The Winners are...

Congratulations to the five winners of my latest pattern, the 'Making Memories Quilt':

Thankyou to everyone who left a comment, I am very touched by how many of you left your name to be in the draw. Special thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas with everyone on other ways to use this as a signature quilt. When I was writing out all the names to go in the draw there were lots of names that I hadn't seen before, so to the 'new readers' - welcome.

Could each of the five winners please email me (top left on the screen) your mailing address so I can ship your patterns to you!

I can assure you this is a cosy quilt when completed, as can my cat, Ally:

The weather up here on the mountain has been really wild today (and freezing!) with huge winds and rains(I can't believe my roof is still on) so I will be brief today (before the power goes off AGAIN!).

GREAT day for stitching!

Leanne Beasley xxx

New Pattern and Giveaway!

Finally I have finished the 'Making Memories Quilt'! This is a signature quilt that celebrates the memories of being a quilter, in particular, the memories that we make when we attend wonderful quilting retreats.

I have designed a signature quilt that couldn't be simpler (more importantly - quicker) to put together.This is a quilt that you can prestitch together before attending a retreat (probably the night before!), have everyone sign it at the retreat, then finish it off later! I made this original version to celebrate the 'Making Memories' weekend at Candleberry Country:

So that you can add in your own words, the pattern has a complete set of the alphabet and also numbers, as well as five different stitchery borders to choose from, or use them all like I did. My favorite panel is this one (also in the pattern):

A signed block:

Another signed block or two:

Do as little or as much stitchery as you like. No need for a label - they're all on the front! I added in a block with 'Stitched by Leanne Beasley in 2007' and 'Machine Quilted by Melinda Gibson of 'Around the Block Quilting'.

There are of course other reasons for making a signature quilt and I have a list of ideas for you in the pattern including: family gathering/wedding/special birthday/school group/hen's night/baby shower/retirement quilt/etc...,turn it into a quilt of quotes - using all your own favorites or get your friends to do theirs, just have a quilt signing party (yes I love a party and any excuse will do),a healing quilt,etc.

This is a great quilt if you have a non-quilting friend and you'd like to get her started. It doesn't have to be as big as mine (63" x 90" / 160cm x 229cm) and could even be just table runner size if you like.

So a new pattern of course means a giveaway! Simply leave a comment on the blog sharing your idea/s for what you'd do to make the quilt your own version - any idea is a good one - and who knows who you might inspire! There will be five patterns to giveaway and you can leave a comment right up until Wednesday the 27th of June 2007! Good luck.

Oh how I love a finished quilt!

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. To all the lovely girls that I will get to meet in Norway in October I am designing a few special blocks just for the trip to go in this quilt! I hope that you will all enjoy signing a version for me and maybe make one of your own.

Fruitful day...

Well today was a stitching like crazy kind of day (the best sort)! I finished my 'new' version of the 'Quiltganza Carry Bag' that shall now be known as 'The Waverley Bag'! I remade the bag and changed the bottom right hand corner to read:

I think that in our very busy lives it really is the little things that make a very big difference. One little jesture can change your whole day. Ringing a friend to catch up for coffee, sending a little card to say 'thanks', doing the dishes when it's not your turn, lots of these kind of little things can make a day seem brighter. Anyway here's the new version in full:

I have also almost finished the binding on the 'Making Memories' quilt - you may remember this quilt from previous posts or if you came to the Making Memories retreat at Yarragon and actually signed the quilt. I cannot tell you how much comfort this quilt has given me while recovering from the flu - it was so nice to snuggle under a quilt full of signatures and good thoughts from all the ladies that signed the quilt (even if the binding was half on!). I will have photos of this quilt tommorow (if it ever stops raining up here!)

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. Thanks for all your well wishes for my flu recovery - must have worked because I feel so GOOD today!

Did you miss me?

Yes, I am still here girls and I haven't forgotten you. Have spent the last little bit in bed (watching endless hours of Columbo DVDs) recovering from the flu. I know I'm not well when I can't even bring myself to sit at the sewing machine!

