Tablet design with Carla Barrett 2013,

I have had a day to myself today - so I have been working on my tablet classes

( doing some sewing too)

I drew this design from some wonderful fabric I have from designer Peggy Toole - which I have used in the past for fussy cutting my POTC blocks.

This is the beautiful fabric...I copied and pasted each of the little pieces th..till it filled up the circle/  Took me a while!

Then I put my drawing onto a new layer,  and cleaned it up a bit - that took me longer :)

Another exercise was to straighten up the photo of a quilt...and as this is what I am up to...

I took a photo of my progress...

.....and straightened it.

Then I had to make an end to end pantograph design . and as I had no designs I could use...

I drew two sets of feathers...and must admit I did do them a bit too quickly, but was pleased with them anyway.

...and this is what I ended up with.

I am so happy to be doing Carla's classes again 

So a good day today - and I am off to work out some more of my sewing while I can.

I hope you all have a nice day/evening. 

Tablet design with Carla Barrett 2013,

I have drawn a couple of Zen hearts tonight.

The first one was a bit difficult...its all about learning how to draw again.

This one was actually a bit easier, as I have worked out how to use my pen a little
more confidently.

Now I am up to lesson 6...

and also finished some binding on a quilt... and sewed together some more blocks.

Off for a break till tomorrow.

There is a severe Cyclone (Rusty) Category 4 - and I think its has been downgraded to a 3...hitting the North west coastal towns as I type.  with winds up to 

200 kms an hour and flooding too.  

I hope the people keep safe.

Here the weather continues hot with strong Easterly winds here...and more heat tomorrow.

There are some nasty fires in and around Perth.

Tablet design with Carla Barrett February 2013

Tablet design with Carla Barrett February 2013

Yes!  I am again doing this class - I enjoyed it so much and I need to learn it again.

 This was with Carla's instructions and is done in sections.  

I have drawn them in Photoshop Elements 10...

I just love Carl's classes - she is a great teacher and such a lovely person too.

It takes me ages... I think this has taken me a couple of days.  It still need some cleaning up, but so far it will do as my hand gets a bit of an ache.  I can see lots of spots that will annoy me.

I am also putting together another quilt... cant show you that yet as I am just wanting to piece it all.

House and Family

ALL IS WELL AGAIN

After this :-
taken as the fire really began to take hold before the planes and helicopters got there!

Thankfully all quiet on the home front - this has all been sorted!!

Thank God for the Firefightsers and the Volunteers,

Had a wonderful quick chat to our Four Corner Skype Group - in the early hours of the morning for me.  

We had a great tme and lots of laughs!

Off to work now

Bush Fire alert today..scary!

Al the neighbours received a pone text to tell us of the fire and to prepare to evacuate, as there was some danger to life and homes   The fire was 6 kms from us, and there were 2 fixed wing yellow water bombers and two large water bombing helicopters flying through the dense smoke - flying really low above the trees,  as it was out of control for a while.  the highway near us was diverted for a while, and we just watched and tried to work out what we would do.

We were all notified on our mobiles of the danger and told what we should do if the fires remained out of control.

I did get some photos of about an hour after is began, and the smoke was really dense and black ...but my battery in the camera was low and it didn't work out

The situation now is that the fire is contained, but the fie fighters will patrol the area tonight,

A few people were evacuated along Marriott Road, and between there and  Treasure road ...and close to Dunn Road.  Cars were diverted from the highway for a while, and some roads  were closed and people were not allowed in.  There was an evacuation area ready at the Leschenault Leisure Centre... just in case.

Fortunately for us, it was just on the other sire of the highway, so all the neighbours gathered in our street to observe the fires.  There are planes still flying over at times - I guess they are keeping an eye on the fire, as there is still some bush in the centre of the containment that needs to be watched.

We are off to bed now.. with phones close just in case.

Its still really hot in the house.

FMQ Challenge 2013

SewCalGals FMQ Challenge 2013

Well - I have actually finished this challenge for January!

I did have difficulty with the thread and tension...but I persevered!

 I am running my computer in Safe Mode, as I have some problems, which will hopefully be fixed soon...so please forgive the order these photos are in. The screen is so large - I am finding it difficult.

And its HOT!

 Very bad tension in a lot of places...but hey - I will work on that.

