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Posts made in September, 2013
I first came across tatting while sitting on a train on my way to uni (~1997). The lady tatting was using a shuttle. I thought the craft was awesome and did some research to find out what it was and to see whether I can teach myself. I discovered that it was tatting, found some books at the local library but I was not able to figure it out from the drawings or photos in the book. Fast forward at least 5 years, my cousin moved to Brisbane and decided to take up tatting again. As soon as I saw her doing it, I asked her to teach me. She taught me the basics for shuttle tatting but I just could not get it looking neat and beautiful like her tatted items. A few years ago I discovered needle tatting and I was hooked. I bought some tatting needles from Amazon but had to wait so I practised with a doll making needle. All I can say is ouch! Luckily my tatting needles arrived and saved me from poking myself :). I have tatted a few small things which I have given to my 6yo daughter. Recently I decided to get back into needle tatting. Here are my attempts at some simple flower pieces I tatted on a long drive up the coast to visit a relative. Next is to attempt a snowflake design and learn shuttle tatting again...
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September has been a crazy busy month for me with lots of school events on at the kids’ school. The kids are now on 2 weeks school holidays so I was able to make the letters for the third month of Easy As ABC QAL. You can find out more information about it on Blossom Heart Quilts here. We are now half way through the QAL but it is still not too late to join the QAL :). Here are my letters for this month. Here are all my blocks so far for the Easy As ABC QAL. I am really liking the rainbow effect. Now to figure out how I want to piece them together i.e. with or without sashing :)....
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Recently Craftsy celebrated 2 million members by having a sale on everything. I knew straight away what I wanted to enrol in: Pieced Hexies Beyond English Paper Piecing with Mickey Depre. You can find this quilting Craftsy class here: I really enjoyed this class. Mickey Depre is a great teacher and her classes are well structured. I was surprised at the length of each lesson but I was not disappointed. Besides there’s not much to learn about English Paper Piecing :). I learnt a few tips that I did not know when I started my hexie quilt in my teens which is still a WIP that mum took over. These tips will come in handy for my second attempt at hexies :). Mickey goes through all the basics for English Paper Piecing in one lesson which is great as I have not done hand sewing in 20+ years. She goes through how to piece her 2 hexie designs and how to get the designs perfect. The Craftsy course may not be long time wise compared to other Craftsy courses but when it comes with 2 bonus patterns and with the sale discount I felt it was worth the cost. I am very happy with the class and glad I took it. Here is my first project for the class. I have not sewn them together yet as I wasn’t sure which design I want. I chose these 3 as I was after a floral design. I could not decide so I asked hubby and my girls which they liked best. They all chose the bottom design so I will be hand sewing it tonight. Looking forward to trying the other design in the Craftsy course and seeing whether I can come up with some of my own :)....
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Another family favourite recipe. These are yummy on their own or with icing on top. These would be perfect as Christmas gifts. Again this is not my recipe but one we found and modified to our liking. Ingredients: 125 grams butter 110 grams brown sugar 1 small egg beaten 225 grams wholemeal plain flour pinch of salt 2 teaspoon of mixed spice Steps: Cream butter and sugar together then slowly mix in the beaten egg. Add sifted flour, salt and mixed spice and mix to form a firm dough. Roll out dough until 1/2cm thick and cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Combine scraps. Repeat Step 6 until all the dough is used up. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes at 190 degrees C or until pale brown. Enjoy!...
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I started a hexie/hexagon quilt in my mid teens that I never got around to finishing. My mum took over and told me the other day that it’s now lap sized. She’s going to keep working on it. I told myself that I will not attempt another hexie quilt again but I just could not resist the temptation of hand sewing at least some hexagon flowers :). I bought 100 hexagon templates from eBay which finally arrived this week. Now to start basting some fabric on :)....
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I was out most of this morning and came home to a lovely surprise parcel from my Mug Rug swap friend :). I love the Mug Rugs especially the cathedral window patchwork. I have always wanted to try it since my teens but could not find anyone to teach me. I think it’s time I try it especially when there’s heaps of tutorials on the Internet :). I also love the fabric prints and colours used. I had requested pink or/and purple. I love that they are the same but different :). Love the chocolates and coffee too. LOL the chocolates didn’t last 10 minutes :). The fabric print is by Laurel Burch. I just googled her name and wow! Lots of gorgeous fabric prints. Think I will have to buy some :)....
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