Margaret

Throwin’ a Friday arvo sickie…

September 18, 2015 by Margaret

…cos I feel like blogging not working.

I’ve been continuing with this quilt over the last couple of months

working title Connecticut Quilt

but before I show you how it’s evolving I want you to see how the 1800s Sunburst is looking now that all the blocks are together.

working title 1800s Sunburst.

We all know what a nice feeling it is when the last bit of stitching is done on a quilt top. And this one was no exception…that was a lot of hand pieced circular blocks! The applique petals were very quick to do though and now it she is all ready for the quilting machine. I’m not in a great hurry to quilt her though…I’m still mulling quilting ideas over in my head.

So back to the Connecticut quilt and when I left you last I was pondering whether the baskets would stay or go…Thank you for all your kind and encouraging comments, I really appreciated the input.

I did decide to keep them, but they needed a little *attention* so I took them off to neaten them up…

Off they came.

…and in true Libran style I changed my mind and they didn’t go back on.

You see I’ve always liked these little Peony blocks.

Peony Blocks.

I’m just finishing the last half dozen or so blocks at the moment and then that will be a border complete.

This is how it’s all looking so far.

Connecticut Quilt take 2.

There’s still a wee way to go with it…more borders of course. But sooo nice to be moving forward with this after a long hiatus.

Spring is in the air here and it was lovely to spend an evening in the city with my darling daughter recently…drinks, ballet, dinner.

I had fun making this photo collage of our evening.

I heart Melbourne.

thanks for visiting,

til next,

happy stitching

Margaret

6 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, 1800s Sunburst, Applique, Connecticut Quilt 1865-1890, Design, Reproduction Quilts

Loving the Winter

June 7, 2015 by Margaret

Winter means nights in, in front of the fire.

Nights in front of the fire means hand-sewing.

BTW, thank you SBS for playing a great movie last night on the telly ~ “Walk the Line” with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon~ I stayed up till the end and got lots o’ stitching done.

One 1800s Sunburst block finished and well on the way with another.

This is a finished block from last week

Admiring my handywork over breakfast LOL

And here’s how the finished blocks are looking on the design wall this morning,

I just keep telling myself “I am getting closer”.

OMG Ombre is on the quilting machine and nearly done.

That Prussian Blue Ombre just pops throughout the quilt.

So with the imminent finish of another quilt, I’ve been pulling things out of drawers in the studio, (there is no shortage of UFOs there) and the winner just might be…

Connecticut Quilt

Looking back through my notes I think I started this in *Gulp* 2008 (possibly earlier) and of late I’ve had some new ideas for it.

Not least because I can’t even find my original Electric Quilt drawings for it. I suspect they were done way back on EQ5!, on the computer that died with out a backup. (Big Lesson learnt that day).

Because I love the fabrics in this quilt so much, it really would be a shame not to continue, and hey, one has recently been reproduced which is kinda handy LOL.

I’m pondering whether to take the baskets off and begin afresh from the star.

I’ve started drawing it up anew on EQ7 so will see where it takes me.

I’m going to carry on with that for the rest of the day.

Thanks for visiting,

til soon,

Margaret

12 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, 1800s Sunburst, Connecticut Quilt 1865-1890, Design, Musings, Ombre, OMG Ombre, Prussian Blues

Two finishes

May 6, 2015 by Margaret

I have finally completed the top of Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy, just the quilting to do now.

*Insert Happy Beaming Face*

Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy

With MHW’s completion I got stuck into OMG Ombre…cutting the fabric for the remaining flying geese blocks. Well when I say remaining I mean 22 of the 25 needed…I hadn’t got very far initially.

Ready to sew.

I spent a lovely (coldish) weekend two weekends ago sewing by the fire, using foundation piecing for speed and accuracy.

The pile of finished blocks getting bigger.

By the end of the weekend I had made all the Wild Goose Chase blocks and then started playing with the alternate blocks…I needed to decide if I did or didn’t want them scrappy, did I want to add pink triangles? (cos I had a nice pink Ombre print I was dying to use)

Some ombres, some checks, some florals… No pink, didn’t look right.

