The Finished Quilt

A little while back I posted about a new skill I was learning - quilting and promised to share photos of my finished project.  It is only just now that I realise that I forgot to take photos of the progress of the quilt construction so you will just have to bear with me while I explain the process and use the image below to refer to.  

Once all the blocks had been completed, it was necessary to choose contrasting fabrics for sashings and posts which are placed around each block and used to join these blocks together.  On my quilt you will see I chose the red fabric as a highlight for the posts and purchased a more subtly patterned fabric for the sashings.  After deciding on the placement of each block which required laying out each block and then moving them around to achieve a layout whereby the colours and patterns were evenly distributed, it was then a case of systematically sewing the fabrics together in order of rows and then joining these rows together all the time being careful to match seams and keep everything straight.

After that came the task of cutting the border which involved quite precise measuring because as our teacher explained sometimes the length of the top and bottom and both sides of a finished piece of patchwork can be uneven no matter how careful the seam allowances were sewn.  So it was important to measure in three places (top, bottom and centre for the length and left side, right side and centre for the width) and use the average measurement to cut the lengths of border.  The side borders were sewn to the patchwork first before the top and bottom borders.  It was at this point while we had our fabric and rotary cutter on hand that we cut out strips for binding and were shown how to neatly join these lengths of strips together which was very easy.  This was then put away for use at the end of the project.

The following week we were taught how to lay our backing fabric (which was yet another piece of fabric purchased) face down on the work table, place the cotton wadding over top and then final placement of our 'work of art' on top.  We all worked together on each other's quilt because it was so important that when each layer was placed on top of the other, that it was gently and accurately placed to ensure evenness with no stretching or warping and straightness was maintained.  After securely attaching all three layers to the work table with the most high-tech of devices (bull-dog clips!), we all set to the task of pinning the layers together at close intervals but not on any seams.  Pinning four quilts together took up the entire lesson but it was a most enjoyable time for us all to chat about all sorts of topics.

The following week, we were taught the technique of 'stitching in the ditch' which really is just a quilting term for stitching in the seam allowance on the lower side.  We were also shown the correct way of securing and bringing the bobbin thread to the top of the quilt so the back of the quilt was smooth with no cut off threads and whilst it took us all a little while to master this technique, it was worth it for a beautiful and professional finish.  In order to keep the quilt flat and stable and prevent any possible warping, we were also advised on the order of stiching seams ie. the inside sashing borders first, then the outside before sewing the individual blocks.  All of my blocks were sewn in the ditch to reflect the pattern on the back so I'll admit it was a long process and required patience.  The quilt needed to be rolled carefully around the sewing machine when working in an area which was quite tight, but once I could see it coming together, it was inspiration for me to keep going albeit in stages.

The following and last week of our classes involved squaring and cutting the borders evenly and attaching the binding to the edge.  Our teacher was very implicit with the technique on how to mitre the corners to give a perfectly rounded point and instructed us on a clever technique to join the ends together so the binding appeared seamless and not bulky.  It was then just a matter of folding the binding to the wrong side and handstitching a slip stitch into place to cover the machine stitching and, for me, this was enjoyably done while watching television and listening to the rain or howling wind outside.  

My quilt now has pride of place displayed over a cream upholstered chair in our lounge room and I am so happy with my efforts and the finished effect that I often look and touch it lovingly when no-one is around (sshhh...don't tell anyone).  

I am also proud to say that I have already started my next quilting project which consists of log cabin blocks in very bright colours.  But I'll leave that story for another post.

Ros

'Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance' - Samuel Johnson

Happy 'Straya' Day

Today - 26 January - is Australia Day or in Aussie language 'Straya' Day.  So I thought I would digress slightly from stitching and ponder and reflect on what it really means to be an Australian, however, when I really thought about it I found it became far too deep and meaningful ... so, I decided to lighten up and ponder and reflect on what it really meant to me to be an Australian.  Now, firstly let me preface by pointing out that when I was very young Australia Day wasn't considered patriotic anywhere near to the extent that it is today.  School and workers went about their daily lives on January 26 and the recognised public holiday was scheduled for the following Monday ... no big deal.  But then in 1983 Australia won the Americas Cup ... a real big deal ... and it seems that since that momentous occasion, pride in our nation, its people and achievements grew substantially.  We now honour Australians of the Year (from sporting to art/cultural to science fields), hold special ceremonies, perform re-enactments of the landing at Sydney Cove of Captain Arthur Phillip and get together with family and friends to 'throw a snag on the BBQ' and have a game of backyard cricket.

