What's Your Favourite Colour?

I have always loved colours. When I was in primary school my mother made all our clothes as well as sewing a wardrobe for herself. I always enjoyed the trip to the department store when it was time for a new outfit. I wasn't that interested in patterns or even fabric. My favourite part of the store was the display of knitting yarns on the wall behind the counter. The balls of wool were sorted by colour and the resulting rainbow always impressed me. When I started knitting I always chose wool with as many colours as possible.

This list on The Phrontistery is fascinating. 168 definitions of obscure colour terms. I was familiar with argent, goldenrod, heliotrope and saffron; I could guess at rufous (reddish brown) and nigrine (black); but what about niveous, puccoon and minium? Did you know lurid is red-yellow, pavonated is peacock blue, and smaragdine is emerald green? Well, you do now. Try using solferino (purplish red) and smalt (deep blue) in a conversation this week.

The centre to the chocolate heart quilt is finished and I'm adding the borders. I've made some changes to the original pattern, measured across the center and finished the border on one side. I am very pleased with the result. I think the shades of badious, castory and brunneous look very well together.

2010 Year of the Signature Quilt

Over the New Year weekend I got my antique signature quilt out to get some photos. The Criswell quilt was made in Chester County Pennsylvania in 1852 by my g-g-grandmother Mary Criswell. The quilt was made for Mary's parents Andrew and Alice Criswell. Each of the 60 quilt blocks was made by a family member or friend; each block has a name and most have a location. The fabric is very worn as you can see in the photo, but the writing is still legible.

Jennie took a photo of each block and I'm putting them up on Flickr. My first research area is the people who made the quilt. My family tree is online at Ancestry.com and I'm putting together the jigsaw of the Criswell family. I've discovered that the Chester County Historical Society has a quilt collection so I hope they can help me research this one.

Next job is to research the patterns used in the album blocks. I got Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Applique for Christmas so that will come in handy.

One day I'd like to have a go at reproducing the quilt. I guess I'd have to learn to hand applique first, so I'm registered in Hawaiian Quilting 101 at Quilt University. The unit starts next week, I promise to blog my progress.

My Sewing Room Window

This is the view from my south facing sewing room in the summer. This part of the garden is badly in need of a refit. The garden is best in spring, lots of bulbs and enough rainfall to keep things green. As soon as the hot weather hits in November everything dries off and brown replaces green. I need to pull everything out and start over but it doesn't rank highly on the to do list.

The big eucalypt trees in the photo are between our property and a gravel road which leads to the neighbour's house. We take the dog for a walk each morning along this track; we occasionally see wallabies, kangaroos and koalas.

What sewing am I doing? I'm doing a sample for a mystery quilt I'm presenting to our patchwork group and I'm in the middle of a semi-major clean-up. The chocolate hearts are all in one tub now and are top of the UFO list.

Made a quick trip to the new twilight market and had a chat to Lara from Chocolate Coated. Bought a Sewline fabric pencil, I've heard good things about these fabric markers. I'm always too nervous to mark a quilt top, I usually stitch in the ditch but now I have no excuse to try something more adventurous.

New Year's Clean Up

Our business has been closed for 4 days over the Christmas break. Christmas Day was a wonderful visit with offspring, in-laws, grandkids and turkey; and then we had three days at home. Three days in a row. If you've ever owned a family business or a shop you'll know how precious time at home is.

So I've been having a clean-up. I need more room for the stash so I emptied the top of my sewing room wardrobe. This is where I stored my botanicals when I was making potpourri from my garden plants. Some of the containers are dated and were squirreled away in 2003 and 2004, although the record was 1998.

I emptied everything into the compost and now I have the biggest potpourri container in the country.

I try to avoid New Year resolutions but it's hard not to think and plan for the new year. I have the chocolate heart quilt to finish for the April wedding. I have a pile of fat quarters to upload to Two Bits Patches. And then I have my Big Project.

And the winner is...

Finally I have some time to choose the giveaway winner. I was going organise something clever to choose the winner but in the end I went for the tried and true method of name on slip of paper and get hubby to pull one out of the ice cream container.

I am pleased to say that Anne A was the winner. Well done Anne, the squares will be sent ASAP. Thanks to everyone that posted a comment, and big thanks to my new blog followers.

Anne's favourite colours are rosy pink, burgundy and green. My favourite colour scheme is, without a doubt, autumn tones. I grew up in Ohio and the autumn trees are just gorgeous.

When I see orange, yellows and rust colours I just have to spend.

My choice for our patchwork groups' 2007 Round Robin was autumn shades. I've been quilting the finished result this month, I'll have to get organised and finish the quilt so I can show you all.

Northside Makers Market

Just in case you don't read the Northcote Leader newspaper (local paper in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), here's an article about the market on Saturday (my daughter Jennie is on the right).

Am I proud? Not half!

NORTHSIDE Makers Collective will give a stronger identity to the growing handmade scene in Melbourne’s north, say its crafty founders.
Northcote’s Margaret Lawson, Jennie Barnes and Jay Falkner from Reservoir recently set up the non-profit craft collective and markets as well as branding to distinguish work from Melbourne’s north.
Ms Lawson said market stall prices were often prohibitively high - between $60-$180 a day - but the collective could offer affordable rates to those starting out.
“We wanted the market to be non-profit so that we can support crafters to get their businesses up,” she said.
“It’s a challenge for craftspeople to find an affordable way to share their products with the public.”
The collective also offers a crafts club, including coffee and crochet afternoons, and a Northside Makers Mums Group.
“People can try new crafts for the first time and socialise with other people who share a passion for craft,” Ms Lawson said.
Northside Makers Collective’s coffee and craft meeting is next Sunday, September 13. There’s a meet and greet for market stallholders on October 2 before the first market at Northcote Uniting Church on October 10. For more information, go to northsidemakers.com

I Spy Blue Borders

I've finished the borders on the blue I Spy. I did the sides first - dark blue, random novelty prints, then another dark blue. When the sides were finished I did the same borders on each end. It's the first time I've sewn borders properly - you know, measure across the centre of the quilt, average the results, blah, blah, blah. I usually attach a border and cut off the excess. I did it properly because I was added three borders, I don't know if I will bother next time.

I'm very excited with the blog giveaway, 15 entries so far. It's not too late, you have until Sunday night to write a comment.

This Saturday is the first Northside Makers' Market in Northcote, Melbourne. I wish I was attending. If you are attending, you'll find my daughter Christine selling my charm square packs alongside of her Teddy Buggs furry boots for babies; and my daughter Jennie will be racing around organising the market as well as showing her W Class Tram cushions and postcards. The weather will be perfect and the stalls will be marvelous. Put it in your diary!