Monday, November 18, 2013

Antique Sampler by Patchwork with Busy Fingers

Antique Sampler resized


I have been cutting out fabrics for an Antique Sampler Block of the month, lots of fabrics are needed for this one.
My customer likes brown and pink so I have  included lots of beautiful fabrics in this colourway with a gorgeous paisley border fabric.








Block of the month $38.00 a month for 12 months
Contact anpv@ozemail.com.au for further imformation

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Last Workshop for 2013!

I have finished my Quick Curve Medallion Quilt ready to send to Elaine at 'Quilting in the Vines' to put her finishing touches on before our Quilting workshop in Adelaide in a couple of weeks.


METRO MEDALLION

A 'Quick Curve Ruler' Pattern

Join Penny for one last workshop in 2013!

This is a workshop demonstrating the 'Quick Curve Ruler'
 that has so many uses
Go to Jenny Pedigo’s website to see all the beautiful quilts she makes from this one ruler!

'Sew Kind of Wonderful' Website: http://sewkindofwonderful.bigcartel.com/ 
 
Details of workshop : 
November 29th, 9am to 3 pm

at the Lutheran Church Hall McLaren Vale, SA

Cost: $50 -includes the Ruler!

Bring your own lunch. Morning and afternoon tea supplied.

OR

Join Wendy and Mary for ‘Fininshing Off!’ any of the quilts you 
have started in a workshop with them for $25.00

To book in contact Penny at : anpv@ozemail.com.au

Or Wendy at : wdwhellum@iprimus.com.au

I will have most of Jenny's patterns for sale on the day! 





Thursday, October 31, 2013

Another border and some circles!

Not a lot of sewing getting done lately. I have managed to put another border on my 'Liberated Medallion' quilt. This won't be the last border, the next one will need to bring some more red and orange in.


My Pies and Tarts top got some attention with some large circles (pies) being completed. 
Now to sew some of the smaller circles, (the tarts). I plan on adding a row at a time rather than laying them all out when they are finished, that way I can add the small circles over the joins as I go.

The top so far......
Some large circles completed.



Sunday, October 6, 2013

Beautiful Handmade Gifts

Don't you love handmade gifts? I have some wonderful handcrafted items to show you, all of which have come my way in the last week or two!
Wendy knitted me some gorgeous socks. They are almost too nice to wear, but I will! Love the colours.
 
While in Toowoomba Wendy was taken on a 1/2 day outing by Vicki while I was back at the show. She bought me this beautiful little woodturned tapemeasure, made by Wayne Achilles. The tapemeasure pulls out, then you turn the handle at the top to wind it up again!


The next three items were made by clever ladies and purchased from the craft table at the Toowoomba quilt show. Such lovely stitching and sewing, the prices were too good, I had to buy them!

Christmas Purses to hang on the tree
Large pincushion or small pillow
Beautiful shoulder bag in my colours!
Lastly, today I was given this pretty pair of earrings by Tracey of 'Grace and Daisies' as a thankyou gift! Aren't they lovely!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Day One Toowoomba Quilt Show


 Ready for customers!
Wendy Demonstrating Backbasting Applique
Wendy surrounded by her beautiful quilts!

                  

Monday, September 9, 2013

Scrappy trip around the world number three!

I gave my lovely bright Scrappy Trip Around the World away to the flood victims of Queensland collection several months ago so decided to work on another one, this time in Reproduction Scraps.12 Blocks so far look good together, I might try making a few more blocks with some lighter fabrics in them.



Little Doll's Quilt made with scraps from my second Scrappy Trip Around The World Quilt


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

All Creatures Great and Small

My middle daughter has stitched the 12 designs from Natalie Birds book, 'All Creatures Great and Small' and done a beautiful job with her neat little stitches. I have selected the fabrics for the top and started cutting them out. I asked Sarah not to stitch the 'quiltlike' stitches around each picture as I will actually quilt these with coloured thread (or teach her to do it!), once the three layers are together.


Monday, August 12, 2013

Holiday time!

For the last 4 weeks my husband and I have been traveling around North Queensland. In each town I googled the local quilt shop and tried to visit as many as possible. Unfortunately many shops have closed down. Their details are still on the internet but when turning up at the address one finds a new business or just an empty shop. I did manage to add to my black, red and cream stash with some beautiful reproduction fabrics from various shops.


Friday, July 5, 2013

Gwen Marston

I have just spent two wonderful days doing two workshops with Gwen Marston. They were  hosted by a local quilt shop in Toowoomba, 'Precious Time'. I have been so excited about these workshops. Who would have thought Gwen would come to my new hometown, one of the few priveleged places in Australia she decided to visit. As time got closer she had troubles with her visa and nearly didn't make it.... but she did! She is so wonderful and talented and such a lovely lady.












Day one was a 'Liberated Medallion' class and I was the only one in the room to work with Repro's. The liberated style means you can just add borders and chop them off if they are too long, similar to what some quiltmakers did years ago without wonderful rulers and cutting equipment. You can work a lot quicker if you don't have to work out measurements for blocks and join your points perfectly.