I find the diversity of our country so interesting - from the rainforests in northern Queensland to the dry centre of Alice Springs to the alpine regions of the Snowy Mountains to the hustle bustle of our cities and the scenic beauty of our natural landmarks so stunning, that it's no wonder tourists worldwide want to flock to the 'land down under'.  How flora and fauna survive and flourish in some of these harshest and driest of climates and areas has always fascinated me and is the source of inspiration behind my designs.  Yes .. we do have a laidback lifestyle but us Aussies are not immune to the pressures of modern everyday life and need relaxing outlets - this is just one of the reasons why I began my designing and stitching business.

Sometimes, though, I wonder how much of me really is Aussie. Don't get me wrong - I love a BBQ, vegemite and Tim Tams just as much as the next person but would much prefer to visit an art gallery, musical or concert over cricket games, football matches and cockroach races (yes, they really do exist!!) and you would never, ever see me wearing thongs or a flannelette shirt. 

Whilst I have snorkelled in the Whitsundays, travelled the cable car over the Blue Mountains, climbed Ayers Rock, ridden a camel in Alice Springs, cuddled a koala, seen the fairy penguins at Port Phillip Bay and jetboated in the Great Southern Ocean south of Hobart, there is one thing on my bucket list that I've yet to see and that is the spring wildflowers in bloom in their natural habitat outside of Perth, Western Australia which I am led to believe is an absolutely amazing glory of colour.  

A few things for sure that will never change are our Aussie sayings and slang, that we are a sporting nation and the fact that we pull together and help each other out in times of trouble and turmoil.  I have witnessed that firsthand during times of flood, cyclone and fire disasters and the mateship to friends and strangers alike warms the heart.  

This afternoon, my husband, son and I will be celebrating Australia Day by firing up the BBQ for a sausage sizzle (sausage and onions in bread with tomato sauce) and then watching a re-run of 'Charlie and Boots', a movie starring Paul Hogan and Shane Jacobson featuring scenes and landmarks from Melbourne to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula.  I will continue with my current stitching design which is part of building up stock for the opening of my Etsy shop - still a little way off, but slow and steady does it.   So until next time .... See ya mate!

Ros

'Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life' - Anon

Bottlebrush on Fire

Despite the fact that we are in the middle of an extremely dry and bushfire-wary Spring (it's been simply months since we've experienced any rain) and that everyone's gardens and lawns are sadly brown and dying, it's been wonderful to notice in the last week or so colour along streets and in parks due to the blossoming of the spectacular Bottlebrush flower.  The tree in our very own front yard (picture below) has already begun to burst into a mass of colour and also enticing birdlife - in particular Rainbow Lorikeets - to feed from the nectar within the flower.  What really amazes me though is that although the branches and leaves themselves appear brown and lifeless, it hasn't prevented the flowering process - in fact it gives the impression of 'Bottlebrush on Fire'.

So with this in mind, I thought it appropriate to give a few interesting facts about this native plant whilst in its glory. Belonging to the Myrtaceae family and a member of the genus Callistemon, the plant is found from the tropical north to the temperate south along the east and south east of Australia with two species found in the south west of Western Australia and whilst it thrives in damp conditions, it is hardy, frost and drought tolerant and requires little or no maintenance.  Bottlebrush grow in a variety of soils and requires full sun for the best flowering in spring and summer when it attracts nectar-feeding birds and insects.  Flower spikes are made up of a number of individual flowers and pollen forms on the tip of a long stalk called filaments which gives the distinctive 'bottlebrush' shape. The Bottlebrush make excellent garden plants and its popularity began soon after European settlement and then introduced to Britain by Joseph Banks in 1789.  

