Our first virtual Show and Tell

From Liz (NZ)

As you can well imagine many plans are having to be changed. In NZ we are slow starters on the Covid19 virus - still not in double figures for confirmed cases and no deaths but undoubtedly there will eventually be transference. Hopefully this will not be as drastic and exponential a curve as we have seen overseas. 

In the meantime a 2 week isolation in Australia and then 2 week isolation on return makes my trip untenable and I dont think the situation willget better before May ( I am sure it wont)

So I am still a virtual Rainbow Connection member but even virtual connections are good. Maybe we can Skype and do a quick Show and tell on the 16 May?

In the meantime my proudest show and tell at the moment is Geraldine the giraffe ( done using Pam holland's pattern) here is a picture of mine. Our sewing group of 10 have all done one and when we get them all gathered together theya re going to look really interesting - all different.

My best wishes to you and everyone.

Stay safe my friends. 

Although I am not a very high risk by virtue of mainly good health, I am in the age group and my son has informed me that by about Easter when things are likely to kick in here, he wants me out of Auckland and down with them in Palmerston North where isolation and risk is likely lowered. I can go down in my campervan and be pretty self sufficient and take sewing machine and all my hobbies!! We shall see....

From Betty ...

I have also been filling my time with a few little projects...

Just so I don't go stir crazy with all sorts of things being cancelled I have found a few UFO things to do in my quilting studio.

I think I've been waiting since about 2007 to finish off a few more soap savers, having been shown them by Marion on one of her visits. They are really easy to do.

I have about 4 more ready to sew.

Then there were my tiny squares from Suzy in UK that I sewed together some months ago and used the technique as a show and tell. I now have 2 new pot mits for my kitchen at last and I have 2 more to sew then lots more with larger 1" squares from my leaders and enders. I'll try to get better at the binding before I do my last one.

What are you filling your time with during these long days? Send me some pics and a little story and I'll add them to our blog.

Pop-up Quilting Day

Just 4 of us gathered on Saturday for our pop-up quilting day but we did progress a little with our quilts on the go.

Of course there was the lovely lunch under our bookcase quilt.

We pillowcased Stephanie's Bright Stripes and then I started quilting it but we really need to pin or baste the layers together before proceeding. Elaine got the horrible job of unpicking the bit of quilting I had done.

Then we decided to start really thinking about the Seminole pieces and how to put them together to make them work as two single bed quilts. Some strips needed extensions added and even some embellishments to fill empty places.

Rather than losing the zig-zags on some strips we had a go at appliqueing them to the dividing strip.

In all lots of thinking, discussing options and laughing of course, and not very many expletives were heard.

Our Bookcase quilt

Our bookcase quilt is now complete and hanging.

Thank you all and thank you Karen W.

A New Year Begins

Last Friday we met for the first time this year.

Elaine brought along the finished Posy Quilt and we removed the last of the tacking before drawing the winner. Congratulations to Jenny who loves the quilt. Perhaps she'll come down to visit us to collect it or maybe we can all head to hers to deliver it later in the year.

The pieced backing worked well but unfortunately the photo is a bit washed out.

For our show and tell Christine sent along photos of her entry into a quilt show in her town. A quilt with a great story.

Karen brought along the medallion card we received from the Country Women's Association thanking us for our quilt donations.

Linda and her girls visited for lunch and added to the activity of the day.

During the day much work was done to progress some of our other quilts...

• Stephanie's bright quilt top is now finished and Stephanie has pieced an equally bright backing for it. Our decision is to bag this quilt so it is already to sort the batting next time we meet.

• I completed the basic quilting on the Bookcase quilt which means we were able to draw a winner for that one. Karen W won the quilt but unfortunately has no wall to hang it so has offered it to me. I will hang it in my dining room where we can all enjoy it. Thank you Karen. I hope to have removed all the tacking and have it hanging by our next meeting.

• We filled the empty side of the design wall with Carol's Cabin blocks and had a bit of discussion and experimentation about sashing options.

We drew our next Mystery Metre fabric and I've started sending it out but will email instructions when they are written. This time it is a floral from Jenny. Have fun with this block.

In all a very busy day together with lots of coming and going.

On Saturday Elaine and I went to an exhibition of Lyn Hewitt's quilts and we now have some ideas for blocks that are a bit more of a challenge so look forward to drawing our next fabric and incorporating one of the ideas.

Since Last Time...

Our quilts progress in fits and starts. I had a friend Kerrie come down from Springwood to do a bit of sewing a few weeks ago. We finished her job quite quickly so I rang Elaine and asked if she was up for a spot of tacking with Kerrie and I on the bookcase quilt.

By the time Elaine arrived, Kerrie and I had almost finished the body tacking so we all started to tackle the "border". Quite a physical and mathematical headache but I think we are almost there.

Of course the Posy Quilt is still under my machine. I'll get there eventually.

Once we had had enough of the bookcase quilt we decided to see what the seminole strips looked like so added them to the design wall to ponder over the break. Much discussion and thoughts of how to put it together.

Then just last week we had our Christmas lunch day. Karen G. and daughter Rosalind arrived for a spot of sewing quite early so we finished tacking the "border" of the bookcase quilt and I started sewing the hanging sleeve.

Karen W. and Elaine arrived before it was time to leave for Carss Park.

Sorry there are no pics of us enjoying our lunch. There was Karen W., Karen and Rosalind G, Elaine, Ros, Linda with Olivia and Jessica, and then Kathryn who had walked all the way down from Allawah station, just missing us as we left home.

Back again to mine for a tad more sewing and to examine the Carol's Log Cabin blocks. We've made some decisions and done a bit of trimming.

