Fun in my fabric world....

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Back to that holiday...

...it seems like forever ago and as always I had to hit the road running. DD's car should be fixed in a week or so, DS is full up with a cold again at uni, & SB is super busy with work. One more assignment for me and my uni year will be over...thank goodness. Then I may be able to settle at one project to completion instead of buzzing from one thing to another...a chaotic bumblebee!
Here are some snaps of Singapore...
up in the Flyer...
 Arab Street...
and a Bintan breakfast...just to make me smile!
I came home to my much loved cat...he had chewed up my circles I had traced onto heat'n'bond...
wonder if it gave him a tummy ache?

And my Jenny Bean Halloween sampler was framed...love it!
Cardygirl xx

Monday, August 22, 2011

On the road again...

The weekend saw me heading north to visit my son at university for a Parents Weekend...fun!
I miss him being around home and it was great to catch up with him and his friends.
On the way home I decided to pop in to The Cottage on the Hill at Nundle as I knew Peg, Dale & Gai would be there for a retreat. Kerry was welcoming as always and I was able to have some lunch and catch up with blogging friends...bonus! This reminded me that I have not shown pics of my Nundle retreat which happened just before I left for Singapore. Here are the blocks from my project...
the pattern was from here...I like the way it is going together and Kerry taught me how to machine applique as I always hand applique...I like the way this is looking.
As I was flying out the next day, I did not stay for the second day of retreat, but the girls made some lovely tops and had a great time...here are some of the happy sewers!
I love going to Nundle, it is always a relaxing weekend. Here is my poor frosty car...and 24hrs later I was heading to 35C plus temps and swimwear!
 Cardygirl xx

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Stitching and flying...

Do you stitch when flying? I always do and have not had a problem. I have had a few people ask me about this, so I will show you what I carry on to pass the time. I will also read at times, but rarely watch anything but the flight path...so I know where I am! Despite looking pretty conservative (read dull!), I seem to always get vacuumed at the security gate or patted down by a straight faced lady (much nicer when they at least introduce themselves before they get friendly!) and have my carry on searched. It is a bit of a family joke now. Often I am asked what I am making and no one has worried about a couple of needles ( I always carry spare needles and my embroidery scissors in my book through luggage...if I only have carry on I can buy nail scissors on arrival).
This is my new favorite little bag, courtesy of Anni Downs' new pattern...it is super cute and just the right size...I was making hexies, so there are cutout hexies, papers, spare magnifying glasses, glue stick (I put it in with my liquids for security checks) & thread.
 When I am cross stitching, I carry my supplies in an A4 size rigid plastic clip case that I bought at Howards Storage World, but you can pick them up at Officeworks too. It is deep enough to hold my magnifying lens, light and Q snap frame, plus threads on a split ring (so I don't lose any).
You can use it as a table and it is quick to put everything away and fits in the seat pocket for meals.
 I saw a great light here that would be perfect for both magnification and light when away from home...might pop it on my wish list I think!
I try and prepare fabric shapes before I leave, but when I need to cut I have three options...a mini dental floss container as it has a built in cutter, tiny plane safe scissors purchased at the last craft show or (not shown) a Clover brand round pendant cutter. Your choice.
I would love to hear your experiences or tips...I have flown throughout Asia and to the US in the last five years with no issues...have you had any problems?
 Cardygirl xx

Monday, August 15, 2011

Back...but only physically!

Holidays must end, but it was so lovely to spend quiet time with my dear husband (now renamed SB!).
Finding it a bit hard to settle at home and work...we had time to talk about future plans for relocation as work is no longer locally centred...who knows what the next twelve months may hold?
Spending most of our time in Singapore was lovely with respite on an Indonesian island...bliss. 
We shopped, ate super lovely food, did some sightseeing and even manged to catch up with a dear stitching friend! What more could a girl want?
We visited textile shops in Arab Street...
fabric shops with Kate...
lots of great food...
and had stitching time on the plane!
Lots to show...this post was intended for last night, but at 6.40pm on a cold night I had one of "those" phone calls..."There is a problem...". DD and her boyfriend were returning from friends and they had hit a kangaroo about 1 1/2hrs away...both of them were fine (kangaroo not!)...and they needed retrieval as the car was to be towed to Tamworth. Off went the ugg boots (never worn in public) and I hit the road. Nice to find them safe and well...here is the damage!
More soon!
 Cardygirl xx

Friday, August 5, 2011

Still MIA....


...but will soon head home. This was my view this week...
shared some lovely mint lemongrass tea...
and caught up with a far flung sewing friend.
I do feel blessed.
Cardygirl xx

Saturday, July 30, 2011

In a place far far away...

Somewhere, someone is taking a break in a place that looks like this and drinking cocktails with fruit in them...yum! Bliss....good for the soul!

Cardygirl xx

Thursday, July 21, 2011

What could this mean?

Super cute bag from Anni Downs' new book..."Some Kind of Wonderful"...great travel size...hmmm?
I used some Denyse Schmidt scraps and some linen from the stash. Anni's version had some embroidery, but I can barely sit still at present, let alone embroider...I think this looks okay though.
It is machine quilted and I love the lining fabric...it is full of goodies. I added a little lady beetle as a zip pull...I bought it a couple of years ago whilst visiting Beijing.
Loading some new music this evening...scared the oh so grown up offspring with a "youth attack"...oh I felt twenty again...loud singing..."Ita" and "Cheap Wine"and "Teach your children"...where did the years go?
Sounds like I need a break away!
 Cardygirl xx

Catching up.

A bit of sewing done, and an assignment complete...time whizzes by!
 Le Petite finished early for this month as there is a lot happening and knew it could be forgotten.
The fabric is Hideaway, the Schnibbles pattern, George. I was not sure about this one, but as it came together I just loved it...as I seem to love them all!
Mum recently celebrated her birthday...she never "needs" anything...so I made her a lap quilt and one of my Le Petite quilts will hang on her wall. She was happy! I even bound them super fast.
Cardygirl xx

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Cross stitch...mmm delicious!

Cross stitch is a bit of a release for me...a few quiet minutes, no sewing machine, rotary cutter or iron...quick and portable (provided I have light and sadly...magnification!).
I am currently working on this design... 
 Feather Your Nest- With Thy Needle& Thread
DMC cotton-1 strand
28ct Cashel linen
Worked over 1 thread
Slow progress, but relaxing. Nowadays I have to enlarge the chart too...sigh...but that is okay...but what wasn't okay was the way this obviously delicious design was nibbled...hmmm...any ideas? I suppose this may have been what was meant by "Sampler"???? 
Cardygirl xx

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Great weather for playing with fabric!

It has been such a bitterly cold weekend...icy winds...and hard to find a warm spot really!
Back into an assignment, but I decided to have some reward time too...fabric time!
Playing with these sweet blocks for Le Petite...
made this mess!
Hoping to visit a loved one who has been travelling for such a long time...it might mean I need a little bag to hold some stitching when I am flying.
Inspired by Anni's bag in her new book "Some Kind of Wonderful", I didn't have time to add the stitcheries, just let some scraps do all the work. Still need to construct it and then get some plane friendly stitching organised. Hopefully the trip will come off...it would be nice to have a break...and even nicer to catch up with family if possible...will have to keep my fingers crossed!
Cardygirl xx