AND NOW MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM O'REILLY....

......or payback for eating mummy's shoes!

Merry Christmas to all!

Sue xxx

QUICKIE BRACELET HOW TO

I have made a few of these little bracelets.   They are reasonably quick and very easy.   I have quite the stash of beads and charms (you look surprised!).  The last craft fair I went to I bought some beading elastic (again, you seem surprised!).  There are a couple of thicknesses available, this one is somewhere around the .5mm thick -  strong enough for the task at hand - but you do need beads with a reasonable hole in them. 

First collect your supplies up.  Spread them carefully on your work surface.  Work out your colour scheme.  Allow the cat into your room where it will proceed to send everything flying.  Pick up supplies from floor. Scream at cat and then cut your beading elastic to size.   I cut mine to about 8 or 9 inches.   You need to have some over to tie the knot - the longer the tails, the easier it is at the end.

The skulls didn't make the grade for this project - but they are very striking.   Thread beads on to the elastic as desired.    

Thread enough beads to fit the wrist loosely - you don't want the beading elastic to show when wearing the bracelet.   Make sure the last bead has a large enough hole to take the knot.  I used a silver bead for this bracelet.

I tried a few times without success to do a reef knot, so I went ahead and just did a tie off type knot, take the two ends of the elastic together and tie a knot.   Simple, but did the job. 

Carefully work the knot into its correct position - remember the elastic should not be pulled tight.   The job of the elastic is to slide over the hand and stay in position without overstretching - otherwise even without the cats' help, you will be picking beads up off the floor!

When you are happy that the knot is tight, adjust the beads and trim the elastic leaving small tails.  Work the knot into the bead.   The secret to keeping the knot both in position and from working open, is just a tiny dab of glue.   I used the Gel (non drip - supposedly) variety of Superglue.  

Leave to dry for 24 hours if possible.  Simple and effective.    I added some charms to my bracelets.   I am not very good at working with the jump rings - I can never get them to close properly.  I have been using split rings and find them a little bit of a fiddle getting the charm on to start, but they do stay put.    If you don't know the type of rings I am talking about, they are a very tiny version of the key ring.  They are available in both silver and gold, and probably other metals as well. 

 So there you have it, a reasonably quick present, and you could include the kids if  you wish, as chief threaders, and you can be in charge of the glue!

On the machine embroidery front, I have been designing some Babushka's for Christmas.   They all stitched out beautifully, and I made alterations as necessary.     I put together a table runner.      Very Christmassy.

It was quilted and bound, but then I needed to wash it to remove the blue pen I had used to mark out the holly positions for quilting.   Doesn't show it off to its best in black and white I hear you say.    Of course it doesn't.  Black and white is the only way I can show it now - after hours of work and amazingly perfect positioning in a row - the red backing fabric ran and ran and ran.    I had washed all the fabric before hand in hot water to get rid of any problems, and it was all dried in the dryer, but no tragedy struck.   I put the whole thing in some of the product "Runaway" but that seemed to make things go from bad to worse.   As soon as it hit the water, the red colour came straight out of the white, but so too did some of the colour in the green.  The green went from bright and cheery to olive and unattractive.   In fact, the stuff is so strong that it even altered one of the embroidery threads which is polyester and shouldn't be affected.   So another lesson in what not to do.   

 Here are the second tested Babushka's.   I had hoped to have them up on my Etsy site, but it looks like they will be ready for next year now.  The red in the body of the wall hanging is not the problem - it was a broadcloth from Spotlight.  

 Can you see the holly outline I did in the quilting.   Never mind.

So for now, it is back to preparing for the Christmas activities this week.    Here's to everything being finished and ready by the 24th before the shops shut!
Bye for now.
Sue xxx



SPELL CHECK!

Christmas shopping has finally started in this house.   Nobody knows what they want, need or desire (except Santa, because she always likes expensive things).  So my sister and I made our way to Knox City last night for a bit of a marathon shop.  Just for sympathy sake - I should announce here that some bludger gave me a head cold, so I am less than enthused about shopping - we took our time - couldn't say that either of us achieved - but we did have a laugh when we saw this.

Does anybody employ spell checkers in the garment trade?  These shirts were done with a very bold metallic print - it made me laugh.   Ahh, simple things.

Sue xxx

THE GHASTLIES ARE NOW FOR SALE!!

Now listed on Etsy - See Here

The Ghastlies won a couple of prizes at our local show - First Prize in Machine Embroidery and then won overall in the Patchwork section.    I have ummed and aahhed over what to do with "The Ghastlies" next but have decided to try and sell this quilt.    So if you or anyone you know is interested, you can contact me here on the side bar (tiramisue at bigpond dot com) and we can talk!    I have opened an Etsy account and will also lodge it over there.   Wish me luck.

Sue xxx

QUILTING FRAME AND MACHINE FOR SALE

I love machinery - sewing/quilting/embroidery/knitting machinery.     I love it so much, that I have too much.  I started off  with an old Empisal knitting machine, and now my little empire is vast.   As I said, I love machinery and technology - so much so that I wish to sell some to by some more.    I have put my John Watts Quilter and a Janome 1600p up for sale on EBay.    Here is a picture -

Here is the link.

Update.  The Janome has sold, but here is the link for the quilting frame.
   

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/JOHN-WATTS-QUILTER-/170741607976?pt=AU_Quilting&hash=item27c0fe2e28

My quilting frame and the sewing machine have had very little work.   Originally when I purchased the quilting frame, I had such great plans. Needless to say neither of these two have seen much work.   I think you could count on two hands the amount of actual quilts that have been quilted on this set up.   My choice of quilt design means loading and rolling with large amounts of bling and 3D stuff doesn't work for me.    So if you are interested, contact me here or through EBay.

