Hand Stitching, New Projects, Drawing & Next Year's Quilting

I have succumbed to another hand piecing project ... this is Joseph's Coat  and if you click on the words you can go see other ones being done.    I think I will really like this.  I have chosen a black background and am using some delicious Kafe Fasset fabrics.

These are all my little packs ready to be sewn - I had to have  a mathematical formula for my design and once I worked it out, put all the pieces in little bags - hopefully the final quilt will look lovely.

 

This is another little project that I started (I know I said no more new projects - but how could I resist) ... I saw Helen Stubbings "Life Is Beautiful" posting of her new project ... I have never done stitcheries before other than one piece - a panel of ladies by Brenda Ryan, oh and a little button.    I decided to do this quilt in blue and white - instead of red.  I am not doing any applique - just stitching the panels (which are circles actually).  I am also only using one strand of thread as I like the clean crisp look that this gives.    I have finished 15 and a half - so I am half way through the stitcheries now...I will add some more pics as I go along.

This is my little box of bits ready to go.  I am enjoying this project.

A few of you may know that I draw quite a bit and have been doing "doodles" for a very long time.  These are Zentangles - using some beautiful deckled archival quality paper and ink ... My lovely husband framed 20 of my little pictures .... Don't they look great all together like that.     Last year I also made a journal cover with these drawings - it looks great too ... I will have to get a picture and post sometime.

And last but not least, our very small Christmas morning gathering - just the three of us .... there are 24 of us in our house .... three humans, three cats and 18 fish - I don't count the bugs, of which I'm sure there are many hiding in the wall cavities. We had a lovely Christmas - very lazy but wonderful.  I didn't cook - we had lovely ham and salad for Christmas lunch, a few snacks and believe it or not - no dessert!  We did all miss the beach as it is not often we are home for Christmas. 

My schedule is starting to fill up ... so call me if you want to book a quilt in. I have January and February but I am away for the whole of March 2010, and then back after Easter.

So life returns to normal now - back to quilting everyone - lol!

Happy Quilting and wishing you all a wonderful Happy New Year ... Jane

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful and safe Christmas Day....

Cheers
Jane
x

Back On Line

No pictures here today ... my new notebook computer (less than two months old) had a catestrophic hard drive failure ... so had to go back to the manufacturers to be replaced.  Luckily I do backups and the computer store was able to retrieve most things.   So.....I will upload some new photos soon and show you what I have been up to now that I am back on line properly.

In-laws visited us unexpectedly for a week and a half - nice to see them - but not much work got done. They mainly came down for our son's 17th birthday - not that they saw much of him (DS is a lad of few words and keeps to himself a lot).  My own sibilings (9 of them) attended my mother's 70th birthday - we hadn't been together for years and this is probably the last time it will happen.  It was nice to see them all ... but we have changed so much and it is quite amazing how some of them feel like strangers after all these years of little contact.   We all go our separate ways and grow apart I guess.  My husband says ... when we marry we become a little like our partners and are therefore different people to that when we were kids or young adults ... I think he may be right, I am more like him than I care to admit! lol!!

Christmas is only six days away ... I can't believe it, but I wrapped the presents today (none under the tree for me ...but that is normal and sometimes one turns up Christmas morning).

All my cats have visited the vet in the past week ... my little boys are now on a urinary diet - I didn't know that male cats were prone to crystals forming in the urine and that they have difficulty passing them - this can be life threatening - so special biscuits for them - actually works out cheaper than how I was feeding them before.   Our big girl Shadow, went a bit crazy one day after having a big fright outside ... she was really freaking out and panting and bouncing off the walls - terrified really.  After I calmed her down we went to the vet for a check up - she really is quite timid but it was good to have here checked out just in case there was something physically wrong.     So on the cat side of things ... all is well.  Jet is now weeing better and Antibiotics for Merlin as he had a scratch that got badly infected (hard to see such small scratches with all his fur)  fur dropped out, wound burst and is now good ... sigh...wallet is lighter but cats are well and happy again.

Shadow is five years old on Christmas day....will have to give her some chicken for her birthday lunch.

Anyway that's all for now .... happy quilting and I will post some pics in a day or so when I get this computer sorted out....Jane

I love my job

 

I Really do like my job - I love seeing all the beautiful quilts people make - I get to see quilts that are technically precise, applique that has invisible stitches, beautiful design and colour combinations and these are quilts that you don't see in the Quilt Shows because most of these quilters are not interested in showing their quilts.  So really I am quite lucky to be able to quilt these quilts ... some people don't even want me to put them on here so others can see.     So I am lucky that I have a skill that these women want ...so I can play with their quilts.    Here are a few snips .... including Jet who had to check out my new basket in progress.

