Washing

With the weather being so hot yesterday, I decided to wash a couple of my quilts. I never treat them as if they are 'precious',  I just put them in the washing machine on a Woollen setting, with cold water, some Wool Mix and 3 or 4  Colour Catchers. These pieces of paper work their magic and catch any colour that runs especially if there is red fabric in the quilt. My Antique Sampler hadn't had it's wash when I finished making it so it still had it's Rosanne glue and chalk markings on the quilt.  Hanging it outside in the warmth with a good breeze blowing it took 20mins to dry.
The reds are red and the whites are white.......

 

 

........... I can't say the same for the Colour Catchers.

 

 

 

 

Australia Day

Today , the 26th January is Australia Day. It's about celebrating the fact that we live in the 'lucky country'. I came to Australia in 1966 and I was amazed at how big and blue the sky could be without a cloud in sight. I still love those days, when the sun is out, the washing on the line dries in 20mins and the magpies strut across the lawn as if they own it.

 

I've been sewing a bit more of my BOM. Now come the hexies in the corners. 

  

 

 

and one more Oak Leaf block.

 

 

 

When it's hot - Sew

We are all breathing a sigh of relief now that the weather has changed from unbelievably hot to our much cooler but more normal summer weather. I think most people living in Melbourne, Aus  melted during our four days of over 40C temperatures this last week. Yesterday dropped to 19C which felt a tad cold but today at 24C is beautiful. Long may this last.

It gave me the time though, to sit with the Air conditioning ON , to watch the Tennis and Sew. I started Di Ford's BOM , in Quiltmania. and here is a picture of what I have done so far. If you've seen it in the magazine you'll notice I've used a different fabric for my Broderie Perse. I'm already making a quilt with the Chintz fabrics and didn't want two with the same. The places where the ring of scallops sits, I've marked with an iron-off pen so they won't show once I have them placed  - and pressed. The background is a creamier colour than is showing in the photo, too.

 

 

 

and I'm still working with the Chintz and the hexies. It's turning out quite bright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 January

Feeling better and back to normal which includes sewing again. Summer has arrived at last with a couple of lovely warm days which is now going to be followed with 4 or 5 days of hot weather. The next few days are going to be in the 30C's which can get a tad uncomfortable but as we have air-conditioning I will stay in, sew and watch the tennis on the TV of the Melbourne Open. 
Meanwhile I finished Block 3 for Lori's quilt. The centre does look paler in the photo than it really is.

 

The next project is new and the pattern which is by Somerset will be available in a coming magazine so I'm only showing a small section.

 

I always pick the roses for the house when I know it's going to be hot. They last a little bit longer indoors.  I think this one is called Mother's Day

 

and a Blue Moon

 

and Mister Lincoln

 

 

 

2014

Happy New Year
Wishing everyone all the best for 2014.

I haven't been too well over Christmas so there has been no blog and no sewing.
Hoping to to get back to both soon.

December

Each year I take part in a Christmas Swap with a Prim Yahoo group. This week I received my parcel from Imi in Holland. It contained a Mug Mat, a FQ ,a Christmas decoration and a pattern. Each of us had to send the same to our Swap partner. I have sent my parcel to Sandy in Ohio. The mug mat is all made from felted wool and it is beautiful. The decoration is double sided with a snowman's face on each side and I think everything I received is just lovely.

 

 

 We were asked to bring our scissor collection to the sewing group on Friday at Somerset', this time.  I found scissors with each of my projects, in drawers, containers - everywhere and I decided just a couple would be enough to take.  I have taken a picture of a few of what I have , dressmaking shears which are large, pinking shears which are very stiff, sewing scissors, embroidery scissors, tiny cream travel [airport] scissors and my snips that I use when sewing on the machine.

How many pairs does one need?  How many do you have?

 

I have one special pair though. I believed  they were my Grandmothers but they may have belonged to my Great Grandmother,  because I have found a name on the side of them and it  would need to a maiden name as it is not my Grandmother's name although this is who I got them from.  They also have a special purpose. They are buttonhole scissors, for the days when there were no zippers. The buttonhole was stitched and then the hole was cut between the stitches. I've put my thimble there to try to show the size.

 

 

 

 

and here is a picture with the hole cut and I've slid a button in the slit to try and show it clearer. Because of the shape of them the blade doesn't cut the edge of the fabric. The piece of fabric I used just happened to have been pinked around the edge and has nothing to do with these scissors.

 

 

 I wonder how old they are? I'll also have to try and find out what my Great grandmother's maiden name was.

 

 

 

 

 

Sewing and reading

This is the 2nd block for Lori's  Humble Quilts  quilt. There is always a lot of fabric cutting  to be done with each block, so I spent quite a few hours this week just cutting out squares in two different sizes.

 

 

This I'm sure will make a difference to the time spent on each block. The bundles of colours are mixed so that I have a large variety to pick from and the shirtings are all the small pieces I have had left over.  The containers I bought at the Supermarket and are a wonderful size for the job they are doing.

 

 

 

Something different! At Somerset on Friday, Karen gave  us a challenge to make the following. She had got them at Market and brought them back for us. They came in a little package with the instructions and a bundle of fabrics.  I haven't done any Foundation piecing for a long time and it was thoroughly enjoyable, to sit yesterday afternoon and make these 'Cupcakes'. I just need to put the borders on and finish them off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I forgot you were there.....

While I was in the cupboard looking for my halogen table lamp I found this container/bucket and instantly knew what was inside it. It must be 6 years since I started this project and I also remember that I found it beyond me at that time. What I did forget was that I had...

