BOM 24 - Ribbons Aflutter

Don't the small floral fabrics used in this block remind you of the times as a child when you held some long ribbons in your hand as you ran around and they fluttered in the wind behind you?

BOM 24 - Ribbons Aflutter

Don't the small floral fabrics used in this block remind you of the times as a child when you held some long ribbons in your hand as you ran around and they fluttered in the wind behind you?

Houston

OK well for the big news tomorrow is the opening day of the Houston Quilt Festival. It runs from 30th Nov to 2nd Nov and I have  been invited to display two quilts there, Turkish Delight and Raconteur. 

So to celebrate anyone who reads this post may have 30% of any item from my website. Simply write Houston in the coupon section when checking out. The code will be valid only while the show is on so don't loiter. If you are collecting the monthly featured collections why not pick up next month's with the extra bonus.

Mary Continues Hopping Along

	Well I have been active but unfortunately not always successful with the designs. I added my next border on deciding that the light one was the way to go. However as you can see the light coloured hexagons are just too stark and stand out. At this stage nothing goes together and all you can see is a blob in the middle followed by at dark border with white blobs in the outer border. Not happy.
So what was the solution? Well unpick the outer border...why not it only took me about a week to sew it on and not surprisingly it took almost as long to unpick.  Next I decided to try a darker brown. when I started it looked good and also in the sunlight ....but..
	in any other situation it looked just too dark so back to frog stitching. It would be lovely to say it gets faster as one goes but it doesn't. Although each seam is only 1/4in would you be surprised to learn there are three or four stitches on each of those.  I'm glad this time I hadn't actually attached the border.

Finished? Not Yet but....

 Well never let it be said that Carol is a quitter. Look all of the blocks are now finished and all that remains to do is to add the frames, quilt them, join them... ok so 'all' probably isn't the right word but she is getting there.  Wait until she sees my next plan for her :)

Judi Walters & Valiant Frogs

I am very fortunate these days that Elaine the editor of Australian Patchwork and Quilting likes my designs and so regularly publishes them. 

I am also fortunate that sometimes people who make the quilts send me a photo of their finished quilt. 

A few days ago I received these photos from Judi Walters who decided to use Valiant Frogs from APQ Vol 19 No 12 to make this gorgeous quilt for her grandson's third birthday. Isn't he cute and I assume that is his big sister who is also enjoying the fruits of grandma's labor. Isn't it a great border?

So What Was I?

Well how successful were you? You must admit that Megan does have a sense of humour though. Are you going to show this to your quilting group? I'm saving it up for next year's retreat. Will have to find a suitably humorous prize for the person who guesses all of them.

Anyway for anyone who struggled here are the answers
1.  Rotary cutter...everyone should have been able to get that one

2. Fussy cut

3. Design wall..... wonder if Don could come around to my place. My flannel sheet could do with an upgrade.

4. Selvedge ... there are some fantastic quilts around made with these, check out this link for a few.

5. Batting . this one didn't make sense to me so I can't add extra explanation.

6. Quarter inch seam. I also usually go for the close enough is good enough school and have found that this only seems to have an impact on my miniatures... with a large quilt those few extra inches gained through the not quite right seam allowance actually make the quilt just that bit bigger that you needed.

7. Fat Quarter ... mind you it's not the potato salad that is the culprit here...chocolate leaves it for dead... I have been on a diet since yesterday and all was well except for the rocky road I ate while out doing some business this morning. Must admit diets are a killer. Where I can usually stretch a rocky road out over a few days when dieting the whole thing needs to be eaten in one go so that all evidence can be destroyed before returning home.

8. Quilt sandwich... you know the backing, batting and quilt top. These are all held together after basting with safety pins for several  years while you consider the best way to quilt it. After a timely delay, while waiting for the non eventuating lotto win, you need to finally bite the bullet.

