Still Here ... Still Busy!!

PHEW!! It really has been a busy couple of weeks around here! There was only a break of a few days between Stitchers Dream Day Out before preparations for Creative Fields got into full swing. And what a FANTASTIC display we saw this year! Quilters from all over the Toowoomba, Highfields, Crows Nest areas and beyond put their GORGEOUS creations on display  and the many visitors to the exhibition during it's five day duration had a tough job to choose their favourite to vote for in the Viewers' Choice race. I spent a bit of time at the exhibition during the last five days, where our Quilting Angels group had a stall to sell some handmade goodies ... oh ... and there may have been a bit of chatting involved, since Marion, Fiona and Bev were on hand, too! :0) A big congratulations to Marion and Steph for organising another fantastic quilt exhibition and to all the clever-clogs quilters who had their quilts on display. There really are a LOT of clever stitchers around. :0)

During Creative Fields, there was also a very special quilt on display for the raffle the Quilting Angels are running until the end of November ...

This quilt has been made up with the original Quilt Aid blocks, which were donated to the Quilting Angels by Homespun magazine. The blocks are the original designers' blocks and they were put together by Linda Rother and was quilted by our very own Quilting Angel, the talented Fiona ... she did a MAGNIFICENT job!!! :0) I think we're all secretly hoping that we've bought the winning tickets, but if you think you'd like to give this quilt a home, raffle tickets are still available from Marion and Steph at The Quilters Angel. A big thank you, too, to the lovely ladies who were selling tickets in this raffle during Creative Fields.

 

So ... what have I been up to besides sitting and chatting at Creative Fields? Well ... I DID manage to get a couple of projects finished this week. In the lead up to Stitchers Dream Day Out, I decided to challenge myself by attempting to tackle the task given to Gail, Nikki and Natalie ... to design a project/s using only five fat 1/8's. I chose the bright colourway and came up with ...

 

... A stitching case/folder. If features a sweet girly bear who is sitting stitching, with the saying,

 

 "A stitch in time ... saves my sanity!"

 

While there would be some people who would say it's too late to save my sanity (Tee! Hee! Hee!) I had a lot of fun stitching this project. "A Stitch In Time" was the theme for this year's SDDO, hence the starting point for my stitchery. You can see there's a little frilly pincushion to match ...

 

 

... And when you undo the ties on the top and sides of this sewing caddy, you will find ...

 

POCKETS!! If you're anything like me, you try to store a LOT of bits and bobs in your sewing pouch/case/folder and then spend more time looking for things than you do stitching ... or is that just me?! Tee! Hee! Hee! So when I was designing this, I popped in a pocket for whatever you're stitching, one to house a pen/pencil (there's probably room for two in there if you wanted to test it out), a spot for your scissors ... which I seem to spend most of my time chasing!! ... and six good size pockets up the other end for threads and other sewing essentials. And I've attached them so that when you close the folder and tie it, nothing should fall out and there are handy carrying handles so it can be carried like a bag. I've started writing the instructions (GROAN!!! ) so will be releasing this new pattern soon. Not my usual colours to work with, but I really enjoyed the cheerful shades.

 

So ... that's another two projects I can add to my OPAM finishes list (note to self ... remember to update your sidebar list!!!) for September, which is WAY better than I managed for August. :0) And that is, of course, a reminder to all you OPAM gals out there to update YOUR finish lists in your sidebars and/or drop an email to Sweet Peg or me with your tally for September. Sweet Peg and I always love to see what you clever OPAMers have been creating. :0)

 

OK ... I'm off to be Polly and put the kettle on ... hope you're all having a great week and managing to steal some time to create ... or just taking a bit of time out to put your feet up, sip on a cuppa and be inspired by by some crafty prettiness in magazines or on line (damn you Pinterest! Tee! Hee! Hee!) Til next time ...

 

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS