C’mon Get Happy

Meditate on these 'get-happy' notions and pick out the ones that work best for you. From ways to cheer up your sewing room to ideas for spoiling yourself with simple pleasures - we have some wonderful suggestions.

Glad Gatherings

I'm happy when there is harmony at home (not that easy with three teenagers). I enjoy Sunday afternoons listening to music or watching art programs on the ABC with my husband, laughing with girlfriends and going to music festivals. And I cherish days spent with my entire extended family where we all bring a 'pot-luck' lunch and just spend time together.

Rosalie Quinlan

As Good as it Gets

It's no wonder a lot of popular stitcheries include the heart and home - there's nothing better! I also love being on the bike with the wind in my hair herding up a mob of sheep. There are no fences to shut you in and this feeling of total freedom is very conducive to designing. I do my best work after being out in the paddocks - it speaks to my creative soul.

Stephanie Watts

The Greatest Joy

Whenever an idea for a doll comes into my head, I stop what I'm doing and put it down on paper. Sometimes getting it right takes two or three goes, but when it works the first time I'm ecstatic. As for my personal life, an unexpected card with a nice thought for no particular occasion is always a great joy.

Philippa Morris

These things make me happy ...

Pencil and paper for sketching, a fountain pen and notebook for writing (I love the flow of ink on paper), lavender water when I iron, freshly laundered sheets and towels, a basketful of coloured embroidery threads, my paints and brushes, fabric stores, gift stores, flower stalls, greengrocers, books, cane baskets, my cupboard full of mismatched china and glassware.

Barb Smith

Secrets of Serenity

I love unwrapping new quilt fabrics from the little brown paper bags they come in, breathing in the comforting smell that only 100 per cent cotton has and folding it ever so neatly. Sitting in the garden on a brisk autumn day with a stitchery and only the birds and chickens for company is wonderful. I let my pet cockatoo out of the aviary and he plays at my feet with the snippets of thread I drop, and when he thinks I'm not looking he sneaks stuff from my sewing basket.

Sandra Paull

Chocolate Therapy

What makes me happy? Mmm, chocolate! And when my husband buys me jewellery or brings me a cup of tea in bed, coming up with a drop-dead gorgeous design, or when my son brings home a handmade card from school to tell me how much he loves me. Oh, and seeing his face on Christmas morning when he opens his presents and finds exactly what he wished for is pretty special too.

Natalie Ross

The Happiness of Summer

Picking raspberries in our backyard with whoever happens to drop by, lying in the grass on a sunny day and staring up at the clouds, finishing a quilt, gardening, seeing the beach, when someone says 'I love you', cooking food and filling tummies of family and friends - all these things make me happy, and a good girls' night out makes me really happy!

Leanne Beasley

Simple Pleasures

You know that song, 'Sunshine on a rainy day, makes my soul, drip, drip away'? It's all about life's simple pleasures – waking up and taking the time to stretch every limb ... pulling off your socks and feeling the grass with your toes ... a mug of creamy, hot cocoa with marshmallows on a cold night ... getting to the bottom of a to-do list ... sifting through an old box of photographs you haven't looked at in years.

Smile Please

How to be a happier you: eliminate guilt, think positively, break bad habits and reward yourself for it, and don't forget to smile broadly. Paint your sewing room bright yellow - it has the power to lift your spirits. 

Rebel with a Cause

Just what are the patchwork and quilting rules truly great quilters are happy to break? Acclaimed Australian quilt designer, author, quilt appraiser, judge, Pam Holland of Shed Designs, shares with us the eight golden rules she follows to the letter and the eight she throws to the wind. Go on, be a rebel!

Rules to Follow

1. I keep my machine clean. In fact, I clean it every time I use it. I know, it sounds a bit over the top but believe me, it helps and it doesn't take long. I just put a few drops of machine oil on a cotton bud and wipe around the bobbin case, across the feed dogs and on the needle shank.
   
   
2. I choose quality materials. Good fabric and batting will contribute to the longevity of a quilt. I try not to mix an inferior fabric with a high-count well-printed one and I always take note of fabric tags - they tell you a lot about the designer, the brand and the colours in the print. And we have so many wonderful threads to choose from nowadays - I recommend saving the cheap ones for mending!
   
