The Goddess has Moved House.

Sharonb, that gifted and extremely generous Goddess of the Fibre Blog, has moved. So In a Minute Ago is now HERE.

And this little acolyte has been too busy to do any stitching in the past few days, so nothing to show off. But there are hopes for the coming weekend.

Apple Blossom Quilt

I'm off working on my Apple Blossom Quilt - which I used to call my "Mirror" quilt, as it was mirroring another I was working on.

These are the latest three blocks, made as piecing demos, and some show the effects of talking to too many people as I was doing them.

I prefer to piece alone. The embellishing is a social thing - nice works for my hands while something else is happening. But not the piecing stage. I sometimes feel pressured to produce the next piece, and put things on quickly, and don't pull them off when I should.

It is one of the "two part" life I find in crazy patchwork. Piece alone, but happily embellish in company.

Needle books with Maz

I know I keep saying this - but do pop over and have a look at Maz and her latest post of needlebooks.

These are commercial ones, and I have never seen the like.

We are really privileged to have Maz posting her superb collection in the way she is - subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. (Or, at least bookmark!)

Thanks Maz!

Comfort Doll #2 finished

Doll #2 is finished, and heading off soon to Jo in New Zealand for distribution. Jo, if you are reading this after your riotous weekend away, I need a snail-mail addie, please.

This one is simpler than my last one, but I like her just as much. I especially like the way the tatting extends beyond her head to make a diadem, and nothing else is needed to fill in up there.

The chain is just vintage faux pearls - I haven't added anything else this time.

I like the way the beading works around the edge, although it is slow. It is just blanket stitch, picking up one bead with each stitch, and keeping it on the left of the "leg" of the next stitch.

It seems to strengthen and even out the seam - I think I might go and try it on a Heart or two.

Comfort Doll II progress

Comfort Doll #2 is progressing. I am experimenting with putting her "garland" (aka the pearls) on first. And I got reallllly pretentious, as I wanted very small tatting, like a diadem. So this was done with sewing cotton (and furry stuff at that!). It is really hard to use, and not the sort of thing to do as a passenger in a car. As it is so small you cannot see individual stitches.

But it seems to work.

I am embellishing this one a little less than the last as (and don't tell anyone), it is a quickie, so I can send one to Jo in New Zealand to distribute. Besides which - I have one I want to make that is, wait for it, not purple.

Pat, who initiated this project, was kind enough to leave a comment thanking me for blogging my progress to help the less experienced doll makers. Ummmm - Pat. You are more than kind. What you see above is my second doll - and the one before it was my first.

But I have been inspired by seeing the work of other Spirit Doll makers.

The progress of mine is on a set at Flickr. And dolls by others are in a Flickr Group.

Stash Disposal Day II

Today was so much better at the Stash Disposal Coal Face. There were more people, it rained less, and we had a heater and a light stand. Much better.

But first to catch up with news from yesterday. I count myself so fortunate to have met Maz from Crazy Haberdasher and Have a Notion. And Maz was so kind as to give me one of her sewing stands. I was overwhelmed - even though I had seen photographs of them, I had not realised how delicate and dainty they were.

This is mine, with part of my growing collection of wooden cotton reels.

And my wonderful thing for today may seem silly - but someone made a suggestion that was so obvious, I feel dumb not to have thought of it.

I have been wondering how to repair my sewing box, where the leather has split all along the lid.

Then, a visitor said: Why don't you take it to Peter L, the bookbinder down the road, who repairs old leather-bound books? It was obvious - and I have had him bind books for me before, but had not thought of him for my leather sewing box.

I am off there next week, as this box fitted in so well with my machines.

And I managed to get three blocks pieced for my Mirror Quilt - which has now been renamed the Apple Blossom quilt. I am off to work on them now.

A Cold, Slow Day

Today was a cold, rainy, slow day - and the weather for tomorrow is predicted to be the same. So not many people came out. But I did get two blocks pieced.

