A Quilt for Sue....completed

Liz has finished the Quilt for Sue. I know from emails that some of you sent in blocks and were as eager as I was to see the finished product. Well, prepare to be delighted. I am amazed at how well organised and how quickly Liz got this together. Lizzie you are an inspiration.

To see more all the pics, please drop by Lizzie' blog here   where you can admire the quilt and read up about this wonderful quilt project.

A pleasure shared is double the pleasure

Recognise this quilt? Anyone? It's Red Delicious!

Today was shaping up to be just another Tuesday...until I received news via a happy mail from Bronwen Sayers- her Red Delicious Quilt, titled: My Pink Lady took out an impressive award.

SA's Festival of Quilts 2010
My Pink Lady by Bronwen Sayers
was awarded 2nd Place in
Predominantly Applique - Professional


This news just made my day! I love hearing about Red Delicious quilts out there in the world making their mark in show after show. This is an impressive award in an accomplished category and I congratulate Bronwen for doing such a great job!

Once again, another quilter has made Red Delicious all her own. This quilt is full of personality - I just love it!

Also, when I was making Red Delicious, I had ideas about how it would look in prints, in monochromes, in batiks and... in pinks with just the right shades of yellow... -Bronwen you read my mind!....and I love these pinks. They work so well. Bronwen you have a great eye for applique. Fabric can make all the difference and your selection is superb.

Thanks to all the talented ladies who share their work in Yahoo Bom Group, I have been lucky enough to 'see' Red Delicious made up in all those 'ideas' of possibility as well as plenty more. Each quilt has so much of the makers 'hand' in its look that I love browsing through the albums.

I am so lucky that so many of you have generously shared your creative work back with me so I can enjoy it too. Thank you to everyone who has shared their process with me personally and via the group.

I love this cherry basket..the purple tones just sing.

Thank you for sharing this pleasure with me...

WOW!

Congratulations to Robyne Melia (blog over here: http://robynefmelia.blogspot.com/) who has sold her Crazy Quilt for $70,000

I think that's note worthy. Congrats Robyne, it gives all us patchworkers hope that someday our quilts will have a real sales value.

It's so nice to hear that someone has sold a real quilt for this price... do drop by her blog and congratulate her yourself, this is quite a (historic?) achievement!

Hooking is addictive

This is what 94 crochet hex motifs look like...

When I realised I was only 8 short for the afghan, I got stuck in. I wasn't prepared to wait another week to finish my nightly tally.

Now I wish I had been joining them as I went along -facing the hours stitching them together is already a little bit boring and I am only 1 row down (9 to go). Oh well, at least I will have this project finished before summer. Another project avoids the WIP shelf!

The problem with crochet is that you can sit down to join a single row and before you know what happened, 3 hours have passed and you don't know what to cook for lunch!

Also on my mind this past weekend: the 12 Days of Christmas

Up on my wall, I felt it was missing something but could not decide what. It's already quite busy, so although I thought another border would be a good idea...I didnt want to overdo it either.

Then I found some red bits in my red scrap box that I started earlier on in the year and never finished, and I think it works...what do you think?







What's a Pinmoor?

So many emails...so here it is (off YouTube).
This video shows you what pinmoor is.

I havent actually used it yet, so I can't add my own review. It looks promising though and I will definitely share my experience when it happens.

You can visit the official website here: http://www.pinmoor.com/

Meandering into the weekend

I am meandering into the weekend ... I went to bed full of ideas of things to get done today...but woke up and decided to take it easy.

I have been sitting outside this morning, enjoying too much post birthday cake, listening to the birds with my back turned on my messy studio, relaxing in a spot of warm sun.

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday with my family. I have some pics of the cake here - what a stunning cake eh? I love how beautifully my name has been scrolled...the whole thing just looks so magical...and it tasted great too! I have had a few happy easters in my life, so it's nice to check and find out that it's really my birthday when the cake arrives!

 Look at those flowers with blueberry centres....do you need an excuse to eat them??

The picket fence around the cake is actually meringue. Amazing.

Yes, regular readers of my blog would be aware that I am very keen on homemade cakes ...and usually my daughters and I bake amongst ourselves for birthdays and holidays...this year has been a change from the norm as we have all been so busy (it's just been one of those years).

It was doubly nice that yesterday I had some rulers I had ordered delivered. These rulers are Leaves Galore by Sue Pelland Designs http://www.suepellanddesigns.com/

I have so many ideas in store for this ruler. But I have left it shrink wrapped and have decided not to open it before I get some EQ7 work done first. I really have to structure my day or I will spend all day 'playing' with nothing to show for it.

I 'found' my pinmoors a few moments ago (I knew they were on the table somewhere)...they arrived last week. Like a lot of quilters, before I had any, I wondered if I could use the cut off tips of flexible rubber as an alternative...but seeing these in real life, I think store bought might be best. This really looks like the basting help I have been looking for. I havent done any work with them yet, but when I do I will definitely share my opinion on their usefulness rating with you.

Like many of you, I have reached the point where I dont want any extra things unless they are useful and save time. I have plenty of 'gadgets' and want to get back to useful basics. 

The weather has been cooler than usual for this time of year and there's been more rain than usual as well. This has been great for the birds and gardens...but on a selfish note, it's been great for my crochet as I usually stop by November because it is too warm. The cold snaps have seen me working double time...and now I only have 8 motifs to finish my hex's for the afghan. Then I will spread them out, decide on a setting and join them up. I think I will have to pull through and get it done this weekend because I am beginning to get tired of it...it feels so s-l-o-w and I just want to see it done.

I always forget how slowly afghans get on...

My postman was busy yesterday- also to arrive on my birthday was a prize generously given away by Bobbie Ashley from http://www.blissfullystitching.blogspot.com/

Thank you Bobbie Ashley!

I was the Flower Garden Winner

I received these super sweet hex flowers and precut hex's and a hex stamp

The whole set is so nice. I have been arranging and re-arranging ideas to use them up.

Maybe a table runner....hmmm, my DD has been inspired by the stamp (and my stash) and has been talking of a hex scrappy quilt top. That would be so nice too, and is actually on my 'list of quilts I want to make'

So we'll see....

12 days of Christmas:

I am thinking about maybe adding a border. Mine looks like it needs it. I don't know if I will yet or not, but I think I might...

How is your's coming along?

Part 6, the last installment

It's the last week

There's lots of finishing up to do...but I know you'll (patiently?) work your way through it.

Time has just flown by (well it feels that way) but I find I'm always saying that, aren't I?

The back of your baubles will look like this

and your fronts will be gently puffed



I've been very busy this week. At this time of year I am generally picking up my pace to finish lingering projects... I know that the next 4 weeks is really my last window of time to get things done before I wind down for the year and for Christmas. I am speeding up my afghan as I really want to get it done...it's the kind of project that, if I put it down for too long, it will collect dust for another year...so I am trying to keep my motivation up. I think my next blanket will have to be colourful grannies so that I won't get bored so easily.

It's also my birthday on thursday so I know that I will most likely not get much practical work done this week. I have started tidying things up so that I can get stuck right back in after the weekend for a good week of WIPs before December arrives.

This year when I bring in the box of Christmas decorations, I'll have a new wallhanging to put up - and so will you!