9. Boy I am getting old I used to know this one in 2010 but today had no idea and so had to cheat and look up Sue's cheat sheet.... Electric Quilt

10. Squaring off. Can you please explain why when I square off one corner and carefully wormy way around the quilt edges the final corner is never square and that side is also a different length to the opposite one. I was once a maths teacher and by all of my calculations they are all the same. Perhaps, no definitely, it is the fault of the tools.

11. Applique - must say that adding appliqué in my mind is a fool's method of escape, it always creates more problems... what's wrong with changing to art quilt.. holes are allowed there.

12. HST aka halfsquare triangles... note the use of the word square is not quite right here  but the idea was there when you started this quick  project.

13. Flying Geese... although I enjoy this block I must again agree with Megan's opinion. Unless extra seam allowance has been added into the process there is no way that all of those points aren't going to be squared off. I suppose it's due to the geese flying rather than sitting.

14. Self-healing mat.... and have you been looking after your mat properly. Did you realise you are supposed to soak it regularly in a solution of 1c of vinegar to a bucket of water. If you have a huge mat then you can do as I do. I place a  solution soaked towel in the shower recess, place the mat on top of that and then place another solution soaked towel on top. this should be done regularly, which in most people's case I figure once a year is a lot more regular than previously so is a good starting point.

15. Bias

16. Mitre... I didn't this one either and even though I checked the schedule of events at the Mardi Gras was unable to find it. The quilting fraternity in New Orleans is probably a bit like the Masons... a secret organisation that never tells of their plans.

17. Grain line.... yes you know that thing that is supposed to be straight but unfortunately often resembles that Jack Daniels line when buying the sixth or seventh round.

What Am I? Clues

Ok so here is a list of Megan's answers if that helps

Applique
Backing
Batting

Bias
Design Wall
Electric Quilt
Fat Quarter
Flying Geese
Fussy Cut
Grain Line
Half Square Triangles
Mitre
Quarter Inch Seam Allowance
Rotary Cutter
Self-Healing Mat
Selvedge
Squaring Up

How many have you managed to get now..... answers provided tomorrow ... or perhaps day after as I have a lot on my plate tomorrow.

What am I?

Well I have been cleaning up my mailbox and came across this quiz from years ago and by years I do mean years.... yes I realise that we should trash unwanted rubbish and emails but you will be very pleased when you read this that I didn't trash it.

Now the original list came from a blog post in 2010 by Megan who by her own description is a bitchy stitcher, although personally she must have a fantastic sense of humour to go with it. Anyway so as to not aggravate that professed bitchiness if you go to this site you will actually find the answers to this quiz in a one page downloadable pdf. I will give you answers in a day or two for those of you who are unable to work out what quilting term each description is referring to.

1. An instrument with an extremely sharp, round blade used for dyeing fabric with blood spots. Be sure to have plenty of extra blades on hand as they tend to chip if they hit bone.

2. What results when you whine like a big baby because the fat quarter you got at the guild swap isn’t “quilt shop quality” and Tille Henderson pulls a switchblade

3. What Sheila has. You know—Sheila. Don’s wife. He made it for her. He, apparently, knows how to use the tools in his garage. I get to use an old flannel sheet that looks like the cat yakked on it.

4. The part of the fabric that they always say you can’t use, but which just gets hidden in the seam allowance so what’s the big deal?

5. What you do with your eyelashes when someone starts complaining about all the fabric you’ve been buying. Warning: may lead to unintended sexual obligations.

6. What quilt books and patterns are always harping on, like the world’s gonna end if your seam is a little off.

7. The section of New Orleans where the happy quilters live. Nobody tells them to lay off the potato salad. Also, the name of my future fabric shop/Cajun restaurant.

8. Yeah, lettuce and tomato. That’s hilarious. Would you please go somewhere else? Go ask Don to show you how to use a nailgun or something.

9. What you see after you eat the funny sugar cubes someone gave you at that last Grateful Dead show. Not that I would know.

