It was about time this beauty was basted.

 I was in the mood to get this one off the wall and basted.

I needed the backing to be pieced. I used what I had and just sewed strips on, trimmed and sewed again.

Then I ended up with this..

Wow… it’s all basted now ready for quilting. The best part is I know how I want to quilt it. Amazing.

Now with the leftovers I will sew them all together and trim down to 2 1/2” strips, keep joining them again until I have enough for the binding. I am keen to use all these scraps up instead of putting them into the scrap bucket…….

Basting my QATW Bookcase quilt.

 I am on the way to quilting another quilt. I got it out and spray basted it ready for a quilting day.

I chose this small print floral for the backing as it reminds me of old time wallpaper. I think it matches really well.

It is now all basted and ready for me to start. The binding is already cut too.

I am still here.----- NOW FOR QUILTING.

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted...
I have all the excuses as everyone else..
Busy, sick, not motivated, can't be bothered, tired, lazy, cold, tired, etc........
THE LIST GOES ON.
I have been doing little bits of sewing but not a great deal. The knitting and crochet has been on my lap. I'm not a fan of coming home from work in the dark. All I want to do is sit curled up under a quilt. I have been reading blogs and enjoyed what everyone has been doing.
I am home sick at the moment and the knitting needles are clacking away.
I have also joined up with

QUILTING AROUND THE WORLD

and have joined in their bookcase swap. More about that later.
Anyway, back to basting.
Here are just 2 tops that I have ready for quilting. another 6 to go.

I have been very busy basting all the charity quilts that have been made.

8 so far that need quilting. Once done they will be passed on to other members for them to do the bindings.

Well I know that I am going to be very busy getting them quilted.

Basted, now Trim ready for quilting

And here is the rest of the story I forgot to finish from the last post.

Lay the top on and glue the first half.

Then move it all over the table.

Clamp it flat with the clips and finish the other half.

Now the top is on the excess gets chopped away.

Here it is ready for the quilting pile.

I can't manage the basting this way if it is a really big quilt. 

I haven't worked that out yet.

At my old house I had the bigger space and tables.

Mmmm... not here.

My way of Basting, outside and with spray glue..

I have always been part of some groups that had the space to do my basting.

Now I'm working full time that's not possible. I had to find a way to manage.

I do not have much space here to do my basting. As I use spray glue I don't want it in my house.

This is howI manage. My small outdoor table in my Alfresco area.

Lay out the backing over my outside table.

Clamp it with clips and masking tape.

Start spray glueing the wadding on. Making sure to flatten it out and keep it smooth.

What a great sewing place

I have joined a new sewing group. It is great. They meet 2 days a week from 9.30- 4... It is a great time to set up your machine and get something achieved.
This is what I did.... Basted 2 quilts ready for me when I'm in the mood to quilt.

Getting things basted

I have about another 10 quilts to get basted so these days will be well used. They have a great space and plenty of tables that won't interfere with anyone else's sewing space.

Look at this space

Then after they were done I sat and stitched a few Dear Jane blocks. I am now up to date with this months being worked on. They are nearly done too.

G 5

F 1

A 7

SPLENDID SAMPLER CATCH UP ... Blocks 13-18 & bonus...

I managed to have a good day sewing on Wednesday.
My neighbour came over and we got her large quilt basted for hand quilting.
We started it a while ago and there wasn't enough batting. She finally got some more to match and we had time to finish basting.

LOOK AT HER QUILT HERE

Then I kept sewing my Splendid Sampler blocks as she sewed the edges down to prevent fraying...
I continued with my Splendid Sampler blocks on Friday and did the block 18 on Saturday.
I was supposed to go to the quilt show but I woke with a migraine so I took it easy and also prepared for a class I am doing on Sunday.

http://www.sugarlane-designs.com/2016/04/fnsi-sign-ups-for-april.html

My SPLENDID SAMPLER BLOCKS.
I have caught up.. Yippee.
I am using any scraps I can. These oriental fabrics are from a friend that has just finished a lovely bow tie quilt...

Block 13....... Splendid Sampler

Block 14 ....... Splendid Sampler

Block 15... Splendid Sampler... Paper pieced..

Block 18... Splendid Sampler.
Somehow it wanted to go here so I left it.
It was playing nicely in blogger. 

Block 16.... Splendid Sampler

Look at all these pieces to make block 17.
They were cut at 1 1/4" 

Block 17... Splendid Sampler

Somehow I got this extra block...

Basting with a friend

A good old fashioned sewing day.
I moved to Lancefield 16 years ago. My neighbour moved in a year later. We slowly got to know one another and have become very good friends. When she found out I was a patch worker and quilter we even became closer. V dragged out a bag of goodies that were passed down from her grandmother. Lots and lots of HEXIES.... Well I'm not a fan I can tell you.... BUT I did help. I showed V what steps to take to finish a beautiful quilt. They are the traditional EPP.. Of course she is also English. So over the years of travelling to and fro, England to Australia her quilt was finished.


This is a quilt that took 30 years to do by a grandmother and granddaughter.
http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/grandmas-flower-garden-hexagons-go-go.html
That was the easy project.
Then there was something quite out of the blue that stumped me.
V was not a quilter but she had a vision. Started a quilt and had no idea what she was doing.
She showed me what she had done back about 13 years ago. She had very limited fabric. It was done in Chintz... Not really available here that I know of. I hadn't really used it. To me it was for curtains... So the next best thing was to find something similar.. We live in an area with Parrots. So they were added. Well what can I say. We all have our own ideas. Sorry I didn't get any photos of those early stages...BUT we have managed to get it to quilting stage...
It was so big. I am not used to it. 240 cm x 270 cm. Where could we lay it out to piece.
That's where another quilting friend comes into it. Nikki helps out in town at a lot of community things. Even in the CFA. So she asked. YES we can use the large room at the station.
On a day of TOTAL FIRE BAN due to high temperatures, high 30s, and not so good conditions, off we go.
WWOW. WHAT A GREAT SPACE.
Well we got the quilt stitch basted ready for hand quilting.. This will take another few years for V to do.. At least she won't get bored. There were so many tables that it made the job so easy. My back doesn't think so. I am tall and the 3 hours of leaning over doesn't help. But it is done now....
What do you think. Enough of babble and look at the photos...

The orange lifts the design and will be used as the binding too

It is covering 6 tables

 

All these pieces were done using the EPP method and hand drawn.

Look at those parrots. Just like on the bird feeders.

It is designed to go over the pillows and sit at the end of the bed.
 Hang down the sides to cover the mattress 

It is wider than longer but oh so lovely...

NOW THE HAND QUILTING WILL BEGIN... 

After we got it basted, got home and unpacked the sirens went off. There is a large fire burning in the nearby Forrest. About 20 kms away... So far 36 trucks attended in the first 2 hours.. Hope all is under control soon.

THANKYOU NIKKI and the CFA. You do a great job...

FNSI

Go sign up and join in with Wendy and all other like minded sewers. On Friday night grab your sewing and a drink and have some fun.

http://sugarlane-designs.com/2016/01/yep-sign-time-fnsi.html