Anyway back on board today (thanks to wonderful medication!)so it was a BIG catch up day. Best part of catch up day was catching up with Lynelle Slade from Australian Country Threads and her friend Linda (and we get to catch up again on Wednesday night at a quilt history lecture!!! - stay tuned) and Gail Pan and Rosalie Quinlan (we missed you Melly)and Melinda from Around the Block Quilting. We had a divine lunch at our local restaurant, Reel Cafe. Here's Rosalie and Lynelle:

Tommorow will be a frantic sewing day so I will have plenty to show you I hope!

I did manage to snap this photo the other day, because even when I'm not feeling well, I still have my camera with me! This is a shot for the ladies overseas. It's just a local 'side of the road' photo but it made me realise why I love Australia SO MUCH:

Back to my fluffly doona and quilts now (and maybe my new Columbo DVD from Amazon) and I'll see you tommorow....

Leanne Beasley xxx (achoo)

Travel journal...

Yesterday I promised a peek at my travel journal from my recent trip to Italy, Turkey and Greece:

So here it is finally finished!

Seeing as I had to get my act together before I left for the trip (with only two hours before I had to leave for the airport) I decided on a pre-made, chipboard cover journal - kept it simple. I like to take my journal with me everywhere so I write (scribble) in it wherever I am (usually in the plane/bus/taxi etc!) otherwise it would never get done. I wrote in the journal on the trip, then I decorated it just yesterday.

I simply covered it with a divine piece of wrapping paper of Italy, using the parts of the map that were the parts of Italy we got to see. Then I added four metal corners, a ribbon, and a memory plate. It could not have been easier.

I love to scribble while on the plane (nicely distracting for a nervous flyer!) so I did my cover page:

I always leave room for photos - seeing as I take SO MANY! I simply fill in the blank pages when I get home after I've had my photos developed. With this journal I also used colored pencils yesterday:

I also like to leave a few blank double pages for photos:

I also love to include postcards:

I love using spiral bound journals because you can really fill them up!

Hope this inspires you!

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. The products I used were: Stampin' Up 'On Board Art Journal' product code 107065 $17.50 AU Note: Stampin' Up sell via demonstrators - you can get a similar one from www.scrapperswarehouse.com.au  by 7gypsies / Map of Italy - wrapping paper I picked up from a speciality paper shop some time ago / Metal corners - 7gypsies 'metal corners screw antique brass' / Karen Foster 'Memory Plates' item 01039 / ribbon - from my stash! / glue: Power Pritt Gel - it glues anything!

Jars today and journal tommorow...

Hi girls! Thanks for all your lovely comments about coming (or going) to Norway. Of course this has been in the planning for some months now, but now that it's all so definite I've felt a HUGE need to get up to date with my journaling/scrapbooking/various other memorabilia projects! So today has been a catch up day (we have a public holiday here so it's been a pyjama day at our house!). I thought I'd show you some 'Salt and Pepper Memories' (see page 30 of my first book, 'Living the Dream')that I made today and then tommorow I'll show you my Italy to Greece journal.

Looks bigger here but these are salt and pepper shakers from IKEA that I've filled with tiny shells from Merimbula, New South Wales, Australia (back from a holiday in Easter 2005 - oh I am behind!). I just added a simple tag, with some ribbon scraps, using a pre made tag from the stationary shop (Buff size 1) as a background, and glued on a photo and trimmed. These jars are 10cm (4") high.

This is what they look like at IKEA:

I also made one using a few pebbles from the beach in Positano, Italy, that I collected a few weeks ago (yes, I did declare these at customs):

I wish that I'd collected more pebbles, but I didn't, so these will do. The back of the tag looks like this:

Then I was on a roll so I COMPLETELY caught up with all those bags of sand (etc) that I had stored away:

These jars are bigger, and also from IKEA (the largest is 9", then 7", and 3"). My collection of D.M.C. perle thread now has to find a new home!

Seeing as it's winter here and there's not many flowers in the garden, this can be my kitchen display until it goes to live in the bathroom! I added a row of three candles on each side for a 'warm beach display'!

Hope you feel inspired,

Leanne Beasley xxx

Another adventure...

