tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106707712024-03-13T19:33:56.544+08:00anlabyhouseViv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-14855565790133885262013-03-26T15:47:00.001+08:002013-03-26T15:47:09.157+08:00Message in a Bottle crazy quilting challenge 2013At last I have finished my entry for the Message in a Bottle Challenge organised by Thearica Burrows from <a href="http://www.crazyquiltingsupplies.com/Challenges_s/1825.htm">Crazy Quilting Supplies</a>. I wanted to make something that would appeal to adults as well as to children and consulted my seven year old grandson Jesse who is learning about ecology in school for advice. The end result is a concertina style book which slides into a presentation box for safe keeping.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ31PI0SCwI/UVFJIdQfifI/AAAAAAAAAy4/KPvzHAfYlJc/s1600/Message+in+a+Bottle+Challenge+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ31PI0SCwI/UVFJIdQfifI/AAAAAAAAAy4/KPvzHAfYlJc/s320/Message+in+a+Bottle+Challenge+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZJ1megWSvE/UVFJI5b7r7I/AAAAAAAAAzA/9HRgiCduI_0/s1600/Message+in+a+Bottle+Challenge+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZJ1megWSvE/UVFJI5b7r7I/AAAAAAAAAzA/9HRgiCduI_0/s320/Message+in+a+Bottle+Challenge+014.JPG" width="224" /></a></div>
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Here is the story in Pages.....there is a thin gold dotted line sewn across all the pages that tracks the journey that the bottle undertakes from being thrown into the sea to when it is washed up on the beach.</div>
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<u><b>Page One</b></u></div>
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The bottle was thrown from a sailing ship by a sailor who was afraid of the approaching storm and the rocks below the sea. I stitched the sailing ship masts and hull first before attaching each white felt sail with tiny blanket stitches and finished off with the rigging. I thought that the two birds were not "flying" birds because they had no wings, so they are seagulls floating on the waves.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yTFEyfKklo/UVFKCmsDQ8I/AAAAAAAAAzI/gEPda1jzmNM/s1600/Page+One.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yTFEyfKklo/UVFKCmsDQ8I/AAAAAAAAAzI/gEPda1jzmNM/s400/Page+One.JPG" width="395" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Page Two</u></b></div>
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Before it reaches the surface, the bottle is taken over the top of a brightly coloured coral reef.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KFGvJxGBfGE/UVFLO1t0Q-I/AAAAAAAAAzU/hOHfZS-VBsw/s1600/Page+Two.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="387" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KFGvJxGBfGE/UVFLO1t0Q-I/AAAAAAAAAzU/hOHfZS-VBsw/s400/Page+Two.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Page Three</u></b></div>
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As it travels the world for one hundred years, the bottle is caught up in swirling currents. I found this block challenging because part of the kit was a piece of turquoise net on which was stitched these three ribbon roundels. I unpicked the roundels from the netting and re-stitched them back again onto the circular swirling current. The kit also included a ball of beige coloured Perle cotton which I used to make the length of tatting on the sandy sea-bed.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ac7mJzQDs1I/UVFLviRNr5I/AAAAAAAAAzc/VozJJgFne1E/s1600/Beads+for+Sale+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ac7mJzQDs1I/UVFLviRNr5I/AAAAAAAAAzc/VozJJgFne1E/s400/Beads+for+Sale+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Page Four</u></b></div>
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The bottle is eventually picked up by the waves and carried by a huge surf towards the shore. In the block, I included the netting that was the background of the roundels and also included some of the sequins which were also attached to the netting. I enjoyed creating the waves out of lots of pieces of white lace, some of which were included in the kit and hopefully I have captured the movement of the surf.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaFcWbDX_I4/UVFNfFBkhHI/AAAAAAAAAzs/SG0bSr1Hylc/s1600/Page+Four.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaFcWbDX_I4/UVFNfFBkhHI/AAAAAAAAAzs/SG0bSr1Hylc/s400/Page+Four.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Page Five</u></b></div>
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At last the bottle is thrown up onto a beach.........a beach polluted with dead sea creatures such as the turtle trapped in rope, the duck with a rubber band around its neck, dead fish caught in a piece of wayward net, more bottles, a rubber sandal, a tin can, beaded oil slick, plastic and now, our bottle. The message spills out, a simple S.O.S., no longer for the sailor whom we assume sailed home safely but for our own Planet Earth. </div>
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Eventually, people arrived who understood the problems facing our environment. They cleaned up the ocean and the beaches and educated the general public to respect our world - the water as well as the land.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SxzLUNS-ekY/UVFPRbxDw8I/AAAAAAAAAz8/_yAzvO8q--E/s1600/Page+Five.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SxzLUNS-ekY/UVFPRbxDw8I/AAAAAAAAAz8/_yAzvO8q--E/s400/Page+Five.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Page Six</u></b></div>
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The last picture shows the results of this campaign to clean up our environment. There is a pristine clean beach with butterflies fluttering over fresh sea grasses, there are dolphins playing in the sea and clean water lapping on the shoreline, all under a bright, warm sun. Two surfers have propped their surfboards in the sand while they take a break and their boards reflect the message. The most time consuming part of this block was the surfboards as both are cross-stitched onto 27 threads-per-inch canvas. </div>
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I can only hope that I have helped to spread the message.......let's keep our world clean from pollution!!</div>
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<br />Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-81314599650244449282012-12-19T06:31:00.001+08:002012-12-19T06:35:22.825+08:00Christmas CrackersThe Southern Cross Crazies had a Christmas Cracker swap and the crackers are now winging their way to their new owners. This was the fabulous swap, I loved making the cracker outers and stuffing the cardboard paper towel middles with goodies almost as much as I love receiving and opening my crackers from other people!!<br />
