One thing leads to another

Have I been sewing lately? NO! because I've been doing this. Emptying my sewing room in preparation for the new carpet - wasn't that a job and a half. How can someone have so much fabric and stuff? Then we ripped up the old carpet and found a corner of the floor was rotten where water had come in. Behind the gyprok in that corner the studs had rotted as well! And while the room was empty why not paint it. I must admit it will be so much nicer when it's finished and imagine if we hadn't opened up the floor!

On a much happier note here is my Spring Swap for Erica in the US organised by Corry and her sister at Dutch Blue. It is a big cushion cover made using the Dresden ruler I've been talking about lately. I included a couple of fat quarters and a pattern of mine and I'm so glad Erica liked it. The swap was great fun and it was lovely talking to someone from so far away about all things quilty and more. My swap from Erica will be here soon - can't wait.

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.

Busy girls

Just had my Sunday class at Berrima

Patchwork and the girls have been very busy while I was away as you can see from the pics. How many different versions have I seen of the Mariners quilt and yet every one is beautiful.

The same class is continuing next month with my Quilt-as-you-go Noodle Box quilt (ring the store if you're interested) then a whole new year starts in February with classes every third weekend of the month ie. Saturday and Sunday. I will be sleeping over!

Click on the pic and check out the applique on the red and white Mariners - it is superb! I'm pretty sure it will be entered in next year's Sydney Quilt Show - if not I'll be asking questions!

I've picked up some classes at Ribbons and Rainbows in Blackheath, one of the longest running patchwork shops in NSW. Every Tuesday morning for the moment - maybe more later.

Call in if you are in the Mountains - it's a beautiful shop , jam-packed with all sorts of goodies. My friend Nerida is the manager and has been like a new broom to the place.

Catching up

Lots of pics today from classes before the big holiday. This is Ann's Mariners combination - Mariners Garden with a Mariners Madness border! This is the 1st one I've seen using both patterns. Well done Ann - why didn't I think of that?
I start back to classes tomorrow - it's been a long break and my head's not really with it yet.
I'm sure I will just pick up where I left off.

This is Carol's NYB quilt for her grand-daughter. I think she was a bit out of her comfort zone with this but she's persevered and I think it looks just right for a young lady.

I especially love the Kaffe border fabric. I wonder did Carol actually buy this one. It is perfect.

Caroline in my Friday class has been working on these blocks for quite a while and collecting fabric for the quilt for an even longer time.

Aren't they stunning. It's not til you can have a vertical look at some projects that you get the full impact. And of course when you stick with something for so long often you get sick of looking at it!

I think they are fantastic.

These guys are from my Berrima class - don't they look great.

Same pattern, so many different looks. The girls have done a wonderful amount of homework and I'm off to Berrima this Sunday to see them all again - they'll probably be finished the whole quilt by now having missed the September class.

PLEASE click on the SEWnSELL button on the left to take you to my on-line shop!!

I'm selling quilts that have been teaching samples and are now excess to my requirements and will have lots of patterns on there shortly.

Leave me a comment as to how you think it looks.

Home again

Finally home after a wonderful trip. More details over the next few posts but I had to get this one up. In the latest issue of Down Under Quilts you'll find Jan Urquhart's EQ column with a query from Chris J. about how to draw this block from an old quilt - that's me!
She very kindly answered my query by writing a whole column on it - how kind she is - thanks Jan. The pic is of wrapping paper I bought and I'd love to make the same pattern but where to begin. EQ was the answer, now all I have to do is start sewing.

These are some of the Princess feathers the girls have done for our group challenge. Aren't they fantastic! We had a Xmas in July night this week for the unveiling. Some stuck rigidly to the rules while others did their own thing.

Some are already quilted while others are still WIPs. It will be great to see them all together at our next Springwood HS quilt show. I'll put some more in the next post.

