Thursday 22 October 2009

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

Monday 19 October 2009

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

Thursday 15 October 2009

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

Wednesday 7 October 2009

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

Thursday 1 October 2009

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