.: Beautiful Sonia :.

Just popping in to share with you the beautiful family portrait that the gorgeous + amazing Sonia from Dandelyne has made for us.  

I 'met' Sonia through the magic of Etsy + instagram and now emails.  Her designs and creations are so beautiful, heartfelt and fun.  I've been reeeeeeally wanting one of Son's family portraits for a while, so finally bought one through her fabulous Etsy shop - an early Mothers' Day pressie to me!  

There is so much meaning in this gorgeous little stitched piece of perfection.  I can't put into words how beautiful it is, how much meaning it has, and how absolutely thrilled, touched and happy I am to have it. 

The gorgeous Son even included some little sweet gifts for me and the girls.  She is a beautiful + generous soul, and I wish you all had your own little Dandelyne family portrait.  Thank you so much Beautiful Sonia.    xoxo cat  

.: Patchwork Please :.

How was your weekend?  Brisbane has been just beautiful these last few days - anyone who snuck away for an ANZAC Day long weekend was in luck - gorgeous blue skies and the perfect temperature.    My favourite time of year.

I have been quite obsessed these last few days, with flicking endlessly through the fabulous Patchwork Please by Ayumi Takahashi.  I've mentioned in an earlier post, my long-time love of Ayumi's projects and ideas.

So I really wanted to actually make something from the book, from start to finish.  And the Prettified Pincushion was the smallest, quickest thing - so here we go.  

I had a fussy-cut-a-thon with the gorgeous Pam Kitty Morning button-card fabric, and then figured I'd cut into even more of my 'precious stash' - so out came the gorgeous Leanne Fanny handprinted fabric.  

 And then for the sides - more of the good stuff.  First of Infinity ... and ...

 ... I'm actually not sure who this print is from but I love it ... I only have a few precious scraps left ...

 ... and a Suzuko Koseki print ...

 ... and some Yuwa Live Life.  So wish I'd snipped off that bit of fluff before I took the photo.  By the time I saw it on my computer screen, there was no way I was back-tracking and taking more pics.

The gorgeous pink flowers on the button are another Leanne Fanny print.  And here comes a true confession. 

Covering buttons is NOT part of my crafty-skill-set.  It took me an age to put the button together.  An absolute age.  It kept popping apart, or I'd hammer the back down (using the handles of a pair of scissors ... there's probably something more appropriate I could have used) only to find it was skewed to the side and I'd have to pry it off and start again.  Anyway - finally got the button sorted, and then the top popped off while I was sewing it onto the pin cushion.  Hello hot glue gun.  

And a little tip - because I do love a fussy-cut - I made little template-plastic templates for the quadrant pieces on the top of the pincushion, and also for the sides.

OK.  I'm off to check for hot glue strands.   Enjoy the rest of your Monday.  xoxo cat

.: To Boston With Love - finished flags :.

We posted yesterday about the awesome To Boston With Love project, dreamed up by Berene from HappySewLucky (read her lovely post about it here), and coordinated by the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild, with assistance from the Boston Modern Quilt Guild.

I finished my flags this afternoon.

I really wish I had more time to sew up a few more - especially a peace-symbol flag from Berene's pattern - but this weekend is a busy one, and I really want to post the flags on Monday, so that there is plenty of time for them to fly to Boston by the 31 May deadline. 

I am so happy that Amy's gorgeous 'love' print arrived yesterday from Spoonflower, I really love it.

Ted kept wandering in and out of the pics - depending on how many birds had the audacity to fly into his backyard - the girls kept him still long enough for one nearly-not-blurry shot, as he squinted into the sun to stare down yet another magpie.  

If you would like to sew up some flags for Boston, all the details are on the VMQG site here.

Happy weekend everyone.  xoxo cat

.: To Boston with Love - make some flags! :.

The Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild is coordinating an awesome project - To Boston with Love - click through and read all about it - there are at least three posts about it on their blog at the moment. 

The idea is that sew-ers all over the world, make bunting flags - with the themes of love, peace and hearts - and send them to Boston, where they will be hung in a public exhibition.  Hopefully the people of Boston will be uplifted by this wonderful display, and know that people all over the world have them in their hearts and minds right now.   

{{gorgeous heart-pattern by Berene from HappySewLucky - available on the VMQG blog site}}

I first saw the project in HappySewLucky Berene's instagram stream, about a week ago.  Berene posted a pic on instagram yesterday, saying that there are now 30 Modern Quilt Guilds + individual contributors (like me!), from all over the world, participating in the project - how awesome is that?!