The Applique Centre I started with

Will still need a few more borders
Day two was called 37 Sketches' and Gwen showed us techniques she used to make her wonderful miniatures. Solid fabrics were used with an occassional piece of a feature fabric. Once again not much precise sewing, just having fun creating sections and then putting them all together.
A very contemporary look, something new for me. I had a lot of fun making this one!

My first Sketch







Saturday, June 29, 2013

Fast and Fabulous quilt!

This quilt is still my most popular pattern. People love how quick it is to cut out and sew together.
All you need is 12 fat quarters, cut into 12 pieces with one piece in each of 12 blocks.
(You can also use 25cm WOF instead of FQ's)
The bonus is there are no points in the blocks to line up, I can sew a block together in 5 minutes.
Today a lady rang me for the pattern after winning the quilt in a raffle, she loves it so much she wants to make one herself!
You can make the quilt bigger by using more fat quarters.
I have made one in Repro's and one in Batiks as well (both 16 fabrics) and two baby quilts (with 6 fabrics in each)
I am now collecting 20 Japanese fabrics fat 1/4's to make a queensize one!



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Binding time!

Time to finish a few quilts that are just waiting for their binding!
The first quilt off the ranks will be another Jelly Roll quilt that I designed but never wrote up as a pattern because the little 'squares on point' border, made from the 'negative' blocks cut up, had too many bias edges and were very stretchy and fiddly to sew with.


The fiddly bias cut square border on the left
Not sure to use the grey or the red for binding??
Why the sudden urge to bind? Well last week I bought a you-bute binding ruler to try. It's 'The Binding Tool' by TQM. I will have a go at using it and let you know how I go! I have checked out the instructions on some U-Tube clips so think I know what I'm doing!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Block 2 Block Fabric Stash BOM

I have finished making my B2B blocks and made 7 extra blocks to bring the total to 25.
Now I am thinking of putting a 1" sashing between the blocks using the lovely brown you can see in the picture. My mind is ticking over as I would like to design a border using the leftover fabrics from the blocks.... watch this space......

Monday, March 18, 2013

Trips around the World with a difference!

As is usual for me, I have changed my Trips Around the World to be a little different to the  ones that are being sewn up all over the world at the moment thanks to the craze Bonnie Hunter started.

My first 'Trip' is made in the 'scrappy' way but I have used 8 fabrics in each square instead of six. I used fabrics that are modern and colourful and look great together.


In my second 'Trip' I used 6 fabrics but cut the strips 2" wide instead of 2 1/2", giving me a pretty little cot quilt in pastel pinks.

My good friend Wendy found a version of the scrappy trip around the world in an old book and has made a rich coloured quilt in Reproduction fabrics, watch her blog 'Legend and Lace' for a picture of the finished top.



Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Civil War Blocks

I have had my Civil War Blocks out today. It have made 21 so far.  Barbara Brackman on her blog 'Civil War Quilts' released a pattern every week in 2011 and I started sewing these with a group of friends back in Adelaide. After moving last year I have not even looked at them. I chose use some beautiful fabrics from my pink and chocolate stash, there are some of my favorite fabrics in there!




Monday, February 4, 2013

Mystery Quilts

Mystery 3......
I have my thinking cap on trying to come up with another Mystery Quilt, something a little bit different.... I think I have some interesting idea's that will blend together well. Unfortunately I can't show you or the Mystery will be solved!
Just thought I'd show you the last two Mysteries I put together. These classes were fun and some beautiful quilts were created by the lovely ladies who participated!


Spinning Charm

Hearthstone

Friday, February 1, 2013

IT'S SCRAP TIME AGAIN!


MAY 3,  2013 !

We are announcing the date early and giving everyone plenty of time to get the day off work and join us for a day of sewing!
May 3rd Wendy and I have booked the Lutheran Church hall in McLaren Vale for a day of sewing up our scraps into wonderful creations!
9.30 am to 3.30 pm
The day will cost $40 and morning and afternoon tea and lunch are provided!
Several quilts and ideas will be demonstrated during the day.
I have made a nifty little gift for you all to try. All participants will get a kit to make the little covered tape measure shown below. Isn't it cute?












Monday, January 14, 2013

Basket Swap Blocks

I  received 10 blocks in a swap with the Repro-Lovers Yahoo group several years ago. These blocks were very well made by some great sewers.
At the time I made a couple of extra blocks to take the number to 12.
I've decided to use an old setting for the blocks, a zig-zag with half blocks at the ends of rows


I made two more whole blocks and four half blocks to complete my top.


A poison green from the 'Lucinda's Needle' range by Jo Morton made the perfect background setting.

Now to plan some borders......

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Picking a UFO

It's that time of the year where we find a little time on our hands if we are lucky. Christmas and New Year Celebrations are over and the netball team and the quilting group haven't started again.....my biggest problem was deciding which UFO to pick to finish. I've settled on my little baskets made as a swap with the ReproLovers Yahoo group. The baskets are 6" and made with Reproduction poison yellows, greens and turkey reds. I will need to make a few more baskets and work out what setting to use.......


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Antique Tile Blocks

Time to post a picture of my November and December blocks (1/3 of the way there!):