Past Reflections - Block 3 - Rose and Leaves

The next block is ready just in time for some more holiday sewing.  This one looks a bit Christmasy, but that was not my intention.  Most of the blocks are green/red/pink and gold.....so I guess it could be made into a Christmas quilt.

The applique on this block could be a little tricky if you are not very confident.  I did each of the leaves in one piece working in and out of the small parts of the leaves.  However, when it came to teaching, I actually broke the leaves up into 3 parts as an option.  Draw an imaginary line across each of the leaves.  Applique the two "across" pieces first, then add the long part of the leaf.  In the whole scheme of things, you do not actually notice that it has been done this way.  I marked these lines on the pattern as an option.

The pattern is now available as a digital download on the Legend and Lace website.  Remember, there is no charge for the patterns, but you have to put them into your shopping cart and proceed from there.  You get 3 days to download once you have done that, and you get 3 goes at it.  Let me know if you need the links reset.  The only thing I can not do is help you with your printer problems...sorry.

I am starting to recycle a couple of my older applique projects.  One that I got out the other day, I remember starting on the trip we did to Kangaroo Island for my husbands 60th birthday.......he will be 70 next year.  My how time flies!  I found a big problem with this one, and  am going to have to take it to the "brains trust" (aka applique group) to help me sort it.  More on that one later......except to say that some of the blocks were done as 14" and some as 15".

I also got out my Cherry Tree blocks.  I have made 20 of the 25 and plan to leave it at 20, but I will start on the big border for the quilt.  It can be resized for the smaller quilt.  Photos next time.

My "Return to Paradise" is in the loving hands of the machine quilting guru for basting. So the hand quilting of that will take up a fair bit of my time over the next few months,

Happy New Year to you all.  Thanks for your company in 2014.  Hope to see more of you in 2015

Return to Paradise

I have just completed adding the final border to the Return to Paradise.  This is my version of Dawn's - Collector with a Needle - Calico Paradise.

Next week it is going to the machine quilting lady to be basted, so I can start the hand quilting.  I tried to lay it out flat to take a good picture for you, but it is so big, I could not find a space on the floor without moving too much furniture.....so you get little snaps of it.

I have had this border fabric in my cupboard for a good few years now, waiting on the right project.  The colour is madder, the same as the other reds in the quilt, so it is really perfect.  I cut the borders from the length of the fabric, and cut them a 1/4 of the width.  Whether or not they stay that wide, I have not yet decided.   The original quilt has 12" borders, but I am pretty sure it will look just as good with them a little narrower.

 While I had it on the ironing board, for the final press, I thought I would take a few close ups.

 I cut away from the back of the larger pieces of applique like these birds.  I don't always cut away, only when I think there might be lots of quilting on the applique shapes.  Makes nicer stitches.

I love these blues!  They are some old Smithsonian prints I have been hoarding for years.  No point in keeping them just for the sake of it.

Dawn said the original quilt had a purple backing.  I found this one, which is not really a reproduction fabric (that I know of) but it looks like it could be.  A lot of Henry Glass fabrics fit in with reproduction quilts.  Using such a dark backing, and a printed background fabric, I have not been quite so fussy about trimming the stray threads on the back of the work.  I figure no one is likely to notice :-))

Pom Pom Tree complete pattern, and other stuff

My sincere apologies for delay in producing this final part of the the Pom Pom trees pattern.  I really got stuck on this, and had to find a whole free day to work on it......which seems to be hard right now.

Anyway, it is done!!!  Yay!!  and thanks for being patient......there is no charge for this final part.  I know it looks hard, but really it is just 310 and half square triangles.......Just take your time over them, and all will work out.  The setting squares are 3 1/2" and have randomly selected circles of various sizes and colours.  This might take a little time, but you can get them all ready and carry along with you.  The rest of the border I did by machine.

I set myself a target of making one border strip a day, so they were all done in a month, and I had the little squares to work on at night at the same time.

Good luck with it and I would really loved to see some photos.......

