Aussie Hero Quilts

Hi Everyone

Last week while I was blog hopping I found a great blog my a lovely lady called Jan-Maree.

AUSSIE HERO QUILTS

Jan and her quilting buddies are making quilts and laundry bags for the troops in Afghanistan as it is quite cold over there at the moment, and also to show that Aussie are thinking of them.

After looking into what I could do, I found a blog entry showing how to help.  After uncovering some fabric... and some Aussie teatowels ... I took to the sewing machine.  So over the last week I have put together 5 quilt tops for Jan-Maree and the Gumnut gang.  Here is the picture combo of them all.  The lighting wasn't the best.... Can't get outside because it won't stop raining!!!!

So these will be headed off to Jan-Maree next week for completion and postage off to the Aussie Heros in Afghanistan.  Great idea and keep up the good work guys !!

On another note I picked up my fully quilted "World Traveller" from Carolynne today and it was just as special in person.  I am now going to work on binding in before Thursday next week.  That will be our first week back to class/gathering as the "Nine Patch Quilters".  Since Michelle Marvig closed her shop last year alot of us wanted to stay together as a group, so we did a bit of investigating and found a nice community centre where we will hold our weekly get togethers.

Oh My God---- Oh My Stars quilt-a-long is full steam ahead... I have completed 4 of the different stars and in the last week or two 5 more blocks have gone up... Wow I know what I'll be up to for the next couple of weeks.

Til next time

Cheers

Caroline





OMG I love it Sooooooooooo Much !!

This is just a quick post to show you some photo's Carolynne emailed me of my quilt now that she has completed quilting it.  OMG I love what she has done with it.. Award winning performance I reckon !!

What do you think ??

I love the lines and I can't wait to see it in person.  Love your work Carolynne XXXX

Til next time

Caroline

Mosaic Picture of Tail Feathers

Just found that one of my programs can do this !!!



All my Tail Feather photos together ... well with a bit of Hunni too !!

I'm sure it's nothing new to you all ....  but I'm thrilled.. LOL

Off to do some binding.

Caroline

What I've been up to

This is a bit of an update post.  Below are some photo's of my Tail Feathers Quilt.  I have completed all the quilting that I am going to do for now.  It has all been straight and curved using my walking foot.

I have decided it is time to put the binding on.  I have a few ideas for some free-motion quilting around the embroidery and along some of the sashing... but... a bit more practice is required first !!

I have also been working on a few stars for the Oh My Stars Quilt-a-long.  I have completed variation 3 - The wonky star, I only did the large 12" block with this variation because all the little bits & pieces were driving me insane LOL.  Here are a few pictures

I've also completed variation 4 - Frosted Tip Stars.. With this one I did some fussy cutting and I love this one best so far.

The light wasn't the best for the last shot.  So far I have compled 32 stars.  There are 8 of each star variation.  Here is a shot of all 4 of the 12" blocks... Starting to look good.

Carolynne has been working hard on the quilting of my World Traveller.  She has done all the trapunto and lots of ditch stitching... I have taken a few shots of the progress so far..

Work has kept me pretty busy..... so my progress on my free-motion quilting is a little slow.  Oh well back to it.

Happy Sewing

Caroline

Happy 2012!!

Happy New Year Everyone.

Here's hoping all those new years resolutions are kept past the end of the week !!

I thought I'd post some of the presents that I completed for Christmas, since everyone has their gifts now.

The first one is Mum's table runner.  I have only quilted in the ditch so far, but I have told her when my FMQ improves I will do some detailing.  The binding wasn't the best.  This is only the 2nd thing I have bound, and I know how to perfect if for next time.

Mum loved it and it has pride of place on her dining table.  Even if I wrapped it still with 4 pins and the needle as I still hadn't finished the hand sewing before she arrived on Xmas Day.  With her arrival only 10 mins away, I couldn't risk not having it wrapped. Funny to see her hand sewing her own present whilst I finished lunch.

The next one is a travel/make-up bag I made for my teacher Michelle Marvig, who sadly closed her shop and finished her classes in December.  It is made from the fabric she designed and is laminate!!.  Turned out so well I made one for myself.  Michelle said she could even use it to carry around some handsewing.

The third one is a little gift I made for my friend Carolynne, who is going to quilt my quilt on her long arm machine for me.  I know she doesn't like my choices of bright colours so I made her a nice Burgandy Pear Pin Cushion (pattern by Heather Bailey).  I love it so I will definately be making some bright ones for me.  There is also an apple one.... I am envisioning a fabric fruit bowl full of bright fabric fruit pin cushions !!!

