Quilt Completed

Woohoo - my quilt for the "Images of Sport" competition is finally completed. What an achievement - one does not realise how long it takes to finish off a quilt. There was a little difficulty in the manufacturing process - makes it sound so formal :LOL - the timing on my sewing machine went out so it had to be serviced before I could continue. But it's done - I am dancing the happy dance this morning. Unfortunately I can't post a photo before the exhibition which is on 10 July 2010.

Frustrations and photos

When rushing to meet a deadline for a quilt show, my sewing machine's timing went out today (actually it happened last week when sewing the cat quilt samples but I only realised it was a serious problem this afternoon after I had free motion quilted almost half my quilt)......sigh.... I rushed it to the local Bernina dealer and they were absolutely stunning - they got my machine going again in no time but I spent the rest of the afternoon unpicking the free motion quilting I had done.  I am sooooo frustrated. Do I just give up on it or do I persevere and get it done? It can still be hung at the show if I get it done before 25 June. But it is now eating into my time to meet work deadlines  for the first weekend in July.

On a more positve note, my friend and I are launching a small quilted goods business for cats. We are both AVID Burmese cat lovers and breeders. I made some samples and took them to her last weekend..... For a sneak preview see below... 

I tried making a rag quilt bag as a microwave wheat bag....It worked rather well, the cats love the rag quilt finish as well....so shall be making a few rag quilts in various shapes and sizes.....

The next photo is of a Crinkly quilt. Cats love cellophane paper so I have stuck crumpled cellophane paper under the top layer in the 4 corner plain blocks and free motion quilted around them.....Still am waiting for feed back from the test cats on this one......

This is my first attempt at a cat sleeping bag. They are the rage at the moment. The inside is made of fleece so it is warm and cuddly. Mine came out too stiff and not floppy enough so it might be converted into a quilted tunnel for the cats to run through - they love these as well...

And finally, a plain flat quilt......needs some toys to be added. These are meant to be fun quilts.... The first photo is of the top and the second photo is of the back of the quilt. I have used the original  South African  Sheshwe fabric - Three Cats. I love the patterns and designs on the fabric. It comes in 3 colours - indigo, brown and red.
 

Time has flown away

Wow, I can't believe it is almost the middle of June already. I think my brain is still in January.... :LOL. Needless to say there has not been much time for quilting...sigh. The triplets (mine) are now officially 13 years old - wow, 3 teenagers in the home, a bit mind blowing to say the least, albeit a positive experience on the whole.

There are several new projects in the pipeline - one which is quilting based, one computer programming and the others are all guitar teaching based.Oh yes, I am also starting a camera course this weekend - the camera and photography as a whole have sadly been rather neglected. Time, you ask? Where does one find the time to do everything? Simple answer - I don't know.....but I'll find it somewhere, somehow....

As everyone knows, the soccer world cup starts in South Africa this week. As a result our regional quilting guild is putting on a show - "Images of Sport" which we are all entering. This quilt has to be completed by 15 June - next week (help).

So..... all I can say is "watch this space" and that I promise to try and be more diligent in updating my blog

Time is still flying away

This is becoming a mantra (or a weak excuse at that). The reality is that there are just not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done - anyone know how to extend the number of hours in a 24 hour day?

On a more serious note, I went on a road trip to a city (Johannesburg) about 600kms from my home town. I had to take my 2 beautiful Giant Schnauzers to the weekend dog shows and pick up my Burmese kitten from a good friend and bring her home. The Giants excelled at the shows. My little Giant (a contradiction in terms) collected her last point she needed to earn the title "Breed Champion". She was also Reserve Best of Breed on both days. Her litter brother won Best of Breed both days - we kept it in the family - :LOL. My big Giant Schnauzer excelled in her Obedience tests winning her Beginner's Obedience class with 98%. She then went into the Novice class ( a test twice as long and twice as difficult) and failed to qualify by 2.5% without any advanced training. I am really proud of both my Schnauzers......

