CQJP 2012 - update

Well since I've been out of action, stitching has been my therapy, and it's wonderful to be able to sit up and just stitch.

I was behind with my CQJP blocks, and now I'm up to date with them also.
 So here are my latest three blocks.

June:  These lovely 'noel' buttons I bought recently at the Proserpine Show and Tell.  I've added a gold work Santa sleigh, and a ruched ribbon.

July: I've used some gold braid my friends from India gave me, and some lovely satin reindeer ribbon.

 August: I got to make myself a beetle, he's pretty big, he's nearly 4 inches from top to tail.

Still deciding on how I'm going to put them all together, as I'm not a 'sane' quilter, I'm having troubles deciding, please read on and any suggestions greatly appreciated? Here are the blocks so far:

Then laid out in the way I had it in my mind, from my original idea.

I don't think I'll be making any more fans, although I do have two left, but I think I might have to make four inner sections,  I also think my 'Noel' block is out of place, it needs to have a white line edge, not the buttons, but then also the gold ribbon one with gold edge would also be out of place, maybe they complement each other? Oh dear, now I'm looking way to deep I think. Here is my original idea, all good when I started, but not so sure now, what do you think?

Arlene

Christmas stitching

I've been busy stitching the last few days, since I'm not allowed to walk due to me 'over stressing' my Plantar Fascia
He's (the Podiatrist) is not sure exactly how I've done it, but falling off my push bike a couple of months ago didn't help.  So verdit, lest amount of walking as possible, and wearing my sandshoes as much as I can (he's added special padding to assist the foot).

so I've been stitching, what great therapy.

I've been making items for Christmas swaps, a cracker, a stocking, and an ornament and also working on my Christmas Tree skit (CQJP 2012 project).  I've completed the stocking and the cracker, just the ornament to go.  For the Stocking swap with Lyn 'Quilting Lion' I was lucky to be asked for a theme, I choose 'Silver', so here is the stocking:

 And some closeups

And for Southern Cross Crazies, we are making Christmas Crackers and filling them with loads of goodies. Here is my cracker rolled up:

And it unrolled
Someone said my beetle looks like he's moving.

One thing I had to remember when i was stitching, was to make sure I didn't sew any embellishments near the ends, where the ribbon ties up, otherwise they'd be crushed under the ribbon.

Here are close ups.

Santa's sleigh

 A Beetle

 Beading seam, and charm

Silk ribbon gather and charms and bells.
So now it's ready for me to add my load of goodies inside:

I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of eye candy.  The ornament is still to come.

Arlene

My most excellant weekend

I have just spent the last three amazing days stitching and shopping and having a great time with like minded people.  BE WARNED - PHOTO HEAVY POST

First of all, Saturday I went to the Proserpine Quilt Show and Tell, were we got to see some amazing quilts and got to shop, and chat with so many quilting friends. Here is some eye candy, I actually took so many photo's but these were ones that really caught the eye.

 Interesting use of colour

 Bargello work

 Yes it's crazy quilted, but machine done.

 Adapted 1800 quilt

 More Bargello....

 She had to extend this to make it fit her bed, oh what a shame... not

Love the colours of this one.
The group that hosted the event do some amazing charity work:
Yes that's me....

And my winnings... I got a lucky door prize:

And my shopping......

And then back to Eva's house overlooking Shute harbour...... this is our stitching table

The view

And some stitching:

 Our stockings for the Lion's swap, mine is the blue and silver and Eva's is the black, red and white one.

And then some show and tell of our own:  Eva (purple one) and Alison's (White one) TAST pieces:

 They have every stitch since Sharon started at the beginning of this year.

And Alison's amazing hexagon hand quilted quilt.

Thank you Eva and Alison for an amazing weekend, I look forward to coming down again in November for some more stitching.....Arlene

Christmas came early this year

We have had the pleasure of dog sitting a beautiful dog named Leica.  Her owners returned home from 8 months in India. We have had her since April, she is a lovely natured dog.  Anyway her owners brought home some gifts for Michael and I, Michael received an original Swiss army knife, with so many attachments, it's just amazing.  Now our friends know that I love my crafts, and so this is what I got: spoilt to say the least.
The first is a basket full of trims, sequins, and other lovelies.

Then she unrolled this stunning Door hanging, it is made from recycled clothing, a wedding dress and other cloths.
















Here are some close ups:

Then the postie came and I got more goodies ..... I recently entered a competition promoting the Olympics and 'Gold' was the theme, i entered my beetle and he won. I received this in the mail, but, since I already own a copy I'm donating this one to my craft group "Fibers and Fabrics".

And also in the mail, was an order I placed a few weeks ago for some new stump work tools, they are made of Bubinga wood.
I haven't taken them out of the box yet, will do so over the weekend.

I purchased them from a small company in the UK, they are called Needlepaws and they make other types of tools too.

So wow, what a happy girl I am.... now what to do with it all, I have to try and convince Michael to add another couple of hooks in the walls so I can display my door hanging.

Arlene

Joggles Classes - Autumn offerings

I am excited to say I have four more classes with Joggles in the current Autumn (Aussie Spring) offerings.

You can read more about them on my classes tab, but here they are to entice you.

September 25th - my beetles make another return

October 25th is a beautiful Goldwork Ornament box

 

A unique Christmas gift for that special stitching friend - Christmas Cracker that converts to a Hussif

And lastly, some have asked for this to be a class, so in memory of my Mother, I present to you 'Doris'

Arlene

Celebrating Scouting

Celebrating a fantastic institution.

 I'm a proud member of the Scout movement, and have been for the past 15 years. Tomorrow is both World Scout Day and World Scout Scarf Day.

"all active and former scouts are requested to wear their scout scarfs in public to make the “spirit of scouting” visible: once a scout – always a scout! In 2011 the day coincided with the World Jamboree in Sweden which was a perfect opportunity to show the close bond to all the scouts attending.
Of course, the scarf is only a symbol but a strong symbol for the scout promise and for our mission to leave the world as a bit better a place than we had found it." Quoted from their facebook page.

 It's a day when the Scout awards are announced also. I received the Silver Arrowhead in 2010.

Arlene (Polly - my scout craft name)