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

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!

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!

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......

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.

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!

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

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?

Borders Added!

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......

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.......

Antique Tile Blocks

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