No 15 Gift Bags

 Here is another idea to dress up a simple gifts.  They use scraps of fabric and take less than an hour to make.

Download No 15 Gift Bags

One more day and I get my fast Internet access back again.  It seems as though it has taken weeks.

Some more of my trip to Bangalow.  The little shop that has the Eco fabrics seems to have got a bit smaller along with the range of goods but it is still interesting to look at.

There was another shop in the old Masonic Lodge that had lots of ideas for recycling fabrics.

There was a variety of cushions.



And there were some interesting quilts.  I liked this handkerchief one.

The idea of using a fabric double sided and then adding a frill is interesting as well.



But this quilt made from a knit fabric takes the cake.  I'm not sure if I like it or hate it.

But I know I love the feel of this silk quilt.  Two contrasting pieces of fabric with batting between.  This has then been quilted using Pearle cotton thread in bright colours and then blanket stitched around the edge.

I saw another quilt at Nimbin in hippie country that was a true scrap quilt from South America.

A new baby

My niece Kate has just given birth to a new baby, a rather large baby, 10 lb 7 oz. Here she is not even 1 hour old.  It was a home birth with a midwife to assist.  Her name is Shenae O'Brien, but I think there should be some reference to Rose in her name.

 I have just been getting the name Rose over and over.  Not only that I keep seeing roses.

So, I am going to make her a quilt with rose fabrics.

What a blessing? Welcome child and God Bless you and your mother and keep you both safe.

The rest of the day

We took off early today for a drive.  Heading nowhere in particular, but in the direction of south into New South Wales.  We ended up in Byron Bay and on our way into town found that the ditches at the sides of the roads were full of beautiful water lilies.

The town was so busy and the beach so windy that we decided to drive onto Bangalow which is another 7k up the road.  The road headed up into the hills and we managed to get one of the last parking spots in the car park at the back of the town centre.  Right on the edge of the rain forest.

I know that there are some good eco textiles shops in this town but being ANZAC day nothing would open until midday.  So, we headed for the coffee shop.  There were so many people in the town and someone said that they were waiting for the march.  The beat of the drum started and out the window the parade came down the street.

This day isn't about the glory of war rather the price paid for our freedom.  The capital cities have their big parades that are attended by thousands and in all the small towns the locals march, and all remember.

And some little people, who can't see what is going on put their flag in Dad's pocket so they can look at their hands!

ANZAC Day

At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.
LEST WE FORGET.



James Douglas Floyd RAAF having served his country was the thing that he was proudest of in his whole life.  My father.

Eco Fabrics

This slow connection is painful.  Only 3 more days and this time I am going to keep all the kids away from the computer!  (I should say computers as we have 5.)

As I research for my 'Sustainability ' unit of work for Semester 2 I am becoming more delighted and surprised with each click of the mouse.  When I first wrote this unit 5 years ago there was nothing out there.  All the google search results fitted on 2 pages.  Now there has been an explosion of information and a lot of it in my own backyard.

I live in Brisbane Australia. When we arrived here, 25years ago, it was a big country town.  Everything was shut at 10pm.  We went into the Valley one night to get a coffee, (this was the red light district) and couldn't find a coffee machine!  A bit of a change after Europe.

But today things are different.  There is so much going on and it is such a creative place.  One of our local design companies is Thea & Sami .  I found a link to their work through True Up , which is another great textiles blog.  Just have a look at this skirt, I love it. I see the The Storey Bridge everyday on my walk and that skyline is so familiar. 

And look at these great tea towels.



I am going to have so much from my own city for this unit of work that I am going to have to be very selective about what I include.

No 14 Coat-Hanger Scented Sachet

Download NO 14 Coat-Hanger Scented Sachet

This is a quick gift for Mother's Day.  I have my students make one as a practical sewing test and then they can use it as a gift.  But there are a few things to watch.  You are sewing a curve on the bias so pin or tack well and sew slowly.  One things I have found with kids is they don't know the right and wrong side of a button.  So if using this with them show them this.

Keep on running.

Back at school and my feet have not stopped running.  Good thing it was only 1 week's break or I might have slowed down and it would have taken even longer to get up to speed.  What isn't up to speed is my Internet connection.  My daughter downloaded a couple of movies!!!  Everything is soo slow.  This is going to continue for another 5 days till the new billing month tics around.

I have been following Tara Badcock's blog  Tea cosy revolution.  I know how one could get addicted  to tea cosys, you just have to look at them.  Tara's work is going to be exhibited at this years Stitches and Craft Show and I am looking forward to seeing her work up close.  I love the quote over these tea cosys.  I can just see some of the men I know trying the tea cosys on.  Now that would be a sight to see.

Odds and Ends

Only one more day and it's back to work.  I could do with another week off as I am just starting to calm down.  It has been a day for finishing off.  I finished the backing for my quilt and measured the wadding ready to take it in to be quilted.  I talked to Pam on skype.  She is off to Paduka to teach during the show there and is leaving in the morning.

I started my Explorer challenge for this month, and I went by a little shop down the road, whilst out walking the dogs, and came home with a pink handbag.  I've never had a pink handbag before but for some reason I liked this one.  Now, the 'in' colour for this season is orange, but I like pink. (I'm not perverse!)

The northern hemisphere blogs are all talking about spring but here I am seeing the first signs of autumn.  The rain trees are all starting to drop their seeds and the ground is covered in the flowers.  Once they all fall the tree will loose it's leaves and the sun will drop further to the north.  Soon the nights will become chilly and winter will be here.

I saw this pattern for a knitted heart cushion  but the ones I really love are these recycled fabric ones.  Problem is, I can't remember the site I saw them on.  Great idea though.

A day trip

I took a day to visit my friend Angela in Toowoomba.  The highway was a nightmare of roadworks and trucks.  At one point at a roadworks the side of the road gave way and there was a truck at a precarious angle.  Still, the drive out of the city into the countryside was beautiful.

When I arrived I was introduced to a beautiful cat called Millie.  Oh, what a personality, and so beautiful.  She has her own patchwork mat to sit on and she made everything she came in contact with look beautiful.

I have been working on my disappearing nine patch quilt with those 4 half metre pieces that I bought on the Sunshine Coast.  Let me tell you, it isn't quite enough fabric.  I wanted the quilt 5 blocks by 7 blocks and I came up 3 short.  I managed to make up 2 similar blocks with the scraps but this still left me 1 block short.   I had had morning tea with my friend Di and she told me to visit Precious Time in Toowoomba.  This little shop has a great range of fabrics and I found the borders for the quilt.  I eventually managed to put together a block using blacks and whites and have now finished to quilt top.

What is it with quilts and animals?  The moment I put it on the floor to photograph Charlie was sitting on it.  It is not her quilt!!!!