Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Day 4

Work today, so mainly stitching in the train to and from work. The project for the train (and car whilst a passenger) is my blue and white postage stamp quilt of one inch pieces.





In January this year I set myself a goal (not a New Year's resolution) to try and sew at least one half hour each day. I have managed to achieve my goal most days and I have recorded what I have achieved each day, in a most appropriate book:








This is proving to be a very useful exercise as I do not like to have an entry 'no sewing', and aim to have at least 'planning next quilt'.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Day 3

Well I was off to a good start with a finish on the second day of the challenge set by Pomegranate and Chintz, so now I have turned to a project that I am very behind in. Last year in a fit of enthusiasm (or madness) I signed up for the Quilted Crow Block of the Month - The Cousin's Walk.  I don't know why these are called Block of the Month, when it is actually Blocks of the Month - four blocks each month to be exact! So far I have received patterns for blocks 1 to 20, and four more to be received very soon. I have completed blocks 1 to 10, and today I have prepped and started appliquing block 11.


Tomorrow is  a work day so I will be hoping to complete my hour of sewing in the train to and from work.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Day 2

Well, still keeping up with the challenge!. Today I have finished binding the streak of lightning quilt for son R's girlfriend.


 Son M is holding the quilt for the outdoor photoshoot, (luckily he is quite tall). I have to confess that I commenced this quilt nearly twenty years ago, and when I found out that R's girlfriend likes purple and black I thought that it would be ideal as a gift for her.



 


and even added a label, (the Clover wonder clips are great when binding a quilt, no more blood on quilts from injuries from pins).

Also today I have cut out some more pieces for my ongoing blue and white postage stamp quilt which I sew in the train on the journey to and from work.






I find the plastic punnets that apples are packaged in are ideal for reuse as receptacles for patchwork pieces.

Well what shall I sew tomorrow?

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Pomegranate and Chintz stitching contest

Day 1

Decided to take up the challenge set by Meredithe at Pomegranate and Chintz to "sew something, anything, be it prepping, hand piecing, hand appliqué, embroidery, hand quilting for at least 1 hour each day and post about it." This is going to be quite a challenge seeing how I am such an irregular blogger, can I keep it up for two weeks and sew one hour a day as well?

Well today I have worked on sewing on the binding of a quilt that I have made for son R's girlfriend, the quilt is streak of lightning in black and shades of purple.


I don't know what it is about cats and quilts, but no sooner had I laid the quilt out on my bed to take a photograph, than the cat leapt on it.


Day one completed, and a sense of achievement.  Thank you Meredithe!

Monday, May 26, 2014

On point or not?



Not much sewing has been going on around here lately, which is why I have not been updating my blog, I don’t have anything much of a material nature to post, and also I have been very busy at work organising an annual event.

Rediscovered these churn dash blocks in red, grey and black that was my travelling to work piecing project a few years ago. This quilt has never been finished because I cannot decide whether to set the blocks in straight lines with an alternate black block or on point with alternate black blocks.

Churn dash is an interesting block that looks very different (to my eyes) when it is in a straight line


 Compared with when the blocks are placed on point. These photos are bit wonky because the blocks have been placed roughly on my bed.

 

 

I think that I need to put the blocks up on my "design wall" (the wall in the dining room) and look at them for a while before making a final decision. Though the decision may be made for me, as I will have to make more blocks if I set the blocks in straight lines.


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Anzac Day

The last few years Anzac Day has been bright and sunny, not so today. There was still a very good turnout in the rain.



Anzac Day, a time for reflection, is always a moving occasion, and more sombre in the rain.



 There are services like this in many little towns around Australia today.

Long time between posts!

 Well as usual it has been some time between posts. This is because I have been trying to finish this quilt (in spite of furry obstacles) for the Springwood quilt  show



Well now that this is actually hanging at the Springwood quilt show I can read my email and update my blog. I must be the sloweeest quilter.


When entering my quilt I remembered that the lighting in the Springwood High School hall is not the best so I thought that no one will notice the (many) flaws in my quilt. However, when I took this photo of all the beautiful quilts hung ready for the crowds of visitors tomorrow I noticed that the lighting in the Hall has been much improved (though not enough to improve the clarity of my photography).


It was our wedding anniversary last week and we went for a delightful cruise on the Nepean River on the the Nepean Belle.


