Willowberry Designs ~ Alpaca Softies

How about we ......

dig out our hexies

You know.... that bag or box of half finished hexagons.  The one's you've tacked or cut ready for tacking.  The one's you've half sewn together

And if you're new to paper piecing, All People Quilt have an online tutorial - with photos

Papers are available from most patchwork shops (if you're in my area check with Marion at the Quilters Angel) or you can print your own and cut them out.  I prefer to use the die cut papers as they are all exactly the same size which means the project comes together beautifully

To create my pattern, I print graph paper from here and use colour pencils to design the final 'thing'

At the moment I'm working on a little lap quilt and two other small projects.  The quilt will have about 800 1" hexagons.... a rather small project compared to some of them!

Mmmmm 'rouenneries' fabrics.... can't wait to get my hands on some rural jardin...

Have you seen Rosalie Quinlan's 'A Stitch in Time' book?  It includes a gorgeously simple flower garden quilt using paper pieced hexagon flowers.  Click here to go to Rosalie's blog for a photo ~ it's on the front cover

If you're creating with hexies, I 'd love to hear about it.....  And if you have any hints and tips you can share with a novice, I'd love to hear that too!

Cheryl xx

ps ~ have a look at Linda's great tutorial for fluffy binding

pps ~ only 6 more days until I share Under the Sea block 3 :-)

The results

Well there are loads of 'almost correct' guesses

Yes, it's a bunch of folded fabric and it's 'Eden' by Lila Tueller (click on her name to visit Lila's blog)... but it's not a very scrunchy scrunchie or the top of a tightly drawn curtain

Sandra had the first correct guess

"I think it's a pile of hexagons ready to sew together"

Posted by: sandra

Email me with your address details and your little gifty will be on it's way :-)

It's taking shape...

Jelly Rolls and 1" hexy papers go together like peas and carrots ~ it's a happy marriage :-)

Today I'll be working on Debbie's quilt, preparing another one to start quilting tomorrow and maybe there'll be some time for more hexies....

I'm a bit into hexies

What's your fave thing at the moment?  Do you have a collection of tacked hexies waiting their turn?

Cheryl xx

Doings... and another guessing game

I've been making stuff

A birthday gifty for a friend ~ FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE SHAZ.... just because your birthday was 2 days ago and I'll be seeing you tonight doesn't mean it's for you!

clever things happening with this pincushion, needle keep, scissor holder gizmo... 

and another gifty birthday block

 

  A few weeks ago I showed a small piccy of Fran's quilt

 

Here's a bigger photo.  Pretty, bright, summery colours...

