Toy Sewing Machine...Memories!

I was visiting Jill's blog http://www.thequiltrat.blogspot.com/ and saw her slide show of her toy sewing machines. When I saw the little red one above, I suddenly remembered that I had one just like it! It actually sewed when you turned the wheel on the right by hand. By the age of 10 I was using my Mom's Elna, so this was a long time ago!

Do any of you remember having a toy sewing machine?

This is post #500. Wow!

Jodie Carleton Featured in Ready Made

Have you seen the September/October issue of Ready Made magazine? Take a look at page 16 to see a selvage bag by selvage genius Jodie Carleton of Australia. (Check out some of her truly incredible selvage creations in the sidebar at right.) I think this magazine should have featured her frock or her chair! But I guess they wanted to show something easy that readers could whip up in an afternoon. (How do you attach those handles?)

Update: Jodie says, "The handles are a fake leather and they had existing holes, I just hand sewed them on - using a big thimble.- It was a pain to be honest but they do look good!"

See Jodie's blog at: http://www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com/. The magazine's site is: http://www.readymade.com/.

If you have made a selvage item, why not send a photo to a magazine for possible publication? What's the worst that could happen?

Nadia Stumpf of France Does it Again!

Take a look at Nadia's new selvage quilt! Isn't it amazing? I love the colors; the batiks are perfect in this quilt. Wonderful job, Nadia!

See another beautiful selvage quilt by Nadia Stumpf of France in the sidebar at right.

Visit her blog at: http://patchworkrama.canalblog.com/

Great Fabric to Use with Selvages

Kay Rindall found this fabric by Timeless Treasures (hers has a white background) and she liked it so much she bought the whole bolt! Impressive! She plans to use it with her selvages to make a quilt. The fabric is from 2007, but it's new to me. I think it will look great with selvages. Thanks, Kay!

To see more about this fabric, visit: http://www.sagercreekquilts.com/scripts/quiltshop.asp?page=2&subcategory=&FabricCategory=manufacturer&FabricSubcategory=TimelessTreasures&category=Fabric

Visit Jodie at Vintage Ric Rac

Jodie Carleton of Balarat, Australia is the blogger and self-described selvage freak lady who made the selvage frock, the selvage parasol, and the selvage chair that you see in the sidebar at right. I call her a creative genius! Lately she is into robots and things made with fabric and metal. If you haven't visited her blog in a while, you are in for a treat: http://www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com/.

Selvage Stash Give-Away!

Karen Lowry Reed of CT and VT is having a selvage give-away on her blog today! If you've been thinking of starting a selvage project, this may be just what you need to get going!

Visit: http://sewandsowlife.blogspot.com/

Good luck! The photo above is just an illustration, not the actual prize.

Linda's Quilt Studio in Iowa

Linda in West Des Moines, Iowa says you might feel a little sorry for her when you see the view from her sewing room. She even had to climb on her ironing table to get this photo. But before you reach for the tissues to dab your eyes, take a look below at the great set-up she has! There is even a second sewing machine so a friend can join her. With such a nice big sewing space, who needs a view?

I asked and Linda verified that that is a bag of selvages hanging from her cutting table. We quilters notice these things! She says she has an impressive file drawer of selvages as well. Yikes, we can imagine! What a tidy sewing space. Thanks for the tour, Linda!

She has a nice write-up about her sewing room and more photos on her blog: http://www.flourishingpalms.blogspot.com/. (See her wedding photos from 1972. Cute!)

Linda Robertus' Neighborhood

Linda Robertus of Australia sent these photos of her neighborhood. I love traveling around the world visiting quilters this way, don't you? She tells about her neighborhood below:

"I thought you might like to see the view from my sewing room window. The jacarandas are in bloom - the best time of the year in Brisbane! The second photo is at the end of our street, next to the railway station (we live in an innercity suburb). It's where I take the train to work 3 days a week, and the last photo is the view I have from the train: the City of Brisbane along the river. I love this city! "

Thank you, Linda, for this "visit." See Linda's blogs at: http://www.goingtobrissy.blogspot.com/ and http://q-linda.blogspot.com/

To see her post about jacarandas (trees with purple flowers), click on this link: http://q-linda.blogspot.com/search?q=jacaranda.

Blueberry Paradise!

My husband and I picked blueberries yesterday at the Ellsworth farm in Sharon, CT. Can you believe these bushes?? I'm going to make a pie today. They're supposed to be good for your brain, so expect some extra cleverness to show up in this blog soon. I don't know how long it takes to reach their full effect. :)

Paulette's Selvage Skirt-WOW!

