Quiltmania #126

image of Quitmania #126

Isn’t this just the most divine summery scene, perfect for the newest, mid summer edition of Quiltmania magazine.

image of Quitmania #126

Quiltmania #126

Here in the Southern Hemisphere it’s mid winter… but that’s ok too.

Inside these pages is the pattern for my Cleland Coverlet and I’m so thrilled to be able to share it with you.

image of The Cleland Coverlet

The Cleland Coverlet

As always, Quiltmania’s styling is just so beautiful.

This coverlet was such a pleasure for me to make;

Inspired by an antique coverlet which was made by Francis Cleland in Ireland in the 1700s but now resides in New Zealand.

I loved Francis’ centre design of hearts, stars and circles.  Then I added my own ‘take’ on it and the Cleland Coverlet is the result.

Grab your copy from your LQS, newsagent or direct from Quiltmania

Click HERE to see the what other *gorgeousness* is in #126…

including my friend Deirdre’s (Hat Creek Quilts) newest quilt Annabella Smythe

inage of Annabella Smythe by Deirdre Bond-Abel

Annabella Smythe by Deirdre Bond-Abel

Thanks for dropping by :)

I’m formulating another newsy, fabric inspiration post and hope to have that up here for you to enjoy in the next few weeks

’til then

happy stitching

Margaret xx

Using Backgrounds

image of Concord Massachsetts

Autumnal greetings and welcome new followers, I really appreciate you being here xx

image of Concord Massachsetts

Just a beautiful pic of Fall in Concord, Massachusetts for you to enjoy

Y’know… I’ve been thinking about how you, my dear friends, can get more out of these blog posts.

How can I make them more informative and inspiring for you?

And if you’re not in near proximity to where I’m teaching (though that IS expanding), how can I share with you the fabric inspiration I talk about in my workshops?

As I’ve been stitching the Suffolk Coverlet (new), that pondering has been taking shape.

image of Hexies

My nightly companion… Hexies for the Suffolk Coverlet

I realised I’ve actually been looking at what I want to share with you for months, it just took me a little time to figure it out.

It’s *Backgrounds* and how I…

Choose what I’ll use,

and use what I choose.

And why?

image of Antique fabrics

See that patina? … the blotches and age stains? Simply put… that just rocks my boat.

In ‘Quilts From the Colonies’ I talk about the nostalgia and familiarity I felt (even as a child) looking at antiquities.

 I don’t really know *why*it*moves*me*… but it does.

There’s just something about old stuff and how it makes me feel.

Old, faded, battered & stained = Well used (loved), handled & cherished by generations and it has a history.

image of Antique blocks

A few more from my collection… I buy these just because they make me feel all warm amd fuzzy inside.

So of course… I want to get that *look*.

I just want it to look like this.

image of antique quilt

In earlier days my MO was to Tea Stain pretty much any background print,

and any print that had white,

and any print that had too high a contrast going on.

I loved the print and I loved the colour, but I didn’t always love the colour value.

Vintage Sampler 2005

Vintage Sampler 2005

Vintage Sampler 2005

Vintage Sampler 2005

 I would also use the wrong side of fabrics to tone things down a bit.  I wanted to flatten out that high contrast.

This pic shows what I was wanting to achieve, and my love affair with brown.

Antique fabricThere’s contrast here (above), but the background has discoloured and now sits (imho)  more calmly against the print.

Below is a recent finish where the print evokes the same feelings of calmness and nostalgia.

Indiana Medallion 2018

Indiana Medallion 2018

Quantities permitting, if I’m using a plain fabric my absolute preference would be to use a tea stained fabric.

Left. Patty Harants print (Gold Star for that one) and Right. Marcus Bros Aged Muslin

Left. Patty Harants print (Gold Star Miss P for that one) and Right. Marcus Bros Aged Muslin

 There’s a few that are commercially available.  Alas the Patty Harants fabric above left is from years ago.  But the Marcus Bros Aged Muslin is one I have used in many quilts, it’s a standard line for them and comes in many different tones from off white through to brown. And just FYI, it comes in colours too.

But what I’ve been doing with the Suffolk Coverlet is …

Anne Romsey's Coverlet c 1790 Dedham Essex/Suffolk

Anne Romsey’s Coverlet c 1790 Dedham Essex/Suffolk

…using tone on tone prints to create the look of random discolouration, or patina.

