Big Week

It was a very big week for me, and I am still getting over it.  Last week I was lucky enough to be one of the teachers at Threadbear quilts, Applique School.  This was the first such school, but the shop is well known for the wonderful stock of reproduction fabrics, patterns, books and great classes.  The school was a great success, with over 6o people attending.  Corliss has put some photos on her blog.  You can see them here.  There are some people putting there names down, in case the school is run again.  How cool is that?!

Edit - I forgot to mention the "surprise"!  As I was greeting the people coming through the door, in walks my friend Kim!!!  I nearly started crying.  She had booked,  not told anyone, and asked Corliss not to tell me she was coming.  Kim belongs to my sewing/social group - and she is very special.  xx

Back to reality....deadlines.....class notes......samples to finish....breathe......

Yesterday we had the monthly sit n sew group at Hettie's Patch.  It is normally held the 1st Saturday of the month.  As I was off in Victoria, the girls agreed that we could hold it this weekend instead.  One of the regular girls popped in with this large bunch of lillies.  She could not attend the class as she had a prior engagement.  Thanks so much Lyn.....so much appreciated.....and I did find a vase to fit, and a spot for them.  Today the flowers started to open.  This is my kitchen window that gets the northern winter sun and it is stunning today.  Not that it is actually winter....it is still so hot....but the earth has moved to the winter tilt and the sun is streaming through.

This is what I got done this morning.  No, not the whole quilt!  Just the borders on.  the pink fabric I auditioned before, got the vote of approval from a few, including me :-) so there it is.  I was going to put a little green border on first, before the pink, but I do not think it really needed it after some careful fiddling about.  I am going to *try* some BIG STITCH quilting on this quilt.  I had to do some research on the big stitch, perle cotton kind of hand quilting to help a girl in my hand work class.  I did the research, and got the needles and the threads recommended, and checked out all the blogs, and she did not come to class.  So, now I am all fired up and want to try it.  Will let you know how I get on with it.  If the whole thing is a thorough mess, I will just pull it out and machine quilt.

All I need now is half a day free to get the quilt basted.

I am working very hard on my "to do"list and this block is about the only thing that worked out ok today.  I decided last night that I would start machine quilting my scrappy Zig Zag quilt for the workshop in May 3rd.  Lots of things going on at present, but I thought I could get it done with simple cross-hatching.  I got about a 3rd of it done, and it looked really horrid.  So, I did what I hate most, I un-picked it!  I decided to get it professionally machine quilted, and I hope very much that Elaine can fit it in before I need it.  If not, then I take it to the workshop unquilted, which is a whole lot better than taking one that looked so bad.

Next week end I am teaching at the Threadbear Patchwork and Quilting shop in Castlemaine, Victoria.  They are having an Applique School and I am one of the 4 teachers charged with the job of making applique easy for everyone.  I am very excited and nervous.  This past week and a half I have been working on class samples, so there has not been a lot of time to spare - and I go and waste a half day on un-picking!!

Anyway, the latest block on the Rose Garden BOM - Prairie Rose - is now available to download on the Legend and Lace website.

For those lovely ladies who made comment on the borders for my scrap Wrench quilt - I am going with the final fabric I showed, the lovely pink and green.  It is all cut out and ready to attach.  Now I could have been doing that today, instead of unpicking.  Much more positive!

Too many choices

 I starting playing with my selection of border fabrics today trying to find one that might suit the Wrench quilt.  I already discarded two - one because it colours were too "cool"  and the other too "warm".  the first one was purple/pink/blue and the second mustard and black.  Love them both, but not with this quilt.

I love the chocolate with turquoise.  Brown goes with everything and the blue brings out the splashes of blue in the quilt.  Also, if I use this one, with the brown closest to the blocks, then I don't have to do a narrow setting border as well.

 This is my next favourite, with red and charcoal/brown in the print.  I could use this without a setting small border as well. 

This is an interesting fabric I have had for ages.  It is light/medium blue, with a fawn stripe, and the blue floral motif on the fawn.  It is a very wide repeat, so the quilt will end up quite large.  I kind of had in mind that I would keep this fabric for a "strippy" quilt some time in the future.

This pink and green print is very pretty.  The pink is very bright and will certainly make it a bright quilt.  It also brings out the splashes of pink in the quilt.

When I put my border on I do not try and mitre the stripes in the corners.  I know this is a popular technique, but I found that it was a technique devised some time in the 1970's and not really a traditonal feature in the mid-1800's, which is what I try to make my quilts look like.  It also wastes a lot of fabric, and I am too stingy!  I put the side borders on first, then the top and bottom.