These are the three crackers that I made and posted to Natascha (Victorian), Faye (Autumn) and Maureen (Cream/Blues Victorian).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAK4194HKSM/UNDoSKp7C8I/AAAAAAAAAnE/xIdBSG7lGvY/s1600/Three+completed+Christmas+Crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAK4194HKSM/UNDoSKp7C8I/AAAAAAAAAnE/xIdBSG7lGvY/s320/Three+completed+Christmas+Crackers.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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The first cracker that I received was from Natascha. It was a bright and cheerful Christmas themed cracker and contained more Christmas stuff PLUS Natascha added a baby doll in a christening gown and a gorgeous china Rocking Horse for my dolls house.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the cracker, baby doll and rocking horse. Note the beetle on the top of the cracker - he is gorgeous, red and gold stitching with detached gold beaded wings. Here is a close-up of the beetle.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QORYzBUPnA/UNDstj9k0DI/AAAAAAAAAoA/pbO8tU0_B3w/s1600/Beetle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8QORYzBUPnA/UNDstj9k0DI/AAAAAAAAAoA/pbO8tU0_B3w/s1600/Beetle.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kTpjhyJ78SU/UNDpk0RLuPI/AAAAAAAAAnc/xpeBNPGeVu4/s1600/Natascha's+cracker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kTpjhyJ78SU/UNDpk0RLuPI/AAAAAAAAAnc/xpeBNPGeVu4/s320/Natascha's+cracker.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the cracker opened - it contained Christmas fabrics, lots of gold trims and beads, red trim, a button and a fabulous assortment of Christmas patchwork material including the large Father Christmas cut-out.<br />
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My second cracker was received from Maureen in Victoria. This one was a beautiful Victorian cracker and Maureen had also thought of my miniatures by including a round doily which will be perfect for a dolls house tablecloth and some very mini braid.<br />
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Maureen included lots of cream fabric, laces and pearl trim for my cream-on-cream quilt blocks, lots of pastel trinkets and buttons and beautiful frosted flower beads. I am a very happy little vegemite at the moment!!</div>
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Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-45970149558954296512012-11-18T06:39:00.002+08:002012-12-19T05:59:14.977+08:00<div class="post hentry" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting">
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Dolls House Size Crazy quilt
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Today I finally finished the 1:12 scale crazy
quilt that I have been working on for the last two or three weeks. The whole
quilt measure 8 1/4 inches x 7 inches or 21cm x 17.5cm and there must be at
least two hundred tiny patches, I haven't counted them all. Each one is
embroidered around all sides just like in a real crazy quilt and the tiny black
edging finishes it all off. The edging was one that I bought in England when we
were there two years ago but it was sky blue, so taking up my husband's
suggestion, I dyed it black and then slip-stitched it around the edges of the
lined quilt once it was dry. I am posting this to both my crazy quilting blog
and my doll's house miniature blog because it fits them both. The straight edge
is the top while the curved bottom edge is designed to go down the end and sides
of a four-poster bed.<br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DfEcYZRiwZM/UKgOj7mK8PI/AAAAAAAAAkE/eNCvkWshwBQ/s1600/IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5bl0ms="2" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DfEcYZRiwZM/UKgOj7mK8PI/AAAAAAAAAkE/eNCvkWshwBQ/s400/IMG_0002.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used the stitch and flip
method of piecing the tiny patches by hand, using a 3 mm or 1/8 inch seam and
tiny running stitches.</td></tr>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5i28zPhHLQ/UKgPJbco4nI/AAAAAAAAAkM/AFB0TbeGkvk/s1600/Corner+Close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_uid_5bl0ms="3" height="303" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5i28zPhHLQ/UKgPJbco4nI/AAAAAAAAAkM/AFB0TbeGkvk/s320/Corner+Close-up.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a close-up of the
bottom right hand corner showing some of the decorative motifs such as a
butterfly, Rose spray and fan.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186" rel="author" title="author profile"><span style="color: #cc3300;"><span itemprop="name">Vivienne</span> </span></a></span></span><span class="post-timestamp">at
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Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-7039759013230013902012-11-01T12:07:00.002+08:002012-11-01T12:52:31.348+08:00Block Six. Serenity Prayer BlockThis is block six for my crazy quilt. This was a nice, peaceful block to stitch and I really enjoyed it. However, in the flesh the Serenity Prayer motif and beaded edge are fairly straight while squashed under the scanner it shows as crooked and all over the place. Not to worry, I know that it is straight and that is the main thing........<br />
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I am finding that all my hoard of stuff from <a href="http://www.flightsoffancyboutique.com/">Flights of Fancy</a> over the years is really coming in useful now, especially the motifs with beading and sequins attached. I get heaps of pleasure digging around in my large container of bits and pieces which I collected over several years. The littte framed image of Violets under the prayer was a Charity Shop find. It is cross-stitched on 40 holes to the inch canvas and requires a magnifying glass to even see the beautiful stitching. Obviously someone didn't appreciate the work involved or it wouldn't have been donated to the Op Shop for me to pounce on.....Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-30710238679094171942012-10-26T12:52:00.000+08:002012-10-28T07:05:28.112+08:00Block 5. Butterfly and OwlHere is block five finished. I couldn't put this one down, it kept saying "put this here, add that there...." until in the end I couldn't put anything else anywhere else. I like to cover every seam, I hate bare seams although I don't mind something trailing from one patch across a seam to another patch. Anyway as soon as this block is blogged, I am off to start block 6 which is sitting on the dining room table all ready and waiting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ygpn2itIJ0/UIoWb4ObknI/AAAAAAAAAfA/GWGQFomknbk/s1600/Block+5.+Butterfly+and+Owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ygpn2itIJ0/UIoWb4ObknI/AAAAAAAAAfA/GWGQFomknbk/s400/Block+5.+Butterfly+and+Owl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large Butterfly lace motif has been hand-dyed in mauve and lemon and then beaded with mauve beads. The Forget-me-nots are tiny blue buttons while the tiny little Owl at the top was a cute brass charm that my husband wanted me to use on the block. </td></tr>