Happy Quilting for now .... Jane x

More Quilting & Workshops

I love this quilt - I didn't want to give it back to it's owner once I had quilted it. We used an all over pattern to quilt as it will be used well and will need to be washed.....the applique on this quilt is immaculate - a fantastic job and a beautiful quilt.




























Saturday saw me once again at Cranberry Crafts in Ulverstone for the 2nd part of my Wire Wrapped Doll Workshop (you can book a workshop with me by going to my web page) - most girls chose to make the tall doll and they were all coming along nicely (remember to email me pictures of your finished dolls ladies - I love to see them)















This is Elkie's Hidden Stars quilt - with added rail fence border .. see those stars twinkling in there.














This is another "first" quilt - Lisa has never made a big quilt or pieced quilt like this - she has done a wonderful job and her borders were perfect!



















This next quilt is by Jill and she specifically wanted not only minimal quilting - but quilting just like the original designed by the designer of the pattern. This is not always an easy thing to do. As a quilter you have a way you prefer to quilt - like stabilising the quilt with stitch in the ditch quilting which will also enhance the applique blocks. I also prefer to quilt around all applique to make it "pop" and therefore require minimal quilting in the background of the block - some quilts scream for more quilting while others will say - not too much!

However, this quilt did look rather sweet with the "minimalist" look for quilting .... I would have liked to do a bit of ditch stitching though....but the customer is always right and their preference is always given priority!

My own quilts get my preferred treatment when quilting - so I give the same to my customers. Now ... when was I going to be able to quilt those six quilts of mine I have sitting there ... over the Christmas break I hope.

Happy quilting until next time.... Jane xx

Beautiful Feather Quilting

This is the current Raffle Quilt for the Wilted Quilters in George Town Tasmania - they are having their exhibition in George Town from 19 through 21 November 2009. I didn't want to quilt too much in behind the handbang stitcheries so did a nice diamond cross hatch which sets the stitcheries off nicely. The remainder of the quilt was quilted with my freehand feathers with the pink border having a little leaf vine.











A shot of the back














One of the beautiful stitchery bags














Another back picture














And this quilt is Geraldine's lovely Picininni quilt - with feathers - it is a really nice quilt. I was impressed with how the colours looked - wonderful!

































So it's back to the quilt machine for me .... hope everyone is enjoying this lovely sunshine weather we are having. Happy quilting for now ... Jane x

The end of the year is too near!

Shadow - gazing across to our neighbour's property where the alpacas live - well she is probably checking out the birds in the trees really!










I love backing fabrics - this is another one from Brenda at Widebacks and I have quilted this lovely quilt by Marie F. with Celtic Scroll pattern.














Another "Matilda's Farm" quilt - this time with a simple all over pattern.














The next quilt is Sally's quilt which I have finished quilting and binding for her - as she is a non-quilter.


So life at the moment is pretty hectic with the pre-Christmas rush, school examination time for my son - so back and forth to school at odd times during the days ... sigh ... he only has one more year now and then he is finished school - seems like only yesterday that we first took him to pre-school.

Anyway ... happy quilting for now ... Jane

Quilts, Cats and Journals

This lovely quilt was made by Marie D. and was our non-compulsory challenge quilt at our recent Launceston Patchworkers & Quilters Retreat in August - doesn't it look beautiful.










I took my kitties out into the sunshine yesterday (they go on a harness with a long lead) and Jet decided it was just too hot and the water we leave out for the wallabies was just too irresistable - he sat in it and played in it for quite awhile until Merlin came up and wanted in on the action - I was too slow with my camera though.














This Journal cover was made by putting a raw edge applique on the ginko leaves and I have also added a little pen holder - this journal was gifted to Marie F who loves ginko and now I think I would like to make another similar.



















Two little journal covers I made as some of the many door prizes for our LPQ Girls Night In last night - it was a great success and a lot of fun with around 60 ladies attending for a dinner and some entertainment - lots of laughing and fun. The ladies who organise this every year do a wonderful job and we all get a chance to meet members whom we may have never seen before.














The little bag I made using the tutorial from the Pink Penguin blog was one of the raffle prizes and I added a little candle in a can - very smelly - but nice. Fran W from the Quilt Patch added in some fat quarters of fabric - so it made quite a nice little prize.

It is another busy week here and the weather is beautiful - we have been having sunshine which is lovely after all the rain we have had. The place looks great with green grass and all the winter trees getting their leaves back - I do like Spring.

Happy quilting for now ... Jane

The Bali Bag

This is the Bali Bag I made for my sister for her birthday- unfortunately she loved it and I had to give it to her - lol! I have lined it as well which looks great and I added a number of pockets to it.

I used a bit thicker cotton rope than the clothesline stuff and found this gave a nicer stiffer bag. I have also made it a bit more barrel like - I used a Hoffman's bali pop "Capuccino" which I got from The Quilt Patch in Launceston.