The borders should be cut from the length of the fabric where possible, as the long threads (the warp) are far more stable, and the quilt will have a much straighter edge.  I know that sometimes that is not possible.  You just have a small amount of fabric, and it is just "the perfect" one, so you want to use it, and cut across the fabric and join it.  I do that too, but when I can I use the length.

Close to done

I have been making 2 full sized blocks a day, and 2 half blocks.  It did not take all that long to get these blocks completed and the top assembled.  Now I need to find one of the nice border fabrics I have stashed away and get the whole thing together.

These half blocks gave me a headache just thinking about how to go about it.  Cutting a whole block in half does not work.  You have to allow for seams on the outside of the quilt and you also have to take into account that the outer edge needs to be in the straight grain, not the cross.  On the cross you get a wobbly edge.  I recalculated these side blocks and they worked out fine.

The interesting thing now is that they just don;t look like Wrench blocks!  Not sure what they look like, but the original block design seems to have faded away with them assembled.

New scrappy quilts

We have our Scrap Quilt workshop coming up on 3rd May, and I thought I would show you my version of the Trip Around the World.  Penny has made hers and it is set differently.    For those who are interested, the workshop is now full!  However, we are taking names for anyone who might be interested in doing a twilight class - 4pm to 9pm the same day.  You can see the other quilts here.  There are 3 different patterns we will be doing on the one day.

Something else I have been working on is a Wrench quilt.  I had this in my mind for quite a while and finally got it started.  The thing that stopped me was trying to work out how to handle the half blocks in the side.  Well, I wondered do you just cut them in half?  I was horrified about this.  So I started asking questions of my quilting friends.  I got lots of good advice, and came up with a plan.

 You have to recalculated the edge pieces so that they are cut on the straight, and not the cross.  Otherwise you get a wobbly quilt.  One lady suggested that I do a stay stitch along the edge and then I don't have to re-do the blocks. 

I also had to do the corner blocks.  They are also recalculated, and each part made seperately in order to get the pointed bits on the straight.

I think that in the older days they just cut them in halves and quarters and hoped for the best.

You will see some more photos of this one as I progress

Feathered Star

This is the final block in the Pieces of the Past sampler quilt.  All nine blocks are on the Legend and Lace website to download.  This is without a doubt the most complex of the blocks.  You need to make it in segments, then join them like a Nine Patch.

Next month I will write the instructions on how to join the blocks, with the sashings and the borders.  All the finishing off stuff - working on the assumption that you will all be ready to finish it :-)).

What is next?  Well I am still doing the Rose Garden BOM; working on the Mrs Vigors quilt, which a couple of the local shops have asked me to teach; applique the Calico Paradise from Collector with a Needle......and all the other half finished projects.

Scrap quilts are still happening.  Our workshop on 3rd May is just about full, and I have a couple of commissions from Aust quilting magazines for some scrap quilts.  You know what?  No matter how many of these scrap quilts I make, I never have any less fabrics in my cupboard, or any less mess in my sewing room.  What do you think?  Does it breed?

Now, some words of wisdom.   You know I love Scrap Quilts, and I love books, and I love antique quilts.  I was reading through one of Gwen Marston's books - I think it was Liberated Medallion quilts.  She writes that people often ask her how she gets that lovely scrappy look of her quilts.  She states that she actually uses scraps- it helps!  People ask me how I choose my fabrics - I just put my hand in the box and if it is not the same as the last fabric I used then it gets a run.  Then I just work on light and dark - get some contrast in there.  Don;t spend too much time thinking about it, that is what makes them seem bland or contrived.

Happy Stitching.

Ohio Rose - block 8

I have a nice easy little block for you this month - Ohio Rose.  I found this block when I was flipping through the pages of my book "Enduring Grace"  and saw a couple if quilts made with this block.

It is a very simple block to make and you can probably have it done before you go to bed tonight!  The pattern is now available on the Legend and Lace website as a PDF download for $2.50.

Time for me to get back to the research for the next block.  I keep finding ones I like better than the previous one I found, so can't make up my mind.  I might have to extend the patterns past the original plan of 12 - see how many I can find.

one border to go

It is so hard to get a good photo of this quilt as it grows.  I guess this will be last one as I have one more border to go.

 

I have just one more skinny border to add, and then I can attach to final border.  So far it has taken me 2 months to make the top.

 I went through my scrap boxes again to find the fabrics.  They are totally random selections, and some are precious little bits I have been hanging on to for years.