There was a bit of this going on periodically to make sure I was still happy…

Yep, happy with that.

But the weekend was over too soon and I had to pack it away

The very next weekend, out it all came again and I finshed the alternate blocks, assembled them and *even* got the border on.

More decisions to be made there of course, lol I had in my head that it would be quite a subtle pieced border…there was enough going on in the centre I thought.

I started out subdued but got progressively bolder.

I tried all sorts of combinations and ended up with this… Not what I had in mind at all but, hey sometimes you have to listen to what the quilt has to say.

More ombre, more prussian blue, more brown.

So I have two quilts ready to machine quilt .. such a good feeling.

Hoping you are getting some productive sewing time too

til next

Happy stitching

Margaret

4 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Applique, Broderie Perse, Design, Miss Hitchens' Whimsy, Ombre, OMG Ombre, Prussian Blues, Reproduction Quilts

Progress x three

April 14, 2015 by Margaret

I’m so close to finishing Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy … I can hardly believe it.

I’ve calculated just four evenings of stitching will complete the remaining two small corner blocks.

(once I have prepared them of course)

Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy corner block…two down, two to go.

And then I just need a few hours to assemble because all the border strips are sewn…

Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy outer borders.

…and the centre is done.

Centre block…FULL of Broderie Perse.

It is such a *good* feeling.

So that is the first of the three quilts that are in the *Priority Pile*.

The second is the 1800s Sunburst Quilt…maybe progress is too specific a word for this. Chugging, nay Plodding along might be more apt but I am getting there and I periodically have another finished block to admire.

1800s Sunburst blocks, the top left is the most recent finish

I still get a thrill out of finishing one and deciding “which one next?” At the moment I seem to be drawn to these Vermiculate style patterns.

More blocks.

Once MHW is finished I’ll be able to get a bit more gung ho with these blocks.

And I’ve decided to use these Leaf Templates from Made Studio for the elipse corner applique…I’ve used these before and really like the accuracy and speed of these ready made templates.

Made Studio Leaf Templates.

The third is my OMG Ombre (that’s the working title lol)

With the arrival of more of the fabrics I wanted I can get cracking on this (yay)

Prussian Blue Ombre by Pam Weeks and Eccentric print by Lisa DeBee Schiller.

I’m itching to start sewing again on this… But first I’m going to prepare those last two MHW blocks…today.

I hope you are enjoying your UFO’s too.

thanks for visiting

til next

Margaret

8 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, 1800s Sunburst, Applique, Broderie Perse, Design, Miss Hitchens' Whimsy, Ombre, OMG Ombre, Reproduction Quilts

OMG Ombre and some new patterns

February 25, 2015 by Margaret

I’ve been enjoying working with some Ombre fabrics which have been in my stash for a wee while,

and I confess I’m still adding new ones to my shelves.

Ombre fabric, also known as a Rainbow or Fondu print, was very fashionable with quiltmakers during the 1830-1850 period. The fabrics created shading and interest to applique quilts (think epergne vases in Baltimore Album quilts)

On my shelves these two ombres started inching their way forward ’til they fell off, giggling and holding hands and I noticed them again.

Classic (not to mention gorgeous) Ombres.

And of course then I got enthused.

Wild Goose Chase, working title OMG Ombre

So I have a few more blocks to make…I will be alternating the Wild Goose Chase blocks with another pieced block. Yay, a chance to use more ombres and I’m happy to have some more machine piecing to do after months of hand stitching.

The hand stitching I’m doing is piecing my 1800s Sunburst blocks.

1800s Sunburst blocks.

I am just loving the fabrics in this quilt, again I’m pulling out oldies but goodies along with newies.

Marcus Bros. Aged Muslin and (in no particular order) a bounty of 1800s fashionable fabrics.

And ombres feature here too. This pic is just from the last time it was up on the design wall and I coudn’t resist sewing four together so I could see how the applique would work as a secondary pattern.

