Gobsmacked –You have to see this !

Kristy of St. Louis Folk Victorian blog very kindly let me share her latest project with you.

I was cruising the interwebs last night and saw this and my brain exploded. I just cannot stop thinking about it.

It kind of fits in with my last post asking which of your projects people might think are a bit bonkers. Please go and visit Kristy – check out how she made this, how long it took then pop your undies on your head and run around the room a bit.

Its that good !

Oh hello You !

(all photos courtesy of Kristy, all insane jealousy courtesy of me but Kristy’s fault.)

man I love crafty people !

Its all relative…your personal level of bonkers

I went to the AQC last Thursday and had one of the best days I have had in a while. Nope I didn’t buy much but I got to catch up with heaps of friends, some old and new ones, some previously internet-only ones and each of them that I need to find the time to see more of.

The quilts (see dog’s butt in previous post) were varied and I found some that I really loved. I especially loved the 12 x 12 exhibition. I also found a new shop, L’uccello that I really need to go and visit in person.

I have to admit I rarely buy fabric at craft shows. The very nature of the tiny booths means that most retailers bring pre-cut fabric, and as a non-quilter pre-cuts aren’t much use to me. Unfortunately as well, when you spend a lot of time hanging out on the internet, it is not often that you will see something that you haven’t seen before at these kind of shows. (in fabric ranges I mean).

One of my goals for the day was to buy new Haemostats and I got two pairs, they are great quality and bring my total to four .

You know, with four sets (pairs?) of haemostats I am almost a doctor.

Not on the shopping list but always needed – I got some delicious new pins. Yes, I seem to have developed a bit of a pin fetish over the years. These are glass headed pins and the deal-sealer for me was that they included black pins. When I make toys I always use black pins to mark the eyes, so I never have enough of them, and they are hard to come by so this purchase needs no further justification.

This book is actually one of the reasons I went to the show. Once upon a time my friend Linda made an outstandingly amazing quilt. The quilt has a most wonderful to story to go with it – you may know it, the story of Linda’s Dear Prudence quilt ? Now Linda has written a book. The book is more than just the pattern for the amazing quilt, it talks about Linda’s inspiration, the story behind the quilt and the sometimes hard decisions that brought this quilt to life. Personally I think Linda is the best kind of bonkers, I mean her quilt has 17,977 hand stitched hexagons in it people !!!!  She is also incredibly generous; after she refused me purchase of her book (gifting it to me) I bought one for you guys anyway.

If you would like to enter to win Linda’s book just tell me what is the biggest project you’ve tackled? What drove you and kept you going? This stuff fascinates me. Which of your crafty endeavours do other people think are bonkers?

 

(and yes I am slack, but prizes are heading off to the following folk ASAP)

Jess of Apple Spice

Stitch and Sew

Jenny from OhJoh

Where’s your head at?

My (snot-filled) head has been a bit of a whirl these past two weeks.  I taught an AWESOME Print and Sew class at Millrose Cottage and lucked in again with a fantastic group of kids and even a couple of not-kids came along for the fun.

We used Mr Gocco to print a design and then we used that design when we made our own bags.

I followed that up with another crazy fun day at Ballarat Patchwork, teaching a heap of people to make rag rugs. This class which is offered in two hour sessions is always so popular ! A heap of people travelled up from Melbourne and everyone got the hang of it.

I have been watching as people’s rugs grow on Instagram and I have to say, I am itching to start a new one but common-sense tells me it has to be AP (after Portland)

I spent a day at Creative Abundance HQ, packing my patterns and kissing them goodbye as they head off to Portland before me and than stayed in Melbourne for a day at AQC.

I find photo-taking at those kind of events a bit fraught so I tend not to bother but I could not resist taking a shot of this quilt.

 

 

This quilt just leapt out at me, yes it is  dog butt, however the same designer had another quilt there that I was almost equally drawn to. The quilt is called Maynard and the quilt maker is David M Taylor.

Apart from that, there has been ticket collecting and visas and travel money to organise. There have been email chats with an amazingly generous new friend from the US, online Ikea shopping,  and all the usual dull life-stuff.

I am feeling a little bit scratchy-undies today so am devoting the afternoon to making a few more Super Monkeys.

I’ll be back tomorrow with AQC purchases (embarrassingly poor effort on my part ) and some very very belated prize giving.

All the new stuffs and sleep and about 4 weeks till Portland

I am almost stopped.

Of course there were many many more new things planned for me to have ready before Portland but not only will there be no time, there will be no room in the suitcase for them either.

Ulrich Little Heart (creative card) will be debuting at AQC next week

Classic Messenger is ready and available now

Louie, Monkey of wonder is almost ready

Madame Sausage is almost ready

I am a little bit sick (My throat is like the fire of Hades) but mostly just strangely tired. I sleep deeply every night and then BAM wide awake at ungodly O’clock pondering the fate of the world, gusseted button joints and how to cook tuna for the following night’s dinner. Does this happen to you ? I have to say it is a special kind of dementing .

I’ve been told its quite common in “Ladies of a certain age” 

Apparently it is also quite common for sleep addled ladies “of a certain age” to lean in and slap people.

A long time between drinks

I know that it must seem like nothing new is brewing hereabouts but I have been working. A new bag has just been released, a Creative Card is ready for printing ….

and my newest friend, full of beans and red cordial and backyard circuses is running wild.

He is being tested and tweaked as we speak, and has evolved quite a lot since his very first introduction.

and you know what? When he smiles at me like that, I can’t help but smile back and agree to just ten more minutes on the swing.

(and a name ? Is he still Seamus or is he someone new entirely? Any suggestions?)

These are not normal times

They are in fact school holidays; and against my better judgement I may have agreed to this.

Fabric flinging

Fabrics have been flung  and interfacings have been faced

plans have been changed, edited, compromised and abandoned completely

but he is almost here, and I want to stay up all night until every stitch is stitched and every crevice stuffed.