broderie

Getting in touch again ........

I want to thank so many of you who have been in touch to see if I am ok ❤️
yes I am ok, even though we have been in very strict lockdown here in Melbourne, Australia for the majority of this year, I have kept myself busy in all sorts of ways ! 

the weeks turn into months very quickly 

new seasons come and go

and life in some form goes on

Spring is here in this part of the world and Just Joey has been producing so many lovely blooms, the second flush is now just appearing and there are buds galore 

this is a new quilt and pattern, Threadneedle Street, from a friend Gina Gregory, such a beautiful project to start and stitch and the pattern is available in my Etsy Shop broderie ................... a lovely combination of hand piecing and appliqué 

and this is Playtime, a fun project to make for a newborn as a mat for them to stretch on and start their initial play, great for babies new born to 12 months 
Pattern also available in my Etsy shop

I also started cutting out and stitching a new quilt, Marguerite a pattern from Margaret Sampson George, a real fabric puzzle with lots of elements and I was going along really well and then realised I had made an error, it’s simple to fix, but so annoying ! I have to be disciplined and just undo the wrong bits and get on with it, but at the moment it has been languishing in a box, still in sight, but it has rested for far too long 

I had a quiet special birthday during the year and my cousins got together and made me this delightful little book filled with lovely images and words, little pockets and envelopes with little messages and things that I love ❤️ it’s just so lovely to pick up anytime and have a wander through all the pages ! So beautifully done by those clever girls ❤️❤️


and just to finish off for this post some roses, tulips and sweet peas 

hope everyone is well and safe in this time that we all find ourselves and a special hello to Sharene who is a lovely friend who encourages me to share here on my blog ❤️ this is for you and anyone else who enjoys my offerings 

I promise to be back sooner than later ❤️ Lizzie 

 

Strange Times we are all in ........

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this slower pace of life that the majority of us are living, thinking so much about those on the front line doing what they can and all those amazing health workers, without any of them, we could not manage covid19

here are some photos to make you feel better from my little corner of the world and thanks to you all who have been in touch, I’ll get back to you 

these were the last of my rose, I say rose because I only have one, grows in a pot, but has just produced so many beautiful blooms this year, love it 

this is a quilt, very nearly finished by Melissa who comes to my group of friends who stitch with Margaret Sampson George. It’s Melissa’s version of Out of the Blue, pattern by Marg ! It’s a very soft palette and it’s beautiful ! 
her friend Sharon who also comes brought this to show us all at our last class last year. I have known both these girls for over 20 years and they both doing some work

both Melissa and Sharon live in country Victoria, Australia and we’re on alert during our fires recently, both their homes were not affected, both own local businesses and now this present situation, but with good humour they have survived ! 

Sharon made this a little while ago, but just look at the detail, it’s just gorgeous ! 
and the photos below is the work of another very talented stitcher, Jenny, who now lives in Tasmania, but we still catch up when possible, all done by Jenny’s clever hands, all the embroidery and hand quilting 

over all the years I’ve been been posting here, many, if not all of the wonderful array of our finished embroidery was done by the extremely talented, unassuming, quiet, disciplined lovely Sandra. I have worked with Sandra for many years, she never disappointed me when I would present her with ideas, she always came back with a beautiful finished piece, a cushion, a bag, many bags, 100’s of stockings, probably 1000’s, etc. Sandra had been sick for 6 1/2 years and I sadly received the news that she died last Wednesday, April 1st ! Taken far too soon from her family and our community of stitchers, bless you Sandra, you will be remembered by so many for all the beauty you have left behind in our homes and lives 

my last roses of summer ❤️ Sandra ❤️

 

 

Nearly missed April

I’m always pleased that time goes so quickly, because it means we are busy ! The new week starts and before you know it, it’s over just like that. What have I got to share with you today ?

Some more samples of my pattern ‘Sew Simple Squares’ made up in some of Di Ford’s beautiful fabric. These are so simple to make, once you have cut out your fabrics for both the lining and the outer, it’s just a lovely quick stitch for a couple of hours and you have a bag finished ! 

And another beautiful finish was from my friend Jenny, who has completed her ‘Flying By’ quilt, patterns by Christine Vlasic, and it’s beautiful ! 

All those beautiful little bits of fabric brought together to make this lovely quilt ! Jenny has done a lovely version, it’s beautiful, now to get it ready for hand quilting !

