Some success and a beautiful quilt

It's amazing what a difference a fresh set of eyes can make. After stepping away from my frustrating refashioning project and looking at it again the next day, things fell into place. My thread sketched tree turned out just as I had imagined....


...I added a strip of black fabric around the hem and used the same idea on the right side of the neckline. I was having real trouble deciding how I would 'close' the top as I thought a brooch would be too much with the tree. A clever friend suggested the black tab which meant I was able to hide the snaps.


So all in all, my $1 Op Shop top turned out pretty well. I even wore it last night....


..... when I went to see the all-sewn-together quilt for Kootoyoo's The Quilt Project.

Image taken from The Quilt Project

I must admit to a "wow" when I walked into the room and saw the quilt. Even though I had seen many of the beautiful squares, together they even more beautiful. Kirsty has done an amazing job of coordinating this project and of making the squares into a quilt.


I couldn't help myself and even at the risk of being daggy, had to take a photo of my little part of this big project.

If you would like to see more of the quilt and read about all the people who sewed a little bit of their souls into this community project, take a visit to The Quilt Project website.

My Creative Space - Redwork Quilt Square

It was with a mix of relief, satisfaction and sadness that I finished and posted my contribution to Kirsty's Quilt Project this week. After too much stressing, I was reminded that this project was about being part of something. So I stopped worrying and got started. As this square is part of a community quilt, it got me thinking about being part of the blogging community. I have found so much inspiration, support and friendship since blogging, an unexpected benefit of being a mum. Not that you have to be a mother to blog.... but for me, it was being at home with the kids and rediscovering the creative me that lead me to blogging.

So I decided to stitch my family on my quilt square, to represent the best things in my life and to acknowledge them as the reason I am part of this project.

The idea came from a photo our friend Jamie took. This verison has been blurred to protect the innocent... and not so! The original is beautiful and amazing thanks to the incredible talents of Jamie. You can check out his work here.

I traced around the outline of each of us to get the design for the quilt square.

Because it was such a simple design, I practised a few fancy stitches thinking that I needed to "tart" it up a bit but realised that the simplicity was what I loved. After all, I am but a simple girl! So there is a tiny bit of satin stitch but otherwise it is just stem stitch.

I loved being part of this project and am so thankful to Kirsty for making this project happen.

I suspect there will be a common theme of red in many creative spaces this week.

Feeling relieved

It is with much relief that I have been able to get my idea for the Quilt Project out of my head and onto paper (do I see other heads out there nodding...??). Stitches have been tried and practiced thanks to a book borrowed from the library, and now I'm ready to start on my "good copy".

After feeling nervous and worried and other similar emotions, now I'm excited and can't wait to get started.

To have a peek some other delicious red goodness, head over here.