I’ve quilted my quilt.

After finishing the latest Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.. LUPINE and LAUGHTER it sat in the bag for a while. I booked in to our local quilt shop Lesley Mays to quilt it. They hire out the quilt frame and you can quilt it yourself. 

They load it for you, set it up, fill the bobbins, stitch the ends and you’re ready to go.

I am happily quilting along

And 4 hours later I have my quilt quilted. I chose the Baptist fan design to soften all the straight lines.

This measures 80” square and is made of all scraps.

Now I just have to trim it up and get the binding on.

Oh happy days.

August # 7 CHOOKSHED challenge - quilt my Dalmatian quilt

 My # 7 for this month’s challenge is to quilt my round robin Dalmatian quilt.

I finished this quite some time ago and started it in March 2020.We did a fun round robin where we worked on our own quilt but with monthly themes chosen. It was really fun to do. It has been basted since January 2023.

It’s time to get it quilted.

Linking up over at Deana’s https://dreamworthyquilts.blogspot.com/

Machine quilting.

 I have had my bookcase basted for the whole year.

 I did a swap with the QATW girls for these blocks. It was started in 2019 and the top put together in 2020. It’s about time this one was finished.

I have started quilting it. I am using the Westalee rulers. 

My first attempt was bad. I changed needles, thread, tension and cleaned the machine. I got so frustrated with the thread breaking, fraying and skipped stitches. I could also see the backing thread on the front at repetitive areas. I couldn’t fix it. So it went on the floor. Now, we didn’t go away for Christmas so I picked it up again. Wound a new bobbin and had no issues at all. I am not the best quilter, especially when the top and bottom threads are different colours. But, I will go with how it’s working. This quilt is for me…

Machine quilting ruler class.

 It was the Anzac Day long weekend and I had been busy every day. But I needed to get some prep work done for an upcoming class. First up we had a platter of cheese and crackers, dips and wine…

It was a hard decision figuring out what fabrics I wanted to use. But when I was showing Janice my messy room I picked up a bag of fabrics left over from a quilt I had made. That was what I was going to use…

I needed to make 6 placemats & 1 table runner

And here they are ready for the workshop

Now I just need to cut the wadding and backing

No MOJO - has broken - Catch up - ZOOM - progression - (PHOTO HEAVY) ....grab a drink, you'll need it

WOW, what a couple of months we have had adjusting to changes in restrictions for COVID-19. Into stage 3, out of stage 3, Melbourne in stage 4, back to stage 3. Border lock downs, wearing of masks but the good thing I am happy about is that I still can attend work...

I just want to share with you that it has been 4 years today that we moved to Mildura. 

Hasn't that gone fast.

Now for the catch up.....

Today we had a Zoom party with Chooky where about 20 ladies attended throughout the day.

https://chookyblue.blogspot.com/2020/08/zoom-sewing.html

They were from the USA, Canada, New Zealand all over Australia and others I wasn't present for. While everyone was chatting away I actually did some sewing. Something I haven't done for many weeks.

I was quilting some baby quilts for a friend & as they were small it wasn't too hard.

They measured 2 of 125*150 & 1 of 125*125. 

A while back I sent these QAYG blocks & knitted beanies off to Jan Mac. She supports & donates to many charities. Peter mac hospital, bush fire appeals and many others.

https://sewmanyquiltstoolittletime.blogspot.com/2020/07/still-catching-up.html

 

Then because of all the new Covid cases and restrictions where it is compulsory in Victoria to wear masks work asked me to leave the office and head off down to the manufacturing warehouse and help the machinist with mask making for the day. We needed 200 masks to supply every worker with 2 within 4 days. So of course i helped as well as take some home to make over the weekend.

Then it was time to make masks for my friends and family. I had this underwear elastic that was my mums. It came in very handy as everywhere had sold out so this is what was used. It is actually softer to wear behind the ears than ordinary elastic. I made about 100 masks. I am over them now

 

Next - the other Saturday Chooky had another Zoom party & I stopped by for a very short time.I was still in my pj's and sitting under a warm quilt that I have been hand quilting on. I haven't done any for a while but I did get to do some that afternoon.

