A day of needle turn appliqué!

I have had a full and inspirational couple of weeks on the sewing front… I’m sure that each day I have discovered at least five pieces of sewing thread attached to my person while on social outings – every ‘stitcher’ out there would have recognised me as one of their own!

But the highlight for me was last Friday, when I had the great pleasure of welcoming the lovely Gail Pan and Simone Gooding in to my home to wile away a few hours chatting, eating cookies and learning the wonderful art of needle turn appliqué.

I met Gail and Simone at the AQM last November, and they’re such lovely ladies! When admiring Gail’s exquisite needle turn appliqué, she kindly offered to teach me along with Simone. And what fun it was! Gail is such a fantastic tutor!

Here is my first practice piece, a little ‘May Blossom’ birdie designed by Simone!

This birdie proved to be a great shape to practice on – with some inward and outward curves and a couple of points. I then went on to practice some more…

I purchased some Straw Needles by Jeanna Kimball’s Foxglove Cottage, and some silk thread from here. This needle is the same thickness all the way along its shaft and therefore doesn’t leave an unsightly hole in the fabric when it is pulled through. The silk thread glides effortlessly through the fabric and is a sheer pleasure to work with.

Thank you so much ladies, for sharing your time and your skills, and for an absolutely fabulous day! I thoroughly enjoyed myself! :-)

We didn’t take any photos during our get-together, but here is a photo of me with Gail at the AQM. We are standing in front of Gail’s “Berries & Bluebirds” quilt – isn’t it stunning?

Simone is a bit more camera shy, but you can see her beautiful face smiling on her blog, along with a link to her gorgeous designs, here. :-)

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Before I bid you adieu, I’d just like to send out a prayer to our friends (known and unknown) in Christchurch, NZ… and a big hug and kiss for our lovely Deb. I can’t begin to imagine what these courageous people must be going through, but I hope they are feeling the love and support that is being sent their way.

Until next time…

Hugs! Vikki :-)

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The ‘best gift in the world’!

Hmmm… are you wondering, “What is the best gift in the world?”! What pops in to your mind??

I know it sounds corny, but I can’t think of anything more wonderful than the gift of friendship. And I have been very blessed with some wonderful and very dear friends! So when a friend takes the time to create a special gift for you – it’s double prizes time!!!

When I first started blogging more than a year ago, Mai was one of the first blogging buddies I made. We did a couple of swaps over the year and got to know each other through emails between The Netherlands and Australia (gosh I love the Internet!!!) At Christmas, Mai sent me this amazing pieced book-mark! It’s in the above picture, and this is what it looks like off the book…

How clever (and gorgeous) is that?!! The book-mark is adjustable - with Velcro straps - to fit almost any reading material. It’s clever and just so darn pretty! I absolutely adore the fabrics!! Thank you so much, Mai!! x

I am a very spoiled girl aren’t I?!

This past week I received another gorgeous gift from a dear friend who always puts a smile on my dial! She is fondly known by a few of her chums as Miss Penny Goodgiggles – and I couldn’t think of a name that is more appropriate for her! :-)

Miss Goodgiggles is also known as Cheryl, and this gorgeous gal gifted me with a special iPod cover, made in my fave fabrics – Pure by Sweetwater for Moda! Don’t you just love the way this talented lady has utilised the fabric by creating a little tag depicting the word, “Joy”?

The morning before I received the parcel I was admiring another friend’s hand-made iPod cover and thought, I really must make me one of those! Then lo-and-behold – as if by magic – I was housing my gadget within a special designer pouch that very afternoon!!! Thank you so much Miss Goodgiggles!!! x

I shall be back real soon with more news of the week that has been… It’s been so much fun!

In the meantime – I’d just like to say thank you so much for your visit! I made you a cup of coffee – did you see it in my photo? Now, would you like biscuits or cake to go with it? :-)

Hugs! Vikki :-) x

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My little Preppie & a ‘Pure’ lap quilt

The school summer holidays sure did fly past quickly and I can hardly believe that my baby is now a school girl… Where, oh where, did that time go?

I would never have thought in a million years that one day (when I was a ‘grown up’) I would live on the ‘other side of the world’ and have a little girl who looks like she could walk out of a set from Neighbours or Home and Away!! I always think of those two infamous soaps when I see the Aussie school uniform. How cute is that dress???

As for me on the home-front… listen to this…

… can you hear it?

Yes my friends – I believe that is the sound of silence!!!

Did you notice I said, “believe?” That’s because It’s been so long since I’ve heard nothing, that I can hardly remember what nothing sounds like. But I tell you what – nothing sure sounds GOOD!

Ha ha! Okay – you got me – yes I’m missing my little Preppie and her big brother like crazy! But what is a girl to do? Yeah you guessed it… SEW! :-)

A simple lap quilt, lovingly made for the husband of a dear friend in England.

I absolutely adore this fabric range – Pure – by Sweetwater for Moda. Got to love those inspiring positive affirmations… pure grace… pure elation… pure love… pure joy. (My friend’s name is Joy.)

I took inspiration from one of the fabrics – which reminds me of a coffee-cup-ring-stain. I sewed circles of chain stitch around some stitched words, using variegated thread. Then I quilted the finished piece in circles, using a CD as my template.

Washed, wrapped and on an aeroplane to England…

Wherever you are in the world and whatever your plans for this weekend – I hope you have a good one! :-)

Hugs! Vikki x

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