A Red Letter Day with Camille Roskelley

As mentioned in my last post, Camille Roskelley visited Australia the past fortnight and I was lucky enough to attend one of her Trunk Shows and a quilting class the next day.

At the Trunk Show Camille spoke for about half an hour, telling us about her start in quilting and how it lead to her designing fabric and writing books.

In real life Camille comes across exactly as she seems on her blog: talented, funny and cute as a button.

Camille: kittens ain't got nothin' on her.

Camille's visit was organised by Di Mill, and she was accompanied by her good friend (and quilter) Holly - here they are holding up a couple of Camille's mini quilt versions.

The next day's class was arranged by the hardworking staff from The Quilter's Store. We all knew the class was going to be fabulous when we saw the (albeit dilapidated) mirror ball on the ceiling.

Margaret was kind enough to chauffeur me to and from the event (thanks Meg!) and we shared a common table with the lovely Catherine (from Cat and Vee) and Tracy.

There was a whole lotta sewing and chattering interspersed with a bunch of eating. A perfect, Red Letter Day, really.

Margaret let me use her Bloc Loc half-square triangle cutting templates and I am hooked. I put in an order for a set the next day.

Cat let us all use her handmade scrap container. Such a gorgeous way to use up those precious off cuts you might be hoarding.

Camille showed us her Red Letter Day quilt (and mini):

She also gave us an in-person demonstration of a clever way to chain piece the blocks.

It's a bit hard to explain in words, but you can see with Tracy's block below how all the rows are nicely connected - a failsafe way to make sure they get sewn together correctly.

Two points:

1. I managed to sew two rows upside down. DON'T ASK.

2. How gorgeous is Tracy's smile? She had such a good time and her joy was infectious. She even managed to con Camille into cutting out the fabric for one of her blocks with that smile. She was just so happy. But not too happy. You know how sometimes people are so happy you want to stick a fork in their eye? There was none of that.

By the end of class we had 40 blocks between us. They looked fantastic all laid out together.

I completed one block and had two more sewn into rows such that I finished them that night. My cunning plan at this stage is to sew a total of 12 blocks and turn it into a twin-sized quilt for one of my boys.

Margaret's will be the one to watch - there were a lot of 'ahhhhhs' when she unveiled her colour scheme:

Come on Meg, I want to see it finished!

If you'd like to see one that's already complete - check out Kirsten's over at Gemini Stitches. She sewed like the wind and had hers done over the weekend!

Phew. So that's what kept me out of trouble last week.

And just before I go, the first issue of my newsletter has been sent out. (If you'd like to receive it, you can sign up in the side bar on the right.)

The newsletter shows how to make this quilted baby mat

If you didn't receive it, please check your spam folder. And please add me to your list of safe addresses - I can't bear the thought of my newsletter rubbing shoulders with all those dodgy Nigerian emails and viagra spam.  Thank you!

Wishing you all a great end to your week and a weekend full of sewing.

A bientôt!

Another month gone....

And what have I got to show for it?

1. Well, there was Easter:

2. Not to mention Mother's Day:

I bet none of you got a mug this cool

3. And of course Star Wars Day:

4. We managed an evening at Redcliffe, on the coast:

On the boardwalk, strutting his stuff

5. A visit to our local Army barracks' open day:

Section Attack demonstration

Dr Seuss never mentions what happens when you eat too much green eggs and ham

Explosive Detection Dog and his handler.

6. And an outing to the Rail Museum, Queensland.

Lots of model trains and gorgeous little model scenarios

Do you think these ladies are quilters? (A yard is about this long...)

Looking and learning

WW1 German armoured vehicle - taken after a battle at Villers-Bretonneux

It wouldn't be a Bonjour Family outing without someone throwing a tantrum and running away.

7. Sewing wise, I have been chugging along with my first pattern. Some wonderful ladies are testing the various quilt sizes as we speak, making sure it's the best it can be.

8. If you heard a loud squeeee about a month ago, that would've been all the Australians learning that Camille Roskelley is coming to our side of the globe. She will be holding trunk shows and sewing classes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney.

