Machine quilt challenge

After a few night shifts I have done my February Sew Cal Gal challenge, one is a sample to try out the colour, the other is a cushion - maybe, for a project I am doing. this was fun, but I need to expand my feather repetoire a bit and get more adventurous. Dianne Gaudynski is very inspiring so I am looking at lots of pictures and hope to do some more freehand feathers soon.

Its amazing what can be done in a few minutes between thinking about dinner and actually cooking it.

I have used blue King Tut thread on the green fabric,

 although my favourite thread at the moment is the Wonderfil range, they have lots of great colours and lovely variegated threads. The craft fair is coming again soon, so I may indulge in a few more reels...
The yellow on the border is wonderfil, it handles beautifully and seems to sit on the fabric well, a bit better than some other threads.
Almost ready to tackle the last 2 sample pieces in the teacher accreditation program, trying to get some decent hand quilting batting is proving difficult, might have to travel further afield tomorrow.

Ah a day off paid work tomorrow to do what I really want to do!

Rubbings and other things

Last weekend a group of us did some rubbings in a neighbouring suburb, actually the suburb where I work, but never visit unless I am at work.
Kate did a map and off we went, it was hot, there was a lot of chatter and catching up along the way, lots of lovely art and some fun footpath art to look at and rub- that is use iol paint sticks over fabric.
It was interesing to see how Sue - who was giving us tips - worked and look at what others were seeing.
We ended up at the pub for a very nice lunch.
Then at the local patchwork shop where the art group was having a meeting- and an interesting 'show and tell' a bonus.

part of a fountain

Merody starting her rubbing

I plan to use these pieces for background, but have discovered that the driveway of our home has the right sortof texture to give a great look when rubbed! no need to even leave home. This was  great day and we found lots of art in the street to inspire us!
Might have to go back on a not so hot day.

Off to celebrate the wedding anniversary with my lovely husband of 26 years.

tiled surface

The perfect bag

I had a little wander up Oxford street at Bulimba last week, looking in windows where I could not afford, and wandering in where I could- this was found in the over stocked 2nd hand shop, it was $8, just needs a small repair of wire on the handle, but it is perfect for me.
Madly hand stitching some blocks for my assessment pieces, ho hum, but I love the hand applique, so am bombing along on that one now I have finished the buttonhole block.
Went to a local patchwork shop to look for a cot size pack of either Hobbs or Mountain Mist polyester batting for the hand quilted block- as this is the best to use and I can make about 4 cushions out of the one piece- the newish assistant didn't even know what I was talking about...needless to say I need to go to another shop !

Playing nurse to my son who has had his wisdom teeth out today, ice cream, jelly and panadol.

Happy to have my raffle quilt finished, will put a hanging sleeve and label on it and then I can start in earnest on the next big quilt adventure.

Rejects

After a number of rejects I have got one block I am happy with, none of these pictures, but they will come in handy for something one day. Maybe cushions with some machine quilting practice on.

rejects

 Some hand buttonhole is required, I learnt that there is button hole with a locking type finish and another stitch very similar, now I have it in my head I am OK. Hand stitching is relaxing, but I have seen some brilliant fine exquisite hand buttonhole done by a friend in Hobart many years ago, and am having trouble trying to mtch her standard. Oh well, maybe by the end I will. One strand of DMC gives a good look to my eye. Its hard to keep it even.

sample hand buttonhole

 Pavlova made by my 17 yr old daughter and decorated by her cousin, this is before the lashings of passionfruit went on! yum.

dessert

Accuracy

I am a fastidious person and can make patchwork blocks accurately almost anytime, except this week when I need to make one, that reads one block machine pieced to a specific size for a teacher accreditation course I am doing. I actually have to make 6 blocks in all but have come undone at the first.  I have made 2 - lucky cushion recipient, and they are 1/8 " out. Not happy Jane. Make it 3 blocks now, the 3rd did not have anough colour variation in it!
I always choose from the heart and what makes me tingle, now I am trying to make some 'beginner ' blocks and my heart is not tingling.

research

So off I go again, I am doing a different block each time to relieve the boredom, and they are so flat and sqaure and have real triangles, someting I am pretty proud of- but they are a smidge too small.
Luckily I have anough magazines and books to make research a fun thing to do.



QQ challenge fabric

This is the Queensland QUilters challenge fabric, I am having much more success with this, it took a bit of dreaming and thinking - but it is singing with delight and fun and whimsy.

Just need to get it finished. Like all my projects.

Finished

This is the finsihed article, at last. It is being valued as I type, before being raffled for the school Wetlands Festival, which is  essentially the school fair.
The picture shows my son and I holding it up, no time for  a hanger yet!, I cannot seem to be able to crop it in the program that keeps coming up, however, this tells more of a story, I am all dressed up to go and chair my last P&F meeting as President, I came home from that meeting- unemployed as a volunteer president.

Hooray

It was a great thing to do, I really enjoyed it, met lots of lovely people, learnt some new skills, and had a mostly fun time. But now it is time for a change.

Last weekend I participated in the Queensland Quilters Teacher Accreditation program, a quiet weekend after a busy week at work. It was interesting to see that all those basic skills I learnt in 1983 - 1985 are all still current as a good basic grounding in all things that are important when drafting, hand piecing and quilting etc.

Now to do the homework...

And to get some of my own quilts finished - (and started) for the October quilt show