Jenny has now started her ‘Bright Star’, another of Christine Vlasic’s quilts, it’s looking very good and rich looking already with the mix of fabrics she has chosen !

My last beautiful Just Joey rose was a delight !

And i found my appliquéd margagons lurking in my bag of sewing that still await a finish and so I have decided on a new approach to finishing this ! Watch the progress !

 Margagons are an element used in many of Margaret Sampson George’s work and appear in her patterns

and this week the world waited for news of the safe arrival of a new baby, it’s a boy

So brand new and the world sees the pictures for the first time of 

Prince Louis Arthur Charles

 

Summer sewing and flowers !

As the summer months draw to an close at the end of February we have been having some lovely days here in this part of the world. Doesn’t mean we won’t get more hot days though ! The summer flowers have been so wonderful this season.

I have nursed the hydrangeas through the very hot days by using beach umbrellas as a shade provider and they have survived quite well, they are now in the fading stage and I love them also just as much

on Australia Day we had a visit and a good sewing day at my friends new abode. She has downsized into an apartment and taken her yellow and grey theme to another space successfully

Some of the little corners Marlene has created in her own special style

i have been sewing and preparing lots of things while I have been watching the tennis and the cricket over the hot days and nights and have another new bag pattern to release in the range ‘It’s in the Bag’ - this one is called ‘Sew Simple Squares’. A square is such a simple and common shape used in all of our sewing, I have had some fun making some bags in squares and some with a square and what I’m calling a tweaked version !

I have used some favourite florals and some neutrals to make these little bags and one I made with some various pieces of linen that I stamp printed myself with a pear theme !

the pattern will be available in my Etsy store very soon and wholesale orders are also welcome, just email me !

and talking patterns, Christine Vlasic and Sandra Boyle both have some new patterns that are also in the Etsy shop 

This one above is ‘Metro’ from Christine Vlasic and Sandra’s is called ‘Nickels and Dimes’ and the pattern includes the template required, both are very beautiful scrappy quilts which we love !

enjoy your days until next time ,

fabric, friends, flowers and fun

lots of f words that all paint a great picture if you are a 'material lover' !

recently the no vacancies sign was up here at home, three friends came to stay and play and on the first day, i had already organised one of our regular catchups, so with a few more invites, we had a sunday gathering

beautiful parrot tulips

pink with a bit of green roses

just love the flowers !

one morning of the week was taken up with me giving a tutorial, yes to the experts staying with me, of how i line and make up a bag. the bag was maree's work, brigette giblin's nundle bag pattern, available from her website

it was given the seal of approval ( thanks margaret, it's a tape measure )

we shopped each day, taking all the interstate visitors to the melbourne shops on their lists, we covered a fair bit of ground, but still had time for some sewing and having a bit of fun with friends

this was my stack to add to what i already have, so naughty i know ! we visited gail b's in bayswater, gj's and cuttingcloth in fairfield, day two it was off to amitie, day three it was back to gj's and via auburn village to collections on central and then day four to treehouse in mornington

i was resting my crown here, thanks so much dear friends for the lovely gift, they know who's queen in my home

we were all busy sewing and showing our fabrics, having some refreshment and relaxing too, it was a lovely week

i've been stitching some more margstars, love these, i'm handpiecing mine though, i find too much paper piecing is not kind to my hands these days

you will see soon how they will connect .............................................................

i am so fortunate to share my love of fabric with friends i have known for years and am able to share with you the patterns they are producing ! recently i have been doing lots of cutting and prep for my time of being a resident of hobart in tasmania for almost 2 months a little later in the year

this is 'carousel' by sandra boyle, sixteen of these circles pieced into a background form the quilt (pattern is in the etsy store)

and then there was four, i've cut lots of blades, but its hard not to stitch them up also

there is also 'flying by' from christine vlasic, cutting lots of geese, using lots of little bits of fabric i've been saving, saving for what, to put into 'flying by', taking a leaf out of christine's ideas book, because that's what she did and i love the quilt. if you too love scrappy quilts, then these patterns are well suited

there are also the quilt patterns from margaret sampson george and trish harper, go and browse the shop !

here is a little of msg

oh yes ! there's a pear in there !

and the embroidery girls have also been very busy, lots of things 'in the hoop' !

