Who's a lucky girl then

How about that! There's my quilt on the cover of BCC - what great photos they produce. It's a scrap thousand pyramids quilts just right for hand-piecing over the summer hols. Hand quilted with number 8 thread - how quick and easy is that.

This is the first of my order of three quilt history books to arrive from Amazon. What a delight it is. Every time the courier walks down the path with a mystery bag/box it feels like Xmas - maybe it is! Full of quilts and the stories behind them it will be consumed over several weeks and lots of cups of tea.

Another real surprise is the mention of my Mariners Garden quilt pattern on the blog of Penny The Dedicated Appliquist.
Go and have a look at her fantastic site all about applique with a bit of her life thrown in. It's a treat to read. Thanks Penny for mentioning me, I am thrilled. The pattern is available from my SEWnSELL shop and the button's on the side bar.

Penny also put me on to the three new quilt history books available from Amazon at a really good price. If you're interested just scroll back thru a couple of her posts and you'll find it.

How's this for a new look with my Mariners centre. Kate has added machine applique to four corners and it looks superb. There are so many variations where I wish I had done that and this is one of them.

Janelle from Bathurst is on the home straight with her Ludlow Beauties quilt. Pretty colours and great fabric choices.

Another version of my Fancy Dancing from Jenny. This is a good scrap buster using all those pretty floral fabrics we tend to hang on to. Just add another floral border and you have a double bed quilt. Well done - makes me want to start another one now!

With all this disgusting hot weather I've been in the air-con doing some of my own sewing. A red, white and blue 30's number with a scalloped border and a hexagon medallion to use up all the leftovers from previous quilts. Some pics later when they're nearer completion.

I have also found some embroidered centres for those wedding ring pieces I bought in Houston - more of them later.

I've ordered three new quilt history books from Amazon after reading this. How exciting - two don't come out til next year but that's ok - something to look forward to after Xmas.

The teaching year is coming to a close with Xmas parties being organised all over the place. Some new venues for me next year involving a bit of travelling - I'll keep you posted (so to speak!)

Emperors Wheel

Have you seen the latest issue of Aust Patchwork and Quilting? Among other things there's a profile on me and my Emperors Wheel quilt. The photo of me is about 6 years old (how funny) and the interview was conducted via email when we were in Canada earlier this year. Didn't turn out too badly tho I'd had a couple of wines as I was writing! The magazine's photography is first class as always.

Workshop

Another Mariners centre but this time much smaller. These smiling faces are my weekend class at Quiltsmith in the city with their Mariners medallion centres. Lots of hard work and decision making later they were well on the way to making their own version - some will be way different from the original but that's a good thing. Each quilter's design choices were coming to the fore.

This arrived on Friday in the mail from the US - even better in real life. Aren't they beautiful and it will make a stunning back for something I haven't even thought about yet but like I always say - buy it when you see it and it will come in handy later.

Helen in my Friday class has used the wavy ruler to cut sashing for her quilt-as-you-go project for her grandson. Wish I'd thought of that! Click on the pic to see the lovely log cabin centres.

Another quilt show meeting is coming up and we are ready to take pics of the raffle quilt in preparation for lots of publicity in our local quilt magazines. Keep your eyes out for it.

Happy campers!

Aren't they a happy bunch? Sunday afternoon at our annual quilt camp and this is the result of two days of nearly constant sewing. The group also fitted in a class on what to do with a jelly roll with some amazing examples nearly completed.
Danni lounging on the floor at the front was the high achiever closely followed by Pat next to her. Well done to all participants and we're all looking forward to next year.

This is the start of the workshop piece - just sew eight together to get a stunning centre for a quilt or wallhanging or just a table centrepiece for Xmas.

Very studious workers sewing up a storm!

Now for the exciting news - I have just made my first sale at my on-line shop in SEWnSELL!!

Two patterns to Sally in Pennsylvania - thanks you so much Sally. Who knows what's next?

Have a look at the shop using the button on the sidebar - Erica Spinks also has a shop and is is selling some patterns in pdf form - wish I knew how to do that!!

It's a much nicer day today after 38 degrees yesterday - off to see my Wednesday girls and cackle about the great weekend.

DUQ magazine

This is the next issue of Down Under Quilts with the article about new quilts from old patterns and featuring our raffle quilt. Look for it in the newsagents early November.

Various

What do you think Bernina would think of
this classic image! Lyn hadn't cleaned her
machine since buying it and there was
quite a bit of gunk in the bobbin area.
Typical male solution - get some
machinery on the job - it worked a treat
I can tell you.



Last year in Houston I bought some uncompleted double wedding ring/pickle dish arcs in 40's fabrics. They were so wonky with no two arcs the same size so I redrew the block in EQ and made a new arc template. I recut the arcs to be all the same and am in the process of piecing them with a yellow spot centre. Haven't decided on the colour for larger joining piece yet but it is fun working with all these lovely vintage prints.
Check out Martha's blog here to see some pieces almost the same and a different way of piecing them.


Keep an eye out for the next issue of Down Under Quilts which will be featuring the raffle quilt we made for this year's
Springwood Quilt Show. It's in an article on new ways with old designs and this is the quilt.

Have a look at Deborah (the editor's) blog here for more info.