9. The material used for the back of a quilt. If a friend is doing longarm quilting for you, it must be 2in bigger than quilt and batting on all sides. If done at a quilt shop, 8in

10. The process of making sure that a quilt block, or a quilt, has straight edges and right angles at every corner. Failure to do so will result in a hefty fine and/or jail time, as determined by the longarmer who is holding your quilt hostage.

11. A method of covering up mistakes. Not foolproof, however, as there is no method for covering up the mistakes made while appliqueing. Beer helps, though.

12. Triangles cut from a square of fabric which, when they are sewn together, miraculously form a trapezoid.

13. Quilt pattern comprised of repeating blocks made from three triangles. Also known as Completely Impossible and Are You Freaking Kidding Me?

14. What you sit on while you dial 000 after hacking off the end of your finger with the rotary cutter.

15. The irrational inclination to believe that holding down a job or cooking some food for once is a more productive use of time than quilting.

16. The cool hat you get to wear when you are elected Bishop of Quilters. No, really. There’s a ceremony every year in the Fat Quarter during Mardi Gras.

17. No, not what you stand in to get free Jack Daniels. You’re not funny, you know.

So leave a comment and tell me how many you are able to work out by yourself :)

Success for Carol

Earlier this year Carol entered this block into the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks celebration edition which was to mark Issue 10 and 1000 new blocks. 

Well she has now heard that her block was selected and so another Aussie designer hits the international stage.

Well done Carol.

Khanam's Surprise

Well this quilt was started over four years ago. 
I designed the block for Volume 3 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks series and just loved it. I had just heard of a method for drawing the cutting and sewing lines onto the back of the fabric using my inkjet printer and thought this ws the perfect opportunity to try it. That worked out well and the fabric was marked and cut out in under a week if I remember correctly. 
I then took the project with me overseas and had a perfect take anywhere project while travelling around. It was that Xmas when airports all over Europe were closed due to lots of so now. My first and hopefully last white Xmas... the theory or idea is great... the actuality is cold, wet and slippery. Wonderful from inside beside a warm fire.
Anyway finished the quilt top fairly quickly, then basted it and there it has sat waiting for a l...o...n...g time. 
This year is my adventure with free motion quilting and after a few successes, with baby sized quilts it was now Khanam's Surprise's time. 
I have decide that I will stitch an octagon around each star and then free motion inside the octagon to highlight the star. Here is attempt number one..... I will keep you posted in my progress.

Collection 23 - Where Did That Name Come From?

Collection 23	Didn't we all love Lime Sundaes when we were young....or did you call it a spider as my friend Terri does?	C23 Lime Sundae
The colours in the fabric made it appear to simply Pop!  out	C23 Pop!	No idea where the name Cotton Spice came from. It just seemed right.
C23 Whirling Too	Well with two blades whirling what could have been a more appropriate name :)	C23 Cotton Spice
Sweet Caress doesn't the title just bring back those delightful memories of being wrapped up in your true loves arms...and I don't mean it so sound soppy either.	C23 Sweet Caress	Those pieces were so small that there could be no better description than Itsy Bitsy.
C23 Flowing Ribbons	As a child I loved ribbons and even these days of all the rhythmic gymnastics events the ribbons are my favourite.	C23 Itsy Bitsy

BOM 23 - Sweet Caress

The circling diamonds suggested to me people circling the central circle, just like when people engulf you to protect you.

The BOM for this month is a hand pieced gem. It was one of my early ones of moving into combining circles with different outers. Although I pieced the whole of this block I know that many others are choosing to appliqué the circle over the top of the otherwise completed block. We all have our own preferred methods.

BOM 23 - Sweet Caress

The free BOM for this month is a hand pieced gem. It was one of my early ones of moving into combining circles with different outers. Although I pieced the whole of this block I know that many others are choosing to appliqué the circle over the top of the otherwise completed block. We all have our own preferred methods.

Are We There Yet?

Well another free motion quilting exercise finished and very cute too ! This was another block that appeared in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, volume 9 I think. It was called I Should Have Flown South by it always reminds me of that line we have heard so many times when starting out on a trip with our children Are We There Yet?