{{gnoma in the middle}}

The VMQG site includes patterns and also inspiration links, so you can be all sorted to make your own flags.  

{{Berene designed the awesome maths-fabric to the right of the 'o'}}

Flags are due to be in Boston (the postal address is on the VMQG blog site) by May 31.  I'm aiming to post mine on Monday, to allow a whole month for them to arrive - I know that's crazy, but I also know I'll be happier knowing that the flags are on their way. 

{{do you get that this flag kind of says 'love cat', as in 'love from cat' ... subtle ... }}

And in a twist of perfect-timing - our latest Spoonflower order just arrived today - including the gorgeous 'love' fabric designed by Amy from PennyCandy! - it is going to look awesome on the back of the flags.  I so love the 'love' fabric - have had my eye on it for a while.

The backs of the flags are to include your name, and location - so I'm bringing out my neatest handwriting to stitch my details for little labels. 

I have loved making these flags - choosing lots of favourite fabrics and fussy-cutting away - and have had the people of Boston on my mind as I've been sewing.  My hope is that their hearts will be uplifted upon seeing the To Boston With Love flags.  Heartfelt thanks, to the girls of the VMQG, for coordinating this awesome project.

Happy weekend everyone - and maybe even, happy flag-making.   xoxo cat

.: ANZAC Day :.

The girls joined their school mates - and returned servicemen-and-women, Girl Guides, the police, and other school children and more - in the local ANZAC Day march this morning.

It was a gorgeous morning.  The march was followed by a lovely and moving ceremony.  I am so happy and grateful that we were able to go along, and that the girls had the experience of joining in the march, and listening to the address and joining in the prayers and songs. 

{{the 1945-1995 must have been to commemorate 50 years since the end of World War II.  I had thought the dates said 1939-1945 when I took the photo}} 

My late Pop loved the camaraderie and spirit of ANZAC Day.  He was in the RAAF in World War II, and always took part in the march, right up until he could no longer march himself, but joined in via open-topped car.  I had an air-force badge to remember him, and my Dandelyne Mabel necklace to remember my Nan. 

Hope your ANZAC Day has been peaceful.   xoxo cat

.: words and books :.

How is your week going?  We're halfway through!  Looking forward to a day off tomorrow, after the kids join their school-mates to march in the local ANZAC Day parade.  There was a really great ANZAC Day assembly at school this morning - lovely choir singing and strings playing, and an excellent talk given by a member of the local RSL.  It's so awesome to see the kids taking it all so seriously and learning a few things about the meaning of the day as well.

In sewing news, I'm just popping in to share the blocks I've made in the last few days for the girls' quilts.  The colour-themes (just as a reminder ...) are purple/green/blue and blue/yellow/red.  The girls have just chosen words for me to sew into blocks.  First up is 'read'. 

{{all letters are from Tonya Riccuci's Word Play Quilts book.  And the background is Madrona Road haystacks}}

I spent a bit of time fussy-cutting with Tula Pink's gorgeous Birds and the Bees fabric for the 'e'.

And a bit of fussy-cutting went on too, to make sure I managed to include a rabbit under the tree, in the 'd'.

Not much fussy-cutting went on for 'draw', but I was very happy to discover the circles lining up in the 'r' after I'd cut the strip.

And then today's sewing.  Finally, finally, FINALLY, my copy of Ayumi Mills' Patchwork Please arrived!!  I have long loved Ayumi's beautiful creations and patterns, and have really been looking forward to her book hitting my post office box. 

It is a gorgeous book, full of beautiful and sweet projects.  As soon as I saw the Books-for-Baby quilt, I had to drop everything and sew up a book each for the girls' quilts.

{{Owl and the Pussycat by Heather Ross + spines from the recent Infinity line}}

{{see the Sweet Dreams and heart?  from Violet Craft's Madrona Road 'memoirs'}} 

{{do you spy 'quilt'? - from Sweetwater's Mama Said Sew}}

I can't tell you how much I LOVE this book-block.  The quilt in Ayumi's book is made up of about 16 books, I think (without getting up from my chair to check, sorry!), and it is just so gorgeous.  I have so many fabric-ideas to make lots more of these books - I can't wait to find some time to start fussy-cutting!

