JAN KNIGHT DESIGNS

CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-19T17:13:00.002+10:00

Well, what do you know!!! It's only 6 sleeps until Christmas!!! Where has the year gone is what is on everyone's lips I think! Thought I'd tell you today about some of the textile art postcards I've been making through the year. No, I won't bore you with them all but will show you just a few. The textile art group as part of Gatton Quilters had a postcard challenge with us using a theme for each month to create our postcards. It's been such a fun and challenging thing to do all year. We (GQ) are having an exhibit at the Lockyer Valley Regional Gallery next June and we will display the collections there as part of the exhibit.

Front and back of the "Fashion" theme. I chose to create a "robe" to be the High Priestess Robe. I then made-up a totally fictional story about a tribe etc. Click on any of the pics to bring them up larger.

Another of the robe series...this one is the "Snow Queen Robe" in reply to the "Winter" theme. There are two other robes and a mask that belong to the set and perhaps I'll show these at a later date. I was inspired to create the robes by Inga Hunter who has created the most amazing robe pieces...just stunning.

This last one's theme was "Weaving"....I used unusual "threads" that I purchased from The Thread Studio ( www.thethreadstudio.com ) Overdyed Sari Ribbon and spun silk bits from Nepal along with some charms and a shisha mirror. It all had and Indian feel to me so I named it "Sari Sunset".

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Season and is looking forward to a great 2012!!

SUMMER 2011

2011-11-23T19:24:00.000+10:00

Actually it's still spring but you wouldn't guess it! We've had a week or so of 30C+ temperatures! The aircon has taken a beating! Ü I thought it was time to update my blog a little as it's quite some time since I posted.

I've been busy designing and completing quite a few new projects for Handmade as well as myself AND for the new blog I have with my friend Cath. I have a button here on the blog for it so make sure you go visit.

"Cherry Fudge" is one of my new bags. Fairly quick and easy to complete but quite stylish I feel. Would look good in any fabric you may choose and just match the trim and buckle to your choice.

"Dreamtime" is another one. My bag features one of the many aboriginal prints available now but would look great in any choice of fabric. Binding the side seams on the outside is a feature, as well as the larger than large button.

"Elegance" is the third of five new bags. It has a shaped top and features a large felt flower which is included in the instructions. Once again would look good in any fabric choice.

"Orient Express" isn't all handmade hexagons! LOL It's a wonderful authentic Japanese fabric printed with hexagons. I have stitched around all the hexagons on the front and back of the bag as well as the clutch with a Sashiko thread to match. Would work well as a knitting bag with the clutch as a needle holder.

"Tokyo Tote" also is made from authentic Japanese fabrics - the hexagons as well as the "ribbon" design. A classical bag with an interestingly shaped flap. Like all of my designs it would work in any fabric choice. The knotted shoulder strap can be adjusted to suit the individual.

All of my bag patterns retail for $15AUD plus postage. Direct deposit works well for payment if ordering OR through Paypal which is secure for overseas orders.

I had the urge to create a "right out there" apron, collected the fabrics and the result is "Retro Kitchen"

I used four different fabrics - three large print designs from the Kaffe Fassett range and a colour match of a tone-on-tone fabric. Great fun to choose the fabrics and make!

Same price as the bags - $15AUD plus postage with the usual payment arrangements.

For once I haven't designed any new Christmas designs....working on the cover spread for Handmade's Christmas in July issue in January after the floods drained me I think!

There are two small projects in the current issue of Handmade which I had made last year. I do have plans for my traditional Christmas pillow as well as tree ornaments for Kirsten and Matthew. Will post pics when I complete them! LOL

I will be back before Christmas! Until then, happy stitching,

Jan x

NEW BLOG

2011-07-25T16:16:00.000+10:00

I've just added a button for the new blog with Cath. She is such a clever person! She has designed the button so help us along and add it to your blog too please? We're busily preparing our first posting...lots of things to give you plus some of our patterns for sale as well. I've also been working on some new projects for the magazines and "busting" to get to some new bags I've designed as well. This is just a quick post to let you know about the button but will be back with some more soon!! Until next time, happy stitching and stay safe,

Jan

THE LIGHT WITHIN

2011-07-15T18:55:00.002+10:00

Lots of beading and embroidery are in this piece. I finished it about 18 months ago for a special exhibition at the gallery in Atherton. Each year the combined churches held a week of art. As well as the exhibition to a theme (always from the bible) the committee also arranged for tutors in the arts to teach workshops of all kinds and also special presentation at the church with both art and faith involved. Sadly, the last exhibition was the final one as the driving force (the anglican minister) was moving away to fresh encounters. The theme was "showing your light" but not sure now what book of the bible it came from. I had been "toying" with the idea of intense tonal embroidery and beadwork for a while so the theme just fell in my lap! Not sure if I have shown the pic before of a book cover I completed for a friend with the same idea, only smaller, in white. If you go back a bit you will be able to find it I think.

Along with a new friend, Cath, we have created a new blog with lots of interesting things to write about and also free patterns etc so, go to http://jancathsbitsbobs.blogspot.com/ and have a look! Only baby steps at the moment but we're working on making it exciting for everyone. I'm busy designing a stitchery BOM for the new blog as well as more projects for Handmade AND myself! :) Until we meet again, happy stitching, love,

Jan

HANDMADE PROJECTS

2011-07-04T15:45:00.002+10:00

Velvet & Lace is one of two projects featured in the current issue of Handmade. I made it a while back and thoroughly enjoyed creating it. I hand painted the lace and was lucky to find the random dyed velvet in a dress fabric shop. Would love to say I had hand dyed it too but won't! :) The tassle is handmade too, using three full skeins of silk thread. Very sumptuous and fitting, I felt to match the bag. I finished off the bag with a small amount of lace and embroidery on the back as well. Interesting beading is along the top edge. Hard to explain without a diagram - using approx. 3mm diameter beads with smaller seed beads in a "sort of" fly stitch manner. A really nice finish for any edge actually. More to show you in a new post tomorrow! Happy stitching!

Jan xxx

I MUST APOLOGISE!

2011-06-23T16:49:00.000+10:00

For not keeping up to date with my blog. So many things have happened since I last wrote. Moving house; Melbourne for Christmas to visit our daughter Kirsten and then home just in time to experience the dreadful floods in our valley. We were some of of the lucky ones in that our home was not flooded....just about 20cm or so of floodwater in our yard. I was evacuated by Black Hawk choppers which was an experience I'll never forget I think! Enough of that!

Amidst all of the horrors I also had to create a full Christmas table setting for Handmade. I had been asked to do this just before Christmas and the deadline was the end of January! Luckily Virginia (the editor) gave me a week's grace and I DID complete it under pressure. I sent it off without even setting it out and photographing and just prayed that they would like it. Luckily they did and it's been and gone now as the next issue is now out. I will post a photograph ASAP.

For this post I thought I would finish off our Artistic Licence exhibition at the Tablelands Regional Gallery in November. It was very well received and caused a lot of comment which was pleasing. I'm fairly certain I have posted all the pics of the small pieces so will give you a bit of a look at how they all looked on the walls of the gallery as well as the final piece which melded in with the other larger piece the rest of AL created.

As always I'm never sure if I will get the pics in the right place so here goes! As you can see the individual pieces aren't easy to see but the overall pic gives an idea of how they worked together. The plinths hold the artist books we all created.

The above pic is one set of combined pieces that were hung in the entry of the gallery. Mine is the piece on the right and I'll also add a pic of it on it's own. Sandra created the top left piece and Liddy the bottom left piece. Hopefully the individual pic will give you a bit of the detail. Probably doesn't show in the pic but each of the individual pieces started and finished with the same fabric as the one beside it ie. the first green fabric on mine was the last on Liddy's and the last red fabric of mine was the in the first section of Sandra's. As we were all flung far and wide when we each worked on these it's a bit amazing that they blended!

I added elements used in the small pieces to echo and create a sense of continuity. Below are some pics of some of the artist books I created for the exhibition.

The green book was to echo my small piece titled Earth's Oxygen and the red concertina book echoed Prelude to Winter.

