One step closer......woo hoo

Some of you may remember a while ago, that I was seeking the name of the designer of the above Dresden Butterfly block (See post here), well yesterday, I posted the question in Kitty Kitty Designs group page.

Within a day, I got an answer from a quilter called Carolyn (Sorry I don't know if she's got a blog or not) telling me, not only where the pattern/templates (the butterfly is shown at the bottom of the screen in the alternative blocks you can make from the templates) could be found, but also sent me a link for a quilt show, just scroll down to the third photo, which is where someone was exhibiting the butterfly quilt....oh how the internet makes things so much easier at times hey? Thank you to Carolyn if you happen to ever read this. Believe it or not, Carolyn is only across the border in Victoria, Australia lol

Hugs
Naomi

200th Post giveaway...no not mine sorry, I missed that one!

Elizabeth is a good blog mommy and noticed/prepared/planned for her 200th post giveaway.....Me on the other hand is up to 203 posts, so sorry if you were hoping for a giveaway on here for my 200th post....lol I'll try and do a random, "just coz I can giveaway" soon. Anyhoo, getting back to Elizabeths' giveaway....you can win the above Abbey Bag....pincushion and thread catcher combo...great choice of fabrics she chose hey? I think so. (Just so I get the chance to digress again - I won the pattern to make these a while back, and still haven't made it....again...bad Naomi)

You need to click on the above photo if you want to enter, you can enter up to 4 times....but you need to head over to her blog by 27th July 2010. Good luck, and thanks to Elizabeth for hosting a giveaway.

Hugs
Naomi

Hot off the press...well nearly....it's actually hot off the sewing machine!

I just finished making the above Origami Bag, which I quite like now that it's finished. It would make a great bag to take a small project with you to sewing class or on a road trip. I saw a similar one on the internet, and today decided to try making one. I put batting in the bag, thinking it would give it some 'shape', but it's got a wee bit too much body I think. Maybe next time I'll try with thin pellon instead of thin batting.

At each end, there is a pocket, which you can see in the photo above. I know, I know, the buttons aren't quite matching yellows, but I'm trying to use up what I have, instead of buying more all the time!

I'd love to hear what you think of my Origami Bag, so please leave me a comment. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs
Naomi

Christmas in July - July's challenge done

As you can see, I went with Kate Spain for Moda's "It's Snowing" Christmas print for my tablerunner, which was part of the Christmas in July challenge over at Amandas' blog. When I took the photo I was half asleep, and didn't realise it was upside down.....hence why I rotated the photo to put it on here....I would take another one, but my computer is having issues at the moment, so hopefully I'll get this posted before it has another brain fart and locks up. I've worked out what might be causing it....Outlook Express....but I might be wrong.....oh well, guess I'll just have to madly back all my files and reformat and start again!

***Update***

If you'd like to make the same Tablerunner, head on over to visit Happy Zombie's blog as that's where I got the tutorial from. Thanks Happy Zombie for such easy to follow instructions.

***Apology to the fabric designer***
Has anyone read the comments for this post? If so, you would've seen that Kate Spain let me know that it wasn't her charm pack design I'd used, it was actually Deb Strains' lol.......Ummm excuses could be, I had a brain fart, I've got a blonde brain, I was too lazy to walk out to where the label off the charm pack was.....I knew the surname had "AIN" at the end....so that's the excuse I'm going with........so, Deb Strain, please accept my humblest apologies for incorrectly giving credit to Kate Spain....both are wonderful designers and I truly am embarrassed that I made a fubar like I did.

Hugs
Naomi

What I've been making

Above is a Bootie Bag I've made to sell over on the Crafty Owl blog. It's a very roomy bag, which would hold everything a girl could want in her shoulder bag...and possibly also the proverbial kitchen sink too! I love making these bags...although you wouldn't think so, seens as though it's taken me this long to make one for sale!

Of course I had to show the butt of the Bootie Bag didn't I? lol

Unfortunately the colour of the lining doesn't quite show up so good in the pics, but it's quite a nice colour and looks great against the denim. This pic shows the inside pockets, which are 4 open topped pockets and 1 zippered pocket.

