When I received an email and the above photos from Ellene in the USA it took my breath away! Sand Hills Quilters Guild - a group from North Carolina, have used the cover quilt design from More William Morris Applique for their latest raffle quilt - what a prize. I was so thrilled and honoured that they had chosen this design AND used fabrics from the Adelaide Collection! And isn't the quilting just sensational as well....and this is the second of my William Morris designs that they have used for charity - thanks to you all and I hope you raise many $$$$! Ellen has shared this for any of you wanting to win the quilt.......
"If anyone wants to purchase raffle tickets, they can send their name, phone number and email address along with a self addressed stamped envelope to me at:
Ellene Place 90 Lake Dornoch Drive Pinehurst, NC 28374 USA emplace@nc.rr.com
The tickets are US $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. The drawing will be held November 13, 2012. I will send the ticket stubs back to the purchaser in the SASE."
Pamela needle-turned this intricate design (!!) and gained an award in a Keepsake Quilting challenge. And you have my admiration for doing it by needle-turn Pamela!
And another winner from the US - Linda Laine Banner. I love how she has cleverly placed and used designs from two of the quilts in Book 1. I think Linda has won a few prizes for her quilt as you can read on this blog; Quilts of Love. Well done Linda!
And closer to home this is Dani's stunning quilt - a 1st place at our local show Festival of Quilts - and she beat Val and myself. Go Dani!! (and I will have another stunning raffle quilt from Victoria when the committee give permission to share - it is a stunner!)
and SPECIAL PEOPLE
I had lunch today with Dani and her Mum Cathie and look what they presented me with.........
Cathie and Dani have become part of the December Angels and are helping me out with replacing my lost samples. Thanks so much girls.....and they went away with a bag full of patterns and fabric to do more - bless them.
And another friend Maree in Melbourne sent me her partially completed tea cozy. I think all my samples are nearly replaced! I just need to purchase the books, design mirrors and a very special pair of scissors that I have now realised were in the 'bottomless' box! (I am sure there is more that I will remember when I go looking)
I also received some exciting news from Edith in Tasmania.......The editorial team from Quilters Newsletter picked my 2nd book More William Morris Applique as one of their TOP TEN books for 2011 - whoopee! Thanks Edie for letting me know.
And my final special person is my doctor (glad we are in 2011 and not the 1500's!). Today she confirmed why I have been feeling so low - no motivation, tired and depressed........that jolly thyroid has gone off the scale again!! So a good cry, up the medication and I hope I am back to my old self.
So with all these special quilts and special people we have gotta be feeling good! I will leave you with a stunning piece of glass art that I would like to get my hands on from Kate Clements of Kansas City Artists Coalition
Thanks for dropping by and HAPPY 2012 if I don't blog before then! X
One of my favourite songsand seems so appropriate for a number of reasons....The past 2 weeks have seemed such a drag and I cannot get myself motivated and I need to! I have taken myself to the Commonwealth Ombudsman to take my lost post complaint further - I have obviously been extremely unlucky to lose three packages - and No they still haven't turned up!
The week leading up to Christmas is always full of mixed emotions. Thinking of friends who have lost loved ones recently and Larry and I also have anniversaries of both our Mum's passing this week. I also have a birthday just before Christmas and I usually spend it doing Christmas shopping or writing the Christmas cards. But flowers from Larry and friends bring great joy. And some more from Lloyd Curzon - I will enjoy watching the lilies open....
So I am trying to get back in the swing of things....I have been so tired from such a hectic year, so I thought I should make myself a list to try and prioritise!!!......
Who it’s for!
Project
Due date
Emily and Brett
Baby quilts (wall and cot)
Before we leave for New Zealand – 2nd week February
New Zealand
Morning Chorus quilt
Replace William Morris samples (lost Aust Post)
2nd week February
Hawkesbury Retreat
Finish quilting Arts & Crafts Sampler
Before we leave for New Zealand – 2nd week February
AQC Melbourne
Design and make Mystery class – quilt, runner, cushion
1st week April
Quilters Companion
Design and make small runner or cushion
Feb 10th to Sydney
Ballarat Quilting weekend – 2 projects
Design and make Wool applique block holder
Russian quilt / runner (finish Hermitage floor)
Early February
Ballan
Design and make Quilt / runner/cushion from Ballarat photos (Town Hall)
Possibly March??
William Morris Tour
Design and make Miniature embroidered Kelmscott quilt
End of June so I can do kits
Berrima Retreat
Dragon Quilt – only need to do design pattern
End of June
Will I be able to do it?? The December angels will be getting their parcels after Christmas to help replace some of my lost items.....so all will be well with their wonderful help. And then today this came in the post from Fay of Simply Stitches in Wagga. She said she just had to do something to help and she had already started this quilt! She even made a pieced background for it! Thankyou Fay
And then last week this was left on my doorstep - thank you Denise (and I know Eli in the USA is making one as well)
So Christmas is "on" in our new home.........
My Mum's old Santa is inevitably surrounded by birthday cards
And this week I also received a wonderful thankyou gift from Heather at the Barossa Cottage. (Aust Post delivered!) Every year Heather sends me a thankyou through the business. So thoughtful and so appropriate (William Morris of course!)....
