An update...

well, not quite finished as I thought it might be tonight...I have enjoyed sitting and stitching this as I could see the progress growing at the end of my needle... Late yesterday afternoon I sat contentedly in the warm and stitched away while watching the telly - not something I do often.  

I have decided to use pink ric rac around the outside edge where there is the satin stitch... My satin stitching is not very good and I found doing the flower centres hard work. I will attempt the smaller circle and hopefully make a reasonable job of it - fingers crossed. :-) As you can see I have also used French knots instead of Rosalie's original pattern of cross stitches. In my mind there were French knots and I had done them before I realised that there weren't if you can follow that one... 

 I thought that I might turn this into a needle case or a round purse instead of using it as a motif for the front on the little drawstring bag which was part of the original design. I might even use it as a doily or a mug rug... But who knows I could change my mind again...

Rosalie also had a bigger version of this same design - while at Urban Stitches I bought some variegated threads in browns and golds and russet tones - I have this sneaky little idea that I might  stitch it with them instead of these colorways and use an orange ric rac around the outside edge... But you know me you may never see them again they could be lost in the 'layers' I lovingly call my sewing room...

My eldest daughter M and I had a slightly hysterical afternoon discovering all my stashed away treasures... My little sewing space yielded far more than one would believe possible and the look of sheer disbelief on M's face as layer upon layer of 'treasures' were unearthed. E, my younger daughter was standing in the doorway with a look of "this is what I have been talking about". Do I hoard? Well, I didn't think so and still don't but I know that I am now very firm with myself about what I buy. With the very real prospect of moving again in twelve months none of us want to have to go through what we went through the last time. I think M thought coming here was better than a visit to Spotlight. 

In our 'excavating' we found a dolly pattern which was a design I bought an age ago - as it turned out it was a Rosalie Quinlan - Melly & me design - called Freya. I remember at the time when I bought the pattern I thought she was so cute and bought a selection of fabrics to make her IMMEDIATELY - that obviously didn't happen...

M thought it might be fun to make her and challenged me to join her BUT using only what was in our respective stashes... M has a stash??? I am so glad she is taking after me - a dubious honour!! So stay tuned!!! My stitching life could be turning in a whole different direction...

So, until next time keep those needles threaded and take care...

Sharon x x

Urban Stitches 2012

 * Warning photo and content heavy - at least a cuppa's worth
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Urban Stitches 2012 at the Novotel in Glen Waverley. I had been anticipating this day for months as I would finally be meeting some of the faces behind the designs that have become household names in the quilting world. These are of course Leanne Beasley, Rosalie Quinlan and Melly  Dekker of Melly and Me.

Melly, Leanne and Rosalie

I have 'followed' these girls for years via their respective blogs and Facebook.  I first became aware of Leanne many years ago when I fell in love with her quilt Leanne's House which I then bought as a BOM - block of the month - I think at the time I had a romantic dream that saw me diligently stitching hearts and flowers and buzzy bees surrounded by pretty fabric and delicately shaded threads... May I tell you now - that just didn't happen!!!!! At best - I took each prospective block out of its little snap lock bag, looked at it lovingly before putting back in order with its number mates. BUT yesterday I fell in love all over again when I saw the original and I reminisced. But I digress slightly...

I set off feeling a little nervous because I was doing this on my own and I felt a little out of my depth going to something where I didn't know anyone. However when I walked into the Novotel's foyer and saw Rosalie  greeting people with her big smile - I felt the butterflies disappear. Once I had registered and identified my name badge, handed my bag of goodies and found a seat - the day began in earnest, or should I say it began in a way I wish all my days would -  with that delicious feeling of being able to do exactly what I wanted to do with not much thought to anything else for the next few hours. Then the delight of exploring the contents of my goodies bag was equal to a little kid at Christmas time... Life was very good  :)

My name tag and goodies bag...

...and it contents

An arty shot of the room...

Leanne,Melly and Rosie drawing the door prizes

Time for show and tell

Throughout the day the Melly, Rosie and Leanne mingled and endeavoured to sit and spend time at each table and have a chat session, I am positive they would have heard the same stories over and over again but nevertheless they gave us their full attention. In these days when the internet is such a big player in the majority of peoples lives it is nice to have that kind of personal contact with those people who are normally a screen's distance away.


I was sitting at a table of with seven other ladies - one lady was all the way from New Zealand and another from Brisbane. This was reflected throughout the room of  the 103 people who attended on Saturday - many were from interstate - this, I think is testament to to Rosie, Melly and Leanne and their  product's popularity and perhaps, more importantly their genuine interest for those of us who follow them. The three of them struck me as friendly and down to earth and more than willing to help those of us who had projects that needed that little bit of assistance with or questions which need to be answered.

Two of my table companions...

