Material Obsession

sunrise to sew in

This morning I woke up and realised if I stayed in bed for 10 minutes I could watch the light creep over the treetops and into the window.  After months of rising in the total cold of darkness this is the time of year that wakes me up inside.  It is also the time of year that always reminds me of having tiny people in the house that woke with the sun no matter what the clock said.  From now until the clocks spring ahead was always a time of early rising and walks along the cliffs & beaches of Coogee where we lived. 

I found this photo the other day of that time of our lives...advantage of photographer husband.  Not only does he understand the features of traveling light but he also took photos of the boys when they were babies.  It's a good thing we have recorded memories because the reality might belie the existance of the other.  

I thought rugby season was over but we decided to head out to see #1 son play at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.  It is a picturesque venue reminiscent of times gone by with wooden covers and bleachers and a ladies room that looks like a crime scene from The Bill.

And a fig tree that John says used to fill up with spectators in a day when rules of safety weren't so important.

It was a grey day that would have been a good sewing day but I couldn't resist a bit more sport.

an

We went for a short walk to the overpass.

And stopped to watch a few minutes of the bowles.  Couldn't help but wonder at which point one becomes a bowler.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.  There was lots of chat and serious ball watching.  I haven't got a clue how this game works but those that play seem to be very into the strategy as well as the lifestyle.

Anyway...we have some new things in the shop that I am very excited about.  For one, new Kaffe Fassett ribbons.

As is our way at Material Obsession we are now diving into the box and coming up with a few fun things to do with these delightful streams of colour. ( I am trying not to concentrate on sewing them to the ruff edges of my bell bottom jeans like I would have in the 1970's!)  

We are also very excited about a new range of wool that just came in.  Working the wool with linen has kept Wendy busy for a few days and we now announce her new quilt, Hooterville!  A whimsical evening garden that has everyone hooting! 

We have lots of springy linens that would make great backgrounds for this project as well as nearly 50 colours of the wool. 

The Zoo is another one of Wendy's fun quilts and it would look gorgeous made from the wool as well appliqued onto any backing.  The wool is perfect for cutting out shapes and appliquing in place as an option to the solid homespuns.  I love a bit of needleturn these days but this would be quick done in the wool and how sweet would some of that ribbon be...oh dear, the creative juices start flowing and I am distracted from typing as I can imagine a few of my "to do" quilts coming together with the wool and linen.  Gotta go. 

We have one spot left in this class on Thursday.  We even have a suprise guest coming to visit from Canberra...the lovely Sally Harding will be visiting for the day and doing the class which is a big thrill as we miss her smiley happy face working in the shop.

We have some interesting new fabrics in store at the moment too.  A while back while searching the web I came upon an artist named Dan Bennet. http://www.dan-bennett.co.uk/blog.htm  His work immediately got my mind working due to the detailed organic level of designs.  This would make great fabric I thought to myself so I contacted a few people and before I knew it, he had a line with Westminster.  It is really exciting to see his fabrics appearing in the rep's bags.   Check out his blog and watch a few of his videos.  Not only is he an incredible artist but through his blog he takes us rock climbing, camping and generally into a world of nature experiences.  Not only that, he makes great art.  We have a selection of his new line in stock now and are using it in the BOM program as well.  

The block of the month program is one of our favourite ways of working the new designs.  We try to use the latest and greatest designs in new and inventive ways. It is not about passing off what we can't sell but rather what we love!

Fussy cutting is fun and rewarding.

This one repeats in very exciting ways.  It isn't a fabric everyone would pick up off the shelf but to us it is a real beauty.  I was recently very proud to hear that generally our bom programs are reputed to have great instructions, photos and fabrics.  It makes spending our evenings testing patterns and doing sample blocks all the more enjoyable knowing people appreciate the work that goes into the packages each month.

I will admit that my mind moves quickly from one project to another as I sit down in the evenings to work but I keep finding my hands picking up the bom.  Yes, I have to stay ahead of the pack but I am loving watching it come together.  There were times when I thought applique and hexagons were for someone else.  Now I love them mixed in with my quick fixes.

Speaking of BOM's...round one of our seven programs are in the hands of happy quilters all over the world now.  Phew.  First months are always full of anxiety.  Did we get it all together in time?  I think so. 

Yesterday Barbara got her quilt back from being quilted and showed it off yesterday.  This is Fractured for her grandson.  It is perfect for a boy any age and is fun to make! 

So, things are as busy as ever with new fabrics and toys arriving daily.  So much so that tonight we are have a staff sew in!  Yes, the MO team is gathering with the door locked to enjoy some sewing time together this evening.  We run past each other all day in the middle of half finished conversations as we meet with customers or answer the phone so it will be fun to sit together with a needle tonight...and some of Cath's chicken curry!

