I found my "old blog"

Hi everyone and a big hello to my graduate friends from Set Up Shop
Well! well! well! .... look what I discovered..... My "old" blog is still here... of course I've changed the name, but here I am 2 years later. That's a bit embarrassing isn't it!
However a lot has happened in that time and it's interesting to look back and read - sort of like a diary - what my dreams and aspirations were then.
I remember how I felt and isn't it funny it was the same time of the year - defined of course by the Tour de France .. I think Australian Cadell Evans won and everyone was up all night watching the tele... Some people like me could have also been teaching themselves to blog. It just goes to show how things go into your subconscious mind and stay there until you want it to come out again. Now I have to remember all over again! Blogging that is .. not my bucket list.
In my 2nd last post dated 24th June 2011 I said this -
"I have always wanted to live near the beach in a warmer climate. Shortly my dream will come true and in the not too distant future I will call Queensland my home. Sunshine Coast here I come. Can't wait!"
Well I did move make the big move and I live about 150 steps to a beautiful beach. I still love all the quilting related stuff I started to blog about then and I've joined quilters and stitcher's groups, made friends and needless to say I absolutely love it here. Don't miss Melbourne one bit especially the cold weather - sorry Melbourne.
So after settling in and many visitors, and a few friends and one of my sons moving here too, I decided to take life a bit more seriously and open an online shop. So what I have actually been spending a lot of time doing is making handmade vintage chenille quilts, cushions, baby blankets, throws etc. I've recently up my online shop on the Australian handmade website www.madeit.com.au/babychenille
It's been quite challenging teaching myself all the networking stuff .. getting there but still have a long way to go ... also have FB page www.facebook.com/babychenille
At the moment I'm doing a 30 day online course Create & Thrive Set Up Shop e-course - and I must say it's fantastic. Yesterday's lesson was to set up a blog... so how motivating was that... here I am.. back again.
If you'd like to learn lots about starting or fine tuning your current online shop then I would thoroughly recommend having a look at it - www.createandthrive.com
And if you want to know why I changed my blog name to French Gingham then I'll tell you all about that later.
Lovely to be back. Till next time.
Regards Karen

It's all French

Hello to everyone
Firstly I apologise that I have no blogging which is related to The Pretty Quilt because I haven't been doing too much stitching lately. It's the television that is keeping me up late at night as I just love watching Le Tour de France. How gorgeous are the ancient little villages and the beautiful countryside.
Once again my dreams are re ignited and the bucket list gets topped up and I realise two special ones I have had tucked away for some time now.
1. Hot air ballooning over the Loire Valley checking out those incredible chateaux and staying a night in one.
2. Champagne breakfast on Avenue de Champayne in Epernay where Moet and Chandon and other fabulous champagnes are produced.
3. Looking for antiques and fabulous vintage goodies in Flea markets in Paris.
I really should go to bed earlier as it's so hard getting up for work the next day.
Let me know if you are naughty too.
Bye for now
Happy stitching
Karen

The Pretty Quilt - poor neglected blog

Hi to all
No I haven't forgotten The Pretty Quilt blog.
I am still gathering information on how to be a good blogger and sorry to say I don't think I am learning alot very quickly.
I make no excuses, however on a more personal note there are many life changing events presently taking priority. I myself am struggling to keep up with them and I can see why it is a good idea to blog more often than not and also the benefits of perhaps keeping a diary.
Apart from not being kind to The Pretty Quilt blog I am having to deal with another issue. I have decided to re start my Dear Jane quilt.
OMG what a hard decision I had to make.
My original DJ I started it in March 2003 and I have competed about 20 blocks. However sadly I have found I am unable to purchase the background and sashing fabric I was using. I checked the internet to find out how much fabric was needed and although the information varied I eventually bought a 14 metre bolt of ivory fabric. I am entirely handsewing the quilt so fingers crossed I will have enough fabric.
I have now completed one block A1 (take 2).
Still searching for a few of the civil war fabrics for the blocks. I love looking for new quilting shops especially for my DJ and then going through the stash and sorting out the fabrics etc. Also enjoy  checking how all the other Dear Janers are doing in the world. It really is an amazing and challenging project.
By the way I live in Melbourne, born and bred, and its been freezing here. I really hate the cold weather and each winter it's harder for me to deal with it.
I have always wanted to live near the beach in a warmer climate. Shortly my dream will come true and in the not too distant future I will call Queensland my home. Sunshine Coast here I come. Can't wait!
Till next time take care. Happy quilting.
Karen

My First Post

Hi I'm Karen and welcome to my new blog "The Pretty Quilt".

Today I am quite excited as this is my first post. Although I must admit setting up the blog is a bit of a challenge for me as I am not very computer savvy. However I am having lots of fun and would be very happy for you to share my journey.

Of course this is not as great a challenge as my "Dear Jane" quilt I am working on as that is ongoing forever I think. I am using Civil War reproduction fabrics and handstitching all the little blocks as I want it to look like a replica of the original. I just love searching for the fabrics and each time I find more I then go into another world as I ponder about how the quilt was designed and made way back in the 1800s. I started my quilt in 2003. However over the years as life got in the way, as it often does, there have been many months when it was packed away and never touched. Hence it has now been labelled my "life time" project.

But that is a story in itself, so stay tuned because when I learn how to upload photos you will be able to track my progress.

I am planning to make the "The Pretty Quilt" site much prettier and hopefully (fingers crossed) I will be able to add lots of pictures with information and links that will interest you. 

Bye for now. Enjoy your creative day.