I enlarged it by 140% and so rather than a 12in block it is now 18in ..well there abouts. Perfect for a pram quilt I think.

Something Old continues

Well have now finished the second round on my reproduction quilt but not too keen on it. I wanted to use a large range of colours, not only for the flowers but also for the floaters. I have been trying out my Photoshop skills hoping to see what other floater options would look like. I only wish it was just a quick to sew on as it is to photoshop. It took me three days to add this border and I know it will take me another week at least to unpick it, change the floaters and resew it on...phooey! I hate frog stitching

original - mixed colour floaters

with mustard floaters

with white floaters

What option do you think looks best?

Gertie

Well it is time for me to bite the bullet and start to work on my free motion quilting. A few weeks ago I did a class in needle turn machine appliqué. The class was to be a vase of flowers, which as beautiful as they were, was something that I knew I would never finish so I decided to make Gertie instead.

Gertie is by Sue Marsh from Whistlepig Creek productions and was the perfect design for the exercise. I had been wanting to try needle turn machine appliqué for a while and had seen a demonstration by Paula Storm on preparing templates using freezer paper. Put the two ideas together and viola... Gertie was born

Dreambird

As much as I know this will surprise many of you I thought I would show you what I have been doing lately...knitting. This is a shawl for my son's girlfriend, Khanam. Isn't it glorious. 

The design is called Dreambird and is available on Ravelry and it will again surprise you but it's not as hard as it looks. Admittedly I did have to restart the project four times when I became lost but after I discovered page 16 all was set. So what was on page 16 well only the basic directions, like K40 or knit to the end or cast on 15 stitches. There was nothing more. that was the thing in the first few pages there were all of these explanations as to why I was doing something and I kept forgetting where I was up to and having to unpick and start again.....page 16 was the lifesaver.

Oh another thing you see all those beautiful colours in the feathers? They all come from one ball. The brand is Noro and I just love the change in the colours. The background fabric is a linen and silk that a friend of mine had spun. Together they come up beautifully.  Well must return to the knitting as PJ returns home in a fortnight and I need to have it finished by then so I can send it over for her Xmas. They live int he UK.

Something Old and Something New

OK so I'm still playing with hexagons, even though it is about time I put my mind back onto the wedding quilt. But you have to admit it is cute isn't it? 

The hexagons for this are actually elongated hexagons and each side is only 1/4in. An elongated hexagon has two angles that are 90 degrees and the other angles are by my calculations 135 degrees.

I suppose I should have put a coin or something else beside it for reference ... next time I promise but if you can take my word for it this section is a bit under 6in high and 4 1/2in wide. Next instalment next weekend.

I saw this quilt in a museum. The original had been used to cover a tractor until it was rescued and repaired. Looks good so far. Oh the original was a lot bigger but again I want a take anywhere project and even when this whole quilt is finished I doubt it will be much bigger than an A3 sheet of paper.

Something Old and Something New

OK so I'm still playing with hexagons, even though it is about time I put my mind back onto the wedding quilt. But you have to admit it is cute isn't it? 

The hexagons for this are actually elongated hexagons and each side is only 1/4in. An elongated hexagon has two angles that are 90 degrees and the other angles are by my calculations 135 degrees.

I suppose I should have put a coin or something else beside it for reference ... next time I promise but if you can take my word for it this section is a bit under 6in high and 4 1/2in wide. Next instalment next weekend.

I saw this quilt in a museum. The original had been used to cover a tractor until it was rescued and repaired. Looks good so far. Oh the original was a lot bigger but again I want a take anywhere project and even when this whole quilt is finished I doubt it will be much bigger than an A3 sheet of paper.

500 Traditional Quilts

Well I know you haven't seen it yet but Lark publications is about to release the latest book in their 500 series and you guessed it, it's all about traditional quilts. Don't we all just love traditional quilts. This book is an absolute feast for quilt lovers with beautiful photos of 500 quilts.

