Fun in my fabric world....

Monday, August 31, 2009

Don't startle them!

Still having butterfly fun...DH said when it is finished we will need to be careful....
if we startle them they might all take off...wouldn't that be fun!
Hope your day is a happy one!
Cardygirl xx

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sweet things...

A day free from paid employment...get the essentials done...washing, cleaning...what is for dinner? Now some time to play...
Chookyblue mentioned a little sampler of mine she saw...it is 1.5 "x 2"...done on a silk gauze...before my eyesight went! Maree might like to do this one!
There have been a few pincushions floating around blogland...my 23 yr old turtle pincushion was abducted by my cat... he was found torn & de-stuffed...a sad end for an old friend!
I have one my mum bought on a craft stand, not overly satisfactory, but it "does".
I have these two that I made, but can't bear to stick pins in!
A Christine Book design...
I think this was a design by Piccanini Patchwork.

Some sugary sweet pinks to do a baby quilt.
Cardygirl xx

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Moving forward

After a few false starts, I am moving forward with this block.
Happier with the inner triangles...it has a small bright blue dot on the fabric.
Hopefully I will get the rest cut out tonight & sewn in the next few days.

Cardygirl xx

Monday, August 24, 2009

Plodding on...

Things are not happening at a great pace here...lots of hand work...slow & contemplative.
Still working away on the butterfly quilt I started a fortnight ago at Nundle.
Having fun with the colours...enjoying the needleturn.
The original quilt called for 9 butterflies...
I might do 16 to make it bigger....I will have to see if I can get some more of the background spot.
The other project consuming my time has been the Sue Ross BOM with MO.

Having changed one fabric, I am now having difficulty with fabric selection for the inner triangles on my whirligig block. No doubt I will work it out, but I have set it aside to have a "creative break". I am enjoying the hand piecing though! The support of some other ladies doing this block has been invaluable...suerossbom.blogspot.com.

Cardygirl xx

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Butterflies & cake

A lovely day...this spring weather is gorgeous...
lots of birds & butterflies in my garden...and in my sewing basket!
I am still having butterfly fun...and the best thing is Mother Nature shows us that most colours do work together beautifully. She doesn't spend hours agonising over what goes with what...
or does she?
I am having fun playing with these lovely creatures...
And today we had another lovely visitor...
we chatted...had a coffee...and chatted some more...
and shared some scrumptious Pear & Cranberry Loaf...
mmmm...

happy to share the recipe if anyone is interested!
Cardygirl xx

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

When did that happen?

As you know, not a lot of time has been spent stitching here....
so today when I went into my sewing room, I had a nasty shock!
It was a terrible mess...stuff thrown everywhere...no sense of order...chaos ruled.
Oops...sadly there is no one to blame but myself...so I decided to take control.
It took some time, but I once again feel that lovely calmness when I walk through the door
...and I have to tidy up as Chookyblue is paying me a visit...yay!
It looks so much better.

I was also lucky enough to win a pattern from Natalie at Cinderberry Stitches...
and I have finished this baby quilt top.

So, a rather productive day...good for the soul...

I hope your day has been a happy one...

Cardygirl xx

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Starting again

Not too much stitching happening in Cardyworld at the moment...
lots of pruning & garden tidying...ready for spring.
Too pooped to stitch, but hope to have that needle flying this week!
I would like to thank those lovely bloggers who supported me through my recent sulk ...I don't like making mistakes & I was disappointed in myself for making a mistake in my MO BOM.
It was good to know that I wasn't the only one...
I am not as blonde as I used to be...but obviously under the surface, my blonde light shines brightly...and it appears I am in good company...LOL.
So...I am using this opportunity to loosen up (material-ly speaking!)...letting go of my inhibitions
...and using this as a chance to improvise Sue Ross' great BOM & make it my own!
I will keep you posted...
This little friend spent the afternoon in m.y garden...
I think my work disturbed a few worms for him!
Cardygirl xx

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday dear Chookyblue...hope you have a wonderful day...you deserve it!
Cardygirl xx

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I never said I was smart.....

A funny sewing day today...a few lessons learnt...
sounds ominous?
You know how it is, a bit tired from too much work & not sleeping well...
but determined to achieve something in the sewing room...
a recipe for a "stupid" mistake!
I began cutting out my desperately longed for Sue Ross/MO BOM...how hard could it be...
but , to cut a long story short, I should have reversed the template for the cog wheel when tracing on the wrong side of the fabric. So my floral pieces were spinning backwards.
I am deciding if I should try & get some more fabric or begin "innovating"...I have a nice piece by Anna Griffin that might be okay. I am just unsure as I wonder how it will affect the rest of the colour balance in the finished mystery quilt...might sleep on it...what do you think?
But I did achieve some things...

partially constructed baby quilt...
more butterflies cut out (they are fun!)

Cardygirl xx



Monday, August 10, 2009

Post Nundle Fun

A quick post...
my post Nundle mess to sort & tidy...
some sweet antennae on the butterfly...

some fabrics to make a quilt for a friend's new baby boy...
the lovely bloggers from Nundle...

Cardygirl xx

Saturday, August 8, 2009

A grand day out!

Oh, I love my blogging friends!
Previously my family believed I was a tad loopy & referred to them as my "imaginary friends".
But DH met the lovely ladies today at The Cottage on the Hill, Nundle, & he thinks they are beautiful too! ( Thanks Chooky for spoiling him with cups of tea).
If you are ever in the Tamworth area make sure to visit the wonderful Kerry at her shop just outside Nundle. We had a great day catching up with each other & meeting some new friends too. Good food & lots of laughter...& stitching too...bliss!

It was a bit hard to know where to start...all of these gorgeous fabrics & so much more.

I began a project that has been lurking on my noticebord for 9 years...since a workshop with Sue Cody...I am having fun with these fabrics...

I will post better pics as it develops...

Ladies ...you are beautiful...thanks for sharing a great day with me...you are the best!

Cardygirl xx

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Preparations...

A busy day in Cardyworld...a quick trip to the Central Coast cannot be complete without a trip to Blueberries...so inspiring & such an inspiring display of fabrics & patterns!
On the way home we stopped at Pokolbin for a quick lunch...we couldn't resist these lovely biscuits! I will have to be extra strict with my walking!!!
I am off to The Cottage on the Hill at Nundle on Saturday for a day of stitching & chat ( probably more chat knowing me!). It will be great to catch up with Chookyblue, Farmyard Crafts & the always inspiring Kerry.
Here is my collection of fabrics (phase 1) ready to take to Nundle...I am not exactly sure what I am doing...there are a couple of ideas bouncing around in my head...brights or 30's will be the palette I think.
I have also been fiddling with this gorgeous fabric from MO...Cathy did a beautiful job with it...I am leaning towards a classic look...lots of doodles on paper...I am getting there!
Cardygirl xx


Monday, August 3, 2009

Tree Day


Yesterday in Australia it was National Tree Planting Day...I didn't plant any as I have as many as I need...but, inspired by blogland, I made this one instead!
Just follow the links on Tall Grass Prairie Studio for the instructions...quick & fun!
Cardygirl xx

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Start small....

...one little blog & before you know it Cardygirl has her own airline!
I will let you all know when the Quilters custom tours are about to commence!
LOL...DH saw this plane in Kalimantan, Indonesia recently & thought I had branched out!

Cardygirl xx