Playing Catchups

Firstly, thanks for all your lovely comments about the train quilt. It is wonderful to have it finished and be able to get on with the next bunch of projects.

I have so much stuff to post I have been putting it off!  And this week I have been very busy and too tired to do any posting. So here goes - be prepared for a long photo heavy post.

After patiently waiting for several months my gorgeous little Doll Quilt 3 Swap quilt finally turned up last week. Yippy!!  Isn't it absolutely stunning!! Wonderful colours and a lovely design by the very fabulous Laura Jay. I have offered it to my girls for their bedroom wall as we are rearranging things and it will look perfect with all their red and aqua.  

And check out the sweet and very intricate little pin cushion she sent with it.  I LOVE it all! Thanks so very much Laura Jay - you can relax now, all is well.



And how weird is this - my Doll Quilt Swap 4 quilt turned up on the very same day!  This little beauty was made by Ros and is to be hung in Daphne's bedroom.  It is so very pretty and very us. Ros also included some absolutely gorgeous ribbons that are also just the right colours!  Thanks Ros.



And here's more that I haven't had time to photograph and blog about.  I have participated in the Sassy Apron Swap twice now and haven't posted either apron - so sorry!!

First up is my most recent Summer apron from the very lovely Lucy Byrd who runs the Sassy Apron Swap.  It's a great design based on an old pattern and is the first apron I have had in this style.  I really like how it does up and plan to make a few of these myself.  Most people I know request full aprons and this is a lovely version.  Thanks Lucy.



And even more embarrassing, I didn't post this sweet little apron which I received in the Spring round of the Sassy Apron Swap. It is from Suzie and is super cute with the lovely Kristen Doran fabric and little flower appliques. Chloe fell in love with it instantly and as her dreadful mother has never made her an apron - true - she has claimed it as her own. Thanks Suzie and sorry I took so very long to post a picture. Don't worry everyone I did thank all of these people via email when I received them - I'm not that bad!!



And last but by no means least, my little doll quilt from the Lemonade Stand quilt swap. This was made by Mary Whidden (can't find a link) and is her very first attempt at a quilt. Having just completed a two day course in machine quilting, I have to say I'm really impressed with what Mary did without being shown how and how good are her joins. It is now being hauled around and used on various dolly's which is as it should be. Thanks Mary.



I haven't reported in about the lovely little girls class Cathy and I did last week at Amitie. It was a lot of fun and the girls were hilarious and really lovely. A couple of favourite comments were "boys can't multi-task" and "don't you love reading so much that your mum has to get mad at you to stop reading and come and eat your dinner". Gorgeous!

Here they are hard at work.







And proudly displaying the finished product.



Cathy made lovely pink meringues.



And I made pink cupcakes.



We think it was a big success and look forward to doing some more kids classes in the future. Speaking of classes, I attended a two day machine quilting class at Amitie with Deborah Louie. I shall report on that next post, this one should keep you busy for at least a few days!!

Some stuff to show before the Show

It's a busy time and I haven't really had time to post. There is so much happening at once. First let me show you some finished work.

Being a lover of all things aprony I decided to participate in the Sassy Apron swap. The first theme was Spring.

I finally got my apron finished after being interrupted by several family illnesses and other dilemmas. I have had this gorgeous fabric for ages and always wanted to use it for an apron.



It makes me think of the green of new growth, the beautiful pink blossom trees and the blue, blue skies of Spring. Teamed with the teapots I think it's quite a cheerful little apron. I sent it off with some cute Easter cookie cutters.



I finally get to show you a bag I made for my gorgeous girlfriend Ros.



It's similar to the one I made my sister-in-law for Christmas except I used linen, rounded the bottom and added some yummy liberty and spots.



Happy belated Birthday my friend!!



And now I have some special news! This is a very exciting week and I have been madly sewing in preparation for the Stitches and Craft Show where I am joining several other craft bloggers on the Living Creatively stand.

I'm joining forces with the very lovely Cathy of Miss Marzie fame who works with me at Amitie every Tuesday sewing up gorgeous samples for the shop.

And why are we there.............?

Cathy and I have decided to get together and develop a range of simple sewing patterns for aprons, bags, children's clothes, and quilts. I know a few of you have discovered our venture via Miss Marzie but to all those that don't know.... look out for AUDREY and MAUDE.

You can come and see us and lots of other local crafty ladies demonstrating various craft activities. Cathy and I are also being interviewed about the concept of Audrey and Maude, craft blogging and how we met through an apron swap.

So if you are a local pop in and say hello.

Stitches and Craft Show
Caulfield Racecourse
Thursday to Sunday 10-5
Living Creatively Stand on Level 1

Mission Accomplished!!

Finally I can show you some pictures of the apron I made for the very lovely Cathy of Miss Marzie fame. She received her parcel today and by all accounts she loves it!

So bear with me as I have taken lots of photos and want to share them all because I was really pleased with the way it all turned out.



I love aprons and I love making aprons.



So when this swap came up I leapt at the opportunity.



Lucky, lucky me I was matched with Cathy and after looking at her blog and all her photos I just wanted to make her something really pretty and pink.



My inspiration was from this lovely 'Romantic Homes' magazine a girlfriend bought for me not too long ago.



She knows I love making aprons and found this wonderful article full of gorgeous pictures of aprons.



And the fabrics are some of my favourites.



After looking online for the new Sis Boom fabrics, lo and behold Amitie got them in the same week. It is such a big print I had to be careful cutting it so I used part of a pattern and modified it to suit the way the flowers fell. I just love the green diagonal gingham - just perfect apron fabric. And then, of course, I had to add some girlie frills.

I also wanted to do something pretty with the packaging.



Another girlfriend recently bought me a pink plastic apple basket which was immediately taken by Chloe! I thought it would be cute to send the apron in it (not Chloe's basket, a new one).



And then I found the apple dish cloth pattern. I have wanted to knit one of these for ages and it was really easy and quick.



The cookie recipe and card I copied from the Alice May Classic Biscuits book. They just seemed perfect with the 50's style apron.



I really enjoy the swap process, it gives me so much pleasure making something for someone else as a surprise. And even better, I have made a new friend! Cathy, I am so glad you like it.