Color the World

Thoughts on Work

2011-10-20T08:02:00.000+11:00

Work is challenging like a rubik's cube or playing a GM in chess

Work is like being a firefighter and juggler who solves problems

while keeping a lot of globes in the air

I appreciate that it pays the bills

and keeps me too busy to smell the roses,

chase promises and half-baked ideas.

However it keeps me grounded and eyes on the prize

written by a friend

-------------so we think---------------------------

Here is another approach

Health

2011-08-21T17:11:00.000+10:00

A healthy mind produces a healthy body.

My aim today is to turn every negative thought/sentence that arises around immediately and finish the thought/sentence in a positive way.

Circle of Life

2011-07-24T20:54:00.000+10:00

Just returned from Germany attending my son's wedding.
I started the quilt about 2 years ago and finihsed it in time.

Circle of Life

You are loved now and always

You Are LOVE now and always

When your children marry you realize life is not a rehersal.

I wish Kai and Nadja the best and thank you for being in my life.

2011-05-25T19:09:00.000+10:00

Baby Quilt

This baby quilt was made in two weekends. A friend of mine had an idea.

One of her workmates is having a baby - so an email went around to invite everyone to do one square for a little Baby Quilt.

It didn't matter if you could sew or not, just get some fabric and make it a personal square for the quilt.

It was my job to put the squares into a quilt.

Here is the result

Time Well Spent See tiny fingers and tiny toes,
Bright baby eyes, cute baby nose;
Hear baby gurgles and baby sighs,
As Mom and Dad sing lullabies.

Life is changed, but that's okay;
It's fun to spend glad hours each day,
Taking time for all the good
That comes along with parenthood. By Joanna Fuchs

Wishing Julie and the baby well

Family

2011-04-12T07:33:00.000+10:00

Family is visiting

Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace remins us that life is

Rich

Beauty is Everywhere

Personal Connection has Meaning

and

Laughter is life's sweetest creation

More on Mandala Quilting

2011-04-12T07:24:00.000+10:00

Drawing by hand and Drawing with EQ6

I designed these in the second Spiral Course with RaNae www.ranaemerrillquilts.com

Mandala Quilts

2011-03-10T18:03:00.000+11:00

Magnificent spiral Mandala Quilts

One of the reasons

that I am only occasionally present

here these days

is that I have been attending an online quilting class with RaNae...

Designing and sewing Spiral Blocks / Quilts

and I trust that after my next online course

I will be making a

Mandala Quilt

Learning from RaNae is fun but also challening.

RaNae gives you good feedback

She is there - on the other side of the globe

holding you hand through the process

Keep on designing and colouring the world with your creativity

Heike

Expanding my horizon

2011-03-02T20:41:00.000+11:00

Hello,
You might think I have forgotten to write - but hey - life is busy - I'm enjoying the moments that are here right now.
I have enrolled in an on-line quilting course with RaNae, learning how to draw and sew spirals. It's fantastic and very rewarding. I'm actually playing with colours, shapes and sizes. I feel like a kid in playland....

Anyway - just a little update on how I'm going with it - judge for yourself...

More later...
LOL
Heike

Imagination

2010-12-22T20:54:00.002+11:00

Everything you can imagine is real.

Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)

Imaging what next year will bring to you. Where will you live? What car will you drive? Are you going to travel and where? Imagination is the mother and father of all inventions. No imagination - no electricity.

Let your imagination go wild – write a page, two or three in your journal and be a kid once more. See it in your mind, see it in front of you – life is good.

I have running water brought to me via a tap – what about you? Are you living in a country where you have to go and fetch water from a well? How fortunate am I to have this precious water right here right now at any time in front of me?! Thank you to the person who first saw this in his or her mind and finally it happened – we have running water at our disposal.

