Carnival Challenge Finished! - and with time to spare!

Yes it's true!  I have finished a challenge quilt with time to spare!

This is a challenge from the art quilters around the world group and the theme for Feb/March was "Carnival"

This quilt had been up on my design wall half finished for a couple of weeks and I just wasn't getting anywhere.  On Friday a group of my quilting friends from ANZA Quilters got together to do some sewing and their advice (kick up the butt)  was great and enabled me to finally finish the piece - and with time to spare.

"Carnival 2013"

Quilting detail

quilting detail

I know that some people are well organised and plan everything months in advance and that works well for them -  but when it comes to quilting, pressure and deadlines work wonders for me!

These pieces are quite manageable at A4 size and there is a new challenge every two months.  The next challenge for April/May is "Out of Asia"  Hmm think I will have plenty of inspiration living in Singapore!

Don't forget to have a look at all the fabrics at my online store!

Happy Quilting!

Ice Dyes

Nearly all the of ice dyes I did last week have sold so yesterday I set up new batches.

I have decided to work smarter (not harder) and do one colour-way at a time rather than mixing a whole lot of colours and worrying about whether they will look ok (I actually like the "surprise" factor!)

Here are the Turquoise/Cerulean Blue and Cobalt blue:

These would be great for skies, seas, water or background. Would look great in applique too. Blue is my favourite colour so I really love these!  I have 4 meters (16 metric fat 1/4's)  so either email me or check out my new website:

 Jokamamo Textiles

The next batch is Chinese Red, Orange and Golden Yellow:

This would be great for applique,  traditional piecing or a bright coloured background. I love these warm colours!

I have 4 metres (12 metric fat 1/4's) so either email me or check out my new website:

                                                         Jokamamo Textiles

Happy Quilting!

Yesterdays dyeing results

Here are the results for yesterdays dyeing session:

LOVE the boldness of these!

This one has black added to the colours

Fushia gradient

Turquoise gradient

Pity the change from light to dark was not a bit more subtle

Good even colour but needs to be brighter - I might redye

All in all I was quite happy with the results.  Dyeing is not an exact art and I learn something new everytime or how I would do something different next time.

My new fabric is on its way so hopefully I can get some more dyeing done in a couple of weeks.

Today I am off to ANZA Quilt Group!

Happy Quilting

sewing classes for kids

Wow! Has it REALLY been that long since I last blogged!

School has been back now for nearly 3 weeks and I don't feel that I have done anything "productive" in the sewing room.  (sewing names into uniforms doesn't count!)

The last two weeks though have been interesting...

Firstly, a quilter called Sue from Canada contacted me and said that she had read the article about me in last months Canadian Quilter and that she was coming to Singapore with her husband.  It was lovely meeting her and she came along twice to our ANZA Quilt group.  We are always delighted to meet other quilters from around the world!  Just drop me a note and let me know when you are coming!

Secondly, one of the new mothers at school is also a quilter and she is just as nuts about fabric and quilting as I am.  (Madness loves company!).  She too has come along to the ANZA Quilt group.

Thirdly, I have started sewing classes at the school.  I had 4 students on Tuesday and 4 today.  They range  from grade 1 to grade 8.  It was soo much fun and I am hoping that they enjoy sewing as much as I am enjoying teaching it.  We are using the kids can sew program.

The sewing machines that I bought in New Zealand last month are great and easy for the children to use.  The speed control button  is especially helpful for those that are "heavy footed"!

Now that life is getting back to normal again, I am hoping to do some more dyeing and make some more postcards for the Singapore Quilt Challenge on 16 October at the British Club.

Watch this space!

Happy Quilting!

Farewell block for a friend

Yesterday I made a farewell block to one of our friends from the ANZA Quilt Group who is returning to Australia.

It was to be made in greys with some colour:

I finished the block but found it a bit bland so I went to it with some fabric markers....

I hope she likes it!

