World cup and a few quilts

Wow how time flies when you’re on holidays. I took four weeks off due to wanting to watch the World Cup in Brasil. The matches have been interesting and the shocks of teams dropping out are made for good watching. Plus while watching the World Cup I’ve had a good reason to try to complete some quilts.

I have just completed all the blocks for Berries and Bluebirds and I am slowly (no true words have been said) doing the boards. I have one border done and I need to now cut and sew on this border. I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I actually even got to show Gail Pan and I think she was very happy.

As it is that time of the year to do Christmas celebrations, I attended Christmas in July run in Albury with Gail Pan by the Christmas Beetle. We were given to items to complete – one a stitchery and the other was an appliqué – all with at Christmas theme. On the Friday, Gail put on a trunk show where we got to see her new fabric range and the story behind it. Oh the range was so lovely. I also brought her new book and had it signed. Hmmm….which designs to do first I wonder.

Michele (from The Christmas Beetle) out did herself again. We all received a lovely made bag containing lots of goods in it – scissors, buttons, cotton thread, and a mini candy by moda. We had lovely soup for lunch and the sweets were delightful. I did have to control myself with spending too much money on fabric.

Also, on the same weekend, was Craft Alive. I went to look and get some ideas and to look at the new products. I came home with a quilting Halo and some fabric. I also had a lesson on how to quilt using a home sewing machine. The tips I got were:-
• Tilt your sewing machine – using door blocks will help with this;
• Relax your hand – it takes the tension out of the shoulders and reduces pain;
• Have the sewing machine foot on your right side – it allows for easy control of the speed of the machine (something I never knew);
• Use a sliding sheet on your machine as it assist with the gliding of the fabric.
• Don’t pull the fabric – let it glide on your glide sheet. This reduces breaking needles.
The end result was an almost finished quilt – just a few more rows to complete. Then add the binding and one quilt finished.

My aim for over this period was to have 2 quilts completed and I have almost done it. I have completed my daughter’s blanket and now need to complete my son’s.

Oh have you seen Lynette Anderson’s new design Sweet Christmas Ornament. It is twelve Christmas ornaments but you can make them into a wall hanging. I’ve decided to do the wall hanging. It looks like a very quick little design done in red thread. Maybe it will be completed by Christmas.

It arrived…..

Enjoying day off work then the following happened:-

Me:- I already got the mail

Child:- I know just thought I’d have a look outside

Me:-  Have you got a parcel for me?

Child:- No

Me:- Yes you do I can hear the wrapping

Child:- No parcel look for yourself.

So I looked and decided to sit on the my chair and start doing some quilting.

Child starts to giggle and says “Maybe if you looked under your quilt you might find something….”

Yes it arrived.  Lynette Anderson’s new mystery quilt called Chateau Hexagon.  I got my quilt from the Little Quilt Store.  I really can’t wait to start.  The colors don’t seem to be like what Lynette would usually do but I think they look lovely.  I purchased it with the fabrics and cottons and I am very happy with the selection.  I think I’ll get the stitchery done first then the appliqueing and I’ll leave the hexagons till last.  Would love to know your thoughts on this quilt and if your doing it how you are finding it.

Chateau Hexagon

Well I few weeks ago I sent an email to Lynette Anderson and got a very helpful response and intern was told that here was going to be another button club.  She had two names and I told her that the latter was much better and I’m glad she decided to use it.  Its called Chateau Hexagon and if you go to Lynette’s page or just press the button on my page for Chateau Hexagon.  I’ve just started to get into hexagons since starting Hugs ‘n’ Kisses projects and just love the paper hexies that you do not have to remove.  They just wash away.  So I signed up with the Little Quilt Store and am counting the days till I get my new project…Oh I just realized that will be about the 5 project I’ve got going now…Gee looks like I’m going to have to manage my time to get them all finished by the end of the year HA HA HA

Just about finished

This quilt has been a little challenging.  I decided to do block 4 after finishing block 2.  After completing block 4, I did the cut up for the fabric – the squares and the boarders.  I then attached the squares onto block 1, 2 and 4 (I noted in the original that block 1 needed 5 squared but really needed 6 down the sides).  Then I connected the first part of block 3 to block 1 then connected block 2.  After that I connected the rest of block 3 to block 3 and 3.  And finally connecting the last block to the others.  Finish with putting on the other parts and almost finished.  Plant a tree on block 3.  Now all that needs to be done is some leaves, apples, a bird house and a couple of flowers and a bird.   Then I have finished the top of the quilt.  I have the backing fabric and have already done the binding – so attach that and do a little quilting and there is a baby’s quilt.