Suffolk Coverlet backgroundsWhy did I decide to use these four fabrics?

Far right is the background for the centre Broderie Perse appliqué … not a lot left so can’t use that.

Far left is the background to the Pentagon border … didn’t have a huge amount left but have since sourced more from Margo Krager.

But I didn’t want to just switch from one background fabric in the centre, to using a whole other background for the rest of the quilt because I think that is too big a jump, I want to blur the meeting point.

So as well as repeating the two already used, I added the tiny spot… tonally and scale wise the three are similar.

But what’s with the fourth? Why is that fabric there?

FabricBecause I like it,

Actually, I love it.

Because I have only a few off-cuts left and it’s been in a couple of my favourite quilts already (and I have a feeling this one is going to be another favourite quilt)

Because  I think every quilt should have something that doesn’t quite fit… but you love it and that’s all that matters.

And because I don’t want to make the *obvious* fabric choices in my quilts…

and may I be so bold as to say,

I don’t think you should make the obvious choices either.

Please use the fabrics that give you joy, and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Making shapes and sttiching them together

Making shapes and stitching them together.

More hexies

The four ‘background’ prints are totally random. No rhyme or reason to it at all.

Hexie Rosettes of all colours and prints

Hexie Rosettes of all colours and prints.

I’m so sorry this has been quite a mammoth post, I hope you’re still here til the end.

As I don’t have time to blog as much as I’d like, I’m wanting to offer you quality over frequency… I want to share fabric choices with you on a deeper level than just showing pretty quilt pictures.

I really hope I haven’t bored you.

Thanks for sticking with me

Til next

Happy stitching

Margaret xx

A gentle start to 2018

image of Nectarines

It’s been a hot, hot summer here at Quilt Station.

Christmas and January were spent in perfect harmony. Family, Friends, Food and Festivities. Some Granddaughter time…  And a touch of garden/home reno …bliss on a stick I say.

image of Nectarines

Delicious White Nectarines from my tree…  laden this year!

There was fruit picking galore… The Boysenberries, Nectarines and Apricots were particuarly abundant, and Delicious, this summer. 

After the very busy close to 2017, including a four week trip to the USA, it was just what I needed.

And of course there was also a healthy amount of stitching done too.

I finished all those Rolling Star blocks I’ve been hand piecing for a while,  well  ages.

image of Rolling Star Blocks

Rolling Star Blocks

They have been my constant companion, travelling hither and yon with me.

image of Hither & Yon

Hither & Yon

image of Indiana Medallion

Indiana Medallion

The inspiration for all those lovely blocks came from an antique quilt top in my collection, but rather than just reproduce I felt a medallion quilt would be just the ticket.

The lovely top with copious amounts of California Gold and Double Pink is circa 1890s and comes from Wayne County, Indiana.

image of Indiana Medallion

Indiana Medallion and my antique quilt top

So then what’s a girl to do?

Start a new quilt LOL.

Here’s a snippet of what I’ve been doing.

Applique for starters

Applique for starters

And a border

And a border

This one’s going to be a special project later in the year, so stay tuned.

Okee dokee… I’m off to do a little more pattern writing for Indiana Medallion.

You may notice a change or two to the Website as well.

My Teaching Schedule has been updated and includes my new Chez Moiclasses from home. 

I’m very excited to be able to offer that.

Thanks so much dear friends for sticking with my intermittent Blogging,

Til next

happy stitching

Margaret xx

Pour l’amour du fil 2017

image of Misao Wado's Nantes

Nantes was where it was all happening… As I load these photo’s I am reliving a most amazing time

(Apologies in advance for a long blog post)

image of Misao Wado's Nantes
Misao Wado’s ‘Nantes’

But of course to get to Nantes, a trip to Paris is pretty much *a must*

As soon as I arrived at The Hotel Henriette on the Left Bank, I was swooning.