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<br />Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-70775774148909609572012-10-25T11:28:00.002+08:002012-10-25T16:25:56.711+08:00New Crazy Quilt HappeningI have retired from full-time work.........yayyyy, clapping hands.........so at last I can get back to my crazy quilt which I started over five years ago. I have just finished the first four blocks with about twenty more to go. I have put my cream-on-cream crazy quilt on the back burner for now because I need to remove all of the gold brass charms and replace them with gold thread embroidery. As the charms tarnish and go dull and dark, there is no way that I can clean them without marking the cream fabrics and laces - I don't know what I was thinking of, putting metal charms on the blocks. To see the cream-on-cream blocks check out the post for May 22nd 2011.<br />
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So I am back to the coloured one and I'm really having fun. I have no idea when I start stitching just what I am going to finish up with. It's like the blocks are telling me what they want putting on them next. Here are photos of the first four blocks which may all get sewn together into a very colourful and busy crazy quilt or they may get separated by strips of black velveteen fabric. Definitely NOT black velvet though or the house and my nose will be full of little specks of velvet pile.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wehQcg_5E0Q/UIisiyLaaAI/AAAAAAAAAd0/sBNtiG-GFDU/s1600/Block+1.+Peacock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wehQcg_5E0Q/UIisiyLaaAI/AAAAAAAAAd0/sBNtiG-GFDU/s320/Block+1.+Peacock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Block One. Peacock is hand-dyed and sequins added to his eye and tail. I thought he went well with the Peacock Feather fabric to the right of the bird.<br />
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Block Two. Angel block.<br />
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Block Three. Floral Bouquet Block. The floral embroidery in the centre was recycled from the lid of a trinket box which I did for a magazine article featuring Rajmahal Threads. The embroidery was all worked in a single thread. When the black fabric box got shabby from use, I unpicked the lid and used it on this crazy quilt block.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l4-VkJh78vM/UIixvfRC2bI/AAAAAAAAAeo/QWRGFOL8XxE/s1600/Block+4.+Fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l4-VkJh78vM/UIixvfRC2bI/AAAAAAAAAeo/QWRGFOL8XxE/s320/Block+4.+Fans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Block Four. Fans Block with some gold metal fans which started life as a pair of earrings.</td></tr>
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Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-27762918869237067412012-05-07T18:41:00.001+08:002012-05-07T18:41:27.158+08:00Maire's and Jacque's Christmas Tree Skirt Wedges finishedHere are the last of the Christmas Tree Skirt Wedges finished. I put the last stitches in Maire's today at work. It has kept my workmates interested in the end results as they see the naked wedges and watch them slowly get covered in beads, stitching, charms and trims until they are completed and the next day I turn up with the next one.<br />
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I started with putting the sparkly red ribbon and stitched edge across the middle of the huge olive green patch in the centre of the wedge then added the olive green lace motif which I cut in half, spread across the centre of the ribbon and stitched on the heated sequinned motif. That broke up the large expanse of one colour. At the top I have put Santa arrived under the Australian skies with the Southern Cross dominant and down the bottom I have snow flakes and swags with lots of gold and silver charms suspended form them.<br />
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Here is Jacque's Christmas tree skirt wedges. Jacque made diamonds and triangles with curved edges. She is going to join the diamonds which all have a blank piece at the top so she can add a crocheted doily which her grandmother made which has eight petals. Then in between the diamonds at the bottom she is going to insert the triangles which will splay out - should look great when it is done.<br />
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<br />Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-46192418685137279882012-04-13T15:58:00.000+08:002012-04-13T15:58:11.956+08:00Leslie's Christmas Tree Skirt Wedge finished.Wow, Leslie sent me the busiest naked tree skirt wedge ever, in fact I didn't really know where to start embellishing. I eventually began with the group of reindeers pulling the sleigh through the sky.......actually no, they are hovering above the house while Santa is about to go in with his sack of presents. Next to the reindeers are five large gold stars representing the Southern Cross so that Leslie will always know that this wedge was done in Australia, also I have attached a little Australian flag charm.<br />
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Here is the eight naked wedges, mine is the one in the eleven o'clock position.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a1Z85rYvT8I/T4fb9kPxkZI/AAAAAAAAAcM/bL09gbOG7kg/s1600/tree+skirt+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a1Z85rYvT8I/T4fb9kPxkZI/AAAAAAAAAcM/bL09gbOG7kg/s320/tree+skirt+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is a photo of my wedge once it was finished and also a close-up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8yiSp-r_sis/T4fcQOdJcMI/AAAAAAAAAcU/PKxq4OqvI1I/s1600/Leslie%27s+Christmas+Tree+Skirt+Wedge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8yiSp-r_sis/T4fcQOdJcMI/AAAAAAAAAcU/PKxq4OqvI1I/s400/Leslie%27s+Christmas+Tree+Skirt+Wedge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lKGd4ggBKUc/T4fcSD42vSI/AAAAAAAAAcc/cO_43lsC6Lw/s1600/Leslie%27s+quilt+close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lKGd4ggBKUc/T4fcSD42vSI/AAAAAAAAAcc/cO_43lsC6Lw/s400/Leslie%27s+quilt+close-up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-77656733086798295792011-12-30T17:14:00.001+08:002012-03-15T20:06:38.761+08:00Lorrie's Traditional Christmas Tree Skirt Wedge<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJFnGT6_CaQ/T2HbAn7mQ7I/AAAAAAAAAcA/YFCuuLaS1sE/s1600/Lorrie's+skirt+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJFnGT6_CaQ/T2HbAn7mQ7I/AAAAAAAAAcA/YFCuuLaS1sE/s320/Lorrie's+skirt+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the same tree skirt once the embellishment has been completed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The second wedge which Lorrie sent was traditional red, green and white colours. I have some ideas brewing for this one as well especially using the print of the word LOVE and the pine-cones as a feature.