Sunshine Award

We all Need some sunshine sometimes.

As I have a short while in between my Tablet Design lessons I need to accept the Sunshine award that Kay of Borderline quilters has so very kindly awarded to me.

Thank you so much Kay - I am honmoured. It really means a great deal to me. Kay and I are virtual friends and she lives in the most beauriful place.  I have visited her area some years ago - before I met Kay on the internet.  Its a wonderful way to meet hew friends and keep up with our many interests.

Now for how the Sunshine award works. There are a few rules and criteria to be followed.



You need to create a post with the following details:

Thank the person who nominated you for this Sunshine Award and link them back.
Then tell something about yourself.
Spread the joy by nominating your fellow bloggers and friends, its a way of appreciation.
Lastly but most important tell the bloggers about their nomination.

There you go, you're all done.

OK... I am a Wife,  Mother,  Grandmother  and quilter,  who used to really enjoy Patch working, but is now obsessed with my DMQ  on my Bernina 820.  I actually only started seriously quilting when I almost (it still not all sewn together - just all the rows to do) my Patchwork of the Crosses, as I couldn't bear to do more handwork on it with the amount of handworing already done on all the blocks)  Its going to be a challenge in itself when I finally get to it.

So I have done many classes with some wonderful quilters, by looking and learning 'how to' at videos of various top quilters and now the many online lessons I have had. ( At present doing another online class with Carla Barrett of Step on Pins. - which is why you haven't seen or heard from me in a while) I would love to nominate Kay - but she has the award already :)

As with Kay - I do love those feathers, and have many samples strewn round, of things I have done ...books that I draw in and now learning to design on the Tablet.

First......I would now like to nominate Kim at Sewnsewquilting I have learnt a lot by watching her video's and having her books. Its a great help too the she is such a great quilter.  She has been busy of late working in a quilt shop, but I see there are more quilts going up on her site.  More video's please Kim :)

Second... I would like to nominate Desley at Addicted to Quilts.  Desley is a beautiful Longarm quilter who is such an inspiration to me.  We met last year when she was over for a few days with her husband Paul.  and we all had a lovely day together.  Desley is a true artist!

Third.... I would like to nominate Judi Madsen of Green Fairy Quilts.  This young lady is inspiration indeed!  With four small children and a very supportive husband and partner, she make the most amazing things and her Longarm quilting is to die for.  Her work is exquisite, and her blog well worthy of a visit.

Fourth .... I would like to nominate Joanne of Threadhead  Joanne is a constant inspiration to many people She has the most amazing tutorials and a wide variety of accomplishment's.  We have become friends on the Internet and together with some two more of our Internet friends - we Skype and sew together as often as we are able to.  Its really fun .There are 2 in Canada, one in NZ and me here in Australia. Joanne also contributes to the Alzheimer's causes an has an amazing collection of quilts - large small and  mini. 

Fifth...... and lastly .....I would like to nominate Jenny's Doodling Needle.  I have learnt so much from just watching what Jenny does...she has such a variety of designs, I love to see what she is up to.  Again such an inspiring person!

The doesn't mean I have forgotten all you other lovely people out there... and you all do wonderful work and I am watching all I can,  I have such a thirst for knowledge, and am probably far too obsessed by all this craft work.

Off to do more of my lessons .

Awards

I am really honored to be given a Leibster award from  Kim from Seeing Stars

Thank you so much for this Kim, and my apologies for not getting back sooner.

I am so pleased to pass this on the 5 more quilters 

The Liebster award (German for favorite/dearest) is to showcase bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  Upon accepting the award the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note. A way of introducing other bloggers to the blogs they enjoy.

The Liebster Conventions says that :
1. Thank your award presenter on your blog and link back to him/her
2. Copy and paste the award to your blog
3. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that you think deserve to be recognized
4. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
5. Have faith that your follower will spread the love too!

Not an easy choice picking 5 people - I think you all deserve one - however....

1.  Kathy at Tamarack Shack She is a great Longarm quilter and has a wonderful knack of displaying her quilts in the outside.  That in itself is so artistic. I have long been an admirer of her wor
2. Kathy at Quilt Hollow ia a Longarm quilter who started with her quilting in 1989  and whose quilting and work is one to watch and  she has been dying fabric too, which she has recently had in a quilt show for sale
3. Linda of The Quilted Pineapple is another longarm quilter who has actually come in just over 200 followers, but I have snuck her in, as she hasnt been a longarm quilter for that long and really deservrs the award too.  She quilts beautifully
4. Wendy  Koenig of Inky Threads.  She is an amazing person and very generous with her time making quilts for the Alzeimers Art Quilt initative.  Although she is working full time, she works hard and frequently at her quilting and patchworking and is very inspiring ia all she does
5. Ethne of Flaming Stitches. Is a great dyer of fabrics and inovative patchworking who like contempry work mainly and designs all of her quilts.  I am an admirer of hers and have been 'with' her for some time

I do hope you enjoy these peoples blogs

Whole cloth quilt

Took some photos today - which I will put up later...have decided to do the binding before I wash!