With this thought I leave you and wish you all the best for the Festive Season

Merry Christmas

2010-12-13T20:19:00.000+11:00

Hello my dear fellow quilters,

Christmas is in the air, everyone is shopping, still one more gift to purchase or make. Lots of companies put on some last minute specials to entice you to buy some more.
I sit and think – is it really the gift that matters? Or is it the sharing and giving in itself? Can you receive openly without thinking “Oh, I already have this, or I didn’t need this”? It is the thought that counts. Remember the time when you were a child, how your eyes lit up when you saw the Christmas Tree, when you saw all those presents under it, when everyone was laughing and sharing stories.
I remember my Christmas at home as a child, it was always very special. I lived in Germany and we are 5 siblings. We didn’t see the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve. After church the door to the lounge room opened and there it was in all its glory. So many candles, so many presents – and none were to be opened until each one of us either said a poem in front of the tree, or sang a song, played the flute or guitar. We would open the presents and played family games.
It is all a bit different here in Australia – the sun is usually shining, it is hot and steamy. On Christmas day the kids can’t wait to open the presents, take the new boggy board to the beach. It is different but in some kind of a way the same. Everyone seems to stop for a while and there is peace.
Well my friends, I look forward to sharing with family and friends. Relax around the table, chit chat away, have a glass of wine and let the day float by.
I hope you will have set some time away to relax and share with your loved ones as well.
And if you are still looking to make a quick little gift for someone – here it is….
Open the link and you will find some instructions to make some coasters.
Please click on "Coaster" and you will receive the free pattern.
I wish you well over the Festive Season and Take Care
Heike

Birthday

2010-07-03T22:17:00.000+10:00

It's my birthday today. I had such a great day, thank you to all my family and friends who made this day so special.
Breakfast with my son, his wife and their new born baby, my first grandson.
In the afternoon I went out with my neighbours all the way out west of Sydney, places I had not seen, Indian food, how delicious, and there was birthday cake too.
Lots of phone calls from my family in Germany and friends all over the world, cards and gifts made by very skilled people.
I am appreciated, thank you.
I am loved, thank you.
Life is beautiful, abundant in every way and it was shown to me over and over again today.

Good night - sleep tight - don't let the bedbugs bite
Heike

How to Free Motion Machine Quilt

2010-07-02T13:10:00.001+10:00

In Line Dancing Free-motion machine quilting made easy Martha Milne demonstrates how basic lines found in her natural environments inspire her quilting lines. These flowing lines include Ripple Stipple, Making Waves and Mussel Shell.
Any quilter using a frame can use Martha's technique.
She uses Ball Room Dancing as a metaphor combined with the song La Mer playing in the background, which makes the whole experience of watching the DVD so much more fun. I have watched the DVD over and over - even with my friends.

Along the way Martha shows step-by-step instructions on each of the three designs always coming back to the basic steps and motions.
Martha reveals the 'Right Stuff' that is needed to quilt so elegantly. She takes the mystery out of all those gadgets and gismos and gives us simple straightforward information on which needle, thread, wadding and batting to use. We learn how to set up our machine, the frame and our body tension. Finally we will do a practice piece and by the end of the DVD we quilt, just as Martha does, combining simple long lines taken from nature with simple techniques to create our own spectacular quilts.
I highly recommend this educational DVD to any quilter.
Wishing you well and colour the world with your creativity.
Heike

Out of the Box

2010-06-10T21:25:00.001+10:00

A quilt for my sister Sabine, she had a special birthday in May

The Quilt is called "Out of the Box"

Being back in Germany and reflecting on my time with Sabine and my family in Germany I was reminded of a very special poem from Doris Warshay.

New Directions by Doris Warshay

I want to travel as far as I can go,
I want to reach the joy that's in my soul,
And change the limitations that I know,
And feel my mind and spirit grow;

I want to live, exist, 'to be'
And hear the truths inside of me.

My version of the poem

On my road I travel as far as I can go,

I reach the joy that's in my soul,
And change the limitations that I know,

And feel my mind and spirit grow;

I am Living, Existing

"Being"

And I hear the truths inside of me.

Thank you

You might ask why did I adjust the poem? Well, I don't want to keep it in the "wanting", the time is now, this moment.

I do thank Doris for her poem and inspiration.

Colour the World with your Creativity

Be it playing music, painting, cooking, writing poems, writing stories, reading to an elderly or young person, quilting, pottery, sweeping the floor, talking, listening, dancing, singing and much more.

Be in it, be in your creativity and let it shine.

