Lovely inspiration here and how to link here.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Birdies....
Lovely inspiration here and how to link here.
Monday, November 19, 2012
A farewell....
I'm often asked why I don't have a cleaner. My response is always the same.
"I don't have a cleaner....because I have a speech therapist."
At the age of two, our son was diagnosed with a severe language disorder. Now 11 years old, his diagnoses has subsequently been altered to 'mild-moderate autism'. Never-the-less, and whatever the label, his struggle with language is ongoing and impacts day-to-day through his interaction with and understanding of the world. His need for speech therapy and supported learning is currently on-going without too much of a glimmer on the horizon of that changing in the short term. Let's just say, we're a 'speechie's' sure thing.
We've been very lucky that L's school allows a consulting speech therapist to work with him (and the numerous other boys!) during the school day. From my point of view, that saves one more 'run around mum job'. The other plus is the stability that that brings. His first 'in-school' therapist worked with him from reception through to grade 3 until her work load became too great and she had to expand her consultancy (or build a massive extension to her home...one or the other!). She handed the reigns over to her assistant and she has worked with L for the past two years. But she's leaving. She's young and decided to follow her dreams interstate. Wednesday is her last day, and whilst I've told L it's his last speech session for the year ("yay!" was the response), I haven't told him it's a big goodbye.
So at the very least a little gift is in order. I've made a notebook cover out of scraps and used the quilt as you go method to use up some batting bits. I'll get L to draw one of his very special little illustrations in the front.
"I don't have a cleaner....because I have a speech therapist."
At the age of two, our son was diagnosed with a severe language disorder. Now 11 years old, his diagnoses has subsequently been altered to 'mild-moderate autism'. Never-the-less, and whatever the label, his struggle with language is ongoing and impacts day-to-day through his interaction with and understanding of the world. His need for speech therapy and supported learning is currently on-going without too much of a glimmer on the horizon of that changing in the short term. Let's just say, we're a 'speechie's' sure thing.
We've been very lucky that L's school allows a consulting speech therapist to work with him (and the numerous other boys!) during the school day. From my point of view, that saves one more 'run around mum job'. The other plus is the stability that that brings. His first 'in-school' therapist worked with him from reception through to grade 3 until her work load became too great and she had to expand her consultancy (or build a massive extension to her home...one or the other!). She handed the reigns over to her assistant and she has worked with L for the past two years. But she's leaving. She's young and decided to follow her dreams interstate. Wednesday is her last day, and whilst I've told L it's his last speech session for the year ("yay!" was the response), I haven't told him it's a big goodbye.
Monday, November 12, 2012
X-ing and +-ing....
I've been in love with the Japanese x and + quilts, inspired by Setsuko Inagawa floating around the blogasphere of late. Most recently Ara Jane's of 'You know what I love?' and this one by Leila from 'Where the Orchids Grow' which has been on my pinterest board for an age.
For a great tutorial on how to lay out and piece the block go to Amy Gunson's badskirt site for a good explanation of the block construction. But....be warned, the sizes quoted aren't quite right. Now Amy was the first to admit in her tutorial that the blocks she designed were loose and about having fun so I'm not pointing an accuracy finger at all. It's just that when I decided to use scraps for my quilt and realised I had an abundance of 2 1/2" squares and strips, I thought that I'd prefer to use them as a whole rather than cut them down to Amy's measurement of 2". When I tried to enlarge her units for her 7.5"/8" block, the square 3.5" piece didn't come out at a 'regular' size, in fact it was something like 4.32"! The pure fact that I couldn't work out what that could possibly look like on an inch ruler called for a halt in cutting proceedings!
Then I found this post by Occasional Piece-Quilt who'd discovered the same calculation problem but had worked it out based on 2 1/2" units using a quilt block computer program....salvation!
So I've worked with her measurements:
Centre cross = 1 x 6.5"x2.5", 2 x 2 1/2" square
Edges of the cross = 4 x 2.5" square
Background triangles = 8 x 2.5" square
Branches of the x = 4 x 4.5" square
These measurements yield a 10" block which is a great size.
I've spent the last few days on these blocks. I had an initial oops and should have re-read Amy's tutorial where she specifically explains the mixing of colours for the 'branches of the x'. I didn't do this for the first three and matched mine. I swore, abandoned ship and slept on it, deciding after another look not to pull them apart.
I'm so glad I didn't pull them apart because in the mix of the now scrappier blocks, it's hard to tell which ones they are. I find it hard to contrast my fabrics and scrappy is just as hard for me but as I'm working through these blocks and the fabric choices are diminishing, I'm getting better...and as Amy suggested....having fun!
