Sweet Fabric [Search results for redwork

  • The quilt project...

    The quilt project...
    The Quilt Project

    is something special.

    I have co-ordinated 3 community based friendship quilts and loved so much the sense of belonging & the unity & the thought of many hands working together to make one "something".

    I've been stewing on The Quilt Project for a good long time now. Everytime I look at my Great Grandmother's Redwork quilt I've thought about it more & more. I feel a connection with those women. Women who made time to stitch these intricate designs in only red just to share a piece of themselves with someone else. It gives me goosebumps. I'm the only person who really gets to enjoy my piece of redwork history & so I thought I'd like to have a go at organising a contemporary redwork piece that once complete will be published online so that everyone can enjoy it.

    About 18 months ago I purchsed a huge stack of calico squares all overlocked in red. I've got 50 squares to post out & I'd love you to be a part of it.

    Red overlocked squares

    I thought about sending personal invites, but you know...you never know where the gold might lie. I want participants to be as passionate & as excited about this project as I am. You don't have to restrict yourself to embroidery. There are some more ideas & information included with the PDF info sheet.

    If you think that this is something you'd like to have a crack at then visit The Quilt Project page & download the PDF. See edit in red below.

    To secure your place you need to return the 2nd page of the PDF to the email address provided on that page.

    Places will be allocated in order of email receipt of completed sign up sheet.
    Edit: We're over 50 - thank you to everyone who's signed up.

    Thanks.

    The Quilt Project is now complete & has it's own site here...

    The Quilt Project

  • Just for me...

    Just for me...

    Last month I posted the beginnings of this bag.

    It's taken me ages, but I'm finally finished.

    I love this bag every bit as much as the boomerang bag. Best of all I don't have to fight anyone for it.

    I've had a love affair with redwork for a very long time because of this friendship quilt.

    The redwork was given to me by Jess.
    Op Shopped: French silk ribbon, zip, belts & red & white valance used for lining.

  • A week of special stuff...

    A week of special stuff...

    Pip's hosting a week of special stuff.

    I am trying to be less about the "stuff". Only about half our current haul of stuff is going to move with us when the new house is ready. This absolutely makes the cut. It's a Redwork friendship quilt made for my great grandmother by Canadian hands.

    Made all the more special by of all the women who contributed their stitches and time. I love to run my fingers over those stitches and imagine the women who sat and stitched these blocks. So different from my own life and yet so very much the same.

    Did you know that stitches are like signatures? Historians can tell which of the stitches were stitched by Hilda and Joan and Merle!

  • My creative space...

    My creative space...
    The Quilt Project

    is buried under 5m x 3m of redwork & so am I!

    I may or may not be able to dig myself out to get around to say g'day this week I hope that when you see the quilt either live or via photos on the blog you'll forgive me.

    Those of you who were interested in last week's space & my music boxes in progress might want to take a look here.

    You can visit my favourite space from last week right here.

    Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

  • On my desk...

    On my desk...

    today is:

    apple fabric from Brooke & redwork from Jess. Just because presents are the very best kind - thank you lovely, lovely girls.

    my Jessie Jamieson photo album. I'm ready for Found Photos this Friday & the kittens which haven't yet morphed into their new state.

    Inspired by Claire's craft explosion I swivelled for this shot.

    No explanation required!

  • French...

    French...
    French

    I'm absolutely all about the redwork. Things could be a bit boring around here until it's done but I promise to mix things up a bit.

    Colouring in with French Knots is so satisfying (if a little on the slow side). It's touchability is high which is pretty important to me.

    I'm a bit worried that my piece will be a bit on the grubby side by the time it all comes together.

    Check our quilt project progress here.

  • The best medicine...

    The best medicine...
    Small things

    Teeny tiny port glass with offerings from the walk home from school.

    I had a lovely evening last night at The Aviary catching up with old school mates & laughing until tears were streaming down my face. Absolutely nobody can make me laugh like those girls can. It's really good to laugh until your cheeks hurt!

    I'm completely on a roll with the redwork, filling every spare moment with a few more chain or stem stitches and getting a huge amount of pleasure from the small repetative stitches.

    Hoping your weekend has been a cracker too!

  • My creative space...

    My creative space...

    Plenty of distrACTION in the space this week.

    This week

    action:
    managed to piece last week's redwork
    found the knitted squares which have been haunting me for 2 weeks
    found my glasses (in the bag with the squares)

    distraction:
    clover needle felting equipment
    teeny tiny etchasketch
    more pincushions
    last night's capiroska

    departure:
    After seeing Jane's Gees Bend results & subsequently Meg's stunning free form block I used the leftover apholstery scraps from the pincushion exercise to make this square. It's been ages since I did any kind of block piecing & this was most enjoyable. My favourite bit is the little patch to repair the hole from the sample book.

    The link list seems to be working well. Don't forget to add your link everytime you play - I have the current post linked from the sidebar each week.

  • NOT my blue...

    NOT my blue...

    period.

    Of course, I'm no Picasso but I figure I'm entitled to a little red influence.

    I've been obsessed with all things red for quite some time.

    This friendship quilt is what really began my love affair with red.

    It was made as a parting gift for my Great Grandmother when she left Canada in the 1920's. It was my Grandfather's bedspread as a child & I am now the custodian of it! It is my most treasured item. When I was growing up it lived in a trunk at the end of my Mum's bed. I used to get it out & run my fingertips over the stitches. So much history & so much love.

    I'm determined to have a crack at some redwork in the next couple of months. I just love it.

    Welcome to my Red Phase (not being called a period for obvious reasons). I'll be sharing lots of red goodness over the next few days.

  • My creative space...

    My creative space...