   
3. I change my needle - and I do it regularly. I would love a dollar for every student who has mentioned they change the needle only when it breaks! Needless to say, you don't get the best result from a blunt needle that sounds like a jackhammer as you're sewing. Needles come in six sizes and many different shanks - ballpoint, universal and sharp. I use a 'sharp' needle for almost every sewing project I do.
   
   
4. I like to be accurate. Just taking that little bit more care in preparing block sizes makes all the difference - it looks wonderful and it certainly helps with the assembly of a quilt. I always pin and measure accurately. For instance, consider that you are placing a top and bottom border on a quilt. Measure horizontally through the centre of it and cut the border strips to that measurement. Pin them at either end, then in the centre and then at equal intervals. This prevents the border from stretching and distorting.
   
   
5. I always keep balance in mind. Not just of colour, but also the pattern. I lay the blocks on the floor or a design wall and stand back to assess how the quilt is working as a whole. There is an interesting psychology involved in the way we look at a quilt, but that's another article altogether, so I just describe it as 'balance'.
   
   
6. I measure the binding in the same way as I measure the borders. I cut the binding to 3in wide and sew it on with the width of the walking foot as a guide. That gives me plenty of room to turn the binding to the back without stretching it. Sew the binding to the back by hand and also sew the mitred corners. 
   
   
7. I like to finish it properly. I have heard some teachers say that the back of the quilt is not important, but I disagree. It's a bit like putting dirty dishes in the cupboard when your mother arrives for a visit! Bring threads to the top of a quilt when you start off and take time to weave them through at the back - don't knot them.
   
8. I always attach a label. I think this is the most important rule and I encourage everyone to do the same - no quilt is too insignificant to warrant one - it's beneficial for the future.

Rules to Break

1. I don't pre-wash my fabric. Think about it, we pay a great deal for fabric these days, it really shouldn't shrink or bleed. However, as a tutor I urge my students to 'test' their fabrics by cutting a small piece and then washing and drying it. If it doesn't pass the shrink or colourfast test, either take it back to the shop or if it wasn't too expensive, give it to your local kindy.
   
   
2. I don't save beautiful fabrics. It looks better in a quilt than in a box. If you've had something for more than 5 years and will never use it because your ideas have changed, why not throw a quilting party? Invite your friends over, dump the bundles in the middle of the floor and watch the feeding frenzy! But stipulate that they have to use the fabric and show you the result as proof of possession!
   
   
3. I don't use a built-in thread stand. Some new machines have them but I don't think the designers have considered the twist of the thread as it goes through the machine. I'm fussy with threads, so I use a freestanding thread stand at all times - they only cost about $8 and it's a wonderful tool.
   
   
4. I don't use different weight threads in my machine. What does that mean? An ordinary thread is around 50 weight, sometimes 40 - it's the little number on the bottom of the spool. You will achieve a better result from your machine if you use the same weight thread on the top as in the bobbin.
   
   
5. I don't finish one thing before I start another. With quilts up to 5ft by 5ft, I machine-quilt and appliqué at the same time. To use this method, assemble the quilt top, baste thoroughly and then quilt in the ditch first. Then appliqué through the three layers accurately. It saves a lot of time, the appliqué looks better and I just simply like the effect.
   
   
6. I don't put the feed dogs down when I free motion quilt - I leave them up. I think it gives you more control and no, it's not like driving with the brake on. Try it and see. Put the feed dogs up on an embroidery foot and give it a whirl.
   
   
7. I don't do as I'm told. Machine dealers often tell me to use the needles they sell me, as these are the 'only' ones for this machine. I recommend to my students that they do a little research and do a test on a piece of quilted fabric to see just which needle is best for the project.
   
   
8. I don't use foundation piecing. In class it drives me crazy. Some students spend more time trying to save fabric by using little bits than just plain cutting into a bit of fabric and leaving enough space around it. Relax, cut a chunk and save time and energy. The block will look just as good - I promise!