By the way, sometimes people ask me about parking at the shop.  As I passed this empty car park I thought I should mention that most days there are hundreds of empty spots in this parking lot less than a flat 50m from the front door of the shop.  Park here, cross the street and enjoy three hours of browsing, chatting and US in our cozy new home!  

Not into the driving the car?  The other great feature of our new location is that there is a city bus stop on Victoria Rd just in front of the shop.  It has been fantastic for international travellers who can easily navigate to and from us.  Simply take any west bound bus and in 10 minutes get off at the Birkenhead Point stop and you have arrived!  Husbands welcome for a cup of tea or they can head over to the marina or do the Bay Run...(or walk).Speaking of which, the sun is totally up now, my coffee is done and my report on life at the shop is over.  enjoy. k 

Big Blog/slices of life

What's wrong with this picture?

Scenario:  #3 kid gets up and has breakfast.  #2 kid gets up and a loud "HEY!" is heard from the kitchen area.  Kids.  Perhaps someone needs to go to bed just a bit earlier so he can cope with the morning routine, eh?

 

This one has the right idea.  He has built himself a tartis to get to school for book week.  He totally looks the part!

Meet Dr. Who aka Will who walked the Book Week parade looking very much the part.  This picture only tells half the story of a  kid with a determined mind to explore life creatively.  I would like to step into that tartis myself and catch a glimpse of what this boy brings to his life as I am sure it will be greatness!

I would also like to find out what happens with this mess...How can one work under these conditions?  I just tidied up this space but have recently become overwhelmed with creative options and have started SEVEN projects!!!!  Yes SEVEN.  It is an exciting time.

 

BLING!  It's the next day and low and behold...
After a night of slow and methodical organization this space is ready to go again.  That tube is the lates progress on the Come Fly with Me bom.  It means there is a quilting project sitting longingly on the chair but I am really enjoying the hexagon process for one of the blocks.
I have collected a lot of tools over the years and found this one to be really handly last night.  I have done some of the hexagons with a glue stick and some with basting...(mostly because at one point I found myself with my glue stick packed with my scissors in my bag on a long flight...ahem.)  Anyway, there are a lot of papers to come out of this block so I got out my big sewing machine tweezers and the work was done quick smart.  It struck me as I did this process how many things there are that we do that are behind the seams.  It was actually a really relaxing process.  As each paper came out I was reminded of all the things I had done while assembling the block and the progress I was making with these small bits that were actually a big bit now. 

At the shop the design wall has been really busy working settings, borders and just showing off some quilts of our many busy customers.  Loraine brought in her finished Twisted Traditions block of the  month from round one.  That first time (we are now on round 3!!!) we did a "pretty" version.  Here is what it looks like finished!

Really pretty! Trouble with this is I am now thinking we need to add in the pretty version again!
This one isn't quilted yet but it is always an interesting process to put it up on the wall and talk about quilting.  It is like meeting up with an old friend when a quilt top started a year ago shows up finished. 
Loraine has also finished this diamond quilt which is loosely based on a Kaffe quilt.  We had to resize it to fit the centre fabric which was key for setting the colour panel.  That's a lot of work done and like the hexagons brings many days gone by to mind. 

As the trees start to bud up and spring starts to peek over the early morning horizon I can feel the need to hit the road as John and I are now planning to head out to photograph quilts for the next book... at last.  There have been so many events on the calendar this year and it seems like forever until now.  In the meanwhile, quilts have been gathered and stored all over the house.  It worries me how they get stored so that they don't get those annoying folds in them.  It is always such a shame to see a nice quilt with a set in fold.  One great way is to hang them over a banister out of the sun and another is to roll them up on long tubes.  In fact having always been a box hoarder I am now a tube hoarder as well for all my applique and hexagon projects.  There is no end to my love of cardboard!

Slice or life...starts and finishes...they come in all shapes and sizes.  We recently gathered on the sideliines for the last of the schoolboy rugby in our family.  Saturdays spent on the sidelines started a decade ago.  I can still remember the shock horror of standing on the sidelines and watching Oscar play his first game.  I was HORRIFIED!  There was a scrum and a kid was up and running with the ball.  Attached to his ankles was another boy being dragged along the ground in an effort to bring him down.  The kid on the ground was Oscar.  That single moment has always reminded me of his tenacity and determination.  He is now a junior school coach and was as a result attacked by a mob of young aspiring rugby players as he watched Noah play the last game.  Here is one of my favourite teams with Noah, the captain, in the middle.  It was a year of steadfast determination for these guys that brought them a great result.  Thanks to our friend and coach Mr Williams and Mr Roland...a coaching team as passionate about the game, the sport, the boys as possible. 