News that Karen W. has delivered two of our quilts to the Country Women's Association.

That's it for 2019 so until we meet again next year enjoy your break and have a Merry Christmas. If you'd like to come for a pop-up sewing day just let me know via email or phone and we can plan.

A very busy Friday

Our day started at about 10am and by 11:30 we had our quorum for a Show and Tell session.

Ros brought along two quilts with lots of hand sewing on them.

Elaine displayed her yellow and purple quilt made from blocks that were donated to her some years ago. Now all done and ready to give away.

Elaine also showed her progress with an "In Front of TV" project she was given. It is looking amazing so far.

A few people arrived after we'd finished our lunch but of course there was still plenty for them to share.

Meanwhile everyone continued work on either their blocks ready to submit or on quilts we are putting together.

Roslyn was able to demonstrate various techniques to Eve who is just starting out on quilting. The task they almost completed was putting together Stephanie's Bright Stripes.

Carol had a lot of fun completing the border for the bookcase quilt and it now really looks like a bookcase. It is stunning. It is now ready to sandwich next time we gather to work.

After most people had left Kathryn and Eve were able to make their new blocks and learn a lot of techniques they were unfamiliar with.

By now you should have your fabric and instructions for our final block of the year, Lynette's Japanese Star. This block won't be due until the end of January so no panic yet.

Happy Sewing..

October already

Last Saturday we started our day together with Karen and I being the only ones there for about an hour. So we made some decisions for the group. The early birds catch the worms.

• Karen chose our next fabric and block design which was donated by Carol. Most people will have received their fabrics by now and I will do the instructions soon.
• As I had been a little concerned about the randomness of the Random.org site we've been using to draw our next quilt winner I wrote everyone's name on a piece of card and have them in a little bag to draw from. 
• This led to discussion about what to do about those who had already won this year so the decision was: as your name is drawn it automatically gets removed from the draw bag for the calendar year whether you decide to keep the quilt or donate it to charity.  This will be a simpler system and everyone will get a chance equally in any one calendar year.
• Now for a new part of our days together. Karen and I both had a bit of show and tell so we decided that at about 11:30 each gathering we could have a show and tell time. Most people are there by 11:30 and have not yet left for any clashing engagements so it seemed like a good time.

If you have suggestions about how to run the group then please come early and talk them through.

We spent time marvelling at our latest quilt. Elaine started by attaching the label.

Lynette won the draw to decide what to do with it. She has decided to donate it to charity so if anyone knows a suitable charity please let me know.

Our next task was to sandwich the Posy Quilt. First the backing had to be pieced so Karen W and Carol got busy with that.

After much measuring and moving the top we all took part in the taking. What a pity that our alignment is a bit out with the backing but I'm sure we'll be able to cope. It just won't look as good as it was going to on the back.

My show and tell was how to make postage stamp blocks with perfectly butted corners and very straight rows of tiny pieces. These 1.25" samples were given to me by a friend years ago and I've tried a few times to put them together. This time I used very fine iron-on interfacing to arrange them then sewed them together. Click on this picture and it will enlarge so you can see the results. The pink one is finished and the orange one is half done.

I can do a demo for anyone who would like it. Previously I have achieved this good result using plasticised paper to iron onto but removing the paper is a bind. Click here if you'd like those instructions.

The other thing I showed was a Japanese bag made from two squares of fabric. I've put more pictures up on my own blog. If you'd like to access this please just let me know.

Karen's show and tell was her hand pieced hexagon project. It will be great when it is done. We all need a hand sewing project for in front of TV or when we travel.

Below we have arranged our seminole strips that have come in so far. Click on it to enlarge it too. They are magnificent!

Towards the end of the afternoon Stephanie started putting the blocks we had received from her fabric donation onto the design wall. They will look stunning too.

So don't forget, come early and often! And please contact me if you'd like a pop-up sewing day any time.

Snatching time to keep an active brain

Those of you who have taken part in the construction of our Christine's Posies Quilt will understand what a challenge it has been and when no-one was game to come near it last time we were together as I was adding the thin green line I decided to snatch bits of time to complete the top.

Today, using the help of my two little girls with pin passing, and between playing farms upstairs I have the top together. It still has to be trimmed and a final border added but it looks amazing!

Thanks for the challenge Christine.

Spring has sprung and the sunflowers are finished

Last Friday our get together was most productive. Elaine stayed over at mine on Thursday night (she is not able to drive with hip recovery). We were joined on Friday by Karen W., Carol, Ros and Stephanie.

Ros sewed the label onto the Sunflower Quilt and we actually photographed it and declared it finished. Liz (NZ) won the quilt but was happy to pass it on to Stephanie who had expressed a love of it. So congratulations Stephanie.

Much chat occurred over lunch and afternoon tea of course.

One of our time consuming puzzles was the Bookcase Quilt. It is really looking great and we have now chosen a fabric for the border.

It is certainly looking great so far!

Cathy's Purple was sandwiched and tacked and Ros has taken it home to quilt and bind. Hooray! In the down time she continued with a project she is trying to finish.

Carol got Linda's old sewing machine working which was very handy when there was so much to do. When Stephanie arrived she did a lot of oiling of the machine and changed the type of bobbin in it. After that it sounded much better.

I took on the next step in the Posy quilt. What a lot of brainwork that was but I think it is now working. We are creating a narrow floating dark green border around the posy section. We did the same thing on our Brown Roses quilt ages ago that we put into the Quilt Show.

I have received a few of the Seminole blocks back and they are looking great. I hope you are all enjoying the challenge.

We are still looking for a charity to donate one of our quilts to so if you know of one please let me know.