Heidi Ho Patterns applique Archives

With the restrictions lifted and a little bit of normality getting back to day to day living, Heidi managed to get away for a week. We had four nights in the lovely Bargara and two nights at Kandanga in the Mary Valley.

Bargara is a little coastal destination out from Bundaberg, 3 ½ hours north of Brisbane.

Bargara is a perfect place for young families or the more mature adults.

We stayed at the northern end of town, Nielson Park in the beautiful Bargara Beach Caravan Park. Nestled under the tall trees and soft green grass.

We wondered over to the beach at sunrise and watched the surfers hoping to catch a big wave. It is peaceful at first then as the sun rises so do the joggers, walkers and dogs out for some daily exercise.

Unfortunately, the mornings started of a little bit rainy but cleared up to the sunny days typical of a Queensland winter. Perfect walking temperature. Heidi made the most of the 12km walking path from Kellys Beach through to Burnett Heads right along the coastline. Easy walking, nice and flat.

One day, Heidi hired a bicycle from the caravan park to enjoy the path more quickly. Hay – Heidi, are you hitching a ride.

Heidi had a round of golf at the Bargara Golf Course. They hire clubs and buggies but she did assist on walking.

There is an extensive coastline with rocky beaches but Kellys Beach has sandy beaches and calm ocean waves.

The best beach for a quiet dip, or building sandcastles on the shore. It’s fairly sheltered there but at one end is a rock pool and the other end is an inlet, either one is perfectly safe for the little ones.

Just a little bit further north is the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and Conservation Park which is home to the largest population of nesting Loggerhead Turtles in the South Pacific. Every year, from November to late March, you can join the Rangers at Mon Repos Turtle Centre on a guided Turtle Encounters tour, to watch the big turtles make their way up to the dunes to lay their eggs. Later in the season you can catch all of the little guys hatching out and scrambling back to sea. Although, it was the wrong time of year this trip, Heidi has seen the laying on a previous visit. A fascinating site to be seen.

What Bargara has to offer is simple and pleasant. With accommodation that ranges from cabins to luxury apartments, numerous dining choices, plenty of playgrounds and pristine picnic and BBQ areas, it suits Heidi and me right down to the ground.

We hooked up the caravan again and drove to the quaint little township of Kandanga in the Mary Valley. We stayed in a camp, right in town and all that they were asking for was a donation.

This became our base for exploring the valley. In other words, we had a drive in the country. We meandered down past the Borumba Dam, Imbil and stopped at Kenilworth for a delicious lunch. Kenilworth is most famous for the Dairy & Cheese Factory and 1kg Donuts from the Bakery. Yum !!

A section of The Mary Valley Rail Trail runs between Imbil to Brooloo. Very popular with the Mountain Bike community. We walked along a section (again with the walking-Really Heidi) A great way to enjoy the Australian Bush.

Home again for now but planning the next trip north for the winter.

Happy Sewing

Heidi Ho

It has been nine weeks since Heidi’s Trip On The Road was cancelled.

However, since then, Heidi has returned to her happy place – The Sewing Room.

A place where Heidi can leave the world behind. A place where she lets her imagination run wild, play around, experiment and creates the beautiful patterns that she has in her range.

The view out of the window is peaceful, overlooking nothing but trees and the birds.

While sitting in the room, she is surrounded by all the things she loves. Photos of her favourite people on the wall, the trinkets that she cherishes up on the shelf, her beloved sewing machines and overlockers and meters and meters of beautiful fabric just begging to be sewn.

Any sewer can tell you that after a while, you become a collector of gadgets. Gadgets that make sewing easier. The first trio you must have is a rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat. Then you need to gather more rulers to cut different shapes, more rotary cutters in different size blades and more mats, one bigger and one smaller.

The four gadgets that Heidi can’t live without and always at her finger tips are probably the simplest and least expensive of them all.

Sewing Gauge

The Sewing Gauge – is a slide ruler that will measure the precise increment accurately. It is a no-fuss tool, less awkward and more accurate than using a tape measure for the small things.

You can set the marker on the exact measurement that you need and the measurement will be the same all the way along.

Perfect for measuring hems when folding up and pressing, measuring the distance between two marks e.g. buttonholes or snaps or the distance and depth of pleats.

I keep one by the ironing board and one on my cutting table.

Fabric Control Tool

Fabric Control Tool – This tool, as the name suggests, controls the fabric as it goes under the foot and close to the needle. It goes where fingers don’t dare and I never sew without it by my machine.

The main reason that I use it for is when I sew three or more layers of fabric together, like binding on a quilt. Often in this case, the top layer will move as it goes under the foot. Simply lay the tool down on the fabric and guide it under. When sewing with an open toe foot, you can hold the fabric right up to the needle. This method will also stop the fabric from stretching if it is cut on the bias. It will hold the gathers in place when attaching them to a straight fabric.

Another amazing use for this tool is when you are using a hot iron. It’s steel and won’t melt when it comes in contact with the iron. If you have ever been pressing an applique, you will have discovered that the heat from the iron can move the pieces just as the iron is about to touch. You can hold the piece in place and touch down with the iron. It is also great for fusible bias, e.g. stained-glass windows. With the point of the tool, you can fold a mitre corner in the tape and then press it flat with the iron before you remove the tool.

Curved Snips

Curved Sewing Thread Snips – Snips are designed to trim threads after sewing. These snips are my favourite, they have a small, sharp, curved blade. This enables you to cut away the thread very close without the risk of snipping the fabric. Perfect for machine embroidery if you have visible threads. Great to trim away frayed edges in small sections.

The sharp points and fine blade also make it easy to unpick stitches.

I also use mine to clip notches in seam allowances. This is probably a bit naughty but the high quality of the steel stands up to it.

I keep them in front of my machine at all times.

Wonder Clips

Wonder Clips – the wonderful little clips that replace pins. You can use wonder clips in replace of pins in any situation. Some ladies like them for the simple reason, they don’t spike you.

Pins can cause damage and leave holes in fabrics like vinyl or laminated fabrics or pull threads in soft silks.

Wonder clips don’t leave a mark. Plus, they are quick and easy to put on and pull off when sewing.

The times when you definitely do need to use the clips are when you are sewing a project like a bag. This could mean that you need to hold together two layers of foam or heavy batting with a layer of fabric on each side. Pretty serious pins are needed to hold that together or just pop some wonder clips on instead. They are especially great for holding the binding in place before sewing.

Always have my box of clips handy.

I hope you enjoy your Sewing Room as much as Heidi does!!

Keep Smiling and Happy Sewing

Heidi Ho

Tag: Heidi Ho Patterns applique

One Week On The Road

In My Sewing Room and Not On The Road