Tulip Fairy!

I opened the parcel and my little heart went 'pitter, patter'!

Introducing an Australian designer, Saffron Craig! I think this piece is so very beautiful!

Teamed with the red and whites on the right, backed with the pretty soft pinks on the left, Thermore batting and I think it will be the yummiest shaggy quilt ever - well, maybe! Oh, I hope I can make a little start tomorrow!

Playing With Binding!

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday - and it just keeps getting better and better!

Here I am about to stitch the binding onto my poor quilt that has been waiting so long for some attention! Some time ago, I was so very fortunate enough to do a bindings class with Narelle Grieve! You will see I have prepared the binding and started sewing leaving maybe a 8/10" tail.

Right around the quilt, I stitched, mitreing the corners. I stopped maybe 8/10" from the end, then I left a lap over - the amount is determined by the width of the binding.

Positioned and stitched across the 45 degree line!

Trimmed to 1/4" and the pressed flat! Give a gentle pull, lay onto the quilt and finish stitching over the remaining few inches.

I guess a lot of you know this method and this is a very brief show and tell, so hope it helps a few along the way - it is the neatest way I know to finish a binding!

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While 'scrounging/caressing' fabrics in my stash this morning, I came across this little assortment above - hmmm, I'm about to redecorate a room for the Littlies - could make a very nice quilt!!!

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My family is preparing Nachos for dinner (made by Angela) - yum, my favourite! - and then we are having a belated Birthday Cake (made by Ben) - this is one of the best Saturdays I have had for a long time!

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Hope yours is a good one, too!

Shopping at Calico & Ivy!

I have been waiting for Calico & Ivy to open after the girls having a break over the the Festive Season!
This is my haul - late Chrissie present from me, to me! I am going to make Kaffe's Icecream Quilt, starting one day soon I hope! I'm fabric collecting and think perhaps I have deviated a little from the gentleness of it all - hope not -we'll just have to get going to see. I seem to have a strong leaning towards Philip Jacob's designs - I believe Kaffe still does the colouring for him! Also, just because I can, I am going to start the gorgeous Hexagon Quilt in Baby Cashmerino,
using the wonderful tutorial by Lucy from Attic24! As you can see I have done a little trial run!


Now to my Blueberry Crush Quilt I made following Bonnie's mystery some time ago! At long last, it is completed and will be donated to a LPG for their raffle at their upcoming exhibition. I would like to think that some of the profits will be donated to Melanoma Awareness and Research - such and insidious disease and so open to us all here with our wonderful sunshine and beaches!
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Check on my sidebar for the OPAM 2010 Challenge being run by two lovely girls, Kris of Tag Along Teddies and Peg of happy in quilting ... It is great to have such lovely girls giving us incentive with our stitching, thanks, both of you! Best wishes for success!
Happy weekend!

Avalon - Part 2

Wow! This Post is picture-heavy, so maybe you will want to skip through quickly - hope so!
Here's what I busied myself with over the weekend - 5 out of 7 blocks appliqued for my vintage baby quilt. It was very relaxing and I am really enjoying making this quilt!

So many of you have been taken with Gloria's Dresden Block - we all were! I have decided to trial a block in Kaffe fabrics - have found my Dresden Wedge and shall have a little play. If I achieve success I hope to be able to share it with those who wish.

Here's a little trio done by Gloria, Raelene and Marilyn!

Not many of us get this far with our hexagons - Janine's gorgeous quilt, so pretty, so feminine!

Kris's bold applique - this block is one of four!

Diane bought this Elvis fabric from a store in the little country town of Toodyay - Avalon is just a few kilometres out of town.

Gorgeous Girl, Smart Girl - Raelene knows how to relax - time out at the retreat!

This is another gem by Raelene - lots of interest was shown in Grandma's Album done in Thirties fabrics!

Another beautiful appliqued quilt by Gloria!

Janet's colourwash/kaleidoscope - what a dazzler!

Here she is, all smiles, showing us a piece of the original fabric, before it was sliced up!

Hope you enjoyed - must move on with real life now - what a shame, lol! I hope you all have a happy week!

A Day at Home!

The last two days have been long days, with lots of driving, so it is nice to have a quiet day at home!

I had a fun a day on Tuesday visiting WAGS group - hello, Pam! - a large group of quilters who welcomed us with open arms. It was a great day, thanks to all you girls and we were given a little insight by Kay into the wonderful missionary work being carried out in orphanages in Cambodia.

Yesterday was a very long bus trip with my local patchwork group. I left home at 8am returning at 6pm, having visited four quilt shops. I was a Good Girl (for a change, LOL!) and bought only two pieces of fabric - the newspaper print on the left (isn't it wonderful?) and a lovely, closely woven Quiltgate fabric, in khaki-green, that will have a multitude of uses (stems for my CWBQ, background for Blessings)!

I ordered the Blessings pattern (top pic) from The Quilted Crow girls in Tasmania - it arrived two days later Express Post, beautifully presented as above, too special to open! It is encouraging to deal with special people like Leonie and Deidre!

I'm off to prepare some sewing - happy weekend!

Can't Find My Scissors!

I am in the middle of a big tidy-up of sewing baskets - I suspect it may be in vain! I have lost/mislaid my favourite scissors - small/medium sized Kai, with lovely sharp points. I am a 'habitual loser', lol! Perhaps they have been thrown out with rubbish? I have bought 3 pairs of different brands since and nothing is like my Kai's!

Not a lot happening sewing-wise - but loads of pics anyhow! My Bride so far - she is slowly evolving! I must get some applique prepared to do this evening.

My new Kaffe FQ's from Hancocks - I've been waiting for ages and I do love them. They cost roughly $2.50 each, which is excellent value for Australia! Also, a piece of French repro by Anna Griffin - just gorgeous, but a pinky red and that is not really what I wanted - never mind! Oh, this came from Reproductions Fabrics - I have been having a little spending spree while the $ is so good! Here bottom right, we have Christine's new patterns - those and top right a gift from her! I really like Rasant thread for piecing and it is up to $13.50 a reel here - not good! So I am thrilled with the threads, thanks, Christine - of course the patterns, too! Left - the latest BOM from Green Tea and Sweet Beans applique, I'll really enjoy this!

Heidi Rose - oh, this is all a bit jumbled because I'm rushing again! We had a lot of fun on Sunday with this little sewing kit, stuffing included and yet to be finished! I would like to come up with something similar for her - any ideas?

Here's a close-up of her Dad's quilt - stolen from me when they came back from England nearly 6 years ago. It is dearly, loved, washed and worn - a real scrappy with quite a story and made in the quilt-as-you-go method.

I certainly try to make utility quilts that will be loved and used and I am so happy to show this dear old thing!

My grandchildren - 2 sets of twins 13 and 5 - how lucky am I? We went for a Sunday lunch at a nearby new hotel at Secret Harbour - it was a gorgeous venue and a gorgeous day!

My little Halloween Girl - looks a real little lady here, but I am not sure about that - love the nearly-black fingernails!

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Back to my scissor-hunt - happy day everyone!