The above photo shows the embroidered detail on the back pocket of the Bootie Bag....I'd like to say I sat for hours and sewed it on....but it was already on there when I started 'altering' the skirt into a bag!

This is a tartan style/look baby blanket or knee rug. I still have to finish the fringe on the edges, but this shows the pattern I did. I love making these, but they're a little time consuming....took longer to make and thread all the chains through than it did to make the main blanket! I think it looks nice though. What do you think?

Hugs
Naomi

I know you all love it when I find giveaways...so I don't disappoint you, here's another one...lol

Micki Butler (of Irish Muses blog fame) has been blogging for two years, and to celebrate, she's offering you the chance to win 7 of the 9 pictured items above....I say 7 out of the 9 because you won't be getting her cutting mat or the table that the picture was taken on! lol I just love that sheep, and the crazy quilting book would be great (I'm contemplating giving C.Q. a try.....how did Micki know? lol). I love calenders from different places, so the 2011 Ireland calender would be a lovely addition.....I had one a couple of years ago from someone in Arizona....you see such lovely scenery in the calenders.

Click on the pic above to head on over to Micki's blog and enter her giveaway......she's drawing it on 17th July. Good Luck

Hugs
Naomi

Lisa @ Just for you designs is hosting a giveaway

Lisa is hosting a "Just for you Giveaway".....and it's a mystery giveaway....she just says it's for a bundle of homespun goodies designed by her......how exciting hey? Click on the package above to go enter her giveaway before 16th July. Good luck!

Hugs
Naomi

A quilter I am not, but I'm a much happier camper today.

WOOOO HOOOOO am doing a happy dance......the table topper is fully finished.....I didn't use expensive fabric, some was free and some was from the op/thrift shop...the only thing that wasn't in that same category, was the batting, which is just a polyester one I got from my friend Sandy. She's coming to see me on Sunday hopefully...and I'll be able to show her what I used some of the batting in. The quilting might be wonky, but it's certainly an improvement on the one I did in this post. I didn't put the pics in in reverse order this time, so please forgive me.....I have a sore head at the moment, and couldn't be bothered to work out which order I should be adding pics in.....sorry.

This was taken once I'd quilted it....As the title of this post says...."A Quilter I am not" but I am soooo much happier with this try at the D9P tutorial from here.
I took two different shots of the top once I'd finished piecing it....I think the neighbours were even happy that I was so excited...lol I'd say half the suburb heard my 'yippee' once it was finished and didn't look so bad...might not be as good as stuff you make, but I'm still a NOVICE quilter/patchworker.

Woo Hoo, this one lined up SOOOOOOO much better, it was worth the extra time it took me to cut them all out...lol Please let me know what you think of it.

Hugs
Naomi

Last couple of days craft round up...warts & all.

I came across a tutorial for a D9P that I liked, over here, thanks for sharing it Pat....and yesterday decided that it was time to try it, seens as though I love the D9P....coz, ever so stupidly, I thought it would hide a multitude of sins.....ha.....WRONG.....as you can see in the above pic, if you look quickly, it doesn't look too bad. It also doesn't look as neat and as regimental as Pats....what could be the reason for mine going so wonky......bad cutting is my excuse, reason and/or alibi!

Today I'm going to try again, but am going to use bigger squares....doubt if it'll make much difference really, but am going to really give myself a brain strain/fart, by concentrating over my cutting to make sure EVERY time I cut into the blocks, they're all even and all the same size.....wish me luck!
I worked out part of what I did wrong.....when you've made your 9 patch blocks and go to cut them across and down the centres.....I think I then moved some of the newly formed smaller blocks to being next to smaller blocks from a different bigger block.....ie 2 from this one and 2 from that one, don't necessarily match up in the big scheme of things....lol Or am I just grabbing at straws?

