Oma's Blues Part 5 is Launched

Whoops! Sorry everyone, the 15th just flew by me this month! I think I must have the world's best Moderators over in our Yahoo Group because Glenda sent me an email this morning wondering where the 15th had got to? Good question!

Since returning from my workshop in Queensland, I've been busy working away on the next BOM. As they say, time just flies when you're in the 'zone'...

So here we are: Part 5. It's more charms again this month. Personally, I just love these charm plates and I'm curious to see how everyone decides to position their own arrangements (or insert some new designs all their own?) in the border blocks here. I've arranged these blocks to make sense and mean something special to me, but like all my quilts I know that those of you making it will add something of yourselves as you create the blocks that reflect your own lives.

Oma's Blues is my current free BOM: it's not too late to start as all parts including this month are still available for free over in my Yahoo Bom Group.

WOW: My Favourite Pin Cushion

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

This is Pinny-Sue. She's a 15 year old patchwork square pin cushion with an elastic band back that is stitched to stay in position on my machine. I think I made her up but I can't be sure as I do have some vague recollection of possibly adapting a pattern back in my doll and bear making days. Hmmm, I really don't remember much about making her even though she is now a mainstay in my sewing routine. I keep meaning to make her some new friends for my other machines but simply haven't got around to it.

She's definitely my favourite pin cushion. In fact, when my youngest DD started sewing one of her first projects was to make a pin cushion and when she brought it home she loudly complained that it wasn't a 'proper' pin cushion because 'it didn't have a face!' She's lasted through our beloved cat chewing her Mary-Jane shoes and being sat in the direct glare of a daylight lamp at all hours of the day and night...and she's doing just fine.

Today I'm in Queensland teaching a 2 day workshop. 

It's forecast to be 25c which should feel nice again after the cold snap that's hit back home.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

WOW: Another Cup!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Do you remember how I was making a cup sampler last week for my beginners sewing circle? Well, my first DD caught sight of it and certainly felt that she had to have one. Right away. In pink. So I made her this one, a bit higher than my original sample and again without the puff - as requested. Last night my younger DD set eyes on it and now SHE wants one too. 

 I must be missing something here as I don't understand the allure of the fabric cup...

If you'd like to make your own - with or without the highly debatable puff- you can find a link to the original free pattern here. There's also a tutorial over on the site which is easy to follow.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Look! Another Love Enwtined (Kirsten Kreutzfeldt's)

I really love my Yahoo BOM Group as there's always images up there that are downright inspiring. I'm honestly awed by the passion and creativity of my online quilting community - to say nothing of our generous Moderators and this all means that I get to see my quilts being made from all over the world all the time. Its a wonderful feeling and I'm so blessed to experience it so often that its almost routine now.

Each and every one is a marvel, they are so beautiful. The truth is, I've run out of words to even express how different, styled and unique they each are. I'm left with saying things like 'it's beautiful' over and over which sounds so glib but the fact is, I don't know what else I can say. THEY'RE ALL SO BEAUTIFUL.

My quilting group is over in Yahoo and this blog is over in Google and somehow, these two worlds just aren't connected enough for my liking.  For one thing, blog readers miss out on just how jaw dropping-ly good these quilts look during their creation. And many comments stay over there where people are viewing images so there's a kind of gulf between the two that I wish I could bring together in one creative place. There's so much advice, info and sharing that happens over there that I often wish Google would create a useful group or that Yahoo would create a useful blog so that we could hang out in one place...it still staggers me in this day and age that such technology often feels disjointed like this.

Anyway, as much as I love my group (and I do), there's something extra special about seeing a project in real life and with Love Entwined that is especially so. There is so much to visually take in you just want to hold and look. And look. And look.

I was delighted to meet Kirsten Kreutzfeldt and see her centre of Love Entwined progress.This is her quilt so far. Kirsten has very generously allowed me permission to photograph her quilt and put it up here on my blog to show everyone. Thanks so much  Kirsten, I just love how you are making this quilt uniquely yours!

What a great compass. I love how the gold is shining from behind, this centre is alive. 

I love the fabrics and I love the zig zag - what a great choice Kirsten.

Also, have you noticed her use of broderie perse? Its sitting so well with the pattern. I know that those of you familiar with Love Entwined can see where she can gone ahead and used artistic license to make it all her own and I think its gorgeous! You have to make what speaks to your own heart and when you do, the result just shines. 

Love the dove (?) too Kirsten, what a character!

 thanks for sharing it with us all...

When I realised how many LE's were being made, and how different they all were, it dawned on me that we needed a not for profit coffee table book to publish, share and enjoy between ourselves. This is something I am working on (you know, its on the list). I haven't felt a hurry for it because I know it will be a few more years before enough quilts are finished, but just seeing so many of them progressing so much faster than I ever expected makes me excited all over again.

Love Entwined, what a legacy. 

My Tea Cup

Well, I made it. This is my sample and its a bit rough looking but I managed it without the puff and I think it's OK. I think I prefer the original with the puffiness and I think the cup is a bit low and flat but, I don't know...it's kind of cute I guess? The original as shown in the video is much better and I think the puff adds a whole world of cuteness. I think I might persuade my group to return to the puff as it does lose some charm when its flat like this.

For those of you who missed my WOW post, you can find the video and pattern relating to this pattern on this link - the pattern is up for free download on the site. I don't speak Spanish but I think the tutorial is straight forward enough just by watching. This is not my pattern - I have nothing to do with it, I'm simply making it.

Hmmm, it's growing on me I must admit...