 In places the scenery was awesome - from the Drakensberg mountains through the flat open lands of the Free State to the mine dumps of Egoli (Johannesburg, the city of Gold). The cosmos fields were absolutely stunning - the camera was packed away (am still kicking myself) so I didn't stop and take any photos. I've had to Google for some images of cosmos flower fields.

There are also kilometers and kilometers of electricity pylons running across the landscape. Most people would only see how their ugly gray steel structures pollute the landscape but.... have you noticed how many types there are and how intricate the designs are? Inspiration for a quilt? Aah yes, we are back to that elusive concept, "time to quilt". Maybe....one day soon, there will be photographs of a electricity pylon inspired quilt. "Hope springs eternal"

Time flew away

Wow, I can't believe I last blogged in January. Time has really flown. I am going through a creative slump - I feel all dead inside so haven't quilted for ages. The hot humid weather has been a contributing factor. Summer is officially over so hopefully I'll be inspired to go back into my studio. Mmmm, this post really sounds like "excuses, excuses and more excuses".....I really miss quilting and the creative boost it brings. Teaching guitar to 25 pupils weekly is very rewarding but draining. By Wednesday evening, I am ready to fall into bed. Maybe the creative itch is being scratched by teaching guitar. Whatever the reasons are, I really hope to be inspired to get back into quilting soon.

Mid week Post

Life is good but is rushing by at a rate of knots as they say. At the moment, it's all work and no play. My studio feels deserted and I am going through withdrawal symptoms from not being able to quilt. I am really hoping that I will be able to get a moment in my studio this weekend otherwise completing a needlepoint canvas of 2 kittens will have to "scratch the creative itch" :LOL

Christmas postards in January

Wow, I can't believe it's been more than a month since I last posted. Time flies......It flies so fast that I have only finished making all my Christmas family postcards today. These are simple postcards but came out rather well, even if I have to say so myself......

Long time, no Post

It's been a long time since I have posted. The creative muse has dried up. Hopefully it is due to the normal end of year chaos.Schools have finally closed and we can settle down to a month's family holiday. I can't believe it is only a "couple" of days until Christmas. Straight after Christmas is New Year and then full steam ahead for 2010. In the meantime, here's to hoping the creative muse returns..... Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year to all who follow this blog.

Spring Fabric Postcard

I have been making fabric postcards again :LOL. It is fast becoming my favourite occupation. This one is for a South African group I belong to. The theme was "Spring". I cut out the flowers from a piece of  Kaffe Fasset fabric I have and "stuck" them on a green background. The free motion quilting is my hearts pattern - "Mom's loving hearts" as my son David calls them. It is the closest I get to quilting leaves at the moment :LOL

Beach Landscape

I had so much fun creating my fabric postcard called "Construction on Durban Beachfront" that I decided to make a similar miniature landscape.........

This landscape is for sale.

Inspirations and UFO's

Inspirations and UFO's is a strange title for a blog post. Well, they are the 2 most important things on my mind at the moment.

It's a warm Sunday morning where I stay. We have had sun for 2 days in a row now - absolutely awesome as we stay in the Mist Belt and sun is rare in Spring/Summer. A perfect day to finish another UFO. It's amazing how quickly they accumulate and how they clutter up one's creative life. The trick is not to allow UFO's to happen, I think... Anyone have any ideas on how to prevent UFO's from occuring?

As I walk the creative journey and learn more about design etc, it is amazing how I am starting to find inspiration in the smallest things. For example, T-Shirts with stripes are amazing - the different colours of the stripes, the distance they are from each other, the colour of the background etc. Another example is the shape of trees, I am passionately in love with trees and their shapes. Driving the 200kms to my son's school in the Drakensberg mountains is another inspirational trip. By now, those who follow my blog regularly, are aware that I am in love with the Drakensberg mountains. Every time I make the trip, I see new shapes along the way. Depending on the time of day, the cloud cover, the haze etc,the mountains appear to have different shapes. It is almost impossible to document it all.

