A Regional Gallery Honour

Our Regional Gallery is currently hosting an exhibit titled

"Artisans in the Gallery" featuring works from the Studios of Roma Community Arts Centre. 

This is the first exhibit featuring the artisans based in the centre and we are very excited as they are recognising our work as 'valuable' and important enough to exhibit.  The gallery usually feature artists from major cities or with existing reputations for their work.

As an artisan (flash title hey?) who works in the Centre I was permitted to exhibit some works as part of the Patchwork & Crafters representation.  Two of my pieces are hanging in the gallery.

"Ted's Ties" is on the right in this photograph

 and "Images of Australia" is the large quilt on the right in this photo.

I know they are not close ups of my quilts, but I expect they have been seen elsewhere on my blog.  I am so impressed with the exhibit as a whole it includes: - pottery, silversmithing; ceramics; patchwork; lace making; porcelain dolls; performing arts & teddy bears.

The official opening is this Friday night 5.30pm at Roma on Bungil Gallery, Roma Community Arts Centre, Hawthorne Street, Roma.  I would be stoked if you wanted to come along.

More Springtime

Well I am so super excited, I have made more progress on my "Springtime" quilt stitcheries.  It is amazing how quickly they come together when all the prep work is done.

I have a block in my handbag with thread, scissors etc all ready to go.  It is surprising how many stitches you can complete in 5 minutes and how many people stop to ask what you are making.

This is block 2 called "Sunshine Frolic" and was designed by Cheryl Goss of Willowberry Designs

 Block 3 called "Sharing" by the lovely Vikki  Collumbine of Sew Useful Designs

 and the remaining 4 'verse' blocks that flow throughout the quilt.

Progress is great and I feel really good getting into the hand sewing, it is really relaxing and portable.

"Springtime" stitchery progress

You may recall back in February I blogged about winning these "Fresh Hope" Patterns in a flood relief auction.  These lovely stitchery designs are by a group of Australian Designers who call themselves the "Gum Tree Designers" and the pattern is called Springtime.

 Well after a few doctor's appointments, a State of Origin game on telly and waiting around in various places I have finished block one "Raindrops" by Jenny Reynolds of Jenny of Elefantz

There are 9 blocks in the quilt and each block is accompanied by a phrase.  Well a couple of nights watching TV and I have stitched 5 phrases.  I am really excited as to how my stitching is going.  It is really improving and being red work means the choice of thread colour is really easy.

So at least we have progress.  I have all the blocks traced off ready to stitch, so they will be ready for the waiting room at the hospital when my youngest goes to have his tonsils out.

Give me a cheer for progress  YEAH!!

A finish (yeah about time)

I am so excited, I have finished something.

Back in February Kathy & Jeff Adams of KoolKat Quilting, Highfields (near Toowoomba) came to visit our patchwork group in Roma and show off the Accuquilt cutting system.

We had a wonderful day & I cut lots of my stash into strips, tumbler blocks and these lovely applique motifs.

 I ummed and ahhed about how to arrange the blocks and then they just got put aside.

The black fabric I had cut the applique from has a lovely shimmer to it and looks great on the damask cloth I chose.  So I finally stopped procrastinating, ironed the applique on and sewed. 

Well I sewed, unpicked, got cranky at my sewing machine and stitched some more.  But it is now finished.  A damask cloth with "arabesque" applique.

 The little swirls are in the corners of the cloth, you can see one below.

And it doesn't look too bad with my flowers on it either.

Now we just need to find a home for the cloth, as I would use a table cloth about once a year on Christmas Day. (And that is a specific Christmas cloth).

So mark this one up as a finish and one to add to the OPAM list.

Oh, yeah I just remembered the damask cloth came from a massive box I picked up at the markets. I have visions of dyeing and using them for backings etc.