We have watched these guys fight all year with pride in heart as they earned respect during a season of hard work and knocks.  Although I can still watch Oscar play for Norths and follow Sam on the soccer field this represented an end of an era for us.  There is something about gathering on the homefield sidelines that I have always loved.  The pacing, the fear, the cheers and the tears.  I have to say I'll miss it all.

Another milestone each year is the annual art show held last weekend.  It was hilarious to see these boys, normally going hell bent for leather on the field, now standing in front of their artworks.
Here's James standing in front of his paintings which were interestingly painted on a variety of working surfaces like peg board.  They are an exploration of the "human frailties of political leaders and moral dilemma's of our political landscape". Hmm, I wondered when I saw him standing there if he imagined this work while walking off the rugby landscape with blood pouring from his nose...

This work visually represents the communication chaos created by the advances on the internet.  In the description he reveals that cyberspace provides us with a medium to share our inappropriate, intimate and aggressive thoughts with our 500 closest friends.  

I also really liked these photographic images that capture the attempted facades of young people as they struggle to shape their persona.  I just get these images and thought he did a great job in an original way.

This artist won the year 12 prize...no wonder. 

As did this one with his realistic watercolours.  It simply catches the imagination that these guys have this in them when I normally only see them being...well...less serious.

This series of images depicts and compares the injustice of the stolen generation by contrasting the Aboriginal upbringing to that of his own mother over text from Kevin Rudd's apology speech.

Here is another piece I really liked in clay...

 

The we moved onto the other boys artworks which included photography, painting and sculpture.

These are two urban landscapes that Sam did.  And here is his painting of Julian, lead singer of The Strokes...someone who shall remain nameless suggested he has a bit of the hippy in him like his mom.  Don't tell him though.

My nephew, Harry,  (and Dr. Who's brother) did this which is also a favorite as it reminds me of the artists my father in law collected and hung on the walls of the family home.  Interesting influences....

It sat in contrast to his other work of a rap artist.  Interesting contrast in expression!

There were lots of others...

So many styles, interests and ideas.

 

This is a snap shot of a community I love.  Times like these, as we gather and see the living spirit of the boys are simply magic.  Bound by mutual respect for each other's achievements in all areas from the sporting field to the debating, arts, and oh yeah, academic arena.   As the HSC approaches the final hard lap I wish all these boys a sense of security in themselves to achieve at their best level.  It is a long year but one full of triumphs on many levels.

Yikes...gotta get to work.  thanks for listening...k

Old but New

Fridays in the shop are always exciting for me.  Most Fridays we have Marg there teaching and that sends me into orbit as I am always torn between upstairs duty and downstairs quilt reveiw.  Megan arrived early on Friday which meant I got a chance to have a good look at this quilt as it grows.

The centre block is done in Liberty fabrics which suit the style nicely but then that Anna Maria Lou Lou The border sets the tone for the hexagons.  DYN-O-MITE!!!  A consolidated explosion of beautiful colour and fancy cut hexagons to make us all sit up and take notice. It is living proof that tradition lives in technicolor contemporary fabrics.  The border fabric is a mash of great colour options from which to choose to make the hexagon bouquets the perfect accent.
Hexagons, the never endind delight of repeat patterns made with care over tea and chat.  Large patterns become small as we find detail in all kinds of prints to be highlighted.

Then Deidre revealed her basted quilt...her masterpiece done with linen, hexagons and lots of Kaffe.  We all had input ideas on the quilting.  Deidre is also the maker of our crochet scarves which have been a hot seller this winter season.  Just a bit of colourful fun to brighten the winter days.  She loves making them and we love wearing them.

Then Trish revealed her hexagon circle that surrounds a bit of nice old fabric.  These quilts take ages to come together and each month the reveal gets more and more exciting as layer upon layer of hexagons and applique make the idea come to life.  Upstairs we hear the happy sound of busy fingers...accompanied by much laughter and stories.  I can hardly concentrate and find myself running downstairs regularly so as not to miss anything that is happening.

