Amazing CQ story

Years ago (I believe in 1999) I traveled to Australia and spoke at a International Heritage Rose Conference in Australia and made a CQ jacket to wear on the trip.  Recently Mary Corbett mentioned my buttons in her newsletter.. A lady in Australia read Mary's newsletter and remembered my name AND the CQ jacket I wore and  she took the time to write to me yesterday... I can't begin to tell her how it lifted my spirits and warmed my heart. I wore the jacket  at all garden shows at which I spoke or had a booth.  Over the years it has been hand washed several times and a little worse for wear and the images have faded...

I made this in about 3 weeks and I had just gotten a new sewing machine which did lettering.. So the jacket is covered with witty garden sayings...including "I consider everything hardy until I kill it myself."  






































And I had to include a picture of the famous gardening maven, Penelope Hobhouse and myself when we were on the same speaking agenda in Texas. Because of the time element there was very little handwork and is entirely vintage linens.


The conference was over several days and I spoke several times.  There were dinners, luncheons and speakers from all over the world. They were the most gracious audience and, much to my relief, laughed at all my corny  jokes.  In fact I made the jacket so in case my talks bombed, the jacket would distract them.  We had a grand time...  Afterwards we celebrated our anniversary at a restaurant in Melbourne recommended by someone at the conference. The waiter brought us a lovely bottle of wine to our table as a gift from friends at the conference.  My husband order kangaroo steak.  We talk about this trip often.   Many wonderful memories.

Some years ago I gathered together tips and techniques for assembling vintage linens into a CQ project and I listed it again on my Etsy site.  This is a vest I made for my husband to wear when working in the booth.  The sayings are all "guy-related"  including "I am a fungi"


As a foot note:  I knew I was going to be speaking in NZ two years hence and I asked an Aussie if she thought they would laugh at my jokes  (my presentations depended heavily on laughter at the appropriate moments)  and after some thought, she had some reservations as she thought the New Zealanders were a sober lot.  But she was wrong....they were wonderful.

Valentine - Queen of Hearts

Round Robin  block from about 2009

 

A Bunch of Bunnies and Sweet Chicks Too!

I've added some bunnies and chicks for spring...

 

Mother Update: I want to thank everyone who has sent emails of concern and prayers. My mother is dying a very slow and painful death.  I didn't think she would make it through last weekend but she has rallied slightly and is tenaciously clinging to life and every minute is a struggle.  I continue my vigil and so grateful for the hospice helpers.  Most everything in my life is on hold and I make no commitments and go day by day..

Functional AND beautiful - I love it.....

In February of 2013 I wrote about the  Asian stacking boxes I found at a thrift store.  Up until then I was keeping stuff gathered for a project in plastic  baskets I could stack to move around or clean up......functional but not beautiful.
Now I treasure them and they are a permanent part of my stitching supplies.




It was immediate love when I started using it for the ongoing suffrage project.  I had so many bits and bobs and it was a dream to be able to clear the table when needed and still have a lovely aide.

Eventually I got a second one on eBay and am using both for this CQJP project and the hanky quilt which use many of the same materials..

 

It is such a delight to set all my supplies out when working and be able to stack them away.

 

I am about to start another project in an entirely different color scheme and wanted another set of boxes so went on line last night and found a used set for $10.  They are available new at the Happy Mall ...  but I find them used on Esty and eBay for very little.  I use "Asian stacking boxes" when doing a search but they are sometimes called Bento boxes or also wedding boxes.  They would be a great mother's day gift for yourself or as a gift to another stitcher.

 

Mine are lovely but just plastic. So if I were wealthy I would definitely go for a antique one like this....only $2200.

 

New Paisley for January CQJP

I took off the old paisley and redid it... It is basically the same design only this time:

1. I did it on organza over interfacing rather than felt over interfacing
2. I used size 15 beads rather than 11s
3. I used fewer color changes
4. I made it smaller in size

I also added some more buttons and bling here and there.  Shirlee Fassell sent me some fantastic sequins and I will start adding them to paisleys and elsewhere.  Here is the before and after.

We are adding more help with mother's care so I am mostly sitting near her to fetch liquids, etc.  As I was getting ready to leave today she beckons me close and said...  "Your hair is messy!"