The Tea Time set of books were named because I used used tea bags for the pages. Great fun to do! Just dry the tea bag once used then empty out the tea leaves and open out the bags if you want. I do both. Different brands of tea give different results. Purple Passion was created as a journal....blank pages inside. Both books used handmade papers etc for the covers. I don't get a lot of spare time to indulge my love of bookmaking but try when I can.

Now that I've got back to post my first message in a long time I will try very hard to come back at least once a week. Lots to tell everyone about!! Until then, take care and happy sewing to everyone! Love,

Jan

MORE A Sigh of Colour

2010-05-14T20:41:00.001+10:00

I realised I had missed showing the full photograph of the previous pieces I'd given a glimpse of plus one I left out totally! The darker green one is "Earth's Oxygen" - this was the first piece I created and using the Nancy Crow birch tree fabric started a trend! :-)

Next in line is "Summer's Finale" - the Nancy Crow fabric was such a design inspiration I thought! LOL I actually completed the red piece before this (Prelude to Winter) and carried the leaves into this one as it was appropriate. Actually! When I cut it back to correct size I made a mistake and messed-up the top, right hand corner...the leaves hide a multitude of sins!!!

Next is "Prelude to Winter" - the leaves are dimensional and mostly silk. Hand appliqued and quilted. This is not quite the full photograph of the quilt as I had left it in Atherton before I left and didn't realise I hadn't photographed it properly.

Last one is "Sleeping Forest" and using the Nancy Crow fabric again for the insert. Once again, hand appliqued and quilted. I'm hoping that I'll be able to go "home" (still feels like it after 20 years living there) for the opening of the exhibit but not sure whether I'll be able to.....hope so!

Jan xxx

BRRRR It's getting chilly! Not too cold to stitch though!!!

2010-05-14T20:23:00.001+10:00

I've completed more pieces for the "A Sigh of Colour" exhibit and pretty happy with the results. Of course, you always think you would have done things just a little differently but that's just human nature I feel.

The first is "Sentinals" (the green one as I'm never certain where the pics will end up when I hit "publish post" LOL) - I needle felted (on my wonderful Pfaff Embellisher) a rectangle of hand dyed wool roving and then cut the gum leaf shapes. The jade circles are a gift from my friend Liddy "collected" during her 2 years in Thailand. Hand quilted as well.

The next (aqua) is "Coral Cay" and I'm hoping it's obvious what I was trying to achieve. Really enjoyed doing this - the centre section is hand dyed silk organza; leftover bits from Kirsten's graduation dress from high school. Perfect for my design as we made the dress on an underwater theme. Hand embroidered and hand quilted as well.

The last is the copper one - "Copper Elements" - pretty self explanatory. Also hand quilted. I have to get these pieces posted up to the girls in Atherton so they can then finalise whether we need more to fill-out the colour range to fit the gallery walls. We're also creating handmade books - some to echo some of our individual pieces as well as others. I had a great time working on these as it's been a while since I made any. I'll post photographs soon!

We've had absolutely beautiful days here with quite chilly mornings and warmish days with it turning cool again as the sun goes down. Been dragging out some of the winter woolies!! I'll be back soon with some more pics. Until then, happy stitching!

Jan xxx

I'VE BEEN STITCHING UP A "STORM"!

2010-03-19T21:45:00.001+10:00

I've had a busy couple of months and haven't lived up to my promise of posting regularly! I always enjoy working on new projects and these few have been great fun and I have almost been "possessed" by the need to finish them. M'ladys Fancy II is an addition to my banner range and was inspired by some of the shoes in my M'ladys Passion BOM. I even got the BeJeweller out and added some bling! :-) The pretty pastel banner is M'ladys Fancy and I so enjoyed stitching these! I used some of the new range of yummy, hand dyed threads from Country Garden plus a bit more "bling" with the BeJeweller. The background fabric is this wonderful linen which I fell in love with. Want to do more projects with it.

Now for "Cherry Cakes"!!! Not my usual choice in colour but had this idea and this great range from Moda - "Oh-Cherry-Oh" by Me & My Sister Designs was the perfect choice. I added the bright green spot plus a couple of others for the applique but had a wonderful time working on the seven project using this range. These will be featured in Handmade magazine - not sure if all in one issue or spread over a few but that's Victoria's (the editor) decision. A tea towel, recipe book, pot holder, table topper, frilly apron, floor mat and framed piece make up the seven. A marathon effort! lol They're all complete now but can't show the full collection as the magazine get them first. :-)

Then I discovered the sewing fabrics in another set of sewing themed projects. A sewing folder, needle folder and a dinky bag to carry sewing things. I had such fun with the ric rac (my favourite thing to use) and lots of embroidery and buttons plus little sewing things to add to them all. They're almost complete now but thought I'd give you a sneak peek!

I also love all the great wooden buttons that Laraine from Up In Annie's Room designs too and her cherry button and cotton reel button were the perfect thing to use with both the Cherry Cakes and Tools of our Trade projects.

The two banners and the Tools of our Trade will be a new addition to my catalogue range.

Hope I'm forgiven for not posting as I should but just HAD to get all this projects finished. Have more on the drawing board and will give you a sneak peek at my new BOM I've also been working on.

I just love Moda fabrics! "Passionne des Chapeaux" uses Charisma by Chez Mois designs with the Moda Marble as well.

I'm off tomorrow to Gatton Quilters for the day which I enjoy so much - I feel like I belong here now! :-)

Happy stitching everyone, Take Care, Jan

A SIGH OF COLOUR

2010-01-26T12:24:00.004+10:00

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!! Hope everyone has a great celebration. We had bacon and eggs cooked on the barbecue for breakfast so we've done the "Aussie" thing! :-)

Now, "A Sigh of Colour" is the exhibit that Artistic Licence are presenting at the Tablelands Regional Art Gallery in November this year. Artistic Licence is a group of us, five in all and we're all textile artists. The five of us have different styles but have exhibited together often over the past 15 years. ASOC is an idea we had and, "hopefully" we will achieve it. ALL of the pieces are to be 30cmH x 45cmW and, if looked at from a distance to represent just the one colour. We're all doing pieces in all the colour ranges so that, when hung, will create a "ribbon" of colour going around the walls of the gallery. I can only show portions of three of the pieces I've completed so far as I have to keep the full piece "unseen" for the exhibition. It's been very challenging for us working the colours so that there is a continuity, especially now with me 1500km away from the others! Thank goodness for digital photos and the internet! The green one (Earth's Oxygen) was my first one...fancy me picking green to start with! hee hee You can't see in this portion but I also used the tree fabric in green like the other two in the ochre and red. I've had the set of four fabrics for years now (Nancy Crow design) and always wanted to do something about the four seasons but hadn't. When going through my stash I discovered them again and decided to use the four for ASOC. The ochre one (Summer's End) is the latest one completed. The red one (Prelude to Winter) has a host of "falling" 3D leaves over it. The fourth in the fabrics is a sand colour and is completed and left behind in Atherton but I didn't take pics! I have asked for pics to be taken so will show them along with the next one which is aqua in colouring (Coral Cay). Along with these particular pieces we are also doing a large piece - in segments - to hang in the foyer of the gallery AND also some artist books as well!!! I have to fit all of this in with my magazine and design committments so guess what I'm doing for 2010! Also a handmade journal about the pieces.

We're having another hot day today at around 38C with a projected 40C tomorrow as well as a thunderstorm! Hurry along winter! lol

Hope everyone is stitching up a storm! Cheers,

Jan

ANOTHER BIG 'O' BOOK

2010-01-19T10:41:00.004+10:00

Another of the big "O" books...this one for Dot who turned 70 on 23rd December, 09. I decided to do the cover as I did as Dot loves beads and embroidery. I chose the monochromatic idea purely for the hec of it! I started out with the embroidery and really didn't have a plan in mind and it all just happened as I went along.

Once again I think I've got the pics all topsy turvy but it will be obvious which ones are the cover and the close-up of the beaded/embroidered section. The beautiful silk ribbon and flower beads page is Judy's. The blue page is Liddy's - wonderful old buttons and Liddy is a blue girl hence the choice of fabrics. The crazypatch style landscape is Robyn's -she actually started that piece in a workshop with Judith Montano when she (Judith) was out here in Australia a while back. The hand-dyed lace and embroidery bouquet is Carole's..Carole does the most exquisite embroidery with fine, silk thread. I turn 60 this year so I'm hoping I'll still get MY book! lol

I've also learned that if you click on each image it will enlarge. You will see that I stitched a small "reef" section in the bottom left hand corner using real shells and I also had to add the moon and the stars up the top. The beaded section was reverse appliqued into the cover and I added small amounts of embroidery and beading to soften the hard edges. I'd like to work a larger piece with the same idea in mind sometime in the future.....time consuming though!