Isn't this an amazing selvage skirt? I love it! This was made by Paulette Carr from Upper Michigan. Here's her story:

"I've been creating art in many mediums since I was a child. My passion at the time is cloth dolls and collage. But when I saw your book and looked at your blog I had to create something. I have six granddaughters and I love to alter denim for them. Here is a picture of my Selvage edge denim skirt. Question is, which girl gets the skirt! Thanks for the inspiration.....hope you like it......and I now have a purse in progress! Have a great day."

Be sure to show us the purse too! Thanks, Paulette. Great job!
See her blog at: www.carpaulette.blogspot.com/

Labor Day Weekend Sisters Quilt Retreat

This weekend my sister Eileen and I got together at her summer house in Holderness, NH for a quilting retreat. We had a so much fun. It was cool and clear, just beautiful for quilting, drinking tea and listening to 1970's oldies on the radio. And of course we made a trip to Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH where we found some fabrics that we needed, including that chartreuse fabric above. It has pickles on it! We always share our purchases.

Eileen (above) working on her abstract "white birch forest" string quilt, inspired by a Robert Frost poem. Karen (below), with the beginnings of an improvisational center medallion quilt done in solids. Since I'm a bit discombobulated from moving, I just brought my whole stash of solids and some scissors, and decided to see what would happen. I like it so far. Now I'm making more little X's.

Holderness, NH View

This is the view from Eileen's house. This is the same window, above and below. Isn't that a great view, especially framed by the charming window? The house is nearly 100 years old. It smells like wood. I love it there. The far-away mountain is Mt. Chocoura.

I love those old paintings that have translucent grapes. This is my version. A weekend away gives me the chance to stop and notice things like this.

Brenda's Neighborhood in Manitoba

Meet Brenda Suderman of Manitoba, Canada as she tells you about her neighborhood:

"Where I live: I live in an old neighbourhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which is located roughly in the middle of North America. we are eight hours northwest of of Minneapolis, and about halfway between Toronto and Vancouver, but both are at least two day's drive from us. We're a cultural centre on the Canadian prairies, located at the intersection of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, close to the boreal forest and the pre-Cambrian shield. Yes, we have long, cold winters, and short, hot summers, but that just means we have lots of time to quilt."

Don't you just love those elm trees? Brenda says they make her street feel cathederal-like. Visit her blog at: http://scrapsandstrings.blogspot.com

Don't Drink and Make Signs!

Did they not notice this error before putting up the sign? Or maybe they just said, "Oh well, close enough!" More funny photos at http://www.oddee.com/.

Have a great day.

Astonishiing Pencil Sculptures!

Jennifer Maestre is an accomplished artist who has created a huge collection of amazing pencil sculptures. She is originally from Johanessburg, South Africa, but now lives in the US. Visit her site to see more. You'll be glad you did. What inspiration!
http://www.jennifermaestre.com/index.php

For larger images of her work, visit this site: http://abduzeedo.com/incredible-pencil-sculptures-jennifer-maestre

Erik's Self Portrait

Another photo by Erik Johansson of Sweeden. His website is: www.alltelleringet.com. This is one of my favorites, very clever!

Uggs Give-Away!

Are you feeling lucky? If you are a blogger (or have a website, MySpace, Facebook etc.) you could win some free Uggs! Alicia of Whoogaboots is having a give-away. Simply choose a thumbnail photo from her site and post it on your site. You will automatically be entered in a monthly drawing. Good luck!

The Whoogaboots site is loaded with info/photos about Uggs, the authentic merino sheepskin boots. Home page: http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk/

Give-away page: http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk/ukugg.asp?p=freeuggboots&xref=selvageblog.blogspot.com

"Trying is a good way of learning."

When asked what advice he has for aspiring artists, photographer Erik Johansson of Sweeden said:

"Trying is a good way of learning, that is how I have learned most of the things I know."

Sounds simple but there is some real wisdom there.

Marky's Backyard in Wisconsin

Marky Kuba, a quilter and Selvage Blog reader in Eau Claire, WI enjoys this serene view in her backyard. She says it's pretty in every season. At first I thought she had some little white chickens in her yard, but she says they are end caps for the septic system. Well, those are quieter!

Thanks for having us all to your home today, Marky!

Erik Ironing His Shirt

Here's another photo by Erik Johansson of Sweeden. When asked how his workflow goes when working on a photo he said:

"I always have a sketch of the final idea. But it always end up different, in a good way mostly. When I have come up with an idea I try to find good spots to use for the photos and then it's time for the photoshopping. The time it takes differ, but somewhere between 10 - 20 hours for each photo."