Harakeke

I made this wall hanging for my very good friend who turned

50 yesterday.  Went to Raglan for the day to celebrate with an

Italian lunch.  Had a great day even though the storm that blew driving

there made me wonder what I was doing out.  The trip home was better

as the weather had cleared and you would never believe it had been so

bad.  Took this photo on hubbies camera as he has mine with him.

It is not as good as mine.  The colours aren't quite right.

The Hairdresser

My hairdresser who has become a friend over the 16 or17 years

I have been going to her, is fighting the big C. 

For over a year I have been trying to decide what to make 

for her and it came to me in the middle of the

 night about 3 weeks ago.

My inspiration was a crazy patch wall hanging with a photo in

the centre.  I searched the internet and found this print which 

is called "The Hairdresser".  

I gave it to her today and she was thrilled.  It is going to hang in

pride of place in her hair studio.  

She looked at it all carefully and picked the little details

 I had added that I felt represented her

.  Rosalie has lost all her hair again and this time it may not grow 

back again but she still looks good with her new wig 

and her positive attitude.

Quilt Badge

After nearly losing my WQC badge several times through it falling off my jacket, I decided to make something to pin it to.  I joined Auckland Patchworkers and Quilters Guild at Calico Christmas so now belong to 2 quilting groups.  This little quilt badge can be pinned to whatever clothing I am wearing and it is my favourite colours.

Pike River Mine disaster

This disaster has affected us all and to help Shirley is

co-ordinating the making of quilts for the families.

Check out her blog above.

I made 2 heart blocks which are being sent on behalf of

Western Quilters Circle members.

My first quilts

This is my first quilt.

In 2005 a friend of mine took me to a shop to check out

teddy bear making classes.  This quilt was hanging on the

wall.  I walked out of the shop with the pattern as it had a Border Collie

on it.  For my birthday, hubby gave me the kitset and I started the blocks.

A work friend came over and showed me how to piece it together.  

I quilted it in the ditch with invisible thread.

After that I decided I needed to do some classes and 

went to "Ohio Stars and Courthouse Steps" with Anne Herrick

in Avondale.  It was great to learn some good techniques and my patchwork

and quilting journey began and is still going strong 5 years later.

I still love this one but I look at all the mistakes I made back then.

I decided after quilting this one that I was a piecer not a quilter.

Since then I have learnt to quilt on my Janome MC6600,  Well worth the

overtime to pay for it.

Blue 'n' White Challenge

Another challenge from the Halberg Group Challenge.  The theme this time was blue & white and we were supplied with 3, 2.5 inch strips of fabric.  We could add as many fabrics as we required keeping to the blue and white theme.  The finished project could be any size or shape and any style or technique could be used.

I got a little ambitious with mine this time and used my EQ7 to design the layout.  I wanted to do some stitchery and piecing.  I found some flower stitchery patterns on the internet and started.  The ambitious part for me was this challenge was over the winter months when I  suffer from SAD (Seasonal affective disorder).  I started with great gusto but tailed off and missed the finishing deadline.  It is completed finally and I am really pleased with the finished quilt.

And it has  passed the cat quality test by Jake.

Wall Hanging

One of my work mates is leaving to return to South Africa.

She has been great to work with and I am sad she is leaving.  

I wanted to make her something to remember me and NZ by 

so made this wall hanging using a Jenny Hunter design from

a workshop I attended last year.

She loved it.

Chloe

Chloe likes Arnie's cushion too.  Looks like I need to make another one.

More Meshwork

I went to Annette's yesterday and we did some meshwork.

It took all day and I finished it last night in front of TV.

It was a lovely day.

ATC's

The theme for this month's ATC at WQC was 

Halloween

I made 2 of these and received these 

in exchange

Maddy's bag

Here is the bag I made Maddy for

her birthday yesterday.

 and a photo of a Camellia in

my garden

Nieces sewing

My nieces, Ashleigh and Maddy came over today to do some sewing with me.  We made fabric bowls.

Ashleigh with her bowl

Maddy

Meshwork

Yesterday I went to the WQC workshop.  We did meshwork with Julie (aka Puddle).  We actually started on Friday night and had yummy cheesecake for supper.  We cut our strips and made them into 3/8' bias strips ready to start our meshwork on Saturday.

First up we made this block using 2 of our colour strips.

Then we moved on to the baby blocks below.

This was a fun class with lots of talk but some amazing results. Everyone used different colours.  

Arnie loves his cushion.

Arnie's Cushion

Our tabby cat Arnie likes lying on the big cushions we have on our outdoor furniture.  I kicked him off my cushion today to sit and eat my lunch and he came and tried to pull it out from behind me.  I decided to make him his own cushion.

The front

The Back

I hope he uses it.