Margaret claimed not to have done much but we did see borders growing and growing quilt nicely.   There is a nice mix of irregularity with regularity in these diamonds.  There is just enough interest in the different shapes to bring the eye in close to see just what exaclty is going on here.
It is nice to see these ultra traditional shapes come to life with modern, new fabrics. I often wonder about the women of a century or two ago and what they would think if they could see these patterns now.  They are so old but so new and are certainly a legacy of our day.  k

Hiding

Some days it is necessary to just slip away and hide out.  My choice of getaway last week was quilt group.  There not only was I treated to lovely morning tea and chat but also to some great quilts made by fellow members.  For example, Deb has made this lovely reproduction style quilt.  You might have seen bits and pieces of it growing here last year but now she is quilting it and it is simply stunning.  There is something gorgeous about repeat triangles.  The colours are nicely worked as well so that the eye moves gently from block to block.
Even crumpled carelessly on the floor it looks beautiful.
Quilts like these are like babies.  We watch them grow and grow until they mature.
Also up for viewing on Thursday was our up and coming raffle quilt for the show in 2012.  This, my friends, is a beauty.  Tiny little blocks, nice use of the colour blue and beautifully accented with the vine.  I missed seeing this one come together with all my galavanting this year and when I turned and saw it on the wall my eyes popped out.  Now it needs some quilting and soon raffle tickets will be available.

Each week we have show and tell by a member.  It is a time to bring out the folded quilts, the forgotten treasures, the ones we have moved on from to here.  This week was Kathie DePalo's turn.  Kathie is one of my favourite quitlers.  She isn't a show off like me so you have to know her to know her quilts.  This one she admitted was not her first quilt but the first quilt she made she was willing to show.  Nice pattern,nice use of colour...just nice.  It's the kind of quilt you'd love to sleep under with a good book.
This one was the first quilt she made without using a ruler.  Cut and sew.  Kathie is actually the queen of precision.  Her quilts always have immaculate points and corners so I can almost see the pain that it took for her to go cut loose!  I think this must be the brightest quilt in her cupboard!

I love what is happening visually with this one.  Although this is a officially a wedding ring pattern it reminds me of Paris...not that I have ever been to Paris but the cirlces and subdued background make me feel as though I am stepping into a fast paced coutoure world.

And then there are the quilts that just make me mad that I didn't make it myself.  This is one of them.  The scrappy colours, the funky pattern, the sheer madness of it makes my eyes jump for joy. 

Looking for a bit of a different direction, Kathie joined Brigitte Giblin's class and is now slowing down a tad with a bit of applique.  Still dive in beauty with the subtle use of colour and a masterpiece in the making.
Kathie is the a quilter that combines technical skill with a keen eye for fabric and I am happy to have made it to see this little collection of some of her quilts.  Another keen quilter in the group is Doreen.  She is busy getting us all making Waggas again for the show next year.

Doreen is the tireless keeper of the wool.  She has a cupboard full of tempting bits and pieces that she doles out carefully as the years go buy.  I managed to select a few pieces to get started on my wagga for the show next year.  They all get sold at the show and money raised will go to our chosen charity.  Good exercise, good result. 

So hiding out was good for the soul.  I filled my eyes with treats and got some hand sewing done at the same time.  All good.  k

Creating options

 Ever wonder who is in control of your creative options?  Why, you of course.  The new season is nearly upon us.  I know we still have a few toe freezing nights ahead of us but I can't help but get excited when I see the sun come up just a tad earlier and thoughts of warmer weather activities start to creep into my mind's eye. So I say to myself (and those of you that read the words...) shake off the feeling of the dreaded cold season. Take the wheel and steer the boat!

It is normal to sit and stare at the options, to dream of floating away on that magical project, to imagine an escape.  It is forever fascinating to me to consider the moment an idea becomes a reality.  Sometimes we just need a little bit of a push to get started with a new project.  My favourite theme at the moment is a stash stimulating template set...

 

We are working our way through the new sets and I found this block by  Wendy on the wall in the classroom made up using some nice spring colours and a bit of fussy cutting.   Now we have two Sunburst Template sets.  Mine look like this...

Both are dynamic and fun to make.  Meredithe's might be a tad more challenging than mine given the number of pieces but the acrylic pieces make it so much easier.  There is something about these pointy circle blocks that I love. 

But there are so many options for getting started.  For instance we have Cath's Starter Block kits.  This month we have Libery Field...

An inspirational Starter Block is from an old favorite quilt, Liberty Fields.  I have always loved this block and in my mind it always makes me laugh a little as the original inspiration for it was this photo...

How it got to be made up with such dainty looking flowers I'll never know.  However, what I do know is that I love this layout using the stars as flowers.  I may still have this green, black and yellow quilt in my future.  It is very alluring.  Thing is, the future looks a bit like this table during a class.  Full of potential.  Full of bits and pieces that take us in many directions.  Full of busy fingers and a variety of options.  Full of women with their minds open to possibility.