A group of us got together today to make a start on the raffle quilt for the 2010 show which is the Bluebell quilt designed by Karen Cunningham, one of our local quilters. We had a fun day fussy cutting and covering paper diamonds and hexagons with lots of yummy food to keep us going.

Several of us were given a bag of papers and fabrics to take home and come back in 3 weeks time with a completed section and we hope to have the top finished and ready for quilting by October. Lets hope so.

Trunk show and more

What great weather to be inside sewing (or planning a new quilt).Thursday night I'm the guest tutor at Hobbysew at Kings Park for their first Club Night. I'll have a trunk show of my quilts and a short talk on my favourite techniques etc. Come along if you're able - 7-9pm at the shop. There'll be supper and everything!

Helen in my Friday class has been so busy with a quilt for her niece(?) from a collection of oriental fabrics she has. Isn't it beautiful and her sewing is so exact - well done that girl. Does that sound like her friend Susan?

Off to my Bathurst class this Sunday - now that will be cold. Lucky Anni has the heater on for us. I'm allowed to take the new car for the day - the first time I drove it I came home with a cracked windscreen. You can imagine the reception! Never mind - it's only a car.

Things are really hotting up for my daughter's wedding in 6 weeks. I've been mother-of-the-bride shopping which is not an easy task for me. I can do casual but dressy is quite difficult.

It will be a fantastic day for all the family - lots of relos and friends. We're just hoping for good weather as the ceremony is outside.

Do you like the star quilt? I've been playing with EQ5 a have come up with some amazing designs by dropping blocks into an eight-pointed star. Stay tuned for more.

I've had a steady number of lookers from Australia and the world - please leave me a comment so I can return the favour.

Latest pattern

Check out the latest issue of Quilters Companion for instructions to make my Funky Tumblers quilt. Lots of other great projects - it really is an inspiring magazine.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be in the draw for one of my Mariners patterns to celebrate the launch of the SEWN website on 8th June.

I'll have some of my patterns and quilts on the Fortunes and Fairies stand at the Sydney Quilt Show. Call by and have a look.

Weekend class

In the pic below is Natalie who has been working on this Mariners quilt for her dad for a few lessons - in fact she has several different projects on the go, has a young family and works part-time as well - super woman!

Irene has designed her own border for Mariners Madness. What a great thing to make a quilt all your own and doesn't it look fantastic. Well done.

Hasn't the rain been wonderful - the chimney only leaks when it's really pouring! Most of the autumn leaves have fallen off our big tree and we can get to and open up the deck area to all the beautiful winter sun when it decides to reappear.

I've had hubby home for 10 days after a hand operation - we called it "practicing for retirement" and surprise we are still speaking to each other! Lots of shopping and a movie as well - we'd be broke if it went on for too long tho.

So it was nice to get out on the weekend to Sat and Sun classes at Springwood and Kings Park.

All the girls are so happy to be able to sit and sew uninterrupted for 5 hrs or so - away from all family distractions - you know what it's like.

Laurel has done a fine job on her Almost Austen quilt. She bought the fabric in the UK at Hampton Court and after seeing Jane Austen's quilt in the flesh had the seeds of her next project.

Would you believe I spent the afternoon sitting on the verandah waiting for a red-bellied black snake to come out from underneath. WIRES had no interest in catching it so I called a neighbour who arrived with a broom(!). It has been eating tadpoles from a nearby water feature we think and after lots of beating the bushes we think it has been scared away. Thank goodness - I hate the rotten things.

Anyway - fun classes on the weekend at Folklore and Hobbysew. Most girls are doing my Mariners quilts and don't they look fantastic.

I have the privilege of quilting Vicki's beautiful reproduction version of Mariners Garden - "can I have some feathers please" she says! I have quilted around six of them so far - you'd think I'd be sick of them by now.

Guess what - I won a prize at the Katoomba Quilt Show on the weekend with my Reproduction Beauties quilt. Runner-up in the traditional category so I missed out on the Bernina machine as 1st prize but that's OK. Great exhibition I hear - maybe a bigger venue next time?