I love Saturday mornings.....

There is seriously something about Saturday mornings that I just love.  Poddling about in one's pj's, having coffee and a yummy breakfast, actually taking the time to relax and ease the way into to the day.  Sure beats flying out the door, running late for work.

What to do with the day.  The last couple of weeks of the summer are here, the days are starting to cool off a little bit.  And this is my last weekend of total freedom.  Uni starts up again on Monday night so my head will be back in the books shortly.  I wanted to enjoy my last full weekend of freedom.  As one does. 

So I headed off to Southern Sydney for a spot of shopping at a couple of my favorite haunts.
 
I love it when you park out front of your favorite op shop (second hand shop/thrift for those in the US)  and it is 50% off everything in store.  There where bargains left, right and centre.  I was restrained. 

I couldn't resist.  1001 patchwork designs.  This is bound to provide me hours of fun and ideas for up and coming designs. 

And then off to a little patchwork shop  http://www.julescraftshoppe.com.au/ tucked away in the burbs in Southern Sydney.  I'm currently hunting around for fabric with big writing on it.  I have something brewing away I'm not 100% sure what yet.  I have just been noticing it in quilts that I'm admiring and I don't have any in my stash.  But you know there seriously isn't an awful lot about.  Some script stuff but not big, bold bright writing.  So I'm on the hunt, when I'm out and about.  I picked up a little today, as you can see from above.  & I'm hoping to find some more in my travels.

You know last time I was there I was hassling them out because they had so many templates.  Can I tell you.  Hardly any left :(   I ended up with the Apple core.  Happy camper.  But I wanted the diamond one too.  Oh well.  I will have to wait till next time.  I'm assuming they have all gone due to the recent Kaffe Fasset seminars, and everyone has gotten all inspired to do his diamond quilt with tonnes of colour...  :))  

The apple core has been on my mind for some time now.  So off home I go, with all my little treasures tucked in.

I wanted something bright and with some pink in it.  I don't tend to do too much with pink in it.  So out comes a rolled up scrap pack of bright fabrics from Smokey Joes (most Sydney sider quilters will know smokey joes :)  )  Thought I would put some of it to use. 
So this is where I'm up to this afternoon. 

If you read earlier postings, you will see where my inspiration came from for this quilt.  Amazing how quickly it has all come together. 

I love being able to cut ambidextrously.  ;)) saves me a bit of time. 

Best I dash, the sewing room is calling me.

Happy quilting.

K x



OMG, Im a winner, did you hear me.... LOL

I'M A WINNER.....

I cant believe I have won something.  I cant remember the last time I actually won something.......

Thanks for the link off Corrie http://retromummy.blogspot.com/2011/01/zoggs.html  Sensational.  Looks like I have won a pair of goggles. 

Yes I hear you all laughing.  But peeps these are something I use nearly everyday.
So for me it's a good prize win.   Cant wait for them to arrive.

;))
K x

Life Journeys, and the treasures you collect along the way.......

I added some hand stitching and trim to the journal cover last night.  This got me thinking about the travels Ive experienced, the different places and people I've met along the way. 

Trawling through craft and sewing shops in Paris making my way back to the city from the Sacre Coeur on foot.  Stopping in button shops where it is wall to wall buttons. Locating the only patchwork shop in the city.  Picking up trim, fabric and buttons that I could tuck into my suitcase to bring home.  Bead purchases at Souqs in Morocco, and  

then these little gems.  Hand painted metal buttons from Charles Bridge, Prague.   I picked up a couple when I was there in 2004 and I loved them so much that when friends tell me they are going, I beg them to pick me up some more.  So my collection has been added to over the years as different friends travelled to that amazing city...

I love the rustic look and charm of them, and to know that someone made them and hand painted each one individually.  I think it might be time to use some of them on a couple of journal covers. 

Happy Sewing
K x

Weekends away - Melbourne and surrounds

A little birthday present to myself.  A weekend away to Melbourne to catch up with a friend. Who's birthday just happens to be on Valentine's day. 

We started here on Saturday.  If you cant see the name on the building it is Costco.  OMG.  Talk about needing a scooter to get around that place.  A tad full on.  But fun to go and have a look and check it out.  It would be great if you are feeding a family.  I think there is one coming to Sydney soonish.....  If the big Muper Sarkets stop blocking it.

 

Some architecture in Kensington.

Then on to breakfast, at this place (below)....  Retro heaven.  Great coffee.. 

Did I tell you I can sniff out a craft shop at fifty places :))  http://www.onabee.com/  Same street.  Some very lovely little things.  They are carrying hand crocheted heirloom scarfs by Sophie Digard from France.  Which I must say "spectacular:.  Add that to your bucket list or want list you can check them out on the above link.

