Rabbits And Birds.
Posted on April 5, 2016 | 16 Comments
When I first saw this fabric range I really liked it and bought several fat quarters. Of course this creates a problem because I had no particular pattern in mind so then had to work out how to use the fabric. I had seen this layout a while back and thought it would suit. It took a little bit of maths to make to make it work and thankfully there was enough for the quilt with very little left over.
I was quite taken by the birds and rabbits in the design.
I kept the quilting very simple and used my walking foot with a wavy line. This went on some of the vertical and horizontal seams. Certainly much better than trying to stitch in the ditch. I also went around the smaller squares inside squares.
I didn’t have enough of any one fabric for the binding so I combined two colours and alternated them.
The backing is from a completely different range but the colouring and design worked well with the quilt top fabrics.
I think we have managed to settle back into standard time with the end of daylight saving. It always seems so much easier when it ends.
I do hope your week is going well.
Cheers, Karen
Chicks And Dinosaurs.
Posted on March 29, 2016 | 13 Comments
It has taken a while, but I have managed to collect a good range of wool to be able to use in applique projects. It is becoming easier to purchase here in Australia.
So my first play with this technique is Bertie’s Spring which is a Bonnie Sullivan pattern.
There are four panels, so obviously there are three more to go. These are very easy to stitch, but as with many projects, there is a lot of preparation.
We have also had a 4th birthday for a grandie, so of course there has been some sewing.
Dinosaurs are a popular interest at this age, so some dino cushions were in order.
Here are the covers before the inserts were added.
The dinosaur outlines are from a quilt pattern and then I used some free motion stitching to create a background.
I think I now have a footy hat a scarf to knit because the season has started!
I hope you are having a good week.
Cheers, Karen
Hippity, Hoppity.
Posted on March 23, 2016 | 14 Comments
I think Autumn has finally decided to arrive here, just in time for Easter. We are still having warm days but the nights are much cooler and that is delightful. No sign of leaves changing colour however.
A small candle mat has been completed for Easter. I am running out of places for display so it had to be small.
It is from a kit and pattern by Bareroots.
I have limited the Easter display to the sideboard for this year.
A few wooden ducks have joined the bunnies, and of course there are chocolate bunnies, bilbies and eggs.
I recently found this lovely set of tins and thought it could be part of the fun.
I am continuing my push to work on my crochet skills and these blocks are the start of a small throw rug. This is about a third of what I need. I am keeping it simple and mastering a step at a time before moving on to new stitches.
Easter is a 4 day weekend for most people here in Australia, so I do hope everyone has a lovely break. And I hope the Easter bunny treats you well.
Cheers, Karen
Monkey Business.
Posted on March 8, 2016 | 15 Comments
There is not lot of quilting happening here – probably due to the hot and humid weather we are having late into the season.
But I have been working with some smaller items.
The first finish is a table runner from Bird Brain Designs made in wool felt.
It is quite long and will easily suit a dining table or sideboard.
Yes, I did spot the pin well after the photo was taken.
And the monkey reference in the title refers to these little guys. I have quite a few friends who are about to become grandmothers, so these are ready for when the babies arrive.
They are a Twins knitting pattern.
We have a long weekend coming up and it has been forecast that we will get a change and finally start to experience some Autumn weather. Hope so.
Regardless of the weather, I hope your week is going well.
Cheers, Karen
A Pocketful Of Pink And Purple.
Posted on February 22, 2016 | 16 Comments
Pink, purple and gold were the requested colours to go into this quilt. Just right for a little girl.
Each of those little bags on each block is actually a pocket.
They concertina out from the quilt.
This quilt will hang on the end of a bunk bed. It can be made any particular size with as many pockets as you wish.
It has been finished with simple meandering for the quilting.
I thought this was a great way to provide some storage. And it is a very different way to use a quilt.
I know you can see the pink and purple, but not the gold. That is on the back, but I forgot to get a photo of that. The backing is a bright pink with a gold fleck.
The pattern is called Party Bags and is designed by Brookshier Design Studio.
Have a wonderful week.
Cheers, Karen
A Terrain Finish.
Posted on February 9, 2016 | 18 Comments
It is a big finish for me. I am not normally a maker of big quilts, but this one had a mind of its own and grew.
It ended up at 80 inches wide and 95 inches long. It sits very nicely on an old fashioned brass double bed.
It has been made using a layer cake of Kate Spain’s fabric, Terrain, then Moda Bella white, and extra Terrain yardage for the border. Not sure what fabric is in the small orange border but it has a linen look to it.
The blocks are made using the disappearing pinwheel tutorial from the MSQC. These are then set en pointe for the layout.
I chose an edge to edge swirly pattern for the quilting. Lovely work by my wonderful LAQ.
I stuck to a simple white on white backing for this quilt.
Good to have another finish. There are a couple of smaller ones still waiting for their turn. It will come.
I do hope your week is going well.
