Reminiscing and Auditioning

Skene's Creek - just outside of Apollo Bay - Victoria

While looking at some other photos I came across this photo taken in September of this year when P and I were down at Skene's Creek which is just outside of Apollo Bay - a coastal (largely holiday) township - of Victoria. P and I had walked along the beach and onto the rocks and I had been taking shots of the rising surf just beyond them... I am sure in another life I had been a coastal dweller as I love the sea and its constantly changing scape.I never tire at watching its ebbs and flows. This day I had been taking photos of the flattish rocks just in front as in some ways the grooves and indentations reminded me of an aerial view... Little did I know that within a couple of hours I would be in a helicopter seeing very similar aerial views. In the 'grand plan' of things I have always wanted to create a sea/marine themed crazy quilt and I collect images whenever I can...  When I was looking over the shots this one struck me as the two extremes - the reflective stillness of the rock pools in the foreground and the beauty and the fury of the relentless breaking surf behind...

Auditioning fabrics, shapes and threads for the next block 

However, not a sea theme - more of a purple haze - for my next block and these fabrics are the possibilities. I have had the floral material for sometime now and every so often take it out and look at it - but now it has been upgraded  to be be the 'principle' colour theme which I will draw from. The photo doesn't offer a true tonal quality - but you get the idea. That 'blue' fabric is actually more of a green which is reflected in the stems of the flowers and offers (I hope) the block a bit of 'zing'. I will leave them 'settle' for a few days before I decide. Perhaps only six or seven of the fabrics will make the final cut and I am relying on mostly embroidery stitches to offer texture but of course there will be some 'extras' in the way of beads, etc to justify my bower bird collecting...

Well, enough from me...

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

Sharon x

Can you spot the difference??

To anyone who may still swing past this blog - no, no your eyes aren't playing tricks on you... The blog title has changed just a little. The change was quite unintentional really, as I was trying to make a decision about whether or not to continue the blog since I haven't stitched or blogged with any regularity at all in 2012 - when I was turning the title over in my mind instead of 'tomorrow' the words 'to follow' slipped in. It made me pause and perhaps I saw that as a sign of the promise of things to come so I have 'opened the door', 'pushed up the windows' and 'blown off the dust' and maybe with a little more incentive I shall become productive again...

Just before I leave - this is my March - yep, you read it right - block for the CQJP -2012 that I started at the beginning of the year... I could go into a tale of 'poor me' to why I haven't got any further - but hey who wants to listen to that - suffice to say I won't be finishing this year... Rather than dwell on what I haven't done - I have decided that it will be (among other things) my project for 2013 - a 'slow cloth'... sharonb imparted some wisdom a little while ago on her blog about doing work such as this - she said that it take time - it is not something that happens quickly... I have taken those words on board and that has become my philosophy.... I shall do what I can when I am able to and not beat myself up about it when I can't.

Not much more to say than that...

Until later, keep stitching

Sharon x

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

Finally...

...after looking at the date of the last entry I thought it was about time to put fingers to the keyboard and report on the latest doings.  Since my last entry, Winter, well and truly has arrived and made itself comfortable for its duration. I don't know whether it is because I am feeling my age but the mornings are certainly very cold of late.

Now settle back with a cuppa and be prepared to read on - its a long one...

My latest obsession is a surprising one - even to me... My eldest daughter M has taken up crocheting - as she has never really had more than a passing - and at best - cursory interest - in any of my craft endeavours so I have been rendered totally speechless about her obsession with a crochet hook. We have even been wool gazing together - now I am no knitter - I find anything more complicated than a simple scarf -  difficult... I couldn't read a knitting pattern if the country's  national security depended on it. While I find knitting almost meditative I get bored quickly... If it doesn't 'do'  quickly enough - it gets  'stashed' away. As for crochet - well that's beyond mind blowing and as for looking and understanding a pattern it could be written in an alien code for all I could decipher. However never say never it seems, and I too, have the dubious honour of being a beginner crocheter. I can now see  a sequence of events that led me to my latest stash building...