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iba98B1WcAY/Tv2AlNu1sjI/AAAAAAAAAao/dzlVIMHaabE/s1600/Lorrie%2527s+green+and+red+wedge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iba98B1WcAY/Tv2AlNu1sjI/AAAAAAAAAao/dzlVIMHaabE/s400/Lorrie%2527s+green+and+red+wedge.JPG" width="335" /></a></div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-1992896765435231132011-12-30T17:11:00.001+08:002012-01-29T11:09:43.672+08:00Lorrie's Poinsettias and Purple Tree SkirtLorrie in Canada sent me two wedges to work on. My favourite was this one with patches in purple, cream and Red Poinsettias with green leaves. I can hardly wait to get started on this challenging colour combination.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TooqK3csOc/Tv2ABRgE7HI/AAAAAAAAAac/UHGBy_H5_6M/s1600/Lorrie%2527s+purple+wedge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TooqK3csOc/Tv2ABRgE7HI/AAAAAAAAAac/UHGBy_H5_6M/s400/Lorrie%2527s+purple+wedge.JPG" width="341" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-INWL6VoSOzQ/TyS2lgOOK3I/AAAAAAAAAbk/9sxMz4bpHUI/s1600/Purple+Wedge+Closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-INWL6VoSOzQ/TyS2lgOOK3I/AAAAAAAAAbk/9sxMz4bpHUI/s320/Purple+Wedge+Closeup.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here is the finished product - lots of purple, gold, red and green with a little bit of cream to balance the colours that Lorrie used. She wanted "Royal" and what could be more royal than three crowns at the top representing the three Kings from the Orient who visited the Christ Child, bearing gifts. It was quite difficult keeping the red and green down to a minimum as well, my natural instinct told me to keep adding more and more but I resisted, LOL.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NA7RiPqjoFI/TyS2umy929I/AAAAAAAAAbs/MPv1780ARwM/s1600/Purple+Wedge+shade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NA7RiPqjoFI/TyS2umy929I/AAAAAAAAAbs/MPv1780ARwM/s400/Purple+Wedge+shade.JPG" width="333" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-91793347312702515772011-12-30T17:08:00.002+08:002012-01-01T17:14:28.052+08:00Christmas Tree Skirt Wedges - JuliJuli was the first person to send me one of her Christmas Tree skirt wedges to work on for the World Wide Crazy Quilters swap. Juli used tiny patches to piece her wedges which means lots of short seams and lots of variety in the charms, beads and trims.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSI5V3T8o2I/TwAiPuUrsAI/AAAAAAAAAbY/8T6J07F0DHc/s1600/Juli%2527s+Naked+Tree+skirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSI5V3T8o2I/TwAiPuUrsAI/AAAAAAAAAbY/8T6J07F0DHc/s320/Juli%2527s+Naked+Tree+skirt.JPG" width="262" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dWVsOJjajxk/TwAh2ZSIYoI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ZMIzcoOC1FI/s1600/Completed+tree+skirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dWVsOJjajxk/TwAh2ZSIYoI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ZMIzcoOC1FI/s320/Completed+tree+skirt.JPG" width="291" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;"> This is naked tree skirt wedge. When I have finished, I will post a photo of the completed wedge to compare the two.<b> </b>And here is the completed skirt showing the extremely busy treatments of so many tiny seams. My favourite pieces are the Mother-of-Pearl button snowman and the colourful button trail which I made to balance up with the fabric on the other side of the wedge.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-18809516952292180852011-12-29T14:12:00.000+08:002011-12-29T14:12:37.540+08:00My Favourite Photo from Christmas......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qzn2teukerQ/TvwDB9aGFEI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/xJXsqGvvcMw/s1600/Eddie+and+Juliet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qzn2teukerQ/TvwDB9aGFEI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/xJXsqGvvcMw/s400/Eddie+and+Juliet.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>I took this photo of my husband and our youngest grand-daughter Juliet on Boxing Day. He is so BIG(6ft 3ins) and she is so little (19 months old) but oh, the attitude!! We had gone to the park and once she was out of the stroller and walking, well, that was that, there was no way that she was getting back in again. She must have walked a couple of kilometres on those little legs.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-21555800223273366682011-12-18T17:06:00.000+08:002011-12-18T17:06:01.575+08:00ANOTHER UFO finished - Lenny the Lion<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_lebepTUoY/Tu2qw-LZP8I/AAAAAAAAAZk/UPs3p_PeGsY/s1600/UFO+lion+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_lebepTUoY/Tu2qw-LZP8I/AAAAAAAAAZk/UPs3p_PeGsY/s320/UFO+lion+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After all the mending, filling and grooming, Lenny still looks sad. Some lions are never happy!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W5Si78Y_TUE/Tu2q5oT8khI/AAAAAAAAAZs/wLjic2GwP3U/s1600/UFO+lion+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W5Si78Y_TUE/Tu2q5oT8khI/AAAAAAAAAZs/wLjic2GwP3U/s320/UFO+lion+001.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From this angle, Lenny looks downright grumpy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This UFO was a pain in the backside because of the sheer size of it. My 40 yr old plumber son was driving along the road during a Council Clean-up and spotted this poor, decrepit bean-bag lion sitting on the verge waiting for the rubbish truck to come and pick him up with all the other rubbish. Well, my old softie took one look into the lion's eyes, stopped his truck and shoved the lion in the front seat next to himself and then brought him to me to fix up...."Mum, look at him! I couldn't leave him there for the dump truck, it wouldn't have been right!!" So, lots of patching, nearly another bag of styrofoam micro-balls and a good brush to his mane and tail and here he is, waiting for my son to come and pick him up and take him home. DH and I spent half the day filling him up with beads and we over-did it to compensate for the sad state that he was in before, hopefully the beads will settle down and he won't look so fat. Anyway, he has been lying on the bed in the back bedroom for about three months until today when I finally felt up for the challenge and here he is - DONE!! The lion is about five feet tall, Leigh wants him to sit on his living room floor. The first time my grandson Jesse came to visit after the arrival of Lenny, he came marching out to the kitchen and exclaimed "Nanna! There's a giant bear on my bed!!" I told him it belonged to Uncle Leigh and I could tell from the expression on his six yr old face that he didn't believe me..........Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-10300308861100723602011-12-12T18:29:00.001+08:002011-12-12T18:36:04.344+08:00The Next lot of UFOs in the QueueThese are the next lot of projects - we can't help ourselves, we just keep finding more and more things to restore and to bring back to some sort of usefulness.<br />