We'll be making Camille's Red Letter Day quilt during the class. Yay! 

(Image stolen from Camille's blog)  

Needless to say, I've booked myself a seat at both the trunk show and the class in Brisbane. Are any of the Australians out there attending? For enquiring minds more info can be found here.

9. I'm putting the finishing touches on my first newsletter. If you would like instructions on how to make this Spring Baby Quilt then be sure to sign up here.

My plan for the newsletter is to send out free quilt and block patterns, which won't be appearing on the blog. If we can pick up the numbers and some momentum, hopefully we can find some sponsors, too (coupons, fabric giveaways, foot rubs from Hugh Jackman, you know the drill).

10. We also went to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary but I've drowned you in enough photographs so that will have to wait for another day.

Right, I think that's everything. I had to number them to make sure I didn't forget anything.

Hope this finds you all well and enjoying the warmer or cooler weather, depending on which hemisphere you're populating. I have my flannel pyjamas on and I'm loving it.

Take care and happy sewing!

So, how are those goals going, Kirsty?

You guys are so good at keeping me honest. Thanks!



At the start of the year I wrote out a list of things I'd like to accomplish in 2014 and now that the first quarter has well and truly passed us by, here's my update on how I'm going:

1. Two queen-sized quilts for our bed. 

One of these is well underway - the low volume triangle quilt. It needs a few more things appliquéd on before it's ready to be quilted.

2. A log cabin twin-sized quilt for my daughter.

I thought about this a bit. And bought some fabric. Does this count? 

3. A yet-to-be-decided twin-sized quilt for our 9 yr old son.

Nup.

4. A big ol' picnic rug-type quilt.

Nup

5. At least two tops or dresses or something for me to wear.

Sadly, nup. But I see that Rae has her Spring Top Sewalong on again and I'd like to partake (even though it's autumn over here). 

6. Free motion quilt one of the above projects.

No way. Still too scared.

7. Paper-piece something. 

Yes, yes, yes. I have decided to embellish my queen quilt with EPPed rings and things, so that has been a success.

8. Sort out this blog's design.

I commissioned a new blog logo, which I'm really happy with (you can see above in the header). I'm also going to change from Blogger to Wordpress or Squarespace, I just need to decide which one and find someone I can hire to help me.

9. Write up a pattern for sale.

Oooh, I'm right up in this one's grill. Pattern is written and being looked over by our very own Marg. I need to sew up some samples (anyone feel like being a tester?) and then release it on the innocent and unsuspecting public. Bwahaha.

10. Perhaps start a newsletter.

Yes, I am cranking this one up too. Feel free to sign up here. 

Absolutely, positively no spam. Only good stuff. 

11. My start-of-year pledge: I will try to make all of the projects on my 2014 list from fabrics already in my possession.

Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahahahahahahahaha. Look, I tried. But I needed more yellow for No 2 above, and then I wanted to use those widescreen 108" fabrics for the backing of the queen quilts in No 1, and then I had to fill both those flat rate envelopes to make sure I was making the most of my postage dollars. And will you just stop having sales, fabric stores!!

I'm just going to draw a line under all that and start afresh today. 

We are in our last week of the first term school holidays here and I've been enjoying pushing my childhood loves on my children. 

First I made them watch the Goonies:

Look out: underage Josh Brolin. Courtesy of Warner Bros, via IMDb

Then I made them watch a few episodes of Battle of the Planets: 

Always five, acting as one. Thanks again, IMDb

And finally, we took the elder two kids to see the Lego Movie. In threeeeee deeeeeeee...

That's right, I paid good money to watch what was essentially a 2 hour Lego advert and I loved every minute of it. 

It got even better once we got home:

Psst: I got to sew while they did this. Everything is awesome. 

And how about you - have you drunk the Lego Kool-Aid?

Are you having a win with your plans for 2014?

Are you as shocked as I am that it's already the second half of April? 

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter with the ones you love!