 

YLI 100 silk thread in the centre and Sulky thread - dark greyish in the feathers...different threads tried around the feathers...

afraid I didn't keep track of them. 

I have a completion  WhoooHooo

FMQ Challenge 2013 with SewCalGal

SewCalGal has another FMQ going for 2013...

So of course I watched the video, which was free for a short time only... a video on The Quilt show.. with guest Libby Lehman and have been working on a small sample to practise what i remembered.

I didn't use the Freezer paper as Libby said to do, but drew my design on with chalk...in hindsight it was obviously better to use the freezer paper as it would have acted as a stabilizer.  Should always listen to the teacher :(

I actually remembered as I had it all pinned on - that I was meant to SEW the ribbon design on 

BEFORE I sandwiched the layers...sigh - so it all came off...

 Libby also had a lot to say about threads and needles...and tension.  oh and using the BSR on a Bernina.

Libby Lehman,s video on the Quilt show can be found here

I did use the BSR - #1 for this,  for the first time,  but I am never comfortable with it. - I stuck to it this time though!

I have never scribbled before either...and don't think I did it large enough   When Libby did it, it looked like lace and .. she used some beautiful shimmery Superior thread.

This is now partly quilted.  I did try to experiment with threads, but after a LOT of trials - I gave up on the metallic .. for now.

Not sure what the treads I used were exactly - but I did you special thread in the bobbin - I actually had ONE.  I used a very pale blue polyester for the outside highlight - a darker blue in the middle and a royal blue to.  I outlined it all in a polyester variegated yellow  shimmery thread.  

I have a huge problem with my machine telling me that the tread was broken - repeatedly - and it was NOT.

Then I remembered Cindy Needham saying in her class that you have to think of the thread direction.  So I used a thread holder at the back of my machine...and I didn't have a problem after that.

I am using YLI silk thread -which I love -  for the small circles in the centre,  with a Bernina 70 needle as I kept trying new needles - all kinds and sizes... because of the "query ' thread alerts.

and I was toying with the idea of FMQ feathers around the ribbon using them as a spine, but that my not happen yet.  

I am too tired to do more...  my eyes keep wandering,  and I have work tomorrow..and may not get back to this till late tomorrow evening...maybe!

Have a great day/night.. and I will catch up again soon.

More photos when I can take them in the daylight.

Have a few things I am working on now..

One uncompleted piece- sneak peaks

Ripped off the binding as I wasn't happy with the 

one that was there...

 

Putting a new one on - different technique 

 Ran out of thread in the bobbin

 

Cleaned all the rubbish out

and oiled the machine.  I do this each time I finish a bobbin .

Now I am ready to sew again. 

I had a movie I made - but it vanished in my computer somewhere..

Net time.

Pinning nearly completed here

And now Joannes quilt along for 2011 is ready to start quilltig on...

( I know - better late than never )

I have some blocks to sew...

some blocks to make...
and a pillow case to finish the quilting on - 

Decisions, decisions. 
 Which to do next.
Think I will do the pillowcase next as I feel the urge to quilt!

BOM 2011

Better late than never.

I have been watching Cindy Needham's Craftsy lesson and have almost got my BOM from 2011 all pin basted..

Photos follow in stages.

Cindy was with me all the way :) 

You can see the screws my DH put into my table a la Cindy ..and one in the centre too...my lines are drawn and my quilt backing  was divided and is now half on the table

Lots of backing on the floor, but I did as was taught :)

Backing centred clamped and firm, 

batting draped over and smoothed

Half the top was centred quartered and halved

Next side smoothed ready to pin ... and ....

That's what I am doing today.

Cindy's Craftsy lesson is really great.  Now I am up to the thread chapter, but I want to get the quilt basted first.

Have a great day.

BOM 2013 -Pieces of time - A sampler quilt.by Lori Smith

It has been so hot here, so at times not much has been done.

I have now finished  6 blocks( ahead of the others sharing the BOM, as I am not sure if other things will stop me, and I don't want to lag behind )

  Appliqué block 1

Also - all my blocks will be 'Amish' I think, as they are all a bit incorrect :(

This one I did the wrong way around ... 

I always try to admit to my mistakes, cause they REALLY annoy me. But I have been too lazy to correct them...  

 Appliqué block 2

I found this one a bit difficult...need to perfect my style.

This is pieced block 1

In the pieced blocks I now need to get done 3 and 3... so thats next I think.

