My new (to me) craft

On an excellent craft camp a few months ago, my friend Lisa was working on a very cool needlepoint which is destined to be a cushion depicting Bill Hicks.

I loved it and decided that I would also try my hand at needlepoint with a cushion for my son's tenth birthday. He is a massive Harry Potter fan so the choice of subject was easy.

Here's my progress so far ....

The actual face was fun to work on and I progressed quickly but once I got to the background (Gryffindor) colored stripes, it became very tedious. I am so bored with this project but have to finish it by January 6th.

And so I plod on!!

Have you tried your hand at any new crafts this year?

Happy stitching.

Andi xx

Houston loot!!!!

It has taken me a while to get around to photographing my Houston haul but here it is in all it's glory!

Of course, I bought fabric. Der!!

I am extremely crap at recording the names of the fabrics as I go ... so there are some you will surely recognise and others you won't but they are all delicious, if slightly anonymous!

To my delight, there were a number of antique quilt dealers and I bought myself 3 quilt tops. 

Why only the tops and not finished quilts? 

Two reasons: 

1. This way, I get to quilt them myself and feel I have had some part in their restoration and 

2. They fitted more easily into my suitcase :P

This one was very cheap due to the less than perfect (to say the least) stitching and piecing. It is very buckled in places and completely torn in others but I loved the colors and the general feel of it so she became mine. My plan is to cut out the good bits and re-use them in a new quilt. Not sure exactly how yet but my little brain is tick ticking away ....

This one is a beautifully hand-stitched queen size Dresden Plate quilt top. I adore the original 1930's fabrics. Looking forward to quilting this one!!

There are 4 x 4 blocks in this one. 

And my absolute favourite was this red and white beauty. A perfectly hand-stitched Drunkards Path ... also queen sized. This one was dated C.1900 - 1920.

Would you have a look at those perfect little stitches!!!!!

And lastly I bought some books.

To be perfectly honest, only Victoria's book on the left was actually purchased in Houston. The 2 books on Hawaiian quilting were purchased in Hawaii the following week. (I know .... I am extraordinarily lucky!!)

So that's it. My Houston haul!!

Back soon with some actual crafting!!

Andi xxx

Houston Quilt Festival - Part 2

Thought I'd share a post about the people (and creatures) of Quilt Festival.

With only one day up my sleeve, I knew I had to be selective about how I spent my time in Houston. I spent an intense morning viewing the thousands of quilts on display and spent much of the afternoon shopping and perusing the thousands of stalls. Of course, I had to arrange a meeting with this gorgeous lady who I have developed a connection with via 'Blogland' but have never met IRL.

She was so incredibly sweet and amazingly helpful and generous with her time. Thank you Victoria xx

Victoria introduced me to her wonderful friend Michele but I didn't get a chance to take a photo :(

I also got to attend a brief talk with Kaffe Fassett

And snapped a quick selfie with Ricky Timms

Apparently, Quilt Festival is a party!

But no one told these folks.

They were pooped after an exhausting day of shopping and perusing. I was too!!

But not too pooped to have an evening meal with this gorgeous bunch of Louisiana ladies that had adopted me the evening before in the hotel cafe.

They were so friendly and welcoming. Quilters are good folk!! :-)

And as well as the flesh and blood people I got to meet, there were some wonderful quilts depicting people ...

And of course there were the creatures ...

We quilters certainly to love our creatures!!

The only thing left to tell you about is the shopping I did in Houston. I'll be back VERY soon to show you the wonderful purchases I made. Yay!! Loot!!!!

Much crafty love to you.

Andi xx

Houston Quilt Festival - Part 1

I know this is now OLD news by now but I have been away on a BIG family holiday to the USA and have been unable to upload my HUNDREDS of photos until now.

So anyway, after Dan and the kids flew to Hawaii, I took a brief detour to Houston to briefly attend the biggest quilt show I have ever seen. "What's that?" I hear you say. "You missed out on Hawaii to go and look at quilts?" How's THAT for crafty dedication!!! (I did actually make it to Hawaii but just for a slightly shorter time. Phew!!)

So here we go. Get ready for a whole lot of photos because there were a WHOLE lot of incredible quilts on display!

 First up ... some of the more traditional quilts:

 

And some more contemporary ones .....

Quilt made by Chawne

Quilt made by Victoria Findlay Wolfe and Lisa Sipes

I have to apologise for mostly not knowing the quilters' names. I had only 1 day to explore a bazillion quilts and stalls and I simply neglected to note down details. (Hangs head in shame). 

Here I am in front of another of Victoria's amazing quilts

I might stop there and keep some more pics for Part 2 (and most likely Parts 3 and 4).

But suffice to say, it was one of the most inspirational (and exhausting) days I have had for quite some time. I'll be back in a few days to show you more.

Much crafty love,

Andi xx