Quilt West Show in Perth Western Australia

Yesterday I went to the Quilt West show in Perth.

SOooo loverly to see all the quilts.

My apologies to Yvonne Skodt for nearly spelling her name incorrectly - It was a bit difficult to correct - but I hope that will be OK
Congratulations to you Yvonne, for your beautiful quilt.

 I was delighted to see Desley Maisano from Addicted to Quilts  wonderful quilt there - Ruled by Chocolate.

I should have photoshopped the chain out, but it was a bit too detailed for me!

Today I have been going through some of the photos...

I hope to put some more up soon

Tomorrw - Nessie, by Bernina 820 will be away for a week or so,  therefore I will be working on some hand sewing...or using my other machine.

Handwork I think!!

That way I may catch up on some things :)

FNSI -Friday Night Sew In

For the FNSI I worked Friday - 'My time' and Friday night - well morning in 'the other time' 

I have been working on my small black whole cloth. 

This was taken in the sunshine yesterday Friday - my time :)

As you can see I have a lot of filling to do.

I was unsure what to do in the  last, border but wanted to keep it a bit like centre square

So this is what I have come up with.  

I was concentrating so hard on the feathers ...and forgot some of the curly bits in some of the other corners.

 Lots of fill to do still, and not sure, yet, what to do in the last 4 lot of spaces

 I tucked the feathers under the double line... not too sure about that...

Nope - not unpicking it!!

 When the last lot of feathers and fill are done in the corners- I just have those spaces - and then its done

Not sure what it will end up as - but this I WILL finish!!

Shared the FNSI with Joanne and  Wendy in Canada

and Raewyn  in New Zealand!  

On Skype...but if more than 2 of us are on - we cant see each other - but we can hear.

So its been a lovely day shared in different time zones.  Amazing!

Home and treasure

This beautiful sunset, at home in Leschenault last night.

Its been a beautiful couple of days with soft warm sunshine - not too hot...and cold crisp evenings.

We have had the fire on in the house for days...

This photo was taken from our side lawn.

And then there are some of my treasures.

I found these lovely pieces in an 'antique' shop at an old historic house on the outside of our shopping centre.

Couldnt resist - as I hope to do some work like Cindy Needham  does - I do love her work and am so glad she is to be our tutor in the Free Motion Quilt Challenge next month.  I am sure they are not old, but they will be wonderful to practise on.

You will find some wonderful examples of Cindy's quilts and quilting on the above Free Motion Quilt Challenge site.

Back soon I hope - Off to wash some of my treasures.

Oh - and I just remembered it Friday night sew in!!  See you there.

Designs

Did some sewing - sewed a bit more of the binding on the WCQ

and designed a QS quilt for Andrea...she wanted a black and white one...

Gives me plenty of scope to do lots of FMQ on this...which I will endeavor to desgin in Photoshop PSE.

Of course I have many other things I am trying to finish...so I can do the quilt whispering on it in stops and starts :)

Off to get some sleep.

Free-Motion Quilt Challenge 2012

Free Motion Quilt challenge for May

I have finally got some sewing done , and have sewn my FMQ Challenge for May

kindly organised by SewCalGal

Its only a small piece.

You can probably see where I got a bit fuzzled doing the railroad tracks - I had some problems with my machine for a while - all OK now though.

I even got some binding on it, and will use it in the kitchen to put hot things on!

I did the soft curves first and then the railroad tracks - they were fun...  and a thank you to Leah Day for the help and advice from her as the tutor for this month.  Leah, is a great quilter and so ready to share all her knowledge with others.

 

I have also been trying to get some of my sample quilting bound too.  A good exercise for me, as I need to try to perfect my binding and corner techniques.

 

 Also learnt a new thing from Joanne - Thread Head.

 and did these small corners so the quilt can hang on them with some dowel slotted in.  Never heard of that before.

 

And in the process of cleaning up and tidying my studio, I found small pieces that I had cut out AGES ago - and lost of course, so I put them together before I lost them again - and will sandwich it together soon.

 

 

This is one of my favorite blocks.