Highlight was meeting Maz of Crazy Haberdasher - more about that tomorrow. And discovering how many sewing machines her husband has. I am not telling - but he is obviously a man of discernment. And Maz has been posting a fascinating series on needlebooks - there is a new post up there for today.

And the other news is that I have started another Comfort Doll. This one needs to go to Jo in New Zealand, for her to distribute. So I better get the needles moving.

I'm Off

I'm off to sell Mum's stash, and have two days of Crazy Quilting and Antique Hand Machines.

Isn't it lucky I have a station wagon.

But maybe I can fit a bit more in ....

Except not on the front seat

Isn't it good how my "Breastplate for a Modern Boadicea" fits in so well with my purple seat covers.

And, please don't tell anyone where I have hidden the change for the till. No-one would dream of looking there.

(Oh, I did settle on $10 for 500 gms, thanks Susan. And thank you to all the others who made suggestions that helped clarify things for me)

Nice Matters

The wonderful Maureen (is she M2 in Moodlu?) has been kind enough to nominate me for the Nice Matters Award.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! (to mangle a metaphor).

So I have been scratching my head ever since to work out who to nominate, as many I would pick have already been taken (they are so very nice, there is a queue to nominate them). And I need to find seven.

So, here goes, and in no particular order:

Pamela Kellogg of Kitty and Me - who is always so generous with her designs and views of her work in progress.

The wonderful Sharon B - surely I have missed someone out there nominating her.

Her friend Annie Whitsed - always a sharing and creative person.

The unique and totally lovable Bear

New friends Susan and Maz

That's only six. All you others I natter to a lot seem to be well-recognised. Hang on! Maureen B!!!. Of course.

Now, I know there is this lovely plaque running around on the net I should send them, but I can't work out that stuff. Sorry Guys.

But that crew above doesn't need plaques for people to recognise how nice they are.

It just shines out.

EDITED IN: And, then I realised I had forgotten the other Sharon.

Oh Dear, I will probably wake up at 4am and realise I have forgotten someone else I should name.

Another Needlebook, and a Sampler Link

Maz has started posting her Needlebooks.

And, over on Flickr a group has been started as a Museum of Samplers.

Do pop over and have a look at the both.

Price by Weight for Patchwork Fabric

Is there any Aussie out there who is a sane patchworker, who would like to give me some thoughts on selling patchwork fabric by weight.

What I have in my Mother's stash varies from small sections to large lots. All I want to do is let people rummage, choose what they want, and then just weigh it. I will let them do a minimum cut of one metre from the large lots, but otherwise what they see is what they get.

Any suggestions, anyone, of a price in Australian dollars for say 100gm of fabric??? So they get a bargain and the stash goes to a good home. But so my Mum does get something back.

I know I cannot individually price, or measure, so this is the only way I can think to do it. Whatever is left (if anything), I think I will render down to fat quarters, but I don't have time to do this at the minute.

Any thoughts, anyone????

Busy, Busy, Very Busy

Very Busy here at the minute, as I am sorting out my Mum's stash to sell next weekend at Old Gippstown Craft Weekend.

I guess there is no greater service a daughter can do than ensuring her Mum's stash (but only that that she cannot use herself) is passed on to other crafters. Mum was a great sane patchworker, but does not sew any more. When we did the first cleanup of her stash, we sent about thirty (!) unfinished tops off for a quilter for palliative care. So that people had nice, bright covers on their beds.

Apart from fabric, there are heaps of experiments like this:

Plus hundreds of pre-cut triangles from that phase of experimentation. Mum experimented a lot.

These are going out to a good home in Blogland. But I still have heaps of blocks ready for quilts to sort out.

The dog (her name is Penny, and she is elderly and grumpy), is not for sale.

Just fooling around.

Experienced Tatters (ETs) wanting to try this one should just count in groups of five. Except at the top point, where there is an error. Doncha hate that.

But I will just sew it on something and then sew a flower over it.