Happy Mothers Day Gift Reveal

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mums today.

I can now reveal what I have been finishing off for Mum's present.  I had a quilt top that I made back in 1987 at a Tafe Course.  There was no rotary cutters it was all done with pencil lines and scissors.  I had even started to hand quilt it, and that's where it stopped.... It has lived in the top of wardrobes and old cupboards for ooohh I don't know about 25 years LOL.. Wow when you say it like that it' a lot. 

Well everytime I have talked to Mum since I started doing patchwork and quilts in the last year or so she has been saying  "when are you going to finish that one up in the top of my wardrobe??".  So today Mum I presented it to you as your Mothers Day present.  Never to be hidden in  the top of a wardrobe again. 

The only thing I am disappointed with myself is that I didn't take a before shot.  So first off it was huge.  It started off 107" X 107" and I had made it like a bedspread.  Pillow section at the top... long sides.  It also had about 5 blocks of hand stitching.  I started reverse stitching and gave the top and the backing a wash and took everything over to Carolynne's house for some advise and a costing to quit the top for me.

After more reverse stitching and resizing we ended up with a quilt 80"x80".  She used the fantasia panto as there was a lot of blank spacing that I had left for hand quilting some feathers.  When she was finished quilting it...it was a masterpiece.  Once again she is a master !!!  As I said I had originally made it as a bedspread so after the reverse stitching I ended up with 2 blocks that I made into continental pillows

Here is the finished quilt and pillows on Mum's bed.

The pillows in the sun

Close Up of the centre

Close up of the quilting No 1

Close up of the quilting No 2

Ahhh hang on to it Dad!

Everyone helping to keep it still

And of course the post wouldn't be complete without a picture of hunnigirl... Here she is with my cat (living at Mum's) called Kramer giving her a kiss....Hunni has had a whack or two from him before so she is not keen to get too close... but she obliged for the photo.

Til next time

Caz

Aussie Hero Quilts Updates

This update is a catch up on the other quilts and laundry bags I did for Aussie Hero Quilts

These two were made by other sewer in the group and I helped by quilting and binding them.  The first one I called the African Quilt

This was posted with the Anzac Day posting with some goodies for it's recipient.  The next one was a lovely Australian Fabric one made by Claire and I did a little free motion on some random blocks as well as some straight quilting.  This ended up as a Wounded Warrior Quilt and is now waiting in the hospital to be given to an Australian Soldier when they are injured and they are sent on to Germany (here's hoping this is not too soon!)  You can read about it and see it on the hospital bed waiting here

This is a close up of my free motion on one of the blocks... I am still learning.

The next two I made the tops, quilted and bound myself and sent off in the Anzac Day posting with some goodies.  The first one I called Pirate Patch, and it was a disappearing 9 patch pattern.

The next one I love as the red really stands out. Called Red Diamond.

And of course their packages wouldn't be complete without their laundry bags to accompany the quilts.  So here are the three that I made.

After they were sent out I felt very satisfied, as I'm sure we all did, that the group was able to get so many quilts and laundry bags over to the troops.

And then on the 1st of May I received the most wonderful email from a female soldier that had received one of my quilts, laundry bags.  It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.  The quilt had made it's way to Egypt to where she was serving.  You can read her email that Jan-Maree shared on the blog for all to enjoy. Soldiers Email

So of course this has inspired me again and here is a couple of sneek peaks of some new quilt tops I am working on

I am heading over to Jan-Maree's place for a more sewing on the 18th of May, so if you'd like to join us or would like to get involved please contact Jan-Maree through the website.

And now to complete my post here is a picture (well 2... oops 3) of Hunnigirl's tribute to the Aussie Hero's ..

"Like this Mum?"

"Oh now the sun is in my eyes"

"What about be on the lounger looking into the distance?"

Til next time

Caz