The thing about working in class groups is that we mix being able to engage in lively chat with forward motion on our quilts.  It is interesting to note the flow of suggestions, opinions and input with the final outcome.  I am fascinated by the variety of personalities that come together and blend into one in each class.

Alex is making these flying geese in a variety of sizes in my design class.  They look great on the wall and particularly with the stripe sashing!  On the other wall is something completely different that Debbie is making.
The expression "vicarious thrill" came to mind as I sorted through the fabrics in Deb's bag while she worked.
We might make a lot of little decisions in a day or we might only make one but the process is so relaxing and fun that it doesn't matter.

On our staff white board we have a section for new classes.  Skirt Class!!!! We want a skirt class to make up new skirts for Spring!  We have some kits made up and we unbelievably just got them up on the website as well!  Funky fun combinations for Amy Butler's Barcelona Skirt (the official MO uniform!)

These kits come with the pattern, a zipper, top and coordinating lining.  They take around an hour to make up and we like to add personal touches to the skirts like ric rac and zippers on the outside!!! This is a fad that makes being a slack sewer kinda fun...speaking for myself actually.  Also recently added to the website are Wacky Backs. 

We usually save these for show specials but we now have a selection of 5m bundled pieces for $55!  They come in a wide range of styles and despite that terrible photo they come in pretty handy!Perfect for backing that just finished winter project!!!

Many of you have been interested in Brigitte's quilts. Check out her growing patterns available on her website: http://www.brigittegiblin.com.au   If you want to make this one day project let us know. 

However, if you wanted to do a one day on Tessellations that is also possible.  Get started with Brigitte's help for either of these projects...just a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Lately I find that the news is so unnerving that life feels a bit like it is spinning out of control.  So many people making desicions that affect our lives and not always in a like minded manner.  It is hard to tell who is telling the truth and who is leading us astray.  I guess that is why I like being in the shop or at home making quilts. It makes me feel like I am in control of my own destiny, if only for a few hours a day.  I enjoy making decisions about fabrics and tools and participating in the decisions of others regardless of what they choose to do.  The process of the creative endeavour eases the strain of traffic, schedules and deadlines...pollution, politics and finances.  Today...I have created the option of a schedule that involves a much needed haircut and a day with the gals at quilt group chatting and doing some hand work....ah, bliss. k

Creative Women

    
 Somewhere in a stack of framed items from long ago I have an antique song sheet for a song called Wild Women Don't Get the Blues.  The title of the song always appealed to me but I think now that title would be better if it Wild was substituted with Creative...Creative Women Don't Get the Blues. 

Yesterday I had a mini melt down that had a bit to do with loosing my parking ticket at the local shopping centre and a bit to do with time sharing.  For some reason, when the groceries were loaded in and I put my hand into my pocket I realised I had lost the ticket and I was overcome with rage.   I am ALWAYS very careful with the ticket but today it had slipped away.  All I could think about was how many insignificant details of life are stored in my tiny brain space...that and how much of a hurry I was in to get home to sew.  I had gotten up early and organised myself with stacks of projects in order so as to be able to use my short time wisely....I was FURIOUS... partially because they wanted to charge me $25 for a lost ticket when it was clearly early morning.  I was even more angry that sorting out the situation (backing out of the exit line, finding the parking station and irrationally yelling at the poor guy through the machine...all the while knowing full well I was TOTALLY in the wrong...ugh!)  was taking precious time out of my only sewing day in the week.  Sunday mornings are a mad dash of get a work out, get the groceries and start the laundry before settling into MY room and doing MY thing.  MY THING.  Anyway.  All over now, settle down.

Point of the story, creativity settled me down.  Being able to finally arrive home and walk into the bliss of my projects eased my mind considerably.  The rest of my day was bliss...that is until number one son (you know the one that knows the world revolves around his plans) arrived home with four big blokes for dinner and cards...ahem.

Anyway, today I choose to start the story here with these creative women who all had happy hands. 

It was Brigitte Giblin Day in the shop.  I arrived and before I could put my bag down I could here the chatter coming up the stairs.  Who is having a party I wondered but no, it was just a lively group of women all doing their own thing.  There was crochet happening in one corner.

A couple of tiny hexagon bag patterns happening as well.

These bags are gorgeous but I don't have to tell you that.  They compliement any evening outfit and would look grand on any table.  Who would ever believe that you made it yourself!  "You did what?" they'd exclaim! and then proceed into a conversation about not having the patience or time for patchwork while you would know in your head that anything is possible when making things!  (that is me dreaming as I never go out anymore...except to the rugby dinner next week...)

Just big enough for a lippy, wallet and keys. 

On the other side of the room there was some serious broderie perse going on...

