Stitchery update...

I have traced all of the stitcheries needed for the project that I am doing and I have stabilised them all on the back by tacking the stabiliser on. I have chipped away at these when I have had time and it has served as a reminder to me of how much you can get done with a plan and a simple goal.

I never worked like this in the past as I would start a project and continue until it was completed or ended up in the UFO pile. I have been doing some more sorting and have realised just how many things I have in that UFO or WIP pile and I need to get this sorted!

I think I need to take my simple plan and goal idea and apply it to the very large pile of things waiting for my attention. So my goal for this week is to sort a plan ... of how I am going to achieve this. 

I do think that I have subconsciously been pondering on this. Yesterday I collected all of the batting that was in various places around the house and centralised their location. I do have a very bad memory which my family will testify to and I can never remember where I have put things i.e. it took 18 months to find the spare key to the car because I put it in a safe place! Remembering where the safe place was did become the more immediate problem.

So I am ahead in that I have realised that to keep track of things that I need systems - hence the centralising of the like things together. I have now realised that I will NOT need to purchase any batting for some time to come!

Not only have I filled a very large suitcase with batting with a very large piece left over, but I had already organised previously most of the flimsy's together with their backing, batting and binding and they are also labelled ready to be quilted.

So what I need right now ... is to start on that plan.

Until next time, happy stitching everyone. 

OOOpppppssss......

Some of my friends will get a very good laugh out of this story today...

Yesterday I went to the Thursday afternoon stitching group that I have been attending since we moved here and was busy tracing away on some stitcheries while catching up with everyone. When I had completed tracing four designs, I thought that I would iron on the stabiliser that I use on the back of the stitcheries as I am wanting to get these organised so they can be my 'pick up and go' project. I turned the iron on and was about to iron on the stabiliser when I realised that I had used a pilot Frixion pen ....... drgh!!!!!!!

If I carried on and ironed on the stabiliser all of the tracing would disappear .... lucky I caught myself in time. But then I had to work out how I was going to attach the stabliser if I wasn't going to use heat. Thanks to the lovely ladies who attended the group yesterday we discussed the options and I tacked the stabliser to the back.

So now I am ready to go - and as you can see I have indeed started.

Happy Stitching everyone
Donna-Maree

Wow - I did it!

I completed the machine stitching on the table runner today, 

Close up.

Next will be the layering and quilting of this, but wait there is more.....

I have got all of the pieces attached to my tile backgrounds and they are all ready for stitching. I am so excited about how they are looking. I cannot wait until I get them completed and on the wall. I am so inspired at the moment.

This gives an indication of what they will look like when placed close together on the wall - no they wont have the large piece of background fabric around the sides. 

I am really pleased with the result and cant wait to get the stitching done on these now.

Cheers
Donna-Maree

Class Two - Taupo Symposium 2013

The second two day class I did, was again with Michele Hill (wasn't I really lucky) - Tile Play in Fabric.

I love Mediterranean colours and therefore used colours very similar to Michele's sample but could see how other colours would work for different applications. 

Here are the colours I chose to use.

I found the fact that I had already done a class with Michele an advantage as once we got through introductions and initial instructions I could work at my own pace with the knowledge of machine appliqué techniques I had already gained from Michele in the previous class.

I am really thrilled with the fact that I got all of the machine stitching on my tile block done by the end of the class. I have never ever achieved this much in a class before. Seeing everyone's tiles at the end of the class was great. The variety of colours used and background fabrics was interesting and it was lovely seeing more contemporary colours being used. 

My completed tile block.

Class photo of us all.

Michele gave us a quick mini class on creating our own designs and this is definitely an area that I would like to do more exploration in and I have some ideas already. Michele has definitely inspired me to give it a go.

Watch this space!

Cheers
Donna-Maree

Catch up....

I forgot to mention in the last post that one of the ladies in the class had previously done a class with Michele and had brought a quilt to show us. We were very lucky to have it adorn the walls as we worked, I was especially lucky as it was hanging beside where I was working and I could get to really appreciate everything about the quilt up close. Anne has done an absolutely fabulous job.

The photo doesn't do this quilt justice.

Better look at centre block and the detail.

Up close.

Sunday was my class free day and several of us went around the exhibitions. What a treat - seriously I really needed to go back again, but alas we ran out of time.