Sweet stitching finishes

Finally I have some finishes to show you from my stitching day out at Warracknabeal. 

 This is the needle roll (called Little Bird Roll) designed by Shelly Kelley.  I found a sweet little "S" button in my sewing room that I got in a packet of buttons from the op shop...forgot that I had ever brought it, but amazing what goodies you find when you clean up the spare bedroom robe (and the linen press and laundry cupboards!).  So I just have to add the "loop" to catch the button and its done!

It has a great little pocket for thread and is a lovely addition to my sewing room, perfect for stitching on the run.  After borrowing more thread from my stitching neighbour Rose, I got the "Cornflower Blue - Doorstop stop by Leonie Bateman finished.  

Well that enabled me to get the applique finished then I had to sew it all together and fill it with kitty litter, which is very tricky!  We don't own a cat (we have budgies) so I am going to be making a lot more doorstops before I run out of kitty litter!

I enjoyed the wool applique so much that Lisa (and hopefully Rose) and I are back off to Quilters Harvest, Warracknabeal on Sunday for another wool applique class - this time with USA teacher Debbie Busby.

Happy sewing, Sue.

Spring Workshop in Warracknabeal

On Saturday I spent the day stitching in Warracknabeal at the Harvest Quilters Vintage Retreat.

The tutors were (from left) Marg Low, Shelley Kelly, Leonie Bateman and we were hosted by the Quilters Harvest owners, Dell and Shirley.

I started this wool applique door stop, by Leonie Bateman.

 I don't own a light box, so I made use of the numerous light boxes available to participants to trace off this stitchery by Marg Low.

I stitched tiny hexies and started the applique for a sweet needle roll, by Shelley Kelly, which is in the bottom middle of the below photo, which shows all the finished patterns we got in our goodie bag.  

I fell in love with applique all over again.  Shelley showed me how to needle turn, so I thought it only fair I brought one of her patterns...how beautiful is this pillow!

Shelley does wonderful work, this is her naive tulip quilt.

 But her miniatures in reproduction fabrics were just stunning.  I would love to do a class with her, but Shelley lives over near Albury/Wodonga, it's at least a five hour drive!

 Log Cabin miniature by Shelley Kelly. Hand sewn and quilted.

 Lone Star by Shelley Kelly.  Machine pieced, hand quilted.

 Gather your Baskets by Shelley Kelly, I had to have a picture of it, as I love basket quilts so much!

Brookfield by Leonie Bateman..  The baskets and top border are all wool and appliqued on.  Leonie loves hand applique and helped me improve my blanket stitch.  As well as demonstrated her technique for preparing wool work, which was very helpful as she uses woven wool which is too thick for fuse web.

Last but not least a stunning red and white quilt by Marg Low, Sarah's Sampler (1855).  This was available as a pattern and I was very tempted, but thought I am going to be busy enough making all the lovely patterns I had in my goody bag. 

It was lovely day out, with lovely friends.....and I came home to a roast dinner and three happy chappies cos their footy team won, yeah!

Happy quilting Sue.