Origami....'tis easy.... isn't it?

I've been told it is......but I have always found it a tad puzzling. It seems that whenever I have attempted origami, there has always been a blockage from the picture of the origami piece before me, to the transmission of the electrochemical message to my brainpan!! Indeed, there is something amiss with my electrical wiring!! It was always embarrassing, when I worked in a before and after school workplace, that the kiddos 'got' it before me!!

So, one would think that, at all costs, I would avoid making a quilt which involves the skill of origami. But no, not me......I am going to stitch not one, but two quilts which to some degree, both, involve the  skill of origami.

The next two quilts that I am going to stitch are a cathedral window quilt and a quilt using Japanese silks which will have beautiful origami fabric flowers scattered upon it.

Crazy!! I know!! But I am going to conquer my inadequacies and give it a burl. After all we learn from our mistakes....don't we?

For a long time now I have wanted to make a cathedral window quilt. I have been traversing through cyberspace and found a wonderful tutorial over at Hyena in Petticoats which perhaps even I will be able to master.

Although technically not really origami, a cathedral window quilt does resemble origami in that each square is folded separately to give the appearance of a cathedral window. I have gathered oodles of scrap fabrics and cut squares in readiness for my quilt.

The folded plain fabric that makes the envelope-like frames for the patterned fabric scraps, is a white cotton with a paisley-like pattern printed thereon.

If nothing else, I will become quite proficient at the skill of envelope making upon the completion of this quilt, as there are hundreds to be prepared!!  What was I thinking when I came up with the brilliant idea of making a queen size quilt for our guest bedroom??

Here is the progress that I have made thus far. The windows are 4 inch squares.

 

I love the fact that this is a 'quilt as you go' quilt...sewing and quilting at the same time!

 

As my quilt has batting in it, it can be a little tricky to get the corners perfect......and those of you who read my blog from time to time, know that sometimes (oh all right...most of the time) I can be quite persnickety. I am not quite sure how one accomplishes every corner to be the same. I have found that sometimes they are pleasing to my eye and sometimes they definitely are not!! I have no idea why this is so, as the process is the same for each window.

 

Me thinks that this quilt will be one where I will have to adopt the attitude of satisfactionism and not perfectionism. It will be difficult for me, but I'm guessing that, by the time that I have stitched a couple of hundred or so of the blasted li'l windows, I really won't care. When I have stitched the last stitch, my brain will transmit the message that every corner is just fine! Besides, I will convince myself that most of our guests won't even notice......as they are destitute of vision anyway and depend on glasses for seeing their world!

 

When I started this quilt I hand sewed tiny invisible stitches around the edge of the window. Then I machine stitched around the window as well to give a quilting effect on the back. As this took oodles of time, I thought there had to be a better way to do this. I skedaddled down to my local fabric store ('tis only one and a half hours away) and bought some 'no more pins' glue. This enabled me to glue under the fabric at each corner and then I could 'quickly' machine stitch around the window, thus eliminating the need to hand sew. Excellento!! Now each window is less laborious and much, much quicker to finish; making me a very, very happy gal!

 

 I have looked at quite a few cathedral window quilts on pinterest, and to my untrained eye there are some that seem to have the same 'corner' issues as mine. There are quite a few quilts that have buttons on every corner.....mmm....I wonder if these are hiding little foibles or if they are there purely for decorative effect. Oh.....there are those, that as far as my eyes can see are beyond perfect....but I won't dwell on them as I am trying to remain upbeat....("remember...satisfactionism, satisfactionism....Kim"). I am thinking that if I didn't include the batting, the corners would be easier to make the same.....but I am only supposing.

  

Now........ for the second quilt on my 'to do list'. Have a bo peep at these lovely Japanese silks from vintage kimonos that I have been collecting for a couple of years.

Aren't they just too, too gorgeous?? Panel after panel of the most exquisite silk fabric overflowing with innate and intuitive Japanese style and design. Mmm.....did you spy with your li'l eye, the hexagon pattern?? You didn't think I was going to make a Japanese style quilt and not include a hexie or two...did you??

 

Now for the stitching of my Japanese masterpiece. I am referring to these books for the 'how to' of the origami fabric flowers that I want to add.

 

I happened upon some gorgeous books written by Kumiko Sudo a couple of years ago and had to, had to buy them. Every page is filled with wonderful Japanese narratives (the stories are as beautifully evocative as the quilts) and sumptuous photos of fabric origami flowers and beautiful quilts. Every page is a visual feast of inspiration to be enjoyed. These books inform me......and I quote "Even if you have never folded paper origami before, do not worry. With Kumiko as your guide, you will find the techniques easy to learn." I am further told....."this book contains designs that magically transform simple shapes cut from fabric into beautiful, decorative flowers."