Sue's 'Lace & Grace Tea Party' ~ and a close up of the gorgeous buttons.  It's a block of the month by Libby Richardson

~~~oooooOOOOOooooo~~~~~~oooooOOOOOooooo~~~

Now it's time for another 'guess what I am'

 

If you'd like to be in it ~ leave a comment telling us exactly what this pretty little thing is....!

First correct response will be our winner

You might win a vegemite sandwich.... or a pot scourer.... or you might win a grabful of stuff from my stash... or a rock... or it might be a mix of buttons, laces, ribbons from inside these

I'll let you know....

(Margie, do you see the tatted snowflake hanging on the front of the green damask?... it's beautiful, thank you!)

have a fun day

Cheryl xx

Love these old photos.... our Dad was the hairdresser...

And now they're gone....

From left ~ Me, Shelley (the youngest), Bevvy (second eldest) and Nisey (the old one...)

Yes, you're right... absolute stunners!  Don't we all look thrilled to have our photo taken :-)

We laughed... A LOT.  We went through old photo albums and laughed ... A LOT MORE

Here we are looking like total foxy chicks at a famiily wedding

Are you thinking 'Kath Day-Knight'?  Yes, we did too...  Well it was the mid nineties

Did you play dressups in your Mum's skirts and dresses?  Just look at my hat from the christmas bon bon...  Shelley is a teeny bub here ~ must be late 1965/early 1966 in Rockhampton

So it's back to work for me, back to the serenity of a quiet house for the funny little (tolerant and patient) man and back to normal life for the sisters from far away places... until we do it again

Have a fun day

Cheryl xx

One more ~ Aunty Rose .... eccentric and stubborn and my absolute favourite old aunty...

Smoked like a chimney and never bathed.  This is Bev, A Rose and I on our back verandah in about 1970/71

They're here....

We'll share an up to date photo on Sunday....
 

Fun stuff happening

I've been showing lots of little snippets of my doings lately ~ and here's more of the same

Do you like redwork?  Me too!!

This is just a tiny part of something I think you'll love

If you prowl around in the Gum Tree, you might see more....

Cheryl xx

Rainy Monday....

It's all a bit yum.... rain, cooler weather, stitching and baking.  Yesterday was a bit of a domestic flurry in my house.  Funny little man flurried around with his mate Dyson... vacuuming the floors while I did some washing and ironing ~ HATE ironing... did ya hear me?  DETEST ironing!  The only good thing about that iron and ironing board is when I use it to press perfect points.... and it's pink

muffins were to be had...

raspberry coconut and a few lumps of chocolate.... the original recipe ~ I change it to make it a bit less fattening ~ is from Sweet and Simple, Aust womens weekly Cafe Cakes

did a bit of quilting...  fresh summery colours

this quilt is full of gorgeous colours and prints ~ I'll share a big photo once Fran has seen it :-)

and what's on today?

Lot's of finishing.... birthday gifts, new designs, patterns and some binding.  Two PIF gifts will be posted today

'Guess what this is' was fun.... I think we'll play again later in the week

seeya tomorrow with another snippet of secret doings

Cheryl xx

Revealed...

Not a bowl of cereal, corn flakes, Bran or cat food.... Not a cork coaster... Not a cork thingy to put under furniture feet... Not a button or pot pourri or dried rose petals.... Not wood shavings or a set of canisters... Not the popped plonk bottles...

here it is again - really, it could be any one of those fun guesses...  it does look like bran or corn flakes...

Ethel Fleabite, Freda Frost and Persephone Primrose!!  I told you I'd ignore you.... and anyway, mice aren't allowed to use ovens because they don't make oven mitts in 'mice size'.  Don't you know anything?

And Miss Esmerelda Flattbottom-Smith - I KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE!!  but you made me giggle.... :-)  Might change my name.... 'Flattbottom' is most appropriate... from my persepctive anyway...

So... what is this gorgeously cute little corky glassy thingy?

here's the view from the bottom

weeny little glass jars of seed beads with the teeniest little cork stoppers

Told you they were cute!!!

the gang... pinky bluey greeny and yellowy

Apothecary jars for Lilliputians

and for the crazy people who left comments without even knowing what the gifty will be.................. I love you!  You live in my world of nonsense and fun.... we should hang out more often

I'm sending a weeny little set of apothecary jars full of seed beads and a delish fabric pack to

1.  Perri (clever girl!  Second one to comment and first to get it right!)

'looks a bit like a cork in the top of a bottle/jar? Happy stitching, P'

and a pack of Willowberry Designs e-patterns to

2.  Sue from Cyprus (wrong guess but how could I refuse :-))

'Cheryl It looks like a bowl of tinned tuna..... hardly cute though!! And it's friends.... another 3 bowls of tinned tuna? Can we win, even if it's the wrong answer? Sue from Cyprus x x x'

Perri, your bundle will wing it's way to your house tomorrow... Sue, an email will arrive at your house today

FUN!!

Cheryl xx

Countdown.... only 3 more sleeps till the blisters sisters arrive

Can you guess?

What do you think this is?  There'll be a gifty for the first correct response, leave your guess in a comment

Here's a hint....  I love cute things

Here's another hint.... It has three friends

And one final hint.... the waffle weave fabric under it is to throw you off the scent....

and a warning ~ if I see a comment from a 'Freda, Persephone, Ethel, Theresa, Sally, Fee or Mumma' I'll just IGNORE you :-)

seeya tomorrow

Cheryl xx

ps... go have another look at Perri's stuff...  her stitching is perfect.  I love that gorgeous french country quilt draped over the rail in the yard...

dreamy, I want one

pps... Fiona's message is a nice reminder...

Fabulous Friday Doings....

yesterday's doings are taking shape

EDITED on Monday 5th April ~ this is the finished pincushion..  The 'Cottage Garden Sewing Set' patterns will be available in May 2010 :-)

and Marion has these in stock.... two came home with me... their friends will follow...

I'm meeting Shaz at Danish Flower Art for coffee and to play with some beads n stuff...

have a happy day

Cheryl xx

ps.  It's only 5 more sleeps till the Andrews sisters arrive...