 

cut all the background blocks out, all 25 of them and

 

I had also cut all the pieces of fabric for the applique and placed them inside each block.

 

 

and I had already sewn the applique on 4 of them. They are Oak Leaf Wreaths. [ try saying that quickly] in either red, orange or yellow reproduction fabrics. These are going to keep me sewing for quite a while. The red one at the top may have to be unpicked as it's not square on the block, one of 'How to do this' I have since learned. The fabrics are still some of my favourites which is lovely as I know my tastes have changed from when I started Patchwork.

 

 

 

I've also been sewing my Coxcombs and Stars. I finished the berries on the border, all 60 of them and started Block 3. It is lovely to pick up this soft brushed cotton fabric  and sew a bit after appliqueing an Oak Leaf on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corners and Borders

All the applique for the corners and surrounds is finished and I'm really pleased how it looks. Once it is quilted I'm going to bind it in the background fabric.

 

The photo of my 'finished' Toile medallion is not great but it lets you see the final borders. The colour of the last border is as you see it, a strong Chrome Yellow. 

 

 

 

Preparation! it always takes longer than you think it will. Block 3 of Coxcombs and Stars is now ready to needleturn , but first I've got 60 berries for the border piece to make and attach.  The Stars are already stitched to the rounds. It's easier to do them first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos taken

I put the last border on to finish the block and a photo to show. It may hang on the wall for a while, until I get some of my current projects finished but I would like to make some more blocks and I have plenty of Reproduction 'brights' to keep going.

 

 

 The next photo is the Christmas stitchery I have just finished. I still have to make up my mind whether to frame it or make something with it.

 

and last, my Coxcombs and Stars blocks and border. I'm working on the left border at the moment as it was in the bundle with the 2nd block. At least when I get the 4th block sewn there will only be one border to go. I have never had a pattern before where the blocks aren't finished first before the borders are started.

 

Today is a beautiful sunny, warm day. The washing is done, out on the line and dry. The garden is looking good, with the roses, daisies and sweetpea all in flower and it's a great place to sit and sew.

 

 

 

 

A Little bit of this and...

a little bit of that.
  The decision was made and I've sewn the medallion to the background. Each corner has applique too and I have the freezer paper pieces ready to go. I just need to spend some time preparing them, choosing fabrics and marking them ready to sew.

 

 

The next border has been attached and the fabrics are cut for a diamond border which is next.

 

 

 

I joined in Lori's Humble Quilts block making, for the quilt in the  header on her blog.

 This is Part 1 and 2 but the instructions are all there if you fancy joining in. Part 3 is ready to be made with more plain and HST's borders.

 

 

When I visited the Melbourne Quilt Show I bought a piece of fabric from the 'No Chintz' fabric stand. They had a chair upholstered in it. I have now put it to good use and made myself a [nother] bag. The fabric along the top of it, is an old Repro that was in my stash and I think it goes very well with the main fabric and the handles which were bought a while ago finished the job. 

 

I've also fitted in a bit of applique of my Jan Patek quilt and a Christmas stitchery but I'll show you them next time as I haven't taken photos yet. It's been good getting a bit of everything sewn. There's certainly no time to get bored.

 

 

 

 

 

Sewing on the Machine

I finally decide to give the hand piecing a rest and get started on a new quilt that is in the Quiltmania magazine No 96. It is Marg Sampson George's Toile Medallion. I've been looking at it since I did the Jane Pizar workshop with Marg. and as I had just bought the feature fabric recently wanted to get going. The piece of secondhand fabric was filthy, but after several hand washes with wool mix and some Sard added, it came up beautifully and has really bright colours in it which include Double Pinks and a Chrome yellow.

So here is the centre.

 

 

The two ends attached

 

and now the sides.

 

There are several borders still to be made and attached but I'm happy with how it is coming along. Below is my Cyclamen. It has soo many flowers on it this year there is hardly enough room for them all to open. I think it must be all the cold weather we have had this Winter/Spring.

 

 

 

Last Weekend

The weekend started bright and early and the first photo shows everyone putting the last touches in place for the opening of The Quilts in the Barn at Linda's . It was a busy, busy day with so many people streaming in to see Petra Prins Chintz quilts, books and fabrics.

We also had Mary and Joe Koval with their antique quilts and fabrics, Quiltmania books and the Quilted Crow shop from Hobart.

 

 

This was my quilt on display with a piece of 1900 Chintz fabric in the centre. I had bought it from Mary Koval a couple of years ago.

 

This was part of Mary's display.

 

Di Ford and Meghan selling Chintz fabrics surrounded by Petra's beautiful Chintz quilts.

It sold very quickly and by Sunday little was left.

One of the antique Chintz quilts on show that I really liked. The colours although faded were beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the quilts hanging up were stunning.

 

The next photo was taken Sunday afternoon with Linda and some of her helpers. All money raised goes to Breast Cancer Research.

 

 

Not a whole lot going on.

Just a little bit of sewing, some more Stars and a couple of Crossroads which is the next block. I finished the last book I bought on holiday so I may get back into it now.

 

 

I have been to-ing and fro-ing with fabrics. Trying to decide on a background for my Jane P quilt. It's a matter of pinning to the wall and pinning the circle on top, taking a photo and taking it back down again and then pinning up the next and next again. I did leave the first one up for quite a few days but the others had a quick turn around. I still haven't made up my mind. They are all out of my stash.  See what you think, they are all 1m [40"] of fabric, so it's large.

 

 

 

 

 

This one is used in the centre shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a red stripe, old Rocky Mountain range.

 

 

 

 

Hmm!