Trailing Vines panel one finished.

It has taken a while, but I have been slowly adding leaves and branches to the first panel. Last week I completed sewing the last few leaves to the last branch.

A couple of closer photos...

I am a bit impatient to see how it will look with the borders attached, so I laid out the fabrics to get an idea.

I haven't done much sewing during the last week or so. I got a cold and its the sickest I've been for a long time. I am still recovering and thankfully I feel like I have finally turned the corner today. I have a bit more energy. No going back to gym yet, but I do have sewing and fabric out today. :)

Bordered Diamonds is finished!

If you have been reading my blog for a while you will remember that last year I was lucky enough to do a class with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. I blogged about the class here.

Yesterday I finally finished the quilt we started in that class!!

This bird block features the fabric I used to base my colour choices on. I looove this fabric!

I love the fan fabric too.

I quilted with 2 lines of quilting down each of the borders and a diamond in the centre of each block.

A photo taken as the sun was still low in the sky this morning shows the quilting a little better.

And on the back..

Down the centre of the back I joined strips of most of the fabrics used in the front of the quilt.

For the binding I used a variegated stripe cut on the bias.

 For the quilting I used a thread I haven't tried before. The DMC machine embroidery cotton is quite fine (size 50) and runs smoothly through the machine while producing no lint.  While it is not a strong thread, I am very happy with the results.

Bordered Diamonds quilted, bound and labelled!

Coming up for air!

I have been busy with lots of sewing!

Successful flying geese! :)

I was so happy with the mini fit to be geese ruler I blogged about earlier, that I bought the larger ruler.

I have tried several different flying geese techniques before and I have found this ruler is the one that I am happiest with. There is very little wasted fabric. This little pile of scraps....

.....is the waste from these flying geese..

I don't have a pile of little triangles I need to find a use for and I am not throwing out flying geese blocks because they have turned out too small or the angles are out. All problems I have struck trying other techniques.
Kathie also posted about this ruler recently.

Here are my flying geese sewn in a quilt. Just a sneak peek because its more secret sewing. :)

Monique Dillard, who designed the Fit to be Geese rulers has also written some books. (Monique also designs fabric) Her techniques and quilt designs are featured in these books.

I have a couple of fat quarter packs these books will be perfect for.

Another package in the mail revealed this..........

The pattern for Kim McLean's latest quilt, Pandemonium. Isn't it an amazing quilt!!

Just 2 more little houses.

You will notice one house is the mirror image of the other! I cut out the roof section of the house on the right the wrong way around! Instead of starting all over again (plus it was the only scrap I had like it), I decided to make the whole house the other way around. When it is in the quilt, no one will notice!

Currently I am also machine quilting 2 small quilts (pictures to come later).

Trailing vines is coming along well. I have almost finished the first panel!!! Yay! Can't wait till I have 2 panels made so I can join then with the sashing.

Hmmm...OK, I am a Gemini, so I "need" to have enough going on to keep 2 people occupied! Lol

It has been ages since I worked on Friends of Baltimore or Roseville Album, but they are certainly not forgotten.

Finally I have managed to get a half decent photo of my quilting and blogging buddy.

Meet Jasper, who is often found sharing my lap with my hand stitching.

Thank you to everyone who offered a solution to the quilt cleaning question in my previous post.

Ok...back to sewing...and

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers who read my blog. :)

Menonite quilt cleaning question.

I wonder if any of my readers can help, please.  A friend of mine was given a Menonite quilted wall hanging some time ago.

She would like to clean the wall hanging and would like to know how best to do this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. :)

Secret sewing revealed and Blogger's BOM

During the last few weeks I ave been working on some gifts. Two have been finished and are now in the hands of their new owners.

The first is another Hari-Kuyo needlebook.  This time I embellished the front cover by back stitching around two of the flowers. The bird has a bead for his eye.

The book's ties are made the same way as each of the other 2 books I have made.

This time I stitched some French ribbon down the spine of the book to cover the stitches made when sewing in the pages.

The second gift was a camera pouch made with a pattern from here.

The instructions were very clear, comprehensive and easy to follow.
I made the largest size: approx 17 cm wide, 11 cm high and 9 cm deep (approx 7"  W, 4" H and 3.5" D)

For the external fabric I used a Lecien fabric by Yoko Saito from her Collection Etoffe Imprevue.  I like the subtle print and the texture created by an interesting weave.

When the front flap is opened the contents of the bag are still held securely with an extra closure secured by an elastic drawstring.

The lining is a matching grey plain cotton.

Blogger's BOM is up to month 8 and this time the block was presented by Amy Lobsiger of Mrs Schmenkman Quilts. Amy gave very clear instructions and also some ideas for different fabric colour choices to make the block look quite different.

Here are my 2 blocks:

A very dear friend of mine is facing a battle with her health. If you are so inclined, some prayers for her would be much appreciated.

Thank you.