Home again..

*WARNING PHOTO HEAVY* - Well, I am home after spending a delightful afternoon with sharonb and four other ladies - W from Nth.Fitzroy with her grandson A, R from Flemington, D from Cranbourne, G from Eltham, and of course myself... Sharon is a warm and engaging person with a ready smile who immediately put us all at ease. We all chatted away as though we were old friends - not a group of comparative strangers - although I have found from experience - stitching people rarely ever have nothing to say :). Jerry, Sharon's husband was on hand initially and assisted us by holding up her quilt while we took photos... Thanks Jerry!!!

The photos are literal happy snaps as I was so busy trying to absorb all the colour and stitching - major eye candy- my snapping was mostly haphazard but very happy... But you get the general idea from the following photos...

I was in awe - probably because I was seeing first hand things I had only seen previously via the Internet.... I would have been content to just look and look and look - then look some more... Sharon's diamond crazy block quilt was a visual feast -it was full of delicious eye distractions to ohhh and ahhh over. It also attracted the interest of a couple of women who were drawn to the edge of the group to admire it... A bit later on Sharon then unrolled her 'work in progress' a progressive stitch sampler - the explosion of colours, the content and the stitching were just overwhelming... I would have been content to sit and examine each panel as they were revealed these were pieces of sharon's history - her celebrations, her personal losses, and her world at large. This stitching really moved me and I thought how in years to come this piece would continue to give insights. Perhaps some 'as yet to be born' will carefully examine it and wonder at the panel pieces and wonder about its 'author'... Even the young chap who was working in the cafe where we were having coffee made an appreciative comment about her work as it rolled out across the table...

Of course the time flew by and it was soon time to leave but not before R showed us a 100 year old red work quilt that was worked in blue and told us the story behind it... As we held it in our hands and looked at the panels of stitching it again reinforced my ideas about the passage of time... Here was an example of some unknown person who created a quilt without a thought to its future only to its potential usefulness at the time of its making and here we were roughly 100 years later looking at it...

As we said our goodbyes and made ready to come home there was an suggestion that Sharon might be persuaded to come down to teach a weekend workshop if we can raise enough interest. So perhaps today suggests the potential for a new adventure and what a great way to start the new year... :)

Sharon xxx

sharonb Melbourne meeting

Today I am meeting up with sharonb - pintangle - in the city... She and J are down in Melbourne having a bit of a break... I was delighted when I received an email from her suggesting we meet up... I believe there are a few other ladies attending as well - it is great when you can put faces to a names...

G from Patra's Place being one of them - if ever there was an example of how the internet brings people together who have a shared interest G and my friendship is one... G and I met over on another internet stitching site and we realized that we were only separated by a few kilometers as opposed to a few thousand and that would have been about eight years ago now...

LOL we have had some adventures with our op-shopping, our stitching and our shared love of reading... I introduced her in a roundabout way to blogging, at first G said that blogging was not for her - now she is more active blogger than I am - maintaining quite a few blogs ... G is a good soul who will try and help you out if she can and is always at the ready with the kettle whistling, something from her cake tin and a non judgemental ear to listen... Good on you G may we see many more years of friendship and shared interests... May 2010 be your year...

I am taking my camera so hopefully will have some photos of today's meetup... LOL when I take photos hope does have a lot to do with it...

Have a good one today and some stitching too :)

Sharon xxx

A bit of 'bling'....

Not really anything to do stitching unless you count the thread that they are threaded on... Not the best photo but you can get the general idea... I made them yesterday on a whim with some beads I had picked up at Spotlight - mind you I had to make another trip to finish them :)...

Since having all my jewellery stolen when we were broken into last June I have been reluctant to replace it - but I have missed my 'bling' so these little bracelets have filled the gap... I enjoyed putting them together but I don't intend to make a habit of it - I have more than enough stitching to do!!!!

Some progress...

Not a lot has happened here in the way of stitching and related activities - however I have at last finished all the colouring of Helen Stubbings Colourque table runner... I have made a subtle mistake - which in another life I would have fretted about - not this time... I am calling it an artistic licence type of thing... What is it you ask?? Look hard enough and you will see it...

Next step is to apply textile medium - let it dry - iron on some pellon and then start stitching - that is the bit I am really looking forward to...

Until next time - may your needle and thread be your constant companions...

Sharon xxx

Presencia Finca Perle Threads

As you can see no more colouring, stitching or much of anything else has been done to the table runner... You may notice I did however 'mute' the colours in the round flowers as I thought that they were too bright before - scroll down to last entry to see the difference...

A couple of weeks ago I ordered the Presenica Finca Perle No 16 threads from Bustle and Bows. These are used for the back stitching around coloured-in areas. I have fallen in love with the richness of the colours of these threads especially the Dark Topaz - I am itching to have a stitch with them but I still a long way away from that step I still have to colour the other side, apply textile medium and fusible interfacing before I even thread a needle... But I should practice using them on something shouldn't I??? I can hear you all nodding vigorously in agreement :)...

Just a word about Bustle and Bows - situated in Surrey Hills in Melbourne. For anyone who lives over this way B&B's are just great to deal with - they do and teach mainly traditional embroidery- the shop is like walking through an Inspirations magazine... Whenever I have a question or in this case I needed specialized threads they are helpfulness unto themselves - great customer service who know what you are talking about or in my case attempting to explain... I love going there and just taking in all the lovely bits and pieces mind you I don't think I have ever left the store without something... I am thinking of doing a class there next year to push my boundaries a little... In saying that though...



...I have started planning on next year's stitching as again this year I have muddled along without achieving heaps... Still I have enjoyed what I have done...

So the list so far in no particular order is...

NEW - as in NOT started...
1. Leanne's House BOM quilt - which I have still in its individual packets... (see 'Waiting in the Wings' sidebar)
2. Portrait of Wisdom -my Indian - he calls to me constantly...(see 'Waiting in the Wings' sidebar)
3. Crazy quilt wall hanging with a Garden Theme -an idea that keeps floating around in my head.

... and I have seen this lovely Browyn Hayes quilt I would just love to do!!!!!

FINISHES - as in have been hanging around far too long!!!!!!
1. Love xstitch sampler
2. Angel xstitch sampler
3 GailPan's free BOM Christmas stitchery
4 Helen Stubbings Colourque table runner

... and that's all I am admitting too...

Until next time - back to the stitching or colouring or just gazing lovingly at my lovelies

Sharon xxx

Another update...

The background material will be part of the table runner... I am not sure about the round flowers but I think in context of the rest of the project - they will be be ok... Now onto the other side...

Now back to the colouring :)

Sharon xxx

D's bird...

I have been a lurker on D's blog for quite a while now and I have watched her growth as a textile artist... I have long admired her art and the things that she has created - I have been tempted many times - however this time I was totally besotted with this little bird when it first appeared on her blog - D had put it on her etsy shop for sale and I fretted all day in case it had been sold before I got home from work and had a chance to buy it... However luck was on my side and a few days later this little bird fluttered into my life... While the photo is great it doesn't do justice to the real thing... The detail and stitching is just lovely and the feeling of serenity it brings is uplifting... I just love it D and I hope add to it soon...

Until next time..

Sharon xxx