Almost seemed like snow.

Weather wise, this week has been pretty miserable! Lots and lots of rain...roads cut by flooding and terrible damage to our roads...potholes that damaged many cars...and all the coastal highway traffic diverted inland to us because of coastal flooding causing even more damage. Whilst it poured outside I finally sewed these old chenille squares together...I am loving them, BUT you should have seen the mess...it looked like there had been a blizzard in my sewing room. It has felt miserable enough for snow!

 On Tuesday I headed down to Maitland for my next instalment of Brigitte Giblin inspiration.

Always fun and now I am getting to know the other ladies in our class at Southern Cross Needlework...really nice! Brigitte is always inspiring as are the other ladies...great to see what they have been up to...and what they have been creating. Brigitte always seems to have "whipped up" something amazing.

I have been working on my 13 panel hexagons... I am hoping I am not too contemporary...I will need to be able to sleep under this!

Cardygirl xx

Some fabric play and a nice surprise!

 Having a break from uni work at present, so I have had a little time to play with some ideas from my Brigitte Giblin class. This may be the beginning of a 13panel hexagon quilt...fun playing with vibrant fabrics and ever gorgeous spots...this will be yet another slow play!

Some lovely mail from LeAnn of Sewing Straight Stitches ...we have both been making the Le Petite quilts and enjoying each others interpretations...and I won this fabulous pattern & thread keeper on her giveaway. It flew a long way to meet me & I love it...looking forward to stitching it together.

 Madly packing to leave tomorrow for a weekend with Chookyblue, Kerry, Peg, Dale, Miss Jules and sweet Nicole... here we are last year...now I am running around the house like a confused Masterchef contestant...probably grabbing all the wrong stuff...oh well, it will be fun to get away...see you all soon!

Cardygirl xx

Bits and pieces...

On track with my study...quite interesting...it is good to learn & I am enjoying it. I seem to be getting even more organised with my time! We headed up to Armidale to see DS on Saturday...always nice to see him & take him out for lunch. Sunday was spent grocery shopping, washing & tidying up my computer area...it was awful! Nice to have it tidy again though! I have fallen behind already with the TTS blocks...nearly have the second one finished though!

Fiddled with some paper piecing for my Brigitte Giblin quilt...love these little elongated hexie crosses...Aris the cat was quite intrigued at all the fabric on the table.

While at Nundle dear Bec gave me some '30's fabrics...she knows how much I love them & no doubt she will see them in a project soon. 

Chookyblue showed her blog books which had arrived...mine came too & I am loving seeing a journal of my crafty life...I have done them as 2009 & 2010. Famous people on the cover!

Well, that has been the last few days...hope all is well wherever you are!

Cardygirl xx

Brigitte and beyond.

Tuesday was spent in the company of a pleasant group of ladies & Brigitte Giblin at Southern Cross needlework. I never seem to do much stitching but come home SO inspired. Brigitte shares so much inspiration & it is lovely to see what everyone is working on.

A new quilt of Brigitte's...

some beautiful  hexagon framed diamonds...

Brigitte's original quilt...

Then on Saturday we went to Armidale to visit DS for his birthday...

a teenager no more!

A wild and wet trip home...

over the ranges...

Rainbows pointing the way to ....

NUNDLE! One week and we will be there for GDITC 2011!

...looking forward to catching up with old friends and maybe meeting some new ones!

Cardygirl xx

Getting ready for Brigitte.

This week I will be returning to my class with Brigitte Giblin. Always inspiring, I am keen to see what she has been working on lately.  I had hoped to have my project from the last class finished, but....you know how it is! I have the top together but just need to work on the central applique & the paper pieced stars around the border. I "fiddled" with Brigitte's original concept & have worked with 1930's fabrics, and I am quite pleased with how it has developed. I hope Brigitte likes it!

 The blocks for the first three stitcheries with the Stitchalong group are assembled, traced & stitching commenced. My fabrics are a bit bright but I hope they will add some festive fun.

Cardygirl xx

2011 begins...

Quietly we saw in the New Year...DD in Rome preparing to join with her showband to play in the New Years Day parade before she heads off to Montecatini, Florence, Milan & Paris...DS on the NSW North Coast with his girlfriend & her family...and DH & myself at home...he is still fairly housebound. Up until yesterday there was little time to stitch, but hopefully as he improves there will be a little down time for me! Especially as I go back to work on Tuesday...aargh! Some time has been spent playing with Hexagons for my Brigitte Giblin inspired quilt. 

Here is a pic of  my interpretation. I am happy with it's bright cheeriness... as it is supposed to be a cot quilt I moved away from a gentle repro palette and am having fun putting my own spin on it.

...and this is Brigitte's original quilt.

 A short time ago I spotted these beautiful scissors on Siobhan's blog...she does the most exquisite cross stitch...and so I managed to source some...aren't they sweet? Now I just need to finish the cross stitch!

 

 My dear stitching friend, Lea, gave me this lovely bonbon for Christmas...super cute!

 And today I have hung my SSCS gift properly. It is the most beautiful stitchery from Nicky & it now hangs where I can see it every day.

 May we all have a good 2011. There are many changes afoot here in my home... it will be interesting to see how it all progresses! I have been playing with my blog...not happy with it, but I am fairly techno challenged...will keep on playing!

Cardygirl xx

A day with Brigitte

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend a day with Sydney based designer & teacher Brigitte Giblin at Southern Cross Needlework. I had had my name on the waiting list for some time and sadly (for them!) someone had to pull out. It was a great day, Brigitte was generous with her time & inspirations...sharing patterns & offering guidance. Most ladies have been working on her designs for a while...

loads of lovely 1/2" hexies...

a new design...

amazing fussy cutting...

reproduction inspirations...

and more!

I have started playing with a 30's palette...having fun at present!

Cardygirl xx