End of the month

As usual, when it gets to the end of the month I change my header. This month it is the Scrapbook quilt made with a black cotton background and wool applique and cotton blocks.
Most of the wool I felted and dyed myself. I like working with wool, it is soft on the hands and easy to whipstitch. I use the Aurifil 'Lana' which is a wool 'thread' on spools which is also good for the buttonhole stitch on the sewing machine when a large piece needs sewn.

I have made another block for the Mary Brown quilt. I'm really enjoying sewing these blocks. They are all different and once prepared can be easily sewn while watching a bit of the French Open tennis. Such a good way to spend one's time when the weather is cold and miserable.

Stitching

I got this block finished for the Mary Brown quilt this week and have prepare the next one for sewing. I did the bird in the very centre of my quilt with black fabric and I'm happy to continue to make the birds in the border with a variety of black fabrics.

I hope to get some more done while I watch the tennis at the French Open.Nothing better when the weather is miserable.

Bits and Pieces

This is a mixture of bits and pieces.  From my visit out into the garden. Broccoli, a cabbage, spring onions [more like mini leeks] they have grown so well,a capsicum and 2 figs.Yum. There are plenty of green figs on the tree and  I have been told that it is now too cold for them to ripen, but I'll wait and see if they do.

An email from Margaret telling me the next 4 blocks will be out next week had me finishing this month's blocks.The top left one has a bit of a 'zing' to it with the fabrics I used.

Meanwhile I have started the border blocks for the Homage to Mary Brown quilt. There are 19 blocks that surround what I have already sewn [April 12th blog post]. Looking at the photo I think the top one needs a few more leaves.

and I did get the rabbit made with the felted wool.

On Monday at the guild we had The Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research and one of the requests was that we bring along a pin cushion that related to a morning tea. This is the tableful we got. My pincushion is the large slice of chocolat cake with pink icing [ No 9 ] It had been given to me as a present last year and it won 4th place.

and this was another one that won a prize.The entry that won 1st I don't have a photo of, it was a box of fabric chocolates and they were beautifully made.

*A friend has just sent me a photo of the winning box of chocolate 'pincushions'. If you look at the size of the eggcup next to them you'll gauge how small they were.

Today

Today I was listed on Dawn 's blog as a Versatile Blogger. Thank you Dawn.

Please take the time to look at Dawn's great new blog.

Now I have to list 7 things not generally known about me.

1. I emigrated from Scotland to Australia in 1966.

2.I still have a Scottish accent.

3. Don't expect me out of bed before 9am unless I'm going quilting.

4. My best subjects at school were Needlework and Maths.

5.I started making quilts in 2000.

6.My Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 5 years old.

7. I can't sing in tune.

Now here's my list of  blogs I'm passing the award on to. Please link it back to this blog and pass the award on with 7 of your own.

1. http://www.susisquilts.blogspot.com/                                           

   2. http://addictedtoquilts.blogspot.com/.                                              

3. http://countryfragrance.blogspot.com/                                            

    4.  http://broderie.typepad.com                                                         

5. http://hexabee.blogspot.com/                                                     

   

I hope you enjoy having a look at them.

 

Old Welsh Quilts

 I went to the Applique Society at Castlemaine on Saturday with a couple of friends and the speaker for the day was a lady who had brought along her Great Aunt's Welsh Quilts. They were very old and some were well worn. I could see the wool batting showing through and it was rough and grey. It looked as if it was off the sheep's back. The first quilt was one she had made recently in a Welsh design. The other photos show the 'old' quilts which were each made with a single fabric. The quilting was outstanding and could be clearly seen on the plain fabric. I hope it shows up enough for you all to see. The edges had been turned in and stitched with a quilting stitch so there was no bindings. 





The quilting isn't showing very well on this one. It may be clearer if you use your  zoom
on your computer.



The Last Stitch

Auntie Green's Quilt

The centre panel is finished!