Twisted Bargello

2010-06-05T19:30:00.002+10:00

I have returned from Germany visiting family and friends. It was mighty cold and rained from time to time, I think I saw the sun shining through some clouds 4 times.
Back in Australia I was also greeted by clouds and heavy rain. But today the sun came out and ahh so beautiful to see it shine. This is Australia for you, the rain never lasts long.
Whilst in Germany I had the chance to take some photos of the quilt that I made for my Mum's 70 birthday, which is coming up in December this year.
My son took the quilt over last year after it was finished. Why wait to give this colourfull quilt, it was an early birthday gift and much appreciated during the heavy snowfall and cold winter nights this year.

The quilt was my first major project and is easy to make, believe it or not, the hardest thing was choosing the colours. The pattern was given to me by a friend and written by Chris Timmins from Grafton Australia.
Hope you enjoy looking at the quilt and if you like a pattern please let me know, I can get it for you.

That's all for now, wishing you all well and take care

HeikeColour the world with your Creativity

8 Steps to finish your UFOs

2010-04-23T13:50:00.003+10:00

I must confess that I didn't even know what UFO stands for when I went to my first quilting group. I thought, what are they talking about when they mentioned: "I have so many UFOs that I started hiding them."

Quickly I found out that they are not unidentified objects flying around somewhere, a UFO is an Unfinished Object, and the quilts we start but never seem to get finished.

Ask a quilter and they will tell you where to find the UFOs in their house. Stuffed in a basket under some wool for the jumper that I wanted to knit for my son when he was 3, he is now 13 and I don't have enough wool to finish the jumper, but never mind - one day….the jumper and one day the quilt.

You might find UFOs in boxes, the last draw in my cupboard or hidden behind some old clothes that I don't wear any more since I have put on 10 pounds...

Quilters tend to hide them after a while and go out to buy more fabrics anyway. It's like an addiction this quilting, there are so many beautiful fabrics to touch, to stroke and finally buy them to start yet another stunning project, which I promise to finish one day.

There are many reasons why this can happen, some I like to share with you here.

Someone comes along and gives me a negative feedback. Next I have the little voice in the head that says: "See, I told you so - you are no good at this".
I just bought this fantastic new fabric and wanted to get started right away with my new quilt, the last one I will finish later.
My auntie's birthday has passed anyway, so I can't give her the quilt now - can I?
I started a new job, now I don't have time to finish the project.
The weather is so beautiful and I started swimming again, no time to do the jobs around the house.
Oh, I forgot all about that quilt, I thought I finished it last year.
My friend didn't like the colours I chose, so I lost interest.
I don't know how to do the next step.

There are so many different ways to delay the final few steps - I could go on and on, but this is not what the article is about.
I like to encourage you to finish the quilt and give you some tips on how to do that.
At this stage you have to be honest here with yourself. You might discover that deep down inside you really love to cut up the fabric, sew the blocks and assemble them, but you don't like basting, quilting or binding. Whatever you feel, put this aside for now and follow the steps:

1. Decide you Really Want to finish your UFOs - one by one

Lay out your entire unfinished project and start to ponder over them. Pick the quilt that speaks to you the loudest and take it out. Put all the other projects back in the closet, basket, under the bed and out of your mind.

2. Decide on a time frame

You might have someone in mind for this quilt and his or her birthday is coming up, here is the deadline. Christmas is creeping up quicker than we think, another deadline.
Winter is just around the corner, the baby is arriving soon, my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary is in 2 months time, and I’m turning 50. There are countless reasons that spring to mind in regards to a deadline. You decide and set the date when this quilt will be finished.

3. Break it down

Now you have set a date, be it 5 days, 5 weeks or 5 months you can break it down to manageable steps. Say you only have to do the binding and don’t really like this part. Well, say to yourself, I will bind this quilt for 15 minutes a day, a week or whatever you decide. 15 minutes at a time is short and will surely finish the binding before you know it.

4. Promise

Promise yourself that you will not start another project until you have at least stuck to your timeframe as in step 3. I don’t believe it’s good to not start anything else until one UFO is finished; it becomes a labour of punishment instead of labour of joy. Stick to your plan and with your other free time do whatever you want to do…

5. Measure and Reward along the way

Measure your progress along the way. If you have picked the UFO, decided on a time frame and broken it down to an achievable task, celebrate. You have accomplished 4 steps already. Take the dog for a walk, have a cup of tea with your quilting friends, ring your best friend and tell him or her how you are on your way.