Happy stitching!

Jan

NEW BAGS

2010-01-18T11:10:00.002+10:00

Here's some of my newer bags. I never seem to be able to get the text in the right place for the pics so I'll just describe and, hopefully you will work it out! lol The Rust/Navy/Green one with the stitched inserts is called Take Me Shopping - a very roomy bag with loops at the top of the gusset to enable it to be opened out if you have shopped big time!

The Green/Bone one is Tablelands Tote and I had fun designing and making it. Just loved the new round handles and that was the basis for the design. The semi-circle is scrunched fabric with a bit of beading and I "squared" the base by having the triangle on the outside held with a large button - just for something different!

The Black one is Black Magic...fairly simple but a very usable bag once again using the new round handles.

The yellow one is Casual Chic and it's "soft" with heaps of room too. I used the Studio Mio leather handles but any sort could be used or even fabric ones as well.

I've got more designed and one already half made but have lots of other projects I have to work on as well so bags might have to take a back seat for a while. Who am I kidding!!! I really enjoy designing and making them and one day will have a huge sale!

Looking at a 38C day today so maybe won't do much sewing and probably have LOTS of cold showers! Hope your day is a good one! Cheers,

Jan - do you think this is a COOL colour? :-)

MOVING SOUTH!

2010-01-17T15:51:00.003+10:00

This is the house we left behind in Atherton, Far North Queensland....after 20 years with the last 18 months or so being rather stressful as the Queensland Governement (in their infinite "wisdom") closed Kairi Research Station. This left Ross virtually without a job. Luckily, because of enterprise bargaining he was not made redundant. However, he had to find a job "somewhere" in Queensland, within the department. Luckily a job became available in Gatton, SE Qld. The big move happened on the 17th November...almost 20 years, to the day, that we moved from Laidley (only 5 mins from where we are living now) north to Atherton. It has been so difficult to leave behind the strong friendships formed over 20 years, plus it's where our children grew up (being 7 and 5 when we moved) but it was a case of having to. No government house like the one you see here and it's much, much, MUCH smaller!!! We're finally relatively "settled" in the house and have had to convert the 2nd bedroom into my sewing studio and the 3rd bedroom into my office. Where visitors are going to sleep we have yet to work out! It's quite a nice little house though and the lounge area is very liveable now that we've taken over the 3rd bedroom for the office. I haven't taken a pic of the house as yet but have of the lovely view we have from the side verandah (verandahs all around which is lovely). We have some "neighbours" - 4 horses and a flock of geese as well as human neighbours as well. The rather aggresive frilled neck lizard was a random visitor! :) 1/2 acre of land which is rather dry but we're hoping to green it up a little. No town water but we DO have a grey water tank so here's hoping. I never seem to be able to get the pics to sit where I want them to but they're pretty self explanatory. The house is the one we had in Atherton and the views are from our new home here in Plainland. A terribly hot day here today with temps reaching around the 37C. It's been a bit lonely since we got here as all the quilt groups etc have closed for the holiday season but I'm sure things will improve as the year progresses. I'm hoping to do a bit of teaching - perhaps from home here as it's very pleasant on the side verandah...time will tell. Until tomorrow, Cheers and Happy Stitching,

Jan

2010!

2010-01-16T11:39:00.005+10:00

It's the 16th January already and I DO apologise for being so bad in keeping up to date. Mainly because of all the major happenings since I last posted. After many months of uncertainty we finally had direction in our lives! A job became available within the department for Ross but it meant a major move of many kilometres. I'll tell more about all of that in the following days. I'm going to make a concentrated effort to write each day over the next week or so to catch-up up with all the happenings. The major one for this month is my dear Mum's 95th birthday. We travelled up to her place on 8th January to celebrate the big day on the 13th. Matt was to come too but he caught a terrible virus when he returned to Newcastle on Boxing Day and couldn't even start work when he was due. He's improving now but the doctor says he'll be very tired for quite some time. Not sure of the virus (very long name!) but something similar to glandular fever. My Mum is pretty amazing for her age and whilst her eyes and ears are letting her down a bit the rest is spot on! She still lives in her own home and generally takes care of herself with help from the local community care and meals on wheels. We had a great time with her and she celebrated a couple of times. My friends from when I was a teenager (I've never lost contact with them) came down to the beach for a get together on the Saturday evening and Mum was still firing at 10.30!! Even though she had said earlier she might have to excuse herself to go to bed...LOL My Aunt (Mum's sole remaining sibling out of 11 children) Connie arrived the morning of her birthday on the train from Mackay and we had a full day of shopping and visitors plus a special family dinner in the evening. My brother Ian was there too so she was surrounded by family. Ian lives closeby and visits her every day which is a big relief to me. Another night where she didn't go to bed until very late! The two photos are of two new outfits - the blue set Aunt Connie bought her for her birthday and she bought the other outfit herself - just because she felt like it! :) We travelled home on Friday 15th and I'm now back into finally getting my sewing room (aka the 2nd bedroom) sorted in the new TINY house - but more of that later! It's been such a horrendous job moving into a much smaller home as well as leaving all my friends behind in Atherton but it had to be done. Catch up with all the news as each day passes...hoping everyone is well and had a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends. Cheers,

Jan

ALMOST FINISHED!!!

2009-08-15T17:40:00.004+10:00

I was like a "woman on a mission" with the quilting and after the some 17 years between applique/embroidery etc for the quilt top it's a good thing. I finished the hand quilting probably almost a week ago but projects/instructions for the magazines and other thing got in the way and I've only just sewn the binding on just now. I had to take a pic of the whole quilt for one of my students who needs to collect her "bits & pieces" for it so thought I'd share. WILL take some close-ups of the individual blocks that I haven't shown yet and post them through the week. We're off, out to the lake tomorrow to have a BBQ lunch with Ross's Dad before he leaves for home on Tuesday so will take it and do the hand stitching. The men will be "man talking" so I'll enjoy the lovely day and sew! I will try to remember to take the camera so you can see how lovely it is out there. Ross is VERY lucky to actually have his office with lake views and where Dad is camped is the picnic spot for the Research Station where Ross has worked for the last, almost 20 years. The state government has decided to close down the research station which is a very sad thing so we're not too sure where our future will be. It's the most beautiful piece of real estate and has been the research centre for almost 75 years. Sad times!!!

I hope everyone else is enjoying a great weekend and maybe stitching as well. :)

Jan

MORE BLOCKS FROM VINTAGE VIGNETTES

2009-08-02T17:01:00.002+10:00

I've had such a passion to complete this quilt I'm now quilting the outside border! Hand quilting is like that to me though - very addictive! It's; "I'll just complete this block" OR "Just one more length of thread" and I must admit, I've rather "sat" at it since I basted it and it's given me so

much pleasure as it's been quite a number of years since I've hand quilted a reasonable size project. This particular block utilises the old-fashioned, crocheted crinolean ladies that were often put into the corner of a ladies handkerchief. I added the lace under the skirt and when the quilt is complete AND washed I will stiffen the lace somehow so that the skirt stands out. As I've been quilting I've realised JUST how dirty it is! I guess being handled so much over the years in teaching the blocks etc it has to have become quite dirty.

I will photograph the remaining blocks and post them each day, all going well. I designed quite a number of blocks using this motif for all of the students - leaning against a wishing well; under an archway; in an arbour and walking down a path. They all looked wonderful and it was great to give that personal touch to each person's individual quilt.

The "delphiniums" each took me around 40 hours to complete! The are made-up of countless colonial knots with just 2 strands of a hand dyed silk thread. I let the thread give me the colour graduation.

