Arrivals today.

Wonderful gifts arrived in the mail today from Wendy of Inky threads

I was so lucky to win the giveaway that Wendy had, and I so appreciate the

gift of Pathways from Quilt to Quilted by Sally Terry.  I KNOW it will come in very handy.

The two books are both written by Wendy herself, and I am so happy to see some of her other life of writing.  Wendy's books can all be seen here

Thank you so much Wendy :)

Wendy - it was so lucky I received them all safely as the envelope was open - when I got it from the letter box.

Well I have had enough of a break from my quilting, and really need to get back to that.

There will be 7 people here for the weekend, including myself my DH and Andrea,  so I wont get much done then...today I just may - hopefully.

Whole Cloth Quilt

Began a small whole Cloth quilt...yesterday

I am using gold silk on top and white Aurifil  50 in the bobbin.

Had a bit of a problem with tension, till I realised an error on my machine..silly me!

All sorted now.  

The coin you can see is a 5 cent piece ($Au) so you can get an idea that is quilted fairly small.

I have drawn over the right hand design and sewn with a blank needle, so I can reverse it and use the pounce pad to repeat the design on the Left hand triangle.

 I have reversed the design and used the pounce pad

Using white pounce powder, the design is now ready to sew.

Then I need to work out what I will do next.

I am in the middle of an online class through Carla Barret of Step On Pins

its called beginning Photoshop Elements 10.  Information can be found from Step on Pins.

Its the third time I have taken the class - yes ... slow learner :)  but I am finally getting it!.

Today I am registering with Step on Pins to do a Tablet class with Carla, so I can draw my design on my quilts to work out what I want to quilt on them using Photoshop... I have also done a Quilt Whispering Course with Carla .  The pre-requisite for the Tablet Class is that you know Photoshop 10 - that's the reason I am brushing up on that.... again

Now to do some sewing while I have a bit of time.

Free Motion Quilt Challenge 2012

I am a bit sleep deprived as I was playing at feathers and fillers late last night - for the FMQ challenge that SewCalGal has on her blog for March by ... Ann Fahl....  here

Should never do that when the Nurses hat is on...Only had about 4 hours sleep.

This design I had drawn onin ink ... freehand on the fabric a month ago I think.., and thought it best to do something with it.

and then did some of the fillers. 

This is the page of my sketches I did before working on the fillers.

Pebble 'things'

McTavishing - my way :)

Swirls and flowers

And here are the three fillers together.

(May do some of the others tomorrow)

NOW - I am going to put my feet up, and hope all is well tomorrow..

I can but hope :)

I am Just...Too...Tired!!

Whole cloth quilt

Very hot here today, so I am having a small break from the small circles ...

whic will complet them in all the hearts in the border,

having finished the micro-stippling last night.

I am attempting to square up the quilt before I do the final border...

and I am not really sure what that will be yet.

I am pinning it to a carpet square..and its hot there on the floor.

This is my practise piece,  where I tried out different things.

and yes - they are my toes :)

I tried the corner lines out last night but not sure I like them.

I may try to imitate the 'butterfly' curves near rhe centre

I was goig to do echo quilting as you can see...but went with the micro stippling

Small circles against microstippling - I went with the circles

Here is what I call my butterfly curves. some fine and some larger.  I stuck with the larger

So now back to squaring the quilt.

I really feel as though I have been doing this forever!!

A little of this and a little of that.

I have again not been sewing as Andrea has continued with her illness.

5 weeks ago she had an emergency appendectomy!  Then a severe migraine. Again into Emergency

Two more trips to hospital ....and now..

Now nasty abdominal pains !

More Doctors visits..

I hope she is back to school next week!! 

So I have had my Nurses hat on!

However...

I did manage a quick trip to the shops :)  and...

I bought some gold Dupioni silk and some grey 100% silk!

I plan to FMQ them for cushion covers for my daughters.

Thankfully Andrea felt well enough - after medication - and hungry enough - to cook this wonderful meal

The recipe was made up, which is her style.

It was scrumptious! and so nice to have her cook for us.

The table cloth that the plate is on is a cloth that belonged to my Grandmother...and I plan to

back it with a coloured fabric ..and FMQ it...sometime :)

It has some bits missing and I have to figure out how to 'fix' that.

I am sewing now!  My WCQ ...which would be great to get finished.