Thursday 31 July 2014

Quilts Show part 3.............

I have some pics to share from the quilt show..........
I have more that are just amazing but the "rules" quilts shows seem to have now days I don't know who the people are so can't ask for permission to share............but I have contacted a few I knew and here are some of the quilts.........and a few snippets..........
you can see the prize winners here..............
The photo above is about 1 1/2 inchs square....TINY......hand embroidered then domestic machine quilted............the amount of work in the space is amazing..............it would drive me nuts to do this.............the whole quilt is amazing..........it did win first prize in it's section.............
love this design............."Ikat Diamonds" by Kathy Doughty
"Data Garden" by Belinda Betts
Awarded Excellence in Long Arm Quilting and also Judges Commendation................
the quilting is amazing..............
Closer detail..............
Belinda said both the quilt above and below are her original designs and the quilting is freehand with the use of rulers and templates.........no computerised stitching................
Garden Tiles also by Belinda Betts
Inspired by the centre panel which was a gift.............
I love the detail in it..............

snippets.................
When I saw this one I think made from saris I thought Susan @ Susan's Sewing Space, Helen @ Helbels World of Craft and Maureen (no blog) would love to see it...........
You can see the whole quilt here.................
This is a group quilt by Springwood Community Quilt Show........just gorgeous...........they won 3rd place in the group section.........this quilt is a Chris Jurd design.............
"Fiesta" by Chris Jurd...............would love to make this one.............
Onto something more modern..............
Metro Medallion by blogger Leanne Harvey @Mount Vincent Quilts...........I think this reminds me of my EPP project a bit with the shape of the light and dark sections...................
4th place in modern - new traditions from old favourites (open)
Another one by Leanne...."Spinner".....inspired by origami............made from 64 different blocks........
&&&
See a little bit of everything............so much inspiration seeing all the quilts...............I could have spent more time wandering around thru them...........just stunning............

Congrats to Janet @ Quiltsalott who won Best Hand Quilting, Retaining the Tradition and Best of Show.........her quilt was amazing..........sadly I didn't get any pics as I was too busy photo bombing while Sue Anne was trying to take a photo......then we were discussing the detail in the quilt and I forgot to take my photo..............

So that's it for the quilt show 2014...........maybe i'll get back in a few years...............if I lived close I would go every year...............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

feeling helpful............

A feel good start to the day yesterday............I woke up to this blog comment in my emails.......it was on an old post from 2009..........
(random photo of mine from 2009)
"Just wanted to say your blog tips have been a great help with my blog. I'm fairly new to this but now I will try emailing my photos as that was the Bain of my blog life.

Thanks for the encouragement 
Dawn"

Thanks Dawn @ Sew much to Quilt you made my day.............
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Quilt Show part 2............

Finally back to the quilt show...............
Here is some shopping.............mainly I was looking for a few more blues for my EPP quilt............and surprisingly there were hardly any papers at the show.....and not the size or shape I needed..........For the shops that didn't go you missed out on my business.............There were quite a few that weren't there 2 years ago.............hopefully they will decide to come back.............
but still a black hole for some of a big name Aussie designers.........
But I did my best to show support for the shops that did attend...............

Somerset Patchwork

forgot where I got these.............

Fabrics from the new range Snowbirds..................pretty sure I got this at Appleyard Cottage but can't find it on there website...........
Bits and pieces............

Fairy girl joined in the dancing fun at the start of the day..........this was her prize............

I got the green spot at Fee's Shabby Shack.........Fairy Girl got the pink flamingo at Hatched and Patched

Fairy Girl did a resin jewellery workshop with Beads N Crystals............
I wished I had time to do it too but I didn't..........
She got a few supplies to make something else...........

This is one of the pendants she made the other one included some rice paper.........but I don't have a pic of it............it's my favourite.............
Not sure what stand I got this little zipper purse but I got a few they were a bargain......super cute......

Bags and books from Quiltmania............I got Carolyn Konigs new book.............

Saturday morning heading out from the city we had a stop to Quiltsmith in Annadale..............
A couple of pieces of yardage and backing for Fairy Girls quilt...............
At Spotlight on the way home Fairy Girl found some green chevron that she had been looking for..............
this one is flannel..............
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Sunday 27 July 2014

A nice night......

Its fun having a sleepover.........
Yummy dinner and dessert...... 
We didn't manage any sewing time but we enjoyed some bubbles and found Kate's labels......organised some hexagons.........thanks for having me Kate 
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Sunday afternoon & spot the pig.....

After a nice bush bbq lunch ....sitting stitching enjoying the sun...... 
I spent a few hours on the tractor desilting a dam with Mr Chooky......back and forwards, back and forwards, back and forwards..............you get the idea............

Can you spot the pig and no it's not the cows on the tree line......
Got to run off to work.........
Catch you later
Chookyblue
PS Still got quilt show post to do.........

Saturday 19 July 2014

one of my favourite movies.............

More quilt show posts to come but the internet is slow so I am sewing......watching one of my all time favourite movies..................CROCODILE DUNDEE............love it......
Crocodile Dundee (1986) Poster
first released in 1986 but I love it just as much each time I watch it................
.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Thursday 17 July 2014

Quilt Show part 1................