Amidst all this hand quilting I've had a rush visit on Saturday afternoon to see the eye specialist as I had developed a "floater" plus flashes in my right eye. At this stage, all is well but I see him again this coming Thursday to double check that there is no tear in the retina. Apparantly the floater AND the flashes is relatively normal for "a woman of my age"!!! :)

I also have started my bag workshop at the shop in Mossman again and had a lovely time last Wednesday night with the ladies working on a range of different bags. Silly me forgot to take my camera! An unexpected pleasure on the Thursday was, a traveller arriving to show the girls his range of buttons and fabrics. I could have spent a fortune if it were me ordering but, thankfully, I had no say! lol I would go bankrupt very quickly if I owned my own store!

I must get back to my quilting - hope this finds you all well and happy and until next time; happ stitching!

Jan

"ALMOST FINISHED" UFO!!!

2009-07-16T17:54:00.003+10:00

Waaaaay back in 1992 I had this idea to create a quilt - initially to be monochromatic but this changed! I was telling my students about the idea and, of course, they wanted to start NEXT WEEK PLEASE! Naturally I said yes and immediately created the first block. The idea was to work through all the possabilities with applique - as many techniques as possible and we started. I was only ever one week ahead of them and by the end (because the majority of them wanted to make a queen size quilt!) of the some 20 blocks I had gone from the monochromatic idea to bringing in "some" colour as the blocks progressed into more detailed ones.

The cottage above is one of the more heavily worked blocks and I'm ashamed to say that it's taken me this long to almost finishing a small number of the blocks. I've had the six 12in blocks plus three 6in x 12in. blocks put together into a quilt top probably since around 1993 but have never quilted it!!! As I progress through quilting the blocks I'll share with you the rest of them. The other blocks (ones that relate to our marriage and such) are to be put together into another wall quilt although I may turn them into pages for a fabric book now. Don't know what I'm doing with the remainder! :)

The other pics are details of the embroidered garden - a range of silk ribbon plus normal thread techniques were used - the rose vine over the roof and the tiny "Alissium" are some of the wonderful hand-dyed threads available. I used one of those newish propelling chalk pencils (which are wonderful by the way!) to mark the grid lines for quilting but not worried as it will have to be washed when I've finished it. It's been floating around for so long that it's really quite filthy!

When I taught the class quite a lot of students completed their quilts and it's now having a resurgence as more people see it. I'm starting another class, after all these years, next month but only the blocks on this particular quilt - NOT the full selection!

I definately find hand quilting very addictive and just could never contemplate machine quilting a quilt such as this. All the handwork in it deserves hand quilting I feel. Sore fingers though as haven't done a lot of fine hand quilting lately! I tend to make a larger stitch than what the traditionalists would do as I like to actually "see" the quilting rather than get caught up in so many stitches to the inch!!!

I have promised myself to post more often in this last half of the year so let's see how I go. I have been rather prolific over the past few months but mostly projects for the mags so can't really show them here yet. HAVE been working on some pieces for my Artistic Licence group's exhibit in the regional gallery next year so will take some pics and show them too. Until next time, happy stitching and stay safe everyone.

Jan

SAD SAD NEWS

2009-05-28T11:56:00.003+10:00

Anyone who says that a pet doesn't become a very important part of the family is telling lies. I finally have to admit that our darling Megs has left us. He's been missing for almost two weeks now and today I have to admit that he's gone. I've kept up hope that he'd come back and think that it's the not knowing what has happened to him that hurts the most. We've checked all avenues from the pound to the roads but no sign.....maybe a tic got him but we're not sure. Ross checked him every day for tics so think perhaps it wasn't that. I miss him terribly and have no one to talk to through the day. He certainly stole his way into our hearts and will always be remembered. We went away for the weekend to the quilt show in Mossman and I really hoped that he'd be waiting for us, giving us a big talking-to for leaving him for the weekend but he wasn't waiting for us. I'll tell you more about the weekend another day as today is just for Megs. Just hope he's sharing cat heaven with all his friends.

Jan

RAINFOREST TO REEF EMBROIDERIES

2009-04-24T13:04:00.002+10:00

Today is one of those absolutely beautiful, autumn days that we have here, in Far North Queensland. Temperature is "crisp" and beautiful blue sky and bright sunshine. I really DO appreciate our wonderful weather but also often wish we could have a "proper" autumn and have all the trees changing colour etc. Can't have everything I guess!!!

I just had to take the pic of the flowering (don't ask me what it's botanical name is!) hanging basket on the front landing. Covered in blossoms and looking so healthy - I might add NOT by my hands but Ross, he's the green thumb person in this household!

The "Rainforest to Reef" embroidery isn't framed yet but hope to have it done sometime soon. Each individual embroidery is 2 1/2in. x 3 1/2in. in size. I actually completed the three of them some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed stitching them. I've used a variety of threads, some handmade paper plus found objects. These are my favourite kind of embroidery when I get the time.

Real shells on the beach embroidery; a genuine handmade wooden button on the rainforest as well as the little gold frog (in actuality it's a hat pin sold in the tourist shops here) and more genuine shells in the reef embroidery. The final photograph is how I would like them to be placed when I get the framing done.

This weekend will be a quiet one as Ross is playing lawn bowls both days but I'm fine with that....lovely to have the house to myself and, no doubt, I will be sewing plus really have to get into my sewing room and put things away to it's tidy again! I promised myself once I got it organised that I'd keep it that way. So far I've done really well but things have been put in a corner just lately - "to be put where they belong another day"...this weekend IS THE DAY! :)

Hope everyone enjoys THEIR weekend and will try hard to be more regular again with my posting.

Read a lovely quote just the other day - "Friends are like a bra...close to your heart and uplifting!" :)

Jan

MY "OTHER" FAMILY

2009-04-02T13:53:00.003+10:00

Thought I'd show you our "babies" - Megs (the ginger cat)you have met before but HAD to include him in the "family" thing! :) He's getting much "cuddlier" now it's a little cooler. Ross is VERY pleased as he sits on his lap in the evenings now and is such a sook! ROSS that is! lol NOT the cat! The only "look-in" I get is that Megs comes and sits on my hip in the wee hours of the morning and has a nice, comfortable sleep! He purrs so loudly it often keeps me awake but, me being the sook I am, won't move him.

Scooter is the furry one snuggled into the doona and he belongs to Kirsten in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to meeting him in June!!! We are flying down for 9 day visit and to say I'm looking forward to it is an understatement!!! We've been trying to get Ross down there for nearly 3 years now and FINALLY, and only because of the first State of Origin Rugby league game being held in Melbourne this year, we got him to go! Kirsten is taking him for his and her birthday so it will be a good "bonding" :) night for them both. Kirsten and I are hoping to go to see Billy Elliot for "our" bonding night! LOL We're both busily planning on shopping trips etc etc so I can't wait.

Little Ally is the new addition to Matt's household. To say he's turned into a bigger sook than his father is an understatement! To hear this 6'2" BIG guy getting all "soft" about a little kitten is just lovely! He always loved animals as a kid and finally has his own. She's a real cutie but knocked his expensive mobile phone over the balcony the other night so isn't too popular at the moment! I think owning a pet is so good for everyone and they certainly add another dimension to our lives. They say that pets are fantastic therapy for elderly people in homes etc and I DO believe this is true. They give us such unconditional love and loyalty and "round-out" our lives I feel.

I've been busy working on projects for the magazines so will give you some glimpes of them once I get them photographed. Hope you're enjoying the lovely autumn weather if in Australia and hope that spring soon will be "sprung" for those in the northern hemisphere!

Happy stitching, take care and stay safe,

Jan

MY FAMILY

2009-03-05T15:06:00.003+10:00

I thought today, that I might share with you all, pics of my family plus my Mum and brother. Sadly my Dad passed away almost 26 years ago. Mum is now 94 and I'm sad to say she has been alone all those years. My brother, Ian - (we share the same birthday) - was six when I was born and that's him with the grey beard. :) I think the other pics speak for themselves - our daughter, Kirsten who turns 27 in June - she shares her birthday with her Dad! (which, I might add he's not happy about because he seems to miss out! LOL) Matt turns 25 this September and, as you can see, is in the Australian Air Force. Ross is very camera shy and it's hard to get a good pic of him! Mostly he pulls silly faces when he sees a camera around which annoys me, no end. This particular pic of him was taken at the top of a hill overlooking a tiny little outback town called Forsyth and that's one of the many ant's nests that are around. That particular one is only a very small one compared to some! Very dry country out that way and vast vistas of land in abundance. I used to go out there each year to judge the patchwork and needlework plus the craft for their annual "Forsyth Roundup"...the first time was a culture shock but people come in from all the outlying cattle stations and the "show" is combined with a rodeo and then an evening dance. They sure know how to enjoy themselves!!!

