Well - long time no post..

The last few years I have spent in working in two remote communities in the Northern Territory - Yuendumu and Nyirripi.

How lucky was I to meet and make a wonderful friend there with the same passionate interest in patchwork and quilting.  Many hours were spent talking fabrics, designs, designers and of course stitching.  The years slipped by, many projects started... and not completed - until I returned home last year.

Of course, The Village Sampler would reopen - but it was in need of refurbishing..  First opening in 1994 - it was well and truly overdue for an update.. which is now happening..

Stay tuned!

Deb 😁

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                     

Get set...number 2

I have been taking my time with this block for a little while and decided that I would finish it this weekend...  I'm a little behind where I wanted to be by now with this project - but am pleased with what I've done so far..

Deb

Get set....

I have been somewhat preoccupied in other things for a while but have been grabbing the odd moment to continue on a project that I'll share more fully in the coming months.. but for now this is one of the blocks....

and a bit of another..

Deb

From the pattern "Aunt Millie's Garden" by Piece O'Cake Designs.  Available from The Village Sampler's online store.

From the heart of this vast land....

Although quiet to begin my "Musings from the Village" for this year, life has been very different for me and far from quiet...

I have travelled in the middle of our vast country.. and am working within the aboriginal community of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory for a stint... with much to learn, see and experience - this is a real privilege for me.

One of the already wonderful things for me to discover is that patchwork is alive and well in the heart of our country, and in the first three weeks of being here, have been invited to share the love of our craft with women from all walks of life, age and nationality...  yet another treat!

Take your mark...

Four days in and two new quilt projects on the go..  I couldn't resist the lull over the Christmas and New Year break to take a look at where I've been (creatively) what I need to finish and what I wanted to start..  The first was easy - the second as well.. and the third - even easier than the first two..

My colour choice for one of my new projects is red on white - and to save a bit of anguish later on - they have been washed - four times.  One of the red and white prints is now red and pink... but I'm not worried!

A Flurry of Fabulous Flannels....

With a fairly busy life lately, I've not had much of a chance for anything other than paperwork... but decided that I would put all of that to one side for a couple of days and finish something that's been waiting patiently in my work basket for it's turn...

So now it is done - in fabulous flannels - warm colours and warm fabrics.  

Deb

From the book "Simple Comforts" by Kim Diehl.  Available from The Village Sampler's online store.

Bella bella...

With summer a couple of days away - a change of style is in order.  Thought I would share some of the lovely fabrics which have just wafted into the shop - simple shapes in crisp colours of goldenrod, gray and white.  Perfect for quilts - clothes or accessories for little and big people..

....with some gorgeous French ribbon to hold them all together...

Deb

"Bella" by Lotta Jansdotter

The Wood Fairy Warmer...

You know how it is... saying thank you to someone who has done something purely out of the goodness of their heart...
This winter in Tassie has been a pretty cold one - and several times a heap of wood has appeared at my back gate - unheralded - which literally stopped me in my tracks...   So a weekend away with the Sisterhood of the Travelling Quilts gave me the opportunity to sew some lovely flannels together to create my "Wood Fairy Warmer"...

Deb

Autumn's nearly gone...

Well after a little hibernation, getting ready for the chilly months ahead in Tassie, today I have finished a very autumnal quilt top...  "Pieces of Time" - lots of lovely appliqué and pieces blocks to play with. The lovely winding vine border frames the central panel perfectly, the appliqué shapes were flowing and easy to create and the mix of reproduction fabrics fun to choose..

Deb

"Pieces of Time" is designed by Lori Smith and is available as a block of the month from The Village Sampler

Petals...

Lately I have been working at finishing some projects which have been waiting patiently to have their turn at hanging on the wall in my shop..  "Petals of my Heart" is a block of the month project which I have been running for 9 years now.  The blocks I had completed from this project were put away several years ago as I had two of them stolen from my shop.  The frustration at the theft of the two blocks has now abated - it is time to get going on this lovely project again - and there's now not a lot left to finish...

Deb

"Petals of my Heart" is designed by McKenna Ryan and is available as a block of the month

Waiting for Mumma.... not Godot

These little fledglings have been patiently waiting for their Mum

and not to disappoint - at last she appeared!  

Perhaps my favourite block from "Forest Hollow" is the white poppies block

My preference for all appliqué is the needle-turn method - so these projects take... a little longer.  As is true with most passionate, creative souls - I have more than one project happening at once.. they all get there in the end... "There" must be a wonderful place...

Deb

"Forest Hollow" is designed by McKenna Ryan and is available as a block of the month.

Almost but not quite...

I had set myself a challenge.. to finish the centre panel of my "Birds of a Feather flies to Rouen" by the end of January.  It was finished a couple of days ago - just a couple of days late - and today I was able to take some images of it.  I have enjoyed the journey so far.. and now have the borders to add. They will be altered slightly from the original pattern.  No deadlines to complete the border - it will just meander along just as the vine on the border itself does..

Deb

Do you ever just have to...

start something fresh - just because...
Sometimes creativity gets the better of me - and flannels have a strong pull.
For the most part the projects I embark upon are pretty busy - lots of piecing, lots of appliqué - or a combination of both.  When I began to stock the book "Simple Comforts" the cover quilt took my eye - and flannel it had to be.
So Friday for me this week became "flannel Friday" - and my little stack of simple blocks in stunning flannels is steadily growing..

Deb

"Simple Comforts" is by Kim Diehl

A sneak peek....

I thought you might like a sneak peek at the progress on my "Birds of a Feather flies to Rouen" quilt.. January is half way through and I think I'm going to achieve my aim of a completed centre panel by the 31st..
The number of completed blocks are growing, and are being happily joined to their neighbours.  The needle turned appliqué blocks are lovely to work - the curved shapes of the birds, leaves and berries turn easily and the vines flow..

A piece From the Heart

Thought as we are four days into the new year and before many more days slip by, I should revisit  these little "From the Heart" blocks. There's something about reproduction fabrics and neat little blocks... a jumble of colours and designs - somehow they all come together in the end.

"From the Heart" is designed by Lori Smith.

Jammin' in the New Year

Summer has struck the south with a vengeance - fruit ripening everywhere... so today I'm jammin' - golden plums with preserved ginger.  It's a summer tradition - and a race between me and the birds..

Deb

Don't look back...

or if you do, carry with you what you need and discard the rest...
My little bird is taking a last look at 2011 and contemplating the plunge into 2012...
I have a long list of projects to complete and also to begin... so I look forward to having you along for the ride.
Have a happy, healthy new year.
Deb

Christmas' last hurrah

And so as Christmas and Boxing Day begin to fade into more than yesterday.. and before 2012 is upon us, I thought I should pick up needle and thread and start to assemble my "Birds of a Feather flies to Rouen".  This is proving to be a lovely project and with my aim to have the centre panel together by January... we'll see how I go...

"Birds of a Feather" is by Blackbird Designs - the fabric range "Rouenneries" is by French General for Moda