Aussies! Oi!

Great Australians.  Just love 'em.  Where would we be without our well loved marsupials and trees which shed bark instead of leaves?  Without quilting inspiration of course!

And... the clothesline (Hills Hoist) was the perfect place to hang my Aussies! quilt from, with gum tree trunk and dry summer grass in the background, as well as a Blundstone boot peeking out from the bottom of one of the photos.

Every year Chandler's Cottage organises an Australian themed exhibition which is held in the function rooms at the glorious Australian Gardens in Cranbourne.  The theme for the exhibition must be Australian, and I got as Australian as I could with my fabrics and patterns.  

The background and binding fabrics were from Leesa Chandlers designs/fabric range.
The green fabric for the two gum-nut and leaf appliques are from Reece Scannell.
The applique patterns are designs from Susan Matthews and were published in Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine in 1999.  Hmmm, 1999, last century.  Personally I am glad I have kept all of my old magazines, they are so full of ideas and inspiration!

This year, the Australian Exhibition just blew my mind.  It went over two levels and the variety in quilt types, knitted, felted, embroidered and beaded items was sensational.  It was fun, quirky and awe inspiring.

I feel very proud to have taken part in such a fun event.  I am already looking forward to next year.

CCQ - Central Panel - B13

If anyone had asked me as little as 3 years ago if I would contemplate hand-appliqueing a quilt, I would have told them that they were crazy - me? - hand applique? - never!  I was a machine person through and through. 

About 2 years ago, I found myself unable to sit at my sewing machine because I broke some ribs.  I could not use my machine for several weeks until the ribs healed.  In my boredom I did what all bored quilters do - I spent my time searching the web to see what was going on in the quilting world.   That was when I stumbled across the Chester Criswell Quilt.

There was some explaining to do on my part when my local fun group questioned my sanity as I announced I was starting a hand applique quilt, with every intention to complete the entire quilt.  I then promptly asked them to teach me how to hand applique properly, since I didn't really know how to get nice edges on my needle-turn.

Now for some showing off, bragging, or whatever you like to call it - here is the central panel of the Chester Criswell Quilt.  Just finished last night, I have been staring at it a lot, not quite able to believe that I hand stitched it.

Wow!  It's still blowing my mind.

I have completed several other blocks since I started CCQ in Jan 2013 and I'll be showing them off here over the next few months.

CCQ = Chester Criswell Quilt

The pattern for Block 13 of the Chester Criswell Quilt is available from here. 

Whole-cloth Running......

About 2.5 years ago I purchased 3 FQ sized pre-printed whole-cloth panels to make a QAYG table runner with. 

One year ago - oops, upon checking, it was actually Two years ago that I quilted the panels, trimmed them and then set to putting on cover strips over the seams and the binding.  I didn't think about the cover strip size, I just cut it a 2.5in and attached it.  I was so unhappy with the appearance of the cover strips and how they seemed to overtake the quilt, that I put the whole thing aside in disgust.  

Last December, I set to unpicking the cover strips and the partially sewn binding.  Unpicking was all I achieved.  I was determined that during this month of January I would get my runner finished.  I re-cut the cover strips to finish at the same width as the binding and then attached them. 

Detail photo, showing the backing fabric.

I am so happy now with my completed project, that I am wondering why I didn't fix it up sooner.  For such a small project, it seemed to cause me a bit of grief for a while.  

There's no mistaking the wonderful feeling, my first completed or "done-done" project for 2015.  

The completed runner

Stats:     Size - 54in x 18in  (145cm x 45cm)

              Yardage used – 2.25yds (2.0m)

              Quilting – by me on my Domestic Sewing Machine with Rasant Threads

Very excited – I have a new runner for my table to go with the lovely new cloth that I purchased a couple of days ago.

Cobbled Nines

In 2008 I took part in block swaps of 9-patches and cobblestones. It was fun to send off your blocks and receive surprise packages in return.

