Few days at home

I have had a few days at home. No work, its been wonderful. I got busy working on a few UFOs

First I had to have a brush up on my curves. Pulled out a lot of my greens & grey fabrics to work with. This is the start of the quilt Iam working on. I will be teaching this class in Dalby later this year. I am looking forward to teaching in Dalby.

For my 50th birthday family & friends made me all these little 5" friendship blocks for me.
Just have to build on to the outside now. I have lots of ideas but this is as far as I got this week. It was nice to sit down and read all the comets again. Maybe that why I didn't get much sewing done.

Made two floor pillows. Megan was very taken with them. She has put in a order for one or two

Decided she had better rade my stash to pick out the fabric for me to make the next floor cushion

While on the job she also picked out the fabric for me to make up the Harem cushion.

                                                  These are the fabrics she picked. Yellow and blue.
The Harem cushion this a class I teach

 

When Bev & I had the shop, this class run a few times. It was always a lot of fun.


Sorry about the photos. Iam having lots of trouble with my photos. There fine on the camera and the computer but as soon as I put them on the blog they go all fuzzy, Why I do not know. Is it me ? Or something Iam doing, or maybe its time for a new computer.
 May be all of the above.
Hopefully next time the photos will be better, fingers crossed

Beginners Class

Two weeks ago I started a Beginners Patchwork Class at Peter Taylor's Sewing Centre.
This is the sample quilt the Lady's will be making.
 The first lesson was learning to use a rotary cutter & sew a 1/4"seam. The Lady's were a bit scared to start but in no time they were having lots of fun.
The Lady's in the class have also learnt to speak a hole new language ( patchwork terminology).Its exciting & a great pleasures to welcome new people in to the world of  Patchwork & Quilting.
Our second lesson was sewing bias seams or triangles. With a little care and concentrating this block went together well.
Next was the Chun Dash block. The Lady's are becoming a lot more confident now.
The next lesson will be an introduction to drawing up there own block on 1/4"graph paper & how to make templates from there drawing.

 If any one would like to join the class now is a good time. The class is on every Thursday,
Starts at 9.30 & goes until 3.oo

I also have two lady's that are working on there own projects. Its always lovely to sew with a group. You seem to  get lots of impressions and ideas from one another.

Two of the Lady's busy in class.  Working very hard on their blocks.                                                                       

Black & White with a little colour

When I was in the shop I started making 3" black & white 9 patch's. The idea was to have a swap or a changle. But the shop closed and nothing happened.
 The other day while ratting through my cupboard I found the box full of the little 9 patch's, so decided to put them together.
It was fun designing this quilt. I do like to work in black & white.
I'm just showing you snippets of the quilt. Once the quilt is finished I will show the hole thing. I am very pleased with how its coming together.

 Put the final boards on my "Headen Wells" quilt. This is the quilt I made at Sandy's retreat. I did plan to put 6" outside boarders on it but it seem to swallow the hole quilt ,so cut it back to 3". Looks a lot better.
Sorry about the photos, I must of had a blurry day.

 

 My friend Bev has just arrived home from Japan. She went over to the
Tokyo International Quilt Festival. Had the best time & cant wait to go again. But!!! Next time I will be going with her! I received a wonderful bag of goodies from Japan. Fabric to make a knot bag, paper, sweets, lollies, trendy stockings for my daughter & a great book. Thank you very much Bev.
 Click here if you want to look at Bev's blog
 This is a hexagon quilt my Auntie Jill made many years ago. When I was about 15 my Gran started to make hexagon quilts.(long before I new any thing about quilting) Once Gran started she got us all going. I know Mum, Auntie Marry, Auntie Jill & myself all made one or two quilts each. Jill's daugther Dice now has her mum's quilts .They were never finished so Dice passed that job on to me. I didn't have any idea what to do. They sat here for a few years before I decided. I didn't want to change any thing that Auntie Jill had done so I had them quilted on to a background fabric. My very lovely friend Evol did the quilting for me. One down & one still to go. I think Dice will be pleased with this one. Its a wonderful memory to have of Gran & Auntie Jill.

In the last month we have had lots of rain. (Too much rain really). Because of all the rain the garden is looking beautiful, lush & green. Plus over grown & full of weeds. Now the weather is nice. Not to hot or not to wet, I thougth it would be a good time to go out & do a bit of work.
Wrong!!!!!!
Walking around taking those photos was very hard.
The sand flys & mossies almost carried me away. I was getting eaten alive.
Sorry to say but the garden can wait for another day.

 The lawn has never looked so good. Doug has been on the mower non stop since the rain, now I know why he is out there after dark. The Sand flys have gone to bed. Lucky the new mowers come with lights.

Our 4 Geese.
You wouldn't believe the mischief these fellas can get up to. I had to put the fence around the garden behind them because they were eating every thing in it. Only this garden bed, they leave all the others alone. Del the dog is suppose to keep them under control but she is very slack in her Guard Dog duties. They do what ever they like & at the moment it is hanging around the back door. They like to be able to see or hear us for some reason.
   Well i had better go, more sewing to finish, like always.