Monday, March 24, 2014

Castlemaine Applique Group Quilt Show






I was lucky enough to be in Castlemaine for this wonderful exhibition. Well actually it was well planned as I had enrolled in Threadbear’s Appliqué School on Saturday 15 March.  I visited the exhibition after a full day of learning about the finer points of appliqué from the wonderful Di Ford Hall and Margaret MacDonald and was so overwhelmed by the number of quilts and the wonderful needle skills that I managed to not take one photo! Just as well other bloggers had their wits about them such as Hilda at Every Stitch who has some fantastic photos on her blog, and Carole at Wheels on the Warrandyte Bus has lots of great photos including close ups.

Made few purchases from Threadbear.  Margaret MacDonald used a little bit of this pink in her quilt Charlotte Louise, so when I spied that Threadbear had it, it had to be purchased. 


 It also comes in blue.





Speaking of blue, I managed to purchase a few more blue and white fabrics from Threadbear to add some interest to my postage stamp quilt. Threadbear will cut a minimum of 10cm, which is great if you only want a little bit of a fabric.



I have seen these lights on various blogs but when I saw them in action I had to have one, so portable and does not take up much space but is very enlightening, just perfect for workshops.



 Anothe useful purchase was these needle grabbers from Little House. I usually use a rubber a rubber finger pad that can be purchased from stationers, but these little things are far superior.




We returned home on Saturday after ten days away in Victoria, staying with friends who have a farm on the outskirts of Castlemaine.  It is so peaceful with just the sound of the birds and the occasional moo. They have just purchased a beaut new tractor, very useful when hand feeding the cattle, it is so dry in Victoria.


These two babies were abandoned by their mothers. Two cows had twin calves and as they could only manage one calf the other calf was abandoned. It is lucky for these two who have been hand reared that they have each other for company.


Aren't they cute.




Saturday, March 8, 2014

Quilt progress?

Well very slow progress is being made with my tulip quilt for the Springwood Quilt Show, though in a sign of optimism I did drop off my entry form yesterday, so now I am committed to finish it otherwise there will be a blank space at the quilt show. I am very well known for procrastination (my mother says  it is my middle name, and often quotes "procrastination is the thief of time". So I have been doing things other than quilting.






Dead heading agapanthus so that their seed does not spread into the bush. Whilst in the garden I found our very overgrown and forgotten cumquat tree.


What to do with all this fruit? My son M said "Don't preserve them in brandy, they were awful when you did that". I had some very ripe bananas, so had to make a banana cake.


I managed to take a photo before my sons scoffed the lot. And then I did some quilting. I love the look of hand quilting as it progresses and you get that puffy look. I can't quilt using a bare finger underneath, for years I have been using this great little gadget (I am also known for loving gadgets) TJ's quick quilter. This is my second one as I managed to wear out the first one that I had.


Try as I might I cannot get my quilting stitches even in length. Any suggestions?




Sunday, March 2, 2014

Weather report

Saturday was quite wet and misty. I attempted to take some photos of my garden in the mist but my little point and shoot camera only wanted to focus on the rain drops.






Then these two turned up looking for tasty morsels in the grass, and my camera managed to focus on them.


Still working away on the tulip quilt. I am quite enjoying quilting this quilt, as Rhonda Pearce at PO Patchwork, Glenbrook recommended the Hobbs Poly Down polyester wadding as good for hand quilting. I usually use Matilda's Own wool and polyester which I love for quilts that are going to be used on beds and for cuddling up in. So I am happy to use polyester in this quilt as it is not going to be used as a bed quilt.



Thought I would just throw thnis picture in as a reminder of sunnier and drier climes. I have always loved Sturt's Desert Pea since a trip to Broken  Hill when I was ten years old. They look beautiful in their native habitat growing against the red dirt.


This is a hybrid developed by Flinder's University "Flinders Flame" suited to growing in pots. I bought this at Christmas and it is still growing and flowering.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

What have I been up to?

It has been some since my last post, and thinking back on what I have been up to, the answer is not much! Well Christmas always takes up a lot of time and then in January I worked six days a week for three weeks. I have managed to finally put some postage stamp quilt blocks together.


There are 729 one inch squares, so it is only 27 inches by 27 inches. I have to decide whether to leave it as a very small quilt, or keep going and make 8 more blocks like this, which would make a large (and very heavy) quilt 81 inches by 81 inches, and contain 6,561 pieces!!


This is my travelling quilt, I work on it in the car (when I am a passenger) or when travelling in the train to work with my friend Cecily.

I have also been working on a quilt that I hope to finish in time for the Springwood Quilt Show in April. This is the first largeish applique quilt that I have made. I commenced  the applique and piecing in the second week in January and I am now hand quilting it. I used two patterns from
 

and one block that I designed myself, after looking at tulip blocks in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Applique.

Well I hope to be a more regular blogger from now on.