 

So......there you have it....no worries! I will magically turn little scraps of gorgeous Japanese silks into beautiful origami-like flowers.....it says so in the books. It is written in black and white. The authors wouldn't lead me astray...would they?? The very word 'magic' did compel me to look to see, if perchance, there was a magic wand included within the covers of the books; thus helping my origami flower dreams come true....but alas....no!!

 

Anyway, perhaps fabric will be a little more forgiving for the molding of origami-like flowers than paper. Perhaps I will even become quite savvy at the art of fabric origami, to the point, that I will be able to make gorgeous fabric flowers almost without thinking. Well, I can only try!

 

So....I'm off to retrain my rather inadequate brainpan.....I will get back to you....shall I??

 

Let's pretend

Mmmmm.....another fun-filled day
brimming with adventurous play!

Whatever will I wear?

What character will I pretend to be?

Perhaps I’ll be a policeman.

Perhaps I’ll fight a robber....or two!

 Perhaps I’ll don my fireman’s helmet

and bravely climb tall ladders and
swoosh away fires with my fire hose!

  

Perhaps I will be a famous soccer player

and kick the winning goal in the World Cup.

Perhaps I will wear my special outfit

for my friend’s birthday party.....

and eat lots and lots of yummy birthday cake!

 Perhaps I will put on my old blue jeans and

and go to the park, hang out with my friends

and play with my bright, red car!

OR........perhaps I will be a pirate

and hoist the jolly roger and sail the seven seas;
swashbuckling my way through the day!!

But for now, after an exhausting day of ‘let’s pretend’

 I'm a little tired (yawn).
So I'd best put on my jarmies,
climb into bed,

and hugging my teddy ever so tightly;

drift off to faraway lands 
that only exist in the Land of Nod!



I found this wooden doll, hiding in a hidey hole of my home a little while ago, forgetting it's existence! My husband and I made this a few years ago to sell at a market. Pete cut out my designs with a jigsaw and I painted each piece. The doll is made out of 1/2" thick pine and the interchangeable clothes, hair and toys are made from thin MDF. The doll stands about 9" high and the clothes are attached by velcro which have been glued with a super glue. Each article has many, many layers of non toxic, folk art paint, which I sanded after each coat. These dolls take an age to fashion!! Hence, the reason why we haven't made any for a while and perhaps, why  I have filed this idea away in the dark recesses of my brainpan stamped 'file closed'!!

These dolls are reminiscent of the paper dolls that I adored playing with as a wee girl, providing me with many a fun-filled, imaginative day. I loved my paper dolls, styling their homes and playing with them all the time. When out and about shopping with my mum, I was always on the lookout for the next paper doll book that had been published.

The idea for these wooden dolls originated when my daughter was a very little girl, thinking that I would make her a special keepsake for Christmas. I must admit that we have made a few since which have gone to live with other children, hopefully, providing them with many hours of fun-filled play. After the child has finished visiting the land of make believe and playing with their doll, it can then be hung on the wall, sitting ever so attractively in a shadow-like box/frame (which my clever husband fashioned)  becoming a wonderful piece of art! Very versatile if you ask me!!

Here is the girl doll which is very similar to the one that we fashioned for our daughter. Mmmmm....me thinks a very pretty wardrobe, filled with many a delightful outfit, in readiness for a fun-filled hour or two of play in a child's fictive world!

   

A child can have oodles of fun playing with these wooden dolls. They can enter into the land of make believe, dreaming up many an imaginative story; changing the disguises in an instant. 'Tis a wee bit of a shame that we all grow up......one day......is it not??

Lazy days of Summer

Oops....it's been a month since I put fingers to keyboard and waffled on about my existence down here in summery Tassie. Did I say summery............well I told a li'l porky pie, a little untruth. Yes, the calendar lets on that we are midway summertide, but that is the only evidential proof. Indeed, whilst the rest of Australia is sweltering through heat wave conditions, we down here in this tiny isle are encountering much cooler weather.

 

Not that that's a problem to me (.....well it is a little) as the garden is looking a treat. The stage production of our Spring garden has danced merrily into the next act......Summer.

Gorgeous red poppies the size of saucers.

Glorious Water Lillies.

 

 More poppies of the yellow kind.....not my fave colour, but spectacular nevertheless!

 

 

 Beautiful spires of Lupins and Delphiniums.

 Pansies popping up everywhere like weeds.

Orchid-like Impatiens, Cornflowers and Phlox.

I love this photo...it rather reminds me of a Monetesque painting.

 

Orchid-like impatiens.

 Pretty Nigellas....'Love in the Mist'.

 

Gorgeous Buddleias.....a favourite meeting place for butterflies.

 

 

Dinner plate sized Dahlias.

 

 Hundreds of cheery Cosmos.

A secret little 'doorway'

 

And......the piece de resistance....beautiful Hydrangeas. These wonderful mop-head flowers truly do make my heart sing.