Some of the varieties of Bottlebrush that grow in most parts of Australia are Prickly, Crimson, Kingaroy, Lemon, and Weeping all growing to a height of 3 to 5 metres, with either red or lemon coloured flower spikes.  The Alpine is a compact 1 metre bush with yellow flowers and the Willow with white or greenish flower spikes which can also be found in the pretty colours of pink, red or mauve.  Harkness, Hannah Ray, Dawn River Weeper all have a weeping habit, Little John has blue/green foliage, and Reeves Pink and Mauve Mist have pink flowers.

My cross stitch design could belong to any one of the above red flowering varieties and was one of my very first designs due to my being surrounded by inspiration.  With the use of long stitch from the central stem to the outer flower overlapping each other it gives a three-dimensional effect and the black and yellow french knots finish the design beautifully.

In the past, I have placed cut Bottlebrush stems in a vase to inject a profusion of colour in the house. Unfortunately, the spikes or 'needles' are frail and drop quite easily leaving a mess and dry stalk which really is not very attractive, so now I prefer to appreciate the beauty in its natural form remaining on the tree and for our native birdlife.

Ros

'Life isn't about how you survived the storm ... it's about how you danced in the rain'

The Geranium Fairy

Like any little girl growing up, our now .. almost .. 24 year daughter has gone through quite a few phases and her bedroom has reflected those phases along the way.  Now, as a confident and independent young lady, her tastes are, understandably, modern and contemporary.  But let me think now......   There was the bold and colourful phase where everything was so bright that you practically needed to wear your sunglasses just to walk into the room, the frangipani phase where she just loved the fragrance and simplicity of the island flower, the owl phase where she tried to convince us that it was her personality imparting wisdom, but which her brother vehemently denied and dismissed as nonsense!!  And then there was the fairy phase.  Fairyland, as it became known, lasted quite a few years and consisted of fairy doona cover and pillows, fairy wall frieze, fairy curtains and fairy 'glow-in-the-dark' ceiling stickers.  The obsession extended to covering school books with fairy pictures, fairy stationery, fairy colouring-in books, fairy wall calendars and beautifully illustrated, glossy fairy books (which to this day, I might add, are still part of her special book collection) and so on.

When my cousin from Melbourne visited one time, she became totally and utterly enchanted with Fairyland and upon her return home, when shopping one day, found a fairy cross stitch kit.  There was only one person she knew of who would love and appreciate this design and as a very kind gesture, bought the kit and posted it to my daughter as an addition to her room.

The Geranium Fairy was one in a series of cross stitch kits which DMC Myart adapted from original artwork    by the talented and self-taught artist Cicely Mary Barker, who, despite any formal training, came to international acclaim as an artist with the publication of her Flower Fairies books in 1923.

As can be seen by these close-up shots, the 29 colours of stranded cotton ensured that the delicate brushwork, fine detail and subtle shading transferred beautifully into cross stitch art.  

I can't recall now how long it took for me to complete stitching The Geranium Fairy but I do know it was  finished and framed in plenty of time for it to be part of Fairyland and before my daughter moved on to her next phase.  Now it adorns a wall in my workroom and is a constant inspiration for my love of nature.

Ros

'The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind.  But the goodness of a person spreads in all directions.' - Chanakya

Poppies Birthday Card

Welcome to my blog.

I would like to use this page to showcase not only my own cross stitch designs, but to share with you many of my own personal projects which I've stitched over the years and discuss embroidery and stitching in general.  From time to time, I'd also like to touch on the subject of Australian flora and fauna and how it forms the inspiration for my designs.

First, though, I thought I'd show a birthday card recently stitched for a very special friend.  Sometimes I stitch other's designs and this is such an example because as soon as I saw the bright and cheery poppies, I knew it would be perfect for my friend because it matched her personality so well.  It was in Issue 67 of the Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine.

Incidentally she loved the card and not just because of the beautiful colours but for the time and effort taken to stitch it and the love put into it.