Just add water: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Australian Native Orange colour board at Clever Chameleon

The desert was only sleeping

I have been into the Australian Outback many times in the last 20 years, but this unique environment never fails to amaze me. It is resilient and diverse, and just because everything is bone dry, it doesn’t mean that everything is dead. On the contrary – when the conditions are right…… BAM! Life emerges from places and in forms you wouldn’t believe! Two nights ago I saw what looked like an ant that was only about 1/4 inch long, but with an antennae over an inch in length. It was investigating around about itself in an action very much like a blind person using a white cane. Curious company in the ladies’ room here, that’s for sure!

Anyway, you’ll hopefully remember that drought-stricken Arkaroola, where I currently live, received a large amount of rain about 3 weeks ago. Not enough to break the drought, but enough for a reprieve. And while I was disappointed not to be here when it fell, the runner-up’s prize is being able to stay here long enough to see the landscape respond to the water that fell, before the dryness resumes. Let me show you some of the interesting things that are appearing.

And then, I can show you, I’ve also added water to my new Island Batik fabrics. They are all washed and ironed, and poised to start on our Lunarcy New Year Quilt prototype. Here’s hoping that BAM! – that quilt top will appear quite quickly now that those conditions are right too!

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Texture & Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Scarlet Macaw colour board at Clever Chameleon Quilting

Have you ever played with texture on a quilt?

3D challenge logo by Island Batik

You know me, I often like to experiment with texture and embellishments in my quilt projects. Quilting is for me where “art meets sewing”. Two itches, one colossal scratching!

So when Island Batik announced that December was 3D month for the 2019 Ambassadors, I was in both ecstasy and agony. Right up my alley…. but, oh! Which alley to choose!?!? Thing is, I just about need a street directory for all my alleys. I didn’t even have to make up any new projects for this challenge, and I still had three to choose from.

So, I’ve done the responsible thing, and decided to progress them all……. 3x 3D! Did I mention, I quite like texture? 😀

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Love with a Twist: Udderly Unique

Udderly Unique cow balloon appliqué by Dione Gardner-Stephen of Clever Chameleon

Holy Cow! We are Finished!!

Love with a Twist is done and dusted! Can you believe it? Last month we finished all the blocks for the Throw size versions of Love with a Twist. However, to complete the Twin size quilt top we need one more block. The last bonus block.

Today we unveil our last block, and it is a balloon cow. Udderly amazing! And a little bitter sweet. It’s been so much fun. Read on to collect your cow balloon appliqué pattern. Also, make sure you’ve collected the whole Love with a Twist appliqué set. They are only free to download until the end of the year, so milk it for all it’s worth!

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A Sticky Beak: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Blue Pigeons colour board at Clever Chameleon

Are you Blessed with a Stickybeak?

Curiosity!?! Got it here in spades. 😀 Also got problems not sharing things I am working on! Secret sewing is only fun in small amounts, the journey is far better when it’s a shared one. I hope you’ll agree.

I have so many secret projects on the go, it’s just silly. Mostly it’s projects for December. Because we are packing up our house and moving Outback, I have to get some things done early. Preferably before my favourite sewing machine goes in for a service because it will possibly stay packed after that.

December and its scheduled projects are still a week and a half away. But I reckon we can get away with an early sneak peek.

Do you want a stickybeak? Walk this way……

pigeon
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Safe Harbour Seahorses: Island Batik Blog Hop

Blue Sea colour board at Clever Chameleon

Finally! The Blue Sea quilt reveal is here!

And with it, your gateway to a month of eye candy and lots of chances to win luscious latest release batiks from Island Batik. Welcome to Colour & Inspiration Tuesday meets the “A Piece Of….” blog hop!

Island Batik blog hop logo

November is blog hop month for half the Island Batik Ambassadors (specifically, the half who did not hop in August). Our theme this time is “A Piece Of…..”, open to any interpretation we wish. The instructions given were to make a quilt, lap size or larger, showcasing as many fabrics as possible from our allocated collection. And so today, after weeks of threadful teasing, and awful puns about sea-cret sewing, I can take pity on you. Today we finally have the Blue Sea quilt “big reveal”.

If you’ve been following along, you already know a little of what the Blue Sea fabrics look like. You probably also know the basic pattern that I’ve chosen. And you likely even know that the Chameleon has been messing around. But do you know what my Blue Sea Storm at Sea morphed into? Nope? Well, let’s take a look-sea! I hope you’ll enjoy my “Piece of” the deep Blue Sea that is now called “Safe Harbour Seahorses”. And enter the competitions to win Island Batik fabrics. Good luck!

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