Until next time, enjoy your families AND your stitching, love,

Jan

ROARING 20'S

2009-02-23T16:44:00.003+10:00

I designed this lady quite a few years ago and had never done anything with her. One of my sewing friends has been nagging me for a while now to complete her so she can do one too. I really wasn't sure how I was going to approach it but Stella gave me the impetuous to get her done. I will get her framed when I can afford to - think that's the best way to finish her. This lady (Roaring 20's) so inspired me I've designed a new BOM quilt around her....HATS! :) Will sit beside M'ladys Passion BOM very well I feel so now I'm busting to get into completing that too...."Passionne des Chapeaux" is it's title. Hats, Hat Box, one hat on a stand plus flowers. It's got a real 1920's feel to it so now looking for the right fabric. Fabric choice is so important isn't it? I've been looking at a few websites but, so far, haven't found the right one. I also have to try really hard to not have tunnel vision either, which IS a big problem of mine. I have what I'd like in my head and don't seem to be able to look past it.

Hope you like her...will come back soon as have a couple of other things to share too.

Happy stitching, love,

Jan

HELLO FOR 2009

2009-02-09T11:48:00.009+10:00

It's rather too late to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I've been soooo lazy in not posting but I'm baaaaaack!!! Will try hard to get back into routine and post at least once a week. My first thoughts this morning are for the people in Victoria who have lost loved ones and homes in the terrible bushfires they're experiencing. 108 lives lost as of this morning so our thoughts and prayers are with those people. In stark contrast, here in Far North Queensland we're experiencing major flooding and in particular the town of Ingham have suffered badly. Such a land of contrast Australia is. Road have been cut for days now and the grocery shelves are very bare. Minor things to put up with compared to our southern neighbours.

During all the rain I've managed to get quite a bit of sewing done so thought I'd share the pics with you. "Feeling Pretty" (bottom) is a change in colour choice for me.....Not sure what's happening with me but I'm often drawn lately to softer colours but must admit that these fabrics were given to me and I'm quite happy with the result. "Pink and Pretty" (Middle) is a bit brighter in colour but using pink which is a colour I've never been drawn to! LOL Almost looks like I'm going in for the shaped tops of bags but quite like the affect. "Take me Shopping" (Top) is quite a roomy bag with 6in gussets but I've added a "tie" to the top of the gusset to give it the interesting shape and the "room to grow" if the shopping is LOTS! :)

Some other projects completed too but will post them another day. Almost mid-February already! Will be Easter before we know it! Happy Stitching,

Jan

CHRISTMAS WISHES

2008-12-22T17:42:00.004+10:00

I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND SAFE CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

MAY 2009 BRING EVERYONE ALL THAT THEY WOULD WISH FOR.

I DID promise to post some pics of my decorations but have simply ran out of time. The quilt in the photograph is one I designed and made way back in the very early 90's. Not a terribly good photograph but it is still part of my decorations. It hangs in the loungeroom and for want of a better title is called "Knight Christmas" :) I've added more quilting in the background since the pic was taken and it DOES hang a lot better! LOL Port is almost packed, Megs has been deposited at the cattery (the owner is a real softie with cats so perhaps he won't want to come home to us!) and we fly out of Cairns at around 11am, I think, and arrive in Newcastle at 5.30pm their time. It's going to be very special to spend Christmas with Matt in his home - he even said he'd buy a Christmas tree! :) Unfortunately Kirsten has to work so won't get to see her again this year. Until I post again (we arrive home on 8th January) I hope everyone has a relaxed time and also hope Santa is kind to you all! Love and best wishes,

Jan xxx

PS. Have to add that here in Queensland a suitcase is often called a port. LOL I wasn't just packing a bottle of port to take with me! :)

CHRISTMAS 2008

2008-12-21T14:46:00.006+10:00

I didn't realise it had been so long since I'd written!!! Time sure has gone by so quickly. With Christmas preparations and also all those Christmas celebratory lunches etc to go to I have been rather busy. I might say it took me a good week to get all the decorations put out and the tree up. I'd spent quite a number of hours getting our old tree all in place and ready for the decorations when Ross came home from work and said we had better go buy a new one as it was looking a bit "tired"!!! I said NOTHING! :) I DO like the tree we have now though...would love to have a real one but they're not easy to find where we live. It is an enormous job to sort everything out and also pack everything away to leave empty spaces for my Christmas collections. I'm almost embarrassed to say that there are ALMOST too many of them all! You could never say I am minimalistic in my decorations! I will take photographs of it all and post them tomorrow. For now I have my yearly tree decorations for Kirsten and Matthew, along with my yearly pillow as well, to show you.
Also, three tree decoration I designed to give away as a lucky door prize at our sewing group (joined with the R&C sewing group in Mossman). I also made an extra 2008 pillow plus some of my Christmas patterns. Cindy from Mossman won the prize and I think she was happy. The three decorationsall have 2008 embroidered on the back and if you remember the stocking I designed for Handmade you will recognise the fabric AND design which I repeated for the 2008 pillow. K&M's ornaments (below) have the same whimsical tree (done with my Pfaff needle felting machine) on the front with their name and year embroidered on the back in the colour to match the gusset.
I feather stitched down the centre of the gusset in green and added an old gold colonial knot every so often.
Matt's comment was "rad Mum, you outdone yourself this year" - I was pleased!
I'm about to start thinking about what clothes to take for our trip to Newcastle - have to make three skirts this afternoon! Only simple straight ones so won't take me long. I haven't used my overlocker for ages so hope it still works!!!
Until next time, Happy Stitching,

Jan

WOODLAND BLOOMS PROJECTS

2008-11-23T16:13:00.008+10:00

The other three projects from the "Woodland Blooms" range of fabrics from Moda. LOVELY fabrics - a polished cotton feel to them and, as always with Moda, great to work with. I really liked the green background floral fabric to start with but ended up preferring the blue background! :) Unusual for me as I just love green. ALSO out of the ordinary for me to use bright pink too but it just seemed the best colour to bind both the bag and the tablerunner. I went mad with the ric-rac again but just love it as an accent. I called the bag on the left "Carrington" - don't ask me why! And the bag on the right is "Flamingo" - mainly for the bright pink binding. The tablerunner (Flowers with Power) is quite a long one - it sort of grew! 14in. x 48in. (35cm x 116cm). The photograph doesn't seem to do it justice...it's very bright and cheery and would even look good along the bottom of a single bed I would think. It's been fun and now I'm working on Christmas things in between doing all the instructions for these recent projects - the one part of designing I DON'T enjoy! :)

Terribly, terribly hot here today...not sure, exactly what the temperature is but would have to be around 35-36C I would think. These past few days have been very enervating when the heat hits all of a sudden. Think I'll go and have my third cool shower of the day when I've posted here - cools you down for a little while. It's times like this I'd love a pool in the backyard!

Until next time, happy stitching, stay well and safe, Cheers,

Jan

"A CHRISTMAS KISS" WINNER!!!

2008-11-17T10:44:00.008+10:00

Apologies for being late....the date had just got away from me!!! I'm happy to announce that Cheryl won first prize so will be posting that out to her shortly. I decided to give a second and third prize as well and Kim won second prize of a small swag of felt hearts. It's the one at the top of the pic. If you email me your address Kim I'll get yours into the mail too. Third prize was won by Jules and if you email me Jules, to let me know what sorts of things you like to sew, I will send you two of my patterns. Anything from quilts, bags, tablerunners, placemats and also Christmas things too! Email me and give me some thoughts. I'll do another lucky draw early next year so watch this space! :)

I had a lovely weekend, starting with an art opening of just wonderful watercolours by a very talented local artist, started my Christmas shopping on Saturday morning and went to a champagne and chocolate make-up and other goodies Nutrimetics party on Sunday morning. Finished the day by sewing some more projects AND watching the first disc of Series 7 of THE Gilmore Girls. LOL One of my alltime favourite TV shows and I spoiled myself while shopping and bought the series 7 pack on special!