In 2012, I took part in a class, 'blocks on parade', where the aim is to use up your odd blocks and pieces of fabric.  I found it hard to focus with this particular project at the time due to some other issues going on in the background, which is a shame because the Teacher on the day was nothing short of amazing with how she could put the oddest pieces together and come up with a cohesive quilt.

With everything being made from black and white, I put the three projects together into a zip-lock bag and then added a good dose of of zero inspiration, simply because I could not figure out what to do with them.  

From humble beginnings way back in 2008 and some extras being thrown in from time to time, the "pot" or rather zip-lock bag was shaken up and stirred around the sewing room a few times.  Eventually a quilt top had to come out.

Here is the result of a recent burst of creativity from the percolating zip-lock bag.  The blocks, after breaking the seal on the bag, spilled themselves out over the lounge-room floor and jumped around for a while.  When they settled down, they then demanded I sew them together, to make "Cobbled Nines".

Not quilted, but pieced "Cobbled Nines" quilt top.

Thankfully each of the projects used 6in (finished) blocks, so they all fitted together nice and snug.

The males who reside in this house love it.  The quilting buddies also like it.  And, I found a fantastic fabric for the backing in a red spot sale bin, which is washed and joined ready to go.  

The binding is already made, using left over batik fabric from when I made my knitting bag.

I've chosen a silver metallic thread for the quilting, which I think will work really well.  Using plain grey thread in any shade was just a bit too dull when I laid it/them on the quilt top.

It feels good to put 3 projects together with some extra bits and make one funky quilt out of it all.  

Work Christmas Gifting

At the beginning of 2014, I started working in a secondary school, which was completely new to me, in a role that was so far removed from anything I had ever done previously that I wondered what the heck I was doing at the end of the first week.  I am completely indebted to the person who took a chance on me after I went through the application process. 

After starting the job, I went 'back to school' to get a qualification.  I was thrown completely in the deep end while working and studying at the same time, but with some gentle guidance, I got through.  The team I work with are amazing.  I feel that they all supported me (and each other) 100% and I wanted to make a gift for them so that I could say 'thank you', without commercialism or being over the top.

Here's what they received - hand-stitched cross stitch bookmarks, with Australian Natives on them.

Dampiera, Wattle,Wax Lip Orchid and Isotoma

Grevillea, Flannel Flower, Emu and Rhododendron

Unfortunately, the mental list in my mind missed one person, so she will receive her gift when we start back at school/work after Christmas.  Yes, I did have a sinking feeling moment when I realized my error.

One present I didn't take a photo of is the hand-made bottle opener made from bicycle chain which I gave to the 'cool dude' of the team.  He received a different present because a cross-stitched bookmark for a 21 year old footy player would be a little too weird.

** Patterns for the bookmarks are from Danico Designs, Australia.

Florentine Notes - bragging....

In a moment of thinking 'I can do that'  and really liking the fabric, I decided some time ago to take part in the Rotary Textile Challenge which is run each year at the Tasmanian Craft Fair on the Melbourne Cup Weekend.  The challenge is sponsored by Chandlers Cottage. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail I received yesterday from Chandlers Cottage: "This week I’m excited to let you know we are having the 12 finalists from this year’s Rotary Textile Challenge in the shop – woohoo! These include this year’s winner, Barbara Mellor from Tassie with her sensational Peacock, and our own local VIP customer Andrea Hall with her magnificent Florentine notes."  Leesa Chandler

Photo taken by Andrea Hall To say that I am excited would be an understatement!  I am totally over the moon by this.  It is an absolute honour to have my quilt chosen among the quilts to spend the next 12 months travelling around Australia. I would also like to say Congratulations to the winner - Barbara Mellor - whose incredible peacock quilt can be seen here.  The Rotary Textile Challenge raises awareness (and funds) of the incredible work Rotary Clubs do to support local communities.  So please, click on the links I've provided within the text and support those who support our local communities - volunteers are the most important people around.

Orange and Chocolate

Hmm - who thought this post was going to be about food, with a heading of "Orange and Chocolate"?  I have to say, the idea of orange and chocolate did make me think of orange flavoured chocolate!  Which, by the way, I happen to love, especially when it's made with dark chocolate.... mmmm.... going to raid sweet cupboard now....

