Machine quilting and practise makes perfect

It was "back to the office" today after 16 days and nights of quilting, and patchwork interrupted occasionally by family get-togethers, parties and Christmas. It was just fantastic to get so much done in good blocks of time, rather than "snatched hours" before heading off to work, or on the weekends. I am trying to be far more disciplined this year (I think I said that in 1976, 1992, and 2004) ... I got quite a few questions about quilting Liz's 21st - I did it all freehand by machine - and yes it took ages but I really have to thank Maxine O'Toole and Kim Bradley for 99% of the inspiration - and I just practised and practised .... and practised. Ten minutes a day using sandwiches - and that's straight from Kim and Maxine ... as the advertisement says, "it won't happen overnight, but it will happen". I am hooked and hope to improve on all the subsequent efforts.

Liz's 21st Quilt

This is something I started in August - and finished on New Year's Eve ... I've named it "Coming of Age" and it holds around 250,000 stitches ... but it was worth every one. I calculated that DD had been on the planet for almost 185,000 hours ... that's one quilted stitch for every hour and then some extras as bonus hugs. It is comprised of individually cut scrap squares that were made into 4 inch 4-patches and then I added about 23 individual 4 inch squares of flowers - the same fabrics had also been included in the scrappy 4-patches. The first border comprises neutral coloured 4 inch squares, predominantly from Judith Baker Montano's Ornamentations range of fabrics, and the outer border is 2 rows of 4 inch squares. It is big enough to cover the top of her KS bed ... or drape a QS (as pictured). When it's flipped, the neutral backing fabric has been so heavily quilted it really looks quite impressive on its own.  I hope the quilt brings her as much joy as it did me making it.

Ceramic Patchwork

I joined thirteen other creative souls and Jo Davies, our teacher, for two and a half days of ceramics at Boonah. We started with a planning session on the previous Tuesday evening, then two full on days over the weekend. It can be a bit daunting surrounded by a so many creative people when you have no idea yourself. After sitting and staring blankly at the prepared board, and armed with a broken jug from my aunt, it all started to fit together. So this is about the jug pouring water back into Warrill Creek, which flows from here through Amberley and on towards Ipswich. The mirror represents the creek, with Cunningham's Gap in the background. It was a great way to spend a couple of days!

Strip piecing goes king sized

Work progresses on Lorraine's quilt. It is always a bit of a thrill to be making something for someone else - and Lorraine's been waiting long enough. There is a batiking workshop in Boonah this weekend - featuring one of our local artists and teachers, Patena Moesker, so I am very keen to get along and have a look. The following weekend I am doing a mosaic weekend - I'm thinking of it as "patch working in ceramics"and I am hoping that getting out there in a different medium will have benefits for how I use and think about fabrics ... if not it will just be a lot of fun!

Raffle quilt winner ... is Mel

The Mothers for Orphans Quilt raffle was drawn just prior to Christmas - and the winner was Mel S (who was very excited and can't wait for winter to come along). Congratulations Mel - it always makes us happy when someone loves and appreciates our efforts. Details can by found on the MFO blogsite at http://www.mothersfororphans.org.au

Strip pieced quilt

It's New Years Eve and blowing a gale. It is just not a good day for wearing a wig. So my resolution for 2008, starting a day early, is to post every week. It's not that there isn't anything to report - I'm doing lots of piecing, patching and quilting .. and enjoying the creativity and freedom that a dedicated workroom / studio brings. It is also called "two-people-living-in-a-four-bedroom-house". I like studio better. 

One of the current projects I am working on is a king-sized quilt for my best friend Lorraine. She has been waiting about 15 years for a "one day I'll make you a quilt". As time has passed, her bed has got bigger and bigger and now it's a king. I'm working from the colour scheme in a fabric she loved, a beautiful piece designed by Judith Baker Montano. Then I pulled out between 50 and 60 related fabrics - complimentary and contrasting - and have made a crazy stripped colourwash in 6 inch squares. The squares are 9-patched, then each 9-patch is to be 9-patched again. I pin them up on the "blue sheet" and then if I need to pack it up for any reason, all the blocks remain in place and can be hung almost anywhere. Whatever works!

Take care and happy stitching.

Alison

Raffle quilt progress

Well the top is completed and ready to travel to Sydney to be machine quilted by Donna. Hopefully it can be finished and back to us by the end of October but there's NO PRESSURE Donna! Can't wait to get it finished and hand it over to Connie and Steve @ MFO.