Here is my collection of English 1950s dolls which all need cleaning up, re-wigging and dressing. I'm not sure where I will display them but they are all just like the ones that my sister and I had when we were kids. The first two which are not in the photo were found by my son on the side of the road during an annual Council Rubbish Clean-up. He saw them and thought straight away "Hey! My mum would love those!!" Needless to say, I did love them and then bought more on eBay and in a second hand shop. Mostly they were in pieces and needed re-stringing, eye-lashes, mouths painting and totally restoring. They are now all in one piece again and are waiting for some 1950s style clothes which I shall copy from my Mum's old "Australian Home Journal" magazines which I have in my cupboard. Sadly they are deteriorating fast as the paper is becoming brittle but the gorgeous drawings of the dresses that my sister and I wore as children are still there.<br />
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</div>The next project appeared on the pile of next-door's rubbish during the local Council Verge Clean-up a couple of weeks ago. We already had a cane chair, a cane rocking chair and a cane coffee table on our front porch, all bought in charity shops at different times and all painted gloss white with colourful cushions etc and this settee was exactly the same pattern in natural cane. Eddie was taking me to work early one morning and spotted it, stopped the car and the two of us scuttled over to the rubbish pile, picked up the settee and carried it home. One leg was broken but Eddie quickly fixed that with a large screw and a bracket, I bought a cane basket for $2 at the Salvos which we unpicked and used to cover the joins at the back and will cover the feet. It is as solid as a rock now and will look fantastic painted white like the rest of the furniture and next-doors will never know it was their old one.....I mean to say, we're not telling them it was us who scavenged on their verge!!!!<br />
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I guess I could describe my style of decorating as "re-cycled Country"?? or maybe it is just plain "my own style" but I love the look of my 1950s childhood and anything that reminds me of my Grandma's house or my parents house.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-49854316492713885752011-12-12T18:12:00.000+08:002011-12-12T18:12:55.500+08:00The March of the UFOsWe had a great weekend finishing off some UFOs which have been hanging around our house for weeks, months and even years. What a terrific feeling to sew the last stitch or glue the last bit of braid or polish the last piece of wood and in the case of Pippa's baby bag, watch it walk out the door!!<br />
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Firstly, was the baby bag. I used a pattern from a book on making baby gifts and while it looked simple and straight forward, it was the worst pattern that I have ever tried to decipher!! In the end it took about twenty hours of cutting, sewing, ironing, unpicking and hand-stitching over three weekends however when I gave it to Pippa today, she loved it so I guess the effort was worth it in the end.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While the front and back of the bag show the printed PVC with the pattern the right way up, the flap which is part of the same piece of fabric as the back is up-side-down. The change mat is rolled into a swag and strapped to the front.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TVs0yGWdbrg/TuXPY0O-wlI/AAAAAAAAAYo/gzn51m2OXfk/s1600/Pippa%2527s+baby+bag+open.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TVs0yGWdbrg/TuXPY0O-wlI/AAAAAAAAAYo/gzn51m2OXfk/s320/Pippa%2527s+baby+bag+open.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside is lined with wadding and gingham with lots of pockets to hold all the important things that babies need.<br />
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</tbody></table>Secondly were a pair of beaded lampshades for our bedroom. I bought the pair of them for $8 at a charity shop about two years ago. They had lacquered black bases and the frames were covered in grubby white fabric with a fringe of fraying knitted cord however, I loved the shape of the bases so I bought them anyway. Eddie scraped off all the black lacquer and sanded them down so I could spray paint them with Antique Cream paint. I ripped the grubby fabric and fringing off the frames but left the lining intact and then covered them with cream fabric and ivory stretch lace and cream braid. Finally they were given their beaded fringes and now sit at either side of our bed. I love the soft, romantic Edwardian look - they'll go well with the still unfinished patchwork quilt one day.....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MA-VAthR7N0/TuXRNsxibPI/AAAAAAAAAY4/zwHRLWbqLWo/s1600/bedside+lamp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MA-VAthR7N0/TuXRNsxibPI/AAAAAAAAAY4/zwHRLWbqLWo/s320/bedside+lamp.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Finally, Eddie put the finishing touches to the 1921 Singer Treadle sewing machine that has languished in pieces in our dining room for about 12 years. I saw it outside a second-hand shop and it reminded me so much of the one that my Nanna and my Mum had when I was a child. It was a wreck as it had been sitting on a verandah out in the weather and was badly water damaged. Eddie totally dismantled it and treated each piece of metal, each piece of wood and even the leather strap has been treated with leather protection stuff. I love the finished product, he took all the bits of peeling veneer off the lid and saved them to cut into strips and cover the left-hand side piece on the top. He replaced the veneer on the lid with a new piece and had to re-make the curved base under the machine itself. One bonus was that it came with the box of bits including the key and when I unlocked the drawers, they were full of 1920s haberdashery including embroidery cottons wound around magazine pages from a 1926 magazine, suspenders extensions, ancient bias binding and braids which had faded with time, artificial flowers and netting for hats and heaps of other mostly unusable bits and bobs. The machine will now take pride of place in the hallway so that it will be the first thing that people will see when they walk in our door. Now I know why I married Eddie - it wasn't just for his good looks, LOL.<br />
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</div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-4901271085400478122011-12-06T17:15:00.000+08:002011-12-06T17:15:02.722+08:00Christmas Present and Postcard swaps 2011The Southern Cross Crazies hosted a Christmas Present swap plus a Christmas postcard swap this year. I have been so very, very lucky with the beautiful gifts that I have received from Maxine, Alison and Florence, not to mention the gorgeous postcards from so many friends around Australia.<br />