Two recent-ish quilt finishes are

Margot

Margot, after my Mother-in-law Margot DeCamp and Margo Krager ~ whose fabrics I adore and use A LOT :-)

and Rising Sun Medallion

Rising Sun Medallion

I’ve also finally updated my Pattern page with some new additions, I’m very excited to have some more patterns for sale.

A cup of tea and some more sewing beckons,

happy stitching

til soon

Margaret

5 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, 1800s Sunburst, Design, Margo Krager fabrics, OMG Ombre, Quilt Patterns, Reproduction Quilts

No way, it can’t possibly be…can it?

February 3, 2015 by Margaret

Well the computer can’t lie, and I am hanging my head in embarrassment here.

I haven’t blogged for long time.

I have been hanging out on Facebook a little bit and lately on Instagram too but it’s not quite the same is it.

https://www.facebook.com/quiltstation

http://instagram.com/margaretmew/

Shall I just get back on the horse and hope you’ll let me pick up where I left off?

Keep Calm and Carry On.

Thank you…Ahem…shuffle of feet…I’m blogging, and it feels good.

Last time you saw my Pomegranate quilt, I was bundling up a few blocks to sew on a trip to NZ.

May 2014 Travel Prep

Look at it now!

Pomegranate quilt.

I am really pleased with the way this quilt has turned out…quite bright (clear) for me; usually I’m muddy-er and scrappy-er.

And sticking to three fabrics and a background?

LOL I couldn’t, there are a few subtle additions in the borders.

A Hepburn Springs local

I headed off to the wonderful Hepburn Springs (Daylesford, Vic.) last September with some of my LQG;

its always a special weekend with these ladies many of whom I’ve sewn with for nigh on 20 years.

Taking a morning stroll for coffee offers some lovely sights and the chance to meet a local.

Then back to the house for stitching.

I had plenty with me to choose from because I’ve started a several new quilts over the last months.

(And pulled a few UFO’s out of storage with renewed vigour)

1800s Sunburst Quilt.

I cut out a few of these hand-pieced Sunburst blocks in readiness for retreat. I then cut some more and have since sewn all of those.

And since then have cut the rest of the blocks needed for the quilt and spend most evenings hand stitching these.

Lots of my favourite 1800s repro fabrics happening here. Blues Browns and Pinks.

Last count I have half the blocks sewn, but it doesn’t pay to count too often

Also during January, aka ‘My Month of Selfish Sewing’, I have started and finished a machine pieced quilt top named Lexington Road.

Lexington Road

It’s only draped over the quilting machine, I wonder if anyone will notice if ‘MMoSS’ extends for a few more days…I’d love to get it quilted!

And January sewing included getting all these cute little applique blocks together, and continuing with the quilt I’m calling Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy.

Lots of half circles, Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy.

I’m teaching it at The Applique Guild’s Applique Academy later this year.

see The Applique Guild of Australia‘s website for more details.

There’s been some other ‘finishes’ since we last spoke, but perhaps I’ll leave those til next time

as the neck is a tad sore from tapping at the computer, but it feels really nice to connect with you all again.

Thank you for taking an interest in what I get up to, I do enjoy sharing it.

til next

Margaret

21 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, 1800s Sunburst, Applique, Design, Machine Quilting, Musings, Pomegranate Quilt, Reproduction Quilts

June Orr 1849

July 21, 2014 by Margaret

I was really surprised to realise when writing the last blog post that I hadn’t written at all about the June Orr quilt which was hanging over the top of the ladder in this pic from last time

My ladder of Antique Quilts

So as promised, though not as timely as promised,

( I have been back nearly two months…eeek where did that go?)

here are some pics and the ‘short’ story of the June Orr 1849 quilt.

Aren’t we just eternally grateful to our quilting sisters of yesteryear who had the presence of mind to sign and date their quilts!

Initials and date, thank you June.

When I purchased the quilt back in 2012 from Cindy Rennels Quilts at the Paducah KY. quilt show it came with some provenance which tells us J.O. is June Orr. She lived in Cannonsburg County, Pennsylvania which is just south- west of Pittsburg.

L-R. Cindy Rennels, Me, Gerald Roy (Pilrim & Roy) Sherry Cook.

