Farmers Wife week 5- what a week!

What a week indeed, firstly a lovely romantic wedding in Adelaide, together with a fantastic gathering of old friends for a few days. Just wonderful.
Then a few days with my husband touring South Australia, some relatives and a few days on our own in the Coonawarra wine region.

Many fine glasses of wine tasted...

Then back home for a few nights before a wonderful day and night at a quilt retreat with my "people".

Then off to a very fun packed and informative weekend at Sea World on the Gold Coast at the Handi Quilter Academy convention.

I did some classes with both Birgit Schueller and Kelly Cline, long arming, even though I have a sit down machine- almost converted....

The Vintage linens is what I went for and I was not disappointed with both the fun and friendship. I met some old friends and made some new ones. I also did some ruler work, which was interesting and thought provoking, now to find time to play this week at home!
I forgot to take a picture before I rolled it on (below), maybe tomorrow I will take a better picture now I have the whole piece off the machine.

I also went to an Accuquilt class and made a block!

 My Farmers Wife Weekly Art Project took a little  back seat as I was so busy travelling, I managed to make 3 blocks at the retreat, although one needs a little refit.

 Sadly back to work this week, I hope to get lots of stitching done on my time off as it is so hot, I will have to stay inside by the aircon!

Week 4 Farmers Wife- a slow week

I have managed one block only this week, sad I know, but between work and some heavy duty quilting on a piece for the AQC challenge, I have had little spare time.

I was trying to work in sequence through the book,  I got so carried away missed a page, so I am now working backwards a little.

The red is great to work with - I am finding small pieces purchased years ago and used for other projects, its a bit of a walk down memory lane, I did buy a few more pieces today- so now I have enough for another 2 quilts at least!

I have put my blocks together, I discovered that I made one block twice- in different weeks, must concentrate more - I think that's where I skipped the page. 

The final quilt will have sashing- maybe....

This is  a busy week, I am off to a wedding ! 

Class planning is a major part of my free time-  I am teaching basic free motion machine quilting at Country Quilt Co,Ipswich.

February 25th. Check the website for more information.

I am  ready to attend a machine quilting conference on the Gold Coast next week, life certainly can get busy- this is good busy!

Improvisational piecing samples

I have enjoyed some improvisational piecing in the past and have stated teaching this fun way of piecing, using up small scraps of fabric, and even cutting and repurposing old quilt blocks that really are not useful or I have not had the passion for once they are made. 

Here are my samples and pieces underway, some started in a class with Gwen Marston a few years ago, some just from playing at home by myself.

My Nine Patch? is a quilt that I used this technique for, and also G is for Green

 G is for Green

Nine Patch?

My learnings are

* simpler is often better- the keep it simple stupid approach! (KISS)

* a zinger fabric often can be a small piece of fabric - but can lift the whole composition

* a narrow strip is often better and more appealing than a larger strip

* continuity with a colour or shape can give a piece cohesiveness with its neighbouring block

 One of my favourites

 I love this one,  the small black pieces really give it a life, although it maybe needs more?

 hmmm, this is not quite right, it maybe needs to be cut up again and re designed? 

Playing to just see what happens is half the fun!

 This one doesn't work either,but its good to try and see , and then figure out why it doesn't work - then fix- or recut!

I really enjoy these fine strips!

There are so many options, just start sewing and cutting, you never now what might happen!

Farmers Wife week 3, Weekly Art Project

I have out done myself this week, 5 blocks, well 6 really, but one was way too small- measure twice cut once! A spare.  oops!
There are pictures and a line drawing for every block in the book, they are all 6 inches, there is also a CD with patterns to print, my only comment is that there is no list of rotary cutting sizes for the basic shapes, I am working it out which is why I was a little askew with that one block- obviously not concentrating enough. For the basic shapes I am (mostly) OK, but need to print off the odd shapes- one to a page is how they come...