I couldn't resist just putting this photo up first

Our little poodle Sophie came with me while I took some photos ...

She was so good, and just sat there while I clicked away ...

Now I have to do some filing, as it is such a mess in my Study and of course I can't find things.

Not to mention my studio... and that's worse!

 I will then get the binding on and wash the quilt...

WCQ

Quilting completed on my WCQ.

( I am not really this tall - Andrea took the photo from the floor :)

This is the back of the quilt... taken at night - I will
take more photos tomorrow in the sunlight.

 I have some markings on the front which I need to soak out,  hopefully tomorrow

I took this photo a few days ago before I completed the quilt... Hopefully the sun will shine and I will take better photos tomorrow to show the various designs.

Now - I have some questions. 

I would really appreciate some advice.

Tomorrow I plan to soak the quilt to get the marks out!  I have never washed and blocked before!  

I guess I need to cut the edges where I can to get the quilt more in shape, but leave enough edges to make another cut for the binding...

Is that right?   ....BEFORE I put the binding on. 

I have read that I may need to ptu the quilt in the dryer to get half dry....I am not really sure of this and may leave this bit out!  

What do you think? I really world appreciate advice.before I start.

I have two batting - the lower  one is wool and the top cotton...and I think I have actually done this back to front and should have used the cotton on the bottom and the wool on the top - too late now - but perhaps another time.

So - wash before I bind??

Hopefully I will have enough of the fabric to cut on the bias...

OK  Tomorrow will be interesting.

I'll back soon.

Free-Motion Quilt Challenge 2012

I have done my April Free Motion Quilting Challenge 2012 , organised for us by SewCalGal and this month  kindly set for us all

by Don Linn.

 

The netting pinned on and the design drawn on with my purple Marvy marker.

Its not the design Don gave us, but I had actually done this one before and used it for a Quilt for Andrea a few years ago.  I thought is would be a good one to use, as I couldn't find any netting :(

 Showing the design drawn on

Here is the finished block sewn with the netting design at the side.

Now as my WCQ is getting close to the finish - I am off back to that now.

I REALLY want to finish it!

FMQ - Video

I am hoping you will get to see my FMQ on my WCQ

if the video works :)

Shortly after Andrea took this, the foot dropped off the machine and the needle broke - giving me an unholy fright!!

Thankfully Andrea also

 didn't catch what I said as she had stopped recording and left the room!  

FMQ

Just to be different - Andrea took a photo of me quilting my WCQ  FMQ too!!

I outlined where I wanted the feathers to finish..its so much easire than marking it all.

Hope it works.

Andrea did take a movie too and I was going to put it up here, but I cant work out how to make it an mp4 file - so I am playing  ...  bad me!!



WCQ

Whole Cloth Quilt once again.

I seen to have been a bit lost for a bit, but we have been busy with friends and family.

Today I have peen playing on my practice piece...and you will see where I have been using my photoshop on this photo.

Some spelling wrong here - and didnt have time to work our which layer I was on :(

I have  - on my REAL piece - finished sewing large circles on the actual border, and am FMQ feathers on the final spine...and nearly made the decision to sew 1/4 inch 'piano keys' on the final border..as you can wee in the photo above

These lines were freehand



The 1/4 line are sewn using my Carol Olson ( of Fine Line Rulers)

to help me with the lines.  I did mark the lines first

Its the begining of the April School Holidays here, and Easter too of course...so I may be a bit quiet again for a bit.

Andrea will be away for a few days in the second week with her Father and his family - so I will have a few days to myself... BUT I am also starting my Tablet Design Calss with Carla Barrett on Step on pins...and as I am slow to pick up these things...and its a 3 week online course... I may not get too much sewing in... but I can plod on with my WCQ now I ... almost... know what I will do to finishe it.

Then of course I need to catch up on the Free Motion Quilt Challenge too  with SewCalGal. 

A vey happy and blessed Easter to you all...dont eat too much Chocolate.

Please forgive me if I dont always answer all your comments...Please know that I so appriciate

your visits  ♥