The above pic is taken the day I decided June’s quilt was coming home with me, my dear friend Sherry really helped me make up my mind (yes I needed a second opinion…can you imagine it! But as you’ll know if you’ve been to the major quilt shows in the U.S.A. the amount of antique quilts on offer is mindboggling)

Gerald Roy dropping in to the booth at the same time, and saying “great buy…I had my eye on that, well done” just capped off a great day. Cindy and Ronnie Rennels are the most gorgeous people and I enjoy seeing them when I’m at a show.

June Orr used a classic combination of Red and Green for her nine block applique quilt.

The green fabric has stood up well over the 160 odd years since she made her quilt but the red has not fared as well.

This block is pretty good

This one not so well

The red fabric has lost its print which has ‘dropped out’ causing the small holes, in places almost the entire piece has disintergrated. But it doesn’t detract at all I feel. It is only on a few of the blocks and it is typical of the effect of the dying processes used at the time.

I have drafted the block and started to make up my own version, I confess this is a slow process as so many other qults tempt…but slow and steady wins the race.

June Orr 1849 repro,

I have made more than one block I hasten to add LOL, and I have cut out most of the pieces.. Can I be so bold as to declare a ‘finishing frenzy’ or would I just end up eating my words?

With the imminent finish of the Pomegranate quilt (all blocks appliqued and just have to do the border) I actually feel excited about getting a UFO out of the cupboard, this could be the one but yes there are plenty of others to choose from.

thanks for dropping by and happy stitching,

til soon

Margaret

3 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Antique Quilts, Applique, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics, Travel

Travel prep

May 22, 2014 by Margaret

Isn’t it great that we can take our stitching with us when we go gadding about. I just wish I could sew in the car though, I know many can but not me…makes me feel a tad squeamish.

Before first light tomoro I am off to New Zealand for what we now jokingly call the annual pilgrimage. As always it will be a busy time racing hither and thither and as always I am prepping my sewing for the trip.

And as always (ever the optimist) I have prepped *Heaps*.

I have decided the Benjamin Biggs block will be a nuisance to sew on the plane as it’s a bit ‘crisp’ with the Freezer Paper method I used this time.

So Benjamin Biggs is out of the cabin bag, but will be in the suitcase.

Onboard sewing is now back-basting of the last three corner blocks for the Pomegranate Quilt…too easy, no scissors and should be pretty quick.

Roll these up and stick 'em in my handbag ;-)

I had already marked the back and *lightly* glued the blue fabric to the background so this is all good to go.

One corner block is already back-basted and ready for appliqueing.

This morning I made all the remaining outer pomegranates (Red) and since taking the photo have made the remaining middle section (~~orange~~ Cheddar), I’m now making the uppermost elipse (Red).

To see how the Pomegranate blocks are looking so far click here

Now for a little bit of eye candy.

My ladder of Antique Quilts (and assorted pieces)

I bought a ladder to display my antique quilts but they don’t all fit. I have had fun arranging and rearranging as you can imagine.

The top quilt you have seen before, it’s a dated 1849 quilt from Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, made by June Orr.

And you know what? I’ve just discovered I haven’t blogged about as I thought, I just went back to find the post and there isn’t one. So as soon as I get back I will do a post but there is a pic to whet your appetitie here.

The next two down (the Prince’s Feather and the Red & Green Applique) were purchases from Houston in 2013 so I will do those too.

And as a postscript to the last post…all that lovely Autumn foliage. This morning I opened the kitchen blinds to see a lone rose. I happen to live in an area that has a very long rose season… and I sure planted plenty.

So with only nine days until the start of Winter please enjoy this, especially if your rose season is shorter than mine.

Last rose of the season, Alchemist by David Austin.

But I’ve tricked you (or I’ve been tricked) because there is one more *last* rose just spotted as I was coming back to the studio after lunch

I’ve been wracking my brains for the name of this one. It is a David Austin and I do know it but it’s just down filtering down today.

