Both Fay and I have been lucky enough to enjoy a midwinter break chasing the sun. While I headed off to Greece, Fay headed up north to Sunny Queensland. We both had very different holidays and have come back with quite different energies, myself I'm battling a head cold, but inspired by the experience, while Fay is feeling very energized and raring to get on with her designing and quilting.
While on her holiday in Queensland, Fay did a little fabric shop hopping and came across the wonderful Barbara and Michelle and BCreative Patchwork. They are located in Currimundi between Caloundra and Maroochydore. Barbara is a very skilled Long Arm Quilter and teaches English paper piecing, while Michelle teaches patchwork and machine embroidery. Fay was absolutely in awe of Michelle's machine embroidery work and her designs. She found both ladies to be very friendly and sharing and will be back to visit them in the future. Included below are images Fay took of Michelle's machine embroidery quilt. If you have any queries about this quilt or machine embroidery please feel free to contact Michelle at michelle@b-cr8ive.net.au
While I was on my holiday Fay asked me to keep an eye out for indigenous(local) designs and textiles. I was disappointed to find a lack of handmade local textiles in my travels. However, many of the mosaics contained a lot of the elements that have obviously been inspiring quilters for centuries and the pottery would definitely inspire a clever quilter looking for applique designs. I've posted plenty of mosaic photos on the in2quilting facebook page for those who have not yet seen them.
Enough travel news, back to the real world.....
Fay has plenty of activities planned over the coming months, with plenty more simmering in the background.
In September we have the WOW Sit n Sew on Friday the 15th, 10am - 4pm. Please let Fay know if you are coming and whether or not you require and tutoring.
In October there will be a Stripped Pieced Hexagons workshop on Sunday the 15th 10am- 4pm in Wandong. If you've been avoiding quilts with Y seams then this is the workshop for you, Fay will be teaching us how to do these the easy way by Machine. The cost is $65 which will include your hexagon templates. Please register your interest with Fay at in2quilting@bigpond.com
The WOW Sit n Sew for October is on Friday the 20th, 10am - 4pm. At this Sit n Sew we will be discussing the Christmas Lunch. Which segways us nicely into Dear Jane.
Have you started organising your Dear Jane's for the Christmas Lunch?? The super markets have already started stocking Christmas items, Facebook has started reminding us about Christmas, now it's our turn. At the Christmas lunch an activity called Dear Jane is run. To participate:
Make or purchase 3 small individual gifts, they shouldn't be 3 identical items as you will be delivering them to the same person. They should be wrapped with no name attached.
At the start of the day Fay will ask - who is participating in Dear Jane. Each name will be put into a bucket after which you will be asked to select a name.
Throughout the day it is your challenge to deliver the gifts one at a time to the person who you have selected, without them spotting you or working out that you are the person delivering the gifts (yes all three gifts to the same person).
The gifts can be cooked/baked, crocheted, knitted, a potted plant, sewn, bought or even a re-gifted item with no set value.
At the end of they day you will be asked to reveal yourself as the secret gift giver. So put your thinking caps on ladies.
In November the WOW Sit n Sew is on Friday the 17th. As the weather should be improving by then Fay is considering reintroducing Grumpy's BBQ Lunch, we'll give you more information closer to the date about this. There will also be a construction day for WOW items on Thurs 2nd Nov. We will be constructing ironing boards and cable covers for the WOW group.
For more information about any of the activities mentioned above visit either the in2quilting website or the Facebook page or contact Fay at in2quilting@bigpond.com
In the meantime keep on stitching