So yesterday I finished all the components for my World Traveller quilt (the backing, cut the batting, photocopied the picture)  and headed over to Carolynne's place to pass it  over to her wonderful capable hands to quilt.  We went over the design and picked out how she is going to quilt it.  Whatever she chooses to do will be perfect.  Now I just need to be patient !!

So if you have been reading my blog you know that I have taken a pledge to do the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge (see button on left).  The first challenge was posted and it is a leaf design. 
Last year I did a few classes of FMQ with Debra Louie, so  I got out my practice sandwiches and started to have a go.  I used the BSR function, because I couldn't quite get the stitches right without it.  Anyway practice, practice, practice.  Here are some shots of my practice

I also follow Leah Day's Blog and today she is also starting a  "Free Motion Quilting Project 2012". It seems like it will be fun to follow along.  But the best part was hee words. "Shut Up and Quilt"  LOL  It made me think... You have to start on something soon.... So I searched through my stuff and found a project I made at least 15 years ago... I had done some hand quilting on it, but I thought... Just quilt it!
So I did some stippling.  I am really happy with the outcome.  Here she is

Any way seize the day and the quilt.  I am going to get out the Tail Feathers Quilt and have a play.

Happy Sewing

Caz

Christmas Post... better late than never !!

Merry Xmas Everyone... a bit late I know but here it is.

Here is a picture of some of my christmas cooking.  Gingerbread Men, Fruit Mince Slice, Xmas Tree shortbreads and Chocolate Cake Balls.  All very yummy!!

Had a lovely day with the family and got a new sewing table and a Jeeves mini steam iron, amongst other lovely goodies. Once I got the table I was inspired to clean up a bit in the sewing room, re-arange tables and desks.. Lots of stuff got packed into plastic storage containers, probably never to be opened again LOL.. Mainly other crafts and stuff you try along the way.  I might have to sell some goodies on Ebay.  Here is a picture of the new table and workspace.

I am busy working on a few new projects and also finishing up some others from during the year.  I have signed up for 2 online projects.  One is a quilt-a-long called "Oh My Stars".  I have done the first 2 weeks homework.  Here are the photos of my stars.  For the finished quilt we will do approx 110 stars.

The other on-line project is the 2012 Free Motion Quilt Challenge I am busy getting sandwiches of fabric and batting ready for this one that starts Jan 1.

I will still be attending a class (with not teacher) with the ladies from my Thursday class from the Patchwork Heart,starting in February, so I will be looking for a new challenge to do with them.   I am also going to sign up for a Debra Louie 's Spring Floral Applique monthly class, with an afternoon of free motion quilting. Here is a link.

OK so that's all I got for now. I'm off to trim my trupunto and make my backing for my big quilt, as I am going to see Carolynne shortly to get the quilting underway.

Happy sewing

Caz

Lots more Progress

Hi

What a week !!

I have managed to get alot of things progressed this week.

My Vingnette Block 1 has only 5 more satin stitched flowers to do.  I was ready to complete it this afternoon while I was waiting at the school to pick up the kids.  Then disaster struck.... I popped the needle in my mouth for a second whilst I went to grab the floss, the needle dropped out and went down beside the seat.... AHHHH it was the only one I had with me ..... So that was that.... Oh well there is always tomorrow afternoon.

I have pieced together Block 2 & 3.... Here is a quick pic

I added a litle woodland fabric by Natalie Lymer... Can you see the mushroom houses... No... OK here is a close up !! LOL

There was quite a bit of fussy cutting... but I am loving how it turned out.  Now I need to transfer the stitchery pattern and then start stitching this one.

I have totally sewn together my Michelle Marvig quilt "World Traveller".... Oops I have previously been calling the pattern "Around the World". It is quite a large quilt so once sewn it has been very hard to get a full shot.... Here are my attempts.... In two shots on the floor...


Here is it hanging on my washing line... which was wound right up as far as it would go.... I had to put towels on the ground because it was dragging.... and of course as soon as I pegged it up the wind came up and made it very difficult to photograph.

While I was taking the pictures Hunnigirl was running around barking at the man she could hear in the front garden reading my electricity metre... AHHHH.... The funny thing is her running out from behind the quilt just as I take the photograph.... Peek a boo....

I spent all day today working on the trupunto dresden designs on the quilt ready for class tomorrow.

I am ready to trim up tomorrow, and also work on a surprise Xmas present for my Mum !!  I'll leave it at that in case she is reading this and post a picture after Xmas.

Anyway til next time.

Caroline