Oh well.... time to tackle the UFO

Construction work on Durban beachfront

My previous post was all about my first painted sky fabric, well, I have sliced it up and have used it to make a fabric postcard. I think it came out rather well if I might say so myself.....

There is a lot of construction work happening on the Durban beachfront at the moment. I suspect this is all for the 2010 World Cup.

Fabric Painted Skies

My first attempt at painting "sky fabric" for my landscape quilts. It was scary to start something new that I have never done before but exhilarating once they it was done. I can't wait to slice it up and make a landscape....watch this space for more photos

Cot Quilts and Roses

Strange title you may say..... I think I have said this before :LOL.

I have finished the top of the cot quilt that is for a gift for a friend. Her baby is about 3 months old now so I'd better get a move on. The three layers of the quilt are pinned and I am busy machine quilting the quilt. I went on a quilting course last monday so have some fantastic tips to help me quilt easier.

The first photo is supposed to show the dark blue striped background while the 2nd photo shows a close up of the detail. When I have finished the machine quilting, I will post more photos

Now for the Roses.... One of our rose bushes in our garden is flowering and the flowers are stunning, the colour the way the flowers have opened, their arrangement on the bush etc... I just could not resist taking LOTS of photos....... I have posted 2 of them below.

Fabric Postcards

One of my favourite things is to make and receive fabric postcards from all over the world. Here is a selection of photos of my latest postcards. Needless to say, I owe everyone postcards, and am late again.....sigh. About better planning of my day.....

This postcard is from a friend who lives in Namibia. The theme was Spring as it's spring in the South Hemisphere.

This postcard is from a friend in Ireland. The theme was "The Sea"













This next photo is from a friend in South Africa. She organises the postcard swop I belong to in South Africa.

Sometimes the postage stamps are just as beautiful as the postcards.

















The last postcard in this evening's selection is from another friend in South Africa, You guessed it... the theme is "Spring"

My first commission

I have been commissioned to put together a couple of memory quilts for a family that lost their 8 year old son to cancer last year. Yippee to the commission but not the family's loss. It is so sad. They have taken family photos, memorabilia from the highlights of his short life and pinned them to a backing. It is my job to take the pinned stuff and make a quilt out of it. I suppose it's a case of.....watch this space for photos of the works in progress.

Quilts and Plays

One of my quilts is being used in a play. It is being carried on and off at the appropriate moment. It is awesome. I am rather excited.The play is called "Gem of the Ocean" by August Wilson. It is being put on by the Durban University of Technology and the University of Kwazulu-Natal.

The Artist's Way

I am starting to work through the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. I have started it a couple of times before but have never got past the first couple of chapters. Life just runs away.....I really like the idea of an Artist's Date once a week where you get to visit an Art Gallery or any other inspiring place. Am looking forward to the challenge.

Frustrations and Mulberry Bushes

I have just been though a period where I get very despondant and frustrated with where I am going artwise and with life in general. It seems as though my brain decides that the world is going to end tomorrow and I have to be a world famous quilter before then. Sigh....Fortunately it is just a phase and, with the helpof some wonderful friends throughout the world, I come out of the other end fairly unscathed with a new sense of purpose and understanding of myself. Thanks to all my wonderful friends.

I suppose the question that begs to be asked is: "Why does one have to go through emotional turmoil to grow as a person/artist? Can't this insight happen while one is sleeping?" :LOL. I suppose not. BTW, the reference to the mulberry bush in the title of this post is a reference to the fact that one keeps having to go round the same circles of life to learn the lessons of life.

Purple Trip Round the World Quilt

The "Trip Round The World" pattern must be one of my all time favorite quilting patterns. I have just completed the top of a purple double bed quilt. Actually, almost finished if I decide to put borders on the top. I am really not sure whether I should or not. Any comments would be appreciated. Then I just have to add the batting and the backing and machine quilt the 3 layers. Time, Time where are you? I am sure it is a common lament of many quilters.

The next photo is a close up of the centre of the quilt: