Di Mill

Thursday Inspiration

 

 
image at pinterest & tumblr      Perfect colours for a quilt

If this room had a quilt....

 I often get inspired by beautiful bedrooms and can quickly see one of my fabric ranges fitting perfectly with the bed linen and the colours of the room. So I thought I would start a new column called "If this room had a quilt...." where I will show a bedroom that has caught my attention and what fabrics I would use to make a quilt to fit into the room.

Today I saw a gorgeous bedroom that is so soft yet so elegant. The soft taupe colours work really well with the grey walls. I could just see myself snuggled up on that bed with a good book and a cup of tea.

 

 

image seen at Lennox

 

I would use the lovely range of fabric "Neutral Elegance" by Clothworks. I talked about them here.

 

 

  

I think they are lovely and would work well in the room. What do you think?

Take care...Di

 

Tuesday Trackdown

 It never ceases to amaze me how talented and creative people are. Last weekend I was in Melbourne and I visited the Tutankhamun Exhibitionat the Melbourne Museum. The exhibition is amazing and what blew me away was the creativity that was abundant 3000 years ago. Exquisite, fine jewellery and beautifully crafted furniture were on display and the craftsmanship was of the highest quality.

While the images below may not be made of gold, they are still creative and caught my eye.

 

 Gorgeous quilts with matching pillow cases by Pottery Barn

 
image from homestead revival

 

 

How fun is this?

 
image seen at pinterest

 

 

Very cute cushion - love the birds.

 
cushion by Sukan at etsy

 

 

Lovely idea to display stitching samples

 
image (and more images & colour variations) from craftster

 

 

 

Love this picnic blanket tutorial - will have to make one of these before spring.

 
tutorial & image over at ikat

Take care....Di

Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair

Although I didn't realise I would be there - I ended up at at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair on Wednesday - how lucky was that? Has that ever happened to you before? Have you ever ended up in a city or town at the same time as an event coincidentally?  I was only in Sydney for 1 day and I was booked on a flight home that night. When my partner told me that he had to attend the Craft & Quilt Show to present some awards....I was over the moon.  I've never been before so I was just a tad excited. The quilt show was great with some really stunning quilts on display. The Quilter's Guild of NSW should be congratulated on such a professional exhibition. With my time limited, I quickly snapped some photos of quilts that took my fancy. Below are some of my favourites:

 

 
The winning quilt - Best of Show - Preston Dreaming by Merelyn Pearce

 

 

 
The applique on this quilt was mind blowing!

 

 
Shoji Screen Waves, Froth & Bubbles - Dianne Johnston

 

 
On the Amstel River - Denise Griffiths

 

 
Oriental Compass - Heather Davie

 

 
Conversations with Diane - Ming Hsu

 

 
Marquee Diamond - Kathy Doughty

 

 

Lots of Dots - a circle sampler - Chris Jurd

 

 
On a Wing and a Prayer - Sarah Fielke

 

 
Red, Green Again - Shirley Gibson

 

 
Bluebirds - Sue Rowles

 

 
Heritage Medley - Judy Day

 

 
Ashbourne Mill - Katrina Hadjimichael

 

This was just a taste of what was on show.  I loved catching up with friend Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession. How gorgeous is her skirt???

 

 

 Take care...Di

Chocolate Coated Strawberries

I often make chocolated coated strawberries as a dessert if I'm going over to friends for dinner or a sunday lunch but I've never presented them like this:

 

 
yum!..the Godiva Store in Times Square, NY

 

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday...Di

Thursday Inspiration

 

 
Image at Pinterest 

On the Road

Last week on the road I saw:

 

 
Early cold foggy mornings

 

 
stops at roadworks

 

 
fields of grain

 

take care...Di

Tuesday Trackdown

 There is so much going on out there on the web that it's hard to drag myself off the computer these days. In today's Tuesday Trackdown, there are 5 little creative moments that I enjoyed finding through the week.

I love this FREE Pattern from Clothworks using the Nature's Rhythm range of fabric. The range has been designed by Studio K and is in the lovley neutral shades of sand, taupe, grey, and slate. You can also use this pattern for the newest range called Neutral Elegance.

 

 

 

How gorgeous is this ballon quilt? Made by Sarah over at Fairy Face Designs, I love the colours she has chosen. Sarah's named it "Floating away". Go to Sarah's blog to see more photos of the quilt.

 

I almost went giddy over this sweet stitchery. It's amazing how cute french knots can look!

 

 
image seen over at feeling stitchy.

 

Do you have a beach quilt? I don't but I think I just might make one after seeing Rachels quilt over at her blog Stitched in Color. No batting or binding - just a quick and easy quilt for the beach or a picnic.

 

 

 

Leanne's latest issue of Vignette, which is in stores now, is a "must read". Leanne has done a great job and this issue is just perfect to sit in a comfy chair with a cuppa and browse through the pages.

 

 

 

Take care...Di

Neutral Elegance

There is nothing more calming and serene than a neutral decor. It sooths the soul and is easily updated or changed with a punch of colour. I'm really enjoying the fabric ranges that are coming out in the neutral tones. They fit with most decors and are a great fabric range to use if you are making a quilt as a gift for a young couple, a male birthday or someone with a modern decor in their home  that uses a  neutral palette.

Clothworks have just released a range called Neutral Elegance and it's designed by Tammy Johnson & Avis Shirer of Joined at the Hip. The range is definitely elegant and the fabrics can be used in a variety of ways - quilts, throws, cushions, curtains, bags, bed duvets etc. I've found some inspiration photos to showcase some of the designs in this range:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

You can view the whole range here. Neutral Elegance will be arriving in Australian stores in November.

Take care...Di

American Folk Art Museum Pt 2

Continuing on from yesterday, here are some more of the quilts that I saw at the American Folk Art Museum:

 

 

Whig Rose Quilt with swag and tassle border. Artist unidentified. C1850 - 1860

 

 

 

 
Friendship Star Quilt. Elizabeth Hooton (Cresson) Savery) (1808 - 1851) and others. Dated 1844.

 

 

 

 
Presentation Quilt for William A Sergent. Members of the Freewill Baptist Church, London New Hampshire. Blocks made C. 1854

 

 

 

 

 

 
Baltimore Album Quilt Top. Artist unidentified. C1845 - 1850

 

 

 

 

 

 
Variable Stars Quilt. Artist unidentified. C1880 - 1900

 

 

 

 
"S.H." Crazy Quilt. Artist unidentified; initialed S.H.  1885 - 1895

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Equestrian Crazy Quilt. Artist unidentified. 1880 - 1900

 

 

I hope you enjoyed looking at these quilts as much as I did.

Take care...Di