For a great tutorial on how to lay out and piece the block go to Amy Gunson's badskirt site for a good explanation of the block construction. But....be warned, the sizes quoted aren't quite right. Now Amy was the first to admit in her tutorial that the blocks she designed were loose and about having fun so I'm not pointing an accuracy finger at all. It's just that when I decided to use scraps for my quilt and realised I had an abundance of 2 1/2" squares and strips, I thought that I'd prefer to use them as a whole rather than cut them down to Amy's measurement of 2". When I tried to enlarge her units for her 7.5"/8" block, the square 3.5" piece didn't come out at a 'regular' size, in fact it was something like 4.32"! The pure fact that I couldn't work out what that could possibly look like on an inch ruler called for a halt in cutting proceedings!
Then I found this post by Occasional Piece-Quilt who'd discovered the same calculation problem but had worked it out based on 2 1/2" units using a quilt block computer program....salvation!
So I've worked with her measurements:
Centre cross = 1 x 6.5"x2.5", 2 x 2 1/2" square
Edges of the cross = 4 x 2.5" square
Background triangles = 8 x 2.5" square
Branches of the x = 4 x 4.5" square
These measurements yield a 10" block which is a great size.
I've spent the last few days on these blocks. I had an initial oops and should have re-read Amy's tutorial where she specifically explains the mixing of colours for the 'branches of the x'. I didn't do this for the first three and matched mine. I swore, abandoned ship and slept on it, deciding after another look not to pull them apart.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Does this match the picture?
I was recently gifted a pile of 'foodie' magazines from a friend of my sister's who has moved to Perth to pursue her career. I have gradually removed them from M-M's house, taking the last pile last Friday night. Whilst I haven't had a chance to really sit down and read them, the Delicious magazine on the top of Friday night's pile from August 2007 caught my eye. I found myself thumbing through it at breakfast on Saturday morning determining that we pretty much had the ingredients for the front cover featured recipe....'Winter pavlova with quince and cinnamon cream'.
Now I know it's not winter here...in fact the last few days have delivered hot 30+ degree days (I'm talking celcius), so we are on the trajectory for a very hot summer....but....I have a beautiful quince tree that's now about 5 years old. As my tree has matured, it's delivered more and more quince bounty. I have found that Stephanie Alexander's poached quinces freeze really well and I happened to still have some in the freezer. I also happened to have some frozen egg whites which also freeze exceptionally well and if treated carefully in the de-frost make spectacular pavlova. Game on.....!
I was making something else on Sunday that required yolks only so I had two fresh whites and a batch* of gradually defrosted whites. *I can never remember how many are in the frozen container so I use them all!
Here's my version of the Quince Pavlova. I didn't have any praline so I used a smashed up 'Cadbury Crunchy' bar! We all thought it was pretty alright.
I'm linking up with A Quilters Table, Tuesday at Table. Deb wants us to share a seasonal recipe. Whilst mine's seasonal....it's kind of a stashed season and the result of a wonderful gifted treasure.
I was making something else on Sunday that required yolks only so I had two fresh whites and a batch* of gradually defrosted whites. *I can never remember how many are in the frozen container so I use them all!
Here's my version of the Quince Pavlova. I didn't have any praline so I used a smashed up 'Cadbury Crunchy' bar! We all thought it was pretty alright.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Something for baby....
If I've said it once, I'm sure I've said it ten times. I love making baby quilts and I love giving them away just as much.
But there aren't too many babies in my immediate circle....we're currently the 'parents of teens looking for part time jobs gang'. So you can imagine my absolute delight when I learnt that there was a baby in the family! Whoo hoo!
Joe's nephew has announced their second is on the way and due in March. Well done Matt and Sylvia, you've given me purpose.
Now that side of the family seems to be a bit boy centric...they already have one beautiful boy, his brother has a boy and their girl cousins have all delivered...you guessed it...boys! Not one girl amongst them.
Not that I'm requesting a girl but I wanted to work with some lovely prints I'd purchased recently. (Selfish....I know...) So given that the gender hasn't been announced and the likelihood that it could quite more than probably be a boy...but I'm also a statistician by day....the odds as they say, might be in their favour ....so I've used pink....and some blue, red and green.
Let's not get too hung up on girl or boy for now....I'm seeing brand new baby here!
My inspiration is the very lovely Nana Company, very similar, but different!
And oh my goodness....this is my 300th post. How delightful! Thanks for visiting, reading and commenting.
But there aren't too many babies in my immediate circle....we're currently the 'parents of teens looking for part time jobs gang'. So you can imagine my absolute delight when I learnt that there was a baby in the family! Whoo hoo!
Joe's nephew has announced their second is on the way and due in March. Well done Matt and Sylvia, you've given me purpose.
Now that side of the family seems to be a bit boy centric...they already have one beautiful boy, his brother has a boy and their girl cousins have all delivered...you guessed it...boys! Not one girl amongst them.
