Leanne's House

I Have Been...

Quilting my quilt....(and writing the patterns!)(the pink thread is basting)...

 

Playing with my nephew in the park...

 
 Watching the strawberries grow in my greenhouse...

 
And discovering new little flowers in my garden...

 
And working on an exciting new concept that I cannot wait to share with you (I am sure this photo will throw you, but you will see this beautiful china again)...

And getting the Christmas decorations out...

 
I love December...

Leanne Beasley xxx 

What have you been doing in December?

December Arrives...

I love December! The anticipation of many celebrations in the next few weeks, all leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This will be a particularly special Christmas Season in my home because both hubby and I have spent much of the year travelling, and so time together with our girls will be even more precious than usual. There could be no better gift.

I am enjoying hand quilting 'Down In The Garden' and it's just as well because I had a little accident while cleaning out gutters in a storm last week and damaged my knee quite badly! (Thanks to Mum and Rosie who have been driving me around!). The silver lining is sitting and quilting:

  
I have had lots of emails about what threads I have used in 'Down In The Garden'. So in answer, here they are. I used DMC stranded cottons: 844, 996, 321, 602, 604, 701, 703, 472, and 744. I also used Cottage Garden Threads 602 Larkspur:

 
Gail introduced me to Cottage Garden Threads varigated hand dyed yummy deliciousness just as I was starting to complete the stitchery on 'Down In The Garden'. The Larkspur was the perfect blend of colours to finish off my palette:

 
You can see it here in one of the blocks. Some of the daisy petals and the circles are done using Larkspur thread:

Of course my latest addiction is Cosmo stranded cottons. I know many of you out there are just as addicted as me. I would have liked to stitch 'Down In The Garden' using these equivalents: 895, 2412, 346, 504, 501, 274, 272, 270, 143 and still used the Cottage Garden Threads 602. There just wasn't the stock in Australia at the time:

 
I hope this answers some of your questions!

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. If you are after purchasing Cottage Garden Threads online (or would just like a peek at the entire yummy range head over to The Thread Studio). If you are a retailer looking to stock Cottage Garden Threads you can contact Pam on pam@cottagegardenthreads.com.au or (03) 5668 1513.

   

Time For Basting...

The last few days have seen me busy finishing off my new Block of The Month Quilt, 'Down In The Garden'. Once again Rosie and I found ourselves basting:

 
We have been basting quilts together on this kitchen table for more than twenty years! This table was Rosie's Mum's and it's been passed down to her now. Thanks to Rosie's hubby for snapping a few shots of us basting:

 
Rosie and I also popped over to one of our favourite shops, Patchwork with Gail B, today. I just couldn't resist some more of the PVC coated fabric for my kitchen table:

It's fantastic because it just wipes clean but looks divine as well.

 
For those of you after Cosmo threads Gail B's has a range of them in as well. As with all new and exciting products they take time to arrive here so the range is limited until more stock arrives:

Leanne Beasley xxx

Australian Quilt Market...

Australian Quilt Market was fantastic! It was wonderful to catch up with so many customers and see all the delicious new products that are coming out too. I felt very proud to be part of what has become a very well organised and significant event on the Australian Quilt Calendar:

 
I was so excited to actually have my quilt (well, quilt top) complete and hanging up for display. I did mention last time I wrote to you that I was on a deadline. Well, I didn't quite make it and had to phone and say, "Can you just leave me 53" of display space please!? I'll be there to hang it as soon as I finish the borders!" So I guess I did make it:

 

I have of course used lots of Rosie's yummy Grandmother's Flower Garden fabrics by Lecien and lots of my other favourites like Flower Garden and Basics. I hope that you enjoy adding your own name when you stitch this quilt, as  you can see here in Block 8. In Block 2 there's a spot for the year that you complete the quilt, (suggestion: leave that blank until you complete Block 9! LOL):

I just had to use the delicious 'Green House' for the borders:

 
I must rush off now as I have to make up a quilt back, race down and buy some cotton batting, and baste! As I put the finishing touches to each pattern over the next little while (the patterns will out in a few weeks) during the working day, I shall be sitting and hand quilting at night time. I have a lot of fun ahead of me and I shall keep you up to date!

Leanne Beasley xxx

Still Down In The Garden...

Let me begin by saying "thanks" for all the lovely comments about my new Block of The Month Quilt, Down In The Garden. I am having so much fun stitching it (yes, I am still stitching and it's set up day for Australian Quilt Market tommorow!). Today I played with making the chrysanthemum blocks (picked because of the name to go with my quilt):

 
I also finished off all the remaining stitchery that had to be completed.

Now it's a long night ahead as I applique down the chrysanthemums, sew the blocks together, and add the borders! Oh, I am such a deadline girl!

 
I have until about 10am tomorrow morning to complete the top and take it over to Rosie's before she leaves for set up in Melbourne.

It will be a very fun weekend with quite a few of us staying in Melbourne on Friday and Saturday night. I was thinking 'pyjama party' but now I'm thinking 'I'll be able to sleep!' because my quilt will be finished!

Stay tuned!

Leanne Beasley xxx

Down In The Garden...