Off now to paint some of my buttons from my new range and then some more sewing! Happy stitching and Stay Safe,

Jan

LATEST PROJECTS

2008-11-12T18:26:00.003+10:00

The first bag pictured is "Sassy 60's". It's from the "Woodland Blooms" range of fabrics from Moda. I've got three more designs in this range half made so - watch this space! :) The other projects are all from the "Recess" range, also from Moda and I just loved them! To me they had a feel of the 50's and 60's, hence a lot of the names. The bag with the great, green commercial handles is "Top of the Pops"; the little round bag along with the needlecase and scissor holder is "Stitching Dilly Trio" - "dilly bag" comes from my youth and perhaps a distinctly Australian word...Mum would always call things that. The orange bag (and I just LOVE this fabric) is " Both Sides Now" - I need to take a pic of the other side as it's a different fabric and the gusset has both fabrics as well. Last, but not least are the two wallets/purses/pouches to be whatever the owner would want them to be - "Blast from the Past". They would be useful for putting any of your current, hand sewing projects in, handkerchiefs, anything special etc etc - I feel. Hope you like them all. Seems like a lot but been working on them all, in tandem, for probably a couple of weeks now. I tend to do that sometimes if I've been inspired by a particular range of fabric and I do all the cutting, then any handwork, then the machining, back to more handwork then back to any machining and so-on. Work for me! I have a tablerunner just waiting on the binding, another bag, also waiting for a binding choice and then ANOTHER bag at the cutting process in the Woodlands Bloom range so busting to get them done too. LOL THEN, I have to do all the instructions...the part of designing that I like the least! I find it a real headache at times and agonise over making sure I've explained myself in an easy way. Off tomorrow to my monthly Tablelands Regional Gallery voluntary duty and will enjoy the new exhibit. WONDERFUL paintings by a very talented artist - we attended the opening last Friday night and, if I were a millionaire, would have purchased quite a number of paintings! Talk again soon, happy stitching and stay safe,

Jan

STITCHERS ANGEL SWAP ARRIVED!!!

2008-11-02T16:43:00.003+10:00

Erin, from New Hampshire is my wonderful angel! The parcel arrived last Wednesday as I was just about to leave for Mossman for my monthly bag workshops. Needless to say my departure was delayed a little! :) Erin was SO good to me and opening the box was like Christmas come early. My lovely Alphabet Annie, fat 1/4's of fabric, the wonderful bag that is almost hidden in the pic by all the other special, thoughful gifts. And then there is the fabric box, the snowglobes, GENUINE maple syrup! (Ross can't wait to try that! lol), yummy chocolate buds (that I demolished almost straight away), and the Willow Tree "Friendship" angel that now sits beside me here at the PC and last but by no means least - a special treat for Megs! I might add, Erin, that he just RUNS when I shake the packet now so they've been a great hit! :) Megs says thanks...and he's a great talker so you can imagine! I love the Bohin needles too, thanks Erin - they're my favourite needle to use. Erin was rather sneaky in that she made contact with me and we've exchanged quite a few emails and, silly me! It never occured to me that she might be my secret angel until she posted her hint of the package ready to send on her blog. http://www.godoodlesnquilt.blogspot.com/ Go visit Erin's Hannies Annies site too! http://www.hanniesannies.com/ THANKYOU again Erin, you spoiled me way too much but I'm glad you did! LOL A big thankyou to Helen from Hugs and Kisses too for organising the Stitchers Angel Swap - I'll make bets that it's been a huge success.

Now I'll have to get back to normal and enjoy my gifts as I work....Alphabet Annie will live with my other fabric dolls so hope they don't get up to any tricks together! Until next time, happy stitching. I've just completed quite a few projects using the new Moda, Recess range so will post pics as soon as I can. It's been fun! Bye for now,

Jan

NEW BAG - FLOWER POWER

2008-10-20T09:34:00.004+10:00

I had a great time designing and making this bag. LOVE the Amy butler fabric and it really makes me think of the 1970's, hence the name. The handles are from Studio Mio, a great company, based in Sydney, who import the most interesting handles and other "hardware" for bagmaking.

Love the new buttons from Beutron too and used them to hold the pleat in the gusset closed. I'm on a real roll with bags lately! Have another 6 or so designed with fabric choices made and just waiting for me to get to them. That's in between everything I'm planning on doing! A cold and miserable day here in "sunny" North Queensland but Megs is still sitting beside me here on the window sill. Not many birds for him to "eye-off" though! LOL

Until next time, happy stitching, Cheers, Jan

CRAZY PATCH PIN CUSHION

2008-10-16T16:54:00.004+10:00

My friend Sue in England and myself have challenged each other to make one of these. We both post on a wonderful forum and also visit
Lisa's blog. Lisa had made this beautiful crazy patch pin cushion and Sue and I decided to "have a go" too. It's ages since I've done any crazy patch and it took me a while to get my brain back into gear with all the embellishing. I'm afraid I went a bit overboard and, in my rush, as I always do! Made the circle too large for the jam jar lid I had chosen plus, didn't take into account the area where the embellishing would get lost when completed! So typical of me but I had such fun doing it I've promised myself to take the time and do more crazy patch. It will mean taking time out from my designing etc but "feel the need"!!!! Here's Lisa's link to her wonderful blog - have a good look at everything she does, it's just beautiful!

http://ivoryblushroses.blogspot.com/2008/09/rosebud-pincushion.html

If you want to see more pics of my pin cushion here's the link to my flickR page....they're in with other things so just click through until you find them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozjan/sets/72157607914091412/

Tomorrow is my day with my "Artistic Licence" girls so I'm looking forward to that. We're planning our next exhibit and this one is going to be in the new Regional Gallery so we're really going "upmarket"! Not until 2010 so got plenty of time. It's another interesting concept and I'll tell you all more when we finalise the details.

Until next time, happy stitching and stay safe,

Jan

WENDY'S BIG "O" BOOK

2008-10-13T10:01:00.004+10:00

The last of the big "O" books for this year. More for next year! :) Wendy loves bright colours so I did the cover with this lovely bright orange wool felt I had. I've used pansies (for friendship) as the theme on all the covers and this time, needlefelted the cover with my lovely Pfaff Embellisher. I used wool tops (the pansy, dupion silk (the purple on the left), wool thread (the curly bit) and mummi silk (the little red spots). I hand stitched the detail on the pansy and leaf as I thought machine stitching might get lost in the felt. Also handstitched the running stitch detail as well. Added beads and used iron-on buckram (spelling?) to stiffen the cover.
Judy's page is the brown one with silk ribbon embroidery and lace. Mine is the crazy patch styled one with the old painting printed from the PC; hand made, rolled ribon roses with 1cm wide ribbon; lace medallion; old buttons; beads and a gold charm. Moreen's page is a beautifully embroidered stitchery design with a lovely little lace butterfly. Other pages were stitcheries, crazy patch and Wendy's Mum Carole stitched an exquisite stork on japanese printed fabric - single thread silk buttonholed around the outline. We will be giving it to Wendy tomorrow so hope she likes it! :)

I spent most of the weekend working on a new bag design AND finishing my Angel Swap gift so that's all ready to post to reach my recipient before the end of the month. It's been fun and I'm checking the mail each day for mine! :)

Until next time, happy stitching,

Jan

My Angel Swap Gifts

2008-10-10T09:33:00.004+10:00

Just a little hint of what I'm sending. My angel lives quite a way away from me in a land where quite beautiful flowers grow! :) It's been such fun designing the third part of the gift. The other two I designed a while back and one was even featured in one of the magazines. Many, many thanks to Helen from Hugs and Kisses in organising the Angel Swap, I'm sure she's very pleased with the response she received and if you want to see more pics and news go to Helen's blog by clicking on the Angel Swap icon here on my blog. Another weekend is on the horizon...we're planning on going to Ravenshoe (a little town about a 45min drive from here) as they're having their annual Torimba (Festival of the Forest) street parade and festivites. Ravenshoe was a very busy timber town for many years but now with forest preservation the timber industry has ceased. The timber display each year has a plethora of magnificant carved and turned pieces that are well worth viewing. Looking forward to it! :) Hope everyone else has a great weekend, Cheers,