 It started when I admired a crocheted scarf pattern when I was with M on our wool gazing, perhaps that could be ' wool grazing' outing. M suggested I could learn to crochet, and that she would teach me. I looked at her as if she had said I should learn a foreign language - not likely I thought. But a bigger plan was in the unfolding. For Mother's Day M presented me with this scarf which she had made from the pattern I had admired on our day out...

I was taken aback and marvelled over each of the squares -  that was when the crochet bug took its opportunity,  it bared its fangs and bit hard... I was (excuse the pun) hooked!!! I wanted to learn how to do it too... I have always loved those granny square rugs -  that's my excuse and I am sticking to it :) and so that was the first thing M taught me to do.

After some frustration and watching countless youtube 'how to's' - spending yet more time discovering yet more blogs out there in blogland - plus borrowing some books from the library I made this.

Ha, you say, it looks so simple and it is - when you know how - this one little square was hours in the making, much tongue holding and more sighing than thought possible... However it is the first granny square in my 100 mile journey for perfection and hopefully a rug. I love colour and I am a total pushover, I have been known to buy one (or a couple) of coloured pencils, pastels, fat quarters, embroidery threads, beads etc simply  because I like the colour - I can now add wool to that list with the excuse of needing lots of col,ours for my granny squares. There are so many variations these days of granny squares one almost goes giddy looking at them all. However for a little while I shall stay with the original one... I do agree with M though once you get the hang of it the squares do grow fast and are relaxing... I haven't quite got to the fast or relaxing stage yet but I'm sure that that will happen. But the squares are totally portable and don't take up much room in your bag so at any spare moment you can be hooking  :) :)

But what about your stitching you ask... What stitching?? I might reply... Well here is the sorry tale...

I bought this before it even made its way into the shop as I said I am a pushover....

I love this design... When will I stitch it??? Who knows - but it is nice to dream...

And last but not least is my poor March block for CQJournal 2012. This has all fallen by the wayside and I have fallen so far behind I don't think I will ever catch up. This block doesn't fire either my imagination or my inspiration but I loathe to abandon it - as you can see I have made some attempts to get on with it - actually looking at it here - folded to its completed size - it doesn't look as daunting as it does in the hoop. Perhaps a good iron and another look could be its saviour. I have pulled out one of my crazy books and I think I may unashamedly copy some of the seam designs - at least that way it will get finished... I love the look of crazy quilting and I do 'lurk' in a couple of online groups and I am totally amazed at the work that those members produce - but it just doesn't seem to translate into my brain in any way... Perhaps this will be my first and last foray into this beautiful,unique and timeless craft...

This last photo is just pure indulgence of a besotted cat owner - of course Matilda was facing my way when I set the photo up and I was trying to catch the sunlight and shadows that dappled across her coat - but of course she moved, she was far more interested in what P was doing behind her than my artistic endeavours with the camera - so this is what I got... But I love her just the same :) :)

Until later, may your needle be constantly threaded...

Take care

Sharon x

has anyone seen...

...my stitching mojo?  I think it may have left the building because it has got tired of me 'not playing'. My creative life is a lot little on the lean side of late  My CQJournal 2012 has fallen by the wayside - as I knew it would once the year started to rev up - and the TAST well, we won't even go there... Try as I might to be productive in the evenings  it just doesn't happen. These days with work so full on all the time I'm too tired to even think about anything more than my bed. But I have done a little cross stitch and some knitting - I think the almost meditative motion of my knitting is what pleases me at the moment - I don't have to think I just knit away... With my continual sinusitis I feel even less than creative - still it could be worse and I continually count my blessings...

As you can see I have changed my blog face... I thought the 'change of scenery' might inspire me... I love daisies so this was just the perfect background... It made me think of that old rhyme 'he loves me, he loves me not' - I could change it to 'I may stitch, or I may not'...  

The days are already quite cold - that Indian summer we had just a few weeks back has gathered up her golden robes and fled..  I believe once we cross Winter's threshold the days will be very cold and frosty...

Well,  that's enough from me...

Until later, as always take care

Sharon x x