Those of you that visit my blog regularly know that I like pottering around in my garden (okay, I love pottering around in my garden)! It's my main source of inspiration, and my main source of peace.  So, whether you have a passion for gardening like me, just love to potter from time to time, or just enjoy being in a garden, my new Block Of The Month Quilt, 'Down In The Garden', was designed with you in mind:

 
I have drawn from the inspiration in my green house (don't you love my new pink strawberry flower!!!):

 

And from my greenhouse to my watering can collection, you can come on a garden journey with me while stitching this quilt:

 
Even the herbs get a look in (my very green basil there behind the regular white flowered strawberry):

 
 
From blossom to daisies there's loads of flowers in this quilt (and heaps of stitchery!):

 

Well, it's back to frantic stitching now (right after I run out to the greenhouse and water!). I have only a few days before Australian Quilt Market and I haven't finished stitching the entire quilt myself yet!

I will show you more than a few sneak peeks over the coming days and will let you know what fabrics and threads, etc. that I have used.

Hope you like it!

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. Two of my favourite stores will be running a Block Of The Month pattern and kit with almost exactly the same fabrics as my original. They are www.quiltfabricdelights.com and www.underthemulberrytree.com. And a little hint, I have used Rosie's fabrics in the quilt and both these stores have them in stock!

The Quilted Crow...

What a wonderful time Rosie and I had on the weekend visiting the ladies of Tasmania with Leonie and Deirdre from The Quilted Crow (and some lovely ladies that flew in from interstate too!):

 
We shared an inspirational day of hand sewing:

 
The Quilted Crow ladies always host a day full of exciting little details to be enjoyed, like personalised scrapbooked nametags (I've kept mine for future use!):

 
I have to show you just how inviting the hall looked even before everyone arrived:

 
 And it was time to catch up with lots of ladies! You might recognise Helen, Rosie, Me, Jo, or Sarah!:

 
We also stayed in the most beautiful and inviting B&B, Mrs Currie's House, in Richmond:

 
I think you all know how I love details and this B&B is full of thoughtful details, like fresh flowers on each breakfast table:

 
Pop on over to Rosie's blog for some more photos...and Helen's, and Jo's, and Sarah's, and...

Leanne Beasley xxx

Here I am!

Oh, yes, it has been too long since we last talked! All I can say is, no excuses, I have been in "lockdown" working on my new big project, getting ready for Australian Quilt Market!

My new project involves A LOT of stitchery which I have been loving. It also means lots of time to catch up on all those t.v. programs and movies and, one of my favourites, art documentaries, while sitting and stitching. One of those art shows got me thinking about self portraits.

Here's my version:

To me this represents who I am because a.) I am hiding behind my camera. b.) It shows my red glasses. c.) It exposes all my (almost 40) wrinkles which I love because it shows all the lessons learned in that time and life's experiences. d.) my hair which I have learned to love inspite of the fact that I cannot control it!

Anyway, I'm sharing this because maybe you'd like to have a go at a self portrait or just think about the things that represent you and where you are in your life now (love you to share and leave a comment)!

So, apart from that, I simply have not been able to keep away from my sunny little greenhouse:

 

Spring is bountiful and inspirational too:

 

Everyday you can see the seedlings growing at this time of year:

 

My entire garden is full of inspiration:

 
Anyway you may have read on Rosie's blog that we are off to teach for The Quilted Crow this weekend!

I am really looking forward to this because last time we went was a wonderful adventure that I really enjoyed. Stay tuned for photos when I return!

Until then,

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. Note to Lisa: will call you when I return!

P.P.S. Sarah F: I have just added in a Quilter's Journal to my luggage!

P.P.P.S. Will get back to Norway and Rome on future blog entry!

Around Trondheim, Norway...

Trondheim is a very beautiful city of Norway and one that I love very much. I must say, it is a photographer's delight and I just couldn't stop snapping! Streets are decorated all year around:

 

Georgeous bowls of plants grace otherwise empty spots along the streets:

 

There's the very famous waterfront (I'll refrain from showing you ALL the photos I took along here!):

 

Nidaros Catherdral:

 

A wonderful spot to sit and think:

 

Okay, just one more waterfront photo!:

 

Flowers, flowers, flowers:

And of course there's lots more to show you, so I'll be back soon. Pop over to Gail's blog to see what else we got up to, and Siw's blog, and Solvi's blog, and Stina's blog, and May Kristen's blog...

Leanne Beasley xxx

P.S. To any of you awaiting an email reply, hang in there, I still have so many to get through and I am in "lock down" finishing my new big project before Australian Quilt Market!

 

Home!

Oh, I just have SO MUCH to tell you about! What an incredible trip Gail Pan and I had to Norway! Meanwhile, since I returned home, I have frantically been working on my next big project, but more about that later. Here's a cute little shot along the Norwegian coast:

 

I'll fill you in over the next little while on our trip to Trondheim in Norway, our filming for Norwegian t.v., our sea voyage on the Norwegian Sea with Hurtigruten (told you to pack sea sickness tablets Gail!), a wonderful time with a great group of ladies in Northern Norway, and a short stop over on the way home in Italy!

Firstly, it was fantastic to return to Siw's wonderful shop in Trondheim, Quiltegarden:

And catch up with some of the girls that I'd met on my last trip:

 

And of course, Siw herself:

Meet some new ladies who share the same love of all things sewing that I do:

 

See many amazing views:

And even get a little bit of stitching done myself at night time!:

 
So I'll be back soon with more...

Leanne Beasley xxx