Simplicity

Last Monday these two bags the postman delivered a big package to my place containing these two bags:

Inside one of the bags was my Simplicity quilt.  I started making this quilt at a retreat in Kingaroy in June 2009 and finally put the last borders on in February 2012.

I then spent the next while wondering how to quilt this pretty quilt top and at the end of last year a friend bought herself a long-arm quilter, so I sent it up to her.  The quilt looks fabulous.  I love the cross-hatching around the applique medallion and the large flowers over the rest of the quilt is great.

The pretty backing

Close-up of the lovely quilting

The last stitches in the binding were sewn last night - wonderful to finish off something that's been put aside for so long.

A few Oh Cherry Churn Dash blocks are together.  Once all the chain piecing is done it's pretty quick work assembling the blocks.

I was planning to put white sashing between the blocks but I think I like the look of the blocks without sashing.  The quilt top with have the colours randomly placed - not in single-colour rows :)  8 down, 22 to go.

Binding

At long last I'm sewing down a binding on a quilt - good tv-watching sewing.


Had a great day today just as planned: brunch with Jenni, pictures with Mum then a lovely long chat on the phone with Diann.

The girls are progressing slowly.



Hopefully more binding sewing over the next couple of nights.

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Sidetracked

After looking through a couple of my books ("Scrap Basket Sensations" etc) I got it into my head to go through my scrap drawers and cut the fabrics into 2-1/2" strips.  While doing that I came across a bagful of off-cuts from the Simplicity quilt top I finished putting together a little while ago.

 There were a gazillion triangle pieces.  So, I spent a bit of time making pinwheels and half-square triangle blocks.

This is an evolving quilt top.  I'm trying to use up the left-over fabric and I like having the wide borders so show off the lovely floral.

I did a bit of necessary on-line shopping this week and the goodies have arrived.

I've noticed the hexagon purse on a few blogs and after seeing the beautiful finished purse on Marina's blog decided I needed the pattern and the bits to make one for myself.  The pattern book for Michael's new jumper also arrived (I'm not making the jumper on the cover).

 My goodies from Sarah arrived today - so I'm one happy camper.

Don't have plans for any of this just yet but I'm sure it won't take me too long.

We're going to a 21st birthday party tonight and out for dinner with friends tomorrow night - we're such social butterflies these days :)  Happy weekend.

Almost Finishes

In June 2009 I went to Kingaroy for the first time.  I took along "Simplicity" to sew up over the weekend.  I got this far then sewed these pieces together and made the outer flying geese borders when I came home.  The quilt has sat in the cupboard ever since.

Today I sewed the final outer borders onto the quilt top and it's now in the pile waiting to be quilted.

Simplicity is such a pretty fabric range and the design is really lovely.

When we came back from holidays in January, I sewed up a very quick quilt top in Fig Tree's Buttercup fabric.  That quilt top also needed borders and they were done today as well.

Another quilt top for the ever-growing pile along with this little one.

I have a drawer in the sewing room where I store bindings for the quilts I hope to finish off one day ...

It's gettng a bit full.  Think it's time to do some quilting.

Back Home

I have had such a fantastic week, starting with our day at the Quilt Show and then the trip to Queensland.

Mum drove me to the airport on Thursday morning and Diann was waiting for me when my flight arrived.

We visited a patchwork shop not too far from the airport and then had lunch in Currumbin followed by afternoon tea with Diann's daughter, Angela, and The Sweet One - 20 month old Hannes - absolutely delightful little guy - he loves an audience. We spent the evening sorting/packing our gear for The Retreat.

Friday morning we took our time driving to The Quilters' Rest, Kingaroy - arrived about 1.00 pm and the other girls arrived not too long afterwards (Jenny and her friends from Bundaberg). Once we were all settled in 5 sewing machines were buzzing away and 3 girls were hand-piecing hexagons.

Diann showed us how she quilts feathers on the doover.

This is Janice with her first completed hexagon flower.

I made a Disappearing 9 Patch quilt top on Friday afternoon/evening plus the binding and backing. Saturday I started piecing the Simplicity components (140 half-square triangles, 68 flying geese, plus various other borders)

and Sunday was spent hand-stitching on the sunny verandah until it was time to start our drive back to Diann's. Diann pieced a quilt for a friend's new baby due later this year and started piecing a Natalie Bird quilt for her daughter-in-law.

The Quilters' Rest is such a great place - excellent workroom, bedrooms etc, lovely hosts and fantastic food (my first camp oven roast dinner) and a wonderful shop (bought some of the In the Pink fabrics for when I'm ready to start Homespun's "Breast of Friends").

It was freezing cold during the nights (into the minus degrees) but we were warm and cosy and the days were lovely and sunny.

Monday morning we tidied up Diann's fabric cupboard, did a bit of shopping then I spent the afternoon quilting the Disappearing 9 Patch.

putting feathers in the outer borders

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and sewing on the binding while Diann pieced some more of her Natalie Bird quilt. Stitched down the binding while watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" on Monday night.

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Tuesday we visited Diann's mother, did a bit of hand-stitching back at Diann's then it was time to head out to the airport, flew back to Sydney, John picked me up and we drove home.

Yesterday I added a border or two to Simplicity then went to lunch and the pictures with Mum. We saw "State of Play" - excellent movie. I'd seen the BBC TV drama twice and loved it and I thought the movie was adapted extremely well.

Back at work today. Life is great - how could I not be happy with such wonderful friends and family?

Holiday Packing

In 18 sleeps I am going to Queensland to visit Diann who shall remain blogless. For 3 days of the visit we will be attending a retreat so I've been preparing some things to take along to quilt, sew and stitch.

The central medallion and 4 corner blocks of the "Simplicity" quilt have been blanketstitched ready to start piecing the various borders at the retreat. The medallion will be on point hence the stitched orange guidelines.

This is the stuff I'm taking with me -plenty of variety; no chance of becoming bored. Have no expectation that much will be completed, let alone started - it's going to be a fun time.

While I was pottering around in the sewing room this afternoon I came across this stitchery and a little stack of material inside a Homespun magazine. Stitched this ages ago - it's for a handbag tea cosy. I have now cut out the bits and might get it sewn together this week.

Two Days Off

To recover from my epic Big Day Out I booked two days leave - was wonderful being able to sleep in. I had plans for the two days: finish the other two dolls on Monday and prepare the centre medallion for "Simplicity" on Tuesday. Completed the dolls - "Joe Jingles" (Country Keepsakes)

and "Tully" (Rosalie Quinlan Designs - Honeysuckle Cottage Christmas Club). Tully is an excellent design for a novice dollmaker - easy-to-follow instructions, no painted face and the clothes all have frayed edges.

I really have a problem with choosing fabrics for applique - takes me ages. Would be much easier to buy kits but I am determined to keep using fabrics from my stash. Spent yesterday morning cutting out all the strips

and the afternoon and evening choosing/ironing/cutting fabrics for the centre medallion - I had traced all the shapes onto vliesofix on Monday night.

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For a change of pace during the afternoon I cleaned the fridge (how desperate was I for a distraction?) and cooked dinner. The last piece was ironed on at 11.45 pm! At least it's now ready to be blanket-stitched.

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Not ready yet to try needleturn on a block like this one.