Now there's an idea

I will never lose embroidery floss in the middle of a project ever again! Keep your floss colours for your latest stitchery on a binder ring. Inspiration from here.

'Faux piped' handles

I suggested in this post that I would do a tutorial for 'my favourite handles'. Well, here it is. Please ask questions if I am less than succinct in my instructions!Choose two fabrics for your handles. The contrast fabric will be the one that appears to 'pipe' the edge of the handle. Cut one 1.5" wide strip of main fabric, one 2" wide strip of contrast fabric and one 2" wide strip on iron-on pellon. The length of these strips should be your required handle length. For a small bag, I cut them about 16" long.
Fuse iron-on pellon to 2" wide strip of contrast fabric.
With right sides together, stitch the main fabric piece to the contrast fabric piece with a 1/4" seam, down one long side.
Stitch the other long side of the handle with 1/4" seam. This seam is a little more difficult as the handle doesn't sit flat. The wider contrast fabric tends to curl up a little to the left of the foot. You may need to pin the handle at intervals to assist in sewing this seam. Persevere at this point - all will be OK!
Turn handle (I have a really nifty way of doing this easily, which I will attempt to post about soon). Press handle carefully. You should have a nice narrow contrast strip on each edge of the upper side of the handle.
Top stitch either side of handle, just outside each seam, using a cotton matching the contrast fabric. I use a #10 edge stitch foot on my Bernina as it runs nicely along the seam & gives a neat 'in the ditch' line.
So hopefully, you now have before you a robust but sweet handle that looks for all money like it has narrow piping down either side. Let me know if it works for you! Best wishes, Bloom.

Mother to the rescue … again

What to do, when Crazy Mom Quilts comes up with the enticing idea of a 'quilt-a-long' and I have too many projects on the go to participate? Ring Mum of course & talk her into doing it instead! (She didn't take very much convincing!) Here is her first block.My mum has taught me everything I know about sewing. She has done the most meticulous stitching in her time. Tiny, perfect stitches.This d’oyley would have been stitched when she was in her early twenties. It is difficult to communicate the fineness of her work in a photograph. ‘Big’ day today – 2nd cricket test between Australia & Sri Lanka is on the radio, and I’m trying to get all my jobs done before the World Netball Championship semi final between Australia & England on TV this afternoon.

A mother's protection

I couldn't work out why I was getting dive-bombed by this everytime I walked out the front door: Here is why: Baby willy wagtails in the lilly pilly pot plant (say that 10 times quickly!).

Harvesting at last

Harvest started here today. We only have a tiny farm by Australian standards, and our main income is off-farm, but we planted our whole place down to wheat & barley this year. The crops are terrible because of the drought, but we at least have something to harvest. Many families have no harvest at all. This is taken from our front verandah this morning. Gotta love a nice, big, new header with a wide comb when there is rain coming!

Golden beauties

David Austin rose 'Graham Thomas' in its glory. This is one of his signature roses, well known for its prolific flowering & disease resistance. A beautiful buttery yellow.

Any ideas?

A little while ago at a local quilting expo, I picked up these pieces of gorgeousness at the bargain price of $2 a fat quarter. This was the day I met Chookyblue in person and I have her entirely to thank for these Amy Butler treasures. She was standing next to a basket of them when we were introduced and it went something like, "Oh hello Bloom, nice to meet you - will you look at this? Amy Butler FQs for $2"!! An instant friend!I have always loved Amy Butler but have never been quite brave enough to use her fabrics in quilting as the prints are so large scale. But at $2 I figured it was worth a try. But what to do with them? I feel I need a design with at least some really large pieces so as not to lose the style of her fabrics. Oh how I love them - fresh & happy, perfect for a cheerful Australian summer quilt. Would love to hear what you would do with them.

Apologies

I apologise to any of you who have not been able to see photos on my blog. Please let me know if this happens to you by leaving a message. This has happened a couple of times now, and on both occasions, the photos are visible on my computer so that I have no idea there is a problem. Very weird. I have reloaded the photos on my last post, so I'm hoping that has fixed the problem. Best wishes, Bloom.

So many ideas, so little time

This is the last of my Club Quilt Christmas swap gifts I have to show you. I made this for Christmas 2006. I ran out of time last year & unfortunately was not able to make something with a stitchery incorporated. The handles for this one are ruched fabric over Rigilene. A little fiddly to do, but they worked really well. The pattern is called 'Pieceful Bliss' by Liz Newton & was published in Australian Country Threads Vol 6 No 11.

A 150 year old rose?

My 'Reine des violettes' rose is in full bloom at the moment. It is a hybrid perpetual rose & was bred way back in 1860 by Millet-Mallet in France. My rose is only 8 years old, but I think it has earned a spot in my garden with such a long history. It is a 'living antiquity'!