Then off to Anglesea, which is on the Great Ocean Road.  Just for a bit of fresh air and good food.

Lovely trees.  Their colour is amazing.

 Home...... to find this in my letter box.  The directions are great.  Thank you Big Sister ;).

Have a great week
K x

The Eve of the big 40!

Goodness me, well I wonder where the past 10 years have flown off too. 
One minute, turning 30 and being a 30 something year old. 
Well now the the 40 is seriously looming.....  on the horizon.  Oops it's hear already.
I'm my thirties, I managed to do heaps of travelling, amazing jobs, wonderful friends and family.

I wonder where the next 10 will take me! Different goals and aspirations that will pop up along the way.  Education, Long service leave soon, I'm off to renew my passport this week... The world is open and i intend on finding some new destinations..

Woo hoo.......  Bring it on.. 

I'M GOING TO BE A NAUGHTY 40 YEAR OLD. ..... . . . . . . .
;)
K x

Things that Ive wanted to try and test out........

So today has been the day of experiencing new things.... 

This is just a little quilt, I have been wanting to finish it for ages.  The fabric was purchased years ago (6 oops) in Christchurch, New Zealand.  The fabric is 100% patchwork cotton but has been up dyed and
re printed on.  So the bit that I had been wanting to try, is machine stitching on binding.  Talk about time saving.  Pit falls, cause you know there are always some of them.  :)  I'm not the most confident machine sewer.  So it is a little funky in places eg: corners.    But you know I figure, for a small girls doll's quilt, or new born tummy time blankie, its OK to get thrown around and chucked in the wash.  It isn't going into any competitions, or the like.   Oh not to mentioned. IT IS FINISHED...  WOO HOO... :))))

Overall Happy with this. 

Bircher Muesli.... yum yum just a little bit sweet.  Fresh blueberries and yoghurt

Yes I will be having that again for breakfast.. ..  but less apple juice.

 

And the above 3 pics, are of a covered journal.  Cause I have been wanting to cover one as well.  There isn't any stitching on it yet.  But it does have pocket flaps, and is reversable as you can see. I might pop on some stitching and pop a Tye on it to jazz it up a bit.  :)

Happy sewing.
K x

Oh how I love Saturday's . . . .

It has been a tad Hectic in my world this week.

But I did manage to squeeze in a little vicarious living!

So a very big thanks to Jennifer over @ http://movinghands.wordpress.com/author/movinghands/
She has been busy uploading pics from the 2011Toyko International Great Quilt Festival, that she recently attended.  Can I say each year, I sit with my eyes glued as close to the screen as possible to see her pictures..  Just to make sure I don't miss anything.  :)  Because I love to meander through her photos wishing that I had been there myself to see them in the flesh.  So many fabulous quilts again this year.  But I must say.  This one did catch my eye.  I'm not sure if it was the template design, the different fabrics used, colour or the extra bits stitched in detail.  You can see the detail on a closer up shot of the quilt on Jen's Flickr photo stream.  Which you can link off to from her blog.  Check them all out if you get a chance.  Because they are truly inspirational.

 Sometimes the biggest isn't always the best.. . . .  sometimes it can be the detail or the colour.  Or maybe something that we haven't seen for a little while

So while I was out pottering about this morning, trawling through one of my local thrift shops I found this.

Yes I know it looks tacky.  But this template was in it.  Spools or perhaps better known as apple cores.  Which you know got me all inspired again.... 

You never know.  I might just find my way back to my sewing room this weekend... 
Thinking about what fabric I could use in this project.....  hmmm  best I go for a dig through the cupboard. ;)

Happy sewing all, oh and happy drooling over all of those beautiful Japanese quilts... 
Kath x

But WaiT thEn MorE CamE

Fabric, Fabric everywhere.
Oh my....  Best I get into some sewing...... and get creative....  with all this beautiful fabric. 

Happy Sewing..
k x

FabRic ShOppInG online???

Well there is a first time for everything.
With all the pros and cons of buying on line.
How can one argue when the dollar is so exceptionally good.  As much as I want to buy local and support my local patchwork shop (Hobbysew or a couple in Southern Sydney), I'm also on a hideous budget.  So I took the plunge and tried buying online and some of it has arrived.  So excited....

The rest to arrive over the next couple of days.
Well this is one happy customer...  And balance is aways a good thing.
Little bit online, and off to visit the local in a couple of weeks. 

Kath x

DeCiSiOns DeCiSiOns DeCiSiOns

Hmmm....  Circles or drunk......

kath x