I got the 9th Block of the Mary Mannakee quilt completed and made into a mini quilt.  It is now at Hettie's Patch hoping to lure weak willed quilters into joining our class. Don't think this is too hard....we will start with one of the easier blocks, like the one on the RHS - middle row.  I will show you how to do "back-basting" applique, with no templates, no freezer paper, no sticky stuff.

 The Past Reflections Quilt is also at Hettie's.  We will be doing both these quilts next year on the 1st Saturday and the 3rd Thursday of the month.  Come to both or either one.  Lorraine (shop owner) will be making up fabric packs for the Past Reflections.

Now for the holidays.........I have Christmas Day visitors at my house.  We are expecting 10 all together, and the day will be not too hot and not too cold - about 24C.  I plan to have them all out and gone by late afternoon and I can sit and sew and clean up at my leisure.  I am working on the final border of the Return to Paradise.  My goal is to have it all ready for quilting by the start of January.  Fingers crossed!

Mary M at Hettie's Patch

I thought by completing the 9th block of the Mary Mannakee quilt, I would be able to say I am ready to finish now, and make it into a little quilt.  Apparently not!

 When I have my monthly hand sewing group at Hettie's Patch, I always take along what I am working on at present, or what I am thinking about doing, or latest finish........something to get the girls inspired.  This time I took along the 8 1/2 blocks of the Mary Mannakee quilt, and got more than one or two inspired.  Lorraine (the owner of Hetties) got inspired too, and has now decided that we are going to offer this as an ongoing workshop for next year.  How about that! 

We will be doing it  on the 1st Saturday, and the 3rd Thursday of the month.  You can come to either or to both.  Get in touch with Lorraine on (08) 8346 0548 for further details, or to register your interest.

This is what block 9 looks like now.  Most of the leaves are in place, and I have started on the main flower, with the cut out pieces.  There are lots of reverse applique in this quilt.  It can be a bit scary for some people, but it can be made easy with a bit of practice and patience.  I always do the cut out part first, in case I make a mess of it, I can replace the fabric.  If I applique the whole flower in place, then  do the cut-outs, and make a mess, it is a lot of wasted time.

Also next year, at the same time as the Mary M blocks, we will be doing the Past Reflections blocks.  You will be able to purchase fabric packs for these blocks.  Makes it easy to get the colour right.

These are the first 2 blocks.  The 3rd block I will get ready before Christmas.  You can download the pattern on the Legend and Lace website.......so why the class? you ask.......some people collect the patterns, but never actually get around to making them.  They have every good intention, but need a little encouragement.  Committed to a class once a month is great encouragement.  Again, if you are interested. contact Lorraine at Hetties.

Both these quilts will be hanging in the shop soon for you to have a little look.  Well, one is a quilt, the other is only 9 blocks sewn together, that is pretending to be a quilt!

A few new things......

A couple of weeks ago I went to Melbourne for the Australian Quilt Market.  I was very conservative with how I spent my time, and really only came home with a couple of new things.

These little templates are called Pinwheel Magic.  They come in 6 1/2" and 4 1/2" size.  The idea is that you make a 4 patch block, and put this template on top of the block, line up the points, and cut.  You then get one of three different shape pinwheels.  There is a Youtube video to see how it is done.  They are on the Legend and Lace website now for $10.50 each, includes postage within Australia, or you can have both sizes for $20.

This panel is HUGE and part of the new range by Mary Koval called Palampore from Wyndham Fabrics.  You can have a look at the whole range on the Wyndham website.  I bought the WHOLE range for resale.  EEK!  It will be here next April, and there is only going to be limited stock.....so if you want it, let me know now and I will reserve it for you.  The panel is 50" x 90".....so almost a quilt in itself.  The cost as yet unknown.

So, I bought "little" things and "big" things that I could not resist.

More about Mary

 I have almost fallen back in love with this quilt.  Not that I had ever fallen out of love, I had just moved onto the next one.  Do I sound very fickle?  When I decided to turn the 7 blocks into 9 and make a small quilt, I had forgotten how really beautiful they are.

I am almost thinking I might make 12 now and make a slightly larger quilt.  There are 25 blocks in the pattern, and a huge appliqued border.  Some of the blocks are a bit of challenge with lots of cut outs and intertwining/overlapping stems.