I have to go finish my last little pile of elipses.

til soon

Happy Stitching

Margaret

1 Comment

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Antique Quilts, Applique, Benjamin Biggs Quilt, Musings, Pomegranate Quilt, Travel, Turkey Reds

Autumn Sewing

May 11, 2014 by Margaret

Beautiful autumn foliage.

Autumn is nearly over… it is my most favourite time of year. Central Victoria is just gorgeous during autumn and this morning when DH and I drove in to Castlemaine to grab a few supplies I enjoyed seeing the poplar trees in a blaze of yellow. The photo above was taken here at Quilt Station this morning, it’s one of the fruit trees we grow along the platform.

I’m heading over to New Zealand in just under two weeks time for a two week stay so when I get back it will be ‘officially’ Winter.

I’ve been ticking things off the ‘to do’ list and most aren’t even blog worthy, certainly not photo worthy.

eg. Making bags for the quilts I’ll be entering in the Victorian Quilters Showcase next month.

Sewing bindings, hanging sleeves and labels.

Re-doing the piping and binding on the Maltaville Quilt (never was happy with it…that’s what happens when I rush)

I’ve also made a start on pattern writing for my two newest quilts, ok at a pinch this could be photo worthy

Newest pattern 'Margot'

It’s for this quilt which you’ve seen in progress…this is a bad photo, I haven’t had a chance to hang it up and do it properly for the cover yet.

Margot ~ named after two very special Margo(t)s.

I ummed and ahhed over the name for this quilt, I came up with many names and then discarded them. But then Margot popped in to my head. The fabric in the border is by Margo Krager… I could wax lyrical about her fabrics but I will just say “I adore them”. And Margot (with a t) is my Mother-in-law’s name. It just seemed right to go with the name but MK drew the short straw with the spelling and Margot the MiL won.

Speaking of Margo Krager though, oh my look at what I have found on recent on-line and in-store shopping…

Margo Krager Dargates ...plus others.

I was thrilled to find The Wild Rose Quilt Shop which still stocks repro fabrics from long ago, many thanks to Dorothy for telling me about them as I found all of the above except the pink ombre which I found locally.

Margo’s Dargate Indigoes, plus that pink which is a Dargate Divinity c 1830, will give me something to play with in this longterm project.

Scherenschnitte blocks using Margo Krager's Dargate Indigos patt #20266 for Windham.

A girl needs plenty of fabric to keep her options open LOL but seriously I think that Pink Ombre is going to get me moving on this quilt as I had been a little ‘stuck’ with it. I’m assuming the pink is a very early design of Margo’s as it’s not by Windham but by Clothworks. The shop I bought it from does stock ‘older’ fabrics. I should write to Margo and ask her.

But I do need to keep chipping away at this before getting engrossed in the above.

Pomegranate quilt

However, I have already got a little sidetracked and am doing the Benjamin Biggs quilt which is generously being offered by Gay Bomers and Brenda Papadakis through Just Takes 2

I had a false start as I thought I would make it in ALL Smithsonian fabric, just an assortment of all colours really.

Here’s my first block

Then I changed my mind, and decided to stick with the more traditional (and original colours) of Red and Green. I am adding a hint of Cheddar in the corners and elsewhere if the block agrees LOL.

Of course I am behind already but here’s blocks one through three, I also changed the Apple Pie Ridge block (the Scherenschnitte one) to a different version.

Benjamin Biggs Blocks one, two and three.

I’ve also prepped block five to take to NZ with me, I used Freezer Paper underneath as I can sew on the plane that way…no scissors necessary.

Benjamin Biggs block five.

I would normally do this type of Scherenscnitte or paper cut block using the back basting method, I hope the feel of the freezeer paper underneath won’t be a nuisance this time.

Block number four is printed off but that’s all, let’s not get in to that

Well it’s nearly dark outside and I’ll venture back to the house, so glad I made a big pot of chicken and veggie soup for lunch as that will do for dinner too. I have sewing to do while watching telly tonight, ‘that dishy Martin Shaw’ as he’s known in our house is on in Inspector George Gently.

happy stitching

til soon

Margaret

4 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Applique, Benjamin Biggs Quilt, Design, Margo Krager fabrics, Reproduction Quilts

Step One…make a mess. Step Two…make it bigger!