Here are photos of the gifts I received....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IExRW1zqfK8/Tt3bB4aDnbI/AAAAAAAAAXA/qXiAQpWOdvw/s1600/From+Alison+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IExRW1zqfK8/Tt3bB4aDnbI/AAAAAAAAAXA/qXiAQpWOdvw/s400/From+Alison+001.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the needlecase which Alison made for me with the "Silent Night" postcard she sent as well. I love the fact that the needlecase is a very generous size, 7inches x 5 inches.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wWrNl8Rogc/Tt3bPKFlZrI/AAAAAAAAAXI/vuCH8KOf0WM/s1600/From+Florence+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wWrNl8Rogc/Tt3bPKFlZrI/AAAAAAAAAXI/vuCH8KOf0WM/s400/From+Florence+001.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florence made me this very special note-book with the heavily embellished back and front covers. I am going to use it to keep a record of crazy quilting stitches. Below it is the Christmas postcard she made with Santa and his reindeers on a sparkly, snowy background.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8EcwMhzC0DY/Tt3bSnhMgnI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/S9DN6BV7d2Q/s1600/from+Maxine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8EcwMhzC0DY/Tt3bSnhMgnI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/S9DN6BV7d2Q/s400/from+Maxine.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the heart decorations that Maxine made for me. I really love the purple and turquoise colour theme and those tiny Roses in the centre are to die for. Each one is exactly the same size and shape as all the others. I love it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ietV3HmJi4/Tt3bdFyGcGI/AAAAAAAAAXY/IbJJIWcKuDA/s1600/From+Natascha+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ietV3HmJi4/Tt3bdFyGcGI/AAAAAAAAAXY/IbJJIWcKuDA/s400/From+Natascha+001.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This group of "German Christmas" postcard and machine made lacy decorations as well as the tiny animated card and the circular Father Christmas decoration came from Natascha. Natascha and her machine are a fantastic team!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-26303921551671594802011-12-03T06:56:00.001+08:002011-12-03T06:57:25.032+08:00My Christmas Tree Skirt<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2zyYMfuCbMk/TtlWk_5JGZI/AAAAAAAAAWw/32_ooYqPE3Q/s1600/Crazy+Quilting+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2zyYMfuCbMk/TtlWk_5JGZI/AAAAAAAAAWw/32_ooYqPE3Q/s400/Crazy+Quilting+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Christmas Tree skirt showing the position of the Poinsettia fabric on each one. Obviously I will alternate the single and double floral pieces when I stitch the wedges together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7X2IQc1mcuk/TtlWqJJ105I/AAAAAAAAAW4/7uMOMPHNFW0/s1600/Crazy+Quilting+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7X2IQc1mcuk/TtlWqJJ105I/AAAAAAAAAW4/7uMOMPHNFW0/s400/Crazy+Quilting+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>Well, I finally got my Christmas Tree Skirt panels pieced and ready to mail off to the girls in the US. Eight panels to be embellished by eight people so that every one of them should be finished when they return, all ready for me to just sew together. I love this idea as it also means that I shall be working on eight separate panels myself - all of them totally different to one another. I was lazy cutting out my base shapes, I simply got a large piece of fabric, folded it in halves, quarters and eighths then cut a curved edge at the bottom and a small hole out of the top and voila!! a circle!! Then I cut the circle into eight equal wedges and covered each one with fabric. The only common denominator is a patch of cream and gold fabric placed in the same position on each wedge. The fabric had a rather spectacular design of pink Poinsettias and green leaves with a glittery sparkle so I made it my starting point for each of the wedges. I am really looking forward to this Round Robin and the different wedges that arrive for stitching....Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-70670791979575435372011-10-23T18:03:00.000+08:002011-10-23T18:03:27.774+08:00Oriental Tote Bag finished - another UFO hits the dust!!I spent the day sewing the tote bag with the front and back panels from the SouthernCrossCrazies Tone-on-Tone Round Robin. This bag is for a Chinese/Malay workmate called Debbie who loves the bright colours that I used in the two panels. My thanks go to the girls who worked on the RR - they all did a fantastic job. Debbie wanted a bag with short handles that could also convert to a shoulder strap........here are the photos of the finished bag.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmDaMUM7_5U/TqPl6AT1JcI/AAAAAAAAAV8/IUnLy8C5Uqk/s1600/Debbie%2527s+bag+front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmDaMUM7_5U/TqPl6AT1JcI/AAAAAAAAAV8/IUnLy8C5Uqk/s400/Debbie%2527s+bag+front.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie's tote bag FRONT view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOo-HxqUaaQ/TqPl4PLvXlI/AAAAAAAAAV0/1IJjdJ7M0J8/s1600/Debbie%2527s+bag+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOo-HxqUaaQ/TqPl4PLvXlI/AAAAAAAAAV0/1IJjdJ7M0J8/s400/Debbie%2527s+bag+back.JPG" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The BACK view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOCIpaYtc5o/TqPl8Y7TBPI/AAAAAAAAAWE/6WO4stglgdk/s1600/Debbie%2527s+bag+shoulder+strap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOCIpaYtc5o/TqPl8Y7TBPI/AAAAAAAAAWE/6WO4stglgdk/s400/Debbie%2527s+bag+shoulder+strap.JPG" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bag with the shoulder strap out and the little handles tucked away.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-31241736229883121782011-10-22T10:31:00.000+08:002011-10-22T10:31:05.825+08:00Christmas Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbzaSIV9E9w/TqIpoOtjgJI/AAAAAAAAAVY/9LWwtL-cvLk/s1600/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbzaSIV9E9w/TqIpoOtjgJI/AAAAAAAAAVY/9LWwtL-cvLk/s320/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pABN5XrVwUw/TqIpsp_Ky8I/AAAAAAAAAVg/M1XwXmMXghE/s1600/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pABN5XrVwUw/TqIpsp_Ky8I/AAAAAAAAAVg/M1XwXmMXghE/s320/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+007.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI5AaA3_4zE/TqIp7LGob0I/AAAAAAAAAVo/2B52WBERoTw/s1600/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+tree+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI5AaA3_4zE/TqIp7LGob0I/AAAAAAAAAVo/2B52WBERoTw/s320/Tay+and+Jesse+Xmas+Tree+tree+closeup.