Travel prep

image of Benjamin Biggs block 4

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.

image of Benjamin Biggs block 4

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.

image of Applique Back Basting prep

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.

image of Applique Back Basting prep

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).

image of Applique prep

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

Now for a little bit of eye candy.

image of Antique Quilts

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.

image of Alchemist rose

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

image of roseI’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

Autumn Sewing

image of Autumn Leaves
image of Autumn Leaves

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 ;)

image of Pattern writing

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.

image of Margot

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…

image of repro fabrics

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.

image of Scherenschnitte blocks

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.

image of Pomegranate quilt

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

image of Benjamin Biggs block oneThen 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.

image of Benjamin Biggs blocks

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.

iamge of Benjamin Biggs block 5

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