Jan

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

2008-10-06T10:06:00.004+10:00

My angel and Christmas tree collections from a couple of years back. The lights pic isn't such a good one but will give an idea - this was the 2006 display. Ross has added more since. We would like to have more lights up on the peak of the house but it's rather high and he's a little bit height challenged! :) Our house is what is called a "Queenslander" - built for the hot weather and all timber. This house would have been built in the 1930's I think and, as you can see in the pics, the interior walls are what is called tongue and groove. Terrible to clean when the mould comes in in the wet season! We may not do all the Christmas thing this year as we're going to Newcastle to have Christmas at Matt's. Will all depend on how I'm feeling closer to Christmas! Would love to hear what everyone else does for Christmas? Cheers,

Jan

CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY

2008-10-05T17:14:00.004+10:00

It's called "Under the Mistletoe" in the magazine (Handmade Volume 26 No 2) but I had named it "A Christmas Kiss". I will be giving it away as a Christmas gift - the draw will take place on Nov 20th. All you have to do is email me at ozjan51@hotmail.com and you will go into the draw!!! I'm a true "Christmasaholic" and won't tell you how many big plastic crates I have, full of Christmas stuff! It's a major job as I pack away most things that are around the place to bring out all my Christmas "collections" - Reindeers, Snowmen, Santas, Angels, my Christmas pillows along with lots of other things. I've always loved snow globes too and have found them difficult to find here in Australia but I've managed to find two I think so that's my NEW collection! :) Think I have some pics here on the PC from Christmas one year so will find them and give you a look. Ross (who used to be the original "Bah humbug" of Christmas) has become rather enthused with Christmas lights and he really does a great job each year. I often have a giggle at me with my snowmen etc as they're a little bit out of place, I guess, with our hot summer Christmases but I'm afraid that Santa in sandals and board shorts just DOESN'T fit the bill!

Looking forward to hearing from you all, Cheers,

Jan

SPOKEN WISHES

2008-10-03T10:21:00.004+10:00

Spoken Wishes - a quilt I've been working on for some time now. A bit spasmodic I must admit! :) The pics are the colourway I've been working on and a couple of my sewing friends have worked it in two other colourways. One is the traditional country colours of red, blue, mustard, green etc and looks lovely! That particular quilt is finished and has an applique border. The other one is worked with rather "pretty" colours and is a smaller quilt as I've designed it to be completed in two sizes. Mine and the pretty one have large floral borders so the applique will not be needed.

My plan has been for Spoken Wishes to be a book but not sure how to approach it yet. Whether to self publish or submit it to a publisher. A real quandry! The book will cover both fusible and needleturn applique along with embroidery as well as some piecing techniques. Feel it will suit beginners through to advanced readership. Have to finish them all of course!

Megs being a typical feline just HAD to walk and then sit on it when I had it layed out to choose borders etc. The small piece sitting on top is a block from a charity quilt out sewing group completed. A rather pretty completed quilt that we found in one of the magazines.

It's a rather miserable day in sunny Queensland today - overcast and drizzly rain. So unseasonable but think global weather is haywire too! Ross and I are off to Port Douglas tomorrow to "look only" at a Darcy Doyle exhibit there. Darcy Doyle is a well known Australian artist and the exhibit is the last set of paintings he completed before his death. I'm sure we won't be able to buy any as they will be rather expensive! Nice to see though. Mossman, where the R&C girls shop is, is only a short drive from Port Douglas so will visit them as well. Hopefully the weather will be much nicer tomorrow as the Port has become a great tourist place with lots to see and do. Hopefully will get some great pics to show. Have a great weekend everyone,
Jan

New Issue of Handmade

2008-10-01T12:43:00.007+10:00

My copy of Handmade arrived in the mail yesterday. Volume 26 No 2. Rustic Gatherings; Holly Penny Rug (although I had called it Rustic Seasons!) and Under the Mistletoe (my name - A Christmas Kiss). A Christmas Kiss is one of my older designs (discontinued from my catalogue of patterns)having it's last "hurrah" but the other two were specifically designed for the magazine. The magazine changes my titles sometimes and that's fine! :) It's a really nice issue with lots of nice things to make. A nice appliqued tree skirt; the cutist reindeer teddy bear who just makes you smile; Jordon who is a lovely teddy bear, a great table runner and a lovely painted wooden Santa are just a few among the over 45 projects to make.

It's now the 1st October so that has to mean that it's only around 85 days until Christmas!
WOW! Where has the year gone? I'm sure it's not just because I'm knocking on old age, it as to be the busy lifestyles we live now surely?

We're going to Newcastle for Christmas to our son, who is in the airforce and stationed at Williamtown airbase. He's living in a townhouse off base now and has nagged since he moved for us to go to him for Christmas - so we are! :) He's a bit of a "bah humbug" about Christmas decorations etc so I'm going to have to take my own I think! Maybe he'll succumb to a small tree so we can hang the ornaments I have made each year for he and Kirsten at least? Which reminds me!!! I'm going to have to think of what theme I'm doing for them this year! Will have to get my thinking cap on...any ideas gratefully received! :) Until next time, Happy Stitching,

Jan

Another New Bag

2008-09-29T09:23:00.004+10:00

I called this one "Bamboo Bling" - Sometimes finding a name for a design is harder than designing it! :) I seem to always want to go for alliteration but it doesn't always work that way. For the girls on the forum this is the design that didn't quite work the way I intended it to BUT happy with the end result! Actually need to re-photograph because it looks a bit lopsided but it's not...just the way I stuffed the tissue paper in to give it shape! LOL The handles came first and were the inspiration for the design.

Today is another beautiful spring day here in FNQ so thought I'd add a pic of part of our garden. It's a section of our "rainforest" corner in the backyard. Everything is coming to life now that it's warming up and Ross is complaining because he has to mow the lawn more often! Megs has changed his little sleeping hidy places and he's often outside in the garden during the day rather than curled up on Kirsten's bed! Now I'm of to bake a cake for friends coming for morning coffee and then working on the next cover for the big '0' birthday book! Cheers,

Jan

Sewing Group's Big "0" Birthdays

2008-09-28T15:10:00.005+10:00

We've had a few big '0' birthdays this year in our sewing group. Rather than get bogged down in a large quilt we decided to each do a "page" for each person and make them up into a book. These pics are Judy's book....Judy is the loveliest of women and she was 60 last month. It's her house that we generally meet at and it's just beautiful! She's on acreage and has the most beautiful garden and, as we sit out on the back patio we often see lots of native birds - especially Kookaburras and even the odd wallaby or two! She's on the edge of a creek and bushland so it's understandable. I think I've got some pics of her garden somewhere so will post if I can. Top pic on the left is the cover....I used velvet flowers and touches of embroidery. Next is Carole's page...Carole does the most beautiful single thread, silk embroidery. She's buttonholed around pansies cut from fabric and embroidered the leaves. Next down is Moreen's page...inspired by a card sent to her she has used lace motifs for flowers along with delicate beads and sequins along with textured threads. Bottom is my page with a "sort of" crazy patch feel. The print is from a postcard - can't think of the artist but it's printed onto the fabric you can put through your printer. The guipure motif is an old one from my collection and I added embroidery and beads. Hopefully the book will be a treasured memory.

Jan

M'ladys Passion "Extras"

2008-09-28T14:52:00.004+10:00

I decided to give two free designs to the M'ladys Passion subscribers. M'ladys Comfort Amore is a small pillow and M'ladys Butoir is a doorstop (based on the applique design for Month 3) which was great fun to play with. The design could also be made as a cushion if the idea of a doorstop doesn't appeal. I just love the fabric and also designed a bag to go with it all. M'ladys Passion represents the applique bag for Month 2. One of the fabrics we ordered with the outside border in mind is just beautiful BUT didn't suit when it came to the final border. The girls at R&C had three bolts of it so I'm designing a retro bag to promote the fabric. Busting to get in an sew it along with all the other bags I've got in mind. Still more Kaffe Fasset fabric and just got a set of three Heather Bailey fabrics (that JUST cry out to be in a bag) from Col and Marg at Seriously Crazy. Not enough hours in the day! And oday is a beautiful day too! Should be out in the sunshine - Ross is off at bowls and I'm trying to catch-up on things here on the PC. Three sets of instructions for the magazines - have a look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozjan/sets/72157607548432129/ Just a few of what I've sent over the past few months. Hope your day is as beautiful as it is here, Cheers,

Jan

MORE Bags!