You can see the original Mary Mannakee quilt here , and if you go to Pinterest (like I did) you get heaps of photos.

I used a collection of dark "poison" green fabrics, a few different reds and golds, plus that beautiful blue in my blocks.  So glad I decided to use the blue as well, as i seem to have a lot of red and green quilts happening.  This will break it up a bit.

One thing I must add about using a printed background.  This fabric is sort of off white, with a tiny red arrow like print on it.  When you applique red onto the background, it sometimes looks like you have bits poking out, or jagged edges that should be smooth.  On closer inspection you can see that it is the background print.  I was doing a bit of "tidying up" on them last night, and found I could not poke the bits back in.  On that point as well, if I do get a pointy bit on a smooth shape, I use a wooden toothpick, and poke it back into place. Works 90% of the time.

I went to the Australian Quilt Market in Melbourne last weekend.  Spent lots of money.  Next post I will show you some of the new things I have coming.

Past Reflections - Block 2

I am off to Melbourne tomorrow for a long weekend, and ticking off all the things I have to do, and this is one of them.

This block is fairly simple, if you don't like making pointy leaves!  It is now available to download on the Legend and Lace website. 

Thanks for all the people who joined into the first round of this BOM.....I guess people like applique, and they like "free stuff".....don't we all!  I have had lots of lovely emails and comments from people.

I have had the last week at home on my own while the DH has been off with his gold detector around the old gold fields of Victoria.  I told him he had to bring me home a large nugget, or the detector was going onto Ebay!  Very expensive device with little action so far.

For the week I had heaps of things in my mind that I wanted to do, and got about half done.  The sewing room is still not cleaned and tidy, but I might get some time and inclination to do that later today.  It is raining so there is one job off the list, which was to water the garden.

I am working on a commission for Quilters Companion magazine (so can not show photos yet) and I am up to the binding, so that is considered done, and after that I might get some time for my own pleasure..

Anyone got their latest Quiltmania magazine?  I have not seen it yet, but someone told me that my Little Sisters quilt is in there.......must be photos taken in Sydney.  I really must see that.

Ok, now off to do some work on THE LIST!

Friends Quilts

The Adelaide Quilt show was on the weekend.  I went along on Thursday to do some demos on the Guild stand, then on Saturday to see the things I missed.

I took photos of some of my friends quilts for you.  We are suppose to get permission before publishing any photos and I thought it was easier to ask people I know rather than strangers.  No one objected of course.

This is one my quilts to start with....this rose and basket quilt you have seen before

This is my friend Janette with her stunning applique quilt.  She won 1st prize in her category.  All hand appliqued and quilted.  It took her 8 years to make.  Janette makes one stunningly beautiful quilt every 5 to 10 years.

This appliqued and pieced quilt is made by Sheila.  The photo does not do it justice.  The colours are vibrant.  Machine appliqued and quilted by Sheila.

Hand appliqued and quilted by Wendy Hunt, another member of our stitching group

My Summertime quilt....machine pieced, and long arm machine quilted in a Baptist Fan

These three quilts were made by 3 friends sewing together......Clare, Julie and Christine.  All the same designs, but different fabric choices.

 

And, finally, my Little Sisters quilt which I have shown you before.

If you would like to have a look at all the winning quilts, go to http://www.saquilters.org.au/festival-of-quilts-2014.htm

This is why I love........

Playing with fabrics.....
Starting something new.....
Having a house full of colours......
Getting an idea in my head....

 Yesterday this was a pile of cut up fabric, for a pinwheel block.  Last night I sewed 4 of them together while watching TV.    Now, that is why I like hand piecing!  You can't put your sewing machine on you lap, can you?

When you put 4 of these blocks together, you get a whole new design.  the star in the centre is what took my imagination, but getting it is such a part of the fun.  When I first saw this quilt design it took me a bit to work out how it was made, but it is really simple.

In the long run, the blocks will not be together, it is just a trial.  I will not choose the layout until they are all finished. 

Just thought I would show how it turned out.