We were a party of ten (can you imagine the giggling) at this hotel  … now my new favourite.

image of Hotel Henriette, Rive Gauche

Hotel Henriette, Rive Gauche

image of Hotel Henriette, Rive Gauche

Hotel Henriette, Rive Gauche

A fabulous time was had by *all us girls*;  we sent the guys off to do boy things because they would not have been interested at all in the Stitching Up Paris Tour we did

If you get the chance to spend an afternoon or morning doing a walking and metro tour with Barbara, you simply must! Tailor made to you and your friends’ textile passions, click here to see

http://www.stitchingupparis.com/

Here’s just a small taste of what we saw

image of Ines, La Boutique du Patchwork

Ines, La Boutique du Patchwork

http://www.inespatchwork.com/

We also went to Sajou and La Droguerie, I have no idea why I have no pictures :-O

Ultra Mod....Divine

Ultra Mod….Divine

http://ultramod-paris.com/

Just because...so gorgeous

Just because…so gorgeous

Ditto the gorgeous Haberdashery

Ditto the gorgeous Haberdashery

And then it was time to go to Nantes for Pour l’amour du fil

and the official launch of

Quilts from the Colonies

Quilts from the Colonies

Quilts from the Colonies published by Quiltmania

What a thrill the whole five days in Nantes was… I was overwhelmed by the amount of visitors to the show and their kindness to me! I loved meeting up again with old friends, getting to know friends I’d met on social media and making lots of new friends.

And of course being reaquainted with my book quilts which have been away from home since August, beautifully displayed in my Salon by the hard working Quiltmania and Pour l’amour du fil teams.

image of My Salon at Pour l'amour du fil

My Salon at Pour l’amour du fil showing some of the quilts from my book

And a few more

Holt's Landing and Miss Hitchens' Whimsy

Holt’s Landing and Miss Hitchens’ Whimsy

Salon

Rainbow Row, Sarah-Jane’s Scrapbag and Liberty Oak

A rare moment of calm

A rare moment of calm

And the oooh-ing and aaah-ing over all the gorgeous salons and the work contained therein was deafening LOL

Clockwise from top left: Misao Wado, Petra Prins, Deirdre Bond-Abel and Segolaine Schweitzer

Clockwise from top left: Misao Wado, Petra Prins, Deirdre Bond-Abel and Segolaine Schweitzer

Clockwise from top left: Di Ford-Hall, Dawn Heese, Norma Whaley and Bonnie Sullivan

Clockwise from top left: Di Ford-Hall, Dawn Heese, Norma Whaley and Bonnie Sullivan

And let’s not forget the Welsh Quilts !

Welsh Quilts from the collection of Jen Jones

Welsh Quilts from the collection of Jen Jones

 I loved popping in to the salon of the gorgeous and talented Judy Newman of A Very Fine House, what a joy it has been to share this amazing journey together

Judy Newman.  Her book Quilts for Life Made with Love is another recent publication by Quiltmania

Judy Newman. Her book Quilts for Life Made with Love is another recent publication by Quiltmania

Catching up

Catching up with Judy, Deirdre, Amy, Di and Kaffe

And more ctaching up

And more catching up with Norma, Anne-Helene (who did all the technical work on my book…thank you <3 ) Jo, Linda and Martine and Dawn

I also taught two classes while I was there

Sarah-Jane's Scrapbag class

Sarah-Jane’s Scrapbag class

A-Tisket A-Tasket class

A-Tisket A-Tasket class…  And a very special photo here of Christine Maxwell Bonney, I’m so pleased to have been able to spend time with her in Nantes.

Sadly Christine passed away last week after a long cancer illness.  She travelled and sewed and enjoyed her life, making friends wherever she went. Truly an inspiration to live the life you want.

Here we are in Paducah in 2012

Sitting on the porch

Sitting on the porch

 I loved the trip and the show so much I am planning to return to Europe later next year to do some more teaching.

Because all too soon it was over.

And it was time for a little R and R.

Off to Lisbon and beyond

Off to Lisbon and beyond

A well earned Gin and Tonic (they're huge in Lisbon, just sayin')

A well earned Gin and Tonic with a view (they’re huge in Lisbon, just sayin’)

After the build up to the release of the book, and the preparations for Pour l’amour du fil and all the excitement surrounding it, I extended the trip with another 3 weeks gallavanting around Portugal, Spain and Morocco gathering lots of inspiration and ideas for future quilts.

There’s some works underway already :-o

Thanks so much for visiting, and sorry it’s such a long post.