The plan was to work my way through the book from block one to 111! I missed a page, so had to work backwards, that is why there are 5, one more to make this week to be in sequence.

The pile of red and white fabrics is enough to make at least 2 quilts, that's my aim this year to be red and white focussed.
I do have another red and white quilt top almost ready to quilt...

 Below is the Mola piece I started after buying the pattern and doing a short class with Marion Wetter in Alsace at the European Quilt show, I had a lovely time at the show, even though my french is rudimentary- coffee/ wine/ croissant/ cheese- you can read the signs for toilet and train station etc.
I recommend this as a place to visit, I really enjoyed the whole experience, even running to catch the train, and literally climbing up the steps on my hands and knees to get on it before it left- nothing like living dangerously! We loved  the whole area, the food and scenery. The small towns were just so much fun to explore. Strasbourg was a real find, small, easy to get around, we had some fun experiences  even the worlds worst beer!
The Mola class was very international, with a translator as well, I am enjoying the handwork, and as I am a midwife, this is an appropriate picture for me. Now to make some more in different colours, a good travelling project.

Finishing current or previously started projects and a few challenge quilts are my aim for this year, I feel like starting some new projects, but really need to be firm with myself and try to finish other projects first...( I am really having trouble with the AQC theme of Made in Australia Flora and Fauna.....)

Farmers Wife week 2

I appear to be winning here!

4 blocks made over the past few days as well as some machine quilting and class prep for the weekend. 
I am teaching 'all about machine quilting with rulers' at a local shop, so much to get ready- just when I think I have it done! I have taught it before, but each class I seem to update my resources as I buy more rulers and practice more at home with them. There are so many great rulers to choose from!

The red and white blocks are coming along nicely, although I did have to break the "no more fabric purchase" rule and get some 'white with red' fabric, I seem to have lots of solid and darker fabrics, but not much of the lighter ones.

I am enjoying playing with some of the more interesting fabrics too, the stripes, beetles and spots are a bit of fun!

This is a really good plan- the Weekly Art Project, and I hope to stick to it, it is making me more aware to blog each week, and also to upload my pics on Instagram too.

 

Weekly art project - the Farmers Wife

I have had the Farmers Wife book for a few years now, my son gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago. Now is the time to start the blocks. Inspired by Brenda Gael Smith, it's a weekly project. 

Weekly art project 2017.

My aim is to construct at least 2 blocks if not more each week.

Red and white are my colours, I have plenty of fabric! and I have washed it all with colour catchers!

Posting on Instagram as well might inspire me to finish.

My son is in South America, mainly Colombia, perhaps it will be a welcome home quilt!

My life is revolving around work and machine quilting! Planning classes and preparing class samples takes a lot of time! But in between work and other things that must be done, I am really enjoying using my Bernina Q20.

 Pictures on Instagram janemadlyquilting, as well as below.

Some prizes and some fun!

A little post holiday depression has had me not blogging for a bit. Now that I am back on board, here is the news.
The Queensland Quilters exhibition, held in conjunction with Expertise Events Craft and Quilt Fair was on the day I returned from Italy! what a big week.
One of my quilts won best theme quilt- half square triangles, another received a judges commendation in the small modern category.
This is a special quilt for my fiend Suzanne, she has a particular fondness for flamingo's

The small quilt has also just been selected for the Australian Modern Quilt Show to be held in Sydney in November. A little bit of excitement there, its nice to be exhibiting nationally.

I currently have one quilt overseas travelling with the World Quilt Show, one travelling with Expertise Events as part of the AQC challenge, and another travelling with EE as part of my local Broadstrokes special exhibition, that has also been to Taiwan!

Life is busy, and as we head to the end of the year there are a few competition quilts to be made , and some pieces for another Broadstrokes exhibition. No rest here for me...
I am also playing with my new Berina Q20 and a new ruler foot and some fun rulers.

 Life as a quilter is very exciting, so many wonderful quilts to see, be made and many friends to share them with!