Busy Thursday

We had our Thursday morning sewing group this morning, and Jean gave me my tote. It is great, and even has some bling on it! (Jean loves bling)

The bag front with the pretty bling

The bag back with nice long handles - Jean told me this bag is made out of place mats, would have been pretty heavy sewing I would say!

It's a really good size and holds lots of STUFF

 I think it will become my Thursday sewing bag, I can throw it over the shoulder while I'm wheeling the trusty old machine and it can hold the current project

I finished the Bloggers BOM today - it was a simply block and looks really good.

THAT QUILT arrived in New South Wales yesterday, and Sarah phoned tonight to say thanks, it's already on her bed.  It's great to know she appreciated it.

One Flower Wednesday

Only 4 flowers today - I desperately need to get more fabric and organise myself a bit better:-

Drop by Karen's at Journey of a Quilter and see ther other flowers.

Our Week 13 for TAST 2012 is to use 3 - 6 of the stitches we have learned, and sew a scene. Here's mine so far, she's not quite finished

Oh, and before I forget Sue, your block left today!

Sunday Snippets

sunday snippets is a collection of photos from the week . No need for words: let the pictures tell the story. Be sure to savour more snippets, or join in, at {tinniegirl}.

TAST 2012 Week 12

For Week 12 our stitches were barred chain stitch and alternating barred chain stitch (try saying that ten times quickly!).  First my barred chain:

and second is my alternating barred chain.

I quite enjoyed doing these stitches and I can think of many applications for them.

I won't post any pics from the challenge quilt show tonight, it seems not many are interested in them. Let me know if you want to see them.

Sewing & Craft Show

I attended the show today and it was packed with people.

The quilts on show were from the Queensland Quilters Challenge Fabric Quilt for 2012, I managed to get a few pictures of the ones that took my fancy.  Some were marvellous, people have such amazing imaginations, as you will see:

 To explain the challenge quickly, the fabric in this first picture is the "challenge fabric" and the entrants have to use this fabric in any way on their quilt, and it must make up at least 20% of the quilt front.  There are size limits etc as well, but that's the gist:

I know that some of the statements will be hard to read, you may find it is easier to click on the picture for the larger one so it can be read, sorry

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Aren't these quilts amazing?  All credit to those amazing quilters! Their imagination is remarkable.

I have a few more pictures but I think this is enough for one evening, so I will post the rest tomorrow night

Decisions Are Made

My friend Diane from The Cheshire Quilter recommended that I try enlarging one of my New York Beauty templates and check how it goes before making a decision on whether to enlarge the blocks for the  quilt.

Well I did, thanks Diane, and it turned out great-

It's about 11 1/2 inch block, and it will certainly cut down the number of blocks I will have to do.

Here it is compared to the old size blocks, so now it's full steam ahead!

I also made the decision about which block to run with for Sue for March. The one I can't show you!  Or at least I've narrowed it down to 2, and I've started the first one.

We spent the morning at the hospital today, while Alan had his CT scan.  We will see the surgeon next Friday for the results.

Tomorrow is the Craft and Quilting Show here in Brisbane, so I'll be there looking at all the quilts and seeing what is around.  I will try to take some photographs for you.

I'm about to Swoon Again.

Have the second Swoon  block cut out and ready to go -

Oops, the floral fabric is back to front, take my word for it, it's gorgeous, with gold highlights on the flowers - can't wait to finish this one!  And I'm also too lazy to go and take a picture of the right side of the fabric.

I'm also ready and about to start on Sue's block for the Swap blocks Australia March.

I have the fabric ready with this lovely turquoise and Cherry Red and now have to make up my mind between 5 different block designs!  We all know what I'm like, don't we! 

This is the last time you will see this fabric, you'll have to wait for the final block to go to Sue.   Ihope to make a decision tomorrow, while I am waiting for Alan at the hospital - he has to go in for a CT Scan.  His hernia repair is not too good at the moment.  Let's hope it all goes well.



The Next Birthday Quilt

Here are the four New York Beauties I have done so far:

The next birthday is in June this year, so I know what I'm doing!  Don't they look great together?

I'm just using all scraps - whatever is on the top of the pile is used first, and I think it will make a fabulous quilt.  I'm actually thinking of taking the paper templates to the copy shop and having them doubled in size, as these are only about 7 1/2 inches, so it will take tons of them to make a decent sized quilt. 

Do you think that's a good idea, or should I just use these smaller ones on a plain background, in some sort of design?

I'm hoping that I can do the same thing with this quilt as the last one - get it done and outta here in plenty of time.   I probably will never paper piece again!

New York Beauties

I had a go at paper piecing a New York Beauty today and I'm hooked!

There are so many different designs to try, I can see a quilt coming!

It looks crooked in the picture, but it's not, I swear.  Must have been the angle of the photograph.

Tah-Dah-Dah Drum Roll Please

And trumpets and a marching band as well, 'cos it's finally done!

What's done?, I hear you ask.  THAT Quilt I answer, with a big grin:):):)

I added a couple of embellishments, for reasons best kept to myself, and they look gorgeous:

Of course, one cannot gift a quilt without a quilt bag:

Not quite completed, but I wanted to see how the quilt fitted.  Not bad!

I am really pleased that is finished.  Will be on its way to New South Wales in plenty of time for the birthday.



Sunday Snippets

Visit Kathy at Tinniegirl for more Sunday Snippets

TAST Weeks 10 & 11

Week 10 was running stitch, and I could not think of anything to do with it!

I was so bored with it! Then I looked at what others had done with it, and  realized that my imagination is almost non existent! I'll have to train my imagination to do more!

Week 10 was Whipped Wheel, and I did enjoy this stitch:

I absolutely love how this stitch looks using different threads, so I had lots of fun with it.

The Thursday Morning Great Tote Swap

Forgot to tell you that my swap partner for the tote swap was Tanya, of Wee Little Birds.


Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the tote that I made for her, so if you jump over to her site and go back a couple of days you will find it.  My first totebag, I'm glad she liked it!

Binding THAT Quilt

Thank goodness, I am finally up  to binding that quilt! 

I'm half way there, but it is a monster quilt - 1.8 metres x 2.1 metres, so it is taking a while! only 1 1/2 sides to go....