6. Getting stuck again

Now you have stuck it out for a few days/weeks and have arrived at a task that you don’t know how to do. It’s easy, pack the UFO away and leave it for another year or four. Or

Ring your quilting friends and ask for advice.
Take it to your next class, scramble through all your quilting books or DVDs and find the answer. Or
Go for a walk and think about it, the answer will come; say to yourself “I CAN DO THIS!”

7. The End is in site

You are nearly there, basting, quilting and binding has been finished. Thank you, I have done it….
Oops, before I forget, last not least the label. This is one of the most important tasks to do but not everyone puts a label on the quilt. I think the quilt will last for many years to come and might go through numerous hands, the quilter should not be forgotten and therefore add a label.

8. Celebrate

The label is attached – finally the UFO is finished.

What a wonderful feeling it is when I see my new quilt wrapped over the lounge. How the eyes of my friends, family or strangers light up when they see the finished project. Everyone starts smiling; the oohs and aahs are heard long after I have fallen asleep under my favourite daggy old quilt.

Tomorrow I will celebrate and buy myself some new fabrics, start a new project or go back to step one and get my UFOs out again – if there are any left.

Heike

Color the World with your Creativity

Reversible Quilts Book Review

2010-04-19T10:42:00.000+10:00

I was fortunate enough to meet with Sharon in Houston at the Quilt Market last year. Sharon is a warm and approachable person, always keen to share her experience.
Reversible Quilts is a well laid out educational book, which shows you how to make two quilts at the same time. You make and quilt the blocks as you go and therefore can attempt a queen size quilt on any machine. Using her method you can make a quilt that has two distinct sides; one side showing a Christmas theme and on the other side you might like to show an Easter theme.
Sharon shows you how to make a simple quilt to start off with and progresses to more complex designs as you go.
In the book you will find 10 projects to do, but you actually end up with 20 different quilt tops if you turn them.
It's a pleasure to read through the pages and get inspired along the way with new ideas.
If you are not so good with learning from a book, the educational DVD works very well in conjunction to the book or by itself.
I recommend this book and the DVD to any beginner or experienced quilter who would like to add a new technique to their repertoire.

Color the World with your Creativity

Heike

Intuitive Color & Design - Book Review

2010-04-17T11:10:00.000+10:00

There are many different ways in which I like to spend a sunny afternoon, one of them is to sit with a cup of tea and read through a new book.

Reading through Jean Wells’ Intuitive Color & Design is an adventure in itself. Jean shows you how to open your eyes to see the multiple colours and shapes that surround us. You will learn to start your journal with confidence, explore colour families and related harmony to make the quilt design dance.

You are inspired and provoked to see what actually attracts you to certain shapes, sizes and colours. Jean guides you through her assignments to convert your ideas into the finished art piece. She offers 11 assignments, starting with a journal, what tools you need, and shows you how to paper piece.

Jean also goes into great details of the principles of design and scale, shape, patterns and colours.

Every page has either inspiring landscape images, close up design photos and drawings to show you ‘How’ it all comes together.

This book is an inspiration to me and I can recommend it to anyone who would like to broaden their horizon and develop their own artistic potential.

Colour the World with your creativity

Heike

My new Bag

2010-04-07T18:57:00.000+10:00

My son and his wife Elle came on Easter Sunday for Coffee and cake, that is what Germans do....

We had a lovely time and I notice her new bag. Elle said that she received the bag as a gift for Christmas and has another 2, nearly the same. "Oh..." I said, "A bag is easy to make"

I sat on Sunday evening and thought about the bag. What about if I make one - just for the fun of it. Here is the result I came up with. The bags are easy to make and you only need 1 metre of fabric if you would like the outer and inner bag in the same colour. Otherwise you take 2 fat quarters, one for the outer and one for the inner bag.
Since I have collected buttons for some time I used those on the bag as well.
If you would like the pattern for the bag please go to my website and when you purchase 1 metre of fabric in total I will send you the pattern for free via email.

This one I made with lovely Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

Scrap material that I had for a while.

