Middle of November already!

We've even had a couple of nearly 40degree days here, although with the air con it's not too bad.  It did however take a toll on the flowers and shrubs in the garden but that's what happens!

I've started another quilt - this one's been on the back burner for the past couple of years.  Turkish Crush from "Making Quilts ... the promise of Joy" by Kathy Doughty.  I was fortunate to attend Kathy's shop - Material Obsession a couple of years ago when this quilt was on display and I immediately liked it.  This quilt was made for me - I already had Anna Maria Horner fabrics left over from a previous quilt that I could use for the large sections along with a fair stash of shot cottons left over from another quilt project (that I'm still working away at).  I feel very virtuous using up my left overs - I only had to purchase the white, cream and grey quilters muslin for sashings and flying geese.

 Here it is on the design wall - still a way to go. It's quite challenging after many years of aiming for precise points and corners on flying geese to make them 'wonky'.

Meanwhile, my friends Sylvia and Sally took a roadtrip 3 hours west of here with me a couple of Fridays ago to visit Sandy Gray's  The Silver Thimble in Barcaldine.  Sandy's welcome, combined with the gorgeous fabrics made the trip well worth our while!  We had a wonderful day and all came away with many treasures and plans for new projects.  Among my purchases were these two backing fabrics - the one on the left will be put to use in the next week or so on my Dotty Frames quilt, and I'd love to have it finished by Christmas.  It may just become my summer quilt. 

We promised ourselves that we'll go back again next year, but next time we'll make a real trip of it and stay overnight!  Might even invite a few more friends to join us - want to come?


 

Peggy's Quilt

Sadly for me, I'm not able to get to Brisbane for the Qld Quilt Show, so I just checked their website to see the winning quilts.  Here's the link - http://www.qldquilters.com/, be sure to click on the 2014 Quilt Show. 

My friend Peggy's (http://Peggycreates.blogspot.com) quilt was awarded a Judges Choice Award and second in the Professional Applique category.  Very exciting!  Congratulations Peggy it's wonderful to see all your work being applauded in this way.  Here's the link.  I can't wait to see the quilt for myself, so Peggy - please, it's about time to visited your friends in Emerald!

Regards, Bev

Update for Melanie & Peggy

OK You don't need to say anything - I'm a bit slack with the blog.

I have managed a bit of sewing over the past months - this quilt here, made from fabric purchased from Kim Bradley's lovely shop in Sydney.  The pattern is from Valorie Wells (also purchased at Kim's shop).

 

I quilted it myself - lots of straight(ish) lines which I like the look of.  That's Scarlet standing beside the quilt and as with everything I make she thinks it's hers!

This is the quilt I've been working on over the past few weeks - I've finally finished the top this afternoon and now I just have to put something together for the back.  It's very large, I wanted a quilt that would hang over the sides of the bed - so it will be going to Evol for quilting with a simple all over pattern.  The design is Dotty Frames from Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Grandeur.  I enjoyed going through my Kaffe fabrics and selecting prints to use.  I'll post another/better photo when it's been quilted.

 

I have another quilt cut out ready to go from the same book - Cartwheel by Liza Prior Lucy which I was planning to start straight away, however I've been distracted by a quilt I saw in the recent Fons and Porter magazine - Trifecta by Tanya Finkler.  60degree triangles made from strips in lovely reds with wonderful white contrast so it just might be a little longer until I get to Cartwheel!

 

In the meantime Spring has arrived here and the weather has been just gorgeous.  I've been spending a bit of time in the garden lately - trying to fertilize and mulch before it gets too hot.  This is the view from my kitchen window - shame you can't see the colours as I do.

 

Till next time, Bev

 

 

 

Wednesday - Sewing with Friends

After a break of several months, a few friends and I got together last Wednesday to make a quilt.  Our usual informal 'rules' applied - The quilt we make is gifted to a local charitable group, the pattern is chosen from a book that we haven't used before and the quilt is made using fabrics from our stash.

I chose the design for this one - Belize from the book Scrap Basket Surprises by Kim Brackett (That Patchwork Place) and I've got to say it was a pleasure to make!  The instructions are clear and very well written.  This quilt in particular (I haven't tried the others in the book, yet) is great for a group to put together, using simple 6 1/2" x 2 1/2" pieces with 2 1/2" squares, and there are very few seams to match so it goes together quickly.