These quilts do take time but really, what is the hurry?  It is always nice to have a slow brewing project gurgling along. Amazingly, it all gets done in the end.  I particularly love them when there is a bit of manic peicing involved as well and Brigitte is certainly a master at that.  Her quilts often contain a combination of skills and her advice with fabric is spot on.  I hate to admit but I often think, now why didn't I think of that when she pulls out a combination.  It is a style grown from decades of experience.  It is a style that is subtle but outrageous at the same time.

Brigittes hexagon stories are many as well.

These combinations are all based on large sections of feature fabrics surrounded by hexagons.  There were stacks of them on the table as they were beind done by several people, all with different colourful direcitons and feature fabrics.  I could have spent the afternoon just examining all the stacks.

It is a great pattern for using up the stored beauties in one's stash...you know the ones.  The ones you find, buy and stack up for someday.  Someday has arrived for many of these beauties.

I particularly like when the hexagons move around the block with careful precision.  NO!  That is not because I can't take the time to do it myself!!

 

Then of course there is always Brigitte's Tessellations.  We did this as a block of the month.  Meegan watched and then decided to do it herself and has brought in 16 finished blocks for guidance as she puts it all together.  It is, in a word, magnificent.

The paper pieced blocks sit beautifully on Reece's shot cottons...note to self...use those for my tulip blocks! The Tessellation blocks are also a great way to dig into the stash.  They don't use a lot of any one fabric and like a crossword puzzle they work the mind in exercises in colour and pattern control issues.  Every single time I see this  quilt I put it on my "to do list" which these days is much longer than my done list.

 

Every corner of the room was filled with women doing creative things and it just felt good to hang in the room.  I often think on days like this that it would be great to be able to offer up creative services to some of the  more politically challenged corners of the world. 

This particular Thursday is full to bursting but we have had a few people change their life schedules in the first Thursday of the month class.  If anyone is interested in joining up, just let us know.  We are also offering up a ONE DAY HEXAGON workshop with Brigitte on Thursday 1 September.  Brigitte will be working through this hexagon quilt which is done on the machine!!!!  Looks like heaps of work but it isn't!

 

Interesting to note is that over the years Brigitte has introduced lots of interesting ways to finish off quilts and this is one example.  The quilt has ric rac as a border.  It is possible to bring in your collection of bits and get this done...it is possible.  I might even do it myself.  Take a day off and come enjoy yourself!

So the moral of the story is keep on making stuff and the world of lost tickets can't get you down. k

Stretching Limits

While visiting with my family I was reminded about what makes our family tick...you know, the threads that bind us together as a unit and it was fun to connect with my roots.  Some may think it weird but we get a bit of joy from a disciplined life.  As my brother pushed me through the rigorous routines of his gym life I found myself wondering...wondering...wondering again if the people in my life feel as pushed by me as I did by him??? I wondered if sometimes I push people beyond their limits without realising that this is not how everyone gets their thrills.  Usually when I know I will see Rusty I put some extra effort in my workouts in an effort to save face.  I tried not to admit it but...truth be told, I could not walk for five days without pain.  I begged for mercy and tried to avoid the next gym session but in the end, the family trait made me do it.  I could not give up.  After all, this guy never, ever and I mean EVER eases up on a disciplined life.  

It allows him despite being over 50 to get "big air" and in so doing to get respect from his kids.

The moral of the story is as the old saying goes...no pain no gain.  It's the push that stretches us beyond where we are at the minute.  Some days, hours, years I feel a bit more like making an effort than others.  At the moment I am enjoying a few lazy sleep in mornings.(realising of course that means 6am instead of 5:30!)  It just feels weird.  I am officially over my jet lag.  I am also recovering from the re-entry emotional roller coaster which always makes John say, "why take a holiday when the re-entry is so bad?"  I tend to agree.  Remove yourself from the routine of daily life for any amount of time and the burden of returning to said routine is always, well, a burden.  

I have had to ask myself some searching questions lately.  How does one digest all the wonderful input of the travel experience?  Well, immerse yourself in the workout that is life.  Choose your form of exercies and get moving!

We are starting up the block of the month programs.  The first few months are intense as we make the sample blocks, cut endless yardage into blocks, put blocks into bags and prepare to send them out and get all the systems in place and everyone on the same administrative page. 

In so doing I was reminded of my favourite applique product.  Frosted Donuts are bobbin size collections of cotton in a rainbow of handy colours. 

 

 

This is what they look like new and this is what they look like after a year of applique...

There are a few wayward threads but it still pretty good and I still love it. They transport easily to quilt group or class and I always have a colour I want. Good tools make getting the job done fun.