Did I enjoy myself? Yep, you bet... As Rosie said yesterday our time was our own to do what we wanted whether it be stitching or chatting or just relaxing. And it was just that - people chatted and stitched and laughed and showed off their past projects and of course looked at all the quilts and associated stitcheries, dolls etc which lined the walls around the room...

Not a bear in this house....

only the mice were at home...

Who's the miss with the red dress???

Creatures large and small...

And quilts galore...

Of course none of these days would be complete unless there was somewhere for us to satisfy our other crafty pursuit - stash building... Eric from Under the Mulberry Tree was there and judging from the throngs which were constantly at the 'shop tables' we didn't disappoint her. Nel - Rosie and Melly's mum - was kept busy trying to keep up with tidying and replenishing the fat quarter baskets - I did feel for her as she seemed to have an uphill battle on her hands. I had set myself a budget because I knew that I would be tempted and spend money - and I was - and I did... 

A peek inside my stash bag

I love those Cosmo variegated threads - they are like lollies who can stop at one!!!!

And of course more fat quarters for my stash

I have admired these by Rosie for ages - who could resist - but at least I only bought two!!!

Caught up with Vignette

The hours flew by - only punctuated with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea - and then it was time to go - some of us were coming back for the second day - but I came away feeling content with my day. I will definitely go next year as I believe that Urban Stitches offered value for money plus more...

These were freebies

I believe too that Leanne, Rosie and Melly - if not already - have a very bright future ahead of them, that if they keep doing what they are doing in the way that they are doing it, it will continue to grow.... Who said that stitching/embroidery in the 21st Century amongst younger women was a dying art -  if my observation yesterday is anything  to go by - in this small pocket of the Universe- it is still very much alive and in the hands of a creative force that will take it even further... Three cheers for those who dare to dream and make it a reality!!!!


Oh by the way, and did I stitch??  Just a little...

Until later, take care and keep those needles threaded..

Sharon x x

ps* my great day didn't end when I left Urban Stitches - when I got home there was a surprise waiting for me. M - my eldest daughter had dropped in and she had bought me my very own Monster High Doll - I had admired her collection and she thought that I should have one of my own... Who says I am too old to play with dolls!!!! M and I thought we might make a dress collection for them...

M - knows my heart is with the sea - so she bought me a fishy doll...

Isn't she gorgeous???

50 weeks on...

.... and I feel like I'm home and surrounded by friends... The last few weekends have been exhausting - I finally took the bull by the horns so to speak and have attacked the garage which was still full to the door with boxes which still needed to be unpacked after shifting here two weeks off a year ago. I was starting to fret about the books as they were still out there and we knew that the roof was far from leak proof... Even though we bought tarps to cover the majority of boxes, some things still got water damaged  sadly, we did lose a box of books due to them  getting wet and going mouldy - but I can now say that ALL our books are inside and safely in bookcases and for the most part - in order... I can't stop touching them - I feel like a part of me has 'thawed' from the depression that I was left with after our shock and sudden move last year. I have rediscovered some old friends and it was lovely stopping every now and then to browse through their pages. P and I still have a lot of work to do but at least we can see some of the floor in the garage....

I can understand why my stitching etc has fallen by the wayside as I just couldn't concentrate on anything knowing that so much had to be done.  Work has become so busy and while that is a blessing after last year it takes all my attention and I come home exhausted. The weekends have come and gone and I have felt that I have been getting nowhere and achieving nothing, that coupled with my continuing sinus problem has left me feeling pretty low...

However just striking a blow re the garage has cheered me up no end. Now that all my books and boxes of magazines are safe from the elements I can make a start. We have culled at a rough count 100 to 150 books from our collection and I am about to do the same with my craft magazines - I was a little bit of an addict.  :) And as much as I love them it is time for them to go - I think there were at least seven largish tightly packed boxes of them - poor P didn't think he would see the end of them. He kept saying - "and here is another box' as we made our way around the garage. I now have severely cut back on my magazine buying- it has to be pretty special for me to part with my money now...

The room we use as a study - I refer to it as "our study in chaos" - is the next on the list - after the garage for a makeover... Here too it has boxes still needing to be unpacked and sorted. I have become a bit ruthless - if I haven't missed it in a year then it is going...Looking towards the Springtime I am hoping that P will finally be able to finish creating his shelving that he lacks in here and get himself settled.... Then I will start to sort out what I lovingly call my sewing room - presently I go to the door look in and then leave. I really would like to get stuck into something - but I am not quite in the right head space as yet.

I would really like to get to a point where we can enjoy this house - have some down time and even some fun. I have never thought we would be here for a long time and so while we will at least be here for twelve months I would be surprised if we are here much longer than that. By then I want to be sure that everything we pack the next time around is accountable right down to the last piece of paper... Never do I want to do what we did  last time. Well that's the plan anyway. And...we can try :)

Our camilla trees have been profusely flowering again and they remind me of our first few unsteady and unfamiliar days here...

Until later, take care

Sharon x