I also worked on a crochet and a knitted blanket  

Its time for the baby quilts I quilted today....

Well this one I had already started and just finished today

No.... 1 all quilted ready for my friend to do the binding

quilted with baptist fans

IT STARTED OUT ALL WRONG .. I kept making mistakes and doing the start point on the fans all wrong and this needed to be unpicked.

Overlapping fans are gone and now the stitching is better.

stippled around the stitcheries

No. 2..... Then there was the black & white sheep panel. Echo quilted to look like clouds..

And no. 3 - A simple little squares, Quilted cross hatched diagonally.

So bright & fresh

Lastly, This is where i got up to with all the tea bag strings I had. It measures about 3 feet long.

 As I sit here tonight I have been tying tea bag strings to work more on my scarf. I received some from Sue in the mail. As well as collecting them at work.

https://kiwikidspage.blogspot.com/

This ball measures about the size of a golf ball. Lets see how far it knits.

Okay.. That's it for now.

i have turned on the laptop. Battled with the new Blogger. Attached many photos.

if you have got to this WELL DONE.

Hopefully this post works and stays where it supposed to.

I'm not sure what will happen if I delete the photos from my computer but time will tell. As I cant post on my iPad at the moment it is all a learning curve.

Thanks to everyone for getting this far, checking up on me and especially for the great chats today.

Using up some block swap blocks and a quilting project block

I was looking through some odd boxes I have and came across these blocks I received in the 12" & 6"  block swaps. I asked for autumn colours and maple leaves.
These groups blogs are no longer operating as they are on Facebook. I am not so I don't see what is happening but I wanted to do something with the blocks.
http://quiltingblockswapsaustralia.blogspot.com.au
http://6inchblockswapsaustralia.blogspot.com.au
  This is the centre block that I used. It was a quilt as you go, raw edged applique and machine quilting techniques taught by Helen Godden.... what was I to do with it.. I don't do wall hangings...

Machine quilting class with Helen Godden held at Heathcote Quilters 

https://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/workshop-with-heathcote-quilters.html

So this is what I have come up with so far....

A play with ideas

This is what I have decided on

My friends and I this week

It is so good to have a group of friends that are always there for each other. That's what my Monday group is. We have all been through so much and especially very recently.

4 deaths, parents hospitalised and operations happening to just name a few. There have been many things but we get together each week for some tears, fun, laughter, stories and of course, some sewing. Thank you to my friends for their wonderful support......

Here we are hard at work.

Here is Rhonda hard at work machine quilting this scrap crazy quilt.
It is for a Xmas present.
 But it needs to be finished this week as she is going in for an operation on Friday.
 I dropped in to see her and the binding is nearly all sewn on..

Look at the mess. I have convinced my friends at this group to bring in their scraps. No matter how small and ugly. So every week they add to this bag. They have helped me make many quilts out of it. At first they thought I was crazy but now they have even made quilts themselves at home. They cannot believe what can be done out of what we would normally throw away. PROGRESS.

Look at all these scraps.

Barb finishing a binding on her Pirate quilt for a Xmas present

Joy working away, cutting and sewing together scraps..

 These will be put into an AUSSIE HERO QUILT

Joy battling with crumbs & scraps...

I have a really good friend that has moved interstate. She was working on a grandmas flower garden hexagon quilt... http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/goodnight-irene-flimsy.html.
Well, these were some of the left over hexagons.
The clever ladies from my Monday group designed this up out of the pieces. A member that was has moved away is working on it. She has been quilting it and is nearly finished...

Di's hexagons and Jill's design, applique and quilting.

Jill quilting away

 And then there is the BUBBLE TREE. Remember I started this last year for RSC... Well I didn't get too much done and our group wanted to make a wall hanging for the church we meet in.
So others have been working on it too and now the binding is being stitched.
Isn't it looking great.... Well done girls...

Church of Christ BUBBLE TREE 

And don't forget to sign up with Wendy for FNSI
http://sugarlane-designs.com/2015/11/november-friday-night-sew-sign-ups.html