Hope your week is going well so far and that you enjoy the next few days.  xoxo cat

.: April AusModBee block 2 - for Bron :.

With a clear-ish calendar today, I managed to watch the final two episodes of Downton Abbey, series 3, AND sew up Bron's second AusModBee block.  Before talking about Bron's blocks, can I please just say - WHAT was with the terribly sad ending to Downton?  I mean, come on.  Matthew!!  Really?!  

Not. Happy.  Downton.  Writers.  *sigh*

Bron's first block was blogged here.  For her second block, after much ummm'ing, ahhh'ing and staring at Bron's fabrics, I chose Star of Virginia.  This version was created by Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt, and was part of the Summer Sampler Series, hosted on Faith's Fresh Lemons Quilts blog.

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 Here are Bron's two blocks together.

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Bron's blocks are already in the hands of Australia Post and hopefully safely on their way south.  I really enjoyed sewing these blocks.  I especially love Denise's Star, and will have a go at that one in a different fabric mix.  

Here's to a happy week everyone.  xoxo cat

.: sewing with tiny animal forks :.

This has been the most beautiful weekend in Brisbane - gorgeous clear blue skies and not too hot.  Perfection.  

Just popping in to share the blocks I've sewn up over the weekend for the girls' long-overdue, long-neglected quilts.  I think I'm up to about 15 blocks each now, but it's been slow going.  I reeeeeeally want to finish them.  Really really really.  Need to put them at the top of the list. 

{{wonky star for The Blue and Yellow (and Red) quilt}}

{{wonky star for The Green and Purple (and Blue) quilt}}

{{churn dash for The Blue and Yellow}}

{{churn dash for The Green and Purple}}

{{the tiny forks ... do you spy the cat-buddies?!}}

You may have noticed the Bento Box fabric, in the middle of the stars and churn dashes.  It arrived during the week, from Hawthorne Threads.  The sole reason I couldn't go past a half yard was those forks.  The girls love sushi - and there's a LOT of sushi cuteness in the fabric - but I HAD to snap up those forks!!  The forks (well one each) go in the girls' lunchboxes every day so they can eat their fruit salad with them.  Even on days when 'fruit salad' means 'bunch of grapes'.  Things taste better when speared with a tiny animal fork.  

Hope your weekend has been very fun and sunny.  xoxo cat

.: lattes, threads and a jar of Vegemite :.

Term 2 of school started this week up here in Queensland, so we've been busy getting back into the daily routine that that brings.  

I've made a couple more lattes-to-go, from the excellent paper-piecing pattern created by the talented ladies behind Sew-Ichigo.  I love this pattern so much, it is so fun to choose fabrics for each latte.  And I love how each latte can be personalised to suit the person it's made for.

First up is a latte coaster for a friend's birthday - no surprises in guessing that she is very musical. 

{{very happy to sew with Amy's Geekly Chic records fabric!}}

And next - for a friend who creates amazing knitted and crocheted garments and goodies.

{{love the knitty fabrics}}

Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts, released her thread-catcher pattern earlier this week.  I couldn't wait to sew up a couple.  The little one - using Amy's mixtapes, available from her Spoonflower shop - and a pezzy print, is the actual size of the pattern.  It's so tiny, and will be perfect sitting next to my machine to catch all the threads that currently float randomly to the floor. 

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The larger one is to catch scraps at my cutting table - I just extended the pattern a little higher and wider, to accomodate using some precious Heather Ross scraps.  The surrounding fabric is Essex linen in flax, and the lining is a fabulous writing print I just got from Hawthorne Threads.

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.And now - the jar of Vegemite for a size comparison.  It's the massive 600g size, not the titchy tiny jar ... just so you know. 

Hope your week has been a good one.   xoxo cat

.: if you like it then you'd better ... :.

... get one of MsCurlyPops Cam's awesome panels (when they are back in her lovely shop) and sew up a cushion.   And a cushion-buddy.

{{I so love this panel - Cam is so very clever}} 

{{bird, donkey(s), babushka, fox, moustache, chevron - ticks all round}}

{{cushion buddies}}

And for the backs?  Well, they really each needed a ring on it.

{{whoa oh oh, whoa oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh}}

Here's to Beyonce being in your head for the next several hours.   Happy end of weekend everyone.  School's back for us in Queensland tomorrow - oh boo.   xoxo cat