Time Flies

My Goodness I did not realize how long it has been since I last wrote on my blog. I think sewing is taking over my life but don't tell my family I said that. I seem to have committed myself to lots and lots of Quilt Alongs, Blocks of the Month and Blocks of the week this year which I was thinking about today may not have been a very wise decision as all my unfinished projects (some of which go back a few years) are not getting worked on at all but then I thought well maybe that's a good thing because if I leave them till next year it will be like starting a new project all over again, right? Well it works for me, at least for now, come next year I might be very sorry I haven't been giving them any attention or at least little attention this year. At least after all this time a few progress pictures of my current works of art to show you, I hope when you see them you will understand why I have become so hooked on all these wonderful projects. Enjoy.

My local Quilt Shop (The Blanket Box) is having a Scrappy Quilt of the Month instead of a Block of the Month and this is the quilt for February. I added some Flowers to what would have been a plain center patch because I bought myself a Christmas present this year and it's a "ScanNcut" machine by Brother so I used it to make the flowers and I machine applique them on (first time I have ever done machine applique and I hope to do more of it).

These are the blocks I have been working on for the 3 different fabric versions of the Quilt Along that Michele Foster is running. The first 2 photo's are of the blue scrappy version and the next 2 are a Christmas Quilt, still the same quilt just different fabrics. I have never made myself a Christmas Quilt I suppose because her in Australia we don't really have much call for quilts over Christmas because it is our Summer and too darn hot to put a quilt on but never the less I am making one mainly to use up (hopefully) a lot of Christmas fabric that I have had for way too many years. The last 2 photo's are of my batik fabric version and I have to say is really my favourite. I hope you like them as much as I do.

This is an updated photo of "The Globetrotting" quilt I am doing with Pat Sloan. The picture of the one block was for this month of March.

These are the updated photo's of the "Make a Wish Foundation" of America's Block of the Month and again the block on it's own is for the month of March. But wait theirs more, I just don't have the photo's of them yet so you will have to wait until my next posting for those which I hope doesn't take as long as this one did. Until next time my friends, Happy Quilting. Stay Safe and Happy.

Week 3 Blocks

Well as hot as it has been here I have completed my week 3 of the "Quilt Along" (Delightful Stars). Looking at all the other blocks being done by others on the group, well what can I say, they just all look amazing. Their are just so many talented quilters out there, I feel like I have still got so much to learn. When you see all the different colour versions also I can't help but think goodness I wish I had of thought of that colourway, but of course we can't make all of them, could we? Nah that's just silly, but I tell you what I sure would like to give it a try sometimes. Does that make me crazy. Anyway here are my 3 versions of this weeks block (yes only 3).

I call this one my practice block as I have of a lot of Christmas fabric's that I want to use up and it's a way of also making a Christmas quilt providing the blocks turn out alright if they don't turn out as good as I would like then I will make Christmas table runners or something out of the blocks I do like.

This is the one I refer to as my scrappy quilt which is the original quilt I started to make. I don't know that I should really be calling it a scrappy quilt as I bought all the fabric's to make it with, I'm not relying on using up my scrap fabric's. I really love the fabrics I did buy and I hope I can do them all justice when the quilt is finished (a long way to go yet).

So this is my favorite version of this quilt. I had a lot of Batik fat quarters that I have been holding onto for the just the right quilt and I even had the black background fabric ready to go with them and after I had made my second block with the Christmas and scrappy fabric's I thought well I think this just may be the right quilt to work with my beautiful Batiks so I played catchup with the first 2 blocks and now I have ended up making 3 versions of this quilt which in case I haven't already told you is a Queen size. I don't know but I think I might be just a little bit crazy especially as this is a Block of the WEEK. It's not to late to join this group if you are liking what you have seen of my blocks so far. I promise you would have a lot of fun on this group, we are from all over the world but we chat and joke around and someone is always ready to give assistance if help is required, it's like we all live in the same neighborhood and meet at our Local Quilt Shop. It's fabulous. If you wish to join go to the Quilting Gallery and look for Delightful Stars by Michele Foster, she is an excellent teacher. Well I think that enough from me for today, I will be back next week if not sooner. Happy Sewing and I hope it's comfortable weather where you are.