And why would a book on Norway be on my loungeroom floor? Because I'm going to Norway!!!! I have been invited to go and teach in Norway by Siw from Quiltegarden.

I am very excited about the journey and can't wait to tell you more. Siw and I are finalising all the classes at the moment so stay tuned if you are from that wonderful part of the world. (Meanwhile I will study my book and learn about the history of Norway!)

And while I'm on about that part of the world I've also just been here (Melbourne, not Sweden):

This is IKEA in Richmond, Melbourne, Australia. I REALLY love IKEA (if you're a regular reader you may have noticed that from photos taken around my home). It is infact a bit of a joke amongst my family and friends just how much I love IKEA.

I was introduced to IKEA by my friend Rosalie and her family (let me tell you that her Dad can assemble IKEA furniture faster than anyone we know). They have instant decorating (another addiction of mine and Rosalie and Melly's) that has a wonderfully affordable pricetag attached. So we can all be seen there quite regularly!

They have everything from great candles and serviettes to lounge suites with removable and washable covers (anyone with children will realise the significance of this!). My favorite thing is picture frames for photos and stitcheries.

So I thought that for all of you who love IKEA from all parts of the world I would show you 'my' IKEA.

Oh and recently when in Greece I happened to snap this photo from the bus window:

I just couldn't resist!

Leanne Beasley xxx

The Quilter's Quarter...

The last few days have been a complete whirlwind. I seem (like most women) to have a thousand things on my 'to do list' and seem to be getting nowhere! (Not to mention having a sick 5 year old at home for a few days!) Mind whirling, the Woolworth's (supermarket) delivery man just arrived with the shopping. Another thing to do - unpack the shopping and get dinner on! AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!Then while unpacking the shopping, answering phone calls, and marinating beef (all at the same time) this came to mind:

Sitting in a little restaurant in sunny Positano, Italy, with a San Pellegrino (mineral water) with a slice of lemon and a bunch a friends....(could this have only been a few weeks ago?).....

This then led to me inventing a new drink - The Quilter's Quarter! I decided that I needed 15 minutes to have a break with 25ml (yes okay I'm a measurer) of gin and a slice of lemon topped up with a bottle of San Pellegrino I found in the fridge.

I'll be back soon after my Quilter's Quarter....

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. A non-alcoholic version of this would be just as lovely - simply leave out the gin!

Quiltganza 2007

Had a great time on the weekend at the Waverley Patchworkers 'Quiltganza 2007'. This is a weekend of classes and generally just lots of fun!

One of the highlights was a dinner on the Saturday night at the 'East Empress' Chinese Restaurant. The guest speaker was Julie Haddrick, a wonderful Australian quilt designer. She had many words of wisdom to share, most importantly that we need to "forget the rules sometimes" as quilters and not be afraid to go outside our traditional rules and explore new possibilities and techniques. Her work is exceptional and includes lots of stories behind her quilts.

Then Sunday was a day of teaching for me. I taught a bag that I designed for 'Quiltganza', 'The Waverley Bag':

We had lots of fun in class and all the ladies got plenty of sewing done:

Jocelyn (you may have read some of her comments that she leaves on my blog)came all the way from Canberra!:

My version of the bag included hand applique, but you can see machine applique is just as effective:

Jacky got right up to the stitchery stage:

Lyn was really efficient and also achieved a lot!:

A lovely weekend shared with a wonderful group of stitching ladies!

All my best,

Leanne Beasley xxx

I'm so impatient...

Yes, well, I just couldn't wait, the temptation was too great - I HAD to sew the first two columns of my own 365 Challenge Quilt together. Here's what it looks like now:

And:

I think that the little drawings do break up the writing a bit and that this was a good idea. However, a quilt with no drawings at all would have a great impact, almost looking just like fabric at first glance, until on closer inspection the viewer would realize that the writing was a journal!

I hope that all of you out there (especially the  girls in the yahoo group)are having a great time doing the 365 Challenge Quilt.

I have already heard so many amazing stories and how therapeutic the quilt has become for many of you. I enjoy writing on mine each day and thinking of all of you.

All my best,

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. If you have an unanswered email from me since my return from holidays I'm down to about 200 to answer. Thanks for your patience.