Let's start with the most exciting news first. 

And when I say the most exciting news - it really doesn't get much more exciting than a new book!

Introducing Whizz Bang - Adventures with Folded Fabric Quilts.


Yes, its a real live book with my name on it!

To be honest I'm still trying to grasp the idea that the book is real and not just a dream or a work in progress. I worked on it in every minute between and on my travels to get it finished in time so it all happened in a whirlwind. But here it is in my hands, and it's quite a hefty tome. It does feel very solid and real.

It may be a little self indulgent but I asked Mr Daisy to record my first viewing. 

Ready..Set..

Drum roll...

Go! 

Flipping through... happy heart...big smiles!!


Quiltmania are wonderful for filling the pages with colourful photos. I'm a visual person, and I know many crafty folk are as well so I sent through a zillion pictures to be included in the book. I thought that some may be used here and there but not only did they choose to use most of them there are lots of full page photos! It's a visual feast! I like to think each photo tells a thousand words of inspiration. All my instructions for making the blocks have step by step photos too.

I wanted the book to be a thing of beauty so that even if someone wasn't tempted to make a Whizz Bang block that they would still find it a joy to behold. A gorgeous book to enjoy for its colour, craftsmanship, the variety of styles, eclectic mixes of fabrics, the stories of quilts and insight into my creative world.

The block in the book looks more real than the quilt on the wall. 

I'm showing the pages with beautiful photos but there is lots of text as well, words, words and more words about making the blocks in different ways, ideas about being creative with the blocks, plus 15 projects, from small to big quilts to inspire you. 

Mr Daisy has had fun calling me an "author".

When I was a girl I had dreams of being an author. I would fill up pages of exercise books with stories. One story in particular was about a girl who found herself in a magical garden that was full of wonderful, fantastical flowers. She would have all sorts of interesting adventures.
I have no idea what happened to that exercise book full of schoolgirl tales but here I stand, now an author, with a book in my hands and it's about a girl in a magical land of fantastical fabric flowers, and each quilt is an adventure I get to share with everyone.

The back is like a window looking out onto a garden.

I am really proud of the work that has gone into the making of this book. I have shared everything I know about making these blocks. Then there are the quilts, quite a few are new ones, others are ones you may already know but with intimate closeup photos and beautiful styling.
Fabulous photos by super quilt photographer John Doughty of Material Obsession fame, Mr Daisy and myself. 
Quiltmania have outdone themselves bringing everything together and presenting it all in their usual fabulous way. 


Have I waffled on too much? You know I'm sentimental, it's my nature, and well, this is a special moment.

So where can you find Whizz Bang!- Adventure with Folded Fabric Quilts ??
In Europe go to the Quiltmania website here
In the US you can order them from the US Quiltmania website here ( the website says limited copies)
In Australia - there are limited copies that have been air freighted especially to be available at AQC (thank you Quiltmania!). They'll be on the Quiltmania stand.  If there are copies left they will be used to fill shop orders so the best quilt shops will have copies. Ask your local quilt store to order them in.
Can Do Books may have some copies, Call them on 1300 308 261 or Visit their website here.
When the advance copies are sold out we'll have to wait for the next ones to arrive by sea. That takes longer because the ship has to avoid bumping into whales, and fight off swashbuckling pirates with ruffled shirts who all want the book too.

I'm looking forward to being at AQC. Thank you to everyone who has signed up for my classes.
I'm hoping I can pop down to the Quiltmania stand on my lunch breaks, but the catch is I'm not sure what time that will be.. we'll see what happens... 
While I'm away at AQC I have work in an an exhibition called Flora Sensa that is opening at Mt Tomah - the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden on Saturday 13th at 11am.
The exhibition will feature the work of 10 textile artists of the Blue Mountains. The range of textiles includes weaving, felting, quilting, my folded fabric work and stitching of all kinds.
We were asked to make a work that was inspired by a flower that evoked an emotion, a special memory.
On the 5th May from11am-12.30pm I'll be doing artist talk at Mt Tomah about my piece in the show, how I use flowers in my quilts and then we'll go for a wander through the gardens and to talk about ways of looking at flowers. It's so perfect for me because flowers have always been a passion for mine, from daisy chains as a little girl, 20 years of working as a florist, to nowadays where they are my inspiration and food for my soul through my walks and sprigs in vases.

For more information about the exhibition and artists visit the Flora Sensa Website, florasensa.com




It's not just flowers that I see on my walks..

Recently I came across some blue mushrooms.

Yes blue mushrooms!

I didn't know such things existed!


But there they were in front of me!


I go back to visit them every day and have found another big patch coming up. It's like a smurf village.


I accidentally bumped my camera into self portrait mode,  this is my fascinated "Are-Those-Blue-Mushrooms-For-Real?!" face.



This little one had been knocked over. Maybe a bird thought it might be nice to eat but then changed its mind.. 

Some other little fun guys..

I haven't boosted the colour at all. This orange one was practically glowing. 


These were the brightest red!

I also saw a lyre bird, 


and he saw me.

Let's finish with a sunset..

It was one of those evenings where Mother Nature had fun painting the sky with her watercolours.