This is block one in the Kaffe Sampler bom. I thought I'd whip up the block...given that I am the "expert".  Well...lesson number one folks is always to make sure that the 1/4" foot on the machine is accurate.  This is a simple block but if the seam allowance isn't right on a machine it simply doesn't work!  I merrily went about making this block while chatting with the gals in the class the other day.  Happy as Larry, blah blah blah.  When the blocks were done instead of being 4 1/2" square they were 4 1/2" by 4 1/4".  Well...how could someone as "experienced" as me get that wrong?  Easy, I hadn't checked the machine.  When I did it was out a bit so we put some 1/4" tape on the machine and remade the block. 

Thing is, no matter how we look at it, accuracy is important.  I could have trimmed those blocks to be square but in the end when I tried to put the block into the quilt it wouldn't have fit and then there would be other problems.  So.  Easy solution, problem solved...gorgeous block made.  The other story about this block is the fabric combination.  The sampler is made in Kaffe fabrics so sometimes we will be working light, medium or dark like this block but sometimes we will work warm and cool.

In the other block this month the sampler has Jacob's ladder.  Here we still have light and dark but it isn't as defined as the block above so we rely a bit on the warm and cool colours to make the pattern show up.

These pieces are on the design wall and not sewn together so it was easy to see what they looked like with the colours in different places.

I chose the second layout because I liked the way the pinks showed up running through the  middle of the block.  They gave it more definition.  This block also uses  a "scary" fabric...a plaid.  Yes, it has stripes but because mr mably has made them wonky they are fun to cut across and our eye doesn't scream out "That's not straight!"  These plaids from his latest collection are dynomite to work with as they work like a stripe but are more fun. 

This is not part of the block of the month program but it is one of the new template sets by Merideth Clark. YUMMY! Believe me when I tell you it came in and I immediately put it in my bag and went home to play with it.  This is one of my all time favorite antique block patterns that I have wanted to try but was too scared. It was a thrill to see a template set to go with it!  Thanks so much Merideth!!!! I cut this one out on Friday night and then made stacks of fabric combinations for the next 11 blocks.  It is hand pieced but it was so accurately cut from the templates that it came together easily.  (While I sewed it together I watched a gun slinging cowboy movie complete with damsels in distress which I now remember when I look at it. ) The templates are $22.  Let us know if you would like one and maybe we can make it up together over the next few months!

This is another new template set by Merideth called Vortex.  I can't wait to see how this looks whirling around with other blocks.  We made a photo copy of it to make practice layouts but even in that quick layout trick format it isn't together yet as there are simply too many exciting things to play with at the moment.

I think I am ready to start gettingup at 5:30am again!  It just takes a bit of oxygen to the brain to get all revvvvvvved up again. If you could see my desk at the moment you would surely gasp at how many things are going on.  I know I do when I get home from work each day.  I come in, drop my bags and stand there wondering just which delightful little project will tickle my fancy in the evening.  Too bad I already had the holiday as really, the only place I need to vacation is right here in my studio!  Stay tuned for more! k

buds of spring

It is always a special moment when I look up and see the new leaf buds.  It happened yesterday quite by surprise.  I looked out the window and suddenly focused on the bright green haze of the Liquid Ambers that signals spring is on the way.  How did that happen?  The winter is not my favorite season and each year as the leaves drop I am reminded with dread. 

I do like the winter sports though.  I enjoy the day long activities that start early with the soccer action often on misty grounds that warm as the sun comes up.

Id

How did it happen that the soccer season is nearly over so quickly...or even more startling is that these boys got so BIG!  One minute they are the youngsters and the next they are bursting out of their skin as they grow before your very eyes. Young men they are now looking at course selections for years 11& 12! 

Another big change in our lives will be the end of school boy rugby next week!  Given that Sam is a soccer fella next week brings the end of Saturday afternoons spent on the St Aloysius rugby grounds pacing the sidelines.  I have loved the excitement of the rugby, the developing fellowship of the boys and the sheer determination with which they play.  It is hard to imagine having a Saturday to do anything but sport. 

I'll have more time to spend afternoons doing things like this...a slow growing project on my wall that entertained me yesterday.  I enjoy a Sunday afternoon with the ABC arts shows.  Always something interesting to occupy the mind.  Yesterday was now exception.  The show featured Herb and Dorothy Vogel, a NYC couple that collected minimalist art for decades and then donated the entire collection to the National Art Gallery.  They compiled nealry 5,000 pieces from a variety of artists and were well known for their keen eye.  It is fascinating to imagine a life filled with collecting art and artists friendships.

