Finished YAY! ... well sort of

OK so I decided this morning to take all 3 projects as I had 'just a little bit' of the binding left to do and then I could choose one of the others to do 'fun' stuff on.

Grrrrr. don't you hate it when there's more left than you thought! I didn't have 1 and a bit sides left to stitch, I had 3 and a bit side so it took my the whole 4plus hours to do, well along with some chatting and snacking.
Finally I'd finished and was doing a major 'happy dance' around the room (no I don't have pictures!) when a voice cut in to say , "No you haven't, there's no label", again Grrrrrr.

So ... I now have a long addition to my UFO list, I've come home and realised that most of my quilts haven't been labeled.
 Perhaps I need to start a "label your quilt" group??

It's crazy to have left this for so long so close to finished, the feature fabric is so gorgeous, here's a couple of close up pics.

So now, just a label and a name, then it's really, truly finished, any suggestions welcome.

This, That or maybe This?

Off to Woodpatch quilters this morning and can't decide what to take for sewing.
A) William Morris block again ? well I think I could finish it today but I've taken it the last 2 weeks, YAWN.
(see Pictures below)
B) My hexagon happy quilt, I've been working on it since ..... wait ..... 2004 (gasp, cringe).

or

C) My purple Japenese quilt (by the way, not named yet ...any suggestions?) I just need to finish the binding, it's been waiting about 2 years (hang head in shame).  It would also be my February Rainbow Scrappy challenge hmmmm there is only today and tomorrow left in feb, I think it needs to be taken??

FNSI

Here's my FNSI for February

I spent over 2 years just buying william Morris fabric and fabrics that toned with it so that I could do the quilt on the cover of Michelle Hill's 2nd William Morris book.
After going to a William Morris exhibition at Piccadilly in the Adelaide Hills I was inspired to get started.
I used Craft Cubby's 'Appliquefix' to fuse 4 blocks, and am working on the 2nd of those blocks, here are the one I've finished and the other 3 ready to do.

I have 12 blocks in all to do in this size and then the central block which is the size of 4 of these. This is definitely a long term project.

My dog blog

We have been the lucky pack leaders of a great Spoodle for just over a year now. He has the loveliest, sweetest personality and is a true joy to us.
BUT, not having the energy that I once had we often feel that we don't give him as much activity play as he needs and he is very lonely when we're out.
Yoshi as a puppy

He is 15 months old now, here he is at around 12 months.

SO on Thursday night we acquired a beautiful new family member, we've called her Sienna after her lovely red gold coat and because the name is soft, feminine and a little exotic just like she is.

Here they are on the drive home during a brief respite between licking and chewing on each other. 

 It's amazing how well they get on, like they were litter mates, they just run and play hour after hour, in fact the didn't stop for a minute from 7 am till 11 am on Friday when they finally crashed.

 As you can see.......

The first night home we didn't get much sleep, they were in the large soft crate together and Yoshi was actually a perfect angel (?!) and didn't make a sound all night but Sienna wasn't used to cows and country sounds and so responded to every sound with a bark or two, she quieted when told but the next moooo and she was off again.
BUT last night they were both perfect angels, all their rough house playing stopped the moment they went into their crate and we only heard a few sounds from them when Rob got up for a drink of water at 3 am, they went straight back to sleep as soon he got back.
Such good dogs, we are very fortunate to have them.
Hope you've enjoyed our doggy tails (oops tales) I'm sure they'll be lots more of them as time goes on.

Retro Rita's Reticule

Another competition in France at Quilt en Sud. A textile comp to make a reticule in any way you'd like.
Well I made a 2 part pattern and made up a test one in a cute floral that I've had for a while and not used, once made I decided I really liked the feminine, retro look and decided to prissy it up some more with fun beading and a tassel.
Here's the pics...

Here it is open and then there's a pic of it hanging up. It's about 6" high sitting.
 

Hopefully I'll hear back that the quilt and reticule are to be posted to France for a quilt show later in the year.

ALSO
Roxanne and I joined the local quilter's group Woodpatch Quilter's last Wednesday and had great fun day, we hope to go every week.
We also went to the South Australia Quilter's Guild February meeting and met many nice ladies who love fabric, sewing, quilting and art, so lots in commmon.

I'm really enjoying getting our in the community again after being unwell for so long, some days are good days and some days not so much but when I can I'll be getting out to these fun and friendly places.

Quilt Competitions

My daughter and I have been having fun this last year entering quilt competitions (more on those later).  Last night we finished 2 each and sent off the entry forms and are hoping to be invited to participate...... it's in FRANCE. how cool!

Here's the quilt ....

The Theme set was "The White Line" open to however we'd like to interpret that. This is the statement that went with this art work.

Titled A Thread of Hope.

“When the yawning maw of darkness, despair, fear and depression stretches out to consume me . . .

I reach, I grasp, I cling.

Somedays it's just a thread, almost intangible.

But if I keep hold it will broaden and lead me away – forward to peace, joy and light.

Yes, I cling to hope.”

Here is a detail shot.

 

I finally got out my baby lock felting machine that I spent a fortune on over a year ago and then chickened out on using. Love it now and will do lots with it.

Here's the technique description I sent with it.

Whole cloth painted and then quilted.

The 'dark side' is further textured with felted wools and silks in addition to various threads, netting and lace fabrics and then embellished with 'found objects'.

The light side is textured with appliqued lace, beaded lace and beaded silks, covered with felted chrystal organza and embellished with shiny, happy objects such as pearls, flowers, butterflies etc. and of course the sequined cord is attached across the work.

The work is backed with suitable cotton fabric and the edges hand stitched in coordinating threads.

Had lot's of fun and lot's of agony making it, and I'm really happy with how it expresses my theme.

Now I have to go do some house work and later I'll post the other entry which was for a textile challenge to make a 'reticule'.