So with the New Year approaching we can look forward to the"grand baby bump"arriving in about 9 or so weeks!!
Enjoy your preparations for Christmas and New Year. We especially think of those who are missing loved ones or are unwell. Enjoy our new tree - we needed a small one for our new townhouse and this was sold as"an apartment tree"
PS:for those girls who came to Galong....I have designed those quilt borders so do email me your address if you haven't already done so! And anyone from any shops doing the two new block of the month quilts - there are a couple of typo errors....do email me about them! (a sign of too much going on and too little time!) Till next time XX
Thankyou all so very much for your kind messages and thoughts. A little band of generous workers are helping me out with some sewing (the December angels!), and in the meantime I am trying to remain positive that all the quilts are still on their way home. A few days ago I had a lovely email from Maria Elkins who many years ago set up the Lost Quilts website. She had heard via the internet grapevine that I had lost quilts for a third time. This was the first missing quilt which Maria put on her site over 9 years ago when it went missing (and that was registered mail - can't believe it was 9 years!!)
So Maria has kindly done this service again for me as you will see when you visit the lost quilts site. It was then that I discovered that I am truly not alone.
Deborah Kemball is a quilter I have admired for many years. Her quilts are exquisite and all done by hand often using silk. So it was with horror that I read she too has lost this masterpiece - the cover quilt to her book......
Some months ago I purchased Debby's beautiful book just so I could enjoy looking at her masterpeices. Now that book is even more precious.
The first dreaded phone call came about an hour ago from Australia Post......"the investigation on my missing parcel is closed". This is the first missing large box that had some of these items in it along with design books, notes, fabric and much more (some items I cannot recall at the moment)
And this is the photo from that last workshop with Bunbury Quilters in Western Australia.....you can see some of the quilts on the back wall
I have a knot in my stomach and my heart is racing...I feel so let down by someone??? So I am asking a huge favour "out there". If any of you are reading this and have done any of these items in a class maybe I could perhaps borrow them? One friend has already made me the Peacock quilt (thankyou Denise X). I share my patterns around the world and ask for nothing in return so I wonder what better karma can I spread???!!! If you have been one of those lucky ones you might like to make me a little sample. It does not have to be finished. In return I will send you any pattern your heart desires.
And finally a little giveaway............This quilt is in the SECOND package missing and still under investigation. So to create some warm feelings of optimism I am going to give away four complete sets of the pattern to make the quilt in a lucky draw - and I am sorry if you already have it :-(
It has happened AGAIN..........this quilt is now missing in the mail. It was in someone else's care and posted back to me the first week of October...that is 8 weeks ago. It has extreme sentimental value as it was lovingly made by Jill who passed away last week (see previous post). Our friend Judy Simcock also beautifully quilted it. So if anyone knows anything please let me know....I think a trip to the police might be my next course of action as Australia Post don't seem to give a .......
Today we said farewell to a very special friend - Jill. The photo above in her memory is of her favourite rose the pierre de ronsard climbing rose - Jill was the very proud owner of a spectacular one climbing over an arch near her front door. I tried to find an image of one and stumbled across this lovely blog; The Laurel Hedge and then found the blogger is a local from our beautiful Adelaide hills. (fate strikes again)
Now to Jill..............I met Jill several years ago in a class. She was "the stunning lady with the bouffant hair", as only Jill could do! After some time she informed me that she had a "Michele Hill" folder at home and had done many of my designs in tablecloths for friends.....tablecloths?? - my goodness! Over time Jill kept 'popping up' in classes and her William Morris pattern folder was getting very full.
Over time I got to know Jill better and we spent many times together stitching and chatting. She also gave me advice and support in the 'business world' ...always wanting the best for me. When Jill found out I was doing a second book she jumped on board and asked if she could help. Obviously the tablecloth was the project for Jill so she set to and extended my design on a beautiful damask cloth complete with napkins.....
I insisted that the publisher have a photo of all the helpers and this is one of my favourites with Jill having a chuckle in the back with Val........just wish the photo wasn't so blurred. The photos were taken in Jill's beautiful home - roses and all!
Those of you who have the More William Morris Applique book will recognise this image with Jill in the centre. All this time Jill was battling cancer but never complained, in fact Jill told me many times that my designs and her stitching brought her much comfort and gave her purpose during difficult times.
This past year Jill has worked tirelessly to make sure all her grandchildren had a quilt. I have lost count of how many of my designs she completed on top of these family quilts - I can think of ten and at least six of them were large bed quilts. I will try to get photos from the family if I can. Last year while I was away Jill completed two new Block of the Month sample quilts - not content with the cream one she had to do a black one as well......one shop has reaped the rewards from this decision.
Recently Jill gave me some precious pieces of amazing needlework made especially for our 'soon to be first grandchild'. Jill was not only a great quilter but also an amazing smocker and embroiderer. This is what she gave me..........
And I have a beautiful tablecloth made just for me...........
We will all miss Jill terribly but I am so glad I got to share the time I did with her and that I had the opportunity to tell her how much she meant to me (even if I didn't share in her beloved footy!). What a legacy she has left behind for so many to enjoy. Our thoughts are with her husband Peter, her two beautiful daughters Amanda and Lucy and her dearly loved grandchildren.
