Down time

What do you do in your down time? I get a chance to work on some of my own projects.

I've had a break from classes lately and I've been madly quilting my entry for this year's Sydney Quilt Show in June.

Have a close look and you can see a "feather-ish" wreath in the centre of the block.

 

I've quilted diamonds in the sashing and a swirl in the diamonds themselves.

I've used a combination of straight line and free motion quilting all over the quilt.

I traced a stencil onto the centre and I must get that blue pen out. There are so many threads on the back to trim off.

I've also been quilting this for a project in Quilters Companion magazine later in the year.

Both quilts are due the same week early in June so I've been very busy. I even bought a new walking foot - $145! - because I'd worn the other one out in the 13 years I've used it. The new one is so much better thank goodness.

Lots of free motion quilting and outlining with the walking foot.

I really like machine quilting and the quilt comes alive when you can see lots of surface designs.

This is a WIP - the yellow background is nearly 3 feet top to bottom and the centre oval will be appliqued onto it. Can't wait for the next step which involves some NYB  bits!

As well I've been playing around with some circle blocks from an 1840 English quilt - hand-pieced American style and I can do one circle a night in front of the TV.

These are a bit addictive - I've made several in different fabric styles to see which one will become a new quilt.

Winners!

Winners drawn randomly are Gill - no blog

 Needled Mom

 and Ellyn from Ellyn's Place

Thanks to all who left a comment and I hope the winners enjoy their new cushions!

Thanks too to Sew, Mama, Sew for hosting the giveaway.

I've emailed the winners - now I just need their addresses.

And a Happy Mother's Day to all mums. This says it all I think!

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Day!

 

 

Way back in February this year I had a project featured in Australian Homespun magazine.

There was a pattern to make each of these three cushions featuring blocks from my Basket Case quilt.

The cushion covers are foundation pieced baskets with a wide border and giant ric rac edging around the outside.

The cushions would suit an 18" insert and have a cross-over flap closure on the back.

 

My Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway this year is these three cushion covers - you supply the insert.

One cushion cover to three separate winners!

I am willing to ship overseas so leave me a comment telling me how these cushions would fit into your décor. It's that simple.

I'll pick three winners at random and award the covers in the order the photos appear in this post.

So get on over to Sew, Mama, Sew and check out all the other giveaways - you'll be amazed at what's happening!

 

Recovering!

...from a very tiring five days of quilt show!

Here's the team from Unique Treasures - our stall at the show selling bric AND brac plus patterns, fabric and quilts. And we had a great time catching up with old friends over the three days the show was open. I can tell you Jenny Patterson's Tree of Life quilt was voted viewers choice and Colleen from the Lillyvale stall at the show won the raffle quilt! Almost keeps it in the family doesn't it.

I'll have details re money raised soon.

 

In the meantime some pics to ponder. This is a version of my Deauville quilt - so sorry I've not kept a record of the maker's name!

This is Libby's NYB quilt made for a guy whose interests are reflected in the fabrics chosen. Great work!

Heard of yarn-bombing? Wikipedia tells me it's "a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre rather than paint or chalk."

Check these two out - how clever!

Not much to report this week - I'm busy quilting my quilt for the Sydney Quilt Show in June and another due at Quilters Companion magazine the same week! Better get to it.

Class pics

Lots of pics today in no particular order.

Heather's cushion from my Basket Case pattern. When I saw this in the flesh I ran straight to Spotlight and bought some of that yummy border fabric!

 

Deco Lamp from my Bathurst class.

Belinda brought in her Reproduction Beauties to show the finished item, quilted by Belinda Betts (a different Belinda!) from Orange.

Below is a detail of the quilting from the back - another fine example of Belinda's quilting expertise.

Laurel's finished Almost Austen. My original quilt has disappeared - I think it might have gone from a shop but no idea which one or when!

Lesley's Mariners Garden

You can just see Jane from my MOB class and the start of her Mariners Madness.

Have a look at Kathy's latest post - she mentions my latest quilt in Homespun magazine. Thanks for the plug Kathy!

I'm taking a photo of Michelle taking a photo of her NYB blocks coming together beautifully.

Supernova Leftovers block from Jessie.

These two belong to Bronwyn and Alice - same pattern but different looks.

Below is Tracey's first block in the Lots of Dots journey.

I was playing with a photo app called Vintique and came up with this version of her block.

I came across this article the other day on a running stitch for machine quilting. Check it out, it's very interesting.

I'm off to Snake Gully Quilters today - wish me luck in the wilds of Muswellbrook!

I'll be back with more pics soon.

Springwood Quilt Show

Only 18 days til the show opens!

Please come and visit us at Springwood High School Hall, Grose Rd Faulconbridge

from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th of this month. 10-4 each day.

 

This is our beautiful raffle quilt and there will be 10 traders, a great café and our featured quilter this year is Nerida Richmond-Benson who makes amazing Japanese-themed quilts.

I have a stall at the show where I'll be selling patterns, some quilts and tops and lots of lovely linen bits, as in doileys and tablecloths.

Along with my friend Vicki we also have an amazing collection of bric AND brac available for sale at great prices. So if you're a collector of interesting "bits" come and see us at Unique Treasures just inside the hall doors.

A whole day of play!

I was a student last Friday at Victoria Findlay Wolfe's class in Sydney and what fun it was!

Here she is in front of one of the many quilts she brought with her on the long trip to Oz.

Bad pics from my phone - sorry.

We MADE fabric all morning then got to cut and slash and make shapes from our new yardage. What a liberating exercise with lovely fellow class-mates all enjoying the journey.

I have no names for most of these but Sarah scored this background block from the scrap pile and it just spoke to her as a pear tree. Beautiful.

I sat with Michelle and was blown away by her thousand pyramids of made fabric with the text print as a highlight. What a fun gal! all the way from Canberra.

You can see the template at the bottom ready to cut shapes from the new fabric.

One brave felloow was in the class and he was using shirts to great effect with the added Kaffe highlights.

Grace from MOB was making this for her grandaughter. Wonky log cabins with resident owls - too good!

This was so much better in real life.

And this was my effort for the day - who would have thought to cut and slash hexagons!

Victoria and Kathy at the end of the day. Thanks so much MOB for letting us have a whole day of play - not just 15 minutes. I'm sure Kathy will have lots of pics on her blog too.