Victoria Findlay Wolfe

Well, I am just a 'tad' excited!  Tomorrow morning at sparrows, I will be on my way to Sydney.  I'm heading there to take part in a workshop being held by Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Bumble Beans fame.  She is a New York based quilt artist specialising in improvisational techniques, which is what (strangely enough!!) that she is teaching tomorrow.  This is the book which she released at the end of last year.



It will be a mad crazy day, testing my ability to use untested (by me) public transport in a new place, and be back home by dinner (assuming it is a late pizza!).  I had a class last night, one tonight, then a class Saturday morning.  From there take #3 to a birthday party, then pick up #1 from her GAMSAT exam.  I can't even look forward to a nice cold wine on Saturday night as Sunday sees me compete in a 10km event. 

I'm exhausted already, but cannot wait...!!!!!

So check back to see how I got on and have a look at some piccies!  (not sure about post race though, I'm pretty sure you would find it hard to see any facial features through the red puffiness anyway).

Squeezes,
Michelle xx

Zac's quilt .... finished!!

Ta daaaa!! Done! And... I have to say... I'm not too proud say I'm pretty happy with it!  I really was concerned to see how all those colours would work out, but I was thrilled.  I normally work in 'pretty' colours, so it was great for me to work outside of my comfort zone. 

I really do love this patterns, it really does work in any combination colours, and is great for putting together a masculine quilt as I have done.  For those who missed the earlier post, this quilt is a for a wonderful young man (sound so 'old' when I say that!) who we (as a family) think the world of.  It was his farewell gift for joining the RAAF, and beginning at ADFA (Defence Force Academy).  The colour choice is a combination of his favourite soccer teams, Socceroos, The Roar and Manchester United.  I gave it to Tammy, Jason and Sara to take down to Canberra for his ceremony yesterday.  They were absolutely rapt which always makes it so worthwhile.  I just hope that Zac likes it too. 

Congratulations Zac, we are very proud of you and love you lots!

Have a great weekend,
Michelle x

p.s.    grrrrrr, I have been sitting here FOREVER!!! trying to turn this photo to portrait and it will NOT do it, even though it is in my edited version!!! So please just turn your head on the side, although you get what I mean...

A different kind of quilting....

I have spent many hours at my machine this week (evident by the very sore muscles in the left side of my neck!), doing a 'different' sort of project.  I was asked to make a banner (= quilt to me) for our church for a theme they are following for the year.  I was given a rough design.  I was more than a little nervous only because I can't draw to save myself, and as it was pictorial, I was concerned about getting the proportions correct.  Well, all was going well, then I met with my pastor to show him my 'mock up', but discovered I had my dates wrong (surprise surprise!!), and instead of a 10 day time frame I had 2.  Oops!! So, home again home again jiggety jiggety jig I went (but a little faster this time) and hit the machine. 

I actually thought I would be able to whip it up pretty quick, BUT, the buttonholing around the lettering was so time consuming!  By 12.30 am I had it together but had only outlined the hand, plate and 4 letters.  I had to work the next day til lunchtime, then wizzed home (no old man driving for me!) and kept going.  I managed to watch an entire series of (12 episodes) of a show just while outlining and quilting.  The machine could only go so fast and I estimated I spent about 8 -10 sitting there. 

I then had to work again Saturday morning, so darling daughter #1 started to stitch down the binding for me and I finished when I got home from work.  So it was finally finished and hanging ready for Sunday service.  I was quite pleased about the finished product.

Elsie, who attends the primary school attached to the church was proud when she got home from school yesterday.  They had chapel in the morning and she was sitting just near the banner and told me how she told all her friends that her Mum had made it... isnt' that cute?

Have a great week,
Michelle xx

p.s. my tip for the week... stretch!  Even though I felt fine while I was sewing (I think there was too much adrenaline to feel anything), I must have knotted everything up and am still paying today.  So stretch ladies, stretch!

