Knock Knock it’s me popping onto your screen to say hello. We’ve just celebrated the winter solstice here in Australia. Coinciding with the solstice is a very full moon which has brought huge tides and as a result our beaches up and down the coast have suffered the most dreadful erosion. It will take many months of hard work to restore the beaches to their pristine condition. At present there is somewhere between a 15 to 20 foot drop to get onto the beaches so they’re pretty dangerous at the moment.

My sewing room looks like it’s had a high tide also – lots of fabric flotsam and jetsam on every surface LOL! I’ve been busy sewing little wallets as our gift for attendance at our Open Day in August. These are made using lots of little scraps, so I’m feeling rather angelic. Made about 100 so far – only a couple more hundred to go!!

Have also finished some more quilt tops for our Aussie Hero Quilts (going to our serving services personnel), and they’re off at the long arm quilter to be quilted.

We had our monthly meeting at Sunshine Linus on Monday. It was our third birthday, but we didn’t stop to celebrate for long – too much to do. Pop over to the Sunshine Linus blog and see what we got up to. Here’s the link: http://sunshinelinusgroup.blogspot.com.au/

Last week I posted an article about choosing the fabrics to include in your quilt. Polycotton was once all we had to use, and some people are returning to its use in quilts. I also mention how you can test a fabric to see if its cotton or polycotton. Here’s the link: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art180783.asp

We’ve been going like the clappers on the forum this week. Great conversations and topics and it’s great to see my readers participating. There’s lots to learn on the forum, so head on over and have your say. Here’s the link: http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=43

I had some spare time this week, so managed to find some pretty interesting stuff for you to browse through. Enjoy!

BTW, a reader (Hi Julie!) reminded me to mention that if you miss any newsletters, or accidentally delete them, you can go over to the opening page of the Quilting site, look to the right and where you subscribe for the newsletter; you’ll see a prompt that says “past issues”. Click on there and you can get any of the hundreds of newsletters that I’ve posted since commencing writing the Quilting website since October 2007!

http://apartmentgeeks.net/12-awesome-home-organization-ideas-2/ more organizing ideas, love em!!

http://mypoppet.com.au/2012/03/how-to-diy-tee-pee-tent-part-1.html#more make a tepee for your little adventurers

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/art-and-design/news-unwanted-materials-and-art-jane-perkins more fantastic uses for unwanted buttons and bibs and bobs

http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/can-you-believe-it.html a bottle apron - so cute

http://alicias-hiding-place.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/tutorial-easy-patchwork-coasters_10.html?m=1 really cute coasters to make from scrap fabrics

http://www.liaspace.com/2012/02/flower-pouch-from-handkerchief.html a pretty flower pouch from a handkerchief

http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2012/01/how-to-make-pencil-case.html I love the look of this simple pencil case

http://mamalovequilts.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/improv-log-cabin-block-tutorial.html an improvised log cabin block tutorial

http://www.sewkindofwonderful.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/curve-nine-patch-tutorial.html curved nine patch tutorial – I think this would make a really lovely quilt

http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/easy-appliqued-circles-tutorial.html applique circles? It’s a cinch!

That’s all I’ve got for you this week folks. I must get on with cutting out my little wallets and perhaps cook something for tea!! Hope all’s well for you, don’t forget if you want to be in touch, here’s my email: quilting@bellaonline.com
Cheerio for now

Judie Bellingham, Quilting Editor
http://Quilting.bellaonline.com

One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com