Brown Quilt finished

Today Elaine and I finished hemming the binding on the brown quilt. It looks amazing. Stephanie quilted it beautifully and added 8 Australian animal shapes in her quilting (kookaburra, kangaroo, wombat, gecko, cockatoo, lyrebird, echidna, emu). She remarked that it is one of the straightest, squarest quilts she has done! Now it is all ready for David and Carlos to collect next time they are in Australia and take home to London in time for autumn maybe.

 This is a sideways image because it is a queen sized quilt. The block design is a disappearing 6-patch designed by Stephanie and I and used for our colour wash quilts.

July Quilting Day

 Last Saturday we were a small and very busy group. Just Stephanie, Karen and I with help from Pernilla. We decided that we really needed to finish off some of our UFOs before starting another piece of fabric but pulled Lynette's to give us lots of time to consider our options.

We put the blue flowers up on the board but as we need two more applique blocks we went no further with that one.

We added another border of brown blocks and now that one is a Queen Bed topper. I think it should have an unpieced border added (say 3") and then a binding before we can consider it finished. It is looking really good with its contrasting corners.

Jeanette sent along a photo of her latest quilting efforts and the quilt will hang in their show soon.

Karen brought her progress to show and tell of a BOM modern quilt she is making. 

Zoom was a very small group - just us and Sue - but we were able to have a great catch up.

My news is that I am preparing to have a major kitchen reno (starting August I hope) so stay tuned to your email for changes of dates and venues until that is over.

See you all next time, somewhere.

While I was away

 I hear some members had a great time at Stephanie's playing with her long arm quilting machine and quilting our latest finish. How cool was that? I am told Elaine has taken the quilt home to bind it.

I am told everyone was given compulsory fabric to take home from Stephanie's stash so she can actually fit her fabrics in her drawers. I visited Stephanie yesterday and helped sort a few more drawers and fold fabrics so they would fit and could be seen at a glance. In the process I was sent home with more compulsory fabric.

I still have a pile of cat fabrics to give away if anyone would like them. Please just let me know. Stephanie is about to bundle some of her themed fabrics to sell.

Elaine has sent this picture of her latest I Spy quilt to donate to a person who loves it. I love it.

An experiment from Elaine

 Elaine created these scrappy blocks by sewing onto polar fleece then joined them as a quilt-as-you-go quilt with no other backing. 

It certainly worked well!

First the front...

Then the back...

Our Coronation Get Together (May)

 Last weekend our get together coincided with the coronation of King Charles III. Whether you are a monarchist or a republican it was certainly an historical occasion!

Kathryn came to stay over on Friday night and made a Coronation Quiche for our lunch the next day.

It certainly looked great even though we had some difficulty with the pastry as gluten free flour does not handle well. Eventually Kathryn moulded small lumps of the pastry into the pan. Yes, she used the broad beans but I noticed she peeled the seeds and only used the inner seed part.

On Saturday we started with our show and tell.

Stephanie brought along her version of her latest scrappy quilt. Please note that the pieces are all 2" cut then used in a disappearing 9-patch which is then cut.

I have also progressed a little with mine but it is made with 2.5" pieces as well as lots of our leader and ender squares which end up 2.5".

Glenda brought along a quilt that had been given to her. We all discussed issues with lack of quilting. It is absolutely stunning which you'll see better if you click on the picture and zoom in.

Glenda also brought along our latest finish. It has gone to Karen to donate to a cancer support place in Melbourne where her late friend Rick had spent much of his time during his battle with his cancer. We forgot to attach the label.

As always, a lot of time was spent chatting about the pros and cons of various quilts. We also spent time making more blocks for the brown quilt which now has prospective owners - David and Carlos from London, friends of Elaine's.

Lunch was amazing of course and the quiche was delicious and there was even a small amount for Kathryn, Stephanie and I to share while we watched the coronation later in the evening.

Our next gathering will be at Stephanie's as I will be away. You'll all get to do a little of the quilting on our black stars quilt using her long arm quilting machine. I will send out details before I go.

An amazing maze (or is it a labyrinth?)

Jeanette sent along these photos of her latest creation - Labyrinth.

How cool is that!

 

Another one from Elaine

 Elaine calls this one Cats in the Window and used lots of cat fabrics that were donated to Stephanie and passed on.

So many cats!

April Update

 With so many interruptions to our little group over the last month, mostly caused by me, I thought it was time to post a few of the finishes people have sent me pics of.

The first is a beautiful little 3D picture of fabric flowers and a butterfly by Christine. 

One of Elaine's latest kiddy quilts..

Karen completed a table runner using aboriginal fabrics..

 

I've done very little but am progressing with my next scrappy top..

I am using my leader and ender 4-patches and other 2.5" squares.

Stephanie is also doing one of these tops (she alerted me to the idea) and is using 2" squares for hers..

They look so complicated and tedious but are really easy to do. Another disappearing 9-patch idea.

March Together

 Last weekend we welcomed Judy to our group and hope we did not put her off with our funny ways and our 'Bet'-ocracy. Judy brought along some lovely quilts that she had done with lots of applique. They are beautiful!

Karen was presented with the Almost Celtic quilt that she won.

We did a lot of discussing about the backing for our Disappearing Hour Glass quilt which is now all ready for sandwiching when we have an appropriate backing. It really looks stunning and will be bound in black when quilted.

Karen and Elaine worked hard all day joining the Brown Blocks together with their apricot sashing. The fabric on the left will be the backing and perhaps we'll have an apricot border all around the quilt top as well.

 

And our next finish was completed by Glenda with binding and label. If you would like to put your name into the draw for the quilt below please let me know asap.

 

The rest of us played with curves with a new block draw from Carol. It is a Drunkard's Path block and provided great opportunities for discussing colour contrast and sewing curves.

My show and tell was some chevron strips I am making out of my scrappy strips which just must be used up as I have no more space for them. I will continue sewing them as leaders and enders. I'm starting with the greens.

Our February progress

 With our Almost Celtic (below) finished it is now time to put a claim on this one if you would like it. If I get more than one person wanting it we will have a draw. Expressions of interest should be in by the end of February.

After lots of discussion last Saturday about whether to have sashing on our brown blocks or not Stephanie arrived at mine yesterday with the perfect sashing fabric in apricot that she had dyed herself some years ago.

We spent the afternoon arranging  the blocks and today Glenda came for a few hours and we put the short pieces of sashing on and joined the rows.

All outstanding brown blocks should be in by the end of next week. We are hoping to put some on the back of the quilt as well but can always add another row to the top or bottom of what we have.

We have found a great border for our disappearing hour glass quilt top and anytime someone feels the urge please come and we can work together on that one. It is currently on the back of the design wall.

The instructions will be ready for our next block so be patient with me. I will be mailing out the fabrics in the next few weeks.

Please make sure all outstanding blocks are back to me by the end of February.