Having said that, maybe that is exactly what I do!  I enjoy collecting quiters whose work I admire.  LIke Kim.  She has many skills with her quilts and endless energy for putting together masterpieces.  Although they appear to come together quickly that is not the  motivation. Her quilts are compiled with carefully made decisions and skillful technique.

Marg seems to attract these quilters to class.  Women that aren't afraid to take their time. 
We are madly compiling our 2011 block of the month programs which will start going out next week.  I am doing the sample blocks for Marg's Fly Away with Me.  Already I know I will be hooked on this process.  My block is cut out and carefully wrapped around the tube...just in time for cricket season! The block of the month program is something we are proud of at Material Obsession.  Not everyone can make it into the shop to work with these marvelous quilting tutors.  By packaging up the patterns and their fabric choices we are able to send them all over the world and share the experience these master quilters have accumulated.  If you are participating...don't for a second underestimate the amount of time and care that goes into compiling these programs.  Behind the scenes at the moment is a flurry of acitivity as we compile all the elements and check with the designers that it is exactly what they want.  It is fun seeing the stacks of fabrics turn into bags of blocks.

And it is fun to see winter turning into spring...
Always take the seasons with you..here we had the results of Bari J Ackerman's class in Sisters by Cath, Carolyn, Kim and LIesel.  Sweet! k

 

Ghost in the shop!

Boo!  On two separate occassions this week I have been told by two different people that the shop has a ghost!  I have no doubt that ghosts exhist but I am a bit cranky that I did not notice said ghost myself.  The fact that this spirit has been making itself known but not to me makes me feel left out in a spooky kinda way.  I want the ghost to speak to me.  Does anyone know how to make this happen???? I hate to be left out and have often prided myself on being clued into events of the mysterious premonition side of life. I want this ghost to make itself known to me!!! 

Then, to make matters worse, someone, who shall remain nameless for the purposes of the blog has pointed  out to me that I haven't posted for over a week.  WELL!  Ahem.  Hmmph.  What the?  I guess that is true.  Truth be told, we have been sorting, shifting and organising the shop while taking full advantage of having completed the hurdles of the year.  Yes, the dark and jammed corners of the office have finally nearly six months later seen the light of day as files get filed, fabrics get sorted and a general sense of order takes over where chaos has reigned for the last six months. 
In the evenings I have been quietly sitting in my chair and getting whip lash from micro sleeps as I recover from jet lag.  Honestly, how long does it last?  Every night this week I have come home from work weary but charged to get one of my new projects going but instead, this chair and quilt call out softly to me and I end up sitting down and sinking into the peace of quilting.  It is warm and fuzzy and allows the myriad of memories to sift gently into the right places.  I admit, it is somewhat self indulgent to wallow in the tiredness.  However, when I start to feel guilty I just think back to how busy we were and in an instant I am content to sit and relax.  Ever feel like that?  Well earned rest feels good.  I just wish I wasn't so tired.

Anyway. Enough about me. Today I got back to class.  Design Class started with the usual show and tell.  It is fun to be refreshed and charged up after having so much input and we spent a lot of time talking about what is happening in the world of quilting outside the shop.

Then Marina showed us what she has been up to!  Very nice colour work and what was fun was discussing what she had discovered about her choices when making this quilt.  Looks good doesn't it!

We then turned to Marie's quilt using that fab Alexander Henry fabric as a feature.  The intended recipient wanted a blue quilt.  The result is a quilt with blue in it but mixed with lots of other colours as well which only makes the blue look better!

Marie has another quilt ready for quilting.

This one does have a bit of blue meant to remind her grandson of the beaches of Australian given that he lives in Canada.  I must have been talking when I took this photo as it looks a bit out of focus.  Me talking? WHAT?  We got up to more work with some of the other quilts in progress and I have to admit that it helped me get my mojo back as every one enthusiastically presented their ideas for quilts.  

 

It is time to make dinner before the energy runs out but before I head off...slipping back to the Berkshires for a minute...

and quilting in another place... 

What is the difference between a ghost, a dream or a memory anyway?  However "it" appears it is a haunting, familiar and hard to define feeling that we are not alone.  It is fun to imagine that there is more to life than life as we know it.  It makes me think of the creative process.  We head off on a project thinking that we are in control.  Before we know it, there is something completely different before our eyes.  How does that happen?  Maybe, just maybe, the ghost in the shop is actually a creative spirit!  What a story that could be...locked for nearly 200 years in sandstone, wood and history only to find the walls now filled with colour and choices...it is coming alive with the excitement of creative possibilities....speak to me I say!  This could be fun!!! k

happy now?