Free Motion Quilt Challenge August 2012

Free Motion Quilt Challenge August 2012 with SewCalGal

I have been otherwise occupied here for a while now, and not able to get to my quilting,

However I have done this months quilt Challenge inspired by Wendy Sheppard of Ivory Springs, who is our tutor for this Months August Challenge. 

A very Special thanks to Wendy, whose wonderful quilting I have also long admired!

I did this small piece the other day in a quiet space of time.

I have staying here with us a lovely young lady from Canada BC staying with us.  The is Andrea's exchange student...and will be with us for another 3 weeks.  So as you can imagine time has been busy, and really great...plus Andrea has been ill and at home for a week and a half too. So more school to catch up on!

This weekend we celebrated Andrea's 16th Birthday and we had some of her friends over for the night.  It was great fun for all of us.

These are some of her school friends, and Caitlin too... I couldnt fit the others all in the photo.. but this gives you the idea.

We will be busy the next two weekends, so I dont expect to be getting any where fast with my quilting for a bit longer yet.

Till next time.....soon I hope :)

Holiday to Walpole July 2012

Andrea, Caroline , Caroline's exchange student and myself spent a week away - stayed at a chalet in Walpole on the South West Coast of Western Australia.

We had a great time and as mentioned in previous post, drove around 900km+.

Here are some of our memories.

 

 Town of Walpole seen from The Knoll accross the estuary.

 Mother and baby - who ate carrots from our hands

 Mother and baby

 Andrea and Roni -

 One of two Bandicoots we had also living by our challet. I have only seen these once before.

This one ate some apple.

I think this one thought the camera was something good to eat.

Ronnie Andrea and Caroline...

On the Treetop walk at The Vally of the giants.  Giant Tingle tree forrest.

 Inside one of the giant Tingle trees

 Roni and Andrea at the 'Dinasor Park' - with birds

 Me with a little bird who couldnt fly - and he tried to eat my ear :)

Caroline at Conspicuous Bay.  Thats a fresh water creek flowing into the ocean.  

I fell ove twice here.  Thank goodness no-one saw me. Once getting OVER the log to get over the creek to the other side ... and then gtting BACK on the log to cross back over the creek - Long story -This is where I think I hurt my back.

 Peaceful Bay

 Roni, Andrea and Caroline getting their feet wet.

Looking up at the Diamond Tree Lookout

 Me at the top of the Diamond Tree Lookout - can you tell I was exhausted?

 Me climbing down again - couldnt wak properly when I got down from the last rung and suffered for 3 days after.  Last time I do that!

 Roni in the centre on a giant Karri Tree near the Diamont tree Lookout.

 Two of three Kookaburra's who ate meat from us - even tried to eat it from my hand... gave me a fright!

 We ran out of mince at this time, and the third one waited patiently to see if there was more!

 Walpole Estuary from The Knoll Walpole

From the Knoll again.

 A Blue Wren- Male

 An Emu - there wer a mob of them here, but Andrea didnt think they would show upand only took this photo.

 A male Robin Red Breast

 A small mob of Kangaroos between Bailingup and Nannup by the Blackwood River

at Lewana Cottages

The Dam  - at Lewana Cottages, Bailingup on the Nannup Road

A lot of photos, but I hope you enjoy them.

Need to tidy up my studio again.

We have our very special guest that we are all so happy about,  arriving on Monday for a few weeks.

Her name is Caitlin and she is Andrea's exchange student all the way from Victoria B

Free Motion Quilt Challenge July 2012

July's Free Motion Quilt Challenge  2012 with SewCalGal

with many thanks to Angela Walters for providing us with this great tutorial

 

I have done this very quickly as I once more have a sore back and didn't want to sit for too long.

I did not like my choice of thread and hope to try variegated King Tut when it arrives.

Its been the school holidays here for the last two weeks, and Andrea myself, Andrea's friend Caroline, and Caroline's Canadian exchange student Roni, have been away for a week in the far South West of Western Australia.

They were good, and did all the cooking ...I did the dishes  :)  and the driving.  We drove just over 900kms.

I will put up some photos in a day or so of our trip away.

Home and family

First night of the school holidays ... and Andrea cooked this yummy meal.

Andrea tends to make up as she goes with her cooking, and she has had a 100% success rate so far.

Mixed vegetable soup with chicken pieces and cream!

We are really excited too as we have a lovely young lady from Canada who will be staying with us for 6 weeks student exchange very soon.

We are really looking forward to her staying here.

That's it for now - no sewing today - and it will be slow going on that front for a bit I think.

FMQ, Home. and design board.

Just about completed this piece of Free Motion Quilting - for a special friend...

 

Now I just need to add the binding and I am finished!

There is the back - the sun was on its way down, so the light was not the best.

The fabric is really a whie!

 

 I sighted some of the birds around here, but the storm blew over so many of our trees, and I didn't get a very good shot...  as I coudn't sneak up on them well.

These are Pink and Grey Cockatoo's

 

 

This is a 'Top Knot' Pidgeon with a couple of Pink and Grey's on the public open space where we have lot of horses.and their owners ( from an adgistment paddock behind us near the Estuary ) riding past us

The last shot is a picture of my design wall today....

Yes!  I KNOW I have way to much on the go...but its fun.  I am presently working on the black and white Lone Star....  for a  large qult for Andrea... which will have lots of lovely spaces to quilt in. :)  The star will be just the center.

Now ... I need to go get tea on... Or I will be in strife with the troops !!

Free-Motion Quilt Challenge 2012 June

At last I have finished my last  piece for this months Free Motion Quilt Challenge with SewCalGal

and with our June tutor Cindy Needham

The sun came out between showers so I took a few photos.

 The center

 Lower left

 

 Lower Right

 Upper left

Back - where I played a bit with a different colours at first and tried to get my tension right - but didnt really!

The front again.

Now I need to get onto something else..

I have had such fun this month, but still hesitating about using my silk fabric.

It was lovely too last night as I was able to sit and chat on Skype to my friend Joanne ( Threadhead)

in Canada  for quite some time.  It was great to have the company while doing the binding

Thank you to SewCalGal and to Cindy for all your inspiration and help.

The great thing is - I get my Nessie back later today ( my 820 Bernina)

I have really really missed her!

Free-Motion Quilt Challenge 2012 June

Its slow going, so I thought I would post the progress..

I added some pearl seed beads.

I would never have thought of that if I hadn't seen Cindy Needhams wonderful work!

Another with the center circle and the beads.

Here you can see where I have satin stiched over some of the lace - big mistake - I should have left that as it was.  I have also  sewn cown each side of the satin stitch and the inside of the outer lace - if that makes sense.

I have begun now with random fillers... The next one will be done differently I think - maybe on some silk.

This one is on cotten... and its not very soft!

More later I hope.

Unfortunately we have to eat tonight :(

FNSI -Friday Night Sew In

FNSI and a big thank you to Hieidi for hosting!

I feel I am Really lucky as I get to be with friends on 2 Friday evenings.  

I started this on my Friday, and then did some more on 'the other' Friday

I really love Cindy Needams technique of quilting, so I am trying hard to see if I can do something as she does.  We are all so lucky that Cindy is our tutor for this Month for SewCalGals Free motion quilting Challenge.

As yet I have no idea where I am going with this, but hope to work on it tomorrow.

I have also managed to get another of the Grannies Hanky's blocks done and ready for sewing.

 

I am waiting - somewhat impatiently for my 820 machine to come home!

I Skyped with friends from New Zealand, Raewyn, and Canada, Joanne, today - only 

missed Wendy also from Canada 

That's it for now.