Trailing Vines

Last night I finished the second panel of Trailing Vines and today I joined the 2 panels together.

Today I also finished quilting the little pinwheel quilt. I started out hand quilting it, but I was not pleased with how it was looking. I pulled out the stitching and machine quilted it instead. Tonight I will be burying all the threads, so there will be a photo in my next post.

I am going to take a little rest from hand stitching. It looks like the couple of days of hand quilting have irritated my tennis elbow again. I was stab stitching because of all the seams and I think that technique might be my problem. Hand applique and normal running stitch with piecing don't seem to cause any irritation.

I now have all my sashing and backing fabrics for both versions of the Blogger's BOM quilts so they will be next on my sewing list. Part of my quilting plan for the bright version will be big stitch quilting with perle thread....no stab stitching this time! :)

My thoughts are with all the families affected by the atrocity in Newtown, Connecticut and another shocking incident at a school in central China.

Lastly, could I ask everyone, please spare a thought, and a prayer or 2, for a special friend of mine who is currently in Intensive Care.

Not Blogging, Sewing.

Well, it has been a while since I have blogged. I have lots of sewing to share, so this will be a long post!

Today I finished this quilt top. The design was inspired by the setting for Jackie's Blogger's Block of the Month quilt.  I have used the same centre block and a slightly different Ohio Star block with the nine patch blocks.

I have taken advantage of the cyber Monday sales to get some backing fabrics to finish this quilt and the 2 Blogger's BOM quilts I am making. Lots more sewing ahead when they arrive in the post!

Speaking of arrivals in the post...

This parcel arrived yesterday from Christine.  Christine, of Once Upon a Quilt, had a giveaway on her blog, which I was lucky enough to win! :)
Lots and lots of scraps!!!

I know exactly what I am going to use them for...standby..

Yesterday I finished another little quilt top.

While Karen was in USA she was given a package of  mini charm packs. Karen gave us Friday sewing girls each a pack and challenged us to come up with something.

 Field Notes by Blackbird Designs is a new fabric due out in February next year.

I decided to add yellow and cream fabrics and make pinwheel blocks.

 Next I added sashing and cornerstones.

Then a border to finish the top. I haven't decided on a backing fabric yet.

I can see the end of panel 2 of Trailing Vines! :)

Not far to go till I can join the first 2 panels together!

I have been doing a bit of experimenting with an applique project.

Still a work in progress.
The background is a linen blend. The appliqued fabrics are Liberty. I reversed the green fabric to get a more faded look. With the quilting I hand quilted around the applique and I am trying to get the look of dandelion seed heads with the background quilting.

I may change them...

Here is the same design with completely different fabrics.

No quilting on this one yet.


Earlier this year Cathy started a quilting group that I have been attending once a month for the last few months. We meet in each other's homes and share our love of making quilts with some food, lots of laughter, inspiration and friendship. Recently we had our Christmas breakup at Treehouse Textiles. Emma and her Mum, Sarah, run workshops, have a little shop and create delicious food in serene bushland surroundings on the Mornington Peninsula.

A view from one of the windows.

We had a gift exchange.

I made a small padded camera bag....

with 1/4 inch, fussy cut hexagons..

We enjoyed a delicious lunch. It was a beautiful day so we ate outside.

Michelle gave us a lesson on foundation piecing. I have tried this before, but it was just a straight line of triangles and I remember being quite confused!
Michelle prepared a pattern for us and gave clear instructions.

Once I got the steps clear in my head I was on a roll! However, clearly I need practice at machine sewing curves! Lol 
I have a quilt pattern in mind to get some more practice.
Thank you for a wonderful day Ladies! :)

 Some more for Treehouse views to finish..

Have a great week. :)

Back to hand stitching

Over the last week I have been able to get back to some hand work.

I have now finished the 2nd branch on panel 2 of Trailing Vines.

I have been making very slow progress! I do love working on this quilt every time I get it out.

I have the leaves prepared for 2 more branches, so I hope to get plenty more done soon.

In a previous post I showed a picture of a book on Boutis I bought while we were in France. I have done a little more reading and  decided to be  a little less ambitious about my first project!
Here is the beginning of my stitching. This piece is a little over 6 inches (15 cm) square.

And a closer look...

The main difference between boutis and trapunto is that there is no batting between the 2 layers of fabric.

The design is stitched through the 2 layers of fabric, then the shapes are stuffed in a similar manner to trapunto by hand.
When you hold a piece of boutis up to the light you can see clearly though the fabric where there is no stuffing.
I am almost up to the point of stuffing the shapes.

The rest of my current sewing projects are "secret sewing"!

Here are my fabrics for one new project.

Many of them from here.

Last week I spent a wonderful day at Linda's with Bev, Dorothy and several other ladies farewelling Randi who was going back home to Norway.
We had a lovely day of chatting, laughter, sharing great food and seeing lots of quilts; some newer and some antique. Thank you for a great day Linda, Bev and ladies!

My thoughts are with those who have been through the fury of hurricane Sandy and other weather extremes. I hope you are all safe and well.

A few photos from my garden....

Rose Just joey, fuchsia Heidi Ann and 2 miniature roses.

This is sunrise yesterday morning from our front yard.

Have a great week everyone! :)

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. :)

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. :)