Colour the World with your Creativity

Heike

Best friends

2010-03-28T11:34:00.001+11:00

Best friends...
It's Sunday morning and I have returned from a swim in the crystal clear ocean with my son. He is leaving soon to live in Germany for a while...will miss him.
But than I think, you do have to let go of your kids and let them make their own experience. While children stay with you for a while, go and come when they are older it's a different story with your friends. They come into your life; it seems like - out of nowhere. Here they are, just toddled in and some stay for a day, a week, a month, a year or a lifetime.
You can see my lifetime friends and me here. We were in France on holidays. We can spend a lot of time together or just a few hours on the phone. It doesn't matter how much time we share, they are always with me, just like my children. Our souls are connected, our hearts sing when we see each other, we laugh and cry together. It's great to have these wonderful women in my life. Thank you
Heike

Dancing Leaves outside my window

2010-03-21T20:46:00.001+11:00

Hello,
I finished a new quilt "Dancing Leaves outside my window". This quilt is for my friend Megan. I gave it to her on Friday and therefore I can show it to world now.
She was thrilled and is now making her very first quilt herself. It will be for a single bed and she has choosen 15 different colours. Once finished I hope to show it off in my Gallery at my website.

Well my friends, this is it for today

Heike
Color the world with your creativity

What a beautiful day

2010-03-18T08:57:00.000+11:00

Hello,

What a beautiful day it is in Sydney today, the sun is up - crystal clear water, swimming just great, the waves are rolling in...

Went yesterday to my quilting group in Belrose and we had a lot of fun, which brings me to the subject of Quilting Groups. Find one in your local area and join if you can. They are usually during the day, but some are also in the evening. It's a great way to make new friends and I certainly have learnt a lot. Our quilting group has about 15 - 20 members, we pay a small fee to cover the cost of the hall. We don't teach as such, but knowledge is shared freely, which I love.

I've bought a whole new lot of fantastic fabrics designed by Kaffe Fassett, check them out on the website www.colortheworld.com.au. Yes, you can buy less than a metre of each of the fabrics, please send me an email with that request as I haven't been able to figure out how to modify the shopping cart as yet. Sometimes I think my time is better spent on quilting than figuring out the website! Anyway, do have a look and let me know what you think.

You can see the cushion cover that I made last Friday in my previous Blog. It was made from the fabric Dancing Leaves Fabric (KF), very beach like, refreshing and vibrant.

Heike

Life is a Play - the main actor is YOU

Cushion cover

2010-03-13T16:57:00.000+11:00

Just made a new cushion cover this afternoon from my new fabric collection
Kaffe Fassett - Dancing Leaves
Let me know what you think

Thanks

Heike

Colour the World with your creativity

My first quilt

2010-03-12T20:00:00.000+11:00

Just returned from my holiday up north and thought that I share yet another one of my quilts.
This is the very first quilt that I made. It took over a year to complete. I had no ruler, rotary cutter or any other quilting equipment at that time. However, I loved making this quilt and it turned out OK (my friends tell me so). Very colourful indeed.

You can view more pictures in my gallery.

Heike

Colour the World with your creativity

Come into my Garden

2010-03-08T07:54:00.000+11:00

Here is another imgage of the Quilt 'Come into my Garden'

Heike

Color the World with your creativity

Come into my Garden

2010-03-07T16:37:00.000+11:00

I have found some great Kaffe Fassett fabrics and added them to my website.
I used some of those for my 'Come into my Garden' quilt

Heike

Color the World with your creativity

Beach and Sand Quilt

2010-03-07T09:47:00.000+11:00

Sharing with you the quilt that I made for Elle.
Since she is a surfer I thought this one is refecting her passion and how she colours our world.

Heike

Color the World with your creativity

What a beautiful day this one was

2010-03-06T20:36:00.000+11:00

Went swimming in our wonderful ocean at North Curl Curl today with Annie, my dear friend. The water was crystal clear, the waves coming in nicely, water about 24 degrees.
What a wonderful world we live in
Thank you

Heike

Color the World with your creativity

Pick a Boo Quilt

2010-03-05T18:31:00.000+11:00

Hello my friends,

This is an imgage for the quilt that I just finished for my first Grandchild to come.

And as you know, my website is up and running now. Sign up and become a member - go and have a look at the Gallery, where the quilts are shown. I will add more soon.

What are your thoughts?

Heike