'two birds and a nest' a mrs sew & so pattern, yes it's in the shop, over there on the side bar ! lavina is nearly there, finished and it's so beautiful

oh we love a good linen teatowel

all recently started, i will show you the progress

marie's beads matched her sewing, you should have heard the noise from these 10 embroidery ladies on tuesday, not to mention the saturday girls yesterday !

and that's all there is in this post and update from me, back soon ! if you are looking for a new project, check out the shop, as i said before, over there on the side bar ....................

2016 is moving along !

with christmas over, i always love january, it's a time to be quiet and relax and just enjoy being ! some go on holidays away to places here and there, but being a home body, i tend to just love being at home and refreshing the diaries and calendars for the new year, watching some of the summer sports, cricket and tennis and not feeling bad about yourself if you decide that a day doing nothing much is ok ! i had many of those and cleaned out my sock draw as well !!!

just behind me at the christmas table was this sweet little tree, i felt very much at home

with the addition of the green pears to my tree (it stays up all year round) and (i have removed the little red birds) this fills the gap in the corner over my televison set

the stitching girls in the various groups are all back and busy, lots of noise and chat at all the meetings ! i loved this water bird stitched under the guidance of mrs sew & so, and there many things in the hoop being created at the first tuesday group for this year

jenny's stitching is amazingly neat and beautifully executed, i look forward to showing you the whole design

there is nearly always a bird or a nest, this one from the pattern 'two birds and a nest' from the mrs sew & so collection of patterns, wonderful texture lavena !

and anna's leaves are looking beautiful in the traditional blue and white combination

there were also lots of beautiful flowers in the house during january

i do love a beautiful pink rose !

while watching the tennis, sometimes to very early in the mornings, i did a bit of easy cross stitch, well of course a pineapple and a rabbit

the magnification of the photos makes the linen look very easy to see, in reality is not that big, but would be great for the old tired eyes !

i purchased this set of thread holders for my sewing collection from 'the crewel gobelin' when i was visiting sydney in november last year, love them !

an old friend, marie christine flocard, came to visit with 'mrs sew & so' and showed us her latest pieces of beautiful boutis

all those tiny little stitches ! she really is a master of her chosen needlework !

and these new cushions for someone i know who will be visiting soon !

and a new pale look for camelot, the quilt pattern by trish harper ! here is some of the detail of the circles

a very scrappy pastel version of this lovely quilt and you can buy the pattern from my etsy store

and i found a new place for my pair of pear paintings, they are now in the kitchen and i enjoy seeing them every day ! i bought these from carolyn hallum, a local melbourne artist at the margaret sampson george exhibition last year !

i will be back soon, hope that you are all enjoying this new year, so far !


















 

time, passes, how do you fill in a day ?

i have to say today has been one of those days ! i prepared photos and wrote a blog post this morning and all appeared to be ok, however when i pressed the publish button, well it wouldn't publish !!! so i walked away, came back, my physio came, came back, still nothing happening ! no need to say more, i'm doing it again !

 i'm often spoiled with flowers and gifts, these sweet native orchids were so pretty

the detail that nature provides is just amazing and wonderful, we know that, but i love to just stop and think it over sometimes !

this almost black tulip was also very interesting as the tight green bud opened to this deep colour

there is an experiment taking place, i'm cutting from my fabrics these hexagon shapes, lots of different patterns, from templates that i have had for years ! i'm seeing my friends through the colours that i've seen them use over many years and choosing the colour scheme for each of them. so far so good, i'm enjoying the process and the recipients are all anxious to get their next surprise package just ready to sew ! i'll share some with you !

remember every friend is different

can't possibly show you all of them, but at the end there will be many quilts and all the same but different

 

loving also the texture of linen and embroidery threads

this is a new design from 'mrs sew & so' and will be available with others patterns soon to be in my etsy store

this is part of another new pattern ! i'm waiting on the delivery of a new printer, we won't go into that story, the second replacement, at no cost to me other than frustration !!!

and another, all those stitches !

these beautiful roses from anna's garden were so lovely to live with for a short time, the perfume that filled the air was so wonderful

just so very beautiful ...........................

marg, margaret sampson george is coming to stay again in a couple of weeks and so i have been doing a bit more with this

carolyn and tracey came to visit last friday and we had some show and tell ! tracey brought her very lovely version on jenny kingwell's 'the circle game' to show me because i had admired it on her instagram

though the light conditions were not very good for photos, tracey has chosen a lovely soft pallet of colours

and to finish, more roses, been thinking of my dad today, born in 1909 on this day

the first spring blooms from my garden

 

it's all about me ........ well mostly !

