SELLING AND BUYING

In my last posting, I showed some of the cards I have been making. They feature "ladies" in the classic and romantic style, mostly Edwardian, a few from the twenties and thirties.

I intended making cards that would be suitable for Mothers' Day, but not restricted to that occasion.

 Just the sort of thing you may give to the special lady in your life, just because you felt like it!

I took the cards down to the Soul Gallery the day before Mothers' Day, and was quite delighted when one was purchased immediately by someone to give to her daughter! It was one that said "Always and Forever."

I do not know if any more have sold. However, on that day I received a few dollars in payment for some other sales from the preceding fortnight. That was enough for me to make up my mind to go to a garage sale I had seen advertised in the paper that morning.

I did not really expect to find many goodies that I would want, because the lady holding the sale is a sewer and quilter, and would be hanging on to that sort of stuff.

But I was wrong....I found a heap of treasures in the form of doilies and cloths, with loads of lacy edgings etc.

 I do not think there are many people on this island who are really interested in this sort of stuff, so it usually sits around waiting for me to rescue it!

 I suspect these cloths above are commercially produced, but the crochet lace is just beautiful, and there is so much of it.

 Some of these are definitely handmade.

 These have some real possibilities!

A few simple little embroidered doileys in the mix.

 And some exquisite linen napkins. I do not know why, but I have been strongly attracted to lovely linens in recent times.



Now I really must dream up some projects to showcase some of this lovely work.

And I managed to spend almost the exact amount that I had "earned" earlier from the Gallery takings. So that made for a very satisfying morning!

ROSETTES

I have been playing with little rosettes. These are made of small circles of fabrics and lace in graduating sizes.  They are layerwed and then joined through the centre.

 At first I was going to secure them with a button, but deided to use some little pearls. (I have quite a collection of faux pearls in various sizes, mostly from old necklaces.)

 After stitching them, I wet them and put them into the dryer so they would fluff up. It is that raw edge thing - I am trying very hard to get used to it. But I quite like the effect on these.
Some of them I used in this little Crazy Patch picture. I was really pleased with this.

 I made others into little brooches. I gave one to Catherine when she visited and she put it straight on. I was so delighted with how it looked that I often wear one myself now!!

 When I made a new batch of cards, I decided to use some of the rosettes to embellish them.  The effect was just great.

Now I have been cutting out lots of little circles in blues and greens and golds. I figure they would make lovely embellishments for seascapes, representing coral etc.



ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP FOR QUILTNORFOLK

The girls of QuiltNorfolk have just held another very successful retreat and workshop here on Norfolk Island.

About twenty participants came from as far away as Western Australia, and the group included a grandmother/daughter/granddaughter combination - 3 generations of quilters!!

The tutor was the well known Gloria Loughman from Victoria. I am sorry that the only photo I had on my camera was this rear view of Gloria!

 

During the week, Gloria had twe great projects for the group to work on.

For the first one, they had to handpaint their own fabrics. This is how Gloria achieves that stunning and sizzling colour in her quilts.

The girls produced a lovely wallhanging which depicted the view from Kingston over to Phillip Island.

This first picture shows Gloria's version. This is to appear in Gloria's upcoming book, and I am really grateful for her permission to photograph this and her other walllhangings that she had on display!

                  
 Most of the girls had finished this project when I called in and had them back in their units - but this is one of them that was still there  at the workshop. The maker would be really delighted with this one, I am sure!

 On the Thursday, when I called in, they were working on another hanging with wavy stripes.

 I think this how they were meant to end up!

 Everyone was busy and captivated by what they were doing.

 Everyone was sure cooking up a storm of beautiful colour.

 The workshop was held in the old Pacifica Cafe - very convenient for the morning and afternoon teas (which looked delicious!)

 Here are some more of Gloria's quilted wallhangings. I have often seen pictures of her work in books and magazines. What a treat to see it up close!

 One of the participants showed me this cute little felted wrist pincushion. That would be fun to make.

 More of Gloria's work....

And of course, QuiltNorfolk's "signature quilt" was there on display.

The next retreat will be held in October. This is the annual one where there is a good choice of different workshops. I believe they already have a number of bookings. Well done!