MONTHS have rushed by, with lots of quilts and very little jewellery to show for it. Paid work is now scarce, leaving me lots of room for creation. Unfortunately last year's market season, following political change, was not very successful for me so I have concentrated on quilts this year. Hardly any lampworked glass beads or jewellery. The result is I have a lot of quilts on hand, which was great to put in our biennial Queanbeyan Quilters Exhbition in April but which I am now prepared to sell. Somehow I have to make new, special quilts for newborn family members that come along, as my stock just doesn't quite fit my requirements for them.
I shall start where I left off, a year ago (where did it go?) going to the Quilters Retreat. This year I am looking forward to our group's Retreat at Lake Crackenback. But that is over a month away. The photo above is of my daughter's quilt, finally finished, quilted and hung at the Queanbeyan Quilters Exhibition last weekend. You can see it in its early stages in a past post. I use the title "fever" advisedly; I started and finished making, binding, labelling and adding hanging strips to eleven quilts, two small red and white pieces and constructed a rusty fabric and lace challenge tea cosy before this Exhibition. That has kept me very busy.
I was very lucky to win some votes in the Viewers Choice, thank you to everyone who gave me more fabric! quilting! all of which I will make good use of. In fact, the next quilt design is sizzling round my head now... all these lovely tropical colours, I know just the thing, a commissioned quilt for a close friend.
This will be for a young friend of ours. I started cutting out the pieces many months ago after discussion with her about the design. We went for a multi pattern block, not just two fabrics in each as I'd done on my last one. I have to find time for it between other quilts. My style seems to be to get lots of new works started. Love that feeling, cutting into a new set of colours and shapes... (Of course lots of you out there will recognise this phenomenon as being easily bored and needing constant thrills.)
Enjoyed three calm days a short drive away from home this past weekend. Along with a dozen quilting buddies, we attacked our unfinished projects and got lots of sewing done. And lots of eating. And as for the gin and grapefruit drinks, the less said the better probably. Except that they were yummy. From the Motel Royal Tara where we were staying in Binalong, there was a lovely drive up the road to Harden and my roommate and I had to visit the Quilters Stash in Murrumburrah. Along the way we found wide open skies and rolling hills and lots of photo opportunities.
I had a really enjoyable weekend in Yass last week, where I had a stall and met lots of members of Yass Quick Quilters as well as visitors to their expertly set-up show. For such a small group, they put on a lovely and diverse show. There were several quilts in the "I could take that home with me" category. In the park nearby there was excellent live music and some beautifully restored classic vehicles. There were lots of other things going on but alas, I was busy with my stall. Early Saturday morning I'd set off and although I knew exactly which way I intended to go, I found myself zooming up Majura Road, a longer way to get there, 83.1 km instead of 74.3 km and taking an hour and 11 minutes. After a tipoff, I came home a different way, across country on the Murrumbateman then the Sutton Roads. Flying along the empty country roads, with no other traffic or lights or delays, it only took an hour and I felt really good. Looking forward to their next Exhibition in a year or two.
I was fortunate to be invited to partake in the US Embassy's Marketplace last Friday where I met lots of lovely people. It was a gorgeous spring day in Canberra, with a light breeze and plenty of sun. It was the end of the week and many staff took advantage of the opportunity to stroll with their families down to see us all, some kids even learning a few hip-hop moves while they were there. A very enjoyable day. I was well-prepared, with lots of new pieces of jewellery to show off and happy to make tailored pieces to suit people's requirements. That's the beauty of making things yourself. Note to self: back up to the lampwork studio soon and make more red beads. I sell more pieces of jewellery containing red beads than everything else combined.
My first spring market was held in sunny but very blustery Canberra. No-one was dawdling today, winds of 40 kph really do spoil a nice lunchtime stroll. Big gusts had stands toppling over for some unlucky people and bags and fabric went sailing away. Hope to go back there before Christmas for another market day with still weather and a better opportunity to meet and greet people.
Our two new cats have sorted themselves out now, although Coco does not respond well to suitcases being brought out, nor to us moving a desk from room to room. They wrestle and sleep together, push each other around in the sun and provide us with a lot of entertainment. Chantilly loves us to throw her Toy so she can race after it and fetch it back. It is often brought back to bed after her breakfast, while I try to sleep on.
This week the glass splashbacks were put in, concluding the work on the kitchen. Except for some ceiling items... but we needn't worry about them, just need to source a nice ceiling grille for the extract fan and get the painter back to patch a few starter holes. Everything in the kitchen seems to be working just fine, very happy to say.
Here is the happy young man taking his new quilt off to Japan with him - we all wish him the best and hope his years of teaching over there will be really rewarding. Now for the next one... I wonder which one?
I have always been obsessed with creation and colour. These days I play with glass and fabric as much of the time as I can. The rest is taken up with a little paid architectural work, family and playing with our two cats.