Quilt Along Block #2

Well it is hard to believe that we are now in the second month of the year "February". Can't say I'm looking forward to going through this month as it is usually our hottest month for our summer even though it is the last month of our summer (Yay). We have had an extremely hot January so I really do dread what this month has in store for us. I can't help but feel sorry for our friends overseas who seem to be having as cold a winter as we are having a hot summer. Go figure. Mother Nature give us a break. Anyway enough of my ranting and raving, whatever the weather it's always good weather to sit and sew, agreed? To be truthful it really doesn't matter to me what the weather is like outside as long as I'm happy and comfortable inside happily sewing away, I'm sure that's how most of us quilters feel. As I have told you previously I am doing the "Quilting Gallery" Quilt A Long with Michele Foster again this year and we are so far up to Block #2. I started off with working on one of these quilts as well as making a Christmas block as a practice block but as I am a glutton for punishment I have now decided to do a total of 3 quilts, besides the Christmas quilt I'm also doing a scrappy but over the last couple of days I have been thinking of also doing this quilt with my beloved Batik fabric's so needless to say this will be my 3rd Quilt of this Quilt A Long. I value any comments you may have on any of the blocks. This is the 2nd block of the scrappy Quilt.

The is the 2nd Christmas Block.

These 2 Blocks are the 1st and 2nd Block of the Batik Quilt which I think out of the 3 versions of this quilt is definitely going to be my favorite. i just love the beautiful colors that can be found in the Batik fabric's. I hope the Blocks I have shown you are appreciated as "eye candy". If you haven't joined in this Quilt Along, come along and join, I promise you won't be sorry. Happy Sewing everyone, stay cool or warm whatever the need may be.

I know Christmas is over but I thought I would share some of the projects I've made for the Festive Season.

What I'm working on.

I have joined in Pat Sloans BOM "Globetrotting" and the first block which is in the center of the quilt is call "Washington DC".

I have also joined the "Make a Wish Foundation" BOM, it's called Wishing.

I'm also working on Michele Foster from the "Quilting Gallery" Block of the Week. I did the quilt along with Michele last year and totally enjoyed it and ended up making 3 of the same quilt as you would see in my last post. Well I have finally got around to making the first block for this years quilt along. I think their is room for improvement in both of these blocks. The Christmas one is a practice block that if it turns out all right I will use in either a smaller quilt or table runner or something and the other is the actual block for this quilt.

I thought I would add a couple of projects that I have worked on in the past.

The sampler quilt was a BOM designed by Zoe Clifton who owns my quilt shop "The Blanket Box" it's a few years ago now since I made it. The next two quilts are 2 of the quilts that I designed myself, I don't have a name for them as I simply don't know what to call them. The last picture is Cathedral Windows, it started to be be a cover for a European size pillow but when if finished putting it together I could not figure out how to put a back on it in order to turn it into a pillow case without ruining the look of the front, so if anyone has any ideas I would be more than grateful. Happy Sewing, make the most of it.

2014 is Going to be a Good, Good year

It has been a long time since I last posted anything on here but hopefully now I may be able to keep in touch with you all a bit more often and keep you updated with projects I am working on as well as projects I have worked on since my last post. I LOVE doing my quilts with the occasional other project thrown in, I have been quilting now for I think about 12 years (It doesn't seem that long, but how time flies when your having fun) and yes I do have a lot of fun making my quilts. One of my Son's said to me awhile ago "Mum, what are you going to do with all these quilts?" and the answer is I don't know. I put so much love into my quilts that they are like my children and I can't give them to just anyone, I need to know that they are going to look after them just as any mother would if she was leaving her children with someone. I have to know that they will be looked after and loved as much as I love them. I thought I would share a few of the quilts that I have made over last year with you, I hope you enjoy them. The three quilts that you can see all look the same pattern, well yes they are, just made in different colorways. I made these quilts in the last half of last year in A Quilt Along with Michele Foster, and seeing all the lovely quilts all the other girls were make I wanted to make them all (as you do, right?). I have quilted the Red/Black/grey quilt and given it to someone special and he was very excited to receive it, and this particular quilt was one I made at the last minute the other 2 I made them together all through the quilt along. By the way, we are about to start another Quilt Along with Michele so if you want to learn a lot of new techniques and have lots of fun as well come along to the Quilting Gallery and join up, I promise you, you will have a lot of fun with all the girls in the group. Just thought you might like to see our baby calves and their Mums, aren't they cute. Well it's bedtime for me. Until next time have a lot of happy hours sewing.

Backing or Quilt?

Well we are in our last month of Winter and I am so looking forward to Spring. It has been a really cold winter this year. Come on sunshine. I have added pictures of my latest quilt. This quilt was actually made as a backing for another quilt which I am unable to show you for the moment as it is still at the quilters. My sewing group that I go to every second Thursday convinced me to make it as a quilt and as I'm not a lover of the colour Brown I'm not sure I have made the right choice, so please make a comment on what you think. Did I do the right thing making it as a quilt or should I have left it as a backing?

And yes we have a few of our inquisitive cattle in the background.