Something new

Last week I was looking at all my unfinished projects and thinking that next year I would just concentrate on getting them all finished.  Glad I did not take an oath on it!

For the last 6 months I have had this Pinwheel/Kaleidescope kind of quilt in my head.  I found a design on EQ and decided I would make it on the machine.  There are rotary cutting and template sizing, and I have this new Creative Grid Ruler, that I thought would do the trick for me.  I cut out a heap of blocks, and sewed 2 together, before I realised that the size is "not quite" right.  The ruler must have slipped a few times, or I moved it, or some other things happened, and they were all sent to the "naughty box".

You would think that would settle it, but I still had the idea in my head, so today, I cut out the templates for the blocks, and plan to hand piece.  I unpicked the pieces, and will mark them all up with pencil and this will be my "carry along" project for the next few months.  So far I have cut enough for 20 12" blocks.

I am not neat like some people, but you can get an idea of the types of colours and prints I am using.  They have to be really bold as the background fabric (on the right) is very sombre.

 The colour is called "Paper Bag" and it is from Moda Bella. 

When you put it next to another colour, it really makes the other fabric look more vibrant.  But you have to take care not to use anything too light as it will not show up.  I am a little concerned about the one below, but think it has enough contrast to work.

 The strips are cut 7" wide, then cross cut into triangles with the Creative Grid Ruler.  You put the top marker on one side of the fabric, and the 7" line on the other side, and cut along the two sides.

 Flip over the ruler and cut again.  I can get 5 triangles from a fat quarter width, cutting double

 From the full width of the fabric I can cut 11 triangles.  I write all this stuff down, so that if one day I decide to write the pattern, I don't have to do the calculations all again.  I have a little book it all goes into

Once they are all cut, I can just take my time at marking the seam lines and sewing when I have some spare time.

I still need a machine project and have another thing in my mind.  I am suppose to be working on next years Mystery Quilt......well at least thinking up ideas, so that Mary and I can see how it might work.  Ever since we finished the November Mystery last week, we are already planning for next year.....finding photos and emailing to each other.  Something will come up soon enough for us to get it all knocked together.

Before the end of next week I will have the last part of the Pom Pom Tree Block of the Month ready for you, and then the next Past Reflections applique block.  My DH is going away for a week and I get all the free time to myself.  Wonders will happen!!

Mystery Quilt day

For the last couple of years, my friend Mary and I have run a Mystery Quilt day on the Melbourne Cup day.  We hire the Lutheran Church Hall at McLaren Vale, and fill it with lots of lovely ladies, food, drink and fun times.

Doing a "mystery" is very popular, and we had 25 people this year, plus Mary and me, and our two helpers Jan and Natalie with the food, coffee, general run about.  The hard part is coming up with a project that is a Mystery until near the end, and one that can be made of any type of fabric.  We also like to get people to use their scrap bag as well, as it is expensive to go out and buy heaps of fabric, if they already have it in the cupboard.  Some people bought new fabrics, but many used what they had.

 This is the block we chose - Virginia Reel -  and we gave the instructions in 3 parts, so they could not see what it was until the end.  hard to tell from this photo

 When you start to put it together, you get an entirely different picture.  Here is a collection of florals

 And how about this?  A 2 fabric quilt, with black and vivid print.  Love this!

 Something a little more sedate, but stunning, in Batiks

Helen chose a collection of red and white prints.  It is going to be a Christmas table runner.

This is my version of the Virginia Reel in light and dark reproduction fabrics.  Again I can prove to you that Reproduction fabrics do not need to be dull!  I had this quilt professionally machine quilted in a Clam shell design by Helen Campbell. Mary made hers in Kaffe fabrics, and I have no photo of that but will get one.

We asked people to bring along any finished quilts from our previous workshops.  Amazingly some actually did have them finished!  I am pretty slack about getting things finished from workshops, but these girls were good

Our next workshop will be some time in March or April when we will bring back the "Big Star Day" with the Lone Star and the New Broken Star.

We will let you know closer to the time what the date will be.  Anyone on the mailing list will hear about it.

 

.