.

Arlene

New Studio update

Well the wall is up and the door opening to the house is finished. Here are photo's so far.

Building the wall and adding the gyprock panels.

 And now as the room is, until the new big glass sliding door goes in where the Roller door is now.  It will bring in so much more light and breeze.

 This is looking towards the bedroom, which doubles as my office and sewing table.

Next update, hopefully it will be finished photo's.

Arlene

What do you do with your Round Robin CQ Blocks???? ---- Well how about curtains

I have been doing CQ Round Robins since 2007 when I began my journey with Crazy Quilting.  Since then I have accumulated over 50 blocks.  I have really not had any idea what I would do with them, an end of bed throw was one idea I thought I would try and as I'm not a big fan of too many cushions that wasn't gonna happen.

Then came along my new Studio and as the morning sun is very bright and warm in North Queensland I really needed curtains on the window in the Studio.  So that's when I thought - use what I've got.

Here are the blocks being 'Auditioned'.

 I also did a swap in 2009 called 'Signature Blocks' there was 18 of us, so we had to make 18 squares with our name and something symbolising where we lived, they are stitched along the bottom of each curtain.
Other blocks including my 'Fairy blocks, my summer blocks, Bee, Bugs and Butterflies, Hearts RR, Some of my English Garden, Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Traditional Floral, Luscious Lace.

Here is the second curtain

 The first curtain finished and hung.

This next photograph shows both finished and hung, but with then overlaying the drawers etc that is in the way of seeing the bottom row of Signature Blocks.

This is now they will display. The portable air-conditioner will be moved next week when the glass sliding doors go in and a third set of Drawers will be there in it's place.

So what do you think?  I think they look wonderful and even Hubby is happy that I have used some of my 'Stash of Blocks' and showcasing the wonderful work of my 'Cyber Friends'.

So THANK YOU my wonderful Cyber Friend Swap and Round Robin Buddies, I now have a set of Magnificent curtains to showcase your work.

The glass sliding doors will get some of the rest of the blocks, the blues, purples and bright pink ones.

Arlene

FREE 2014 Printable Calendar

Hello All,

I have a freebee for you.  I needed a calendar for this year and as my Friend Kathy Shaw wasn't selling one this year I decided to make my own.

Here especially for you is A FREE downloadable calendar to download and print.
Click the HERE for the download, or the icon on the right.

If you want to hang your calendar here are some simple instructions for you.

Print out double sided original size settings on your printer.

Line them up and clip together

Sew just above the frame on the front cover, keep your ends, don't cut them off, instead tie them then trim the ends.

Mark the centre point on the bottom of the front cover

Punch a hole through all the pages in the same spot, I punched only three or four pages at a time, using the previous page as a guide.

Cut a small amount of ribbon, I used about 6 inches.  Tie a knot in one end, thread through the hole and hang where you can view your 2014 Arlene's Crafts Calendar.

Enjoy.
Arlene

We did it - we got there

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded the App.  We have reached 500 downloads by the Dec 31st 2013.

Forward to 2014: we will be adding a minimum of 6 more stitches to the list, 3-4 more projects, as well as some wonderful eye candy.

Tutorials on how to get the most out of the app will be coming during 2014 also.

Of course we hope to launch the Android version by mid year, but that is only if all goes well with the programming, it's not as easy as Apple (according to son).

Thanks again everyone, watch this space......

Arlene