august 2015 was the year destined for me to turn 70 and i made it ............. happy about that

some of those who i spend alot of my time with gathered at a friend's home to celebrate the birthday and it was lovely thankyou ! it was going to be a surprise, but there was a leak

this was delivered on the day before from a friend who was not with me to celebrate, it is so simply beautiful

then there were the colours of the gathering organised

a beautiful table set, this old girl, a friendly title, goes to such detail and everything had to be colour coordinated, there were strict rules to follow

 

this was all about me and for me !!!

trish and annie

denise and carol

jenny in her new red glasses (envy) simone and sharyn

gina and carol ( so many hands needed to light the sparklers )

marlene

and me the birthday girl !

gloria and marilyn

and there was very weak tea !

and some beautiful gifts, so many made by my clever friends and others too, just so pleased about for me to play with ...........

 

 

queen of many things including making a nice cup of tea ! the crown is on a pillowcase

back to my childhood and love of colouring in, so beautiful 

colouring in crochet ! a really gorgeous rug !

beautiful flowers

and more pressies in the mail

i did mention the queen thing, i must have a reputation 

 

this lovely orchid, i was spoilt, thankyou so much everyone for the good wishes, lets hope there will be many more to celebrate

if you didn't make it in the photos, i was being kind and did not publish any dodgy ones, didn't want to be in the bad books

back soon !

 

 

sharing some christmas !

christmas is coming and so is the end of 2014 and so we think of events for the new year 2015, keep these dates free if you are able to visit, so as you're filling in your diaries mark down friday, march 27th and saturday, march 28th, 2015

monies raised will be donated to 'beyondblue'

it is so nice to have little bits of christmas around the house, here are some of my corners

two lots of christmas sticks, this one in my kitchen/livingroom with the cookie jars !

i also love advent calendars, these are previous years which i still bring out, quite a little village developing, this years is the bakery, lots of little visions of people having 'nice cups of tea' ! quite appropiate for my house !

not a pear tree, but the fruits dropping off it look like pears to me !

christmas roses

christmas lillies

christmas gift making for a kris kingle ... the front

and the back, featuring a 'margagon' ! you will see plenty of these shapes used in different ways at the exhibition in march 2015 !

i put out the mince pies and out came the hungry reindeer made by one of my sewing friends this year, here's another view in front of this years advent

and a new pear for my stick tree from my pear friend and these also under the cloche at the moment

someone is getting some lovely embroidered pillowcases for christmas

there were also some other lovely finishes at out last tuesday class for the year

jan's lovely birds, must be love birds i think !

and her appliqued and embroidered panel, centre for a table cloth we are thinking !

and another little tree, love this one !

and marion's wonderful fish cushions

and hydrangeas also remind me of christmas 

 

 

 

 

inspiration ! and beauty !

the beauty from nature and the wonderful display of flowers that springtime provides

the bunch of roses from my local fruit shop that i have on my windowsill displayed in little old fruit juice bottles give me such delight, i love them !

my friend and now (personal knitter) came to visit for dinner recently and wore one of her latest and wonderfully created jacket

its michelle from the quilted tortoise, she also sews, but the knitting has taken over recently ! there are things she wants to knit, but knows she won't wear, so that's where i come in, lucky me ! and she's using some of the many balls of wool i've purchased over the years !

beth from our saturday embroidery class with 'mrs sew & so' has nearly completed this mix of applique and embroidery

back to the beautiful flowers' these arrived for me from tom, a huge arrangement of lovely spring flowers

after the tulips died i separated them all and the roses were just spectacular, 20 beautiful yellow roses and also these orchids

then last weekend the house was full of MSG inspiration with Marg Sampson George paying another visit for a workshop and here are some of the images of the work being done

all different versions of 'going green gradually'

with light behind it barb's looks like a stained glass window

and this subtle little version of 'bombay blooms'

but then a softer look, beautiful roses again

trish has done lots of work on her sheet version, love the colours

and tanja has a large space to fill

little by little they all get done ! just think of all the little stitches being made all along the east coast of australia influenced by MSG !!!!!

i started making some new pieced blocks to add to one of my msg projects as the next border

and back to some embroidery, jan's lovely cushion finished ! jan hasn't seen it yet, so you are very lucky, i love it ! done in class with 'mrs sew & so' !!

i tried to finish this post so it would appear on the first of the month, but i notice the clock has ticked over past midnight again, so it's off to bed for me now, enjoy !