Dolls Quilt Swap

I have never done a swap before - and I have been quilting for 15 years!  So with extra time on my hands I signed up for a pin cushion swap....I have sent mine off, but still waiting on mine to arrive...but that's OK as we are not allowed to open them until the end of the month...and I am not good at not peeking!

Then Lori set up a Doll's Quilt Swap on her blog Humble Quilts.  I signed up and set to work.  Parts of the pattern's cutting instructions I used was incorrect :( but I got there after a bit of re cutting and unstitching.  I have posted my little quilt off to US, accompanied by some extra goodies.  I was going to do a sneak peek...but realised that even the picture of the back of the quilt gave the design away!

Then this lovely parcel arrived for me!  Because its my first swap I thought I had to wait to open it....til I realised that was just for the pin cushion swap, phew cos I am not a patient person!

 Charlotte (no blog) sent me a beautiful four patch quilt, in cheddar...I don't have a cheddar mini and I love four patches, so this was a big thrill....we didn't know our recipients, but she chose a design I love.  And her workmanship is exquisite, tiny pieces and beautifully quilted, I am a very happy girl!

And I got some beautiful bundle of 6" squares of shirting's, a quilting badge and a lovely little pattern. 

The pattern captured my attention immediately....I am busting to start making it, but trying to finish a charity quilt at present...then I will be making this mini quilt immediately!  Oh and I have my Dad hard at work out in the shed restoring a dressing table for me...so just ordered a new draw handle (one was missing) and found a shop that stocked the tiny screws needed to replace in the draw handles....and now off to order a new mirror....then I will get to my sewing on the charity quilt!

Happy quilting Sue.

Finished not fancy

I really must find a better way to displaying quilts I want to photograph!  

This is the finished top of my second Hawthorn Aussie rules football quilt...the one for my son.  I finished the top in March.  I pinned it a few weeks ago and recently quilted it.  

Well last night I finally finished the binding.

There is nothing fancy about this quilt.  There is nothing I am proud of when it comes to the quilting.  But it is finished and with flannel on the back it will be cosy and warm.  I am not going to complain, but instead plan and put into action the need for a new sewing table....one that larger, that will support the quilts weight....to stop the puckering and pulling I experienced while trying to quilt straight lines.

I put it on DS1 bed last night while he was asleep...looking forward to his reaction this morning when he wakes up.

Happy quilting, Sue.

A new table runner is born

My friend Lisa gifted me a 2.5" precut pack of fabric in my favorite muddy colours.  I have always looked at these in the shops....but wondered what I would make with one!

I laid them out and rearranged them several times.  But in the end I found this simple design worked best.  I thought it deserved a fancy quilting pattern...but my quilting repertoire only holds a few designs.... 

so wavy spirals it was.  A nice quick fun finish and the stash was nicely reduced by a fat quarter for the backing, sashing and binding, not a huge volume, but every little bit helps.

...my mission to reduce my stash continues!
Happy quilting, Sue.

Happy Mothers Day

In the words of my six year old, I am a good Mum because...

Sew glad he has me pegged as having a high IQ!! ;)  

 But Mr 6 choose this beautiful floral arrangement, so you can see he has good taste.

DH 

picked out this fabulous lamp (with a daylight bulb) for me...love, love, love it...now I can sew at night or on grey days like today!

 Mr 6 in his newly finished art smock....made yesterday with the help of my Mum.

Mr 8 in his art smock...why they have both become camera shy I don't know!

And my friend Lisa's gorgeous blocks, from a block swap....in shades of teal and green with low volume backgrounds....I was very tempted to steal these yesterday....but she has promised to send me the link...its a free pattern, I cannot wait!

Happy quilting, Sue.

A win, a loss and some purchases!

We brought three chooks on Saturday morning...on Sunday morning we had one chook, two holes into the chook shed, two piles of feathers, and two upset boys :(  

DH has now fox proofed the chook shed by securing mesh on the ground, around the exterior.

On a more positive note the wall hanging I made (All Aussie Creatures by Milamac) for the boys won fourth prize in viewers choice.  

Quilted by my friend Elaine Kennedy (Pine Grove Quilting Studio, Adelaide), I think the fun and cute animals she quilted in appealed to young and old. I had a request to make another one (to give to her grandkids) and another lady asked me how much I would sell it for....that left me a bit stumped, but luckily she understood that it was a gift to my children and not for sale!

This is my prize, 8 x 40 cm WOF pieces of Tilda fabric!!!   And it was donated by my friend Ann's shop, Periwinkle Patchwork (Warrnambool) which was nice.

  And the of course I did some shopping!!

Some large pieces for backings.

Two patterns - one is for a bag to put my hand work in and the fruit themed needle keepers - cos I have a think for fruit!  And lastly a roll of some "moody" blues, not necessarily reproduction prints, but I couldn't resist them!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Horsham Patchwork Quilters Exhibition

My mother's quilt - Sandra Speirs, I don't remember what she called it, but I called it...neutral background with scrappy Kaffe Fassett flippy triangle corners...glad she finished this one in time, also love the quilting pattern she used.

Another ones of Mums quilts, Eastern tiles

I love the way it matches with the quilt below which is called Crazy Crosses by Marion Kitchen.

Charm Pack Cherry by Pam Capstick.  You know I don't really do modern but these quilts resonates with me.  Not sure if its the fabric, pattern or colours, but I do love them all.

 Bento Box Blues by Chris Wills.

 There is a Square in there by Denise Hiam.  Love the fabrics in this one.

 Whirly Gig by Kaye Hoffmann - I love the quilting on this one - quilted by Vicki Jenkins.

An amazing art quilt, Swan Lake by Glenys Miatke

 Right up my alley, a real miniature!  Snail Trail by Maureen Mann

Our Wedding Rings by Antoinette Plush - this was a long term project, but so glad she finished it..love to do one of these, one day!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Little Red Baskets on show

I have brought a couple of Kim Diehls books and this pattern, Esther's Baskets (from her book Simple Appeal) called to me from the beginning...I love baskets and who doesn't love red and white quilts.  Plus there is still plenty of room on my wall for another mini.

I started piecing the baskets (I also love that they are not on point) at home and took the handles to patchwork group for hand sewing.  Then they sat in my sewing bag neglected (until I brought more red fabric), until last week when I thought I could work on them, because I had finished everything that I wanted to...for our exhibition.  

The baskets were spotted, and someone kindly asked..."are you going to finish those for the exhibition?"

....well it wasn't my intention, but its only 13" square so I did!  I did finesse the borders for something a bit more interesting than the pattern instructed.

Then last weekend I started something new....ignoring my self proclaimed drive to finish some UFO's!

This is  a Bonnie Hunter pattern called Scrappy Bargello.

Made out of  2.5" strips it currently measures 65 x 48". It is made using the same method as Scrappy trips, so I found it quick and easy to make, just a lot of pinning to ensure matching points.  I am on a mission to reduce myself of the extraordinary volume of stash fabric that I don't love anymore...because its not reproduction fabric!  So just need a border and then to quilt it.   That's a job for after the exhibition....but one I am looking forward to!
I will have photos of the Horsham quilt show tomorrow, but Judy has some up now HERE...including the sign I made!

Happy quilting, Sue.