I am also rather keen to upgrade to a PR1000 and so thought I would mention that I have a PR600 for sale.   You can contact me here (tiramisue at bigpond dot com).    "The Beast" as she is affectionately known comes complete with cap hoops (I have never used them), and all her accessories.   She will sew a design up to 200 x 300mm.        

Bye for now.
Sue xxx

A BIG THANK YOU......AND A BIRTHDAY

Well, with "Ghastlie Mania" over for the time being, I just wanted to send out a big  thank you to all those who took the time to pass comment on my "Ghastlie" quilt.   I am absolutely floored by the kind and encouraging thoughts sent my way.   I would also like to say a big hello to my new followers.    I  will try to keep it interesting and keep you interested! 

Just to rub it in, the following couple of photo's are gifts currently winging their way to my blog hop winner. I hope they give you a laugh Leesa.......

 I will post a little "how to" on the bracelet shortly - they are quick and easy and would be a great little gift for the Christmas stockings........yes it is nearly that time of year again (48 or so days to go).

Click on the side buttons to view "Pintrest" pages set up for Ghastlie projects, and Madame Samm will keep the Ghastlie Site with the 54 participants blog posts at the ready.   

Now to step away from quilty bits - this is a bit of handiwork by the big heap himself..........I, naturally, was sewing - all was quiet, too quiet as it turns out.............

 Not a bad effort for an hour.      Good gravy some days you need a sense of humour.   Can you see a resemblance to "Bear" from Bear in the Big Blue House?    That takes me back - the elf turned 16 a few weeks ago - seems like only yesterday I suffered Thomas, Bear, Postman Pat - now I am looking forward (not) to an endless summer school holiday,  having my ears assaulted by Spongebob Squarepants and even more endless reruns of the Simpsons.    I have told my husband to employ the elf gainfully for a few days a week or else a crime could well be committed.

 And because O'Reilly fills up a fair swag of my posts these days,  here he is celebrating his first birthday on Sunday.........

I know, it is not very respectful of such a noble breed, but sometimes you just have to extract some revenge with silly hats and cake.

Well now I had best get back to the grindstone.    I still have quite a few large pieces of Ghastlie fabric with big holes cut into them, to use up.  Speaking of which (Ghastlie Fabric that is) -  I have seen sneak peaks of the new range on the magical interweb today, and it is a giggle - there are babies in prams and pregnant people - ooooh the mind boggles).

Bye for now.
Sue

GHASTLIES FAMILY ALBUM

I present for your viewing pleasure/amazement/horror my take on the fabulous "Ghastlies" fabric.   The plan was for a Scrapbook page, showing all the treasures I think the Ghastlie Family would collect.   So here goes.....

Melbourne weather is being very unkind to my photographic endeavours.    I ran next door and "borrowed" their fence in on brief burst of dry, yet cloudy weather, trying to get a good shot of the colours.    No sooner did we have the quilt up on the fence then it started to rain.   So if the colours are a little out there  I can only say "I tried".     

  

A snake in hiding...

  

 Is this the family business.....what the girls are brewing.

  A pink bow and a hammer, what more could a girl want.   Sebastian features in the cameo brooch here.

   Check out the feathered lorgnette - rose coloured glasses!

Another snake hiding ready to strike.    Silverware hanging  on a hook.... 

 A Victorian fan, heavily encrusted with Swarovsky crystals, the steampunk choker has crystals, pearls, silver flowers and a huge silver cross - slightly Gothic styling!     The black canary sits in his cage, surrounded by ivy leaves and pink crystals.   The velvet coin purse has a few family treasures spilling out.

 All the quilting between the family photo's is naturally spidery.    Hundreds of tiny spiders webs between all the treasures - I am thinking that like myself they have other more interesting things to do than dust for cobwebs!

Check out the cattitude being exuded from this slick black feline....

 Madame's silver dinner bell....

  3D ivy leaves, there are a couple of lizards and frogs hiding in amongst the leaves, and a spider has captured its dinner in the top corner.....

The bottom of the quilt is finished with continuous prairie points and a black daisy trim.

 Techniques used in the creation of this Ghastlie piece:

Applique, Machine Embroidery, Free Motion Embroidery, Quilting, Continuous Prairie Points, 3D Applique, Free Standing Lace Embroidery, Digitizing (the leaves, branches, cage, 3D ivy leaves, large bat in the top left corner were all done by myself), Fabric painting (well, I painted white lace daisies in shades of pink using fabric medium), beading, bedazzling (sticking crystals on), Couching,   and my personal favourite - shopping for costume jewellery  to chop up - oooh and I also learned how to use the Dremel for a bit of grinding  (removing some of the joiners on the jewels!).

This has been so much fun over the past couple of months - I spend hours wasting time   I mean, researching on the Internet looking for all those slightly Gothic/Victorian ideas.

As mentioned in the previous post, Madame Samm over at Sew I Quilt   will draw a lucky winner each day.   So leave a comment and make sure you are a "reply" blogger and you could be in the running for today's prize.     I will also send out a small gift to the second name drawn at the end of the day.    (My gift is a ghastlie memento bracelet).  

Here are today's other bloggers showing off their ghastlie creations:

Mrs Tonya Ghastlie

Mrs Angela Ghastlie

Mrs Pauline Ghastlie

Mrs Karin Ghastlie

Mrs Barb Ghastlie

If there is anything you want to know about my piece, don't hesitate to ask.  

Have a "ghastlie" day.    Don't forget the blog hop lasts all week.

UPDATE

I have a bracelet winner - lgentymk  from A Little Less of Me 

Abbeybeth has gone into the draw over at Sew I Quilt