Lots to make up for

It has been a while since I posted and now that I'm retired I will be able to do lots more. I am in the process of completing yet another baby quilt and I will post that as soon as I complete it.

Kias Baby Quilt

I made a quilt for Kias baby. Actually I made 2 but I wasn't happy with the first one and when Kia had a little girl in March I had to change it. Kia named her baby, Maisie. Isn't that a gorgeous name?

I machined applicade a rabbit using pink flannel material then added a pieced border, 2 1/2 inch squares then a white flannel border. I machined quilted the top. Don't often do that and it came out rather nice and the flannel made it very cuddly.

SCRAPPY HOUSES

I made a lot of houses from scraps and put them on an angle. I finally got it machined quilted and it looks lovely. I am hanging on my kitchen wall as it it very colourful and brightens a dull corner up. It always reminds me of that 1960's song "Little boxes on the hillside" Not sure who sang it.

Sue's Retirement

I have been working with Sue for over 20 years. We started teaching at Kerrimuir Primary together. We also hve kept up a social life outside of kerrimuir for all those years as well. Our children grew up together. So it was fitting that I should make her a retirement quilt. I used the scraps from my stash and did a simple pinwheeel design which always come out well. Unfortunatly I did not finish in the required time. (Her retirement party) but thankfully it is finished now and I gave it to her last Saturday when we went out for morning tea. I hope you like the quilt Sue.

Happy Retirement

Luke's "See Saw" Quilt

I have commenced Luke's quilt. Last Christmas Luke came with me to the quiklt shop and select a number of black and red fat quarters. It tool me ages to select a pattern as he didn't want a girly one and I was trying to find one that suited him. I decided on the traditional pattern "See Saw" It took me a while to get the blocks together as It was difficult to see the black material and when I made a mistake it was hard to undo. I found I could only make it during the morning when the morning sun hit the sewing room Each block was individually cut out and I soon realized that the amount of material that Luke bought was not going to be enough for a double bed. After some thought I decided to put borders around all the blocks with a hour glass block between. It did the trick and enlarged the quilt to the size I wanted. I finished the quilt with a red border. Here it is lying over my bed which is a queen size bed so I think it will fit over his quite well.

Now all I need to do is quilt it.

It is that time of the year where the Diamond Valley CWA Group Arts Exhibition is on. As a member of Hurstbridge CWA we all contribute a craft or bakery item that represents a theme. Our group decided to do a craft theme around purple and mauve. Five members contributed an item that consisted of a knitted socks, embroidery, scrapbooking article, card and a quilt. Here is my quilt that I made over Christmas. And of course it consisted of lots of different purple tones. The quilt was a lap quilt, lovely to have covering ones legs on a chilly day. The pattern is a traditional pinwheel pattern that I found on "Quilts Galore" http://www.quilterscache.com/P/Pinwheel8Block.html

Very easy to do. The exhibition will be held in May.

Here is my latest project "Noah and Friends" I got the pattern from Kookaburra Cottage. I commenced the project as soon as I discovered Diana was pregnant. I loved it so much that I ended up making 2 one for me to keep.

It took me around 6 months to complete it and I used a sids approved batting.

It was hand appliqued and hand quilted but I did used the machine to sew the blocks together.

The hardest thing was making sure I didn't miss anything on the blocks as they had quite a lot of sewing on them.

I finished the quilt just before Oliver was born. My second quilt requires quilting a nd that is all. But I probably won't do that until its required again.

Hmmm I wonder who the next one will be?

Oliver was born February 2011. I hope he enjoys the quilt

I hope you like my pictures.

My next big assignment is to make the quilt 'Noah and Friends' by Kookaburra Cottage. I didn't realize it was such a large quilt until I purchased the pattern. As I needed it to be cotsize I reduced the pattern by 50%. I started the quilt on the first day of the September holidays and busted my gut to get as many panels done as possible before I returned to work. I have about 2 panels to go before I sew it together. Wish me luck

I finally finished making my Dresdon Plate quilt that Pat Worsley inspired me to do and gave me the pattern. It is a combination of "Irish Chain and Dresdon Plate" Using 1930's prints. It took me quite a while as I hand sewn the plates onto the squares. becaise it turn out so beautiful I decided to have it commerialy quilted by Simply Quilting in Warrandyte Nth. It has stippling around the plates while a motif was sewn in the large bare areas. Everywhere else it was sewn in the ditch. I was hoping to hang it on a wall but I didn't realise how large it was so it is sitting on my guests bed. Isn't it stunning?