Sydney was busy busy and I had a great time..............Friday was the Quilt Show Day.............Fairy Girl and I headed off to Darling Harbour with my girlfriend and her daughter.........After parking at Darling Harbour and grabbing coffees etc we jumped onto the ferry - destination Glebe Island for the Quilt Show..........
Glebe Island is not actually an Island and I think that is a mistake in using the word Island as I think that is the deterrent for people going. But Seriously if you have previosuly made it to Darling Harbour for the quilt how you could very easily make it to the new venue. PLUS you had the bonus ferry ride............a great start to the day............Months ago when Julia @Julia's Place told me she was going on a quilt trip to Sydney for the quilt show I thought wow shame I am not going.......would be great to meet up with her.............She lives on the Western side of Australia..........only about 4,000lms away.......we have been online friends for years.......
But over the months things have changed and I decided to have a family holiday in Sydney.............
you can tell the family were thrilled............. 
you can find all the links for the girls blogs on the page tab above "Blogs to visit"
Julia's Place, me, Janette @ Fat Quarter Bird, Cardygirl and SueAnne @ Buddy and Me
Was lovely to meet Janette after enjoying her trip to France, and nice to catch up with Cardy and SueAnne........I briefly met SueAnne at Sydney a couple of years ago...........not that the time matters.........you just pick up where you left off and it feels like yesterday..............

Buddy and Me, Kylie @ Country Wishes, Lea @ Fairy Floss Stitches, Susan @ Thimble Stitch, Linda @ Quilts in the Barn
I had recognised Linda on the ferry but was not brave enough to speak to her...........So when I saw her with SueAnne I got brave.......they were heading for coffee and asked me to join them............The Cassilis Quilters girls (who I was staying with) turned up before we left......
Then it was off to some serious shopping..........
Somerset Patchwork always find something here................
Fee's Shabby Shack........after interacting online with Fee for years was lovely to meet her........sorry I didn't get back to meet Dawn.........suddenly it was 5pm and they were throwing us out...............
Cherry Pie Designs............Carol has lovely fabrics and designs too...........
hopefully we can scheme ...
The Bird House - Natalie has great treats too...................
Quiltmania.........beautiful books and Magazines..............so pleased they make the effort to travel over to Australia...............
Can you believe I missed getting a pic of Hatched and Patched..........I only stopped in about 5-6 times..............Anni's stand was stuffed full of goodness and looked amazing as usual.........
I met Dasha@Patching Pixies she'd traveled in with a friend for the day.........We liked similar quilts too...........
Salley what can I say...........gosh we have had some funny and odd emails with each other.......was nice to catch up again..........and very entertaining watching her sweat it out in an animal onsey doing the jelly roll races............
As the day was starting I caught sight of the back of a lady and her scarf.....after a quick text to Fiona I got Sylvia's(@Time To Stitch) number and found her on one of the stands..............we caught up at afternoon tea when she was enjoying a cuppa and I had finally got some lunch..................
My day was all over the place...............I was very disorganised going thru the rows..........going here and there unorganised............and catching up with people inbetween..........Fairy Girl dragging me off to look at something she had found (when she got bored with me talking) but I think I did it all..............
Material Obsessions...........always bright and full of colour............I attended Kathy's talk and enjoyed it..........not sure I can step that far out of my comfort zone yet.............but I get what she talks about..........
the second quilt from the left is made using her new range............it's lovely.............
Just randomly meeting at the front door on closing............so nice to see everyone again..........
Julie and Jean hiding in the back row here.......oh and Raelee @ Wish2Stitch is on the left another of the Cassilis Quilters.................
After this the group I was staying with and my girlfriend headed back to Darling Harbour....Anita @Rileys Rambles met us at the wharf.......we checked into accommodation and headed back the Harbourside for a yummy dinner..............this time at Thaifoon.........dinner was delicious........
Sorry it's taken so long to get back here..........We didn't get home til Monday and then work and I was a little disappointed with the weather yesterday as we only got a few mls of rain and they had forecast more.............which we need.............
But hopefully I will be back soon to show you some shopping.................
Catch you later
Chookyblue

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Australian Museum.............

you always have to cross the Great Diving Range to get to the city...........
we took a rough dirt side to get a better view................
We had a visit to the Australian Museum..........
I love all the specimens..........I could have spent more time there.........
they fascinate me............
Butterflies...........
so many birds.............
On display at the moment is the works of the Scott sisters. Harriet and Helena in 1846 at the ages of 14 and 16 moved to Ash Island and started to document with their father who was a scientist all the flora and fauna on Ash Island..........with so much attention to detail in the drawing - I think most are ink/watercolours.........the display is wonderful........
I can't imagine someone paying so much attention to detail of collecting and then drawing the works in todays society.............most of the collection was done between 1846 and 1864...........who knows what they could have achieved if they did it now when women are accepted in these types of scientific careers............. Fortunately the person in charge of the Australian Museum in 1884 knew of the Scott Sisters works and acquired the collection...........
A lovely lunch at a pub in the city..........public transport experiences.......sure is an eye opener........
"You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy"

Catch you later
Chookyblue