Fabric Choices

I am still sewing the blocks that make up the border on my Mary Brown quilt.These have been wonderful to pick up and sew while my other projects have needed preparation and I always need something to do at my sewing groups.
I try to keep to reproduction fabrics but sometimes another fabric is so ideal I have to use it. For the petals of the sunflowers I have used a tone on tone silky Japanese fabric and I'm really pleased with the texture it has added.

The fabric for the pineapple is a reproduction fabric and looks just right.

The blue bells had to be blue.

I have continued to use the fabrics from the centre square. This block reminds me of the passionfruit, a vine with tendrils. 

The birds continue to be black with blue wings as they are in the rest of the blocks.

I am now working on the last 4 blocks that will fill the corners of the border.

Over the weekend.....

it was the AQA, Australian Quilter's Association, quilt show. My local guild and I forgot to take my camera. The array of quilts were wonderful and varied. Pieced, Appliqued and Hand & Machined quilted.

There was a challenge to make a small quilt A3 size,bound and quilted. We  were given a paper bag with the challenge inside. A page out of a garden magazine, a packet of flower seeds and a piece of fabric. Green with gold thread through it. [one of my pet hates is fabrics with gold or lurex thread] I pinned the magazine page to my wall so I could look at it every time I went in my sewing room. There were sweet pea flowers on one side and a few small pictures on the other of a garden arbor,flowers and a meadow. I decided I would try and recreate the Meadow. Here is the page showing what I was doing my challenge on. I slipped a sheet of white paper over what I was not doing.

Strips of green fabrics which included the one from the paper bag. White daisies cut from fabric with a dab of yellow paint and a rough meander of quilting to hold them on. I didn't even vote for it. There were some with soo much work and effort.

I was totally surprised to find that mine was the winner.

The packet of seeds will be sown in the garden when the weather warms up.

A Little Red and White

I discovered on Cheri  's blog a free pattern at the beginning of each month. This is September's pattern. The first red and white I have made. Such a change to piece and not applique. Before I started my sewing machine got an oil and clean and a needle change. It worked beautifully. I have had my Bernina 440 about 3 years and I still love how smooth it runs and how even the stitches are over seams.

Now to sandwich and quilt.

The Sun has been Shining

I took my camera out into the garden while the sun was shining. I am amazed that at the start of Spring I have so much flowering. The first photo shows the Spider Magnolia, a soft pink with a delicate flower. The deep pink flowers are a Salvia. It only flowers through the Winter and is 7' to 8' tall. I think the birds have been trying to get nectar from the flowers because a number of the stems are leaning well over.

The blue Echiums are out and will be buzzing with bees soon.

The Camellia bush was here when we moved in and all I've ever done to it, is a heavy prune every second year.

This is a flowering Almond, all for show, once a year. The netting below is an extension to the vegie garden and it's the only way we've  managed to keep the possums out. 

This is my Blueberry bush. It usually sits on the verandah but I moved it while the blossom is out so I don't knock it off and lose the fruit.

and my Cyclamen sitting outside my sewing room window.

New Header

September has arrived and  my header photograph was due for a change.This is called Lila's quilt. Made for my DIL. She loves red. I am going to add the photo of the backing.I couldn't resist it because she was nursing at the time.

Quilts in the Barn 2

Here are a few more photos of Jo Morton's quilts at the Barn. I was back on Sunday helping out and the weather was just glorious. Not quite as busy as Friday but a steady stream of visitors to see the quilts. A lot of familiar faces and some new ones too.  

Isn't the cheddar and blue wonderful together? and the little baskets.

So many to look at again and again.

This Quilt belonged to Megan. It is a Karen Cunningham design but made with Jo's fabrics. The photo doesn't do it justice. It was vibrant.

This tumbler quilt hung at the entrance to the Barn. It belongs to Linda and is made with Jo's fabrics. Just beautiful.

 Linda will let us know what was raised for Breast Cancer Research when she tallies it up.  Next year, I believe we are having our own Red and White quilt show.

Quilts in the Barn - Day 1

This is the entry to the Barn and our wonderful Raffle  quilt made with Jo Morton's fabrics. The Quilts in the Barn is held every year to raise money for Breast Cancer Research and this year features Jo Morton and her quilts.

Here Jo and Russ are checking out their photos. The basket quilt to the top right is second prize in the raffle. The quilts are beautiful with the many different fabrics of Jo's.

I loved this quilt with the little stars.

This is Jo's new quilt pattern and will be available October/ November.

If you live in Melbourne, Australia the quilt show runs over the weekend too and well worth a visit. The Quilted Crow shop from Tasmania is here too. 

Photographs of the quilts will be on here in the next and coming weeks.