2008-09-26T14:49:00.005+10:00

These two bags I made a little while back. R&C Fabrics had the African one in and just had to do something with it! :) It's quite big - I used Fast2Fuse in it and boy I don't enjoy using it!!!! It works well but you DO have to specifically design for it as it's quite stiff and hard to work with. The second bag is from the Chateaux Rococo range of fabrics....I got rather carried away with the range and did two bags, a tablerunner, three cushions and have designed two doorstops with it but haven't made them yet. Got the fabric from Seriously Crazy - a shop that stocks and sells a lot of my designs. They travel around in a big red bus and visit places that don't get the chance to see fabrics etc....out western Queensland and other areas too. They're a great couple, Colin and Margaret. They provide a great service to people in the outback. The bus is well set-up for them to live in and Col has designed great cabinets that hold the fabric and threads and other lovely things that make it easy for them to set-up and then pack away. Would be a great life I think! Just received a lovely parcel from them today with some great retro fabrics and other things too so I'm off on a designing spree again! Have been designing and making so many bags lately I feel like a true bag lady.... Mind you, have lots of other things designed and half made too - must get into them!

Well, hope everyone has a great weekend, I know what I'll be doing! :) Until next time, take care,

Jan xxx

"His" favourite "corner" :)

2008-09-26T14:43:00.003+10:00

This would have to be Meg's favourite "possie"!! He has quite a number of them but he does love to curl up on Kirsten's bed and have a snooze. He's now our puss since she moved to Melbourne and I must admit he's well and truly crept into our hearts. Even Ross, who was so adamant that she couldn't have a cat, looks for him as soon as he gets home from work. Needless to say, Ross is the only person whose lap Megs will sit on but I'm the one he curls ups with when it's winter and it's bedtime! Cats are such curious animals...I've always been more of a dog person than a cat but wouldn't trade Megs for the world! His proper name in Ginger Megs after the old cartoon but in a typically Australian way we shortened it to just Megs or Puss he's often called too.

My Favourite Corners

2008-09-26T14:08:00.005+10:00

I thought I'd show you some pics of my favourite corners in the house. Here are two, I'll take more pics one day. The one on the left is in my sewing studio. Well, I call it my sewing studio but really it's more a storage area as I mostly handsew and do that in the loungeroom and my sewing machine is on the front verandah.

Some of my cloth doll collection made by myself and my friends. Other special things on the wall also a mixture of my designs and gifts from friends. The three black/silver boxes contain lots of lovely braids, ribbons and other lovely things. The special memorabilia cushion at the back was a gift from Joyce...a very, very special lady.

The other pic is one of the corners in the lounge room. My "shabby chic" area! :) The cute "Weeds" basket was a gift from a good friend. I have all these different little areas in our home as I just love everything! Country, shabby chic, African inspired things etc etc. I sometimes try to "minimalise" but it never works!!!!

Still Friday 26/9

2008-09-26T10:29:00.004+10:00

The pic on the right is the detail on the Ruby Tuesday bag - just LOVE the fabrics! The other bag I called "Cairns Central" - not sure why, just seemed a good name! Was fun to do and it has the option of the handle in the top section which was bit tricky but think it worked well OR the shoulder strap which is attached with parrot clips and brass rings. Great bag for shopping I think!

We're having unseasonable weather for spring at the moment and today is really blustery, overcast and quite cool - well, cool for Far North Queensland! :) I'm going to go have a shower so I can warm up and then I'll come back with some more pics and chat.

Jan

Friday, 26th September

2008-09-26T10:16:00.006+10:00

This is going to be a BIG catch-up! Been sooo busy lately I haven't had a chance to "have a chat". I've promised myself to set Friday mornings aside to keep the blog up to date so hope I follow through!

I've been busy making bags! This one is not quite finished yet - the girls at R&C are getting some lovely BIG buttons in colours to match the rings on the handles for me. They will be stitched on the straps just above the rings. You can "just" see the pins holding the straps in place at the moment! :) Called "Candy Spots".

The next pic is another bag just completed the other day. I've had a few Kaffe Fasset fabrics for a while now with the bags designed etc but only had the chance lately to get some done. Still got about 5 more designed TO DO yet!!!! This one I called "Ruby Tuesday" - the fabric will tell you why. Blow! The pics aren't where I thought they would be!!! Pretty obvious which is which though I think?

Jan

Mossman Bag Workshops

2008-05-26T10:43:00.001+10:00

Had a great drive up to Mossman last Wednesday. The weather was magical but camera was in the back of the car and was too lazy, plus pushed for time, to stop and take pics. The view from the lookout at the top of the range was awesome BUT will get pics next time. Had a great time and the ladies in the workshops enjoyed La Fine della Strada (translates to "the end of the road" in Italian) and I actually managed to take some pics of some of the finished bags! It's great fun changing the applique on each person's bag to match their fabrics. Makes everything more individual. I have a lovely 11 year old in the class who is so keen and LOVES pink! LOL Her Mum comes with her but really, Gillian does most of the work and Mum just is their to guide and also is a help to me as often have beginners in the workshop so they need more guidance. I find them exhausting as the Wednesday night one doesn't generally finish until close to midnight and the Thursday "morning" one never ends until at least 3!!! I know, I know....but like the women to be happy and to feel they've achieved so happy to stay. Must admit that the drive home late in the afternoon is tiring and I generally don't seem to do much on the Friday. My age is showing! Maree, the lady in the white shirt comes to the workshop from Cow Bay which requires a fair drive plus a car ferry across the Daintree. She's a hoot and great fun. Young Gillian is a great kid too and converses with adults really well. She's showing her bag from the first workshop too - you can really see she loves pink! Cathy is one of the owners of the shop and her bag done with the coffee fabrics was a lot of fun. She says it's for her to take when she goes for coffee but you can imagine that owning a shop she very seldome gets to play ladies and go for a coffee. :) Until next time, Happy Stitching!

Jan

Monday, 12th May

2008-05-12T11:50:00.001+10:00

Morning! :) It's been a really strange day today - one minute cold and cloudy and then the sun comes out. A real Autumn day! I've been catching up on paperwork today and not sewing which makes Jan a sad girl! LOL Has to be done though and as it's more patterns for the girls at the shop for the BOM I really shouldn't complain. As I'm talking about the girls from the shop, thought I'd add a pic from the launch of the quilt. Cathy is standing behind me and Romona is on the far right of the pic. Jenny is the lovely blonde and she was the one who planted the seed in my mind as well as Cathy and Romona's to do the quilt. She's another wonderful person who lives on the edge of the famous Daintree rainforest and has also designed some projects for Handmade magazine. She and her husband moved up from Jervis Bay (near Sydney) a little while back and have fitted into the north Queensland lifestyle really well! :) Jeff loves to fish and Jenny loves to sew, sooooo they manage quite well.

Remembered I'd said I'd add a close-up!

Jan

Saturday, 10th May

2008-05-10T14:47:00.001+10:00

I know, I know! :) It's been a while but been busy plus had my cataract op which went really well. I can't believe how well I can see now!

Thought I'd tell you about the BOM quilt I designed for a shop in Mossman called R&C Fabrics and Linen. Run by two of the loveliest women you could ever meet. Cathy and Romona...good Italian sisters who are married to two brothers! They have such a lovely way with customers and it's a real pleasure to be in their shop. They're excited about the quilt too and have been wonderful to work with. It's called M'ladys Passion and is sort of a bit retro and features shoes and handbags.

I'm having a bit of trouble working my way around the site and not sure yet how to post pics....boy I'm hopeless!!!

I worked it out! I really wonder about my sanity sometimes! In the next few days I'll add some close-ups of some of the blocks. I loved the fabric range we used as it was a little bit "away" from what I usually work in. I AM finding my colour choices are changing which is probably a good thing.

Jan

18th April - First Day!

2008-04-18T17:05:00.000+10:00

MY FIRST DAY WITH ALL THIS!

Well, this is all new to me but I'm going to give it a go. I'm sure once I get going I'll be a bit more informative so will finish setting up the blog and then, hopefully, get myself organised!