Cheryl's Quilt

Well over a year ago, I offered to make my good friend Cheryl a quilt if she paid for all the materials.  She was really keen and from there came the hard part to choose a pattern.  I think I showed her nearly every magazine and book I owned but eventually she found something that I agreed to make.  All the effort paid off and at the weekend I finally presented Cheryl with her quilt.

It was quilted by Wild Cotton.  And it looks very good on our bed.

The backing was done in flannel.

Tapa Cloth

On Saturday I went to part 2 of Hazel Foot's Tapa Cloth workshop.  There were only 8 of us there this time and we were all at different stages.  Hazel was great and started by showing us some quilting techniques so the two that were up to that stage could continue.  Some of us wanted to do more foundation piecing and continue making blocks.  I really enjoyed this workshop and although I won't have my Tapa Cloth quilt ready for Show n tell at the end of the month, I will get there.

One of my applique blocks

Foundation piecing block

Jake made a bed of the wool batting I cut off the quilt I have nearly finished.

Craft and Quilt Fair

I went to the Craft and Quilt Fair on Friday with a friend.  We spent a long time looking at the quilts and the Creative Fibre Experience.  There was lots to see with the Quilts Aotearoa, AP&Q Challenge, Twelve Project and Made in NZ II.

The layout and light was very good.

The detail was amazing!!

Pukeko cushion cover

Two years ago, my mother asked me if I would make something with a Pukeko on it for a friend of hers.

At the time I sourced the pattern for a pukeko through the "New Zealand Quilter" magazine.  I wasn't able to buy the issue with it in as it was from several years ago but Anne Scott kindly emailed me the pattern.

I started it with great enthusiasm and decided to do needle turn appliqué.  It took me a year to complete the pukeko in needle turn appliqué and then put the project aside as I couldn't bear the thought of doing the reeds the same way.

Nearly 2 years later I decided to tackle the project and I  did the reeds using fusible web and sewed them with buttonhole stitch on my sewing machine.  I lightly coloured the bottom with a blue colouring pencil and drew in the stalks with a brown felt pen.  As Mum's friend lives in Australia, I haven't put the cushion inner in it to save on postage.  I free motioned quilted the top and again wanted to keep it for myself.

Bag

I made this bag for a work friend as her partner has been diagnosed with dementia and I felt she needed something nice for herself.

I took the size and dimensions from a bag I was given when I purchased some threads.  It is the perfect size to carry a novel in so it doesn't get tatty.

Once I finished it, I didn't want to give it away but it was worth it when my friend was so thrilled with the gift.

Through the Trees

Here is "Through the Trees" finished.  I had a little bit of quilting to finish and then stitch the hanging sleeve on, which I kept putting off.  Finally finished it today.

I had a whole day to myself to sew and couldn't get in to anything.  Since I finished Lindsey's quilt, completed the backing for Cheryl's quilt and took it to be quilted, I felt lost.  Crazy really when I have so many UFO's that need attention.  I have started my next Halberg Group challenge which is using blue and white.  It won't be on the blog until after completion date of 30 Sept.

Lindsey's quilt "Peace in Waitakere"

I can put Lindsey's quilt on my blog now as it has arrived safely and she loves it.  "Peace in Waitakere"

I made this from a jellyroll using a Moda  jellyroll called Cherish Nature.  I wanted to make a lap quilt for Lindsey as she is undergoing Chemo at the moment.  Dennis and Lindsey live in Gravesend and I wasn't sure of her favourite colours.  Talking to Dennis on Skype one night, he directed me to a website with these colours on it so I then did a search of fabrics and came up with this range.  I then couldn't locate it here in NZ so ordered through the internet.

Once I had completed the top, I took it in to my local quilt shop to be told "you didn't buy that here"  as the range had come in to the shop that week.  Here was me thinking it was a range that had been out for ages and I had missed it.   I used a butterfly stencil on the blocks and free motion quilted the border.

I had a block left over so I made a cushion to match. As I didn't want to pay more postage than necessary, I sent the empty cushion cover (not quite empty as it contained peanut slabs for my brother) and apparently Lindsey was worried she would need to sew it.  It has a velcro opening on the back so no sewing required.

I wish I could pop over and see it in it's new home.  Get well soon Lindsey and enjoy the quilt.

Tapa Cloth

Last weekend the WQC workshop was "Tapa Cloth" with Hazel Foot.  It was a great class with the use of many techniques to achieve Hazel's tapa cloth effect.  There were 10 of us and everyone used different colours which made it even more interesting.  Here are the 3 blocks I made.

This is a 2 day workshop and day 2 is not until September so plenty of time to do more blocks.  I was going to use my stash for this one but discovered my stash was severely lacking in batiks so I bought a pack of blue and green fat 8ths.  I now need more so have to save my allowance.

Meanwhile I should really get back to finishing some of the items on my to do list.