Civil War Miniature

I've been working on this little delight for a little while.  I have a huge amount of civil war fabrics left over, from my hexies, so a miniature quilt was a great way to use them up! 

As usual, I go flat out, then once that itch has been satisfied, move on to the next 'to be' unfinished project.  Well, I quilted this over the wet spell (ok torrential rain and flooding) we had in Brisbane recently, and have just finished binding (while watching 'The Help'.. again... love that movie!!) 

I did debate how much quilting to put in.  Quick and easy ditch (which I dont' find exactly satisfying) or free motion feathers.  I'm glad I went with the feathers, I thoroughly enjoy this while it doubles for well needed therapy. I did need to ditch around the little pieced blocks, and for the first time, I free motioned this to avoiding all the frustrating and neck breaking turning and pulling it requires.  It is a lot more time consuming, but again, worth the effort.

This pattern was from 'Civil War Legacies' by Carol Hopkin, and has a finished size of 31" x 36"

Enjoy your week,
Michelle

So easily distracted.....

Well.... so there's Zac's quilt which really NEEDS to be done, and then there is new fabric which whispers sweet nothings in my ear........  What's a girls to do I ask??

This gorgeous new fabric which I am madly in love with is aptly named... "Crazy Love" by Jennifer Paganelli.  I arrived in our humble little shop just before Christmas but I didn't have time to play.  Yesterday I found time (ok, MADE time) and cut out an new variation on my Pyramid Parade pattern.  Its the same pyramids but with a completely different effect due to fabric placement (I've always loved the way you can make the same pattern so different).  Hopefully it will be put together very soon and I can show you... oh yeah... and Zacs. 

 

You can see here Zacs 'square in a square' blocks (NOT square with borders! ;) ) sitting patiently in the top right hand corner, with my new fabrics in the forefront.

Sheesh!  Better get a move on!

Squeezes,
Michelle x

Paris Traveller overnight bag

I love this bag! The pattern belongs to 'Fig Tree Quilts', and it works out just beautifully. This is the third one I have made, and this time I made it using the gorgeous Tilda fabrics (available at the Quilters Corner of course!). 

Have a great week,
Michelle xx

Perfect start to the Year!

I realised as I started cutting a new quilt today that it was in fact (of course!) the best way to spend the first day of the new year.  I'm hoping that it is indeed a sign of what is to come. 

Now you may look at the photo below and think.... what??  And I agree with you!  These are not colours of my choice but they do have a special meaning.  Zac is the son of very good friends of ours and in a couple of weeks he fly's the nest.  He has been accepted into the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra as an intelligence officer with the Royal Australian Air Force (near and dear to my husband and I as we met when we were both in the RAAF).  So!  I needed a special present, and of course and I didn't need to think too long. 

I am doing a very basic 'square in a square' quilt, which is never fail, quick, masculine quilt.  Our Zac is a mad keen soccer (sorry! 'football') fan (nut), so these colours represent his favourite teams.  The green and gold for Australia, red/orange/black and white for Manchester United, and orange/white black for the Roar (Brisbane).  The blocks will then be sashed in black.  I will post photos of the finished product.

Before I could even contemplate sewing today however, I needed to tidy my pigsty of a sewing room and actually make a path to the sewing machine.  My sewing room still isn't ideal, but I do have a sewing machine on a table (great help... sewing on the floor sucks) and a cutting table actually being used for its intended purpose (a treat indeed!). 

So without further adieu (to you and you and youuuuuu..... sorry... 'Sound of music' came into my head), I will make a start on those square in square blocks (although according to a customer the other day, this is completely inaccurate as it is a 'square with borders'... isn't it??  sheesh!... I did try and explain my way of thinking, but she smiled and shook her head, so I bit my tongue!)

Squeezes,
Michelle xx

p.s.  I'm very proud of myself as I have blogged every day so far this year, quite an achievement!