Bali Pop Baskets

While in the shop we got in the Bali pops plus the pattern to make theses great bags. Bev made up the Bali Briefcase Bag or started it , she just has the handles to add. I was always going to do one but just never had the time.Same of the lady's at the patchwork club have asked me to show them how to make the bags. So thought I had better get in & make one up my self, so I new what I was doing.

                                                     First up 1 Bali Pop & a box of cord

                                                Lots & lots & lots of covered cord

  Time to sew it all together to make the basket, round & around we go

                                                Still more around & around.

Almost a finished basket, just have to hand sew the binding down.What a fantastic way to make a bag, so many different ways you could use this technique. Cant wait to make my second one.
 If any one is interested in making the Bali pop bags you can contact the Emerald Patchwork Group or contact me.

Up coming workshops

 I will be running 2 classes at the Emerald Patchwork rooms. The classes will start on the 14th of February The first workshop will be                          "Beginners Sampler Quilt"

3 hourly sessions over 7 weeks

I''ve designed this class to cover all the basics of patchwork. This is a great class for any one who would like to try patchwork with out being daunted by having to make a large quilt. 

The second workshop will be

Free Motion Quilting

3 hourly sessions over 7 weeks

Suitable for all levels of sewing skills

We will be working on several practice pieces in class with the idea of you being able work with on the quilts your making at home.

 

After 4 long years my tree quilt is finished...

Four long years ago I went of to my first AQC Australian Quilt Convention.It was one off the best quilting conventions I had been to. AQC is held in Melbourne each year. It is at the Royal Exhibition Building, an amazing old building. Plus they have the best of the best quilts on display, quilts from all over Australia & from overseas. There's so much to look at and to take in. They have a lot of classes available on the four days.  Wonderful tutors from OZ & Overseas. Its very hard to pick what you want to do or to try to fit in every thing you'd to do.

 

 The first year I went it was every easy for me because I picked a 4 day class with Rosalie Dace. Wonderful lady, I had the best 4 days in her class. The name of the class was "Branching Out" In this class we had to discover the different shapes, patterns, lines, textures, colours & symbolism of the trees while experimenting with design.We used a variety of techniques to make our quilts. So we had to branch out & try something new by designing a quilt based on a tree.

I took photos of trees on the river at the back of our place (so in our backyard) I love all the knots, burls, bark & holes on trees.This took a big part in the design of my quilt. Onces I arrived home from Melbourne I finished my quilt top & then it was put away in the cupboard waiting to be quilted.  It's been in & out of that cupboard so many times its not funny. Every time I got it out to work on some thing would happen & away it would go again. Finally it stayed out this time & I've finished it!  I'm very pleased with the end result. Just have to give it a name now, any ideas?

Exciting times here - look at the lovely parcel I received in the mail. Only thing is I have to share it with my friend Laurene. That's going to be hard, the colours are great (perhaps I shouldn't tell here it's arrived).  It will be interesting to see how/where I use these fabrics.

 I made this quilt as a scrap foundation quilt when we had the shop. It was a class we had at the shop. The quilt top has been sitting here waiting to be quilted, so I sent it of to Evol.  As always she's done a wonderful job with the quilting.

                                                    Close up of the quilting.

Donking around at Christmas

 We had lots of visitors for Christmas & New Year. The Becketts even arrived with a Donkey (his name is George) Very cute fellow. George is going to live with Daniel & his family. George is to be a guard donkey. He is to run with Daniels miniature cattle & guard them, aparently donkey's are really good a protecting what they live with.

George liked to play with his ball. He would throw, kick & run with the ball every morning be fore he was taken out to a different tree for the day.

 

I still had time to put Martin,s quilt top together while our first lot of visitors were here (I really only had to add the boarder but at least I got it done) Passed it on to Evol to quilt for me. Another 21st quilt almost done.

Close up of the fabric I have used in Martins quilt, lots of good boy fabrics

 The night before Christmas more of our family arrived, The house was almost full (we had 15 for Christmas) After Christmas we had more, about 24. Now the house was full. But it was great, wonderful to have family & friends around at this time of the year.

               Under the Christmas tree was full. Í dont think we could of put any more under it.

                                                                      Christmas lunch

Sally & I even got time to do a bit of sewing. Fix up work. I was unpicking & Sally had to stitch her Yo-Yo quilt back together in places. Any hints on how to stop the stitches from busting?
It is a bad photo but I had to show that I still got a little sewing work done.



Our  lovely daughter Megan had her 21st Birthday on New Years eve. More family & friends arrived for the party.We had a crazy night. Young & old enjoying the birthday party & the new year.

                                                                    Megan & I

Few days in to the new year our  visitors started to return home. Daniel was all packed up & ready to head of with his new addition to the family. Geroge is in the back of the Ute & waiting to go. Kenny Watson the wolf hound is riding with George. The end of the holidays is always sad. It hard to say good bye to every one. Doug & I are going to be lost for a few days.

 I had better go, Evol just rang to say she has a quilt ready for me to pick up. It's exciting  picking up a newly quilted quilt, its always a bit of a surprise.