Halberg Group Challenge

Here is my Halberg Group Challenge.  I set this challenge for the group which consists of 2 cousins and an Aunt.  The fairy fabric was supplied as a fat quarter and the theme was fairies in my garden.  I was scared to cut this beautiful fabric and I knew in my mind how I wanted the surround to look and was worried about my cutting calculations.  I did a mock up on EQ7 and when I wanted to check it out, my computer wouldn't boot up.  The hard drive had failed and has now been replaced but all that was on the hard drive is lost.  I have spent the day trying to load things back on to the computer.

Jenny Hunter Workshop

This months workshop at WQC was Jenny Hunter teaching "Through the Trees".  What a great day we had.  There were 17 in the class and by the end of the day we had all got most of the background completed.  It was the first time Jenny had taught this class and she wanted to see them all together.  Unfortunately no one had a camera so no photos to show the many variations.  Here is a photo of mine.  Now I need to do the quilting but that is going to have to wait as I have Agility tomorrow with my dogs and I have to go as it is my own Clubs' show.  It is bound to rain and no it is never cancelled.

Here are a couple of the blocks I completed at Kathleen's over Queens' Birthday weekend.  I still have the appliqué to do on the others.  Although I had the week off, it went very quickly and I didn't get the sewing done as planned.

On Thursday we went to choose the material for the raffle quilt.  It is gorgeous and I wish it was for me.

Sadly on Friday we were told that Betty (a very dear family friend of Stuart's) had a stroke and if we wanted to see her, best to go sooner.  So we went off to Auckland Hospital to see her.  It was very sad to see her unable to communicate and unable to move one side of her body.  Betty stepped in and helped out when 

Stuart's mother died and he has many fond memories of her.  She married Stuart and I at the Dilworth Chapel in 1987 and in March attended my 50th birthday lunch.

Queen's Birthday Weekend

Had a great weekend at my cousin Kathleen's.  We sewed for 3 days so managed to catch up with my BOM that I was getting behind on.  No photos yet as spent the day cleaning my car inside and out.  Inside covered in sand and dog hair and outside mud.  Now I intend to have a play with my EQ7

My EQ7 is here!

Here I am with my EQ7 which arrived in the mail today. I have loaded it on to my computer and now I need to learn how to use it.  


Thankyou Leeann for allowing me the opportunity to win this great prize and thanks also to the Electric Quilt Company.


Remember if you want your own copy, the Electric Quilt Company has a pre-release special  that ends on 31 May, so check it out and order before then. 

EQ7

I received the following email from Quilt Whangarei blog
Yayyy!!!   YOU HAVE WON !!!! You have won the EQ7 competition on my blog. Well done. You need to sent me your mailing details so I can forward it to The EQ company.
It was getting late and I had just finished the newsletter for Western Quilters Circle Inc when I checked my emails.  I replied straight away and then went to bed.  I woke this morning thinking, did I dream it as I don't win things but on checking my emails again this morning, there was another email from Leeann.  Thank you Leeann from Quilt Whangarei  http://www.quiltwhangarei.blogspot.com/  and thanks also to "The Electric Quilt Company" for this wonderful gift.

My sewing space

I found a couple of photos on another memory stick of my Sewing Space.  I call it my sewing space as it is a corner in the open space we have upstairs.  Eventually it will be separated off as another bedroom.

At the moment I can watch TV while sewing although my darling husband complains if I sew while he is watching TV.  However I do prefer to sew in daylight especially when using dark colours.

Here is a photo of my purple challenge being quilted on my Janome MC6600.  I still can't believe I have this machine.  It was definitely worth getting and I will certainly get my moneys worth out of it.

I have spent a good part of this weekend sewing and here it is my Kaleidoscope quilt top completed.  I now have to get backing and batting and quilt it.  Any ideas for quilting designs would be appreciated.

Sewing and stuff

My day off today and I did do some sewing.  I have now made 8 blocks out of 16 for my Stack n Wack quilt.  I am having to take this one slowly and pin carefully.

It was a lovely day outside but after I slipped on the edge of the wooden strip by the drive, I decided I was safer inside sewing.  I now have a lovely bruise on the inside of my right wrist.

Stack n Wack Class

Yesterday I attended a workshop with the WQC.  We did Stack n Wack.  This is one of the 4 blocks I have made so far.  It was a fun class and really great seeing what fabric every one else chose.  Show n Tell should be good.
The morning was spent cutting fabric and then the hard bit of sewing accurately so the points were good and the centre matched.  My first block needs some serious attention so I abandoned it and moved on to this one so I could have one successful block before I went home.

I made 2 more blocks today which is all I could manage since Mum came over for Mothers Day.

For my friend who turned 50, I made this journal cover.  It was a lot of fun trying out the different stitches on my sewing machine.

I hand sewed some beads on to it to finish it off.  The variegated threads give some interesting effects with the different stitches.











And for Mum for Mothers Day, I made this journal cover.