I have also made a movie to see if I can show you have I did the appliqué

This is the block I was sewing

Yes it also is "Amish" as I lost one of the petals of the flower..and added another circle!
So - nothing is perfect :)

I have uses a needle size 80, Sulky mono filament in the top, and 50 Aurifil in the bobbin.  

I started using my 820 Bernina- the thread kept breaking - so I changed thread to Superior thread monopoly..

It still kept breaking.

I then changed to my 440 Bernina machine, and had more success on that...I also put a new need in...and it worked fine..

This is the setting on my 440 QE Bernina I used..

I have been a follower of Sharon Schamber for some years now, and always go back to her videos to check how to do various methods.

I did that this time too.  So the way I have tried to do this, is to use Sharon Chambers video for guidance.

Pieced Block 3
 I made this block while I tried to work out the movie...takes me quite some time.
So now I need to do Pieced block2.

I am also sewing another Hop to It Block and some Grannies hankies ones too.
I had these blocks all sewn together, and I need to finish them and start the ones I missed...
Plus too many other UFO's!!

Ooops - nearly forgot Andrea on Australia day.
My elder DD has her Birthday on Australia day too - so its doubly special 

Piecing and Applique

Some more things I have actually got done today!! 

Nothing seems to match up as it should!on this block below.

This was meant to be Northumberland Star...I think I have a problem with actually SEEING the patterns.  I put the flying geese on the right way at first - thought they were incorrect and frogged them - did them again ...wrong sides to wrong sides...more frogging!

Eventually I ended up with this block - and I am afraid it will have to do.

Piecing is a problem for me...unless it is explained meticulously.

Unfortunately Andrea was missing.

This one is from the Hop to it block challenge - and as usuall I am WAY behind in this one!

SO I actually now have it sewn together - not just glued.  I took me quite a bit of time, and I actaully manage to sew it on my Nessies (820 Bernina) I found it was so easy to work out the tensiono for this.

I have three more of these to sew!

It is SO hot here again.  The cyclone Narelle is slowly coming down the coast.  By the time it gets here - its will be a Low and we will just have a few storms... and lots of humidity.

May get some more things done later this evening...

BOM 2013 -Pieces of time - A sampler quilt.by Lori Smith.

This is a quilt I am doing with four others...I think :)

I picked pieced block #6 ( made a mistake - it should have been #4)

I always have difficulty with pieced blocks...this one didn't go too well, but its OK for a first for this one.

This is appliqué block #4.

I am ahead of this one for the moment, but of course now I have to tidy up my studio as I cant find anything again!! 

I am also machining the appliqué of my Hop to it blocks...while the machine is set up.

AND I have been trying to make some postcards...something else that need practise. 

Free motion quilt designs.

A quick play at home and a wonderfu gift that arrived.

My gift

    My present from Janet in England - one of the talented Free Motion Quilting 2012 participants

The small white trading card is mine - I was shown how to do them by a dear friend... and ths was a practise one....some lovley fabrics from Janet and the three cards and some of the curtain pelln...I think thats what is called ,,,and I was so delighted with this - thank you Janet so much.

A play piece with this beautiful coloured fabric that wa in the bundle.. I drew the spines in and FMQ the rest.

and then today - this card arrived.

Its a beautiful card Janet  - I just love it. 

Thank you Janet.  Surprisingly our fiends are from about a mile from where you live

Liz and Russ are Andrea's God-parents and Russ's father has immigrated to Australia and has lived where you are Janet untill the last 18 monts.

What a coincindence.

Thanks again.

Family

Christmas 2012

We had several parties with family over the Christmas Break,,, but I forgot my camera on our fist and very important one at my son Stuarts with his wife Jen, four GD's and the rest of my family.  

Stuart has gone to Denver in USA for 1 year as an exchange teacher...and is in fact there as I write - and its a cold place to go to from 40C heat here to -15C there.
Here is a photos of Joashuah, the first day he had hos P plates and was able to drive on his ow.  He is now in Denver for a year in high school

So then on Christmas Eve we had another celebration at my eldest DD's  house so there were our 2 DD's and their families too..in the love new additions to their house. and their families were there.

Christmas day - breakfast

Lunch

and Dinner

We all have a great day - beach every morning with the children...even me too - a first in a long time.

40C temperatures for ab out 6 days - too hot by far!