Not that I'm requesting a girl but I wanted to work with some lovely prints I'd purchased recently. (Selfish....I know...) So given that the gender hasn't been announced and the likelihood that it could quite more than probably be a boy...but I'm also a statistician by day....the odds as they say, might be in their favour ....so I've used pink....and some blue, red and green.
My inspiration is the very lovely Nana Company, very similar, but different!
And oh my goodness....this is my 300th post. How delightful! Thanks for visiting, reading and commenting.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sharing the Granny love....
A few months back the 'Sew and Sews' girls decided that we would contribute a bunch of 2 1/2" scraps into an exchange pool so we could make granny squares out of different fabric to our existing scrap piles. We all agreed that we were a little jaded by some of the scraps that we'd been recycling (over and over) in our own scrappy quilting endeavors.
We had the best fun diving into the pool and playing the matching/contrasting granny game. It was hard work avoiding what you were comfortable with and trying to dodge fabric that you had actually contributed! Many a "what about this one?" shout out was heard as we begged for ongoing colour combination reviews.
I think after that first night I finished up with enough for 7 blocks. At the time I was regretting not bringing my phone to take photos of the combinations I'd concocted....even more so when my sewing bag fell off the back seat on the way home, spilling the contents over the floor of the car! Sad but true.
After stitching those initial first few blocks the lure of the granny square pulled me right in and I couldn't wait for the next catch up so I delved back into my scrap bin completing my 25.
And here she is....a Granny Square Quilt just for me!
I've made 3 grannies now and I've loved them all. The first I gave away for a fundraiser and the other was a joint gift for a friend so the whole time I had me in mind for this one.
For 'my granny' I've used cornerstones which I incorporated into the block. That worked quite well and was less stressful than matching up blocks using long sashing strips.
The backing fabric is a piece of fabric that I bought in Melbourne when we first went interstate on the first 'Sew and Sews' fabric buying extravaganza! It was in a discount basked at GJ's for about $4m! It's a bit vintagey-nanna looking so it has been kept in storage all this time for just the right project and this was certainly it.
Because of the vibrant back and the mixture of fabrics on the front, I struggled for the perfect binding. In the end I opted to go plain and chose Kona Charcoal. I love it. No....I really love it!
If you want to make a Granny Square quilt of your own head on over to Jolene's blog for her tutorial.
This quilt is 5 x 5 (25 blocks with borders) which finishes up at around 65" square and is free motioned stippled.
And for the last word. I placed my absolute favourite 'exchange' block right in the middle. It's purple...a colour I NEVER use let alone own. Thank you girls for sharing the Granny love...we should do it again!
I've linked up to Crazy Mom's Finish it up Friday!
We had the best fun diving into the pool and playing the matching/contrasting granny game. It was hard work avoiding what you were comfortable with and trying to dodge fabric that you had actually contributed! Many a "what about this one?" shout out was heard as we begged for ongoing colour combination reviews.
I think after that first night I finished up with enough for 7 blocks. At the time I was regretting not bringing my phone to take photos of the combinations I'd concocted....even more so when my sewing bag fell off the back seat on the way home, spilling the contents over the floor of the car! Sad but true.
After stitching those initial first few blocks the lure of the granny square pulled me right in and I couldn't wait for the next catch up so I delved back into my scrap bin completing my 25.
And here she is....a Granny Square Quilt just for me!
For 'my granny' I've used cornerstones which I incorporated into the block. That worked quite well and was less stressful than matching up blocks using long sashing strips.
Because of the vibrant back and the mixture of fabrics on the front, I struggled for the perfect binding. In the end I opted to go plain and chose Kona Charcoal. I love it. No....I really love it!
If you want to make a Granny Square quilt of your own head on over to Jolene's blog for her tutorial.
And for the last word. I placed my absolute favourite 'exchange' block right in the middle. It's purple...a colour I NEVER use let alone own. Thank you girls for sharing the Granny love...we should do it again!
I've linked up to Crazy Mom's Finish it up Friday!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Stained glass spools.....
It features some now very old Moda fabric called Snippets by American Jane. In my book, Sandy Klop is the queen of red, blue, green, yellow, orange and pink combinations in traditional, 1930sh, feed-sacky (another of my made up words!) type prints. I have always loved this line, hence keeping it all these years. This was the first ever jelly roll I purchased way back in May 2009 when the girls and I whisked off to Melbourne for a weekend on our very first 'Sew and Sews' fabric buying excursion.
But I'm on a 'use it' mission these days, so after a bit of fondling I began the hunt for a jelly roll friendly pattern. I eventually settled on a Camille Roskelley, Thimble Blossoms pattern called Spools which I've already talked about here. The pattern is pretty simple with a tonne of cutting of little bits and thin strips. I was a bit apprehensive about all the skinny sashing strips but mine has come together pretty well. Needless to say, Camille's patterns are very easy to follow.
Now the debate with myself about how to back it!
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