Kim Diehl Warm Regards quilt finished!

I have been working on my version of Kim Diehl's Warm Regards quilt for over a year.  I started this quilt with two friends, after Lisa gave me the book Simple Friendships as a birthday gift and pointed out the patterns by Kim Diehl and Jo Morton were designed for friendship swaps.  

Instead of swapping blocks we each made our own version of this quilt.  I normally use a more subdued palette, but decided to use as many brights as I felt comfortable with, which turned out to be a lot!  I also stretched my comfort zone to include black in some of the pieced blocks.  Kim Diehls pattern calls for yo yo flowers, but I chose to needle turn applique mine (and only used red and pink) using the Perfect Circles and starch and was very pleased with the results.

Lisa made the Jo Morton version of the quilt (no applique just pieced cross blocks) but amended it to add a centre of yo yos, as she loves yo yos!  Vicki made the Kim Diehl version, also appliqued her berries, but she choose a black background but followed the scrappy colours theme of the berries. 

Vicki is a long arm quilter and texted me in late February to say that she had a custom cancellation for March and I could have the spot if I wanted.  It was the push I needed to finish the border and I got it to her in time.  In a nod to Jo Morton I found a piece of JM fabric in my stash that was big enough to make a backing from, which I was delighted about. There was lots of consulting as I have only ever had one quilt custom quilted before.

Post delivery of completed quilt I found this little wing was not completely stitched down by me..big opps!  So glad that the machine foot didn't get caught in it while Vicki was quilting.
I am delighted with the outcome!   

Happy quilting Sue

Applique table runner flimsy finish

I have had this needle turn applique table runner, (Spring Blooms pattern by Norma Whaley) on the go for two years.  Its fine to have a cart around project, but I seem to forget to cart it around!

 All I needed was some leaves on the border.  So after one day at my sewing group I had stitched on 23 leaves, leaving just one more to stitch down later in front of the TV.  

 I trialled a scrap of purple for a circle flower and that worked well. 

So I have continued the scrappy theme and got to work on the rest of "flowers".  

Sew it wasn't much of a leap to piecing the blocks to get a flimsy.

Happy quilting 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.