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>Having chatted in the Worldwidecrazyquilters chat room this morning - well, after having worked out to post messages, LOL, the girls were talking about crazy quilted Christmas tree skirts. I said mine would have to be huge to cover the base of the tree but actually the base of the tree is only about two feet across so it wouldn't have to be more than 3 ft across at the most. I said I would post pictures of the tree - here they are......the tree is actually 7ft tall to the very tip of the top although it doesn't look it here. The grandkids decorated the bottom of the tree with unbreakable ornaments then DH and I did the top half with glass and crystal ones. The reason the tree is outside under the patio (remember it would be very, very unusual if it rained here in Perth over Christmas) is that it takes up so much floor space inside. The tree measures about 8ft across the bottom branches. So, how big should I make the wedges for the Christmas tree skirt???Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-49848580428076602882011-10-09T15:16:00.000+08:002011-10-09T15:16:08.642+08:00Southern Cross Crazies Christmas Pressie swap completed.I agreed to swap with three other members of Southern Cross Crazies and always had in mindusing some special patchwork fabric that I bought during a holiday in Linlithgow, Scotland, last year. I bought two strips of fabric, each strip was made up of twelve 3 inch square pictures with Christmas themes. The strip that I used was traditional Christmas images while the other strip was "antiqued cream/beige" background with red-work Christmas pictures.<br />
Each swap partner will receive a fat pincushion with a matching needlecase. Both have hanging tags so they can be used as Christmas ornaments and then once the festive season is over, they can be used as functional items. I am always on the look-out for ways to conserve space in my studio so I made these pairs of items so they can be hung from a hook...........the needlecase hanging from the pincushion which hangs from a hook on the wall. Alternatively, they can be hung from drawer handles......whatever the ladies wish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaOCAzxkBSA/TpFJKuX3bcI/AAAAAAAAAVE/YXjyQrYDd78/s1600/Christmas+patchwork+set.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaOCAzxkBSA/TpFJKuX3bcI/AAAAAAAAAVE/YXjyQrYDd78/s320/Christmas+patchwork+set.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One pair of Christmas ornaments cum sewing items. I hope the girls like my pressie when it arives.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bRSMpc0WyZw/TpFJP4c2cOI/AAAAAAAAAVI/YGYgHTKY0xk/s1600/Christmas+pin-cushion+and+needle-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bRSMpc0WyZw/TpFJP4c2cOI/AAAAAAAAAVI/YGYgHTKY0xk/s320/Christmas+pin-cushion+and+needle-book.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry about the angle girls, these were on the wall and I, being height challenged was underneath with the camera pointing upwards.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiSi9UAWUL4/TpFJTg117JI/AAAAAAAAAVM/mwsTKen67_M/s1600/Christmas+pin-cushions+and+needle-cases.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiSi9UAWUL4/TpFJTg117JI/AAAAAAAAAVM/mwsTKen67_M/s320/Christmas+pin-cushions+and+needle-cases.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the three sets of pincushions and needlecases. The sun really picked up the gold thread in this photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My big achievement is that they are finished well before time so I can now move on to my next project - a UFO - finishing the hot pink and black tote bag for Debbie at work.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-91967396266904319592011-09-28T16:47:00.001+08:002011-09-28T16:52:01.431+08:00Southern Cross Crazies Christmas postcards finished<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69Jqb59XT_A/ToLedZ4eTyI/AAAAAAAAAVA/hKHbfHEhxPA/s1600/SSC+Christmas+swap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-69Jqb59XT_A/ToLedZ4eTyI/AAAAAAAAAVA/hKHbfHEhxPA/s320/SSC+Christmas+swap.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOeAxhtvxYY/ToLeMAz1HeI/AAAAAAAAAU4/dmjVXvcvMPk/s1600/SSC+Christmas+postcard+swap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOeAxhtvxYY/ToLeMAz1HeI/AAAAAAAAAU4/dmjVXvcvMPk/s320/SSC+Christmas+postcard+swap.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lC5gJ6qG_QE/ToLeT1G5wqI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ae6OxxG6uGI/s1600/SSC+Christmas+postcards+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lC5gJ6qG_QE/ToLeT1G5wqI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ae6OxxG6uGI/s320/SSC+Christmas+postcards+2.jpg" width="232" /></a>Today I took a sickie from work and made four dozen Spring Rolls for a Chinese themed dinner party we are having on Saturday, cleaned the kitchen, pulled up some weeds from between my bulbs and then finished these seven Christmas themed fabric postcards. One of the two vertical ones I will keep for myself but I'm not sure which one I like the best yet. There were seven participants in this swap so I hope the other girls like what I have done for them. Here are the photos.......and before anyone tells me, I KNOW that the reflection of Santa and his reindeers are going the wrong way to the actual silver charm ones, LOL.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-671746597894957222011-09-19T16:38:00.000+08:002011-09-19T16:38:57.233+08:00Rebecca's cq bibs in the CQI FFT18 SwapI have joined the Fabulous First Timers 18 round robin, (FFT18 RR) and for the last month I have been sewing on Bec's bibs. Bec made two bib shaped blocks, one cream and the other BLINDINGLY bright. They will go on the front of singlet tops when she gets them back.<br />
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I chose the bright one to work on but had trouble getting going because of the large floral patch of bright stylised flowers. First of all I chose to sew in one strand of DMC cotton with 2 strands of Kreinik Blending Filament but it was too heavy. I unpicked the flower and did it again but by half way through I could see that one strand of Rajmahal Art Silk with two strands of the Kreinik was still too heavy. Finally, I stitched the whole thing in just the two strands of Kreinik Blending Filament and it was fine.<br />
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Bec had used a huge piece of floral fabric which swallowed up the embroidered flower so I took the liberty of adding another piece of fabric in the same orange colour as another flower which had also become lost. The two together blended well so then I put some metallic gold lace along the two seams and added little irridesent blue flower beads.<br />
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I didn't take Bec's fabric from under the orange piece because I thought that if she had particular ideas for the large floral piece then she could unpick the orange piece and get back to what she wanted. I remembered the Golden Rule of Round Robins - never do anything to someone else's block which can't be undone by the owner later. Fortunately Bec loved the orange bit so I was lucky and it will stay now. Here are the photos of the block - naked and dressed, LOL.<br />