Just in case you're sitting there looking at these pics and wondering how drunk I was.....I was stone cold sober....wish I could use the excuse of being under the influence of alcohol, but alas, it was just my lousy cutting out.....gotta get my brain around the whole concept of use either the lines on the cutting mat, or the ruler, not a mixture of both.....and if I use the ruler, I've then got to try and remember to measureline up the bits I'm cutting out.....all the same way.....which do you do....have the fabric in the middle of the line markings or on the edge of the line markings....and then do you do them the closest side of the cutting line or the furthest? Oh dilemma, dilemma.......see I really do need an Accuquilt Go.....and no, this table topper wasn't a ploy for me to get one, just proves to myself that if I start doing more quilted projects, one would definately be an asset for me.....coz I know I can sew straight.

Check out the size of the white post (?) in the centre of the middle row in the pic above....how small did that one end up? hee hee hee OOOOOPS, practice makes perfect, and I WILL NOT, allow something as simple as D9P beat me.....the mission I've accepted is to get mine to look as good as Pat's.

As you can see, mine went WONKY in lots of places......almost enough to be classified as a Crazy Quilt D9P....lol

A very dear friend of mine, also loves the same colour as me.....PURPLE.....and after seeing my purple scarf I knitted for me a while back, asked for purple feather wool beanie to match.....no, not for me, I don't do hats! I just realised, in the pic above, you can see the beanie, but the knitted mitts don't really show up too good, oh well, you'll just have to imagine they're further apart.....I knitted them using the same tutorial that's inspired all the other mitts I've made recently! I knitted the beanie in just the feathers wool on its own, but the mitts I paired it with some purple 8ply. They're sooooooo warm!

The above phone covers were made using the tutorial here. The aqua one in the middle however, I made using the same measurements, but constructed it my own way, and it doesn't have raw edges on the inside, and has a different shaped flap, which you can see better in the pic below.

The above pic shows the difference in the flap detail off.....I prefer the shape of the one on the left, but am comfortable with making the one on the right also.

Here's a pair of mitts I knitted, using 2 different colours of 8ply (dk) yarn and size 7 needles (4/5mm) I cast on 40sts and did 10 rows rib, 18 or 20 rows of stocking st and then 4 rows of rib at the finger end. I sewed them together (rather roughly, my mum is probably having kittens in heaven at how roughly I sewed them together....but they're just for me so didn't worry too much!) leaving a gap for the thumb, just like the tutorial here.
Obligatory action shot.....if I hadn't been in such a hurry, I would've knitted them longer and maybe changed to slightly smaller needles to do the ribbing near the fingers.....hindsight...always a wonderful thing hey? lol

So, in a nutshell, that's what I've been making, leave a comment and tell me what you've been making....I'd love to hear from you.

Sorry if this post is a bit confusing or if some of my comments under the pics are similar to the ones above the pics....it's because of the way that blogger allows pics to be added.....I do my posts in reverse order so I can just insert the pic, type underneath it and then add the next pic and type underneath it...etc, etc, etc. Maybe that should be a lesson for me to proof read the whole post and not just each paragraph as I type it....lol Maybe next time, for this time, I'm in too much of a rush to go find some more fabric to try another D9P runner/topper.

Hugs
Naomi

Stash Manicure is having an end of Month Giveaway

Stash Manicure is having an end of month giveaway for the goodies you see in the above pic. To be taken straight to the giveaway post, click on the photo, if you'd like to have a general look, not just the giveaway at their blog, then click here. Good luck with the giveaway, but you'll have to be quick as closing date is 4th July 2010.

Hugs
Naomi

What a spoilt brat I feel like this morning!

And the above parcel is why I feel that way......I was just sitting here at the computer, still in my pj's and robe, and there was a knock knock at the front door....so off I trot and it was the parcel delivery guy who's look said "what is this woman dressed in now" lmao I had to sign for the package, so it was amusing to see him try and get me to sign his little electronic display thingy and give me my package and get away as quick as he could, without making eye contact...lol

Cyndi, from Bluebirdswing sent me a parcel, and in the following pics, you can see what was inside. Thank you sooooo much Cyndi.....I love it all to bits.