But there’s lots of exciting things ahead and I want to show them in chronological order

Stay tuned

happy stitching

Margaret

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Pour L’amour du Fil…

Pour L'amour du Fil

Pour L'amour du Fil

And Quilts from the Colonies book launch

image of Quilts From The Colonies

Quilts from the Colonies

…here I come.

The bags are packed; the kits for my classes are contained therein.  A bit of Show and Tell is also on board.

I have my sewing organised for the plane and transit (all 25+ hours of it)

I’ll be stitching some small blocks for more of this quilt

Irish MedallionYou may remamber this quilt from my last blog post…Working title is Irish Medallion

Irish Medallion

I loved doing some EPP coffins for this quilt and am keen to do more EPP, very addictive

Irish MedallionAnd for reasons I can’t quite fathom, other than inspiration strikes at the busiest of times, I started a new quilt.

Or you might say, I started a new Block. What it will be, who knows?

But I’m loving these fabrics together

Applique

This was such an impulsive start it doesn’t even have a working title

And it gives me a little more applique to work on while I’m away

If you’re going to be at Pour L’amour du Fil, I would love you to stop by my Salon to say hi, we can chat about quilts and gorgeous fabrics…  or join me in a workshop or two.

I won’t get to  blog while I’m away  but I will be Instagramming and Facebooking

Til soon

Happy Stitching

Margaret :-)

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A new quilt for the New Year and a busy year ahead!

Then pick a winner.  And stick with it.

Since I posted last, my book Quilts from the Colonies has arrived in my hot little hands…

I am so so thrilled with the result.  It is perfect in every way.  Quiltmania‘s talent in bringing all the quilts, photographs and patterns together in to one beautiful package just bowls me over.

image of Quilts from the Colonies

Seventeen projects

image of A Tisket A Tasket

a- Tisket a-Tasket

image of Sarah-Jane's Scrapbag

Sarah-Jane’s Scrapbag

The two quilts shown above are the two I will be teaching in Nantes at Pour l’amour du fil.

I’d love to have you join me in the classes so keep an eye on their website which is constantly being updated

http://pourlamourdufil.com/cours-et-ateliers/

I have managed to put the book down periodically …

and I’ve been having the loveliest time in my wee studio. Here’s what a lovely time looks like

image of studio

Enter at your own risk!

image of studio

No beautiful or glossy styling here.

But I’ve been working on a few projects simultaneously, so may my mess please be excused?

The one I’m currently working on fanatically  steadily is this one

Working title Irish Medallion

Working title Irish Medallion

 If you’ve been following along on my Instagram page you will have seen some of the progress.

Deciding on a background for the applique centre is not fast but it’s fun

Pull some possible contenders from the stash

Pull some possible contenders from the stash…

Narrow it down and stand back

Narrow it down some and stand back…

Then pick a winner.  And stick with it.

Then pick a winner. And stick with it.

I’ve completed the applique and am now spending summer evenings stitching a border of Coffin shapes, stitched using the English Paper Piecing method

ENglish Paper Piecing... very relaxing

English Paper Piecing… very relaxing

 One border done and three to go.

Happy stitching and til next

Margaret

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Loving the Winter

image of OMG Ombre

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.

image of handpiecing

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

This is a finished block from last week

image of 1800s Sunburst Block

Admiring my handywork over breakfast LOL

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

image of 1800s Sunburst Blocks

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

OMG Ombre is on the quilting machine and nearly done.

image of OMG Ombre

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…

image of WIP quilt

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 :-)

No way, it can’t possibly be…can it?

Keep Calm and Carry On.

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.

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.

image of Applique prep

May 2014 Travel Prep

Look at it now!

image of Pomegranate quilt

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

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 Quit

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

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

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

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

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

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

image of table mess

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.

image of table mess

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

image of floor mess

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.

image of Man on a boat

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.

image of fabric sorting

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 :-)

image of Berries and leaves fabric

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.

image of fabric tubs

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.

image of Jo Morton Fabric

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.

image of Variable Star Quilt

No title... yet.

image of centre block

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

image of repro quilt

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.

image of Amelie quilt

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 ;)

image of Amelie Quilt

Amelie close-up, very pleased with the quilting.

image of Amelie Quilt

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

happy stitching

until next

Margaret