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The two photos at the top are of the naked and dressed block and below is a close-up of the embroidery (long and short stitch and blanket stitch) with the Kreinik thread plus Kreinik very fine braid for the outlines.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-68486571470293850582011-09-11T15:02:00.003+08:002011-09-13T12:11:32.151+08:00Finally Finished Taylia's quillowLast Christmas I made quillows for three grandchildren - Trucks and Construction Vehicles for Jesse, Dinasaurs for Beau and Baby Animals for Lola. I ran out of time to finish Taylia's but she has been very patient and I have finished it in time for her 12th birthday next week. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3W3tFDrXck/TmxTIIXbuxI/AAAAAAAAAUc/mtN6ohaLQ54/s1600/Front+of+Tay%2527s+quillio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3W3tFDrXck/TmxTIIXbuxI/AAAAAAAAAUc/mtN6ohaLQ54/s320/Front+of+Tay%2527s+quillio.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Here are photos of the front and the back of the cushion. The front (right) shows Taylia with the Janome sewing machine that we gave her for her 10th birthday. While the machine is hers and she uses it whenever she comes to sleep-over, it lives in my studio. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The back shows her on the new bike that she got for her 11th birthday from her parents. She was one very happy little Vegemite when she got that bike to replace her old one which was too small. </div><br />
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Here is the quilt itself with the twelve photos which are in no particular order, I stitched them together so that the colours blended together well and added a coloured button on each corner to anchor the front of the quilt to the back. Several of the blocks have scraps of fabric from dresses that I have made for her over the years, including a smocked romper when she was 6 months old and a flowergirl's dress when she was 3. I made sure that I included photos of two very big happenings in her life, the births of her little brother with she was 6 and her little sister when she was 10.<br />
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</div>Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-32854419985412714912011-09-03T08:34:00.001+08:002011-09-03T08:37:12.284+08:001956 Fabric Stash from Aunty AmyI met my cousin Jackie for lunch this week and she gave me another box of treasures from Aunty Ame's stash. For those who haven't read my previous blogs, Aunty Ame died in March 1970 and her boxes of fabrics, trims and laces ended up with my cousin who has kept them all these years just as they were 40 years ago. Aunty Ame was my Mum's eldest sister and made dolls' clothes for Pedigree and Roddy dolls for a man who owned several toy shops around Perth and Fremantle in the 1950s and 1960s.<br />
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The contents of this box of tricks also included patterns for dolls' clothes cut from newspaper - dated 26th September 1956!!! I didn't know that before she made the dolls' clothes, she obviously did alterations for people so included in the box was the complete circular bottom 6 inches of a wedding dress with the hem on one edge. It had been shortened for someone and was a beautiful ivory satin fabric with a tiny rib pattern, perfect for crazy quilting.<br />
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Perhaps the greatest treasure as far as I was concerned were several cut-out bodices for Pedigree Walky-Talky doll size dolls where my aunt had probably cut out eight at a time and only needed seven. There were lots of taffetas, satins, crepes, georgettes, voiles and unknown rayon type fabrics among the scraps and never having seen the light of day in 40-50 years, they were as bright and crisp as the day they were put in the box. The only casualty was a gorgeous piece of grey voile fabric with a floral design in black flocking. The flocking had disintegrated into fine black "sooty" powder in some parts and landed all over my table, my clothes and the other materials in the box........rather than breathe in a lung-full of black flocking, I reluctantly threw that out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg8JhLvpxUI/TmF1VwIDR_I/AAAAAAAAAUI/RQBjQRoM5kc/s1600/aunts+fabric+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg8JhLvpxUI/TmF1VwIDR_I/AAAAAAAAAUI/RQBjQRoM5kc/s320/aunts+fabric+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6IyZNLv1XA/TmF1Z-13ptI/AAAAAAAAAUM/lIqr5ZycUtI/s1600/Aunts+fabric+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6IyZNLv1XA/TmF1Z-13ptI/AAAAAAAAAUM/lIqr5ZycUtI/s320/Aunts+fabric+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It is so nice to meet Jackie and reminisce over our Aunty Ame, her boxes of iron-on transfers, cupboards of fabrics and drawers of laces and braids. She was also a talented pianist with a dance band and was a wonderful cook. I can't believe it is 41 years since she brightened our lives with her lively personality and interesting stories which may or may not have been true. Perhaps the best part was the smell - that fantastic smell of material from 1950s when the lid was taken off the box. Sadly, now that the material has been ironed and allowed to breathe the fresh air again, the smell has gone - but it was Heaven while it lasted!!!<br />
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Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10670771.post-59156970790999288122011-06-25T16:33:00.000+08:002011-06-25T16:33:19.811+08:00My blank block for FFT18 with CQIAI have decided to bite the bullet and join in a Fabulous-First-Timers Round Robin with CQI. I can't join in any of the other swaps until I've done a FFT - this groups is FFT18. I chose a vintage image of a girl asleep with fairies and goblins flying around her. The words below the image are:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><u>HALLOWE'EN TIME</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tonight, upon your pillow,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Close your eyes and hide your head,</div><div style="text-align: center;">For the fairies and the goblins</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will be hovering round your bed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LMdoKPdZ_n0/TgWcwelwBdI/AAAAAAAAAT8/AK5zW_52eaA/s1600/Halloween+Picture+CQI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LMdoKPdZ_n0/TgWcwelwBdI/AAAAAAAAAT8/AK5zW_52eaA/s400/Halloween+Picture+CQI.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I have tried to choose fabrics with the same colours as those in the picture. Even though I ironed each patch after I sewed it on, the light reflected from the satin fabrics has made them look puffy. Believe me, they are flat. I can hardly wait to see what the other girls in this swap do to my block. I'm hoping for all the glitter and magic of fairies, goblins, beautiful dreams and the mysteries of Hallowe'en.Viv and Eddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322003157658679186noreply@blogger.com3