I was a bit hasty with opening the package...and tore the tissue paper off the wallet and key fob before I took a photo....ooops, but there's two bits of fabric there, a wallet, a key fob and a card...I opened the card and took a pic of that in the next photo as you can see.

Look at all those goodies, aren't they pretty?

This is a picture of the wallet opened out....great colours hey? I think so...but then purple IS my favourite colour, and here it's coupled with two of my other passion colours...green and turquoise/aqua.

Thanks again Cyndi, it's such a treat...and I don't think the delivery guy will be ogling at me anymore now he's seen me in my not so sexy pj's and robe!

Hugs
Naomi

Belated Giveaway win.

Let's do the time warp, and then this won't be such a late thank you. I actually received this about a week ago, and then promptly forgot to post about it in here. Miche'le from By Hoqi Quilts in New Zealand hosted a 2nd Birthday giveaway for the shop....and I was the lucky winner. Above is a pic of what I won...a matching charm pack and jelly roll (the type of jelly roll that doesn't add inches to your waist line!) Thanks for having the giveaway Miche'le and I wish you and By Hoki Quilts many more happy years of trading.

Hugs
Naomi

Inspiration and desparation!

I've been inspired by these gloves since I saw them during summer, and the tutorial was filed away in the back of my brain for 'when it gets cooler'....Ummmm hullllooooo brain, it's ruddy freezing now and gloves were not made.....hence the desparation part of this post....I wanted something quick and easy to help warm my poor hands, that would allow me to type, sew etc and I didn't want to have to sew any seams....lol For anyone that's seen my knitting and crochet UFO's you'll know why I didn't want any sewing involved. So last night I grabbed my crochet hook and some yarn and had a mental pic of the above gloves in my mind.

Here's what I came up with.....I actually made 2 pairs in the one evening....with only one frogging part...which was the initial pair I started, which were WAY too big..lol

And now to show them on me, because they're not really clear in the above pic...ie you can't see the thumb holes even....I got Raelene to take a pic of them on me.

If you want to make a pair of the knitted gloves, I've made it so you'll go to the link by clicking on the photo. If you're interested in how I made my crochet ones, let me know and I'll tell you.....honestly, they are really quick and easy and at most, you'll have two ends per glove to sew/weave in....I cheated and crocheted over the starting one so I had one less to sew in at the end!

Hugs
Naomi

Wanna win an Accuquilt Go Cutter? I know I do!

Canadian online store, Stitch In The Ditch is giving away one and I'd soooo love to win it. I've been watching everyone's (well those who have won one or have hosted a giveaway for one) blogs, as they proudly parade theirs, in awe...and yes, admittedly, a certain degree of jealousy.

If you happen to click on the photo above and enter, be sure to tell them Beeshebags told you about it....that way I get an extra chance to win!

Don't leave it to chance though, and think you'll get back to it later.....I've missed a couple of other giveaways by thinking that (not to say I would've won anyway), so click on the pic above and go enter.

I wish you all good luck, but I'm feeling a bit greedy and I hope I win it, lol....surely Accuquilt will stop giving them away soon, and then I'll have missed the boat....well until a lottery win comes my way that is!

Hugs
Naomi

New UK Online shop opens and in honour of that has a giveaway

How would you like to help Simply Solids celebrate the opening of their online shop, by winning 22 Kona Solids fat quarters? I know I would, hence why I've entered the giveaway as many times as I can! If you'd like to enter too (it's open to international entrants), then click on the pic above to go and enter. Good Luck. I've also put a link to the Simply Solids online shop in my side bar.

Hugs
Naomi

Santa Stocking - My first Tutorial

I entered Amanda's Christmas in July challenge over on her blog, and this months challenge was a christmas ornament.....I've dillied and dallied for a couple of weeks now, and finally, this morning I decided to make a stocking ornament. Whilst doing it, I decided it was about time I did a tutorial...and ta-dah, here it is. You'll need to download both pdf's.