 

Each morning, I love to take a li'l wander around my garden and pick a basket of floral gorgeousness.....

and........fill vases of flowers to prettify many a room in our li'l ole abode!

 

Not only does our garden feed the soul, but it also feeds the inner man.....the tummy!! Berries of the raspberry and strawberry kind.

 

Mmmmmm.......berry, berry delish!!

 

This Summer the surrounding paddocks have paid host to  cows who have been moseying around all day long, mooing to their  bovine hearts' content, in a symphonic, discordant din!!

Not a lot of creativity of the stitching kind has been going on here at our li'l ole abode these last weeks, as there have been much more important matters at foot.

 

For the past two weeks we have been entertaining and just hanging out with friends from  mainland Australia, who escaped the stinking hot and humid conditions of Sydney and decided to come and enjoy a li'l holiday in this cooler retreat; this humble, flower-filled B&B!!

 

One tourist must see attraction that we dragged all and sundry to is Bridestowe Lavender Farm, when in January, as far as the eye can see,  is a profusion of gorgeous, purple hued, sweet-smelling lavender bushes in full flower, ready to be harvested. Row upon row of delectable, sensory delight.

 

 

  

January has been a time of relaxing, catching my breath and just 'being'!! It has been a time of lazing about on my swinging seat by the pond, reading oodles of books that I received both as presents and borrowed from the library, whilst the world passes by. One of my very favourite things in life is to read and lookity look through books. Books sweep me up into many worlds, many characters, many memories, many feelings, many inspirations. Indeed for a li'l while, they are an escape, forgetting everything around me.

 

These are just a few of my 'reads'.......these holidays; the local library has been a constant revolving door.

 

As you can see, oodles of inspiration to be soaked up for the year ahead!!

 

Also, lo and behold, Her Royal Majesty's postal representative delivered a wonderful surprise all the way from British Columbia, Canada. The lovely Carla of Grace and Favour sent me a delightful little stitchery book, a gorgeous mug rug, fashioned by her good self and a scrummo chocolate (oops no photo...sorry...but it was devoured instantly by moi......I quite simply LURVE chocolate)!! That is the glorious thing about this blogging caper......I get to 'meet' gorgeous people from all over the world who inspire me constantly! Carla, who works at a patchwork shop, (how lucky is she) said that this little book was delivered to her shop one day and immediately she thought of li'l ole me, all the way down here at the bottom of the world. You must, must, MUST visit Carla's 'Grace and Favour'.......it is a beautiful blog filled with Carla's graciousness and amazing, creative works!! Yes indeedy, this life is full of unexpected joys!!

 

 

January has meant a few visits to the cinema. Love, love, love movies!! I viewed The Book Thief and Saving Mrs Banks. Both movies for different reasons, completely entranced me. Next week it's off to see The Railway Man........can't wait!! Oh....and I must try to fit in '12 Years a Slave' and  'The Monuments Men'!!

 

Oh......and there was a birthday as well........mine. Alas, another year older.....oh dear....it seems to me that my life seems to be whizzing by much faster than I can finish all the wondrous things that I want to stitch!! Of course I was completely spoilt by my good husband. The only reason that I am mentioning this li'l event in human history is to show you something......have a goosey gander at the gorgeous 'wrapping' of my pressie!!

 

Imagine my delight when awakened by this beautiful box filled with oodles of goodies from my good husband!! Firstly, the beautiful hydrangea box (one of my fave flowers); secondly, the gorgeous ribbon tied ever so expertly by him and thirdly, a beautiful card depicting a dresden plate quilt!! I'm guessing he has learnt a thing or two, from Pip, Mary-Kate (our daughters) and his 'good' wife over the years; about how the wrapping is as important as the gift inside!! After all, presentation is everything!!

 

Aaaah yes indeedy........a wonderful, wonderful birthday!!

 

Now from my calculations, I have two more weeks of  complete "I can do whatever I want"! No kiddos bursting through my bright pink front door (oh I do miss them......really I do), no lessons to be planned, no routine, no.............

 

I might even slip in a li'l stitching. I have been reading other bloggers and their 'to do' lists for 2014. Alas, I haven't compiled one, though there are two or three quilts that I would dearly love to finish and a cathedral window quilt that I have wanted to make for yonks, as well as other imaginations swirling around my brain pan.....but as Scarlett O'Hara once articulated (another wonderful book that has carried me off to another world, another time) "fiddle-dee-dee, I won't think about it now, I'll think about it tomorrow.......after all tomorrow is another day"!!

 

 So.......toodlepips for now.......(I can hear many a sigh of relief escape from your lips that this overlong post has come to an end........you may  now be excused).........as for me, my swinging seat and a book or two....and perhaps a li'l stitching await me!!