We started with this lovely border fabric from Evol's stash -

and then found the fabric for the background and it was simple to find all the colourful 'scraps' to make it up.  Here it is -

The final quilt is about 61 1/2" square, so it's a reasonable size.  It's a bit of a grey day here today, but I like the effect of it hanging from the clothesline.  I'll happily pass it to Evol later today for quilting and look forward to seeing it completed.





 

I've been making flowers this week for my BOM - 40 Shades of Grey from Wendy Williams and Material Obsession.  I decided to give myself a break and forget about needleturning them and make them completely by machine and it's been fun.  I even pulled out the Olfa circle cutter I purchased years ago and hadn't opened, and it's been lovely to find all the beautiful threads that have been lurking in the cupboard,  not to mention my sewing machine that's used a zig zag stitch for the first time in quite a while.

This is my progress so far, still a bit to go before I can attach them to the block but I'm hoping to get it done by the end of the weekend.  It's great to actually use the tools and techniques I acquired over the years!

Hope you are having fun too!

Yes, there's been some sewing....

But first, I received this wonderful gift from Melanie

My tools are going to be the best presented wherever I go! It's just gorgeous and I will treasure it for ever.  Thank You Melanie.

 

Now for what I've been up to -

 

The blocks are all part of my 40 Shades of Grey by Wendy Williams. I'm enjoying making them , I'll post a few more next time.  Don't you love the pigs in the photo above photo?  I've had that piece of fabric for many more years that I care to think about so I'm quite excited to see it used here.   

 

Bev                              

Trouble....well maybe

I can't help myself! I've not been a good blogger over the past year or so although I continue to read many blogs whenever I get the chance.  I've done a bit of stitching - finished nothing, but continue to be inspired and enthralled when I see on the internet what everyone else is doing.

2013 was not a great year for me healthwise but I've taken control  in 2014 and I can only say I've never felt better.  To date I've lost 19kgs and life is good.  However I still have a problem - I can't help myself, I just love the look, the feel, the smell of patchwork fabrics, I love going to exhibitions and shows and talking to other patchworkers and I especially love visiting patchwork shops and the excitement I get when I'm purchasing fabrics for a project is beyond measure. 

So despite knowing that I have 37 projects currently under construction (when I foolishly counted them last year), these are my latest purchases -

From Quiltsmith - even my husband likes the tin - I suspect he knows me a bit too well.  I've yet to decide which project I'll store in it. This gorgeous Alexander Henry fabric (as well as a little more that I've already tucked away in the cupboard.)

 This collection is from Always Blooming by Susy Pilgrim Waters for P&B Textiles, purchased from Kim Bradley Creations at Castle Hill - well worth the trek to get there.  I have a quick quilt in mind for these to throw on my lounge chair where Scarlet the dog loves surveying her kingdom.  She also loves rubbing against quilts so I've decided to give in and make one just for her.


 For me no trip to Sydney is complete without a visit to Material Obsession and I wasn't disappointed this time.  It's not just the fabrics, there's always so many quilts to see that I'm a bit like a child in a candy shop.

Last photo is a project commenced in a workshop with Kim Bradley at home in Emerald a few weeks ago.  I loved preparing and stitching the applique but consider myself no artist so I had to be coaxed kicking and screaming to pick up the pastels and paints to add colour and definition to the design.  Dare I state the obvious that Kim knows what she is talking about and I love the result.  I'm planning to start quilting it shortly because I already know where the finished quilt will hang. Incidentally it was a great workshop and I'll be putting my hand up if ever I get the opportunity to attend a workshop with Kim in the future.

That's enough for now.

Cheers, Bev

 

 

 

Happy New Year - Welcome 2014

Happy New Year to all who read this blog.  2013 rushed by and on reflection I did have great intentions at the start of 2013, lots of plans for quilts and sewing and getting into some of my many WIPs - it just didn't happen.  C'est la vie -  I had a wonderful year...lots of trips away, bits and pieces of sewing that I really enjoyed doing and lovely times with friends and family. 

Bring on 2014 and again I'd like to be more productive in my sewing room but being realistic, I know that family, home, dogs and work will all take precedence. 

In the meantime, since it just doesn't seem right not to include a photo, here's one taken back in July while attending the Taupo Quilt Symposium in New Zealand.  I had a lovely time, it's a beautiful country and I was very lucky to get into some wonderful classes at the Symposium.  Here I am with Peggy & Pam on our way to class.  There's no need to tell you the temperature, sufficient to say that in Central Queensland over the past week or so the temperature has exceeded the very high 30's and low 40's , so back in July when the photo was taken seems very dreamlike now.

Happy New Year and forward to 2014.