April 2, 2014 by Margaret

“I’ll just reorganise my stash a little better“

I don’t even know what prompted the thought that popped in to my head, other than I had about an hour or so to spare while waiting for DH ~ we were heading off for a couple of days R & R. Also I had just bought a new light-box and didn’t have anywhere to put it so maybe these two events merged into the need to make better use of space, I dunno.

Anyway within a very short time this was what I was looking at.

The table was covered in fabric, and tubs!! Why did I get tubs out when I hadn't finished the shelves?

And the floor!! It looks like I've been burgled.

Now I know I’m impulsive, 50+ years on this earth have taught me that much about myself but…Really! I needed someone to shout STOP/WAIT/PLAN. Those are skills I need to work on.

And that’s the mess that was there when DH and I left and when we came back.

I decided to change the fabrics into groupings of how I would USE them and that they ought to be more in styles & eras rather than colours (although in my shelves there are still some piles of colours, that’s just the way some are selected)

Here’s the work in progress, across the top row are categories Turkey Reds, Overdyed Greens, Indigoes, Cheddars, Prussian Blues and Madders ~ I guess Double or Cinnamon Pinks could also go in here but I don’t have enough to pinks to warrant a separate pile, nor space. For me it’s easy to find any pink in the pink pile.

I make no apologies for the labels, I just love labelling things LOL

The second row gets more interesting. Florals late 18th to mid 19th c made sense to me, so in here I have florals of all scales but they must be of that era. I have another pile of florals that have a picotage ground as it helped to keep the piles more manageable. Ombres, Serpentine, Vermiculate & Eccentrics, Fine Stripes and Ribbon Prints make up this row.

I also had eight tubs which took all those bits of fabric which are too small to go on the shelves and they were in colours, so when I was looking for a piece of red I would up-end the tub and rummage through the pieces from iddy biddy bits to fat 1/16 size just to make a berry.

Eureka! A berry tub, add leaves and make it for all those bits that are too small to do anything else with…or would just make great berries

Berries and Leaves fabrics.. all colours cos berries don't have to be red and leaves don't have to be green.

I did the same for other fabric pieces and thought about how I would use it rather than its colour.

I freed up some space for quilt projects which had been creeping across the floor.

I re-rolled as many tubes of fabric on to half bolts as I could, the tubes did look great leaning against the wall but I found that they were a pain to cut and put back…for me if it’s not easy to put away, it probably doesn’t get put away. Embarrassment much.

Jo Morton for Andover # 4902 isn't it gorgeous

And now the whole room is all tidy and organised and it feels great.

I finished another quilt top, gotta love that.

No title... yet.

A design idea that came...and went.

As an aside…Lisa you may remember that fabric in the centre…you sent that to me a while back So this quilt reminds me of our friendship x

Ready for the quilting.

And in one last bit of news… it’s been a little bit ssshhh until now… but I can finally show you what I, Irene Blanck and Jennifer Murray have been working on for many months.

Amelie, the Victorian Quilters Inc. 2014 raffle Quilt.

It was a great honour to be asked to design and make a quilt for our State Quilting Guild and we are just so pleased with the result…we hope it sells lots of tickets. Apart from the four seams to join the blocks, and adding the border the entire top is by hand! Lots of applique and English Paper Piecing…techniques the three of us love.

Oh what the heck.. a couple more close ups!!You’re doing well to still be reading, what’s another minute

Amelie close-up, very pleased with the quilting.

Sorry it’s such a long blog post, I just had so much I wanted to tell you.

happy stitching

until next

Margaret

3 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Amelie, Applique, Design, Musings, Reproduction Quilts

Throwin’ a Friday arvo sickie…

Loving the Winter

Two finishes

Progress x three

OMG Ombre and some new patterns

No way, it can’t possibly be…can it?

June Orr 1849

Travel prep

Autumn Sewing

Step One…make a mess. Step Two…make it bigger!

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