That is my son "interfacing with his computer" in the background - busy doing homework apparently!

On the weekend I taught a class at Cranberry Crafts in Ulverstone - Wrapped Wire Dolls - the girls did a wonderful job and got further along than I though ... they have homework and four weeks to complete it until the next class - I will post some photos next week of my dolls (as I forgot to take one and the doll is still at the shop).

This weekend I am teaching another Journal Cover workshop at Cranberry Crafts - this is a very popular class as participants get to make a small useable project while learning some free motion quilting and beading techniques. So I am busy busy busy at the moment - keeps me off the streets ... hehehe.

Happy Quilting for now ... Jane

A Great Weekend

Last weekend was a great weekend for a quilter - from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon I was at Camp Clayton for the annual Tas Scquilters Retreat - what a great weekend - lots of quilting, chatting, and none of us had to make meals or clean up. We had show and tell on Saturday night and there were some fabulous quilts .. I took two photos and my camera went dead - forgot to charge the battery.

Anyway - here is my Pandora's Box quilt made from a Bali Pop with some lovely Batik fabric for the border that I got from The Quilt Patch - it was perfect for the border.




















And ... we had a 60th birthday at retreat - Helen D's birthday and I couldn't let the opportunity go by to make a little felted journal cover with some simple quilting with Silk thread and a couple of beads that I got from Cranberry Crafts in Ulverstone. Hope you had a great day Helen.














Coming home everyone was happy to see me ... the little cats (who are one on the 24 October) and the big cat Shadow - she says she has had enough of the little babies who want to be friends with her all the time - she can't be bothered with them - lol!














And just for interest - a week or so ago we had some great gusts of wind and our roof was ripped up ... this is a terrace in the city that was built in 1901 - James and the builder had to get a cherry picker up to fix it and put in some more roof nails as a few sheets were lifted. Thankfully no water damage.














This is part of a beautiful quilt I custom quilted - I have done three of these for three sisters - each different colours but they wanted the same quilting - it is a wonderful quilt.

I will take some more pictures and upload later this week. I have been doing some of my black and white drawings on fabric and made one into a little journal cover - I am very happy with it although it does look very different to my drawings. I have also made a couple of Journal covers for our Girls Night In next week for lucky door prizes - they are fabulous and pink! Oh and a lovely bag I made for my sister but you can't see it until I have given it to her ... will put a post up later on in the week. And finally I am at Cranberry Crafts in Ulverstone on Saturday teaching a wire wrapped doll workshop ... a full class and the ladies are ready to go - how exciting.

Happy quilting for now .... Jane

My Weekend

I was gifted with these beautiful flowers from my sister - aren't they lovely.

















And I finished off a Journal Cover. I sewed this one awhile ago now but had never beaded it - so it is done and sold ready to go to its new home!

I have also been busy quilting on the longarm this week - after spending much more time than anticipated on a custom quilt I can get on and do some all over quilting and catch up.

More of the same for the rest of the week but on Friday afternoon I head off to Camp Clayton for the Tas Scquilters Retreat - only a couple of days this time but I have quite a few projects ready to sew. Oh and I have to go shopping to make sure the fridge is stocked up for the boys (DH and DS) who will be home alone and cooking. As long as they feed the fish and the cats I will be happy.

So Happy Quilting until next time ... Jane

Quilts and more Glorious Quilts

These are some of the beautiful quilts at our recent Launceston Patchwork & Quilters group - it was a beautiful exhibition and these are quilts that I have quilted.

This beautiful quilt is by Marie and which was custom quilted by me - taking the leaf motif's out into the background - I just love the pieced border in this quilt too.












This next quilt is by Moira - loved quilting this one - very fun!



















This one is a friendship quilt pieced by Barbara O. for Robin.



















I loved this one so much that I am making one - this one is by Helen H.



















This is my stand at the exhibition with some of my quilts - most people were intrigued at the paper patterns that we use on our quilting machines - the white wholecloth was a hit (and yes it is for sale - see my website and in the last photo you can see some of the Journal covers that ladies have made in a class with me.

















Exciting news is that next month's Down Under Quilts has my Journal Cover project in it - you can see how to construct the journal cover that I use. Embellishment is a personal thing so anything goes. The electronic version is out now.

Happy Quilting for now ... Jane

Cats, Dear Jane & Journal Covers

Last week we were at the beach for a wonderful break during the school holidays - as usual we took our little lovlies and they had a great time being on their harnesses. Merlin took to sitting on the post anytime we took him out. Jet was a bit more safety conscious - preferring to stay in and around the caravan annex - little chicken!




















Here are a couple of Journal covers that I have made - I beaded the one on the right during last week - I put some real freshwater pearls on it and think it looks great.


And here is another Dear Jane block- I have done more - just haven't got the pictures....still plugging along with it slowly.











Happy quilting for now - Jane