What about my writings?

I've written lots of non-fiction. 

I write a newsletter for Somerset Art Society Inc, I write a long weekly email update to family in Australia, PNG, Canada and The Netherlands and last year's personal journal had 200.000 words.

About two years ago, after some courses with the Australian Writers Centre  I started a novel. Early this year I learned how to get to the finish from one of my favourite authors:  Jodi Picoult, 

"And – here's a critical part – when you finally start to write something, do not let yourself stop…even when you are convinced it's the worst garbage ever. This is the biggest caveat for beginning writers. Instead, force yourself to finish what you began, and THEN go back and edit it. If you keep scrapping your beginnings, however, you'll never know if you can reach an end."

I use Scrivener to write my novel and here's is yesterday's effort.

Thank you to my intrepid team of testers!

Thank you Brigitte, Mary, Helen, Carol, Trish and Lesley who are now making sure the instructions I am writing for this quilt are the clearest and easiest to follow they can be!

Loved what I saw of your versions today!
Will take photos next week to post here. 

The quilt was received well in Melbourne and the instructions will definitely be in time for next Quilt Market. 

Thank you Victorian Textiles for your support and encouragement.

What else did I do: I updated my website, with a bit more to go, I changed  my facebook name Hetty Vb to  Hetty van Boven....

Rainbow Maze, where to now?

Just as well I am a much better quilter than I am a photographer!
The quilt went to Melbourne for the Australian Quilt Market and I haven't heard back what happens next. 

Here are some quilting details: using variegated thread and a fly machine stitch. I made a template from the piecing templates. 

Rainbow Maze is finished and gone!

Centre is finished

The centre has been done. All applique has been stitched on in black blanket stitch and reactions have been excellent.
My quilting group christened the quilt : Rainbow Maze. 

I made a border with some of the left over Bali Pops, but I am disappointed in how it looks. 

There is going to be a 2" strip of background between the edges of the rings and the strip pieced border, but I still feel it won't look as I was hoping for.

What looks like a black strip, is in fact a dark navy.

It is back to the drawing board to find a better solution, I may even cut that strip piecing in half lengthwise to tone the clunkyness down somewhat. 

Centre of quilt together, flowers pinned on

Here is the main part of the quilt, borders will be added to this.

It is stitched, ready for the flowers.

I've pinned the flowers and leaves on, but I am not quite satisfied with the lay-out. I wanted to get away from the square design, by which I mean I started by added four sets of leaves. 

Next I pinned on 3 large flowers in the centre.

Now, how do you change a design of 4 to a design of 3?

I don't know yet.

I also think it needs another flower shape. 

I found the samples Victorian Textiles had sent me and tested out the various products. I just loved, loved, loved printfuse. You print your design, like the flower elements, on the printfuse with your printer. Cut and fuse to the design fabric  as per usual and you don't only have an iron-on patch, this patch sticks to the background temporarily and can be moved about. 

A pity I only had two sheets, I definitely will make sure I keep this product handy. 

Nearly assembled!

OK, I really hoped my top would be together, but I am starting to make mistakes and unpicking isn't much fun. 

I wasted a couple of hours trying to design a template for the plain centre circle, but in the end, it didn't seem totally accurate when I checked it with the other templates.
I went back to my original plan: use a finished ring as a template.

The interesting thing  ( or challenge, if you like) is that this is not a perfect circle, but has 4 straight sections where they are stitched to the squares.

In the end, it wasn't a problem. 

I probably have a couple of hours to go and the 9 rings will be together and  squared off ready for the appliqué!

And speaking of unpicking: don't take your frustration out on the fabric or the stitching, but unpick gently, tremove the bits of thread  and press fabric to bring it back to its original crispness.