Ok - back again.  My orange and chocolate story is about a quilt.  The original pattern only had 9 blocks in the quilt and I wanted to include 12 blocks.  I had started to make this quilt as a help to a friend who was struggling with the 'stack'n'slash' cutting method, so I grabbed some fabrics and cut beside her, taking her through the process; step by step.

The front of the quilt is mostly greens, with a bit of chocolate and lots of nice fresh green.

However, the back is all chocolate and orange... 

... with some teal coloured deer.

There are flowers on the back of the quilt, because when I was cutting out the flowers for the quilt front, I just kept on drawing and fusing and then my flower garden bloomed profusely.  I had to plant those extra flowers somewhere!

One of my friends did ask why I was making this quilt - she really didn't like it before the flowers went on - and my response was, because it makes me happy to be helping another quilter with her cutting and the freshness of the fabrics also made my happy.

The pattern for this quilt is available from Patchworks Unlimited.   Sorry, I don't remember the name of the pattern and it is lost in the mess that is my sewing room.

I have no idea what colour or pattern of fabric to use for binding on this quilt, so any suggestions are welcome.

Ladder Climbing

Bored, I was.  A little bit tired of making Honour Quilt blocks in my marathon session to catch up with the monthly block issues, I procrastinated by looking through some magazines.  While looking for something quick and easy, that I could make in one afternoon, I found the pattern "Garden Ladder" in Australian Quilters Companion, issue 60 (Vol 12 No 2).

In my stash I found the following fabrics:

Three of the Fat Quarters were new fabrics from a retreat purchase - the visiting shop had so many exceptionally nice pieces that I just had to have, and the others were either left overs or un-used from other projects. 

Finishing at 37in x 51.5in (94cm x 131cm), this pattern makes a great baby quilt.  I have chosen a red binding, but it'll be a while until said binding is attached because I have to quilt it first!

Honouring Our Heroes

Over at Kilmore Quilters, one of the Members has set a challenge for the 100 years of Anzacs next year.  She got to thinking during late last year and came up with the "Honour Quilt".

Not to leave any stone un-turned, she has researched soldiers from Kilmore, so each month we receive some block patterns and the history of a local soldier from WW1.  

I had fallen behind with my blocks, but have been working very diligently on the blocks since the September school holidays and am now much closer to being completely up-to-date.

Here is my work so far:

Being part of the Honour Quilt and learning more about WWI history has been an interesting and at times poignant journey as I have started to look at my own ancestors involvement as well.  

The August 2014 issue of National Geographic has an incredible article with photos of the tunnels and trenches in France, which are still there from 1915.  It is well worth a read and to see the pictures sculpted in the walls of the tunnels.  The National Geographic article, combined with what I have learnt so far with the Honour Quilt, have heightened my awareness of what soldiers undergo to ensure we have a peaceful life.

There are plans for all of the quilts to be hung at exhibitions during 2015, including the Kilmore Quilters Quilt Show (Oct 2015).  When I have details of the quilt shows, I'll add them to this blog.

Bali Stars

Star quilt blocks, Bali Batik fabrics, ideas needed for a new class to teach that should not be too large, a baby/lap quilt needed, teach some small piecing, oh you can guess what happened here....

Bali Stars was born, not yet quilted, but the binding is made, the backing sorted and the pattern has been written. 

Where I've had the fun of going to play (oops, I mean work) on a very casual basis, there was a delivery of new batik fabrics.  Oh me, oh my, they were gorgeous!

I have chosen some that were a bit brighter than what I would normally choose, but oh, they are so nice....

This was by far one of my most disorganized quilt classes and preparation ever.  I'm sure the two ladies from the class would agree - in my own words, I was atrocious!  It just reminds me that Quilters are wonderful women who are understanding when family and life events get in the way.  I am eternally grateful for their patience and understanding.

When I have decided upon a quilting design, I'll post a bit more about Bali Stars.  Now, the decision of choosing quilting threads begins!