Block Two – A Dog’s Life

Dogs in the park

I’m really happy with the way that this quilt is coming along.  I need an orange for one of the cats and I’m very happy with it. I can’t wait for the quilt to be finished.  As you can see one of the puppies is holding a flag.  After trying to remember what our nations flag looked like  – I couldn’t remember the color set out for the union jack – I’m very happy with the flags.  I found that doing the stars in 1 strand made it easy to show the stars.  Ok this only means I have two my blocks to go – I might be naughty and I might just do block 4 first before I do the third block.  If you love this quilt your can get it from the Little Quilt Shop which is Lynette Anderson shop.  The fabrics are very beautiful but as quilter’s do know we sometimes like to change the fabric – which I have done and I think it works.

Australian Flag

First block done

Ok, I came up with this great idea to do a baby quilt for a friend and I have just finished the first block for this quilt.  It got me thinking, what type of baby blanket would you make for someone.  This one is a dog one and to explain the reason why is simple.  The mother of this baby loves dogs and as part of her job she trains them.  Thus explains the reason for having a dog type blanket.  Unfortunately her dogs are not like Lynette Anderson’s dogs but are as much love as Hugo is.  I brought the kit with most of the fabric, then starting looking for other fabrics.  I brought a marble like orange, Hollyhook white with daisies, and some teal fabric.  I’m now on the second block as this blanket needs to be done and completed soon.  Let me know what you think…..

A Dog’s Life Block 1 featuring Hugo – design by Lynette Anderson

Busy busy

Ok this is the first day of my holidays (yeah!!!!) and I have so much to do.  I’m currently doing a course at university and this starts today.  I have also commenced a number of quilts despite not finishing some already.  But I do have a good reason for starting some of them.  The first one is that this quilt, Lynette Anderson’s A Dog’s Life, is a baby blanket for a friend I know.  Yes a dog design blanket for a baby blanket – crazy but it will be perfect.  I had spotted a new quilt called Welcome to the North Pole and I am doing it with other ladies who are online as a stitch-a-long where we show our work by the last Wednesday of each month.  I’m doing my quilt through Angels in Gumboots and am doing it in applique with a small number of needle turning.  The quilt looks quiet challenging.  If you have this quilt and wish to join in click here to direct you to the site.

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas

Hello everyone I hope you had a happy Christmas and New Year. I spent it with my children. I have almost finished Long Time Ago In Bethleham, had a little problem with finishing Twas the night before Christmas and am slowly catching up with Christmas in Italy and Fernhill which only means I have to get my act together. I am hoping to have Long Time Ago In Bethleham finished over the weekend. I hope you and yours had a wonder time and I’ll catch up again.

The Pudding

Lets face it the best part of christmas besides the presents, the decorations and the christmas dinner is the christmas pudding.  I remember eating christmas pudding and hopping to find the money inside.  Alas, my children don’t enjoy christmas pudding but that does mean I can’t have it all to myself.  Unlike Lynette’s christmas pudding, mine does not have a teddy bear on top.  I can just imagine the custard running down the pudding though.  If you look closely at this pudding you can see a reindeer from one of Lynette’s Christmas Fun range.

Rambling Vine

Slowly I can start to imagine this quilt come together.  I can picture the dell with rambling flowering vine in a spring while the bees float around collecting their pollen to make honey.  I can’t wait to join these blocks together.  I still have some other pieces to add to this quilt – the log cabin blocks and the stash edges.  Angela from Sew Bright Apline Quilt is still working on the suggestings for the other pieces of fabric for this quilt.  It shall be very interesting what she comes up with as what she has done this far is so great.