Crochet

Well I haven't been doing much craft lately as my new job of travelling around keeps me busy. However I have worked out that I can take a plastic crochet hook on the plane with me. Security have allowed it as the hook doesn't have a sharp end. So while I have been jet setting I have been crocheting a blanket to add to our CWA collection of blankets to give to the needy. What do you think?

Moving On

Well good old Uncle Ron is coming to live with us so I have to move out of my craft room to make way for his furniture. I didn't realise just how much stuff I have accumulated over the years. It has taken me quite a few goes at trying to work out what's worth keeping and what to throw away. Magazines!! I seem to have zillions of them I hate to part with them but I must. We are going to have a garage sale to try and deplete out stock of things. In the meantime I've managed to store my best stuff inside a tiny wardrobe. I've always wanted to build a fancy new shed for Ang with a workshop for me in the roof cavity. Mmmmm I'll have to look closer into that.

In the meantime I found this lovely clothes protector thingo that I made last year for a CWA competition. So I thought I will show it to everybody. We were short of items to add to our group competition so I ran it up over night using left over scraps and dyed calico. I thought I did a good job. I found the pattern in a Handmade or Homespun magazine.

Today I decided to clean up my craft room. I found Kim's Doll I made for her 4th birthday many years ago. She was all crumpled up and very floppy. So I restrined her using a wide elastic. It took me a while because I had forgotton how to do it. I perservered though and finally got her back together. I fixed her dress up and redone her hair. She looks as good as new don't you thinks?

Knitting

I started knitting. I had some wool stached away to make Jake a cricket vest. But after getting the pattern and equipment he informed me that he wasn't playing cricket anymore. So I decided to make myself a cardigan vest. So far I have done the back. I decided on a cable vest as I think they look pretty cool. What do you think?

Hopfully I'll finish this but I wonder when?

Well I finally finished this wall hanging. It has taken me a couple of years. It was designed by Leanne Beasley and is aptley named "Leanne's House. The quilt is a combination of embroidery and patchwork. I commenced the quilt late 2005 and hoped that I would finish it by 2006. As usual I got the majority of it completed but took my time quilting it. Thankfully I finished it over the Christmas '6 holidays and Ang has hung it up in the family room. It looks quite good there.

In the meantime I have commenced another "Fun" quilt. I started out just wanting to see what my new janome machine could do so I did a panel of a farmr and his wife. I used the blanket stitch on the machine to sew the figures. I was so delighted with the finished product that I continued to enlarge the quilt by adding other panels to it. I got the idea from Australian Homespun magazine. except I added some of my own pictures to reflect what we have on the farm.

I am up to doing the binding but alas holidays are over I do hope I get a chance to complete it sooner than the last one. Not sure where I'm going to hang this one though. Any suggestion?
Can you see Ang's new blue tractor there on the right. With a bit of help from my sister patty and some tricky manovering It came out just right.

Do You like these little munshkins?
I made these twins at a workshop in Warrandyte last year. I called them Bob & Betty. They stand 44 cm high. Betty has red checked bloomers on under her pinafore and her little shoulder bag is made from felt. I blanket stitched around the outside.
I made Bob's hair using calico strips sewn together then fringed. I used wooden star buttons on his overalls.
It was a full days workshop and although I worked fast I was not able to finish them in time. I spent another day adding little bits and peices to give them a finished look.

Well I thought I would commence my blog with this lovely doll I made a few years back. Her legs are wooden but her body is soft. I stapled the body to the frame of the legs. She has a sculptured face. It took me a while to do the face. The doll has not been completed. I have not sewn her arms to her body. They are pinned at the moment. Maybe one day I will finish her.

I have only just commenced my second blog but i need to do some changes on it.