Workshop with Susan Harris

I spent a lovely day doing a workshop with Susan Harris. The quilt I chose to make was "Spinning Stars" and is all handpeiced, hence the reason I did not get much done. I ditched my green fabric at the beginning of the day and picked up a lighter, brighter green from the "Sew Creative" girls. This lifts the star which was going to be too dark.

                                                                   

Susan Harris wrote a book called 'Classic Quilts' in 1998 and I am
trying to get my hands on a copy. She has been reproducing antique  quilts  for a long time and her work is lovely.

The day finished with a great meal of oven cooked pizzas cooked on the spot by 'Crumpy's Crusts" a mobile wood fired pizza caterer. The pizza's were delicious.
Thanks to the 'Sew Creative ' girls in Gatton for organising a great couple of days.

The Penny Quilt

I have finished putting the borders on my Penny Quilt. Now to applique 104 circles in each of the cream squares.

I have collected my fabrics together for a workshop with Susan Harris tomorrow at Sew Creative in Gatton. I am doing a quilt called Spinning Stars and hope I have something to show you tomorrow!

Asian Images

 25 Asian prints cut into 9 1/2" squares suitable for use in my pattern "Asian Images"
Individual squares are $1.50

The pattern is $14.50. Contact me  (click on contact me) if you wish to purchase fabric or patterns and I will let you know how much the postage will be.

Breaking the rules!

I decided to make another version of my design "The Penny Quilt" from the new book compiled by Pam and Nicky Lintott, "Jelly Roll Dreams". I am using a beautiful Jelly Roll by 'Collections for a cause' called "Comfort".  I have to admit that I always change things until I am happy with them. I know ladies who think they have to use all the fabrics supplied in a Jelly Roll just because they all came together in the Jelly Roll. Rules are made to be broken. If a colour or pattern of one of the fabrics isn't to your liking ditch that strip or strips, and then feel free to add a few strips of fabric from your own stash that you prefer................



That is what I did with this range. Some of the stripes and big florals were too busy so I removed them from the required 40 and added some from my own collection.

The centre of The Penny Quilt

 I did the same thing last year when I stitched a '1600' quilt with the "Dilly Dally" Jelly Roll by 'Me and my Sister'. There are three black and white strips in this range. I decided that I needed to either remove them completely or add more black and whites for a better balance. I did the latter and also added a few extra white background fabrics with spots. This meant the quilt ended up being a little wider but not longer  than the original design. See the '1600' quilt here: Heirloom Creations

I am always changing a design until I am happy with it and love to see students of mine add there own touches to something I have taught them. I even encourage them to do this, it is the first step towards them creating their own designs. 

Vintage Wheels BOM

As promised I have designed a border for the 'Pretty Roses' version of my Vintage Wheels Block of the month. It is a simple paper-pieced star placed on the joins of the blocks.

When all 12 blocks are finished I think I will finish with a pink tone-on-tone border 5" wide.
Block 10 and 11 are ready to be picked up.
There is one complete set each of the Japanese and Pretty Roses left if anyone is interested in purchasing all 12 blocks in one hit contact me.

HAG's

I have decided to start attending a group called HAG's at a quilt shop in a nearby town. 'HAG' stands for 'Hand Applique Girls' and I am looking forward to spending a day a month working on my latest quilt in the company of other women who also enjoy hand- stitiching. Since leaving all my quilting friends behind I am really missing the companionship of like minded women who can inspire and encourage each other.
My applique is progressing slowly. The next
couple of branches supplied plenty of practice
for making circles. I use the Karen Kay
Buckley Circles bought from Wendy at
Legend and Lace. They are made from Mylar
 which is firm but  nice and thin and can be
ironed over without ruining the circle.