Tutorial is here & Pattern pieces are here

If you make one, please email me a pic so I can pop them up on here....to show them off. I know it's only June and Christmas seems so far away, but time flies, and it'll be upon us before you know it. Also, don't forget about those who have a "Christmas in July" thing happening.....these would be easy to make and fill with little pressies.

Hugs
Naomi

Salisbury Craft & Hobby Fair (June 2010)

Pussy cat pussy cat where have you been.....I've been to London to visit the Queen...well actually no, I haven't been to London to visit her, but for the last three days Khris and I celebrated the Queens Birthday in true marketeer style.....selling at a craft fair...lol

Above you can see us standing at our stall.....pic compliments of Dawn (thanks chicky), as it's a bit hard for either Khris or me to take a pic with both of us in it at the same time.

We had a great time and met lots of lovely people.....customers and stall holders combined. I didn't get a pic of her but you can just see her in some of the photos, but Tania next to us was a lovely lady....and we had lots of laughs with her over various things. She makes great wall hangings.....I should really have taken a photo of her...sorry Tania...next time I will though.

We had lots of sales, and boy did Khris's fabric go like hot cakes! When she's recovered from our big weekend, she'll open back up her fabric store in Oztion, and you can buy some for yourself. If you click on the link for her fabric and the store is still closed, it won't be long and she'll have it open again.....being that she's gone back to work today, and she has to check her inventory against what sold on the weekend.....she doesn't want to have fabric on offer to you, that she no longer has.

Hugs
Naomi

P.S. Forgot my manners too......a HUGE thank you to Lucky & Pat for the loan of a couple of tables and the use of their sack truck, hand trolley or trolley dolly...depending on what you call them! Your generosity to Khris and I, was very much appreciated.

Owl Placemat set

One of my 'owlie' customers, Pauline (no blog), put in a request for some owl placemats....with some green fabric on them. The pictures below, are what I came up with for her...she was rapt with them.....Now she wants a table cloth....lol Am starting to wonder whether I should buy extra owl fabric, just in case she wants curtains for her dine-in kitchen next...lol

The small dark green squares in the middle of the above pic, are the matching coasters for the placemat set. Just a little side not for anyone new to patchworking.....if you're thinking of making relatively small coasters and binding them, DON'T lol....they are sooooo fiddly, well the square ones were, I've made some hexagon ones and they weren't so fiddly, but then again they aren't done with binding strips either....maybe I should've constructed these using the same technique....hmmmm food for thought, but I think in future, I'll be making the more 'normal' (easier) coasters...hee hee hee.

This is a close up of one of the placemats (well derr!) and I think I even managed to pick one that all lined up for the magnified view...lol

The bottom pic shows the fabric I used for backing....it's got a slight flannel feel to it so I thought it would be good to stop the placemats and coasters sliding about too much if Pauline doesn't use a table cloth (but I now know she does!)

Hugs
Naomi

Zippered Tote Bag

Just recently, my friend Khris posted a free tutorial for a tote bag on her blog and I was thinking that it would be good to try one with a zip in, and ta-dah the above is said zippered tote bag! A very nice lady, whose name has slipped my mind (sorry) bought the bag at the Craft fair, to use for her knitting when she goes up to Darwin in a few weeks' time. I'm going to make some more of this style zippered bag for sure.

Hugs
Naomi

Look what I did today

I went from this, to this.......in just a few hours!

Now for the back views (I do have side views, but this would look too much like a mug shot gallery then!). Before......

and after.......

So, there you have it, my new hair style and colour....and just in time for the Craft & Hobby Fair this weekend....hopefully I'll look a bit more welcoming now instead of my bogan self!

Since the beginning of June, I made another ruffle bag, using this tutorial, but instead of just three ruffles I put five, and I think it looks better, don't you?

Inside shot.....

And the inside from a different angle....as usual, the colours of this bag look way better in person...in my opinion anyway...lol

Just a reminder of what the red one looks like....here's a pic of it again....gotta love blatant bragging hey? lol

Hugs
Naomi