It will be a cushion to go with the WCQ,  which you may be surprised to know  - I am sewing on the binding!!

 

 

Studio

Have been busy re-arranging my studio...

YES  I need to sew again!

 

 

I started resorting and throwing out a few days ago.  

Two tables are out of there!

 

My cutting table is sorted - at least on the bottom. 

Some fabric and notions are stacked in the cupboards behind, and books at the top.

I have a heap of magazines in the garage, which I think need to find a new home, and a 

another stash of many things - fabric :) and odds and ends of past crafts...which I need to get rid of!

 

 

Yes - its still not good on the top, and my ironing board in stuck helplessly againt half of my large design wall.

 

At last I can get to these drawers again...

My WCQ lies languishing in the cornere...first thing I want to get completed!

My Bernina 820 is keeping dust free (I hope) under the black square - which is also waiting to be completed!

This is taken today - can you see that things on the cutting table top are getting less!

Over on the far wall is where I sit to do my applique.

My Pffaf machine is there too.

 

And some light relief of Andrea and friends in the production of the play The Lost Thing

wish was staged over the last tow weeks.  

She played an old man!!

 She is the cross-eyed one at the back!

 Andrea and her Drama teacher Jason Bancroft.

I couldnt resist this one...yes she had her teeth coloured especially .... and she and she alwasy tries to get a photo of herself crosseyed...which I hate...but its fun here.

So - back to clearing the top of the cutting tabel and THEN to get some binding cut for the WCQ!!!

Hop to it Blocks

Hop to it block for this month is....

Block #5

From Edyta Sitar's  book Hop to it!

And I am WAY behind...only have three done  - so 5 to go to catch up!!!

Tablet design Class.

A couple more things I have been doing...

All drawn on my Wacom Tablet - Over quite some lenth of time!!!

I am getting more at ease with the tablet now, and must look strange, as I wear a Machingers love on my right hand as I can move my hand over the tablet much easier and I dont get 'stuck'.

Having a break for a day or so, and hope to get back to my quilting next week.

Tablet design Class.

I have done a bit more, while Andrea has been home.

She is now having sleep problems!

I managed to go th the Webinar - at last!

It was wonderful..so good!!
 A HUGE thankyou to Carla Barrett of Step on Pins  and  Feathered Fibers for having this wonderful class.  So brilliant ans so informative. Best one I have ever had!

 Learning how to do colour swatch's

and from this ...

To This.  A Pictorial quilt maybe !!

The class doesn't finish till midnight on Sunday and the best thing is its availabe to all participants for a further 6 months.... how good is that!!

As tired as I am , I will miss all this next week!

Tablet design Class.

Some of my work today!

 

Traced for an idea from some wonderful fabric designed by Peggy Toole.  

I used some of the design for my quilt that I designed, coloured and partly worked out the quilting.

Colours are not too crash hot, but hey - It only took me most of the day.

Its designed for applique and piecing ,,, teaching us what we can do .... Amazing !!

I can work it out for 14" square!!

or bigger or smaller..

Waitnig for the webinar which begins in just under an hour - 2am here!

Tablet design Class.

A little something I drew yesteday

AND finished in the early hours of the morning with a cramped hand!

As you can see I am not quite finished... 

was just too much in a whole day and night !

Now for the next lesson...and a webininar tonight from 2.am - 3.0am, my time.. and I have missed two and at least got them the next day...I am determined to be online for this one

till next time.

Tablet design Class.

Tablet design couse with Carla Barrett ..

Step on Pins course

As you may or may not have realised - I have been missing for a couple fo weeks or more.

I have been busy with my online course with Carla and its is FANTASTIC

He is some of the latest I have done...
 

This is a panto design

First WCQ design - when I posted it to the gorup - Carla told me there were more designs there - so I wnet back and reaffanged it some.

 

Then I got this design.

I did get one more, but I thought thses were the best of them.  Not really well done, but I am learning... and the lessons are so good - we have loads of videos to watch and webinars each week - this is our last week - then I hope I will get back to some quilting,  

This is my seamless repeat with my designs.

They really are the best lessons I have had!

 



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  ♥