Time to stitch

I'm home again after an enjoyable weekend at Hawkesbury Quilters retreat and I am now really looking forward to a few weeks off from teaching with time to stitch. Last night I started working on the project for Nicola Jarvis and Easter will be a quiet time for stitching that too. The retreat was fun as it always is especially at 'show and tell' where all the tutors try to outdo each other from the year before! Here are a few quilts from that fun filled night.......Lessa has been attending as a tutor for the whole 21 years of the camp's history, so as their patron she 'opens' the event........

The expectation is that participants will bring their finished work from the previous year....so below are a few shots. First is from Lessa's class last year...

 Faye's scrap quilts always glow......

 Amanda Daly's students......

 Gina Burgess had designed a template free curved design.

The Dr Seuss quilt was a great hit and you can see it 2nd from the right.....

 Pam Furness's work.....she is certainly entertaining to be around!

 A couple of girls from my workshop last year..........

 Creations from the lovely Kay Haerland who is sadly giving teaching away this year - I will miss her smiling face and I am sure many others will too.....

 These gorgeous scrap quilts were the workshop for this year from Faye....

 This year my class was all about repeat patterns from historical tiles. It was great to see such diverse use of fabrics and it is always so exciting to see the different patterns emerging by rotating the blocks around. The four blocks are eventually mounted on four artist canvases so they can be displayed on the wall and then rotated when you are bored with the pattern!

Thanks to the committee for asking me once again and thanks also to all the girls who joined me for the weekend - see you next year!! I was most impressed with these two girls who turned up with the wine, nibbles and deck chairs!!

While  I was away the Geltwood Festival was opened in the gallery where my quilts are hanging....the photos and story are HERE. It was kind of strange seeing people standing amongst my work when I wasn't there but kind of serendipitous seeing as Elaine couldn't be there either to give Peter the Wagga she had made for him.......very sad. These photos are from that newspaper article......

And the library snuck a few shots on the day we were hanging.....(not good seeing the size of one's rear end though!!!)

I'm not sure if this link will work but if you are on Facebook the Millicent Gallery and Library have 20 photos of the open night as well. Try HERE

Many of you know that I have been visiting a nursing home for the last four years since my Mother died.....possibly because I missed having an older person in my life but also missing my nursing career. Sadly the lady who became my "pseudo Mum" died peacefully last night. It was such a privilege and honour to share Betty's life through our many conversations and it was even more of an honour to have Betty's daughter phone me yesterday morning to tell me her Mum was seriously unwell in hospital. To be treated like one of the family was so special and I thank Margaret from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be a part of her Mum's life too.  I will never forget Margaret's words as she shared how much I meant to Betty and how much Betty looked forward to my weekly visits and postcards when we were away. It is also such a privilege to be able to say farewell when you can get the chance. I was so lucky I had that chance to say goodbye and thank Betty for what she has given me. I will miss you so much Betty and my thoughts are with all your family xxx

William Morris quilt display

Larry and I have just done a 10 hour round trip on the road to hang my quilts! We did it in two days and I sincerely take my hat off to all you country folk who drive up to Adelaide and back again in one day (5 hours each way - phew!). I was asked some time ago by the lovely Elaine Pepper if I would lend my quilts for a month for the Geltwood Festival in Millicent. And today I got the very sad news that Elaine had died last year while we were away - so it was bittersweet to be working there today without her supervision - I hope she would have been proud. I am certainly honoured to have been asked and I hope that it brings lots of visitors! The exhibition is on until April 10th and is being opened tomorrow night by the witty Peter Goers. I wish I could be there but instead I am heading to New South Wales in the morning with four colleagues for a weekend of quilting mayhem with the Hawkesbury Quilters. So for now a few scenes of the 'before and after' work today.......

Show and tell smiles

A week has passed since my 10 days in Queensland and I am not sure where that week has gone! While friends in the Northern Hemisphere are freezing we are in the middle of yet another heat wave! My first show and tell is for all of us 'Down Under' to help us cool off a little! The scenes are from our wonderful Canadian friends Penny and Paul.......their emails bring us such joy - just beautiful - thanks guys! XX

 In Paul's words....."We woke up to this scene the other morning. It had snowed very lightly all night with the temperature just below zero. That makes the snow very sticky, and it builds up on even the smallest twigs 2 or 3 inches. The sun came out the next day, and the snow all softened and fell off the trees. It's always beautiful while it lasts".

So to some more quilting 'show and tell'. Anne sent me pictures of her beautiful version of "Kelmscott" and gave me permission to share it.....just lovely Anne and great effort - those bias knots are not easy!

Ellene sent me her version of "Bird" and went on to tell me she has won several awards in the US for it. Her quilting is just divine (click on it to get a bigger view), and I was chuffed to see she used many of my fabrics as well! Gorgeous Ellene and thanks for sharing.....

We can't have show and tell without the little man who continues to bring us such joy....and he actually calls me "Nanna" now which of course melts me. And Larry is "Da Da" as opposed to "Daddy" so Larry is pretty chuffed with being called that! Beau is almost walking on his own and is starting to climb - life will change now for us on childcare duties......

 And we always applaud ourselves when we do something clever!!.........

We had a birthday celebration during the week (missed out on Quilters Guild that night).....Happy Birthday Tim but for some reason the only photo I took was of Auntie Sophie and Beau.....oops!

I have been playing with some new tile designs for a retreat coming up on the weekend so that kept me busy for a few nights. Amazing how one little block can create different effects - such fun to do so I will share photos next week after the workshop. I have also been working on a very exciting project with Nicola Jarvis. Nicola won the award at the William Morris Gallery's competition "Inspired by Morris" in 2010 with this image.....

(Photo from Nicola's website)

Nicola is an embroiderer but she also produces these exquisite drawings that look just like stitchery. Nicola is having an exhibition at the William Morris Gallery from June to September this year....check the link HERE at the Gallery. Several textile artists are interpreting her work and Anna Scott is doing a piece for the exhibition. Anna's embroidery is beautiful and it has been wonderful watching her progress.....

(photos from Anna's blog with drawing belonging to Nicola Jarvis)

Well exciting news.....I am also stitching a piece for the exhibition! It is such a thrill and an honour to be a part of it all and I was so pleased the exhibition is on until September 22nd so I can see it! Mine will be an appliqued quilt rather than embroidery and time permitting I will add some embroidery and possibly beading. The package of Nicola's drawings and fabrics arrived last week so the head is down as it needs to be in the UK by the end of May. Now these birds are massive - they measure about 16 inches long by 12 inches high. Not sure I can use a lot of Nicola's fabrics with my raw edge applique technique ...these are some of them - silks and brocades which look like they might fray badly......

But I am sure she will be pleased with my substitutes. Tonight all the pieces are traced and ready to be cut........

Even more exciting that we will be doing a May Morris embroidery class with Nicola next year at the Royal Needlework School during our May Morris tour!
So until next time - I hope life is treating you well wherever you are x