I couldn't believe it .. mind you the one downside is that there are so many other wonderful quilts that I just would love to make. Would be wonderful to see them in real life wouldn't it.

Collection 22 - Where Did That Name Come From?

Collection 22	The Future Awaits doesn't the design remind you of those science fiction movies where people go into a trim travel machine and then they spin off to somewhere else .. or perhaps it reminds you of the spotless nurses uniforms?	C22 The Future Awaits
Ribbons of Peace what a peaceful coloured block. If only the world could be so peaceful and enjoy the ribbons of children playing in the parks and laughing.	C22 Ribbons of Peace	Nuclear Free  amazing how so many of this month's blocks have a theme of fear of the future.
C22 Isobel's Flight	Isobel was the first person I designed and wrote a pattern for. She had liked one of my other patterns and wanted to modify it. When I suggested this one she jumped at it. I should find a photo of her quilt and upload it.	C22 Nuclear Free
Rhonda is a dear friend. Full of life and laughter she was always the life of the party and of course she loved spots. This fabric came from her stash.	C22 Rhonda Loves Spots	When touring Alaska  we tried our hand at gold panning but alas were so successful we had to return to our day jobs as they say :)
C22 WorkingTogether	Working Together was the melding of two designs. I think it may have looked more dramatic if I had used two colours for the design but didn't want that in this quilt.	C22 Looking for Gems

BOM 22- Nuclear Free

WOW I can't believe there are people still going with this. Although I enjoyed making Raconteur my application came and went. It took me six years to make and whenever I sewed it I must admit I loved it, but my interest did fluctuate at times. I can remember one time I made two or three blocks a day, every day for a few weeks. Then I came to my senses and resumed a sensible schedule...of making lots of different quilts at the one time :)

Well here is the BOM for September, Nuclear Free. The name is obvious from the nuclear symbol. I always found it odd as we drive to Sydney there is a sign up saying nuclear free zone. I wonder if the people there are also against the radiation therapy used for cancer etc. There are negative sides and positive sides to most things.

Canberra Quilt Show

Woo hoo! Two red ribbons plus a viewers choice at the recent Canberra Quilt Show. 

 Exploring Stitches was second in Mixed Media, while Post Scripts was second in Tiny Treasures and also winner of Viewers' Choice for the Small Quilts section. Great day all round.


If you have time to surf here is a link to all of the winners there are some real beauties there. I particularly liked second place in the bed quilts professional. What is your favourite?

Colouring In - what a wonderful pastime

I was talking with Chris who is just about to begin her Raconteur journey....nothing in particular and lots about this and that. You all know how conversations have a tendency to wander. Keeps ones interest, or checks if they are paying attention :0

Anyway whilst typing up a response I had a thought.... perhaps Chris can quilt. I know that is a skill I'm lacking in and it does affect my designs at times. Well I picked up the idea that perhaps Chris could do more than a mean walking foot and so decided to try out an alternative border plan.

Rather than framing each collection in the same colour/fabric if the separate bands took in both sides of the outer border strip it would allow someone with some quilting skills a wider strip to work with. I did a quick colouring of the layout sketch for king size layout and the theory looks good. Wonder what it would be like in real life. Ah so many ideas and so little time.

Festival of Quilts UK

Well guess what? At the UK Festival of Quilts last week Raconteur was lucky enough to win Viewer's Choice for Thursday!! Woohoo! Can you see the smile on my face? I have heard this is the biggest show in the UK and Europe and after looking at the photos of the winning entries I can honestly say had I realised how big a competition it is I would never have had the confidence to enter..but I'm glad I did.
Here is the organiser's facebook page, but for some real eye candy here Fiona's photos, she even has a photo of THE quilt. The photo above is just one of the many that I liked. One day I will go the the FofQ.....as soon as I win lotto.

Oh for anyone wanting the link to my website for Raconteur here it is