Ruined the owl...

Yesterday I tried to add some shade to the owl's head with a black fabric crayon. I didn't like the result and tried to erase it, but the result was even worse...
I'm afraid I ruined my owl quilt :-(.

We are going away, camping for 4 days, so I'll leave it now and have another look when we are back.

Any way... happy new year!

Owl

Still postponing sandwiching and quilting the Aussie quilt, I have started on another bird quilt - an owl, this time. This is what I did so far. I think it needs some more, but am not sure what... What do you think?
It does need a border, but I have to buy fabric for that.
This is the back - looks good, doesn't it?



I have signed up for the Hawaiian Quilting class starting on January 9th at Quilt University. I have never done any hand quilting but would like to try it.

More postcards

I had a ball working on these postcards yesterday. The fireworks card is a Happy New Year card for a colleague. The other one so far is not spoken for. I'm quite happy about the way it turned out - I used fabric crayons to add some shade.
I also made a few more Australia cards. I love these little projects! (and I'm procrastinating - not looking forward to sandwiching the Aussie quilt...)

Wishing you...

and a happy, creative, succesful and healthy 2009!



PS Thanks for all the lovely comments on the Aussie quilt top!

Top

I finished the top! Don't you think it looks good?

Now I have to construct the backing, with the world map panel and another Aussie fabric. Then sandwich and quilt it - I'm not looking forward to that part...

ATCs

I haven't worked on the Aussie quilt this week (I have bought backing and batting though!) because I needed to finish some postcards and ATCs. I've made 4 postcards for a swap with some of my ATWI20Q mates, but can't show them here yet because they haven't arrived at their destinations.

I can show you an ATC I made for Laura:



I received this one from her:



I liked the daisy ATC so much that I made 3 more for the Cyber Fyber International Random ATC Swap:



And I made this one from a scrap for the stellar quilt, and thought it appropriate to send it to Chloe who set us the stellar challenge:



And finally I dyed some fabric- I tried to get a pink-to-red series, but it turned out more orange-y... Still, I like these fabrics and am sure I can use them. And it was good to some dyeing again!



Tomorrow we are going away, for a long weekend camping. Next week I hope to finish the top of the Aussie quilt!

This and that

I have spent quite some time at the sewing machine this week, working on this and that. Mainly on the Aussie quilt for Hugo; I finished all the blocks (20) and am now sewing them together. This weekend I am going to buy the batting and backing. I think I will use the world map fabric for the back, like I did on Ernst's I Spy quilt.



This is Hugo's last week at school before the summer holidays, so we had to have a present for his Prep teacher. Remember the fabric that he painted? I made it into a giant card (or mini wall hanging) with Fast2Fuse:



The teacher really liked it!
And last but not least, I made some Christmas decorations using Christmas themed selvedge strips - inspired by a posting on the Selvage Blog.They are for my 'mortal' and have been sent in the last present for this year. My identity is revealed now, so I can show them here.



Now I need to make some postcards and ATCs for a few swaps. And a Brave New World quilt for Around the World in 20 Quilts, using recycled materials. Quite a challenge! (the theme, not the recycling)

Auckland, stars and a rainbow

Last Sunday I came back from Auckland. I had a very good time there - the conference was interesting, I met some very nice people, the weather was lovely (it made me realize how much I miss the long summer evenings and the twilight...) and I did some great sightseeing. For some photos of Auckland, please visit my other blog

On Saturday I took the ferry to Devonport, a beautiful, old (well, relatively old, of course ;-)) suburb on the northside and indulged in some serious shopping. There were a few good second hand bookshops, a wonderful toyshop and a great quiltshop. At the last one I bought some kiwi fabric, a book and a magazine. The lady at the counter told me there was an exhibition by a local quilt group on the other side of the road - so of course I went there!

The group is called Shore Thing and the exhibition was called Not Just Another Exhibition ... Again By Shore Thing. Featuring Kites, Dolls, Quilts, Fish, Fabric Art, Journals, Gifts, Sales Table Dye-in-Fabric (which I completely overlooked!).

It was a great exhibition - I made lots of photos and asked if I could put them on my blog. I could, so here are a few:






They had some second hand books (quilting and other)and magazines for sale and I bought quite a few. What a great way to spend a day in a new city!

On Sunday, when I came back home, it was the last day of the stellar challenge at ATWI20Q, - time to show all the quilts. I am not very happy with my stellar quilt, but there are some gorgeous quilts over there, so be sure to go and check them out!

On Monday I had an email from the 2QAQ State of the Art Quilt Show. Sadly, my Rainbow quilt was not selected. Well, it was made in less than a week by a very inexperienced wannabee art quilter... so I was not surprised (but a bit sad, I confess). However, I can now show it to you:



I still like the design of the quilt, but technically it could be better. I don't know yet if I am gong to keep it or cut it up to make postcards and ATCs. What do you think?

Aussie quilt

I'm still thinking on what project to work on next ;-), but in the meantime I have started a quilt for Hugo's 6th birthday (February 2nd) with the Australian fabrics I got for my birthday - and a few I bought myself. I think it will be a nice memory of our time in Australia for him.

On my Dutch quilters mailing list this is known as an Aussie quilt, because a patchwork shop in Belgium sells a kit for a quilt like this with aboriginal fabrics (see here, scroll down a bit for the Aussie). Of course it works well with all sorts of fabric, especially large prints that you do not want to cut up. In Dutch this pattern is also known as 'floating blocks' (there will be strips of the light fabric between the blocks when the top is finished, so they appear to be floating). I haven't managed to discover an English name for this pattern yet - please tell me if you know it!

Tomorrow I am flying to Auckland. I look forward very much to this trip and hope to bring back some Kiwi fabric!

Hmmm...

The analysis indicates that the author of Q is of the type:

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Want to analyze your blog as well? Go to Typealyzer!

(just as well that I have never aspired to a management position...!)

Postcards

Yesterday I received this postcard from Annica:



I traded an Australia postcard with her - you can see it here on her blog.

I also made 2 black and white selvedge postcards:



(the other one is on its way to the Netherlands already)

Apart from making some postcards I am trying to decide what I want to work on next. I have made a start on the rosy quilt, but am also thinking about a quilt for Hugo with the Australian FQs I got for my birthday (I've even started cutting some fabric). The stellar quilt for ATWI20Q is finished, but I'm not happy with it... Yet I do not feel like starting another one, especially since it has to be finished on November 30th and I will be away for 5 days next week (I'm going to the Australasian Tuberculosis Conference in Auckland and am really looking forward to that!)

I have the fabric for the 2009 Bunbury Challenge, but am not very eager to start on that one... The theme (A Piece of Paradise) nor the fabric really appeal to me (here at Margeeth's blog you can see what it looks like). Maybe I'll just skip that one.

What I really want to do is make another bird quilt - an owl this time. Maybe a bit larger than the other ones... And a self portrait quilt is high on my wishlist as well.

I just have to make a choice and spend my precious sewing time on that project!
Oh well... I'll keep you posted!

Art and Craft Display

Remember the Art and Craft Display to be held at my workplace? It was postponed for a bit, but was finally on this week - and a big success!



Beautiful quilts - I love that Christmas quilt!



This was my corner.



;-)



Seeing the magic quilt aways makes me happy!



Gorgeous felted bags



An amazing quilt made by my colleague Carmel and her family for her parents



One of my colleagues is a painter; this is my favourite among her paintings



Although this one is very beautiful as well



Carmel is an accomplished card maker as well.

We have decided to organise a display like this every 6 months - it completely changed the atmosphere in the office!