 If I finish the top by the end of the coming week, then I will complete the entry into the Sydney quilt show in June.  Entries close on the 8th of March.  That gives me 3 months to get it finished.  I am pretty sure I could do it.  It will just be a case of all my spare sewing time being devoted to this project.   The weather is so unpleasantly hot at the present, does not feel nice to sit and sew.  I have the ceiling fans going, and trying to get a cross breeze with the doors and windows open.

Priscilla

The latest block of the "Pieces of the Past" sampler BOM is now available to download on the Legend and Lace website.  This block has many names, and I have used the most common, which is Priscilla.  I also found a number of star type names for it, and one really strange name - Lost Children!  How on earth did it get that name?  Does anyone know the history?

This is a relatively simple block, but you get the chance to use some of your pretty fabric.  I used a paisly in the centre of mine, but you could also use a large floral, or applique something on top of it.  Your block - your choice! 

The cost is $4.50 per block.  You get a photo of the block, with instructions to complete it; a drawing of the block, and full sized templates.  All blocks will stay on the website and you can buy them at any time in the future.

Only one more month to go now.  The last one is not the easiest I am sorry to say, but when it is done you are then finished.  With the last block I will give you instructions on completing the quilt.  Then, I will expect to see some completed photos.

Actually, I would quite like to see some photos right now.  We could have a little "show and tell" right here.  So, if you have some finished blocks, and there should be quite a few done, then please email them to me Wendy@legendandlace.com

Simply Scrappy

Another date for your diary!  May 3rd - Penny and I are having another of our FAMOUS scrap quilt days.  We have 3 new quilts to offer you

Zig Zag Lightening

Scrappy Trip Around the World

 

 

Cracker Jack

All these fabulous quilts are made from scraps or strips cut off of Fat Quarters or widths of fabric.  No need to buy new fabrics, and they can be made large or small - what ever you want.

Come along and join our day.  The cost is $40, which included lunch and morning and afternoon.  Once again, we will be at St Paul's Lutheran Church at McLaren Vale, South Australia, 9.30am to 3.30 pm.

please email Wendy@LegendandLace.com or Penny at anpv@ozemail.com.au to book your spot.

Applique School

This coming April 6 will be the first Applique School at Threadbear Patchwork and Quilting, at Castlemaine in Victoria.  There will be 4 tutors for the day, teaching 4 different applique methods.  Robyn Fallon will be doing reverse applique; Margaret McDonald, needleturn applique; Di Ford for Broderie Perse; and ME Wendy Whellum, for back-basting applique.  I am thrilled to be included with this list of well regarded and talented teachers. All details of the classes can be obtained from this link.

Each class participant will spend a portion of the day with each tutor learning their particular method, and getting all the tips that make it work.  Even if you are a seasoned applique-er you will learn something.

When I first started patchwork - hmm  ....many years ago, I always wanted to do applique, and it just seemed far too hard.  I read all the books and magazines, and tried it, but I could not get the hang of it.  Finally I went to a class - applique 6 ways.  Well, can you believed there are 6 ways?  There are and I got to try them all, and you can then work out which one suits you best.  Being of a disposition where I like to eliminate all steps possible, I finally chose the one that suited me best, which was drawing the design on the top of the fabric.  That is, until I found the "back-basting" method.  Now, this truly is the easiest in MHO.

Come join us (if you can) on the 6th April in the beautiful Victorian town of Castlemaine in Victoria.  It is an old gold mining town, and there are lots of antique shops, and lovely places to stay, and have a coffee and cake.  My DH is coming too and is going to bring along his brand new and expensive gold detecting gadget.  I have warned him I will be busy, so he will have to carry all the gold home on his own!

Stop Press!!!  I have heard that the phones have not stopped ringing at Threadbear since this was announced.  Get in quick!       ph  03 5472 1881

Rose Garden - Block 7

Another Rose of Sharon!  There are heaps of them if you look through the reference books.

I have been basking in the luxury of having not much to do over the last few weeks, and suddenly it is February and it is all go go again.  I am pleased that I managed to get this block made several weeks ago.  It is now available on the Legend and Lace website to be downloaded.

Yesterday, my regular Sit n Sew group at Hettie's Patch started up again, and it was lovely to see the familiar faces, and get time to chat and catch up.  This is a "hand sewing only" group that I run on the first Saturday of the month, in the rooms of the most beautiful patchwork shop.  It is truly inspirational to sit amongst so many delectable fabrics for 3 hours.  I showed off my Mrs Vigors (renamed "out of the closet") and one or two of the girls were interested in making that one with me.  Let me know if you would like to try it as well, and you can join us.

