Stitching with Friends

Yesterday I had a wonderful day of fun, food, stitching, laughter, sharing and inspiration with friends at Cathy's home.

We started the morning with show and tell. (lots of photos!!!)

First was Kay's stunning quilt made from mostly French General fabrics.

Kay is machine quilting this quilt herself.

A close up of another of Kay's quilts. This one she is quilting by machine and by hand.

Next was Chris's masterpiece work in progress called Insanity II.

Chris has used mostly of Kaffe Fassett fabrics in this quilt. She is creating this breath taking quilt by  English Paper Piecing and hand stitching thousands of 1/2 inch hexagons!!! There are about 8,000 hexagons already in this quilt.

Here is a closer look at the back.

...and Cathy's dog Millie doing a wonderful job of modelling! :)

Michelle brought a really cute Christmas quilt.

Lots of piecing and applique on this quilt, as well as embellishments with buttons and bows.

Millie was well behaved all day. :)

Michelle is also making Camelot.

Deborah (no blog) brought a wonderful quilt she was hand quilting during the day.

The fabric in the bottom left  in the fabric Deb used as inspiration for this quilt.

Next came Kathy (no blog) who has been quilting for only just over a year.

I love all the floral fabrics.

Kathy is also making X and O blocks.

Our hostess Cathy made this block.

You may have seen Cathy's Heart mini quilt on her blog.

This beautiful piece is much smaller than I had imagined: not much bigger than a postcard! Cathy's stitching is beautiful!


We didn't have lunch until well after 2 pm, then we started stitching.

Later in the afternoon we were joined by Bronwyn  who had been taking a class with  Emma, who joined us a little later.

It was wonderful to meet new friends and catch up with ladies I had met before. I feel very lucky that we live close enough together to be able to meet in person and share stitching time together.

Thank you Cathy for a really lovely day! :)

Red

Two more little houses from scraps.

Last week I chose the fabric for the sashing and cornerstones for my house quilt.

I have decided I want to make 2 house quilts, one with all red houses and one with all the other house blocks I have made.  Both quilts will have the same sashing and cornerstones.

More red.....

Turkey red fabrics from Collections for a Cause, Friendship.

Some of those fabrics will be used in a quilt from this book:

For more information about the quilt that inspired this book and some photos of the quilt look here.


This is what I have been doing today........

It has been a cold and wet day here, so a perfect day for some machine quilting.

Some red blooms from the garden today.

Today is ANZAC day in Australia.

My strongest memories of ANZAC day are from when I was a very young child. Both my father and brother played in our small town's brass band. The band played the music for all the returned service men and women who marched in the ANZAC day parade. I can remember wreaths being laid at the town's cenotaph.  I can remember "old" men with limbs missing, ladies in uniform, the wearing of medals, marching music, the last post and reveille,  and speeches. I was too young to have any understanding of the real significance of the day.
Later, when we had television I remember watching hundreds of people marching to the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

Thank you to all who have served and are serving now.  Thank you to all the young people who gave their lives.

Lest we forget.

Flying Geese and more....

I have flying geese: flying geese that worked! :)

I used the Mini Fit To Be Geese ruler to make these. The instructions with the ruler are very clear and there is very little wasted fabric.

I just used charm squares to make these flying geese and cut a single small square from each charm square.  After I made them I discovered that Carrie from La Vie En Rosie blog has a tutorial for using the ruler and charm squares where you can get 4 flying geese blocks from 2 charm squares. No more charm squares with little corners cut out. :)

I recently made a sleeve for a tablet.

Inside:

I bound the seams with bias tape. The outside fabric is a heavier cotton from American Folk and Fabric's Antique Collection. The lining is from Lecien's Antique  Flower Collection.
The button was a lucky find at Spotlight!
I am very happy with how it turned out. :)

Last week I had a day in the city and went to AQC and a little visit to L'uccello on the way home.

I found this wonderful fabric at L'uccello. :)

I didn't come home empty handed from AQC.

Plenty of fabric:

The fabric at top left is a linen from Lecien, and some bargains.
I also found a little bit of Collections for a Cause; Friendship..

Looove those turkey reds!

It was a lovely day with meeting old friends and new.

Here in Melbourne we are enjoying a relatively late burst of warm weather. I found some autumn roses in bloom.

Sokdee Pimay!!

.....or Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of Laotian New Year celebrations. (It is also New Year in Cambodia and Thailand.) It is the last day of the year 2554. Traditionally the last day of the year is for cleaning and decorating.
Today we had friends over for lunch.
Tomorrow is the day between the old year and the new year, a day of rest and for having fun. (If anyone has experienced New Year in Laos, Cambodia or Thailand, this is the day where they throw water on everyone!)
Monday is New Year's Day and is the day for more celebrations and giving of wishes for good luck for the New Year.

Last year my daughter was married on Laotian New Year's Day.


On the sewing front I don't have much to show.....yet.....more secret sewing happening! :)

Just one more little house to add to my collection.

This is my 37th little house from scraps. If I was making one house a day I would only be up to February 6th! Hmmm...a long way to go for me! Lol

A little progress on my next Friends of Baltimore block...

Recently Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts blog had a giveaway and I was lucky enough to win one of her prizes.

I am really looking forward to using the Mimi Fit to be Geese ruler. Up until now my efforts at flying geese blocks have been very disappointing! (very sad geese!)  One of the secret sewing projects has a round of flying geese blocks for the next step. I am sure that this ruler and the accompanying instructions will have me making perfect (and happy!) flying geese.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. :)