Exciting Packages

I have been waiting impatiently for the Postie to deliver Christmas fabric for a couple of weeks; I expect it has been waylaid by HM Customs. I was feeling peeved as the week passed when the only item larger than a bill that came through the letterbox was my copy of the not-so-scintillating "Times Educational Supplement". However, a large package arrived on Thursday from Australia that I made myself save until I had done all of my chores and made a large jug of coffee.

It was such a treat to read a magazine from Down Under and drool over some new Aboriginal fabrics specially chosen by Christine – THANK YOU!! After I have got the two Yurt exhibitions out of the way I plan to complete Bewitched 2 and start a second large Australian quilt. Maybe I should even consider entering an Aussie show or two if I find time to make something worthwhile.

Another package that arrived contained the micro digital projector. I have just about managed to figure out how it works since all equipment these days comes without useful instructions. I have made a start on the quilted projector screen that I intend to hang inside the Yurt – it is white on one side and gold lame on the other so that it can sometimes be used to project images and when reversed it can simply be decorative. I think it might be fun to project movies onto it outside. Maybe if we wear LOTS of clothes and light a bonfire we could pretend to be at a drive-in movie.

The two Carols brought their Silent Movie Start quilt tops along for their first attempts at longarming. We loaded up both machines and I flitted between them all day changing bobbins and giving them quilting tips. They did really well and were both pleased with what they managed to achieve in 6 hours.

The metallic series is coming along nicely – I now have gold, silver and copper quilted. I am working on a pewter piece but the lines are not as smooth as I would like on this one so some embroidery stitches may have to be used to disguise the wobbles. The very shiny fabrics do not really absorb metallic fabric paints so I am unable to highlight areas as originally planned and I have no idea whether hotfix crystals will adhere properly. I have ordered some "silk lurex lame" that I hope will look like anodised titanium so perhaps that will satisfy my curiosity on what the oddest choice of fabrics for wholecloths might be...