Cheers, Karen
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Happy Australia Day
Posted on January 26, 2016 | 11 Comments
Beautiful weather here for Australia Day. It makes it very easy to get out and enjoy the day.
In fact, the whole weekend has been pleasant. We have spent much of it in Geelong as that city hosted the Festival of Sails. I am not the sailor in the family so I did lots of watching and driving to and from.
And this was a nice surprise for Australia Day – petrol under a dollar. I wonder how long it will last?
To keep the Aussie theme going, I attended a high tea with a group of friends at Coombe Farm.
There is a restaurant built in the grounds of the home of Dame Nellie Melba.
It looks beautiful inside. The afternoon tea was delicious, of course. There is a tour of the gardens available and I am hoping to make a return visit especially for that.
No stitching to show, but there is binding going on another quilt.
I am off to be the taxi one more time as the sailing festival ends today.
Happy Australia Day.
Cheers, Karen
UFO Progress.
Posted on January 18, 2016 | 17 Comments
It always seems to be a regular start of the year event – attacking the UFOs. For me it is probably because quilts get put aside in the lead up to Christmas as there are other priorities for the festive season. January is very relaxed and there are no sewing commitments so the UFOs get first priority.
First finish is a small quilt as you go. I had planned to add a border but found there was not enough of the fabrics left to do that, so a change of plans left it as a smaller quilt.
I tried to take a photo is the sun but no luck with the colours.
I had better results on the fence in the shade.
Much better idea of the colours.
Here are some of the fabrics.
And still playing with colours – here it is inside.
I think this last one is the closest to the true colours. I am not a big fan of QAYG so that is why this one was easy to put aside and also why I was happy to go without a border. Let’s hope I remember that for the future.
I finished a panel quilt as a gift for the Christmas before last and still had another to go. I made sure that was another finish for this month.
The quilting for this one was a gentle meander.
It continues to be hot here but the good part about that is the Flowering Gums are starting to bloom and are looking gorgeous. And the Australian Open is on so there is plenty of tennis to watch.
That’s a pretty note to finish on.
Cheers, Karen
Welcome To 2016.
Posted on January 9, 2016 | 12 Comments
Welcome to another New Year. I hope it has started on the right foot for everyone.
I have decided to do a Spring Clean in Summer. I must be crazy, but it all started when I was ready to put away the Christmas decorations. I thought it was time to be ruthless and discard all the broken and tatty ones. That was fine but I think I was bitten by the bug and started to clean out every room and cupboard. Needless to say the house looked like a bomb site but I have weeded out so many things we do not need to keep. The hardest room of course was my sewing room. But it was worth it. The shelves are tidy and I can see what I have. It is a great reminder of what is in my stash.
Most of the house is back to some kind of normal with only a small amount of sorting left to do. That is a good thing because I am ready to do some sewing.
I have been a little creative but in a totally different direction. I have been enjoying some art journal and book making workshops and was able to make a slip cover for some folders.
The process involves covering some calico with gesso then decorating with paints, pens, stamps – anything you like to use. This is the front.
The back.
Fabric is also coated then used to line the inside like this, then it is all stitched together.
We all decided we needed to do this again so met up last week to make another one. This time I wanted a cover for my Christmas lists. This is how it is progressing. Front.
Back.
And this will be the fabric for the lining.
It is still quite warm but the garden is managing to survive. The corn may not be as high as an elephant’s eye, but it is growing well and almost ready to pick.
And the hot house tomatoes and peppers and thriving.
Our country seems to dish out some difficult conditions at this time of year and my thoughts are with all the families who have lost homes in the last few days in the fires in Western Australia, and also those who have had all the flood damage in the eastern states. Two very opposite conditions. Best wishes to all.
Unfortunately we are still only part way through our Summer. Let’s hope the weather is kind for the next few months.
Cheers, Karen
A Delightful Variation On Stitching.
Posted on December 31, 2015 | 12 Comments
I have ended the year with some lovely time spent with friends sharing similar interests.
We went to see the film The Dressmaker on Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I then downloaded the book to my Kindle and read it. Then yesterday we drove over to the other side of Melbourne to Barwon Park Mansion to see the costume display from the movie.
It was a very hot day and you can see how dry the grounds are. But the home itself is constructed from blue-stone and is very cool inside.
When you enter the front doors you are met with this costume which Tilly wore to the football match.
The wedding party.
Loved this costume.
The building had beautiful features and I would like to go back to see it set up with original furniture when the display has finished.
Here are just a few more costumes.
The display was wonderful and I am impressed with the beautiful workmanship in all these 50s designs.
It was interesting to see how different the colours were in the real costumes compared to their appearance on screen. We were quite surprised at how the lighting for the filming totally changed their colours.
It is another day of extreme heat and fire danger here, so I hope everyone can stay safe and cool.
Very best wishes to everyone for a safe and Happy New Year.
Cheers, Karen.
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