The group is open to anyone who wants to do applique, English Paper Piecing, traditional template piecing, hand quilting - you name it, we can do it.

On the Third Saturday of the month, I have anther hand sewing only group, and we are moving from McLaren Flat to The Sewing Sanctuary at Aldinga.  Once again, hand sewing only, and anyone is welcome to join in.  Please contact me, Wendy@legendandlace.com, or the shop on (08) 8556 533.  This shop has one of the best local collections of Reproduction fabrics I have seen, and I am excited about working there as well. 

Mrs Vigors - next step

It is amazing how quickly this quilt is coming together.  I now have all 4 of the border pieces done, and have started cutting up for the next border, the "dog tooth" border.  Last night I got out one of my boxes of "lights" and cut 36 triangles from the one box.

 This border will be 3 1/2" wide, 18 pieces long on each side, so I need 18 light fabrics and 18 dark fabrics.  These are some of the lights.

 They all came out of this box.  I put the box on my side table as I was watching TV, and with my sandpaper board on my lap, just picked out one fabric at a time, and drew around the template.  Took me about 2 hours to do 36 triangles.  TV is rally bad at the moment, so nothing lost there.

 

This is tonight's box of light fabrics.  Won't be quite so easy when I have to do the dark fabrics, as I will need to use several boxes for them.

I am doing lots of preparing as my sister and niece arrived for a visit later this week, and will not have time to do it while they are here, but will still have time to sew as we sit about.  It is not quite so hot now - great relief.

Just made it in time

Rolling Star block

How quickly did the 15th of the month roll around?  It was just Christmas, then New Year, and now we are mid-way through January.  I thought I had heaps of time to get this pattern complete and on the website.  Suddenly I had a sewing day on Saturday (that was nice) then my grand-daughter Skylar came to visit, and that turned into 2 days, then John got sick and we had a visit to the doc today.  It is not like I had to sew the block, or anything really hard, but I did have to turn it into a PDF and upload the whole thing.

So this month we have a nice easy block for the Pieces of the Past, only 2 shapes plus the background corners.  Bet you can have it done before you go to bed tonight!


I have been getting lots of work done on my new medallion quilt and have been playing with border fabrics.  I will give you a little look.

I REALLY really wanted to use this red fabric.  I have had 3 metres of it in my cupboard for about 3 years, and I bought it because I love it.  As yet I have not found the right use for it.  Ok, so this is the time!!  Yeah!  No, I have been talked out of it by my lovely artistic friends, and they are right.  I am going to use the less "in your face" but subtle green.  The red goes back in the cupboard for the "just Perfect" project when it comes along.  BTW, these pieced borders take no time at all.  If you want to come to one of my hand piecing workshops, please get in touch.

From February I will be back doing my usual 1st Saturday of the month "sit n sew" at Hettie's Patch, on Port Rd, Hindmash.  Now, a new one, I will be at Sewing Sanctuary at Aldinga, on the 3rd Saturday of the month starting in February.  Please contact me Wendy@Legendandlace.com, or either of the shops for further details.

Out of the closet

 

This is the name suggested by my friend, Maureen, for the reproduction of the Mrs Vigors quilt.  The reason behind the name is that all the fabrics will be from the cupboard, no new fabrics purchased.

 This is what it looks like so far.  All pieced by hand using templates.  In the description of the original quilt it says that it was done "over papers" - is this describing English Paper Piecing?  I was going to do it by EPP but could not see how to do a curved seam, so opted for traditional piecing.  I quite like doing it this way.  I can bring out my scrap box and sit at the table and draw and cut out heaps of pieces and then spend the next couple of days sewing them together,  Takes no time at all, as you can see by the above photo.

 

 I made the centre medalion shape, and appliqued it to the circle of background fabric.  Then I pieced the circular edge, and attached that.

You can see here how I cut away behind the centre of the quilt.  this fabric is not wasted as I used it again as the setting triangles for the next border.

 I turned under the outer edge along the drawn seam line, tacked it under, then tacked the whole thing to the larger squared background pieced by applique.

To start with I thought I would be using the design by Petra Prins in Quiltmania magazine as shown in the previous post, but on further reflection, used only the centre templates, and decided to make it a little more like the original.  I changed the corners of the first border back to the original, and the next border, the wide one, I am doing at 7" (about) which I think is closer to the original.  The Quiltmania instructions are for a 4" border.  I will recalculated the measurement once I work out the piecing of the subsequent border