Confused Wells

Quilt Campus has picked up one of my quilts for an online class.  They think that students would enjoy making Confused Wells as it uses scraps.... hey most of my quilts these days use scrap... I have so much of it I can't seem to get around to using 'good' fabric as they say.

Luckily I taught it to the Gerringong quilters last week and so was able to take lots of pictures to show each step.  I wasn't in the mood to make another one at present as I have so many half finished quilts.. again!

Pachyderms Proceed

Isn't it amazing how different a quilt can look with a change of colours.  Diana started out with all oranges and yellows and then decided to throw in a dash of green.  completely different from my purples.  In real life looks WOW!

all of the combinations are quite different but unfortunately this is the only combination that looked good in the photos.  Another combination is autumn colours which I love and one person is using civil reproductions.  I really enjoy seeing how the different choices turn out.

And I raise your two pairs

Well I can't believe it! Richard arrived home absolutely ecstatic over Hopkins... well apart from the presence of security huts every ten metres and the continual whine of the ambulance siren arriving every three minutes at the hospital across the road from the student quarters.

He thinks their program is superb and he has also been nominated for a Sommer scholarship which would allow him to work with various government departments while studying. They have also offered him a joint Ph D with the department of Mental Health and the people who he would be working with were extremely friendly.

He shared a room with a young man from Ireland and they hit is off really well and he figures that he could happily share with him. It appears as though the student accommodation isn't too crash hot but there is plenty on offer in Baltimore, although it is very rough in the areas around the medical centre where most students live.... definitely not the better part of town.

at least he is now basing his decision on more relevant factors such as courses and opportunities rather than available sports and accommodation.

Pachyderms on Parade

Well had a good class today at Cheryl's shop.  there were three people doing my Pachyderms quilt, one starting on Strawberries and Cream and another who wanted to do the Green Scrap.  I was quite surprised that no one got lost in the middle of all the different instructions going around.

They all seemed happy with what they managed to finish on the day.  One of the students also suggested that I introduce a finishing class every few months as she said that most of the students would like a day when they have completed all of the blocks to actually put them together with me so I will think about that.

Johns Hopkins

Well Richard has been offered a scholarship to Johns Hopkins Uni in the US.  It is unfortunately in Baltimore which it appears is the crime centre of the US.  While searching on the web for some more information Paul found a site that stated that Baltimore managed to top the states for every type of crime except for two... sexual assault and police corruption.  Unfortunately it was found in followup investigations that those figures had been doctored so as to lower the recorded levels.  Hey number 1 for all crimes is pretty impressive.

On the other side they filmed Hairspray there!  One needs to appeal to pop culture.

They are flying him over to check out the place before he makes a decision.  Probably because they figure with a reputation like that they need to input some information to sway prospective students their way.  Richard said the topic of their first session is 'Baltimore... it's not that bad!' Bit of a worry if you ask me.

Sorry no can do - Raconteur

Hi everyone,

I have spent several hours most days for the past month trying to convert my hand drawn designs to computer ones and am unable to do it.  Ben, the fellow who was helping me, has also finally called it a day as for some reason the program we were using just doesn't like my computer.  

It takes me two or three hours minimum to draw a hexagon but as soon as I save it the whole thing is covered with lines all over the top.  Although when I print the lines disappear the downfall of this is that I can't save as I go and so if I make an error everything is back to square one.  Also I am unable to save it to the blog without the lines... figured it is better to enjoy myself sewing rather than struggling with the computer!

So I must say sorry to those of you who were waiting to try some of these designs.  Hopefully I can get the whole thing published when it is finished.

See Jane Run

WOW!  Have been trawling and just came across some fantastic fabrics .. this one here is Andalucia Earth Moorish Tile.  Couldn't you do some interesting things with it.. just look at all of the reflections and rotations... plus the colours.

If I wasn't on a no buy challenge I could definitely give this one a try.

The blog where I found it,  laniejane also has a competition going and the winner receives a bunch of the fabrics... what a great way to promote the fabric and the blog... check it out... entry is free.

Clean Sewing Room

Well my sewing room is now clean.. admittedly the hall outside of it is a traffic hazard and a half but the room is clean.... that never worked with my mum and after tomorrow won't work here either but it has taken the better part of today to reach that level that I just had to gloat.

Decided to make a pin cushion yesterday and it looks like it may actually be working... will upload a photo tomorrow when I am hopefully finished.  The design is the oriental one on Luixin's web site but I have changed it so as to make it using regular piecing rather than english paper piecing and it makes it a rather quick project.

Will also upload a couple of photos but alas my card reader is at present nowhere to be found and I have given up looking... I bet it is in Richard's room:-)

Fibre Art Techniques

Eiloren has many free tutorials on techniques similar to those found in Quilting Arts.  Plus a great site and interesting blog to go with it.

Progress on NYR

Oh I don't believe it.  One week has almost passed and my 2009 goals have barely been thought about.

Let's see

1) 15 mins cutting scraps - no can do.  All of my scraps are still packed away and will only be unpacked later in the week - acceptable excuse

2) scrooge quilts - see number 1 plus no access to machine

3) one finish per month - still plenty of time

4) finish UFO before starting new project - nothing new started so OK

5) try one new free motion stitch - see number 2

6) write up patterns - Success did that one

7) quilt write up - success also although it is written up on a site with no public access at this stage.

so in summary 4/7 is not bad