The best part is that the block is actually square and  measures the required 9 1/2  x 9 1/2 inches.

Quite a feat for me!

Pincushions galore!

On Tuesday we the end of year Christmas lunch from the ANZA (Australia/NZ) Quilters Group http://www.anzaquilters.blogspot.com here in Singapore.  We all had to make a pincushion as a "Secret Santa" gift.

What a variety of shapes and designs!
p.s The food was great too!

You know it's going to be a good day when....

You know it's going to be a good day...... when you wake up and its the first day this week that you haven't woken up with a migraine!

You know it's going to be a good day.... when you finally clean out all the "dust bunnies" out of your sewing machine!

You know it's a good day.... when you get time to practice your freemotion quilting!

You know it's going to be a good day..... when all you have on the schedule for the day is going out to lunch!

You know it's going to be a good day.... when all you have on the schedule for tomorrow is having another lunch this time with the ANZA Quilting ladies!

Happy Quilting !

The last of the postcards....(I think)

Today was ANZA Quilt Group day and I was thrilled when I arrived that one of the ladies was working on a new quilt with some of my  hand dyed fabrics that she bought from me!

 After quilt group was some time to finish off the (hopefully) last of the fabric postcards that will go in the school fair next week

I even made the newspaper fabric myself!

Last Friday I went and checked out the MAAD (Market of artists and designers ) which is held once a month at the Red Dot Gallery here in Singapore.This is a craft market and has a variety of craft items all made by local artists.  Check out their website! http://www.maad.sg/

Also coming up in Singapore is the Affordable Art Fair from 18-20 November at the F1 Pit Building (by the Singapore Flyer).  I even hear a rumour that they will be having art quilts/fiber art there!

From 24 November to 26 December there is also a quilt show held at the Botonical Gardens and I have entered a couple of quilts.

Happy Quilting!

Too busy sewing to blog!

I realise that it's been a couple of days since my last blog and that is because I have been so busy sewing and there just hasn't been enough time to blog about it.  On Monday I decided to tidy up the sewing room before starting sewing as it was just so messy that I couldn't find the things I needed.

I will be having a sales table at the upcoming Quilt Challenge held at the British Club on 25 October and I will be selling my postcards, christmas tree decorations and my hand dyed fabrics.

To date I have made 50 fabric postcards, 27 christmas tree ornaments and I still need to dye some more fabrics as I have sold most of the last batch I did.

These are the  christmas tree ornaments I made today:

There is also the rugby world cup on in New Zealand at the moment and so that has been busy with us having guests over to watch the games( funny how us being the only ones with the right cable channel suddenly makes you popular!)  We will be having more guests this weekend to watch the NZ vs Australia game.  Go New Zealand!!!!!

Yesterday was a break from the sewing machine and meet up with our ANZA quilting group.  My friend Ada from Canada was also there and she lent me the book she has written called "Crazy about Quilting - confessions of an average quilter" by Ada Moyle.

I really enjoying reading this book (so much so that we had to order pizza for dinner!)

This is a great book and sure to put a smile on any quilters face!

Today is also our 20th wedding anniversary and my husband and I are celebrating by going out for dinner.  I hope it stops raining before then.

Anyway thats all for now

Happy quilting!

Quilting and great friends

This morning  I made some Japanese inspired postcards:

The thing I love about quilting (other than being able to "play" with fabric) is the fact that I meet lots of other lovely quilters from all around the world.

This morning I met up with my friend Ada from Canada and she came to our ANZA quilt group.  We met via our blogs two years ago (www.thelight-heartedquilter.blogspot.com) when she came to Singapore to visit her daughter and now she is back for the birth of a grandchild.

My friend Ada (standing) with some ladies from the ANZA Quilt Group

Ada also gave me two of her minature landscape quilts.

Aren't these just lovely!

It always nice catching up with quilting friends old and new, from close by or from far away.  Quilters are such a nice bunch!

Happy Quilting!