Quilting Circles

Hi Friends
Just a quick progress update to end the month with. I've completed the hand quilting on Irish Circles. I'm so pleased I've stuck with it and can now see this quilt being finished, very soon! I'm currently machine quilting the borders with clamshells.

Irish Circles is a Karen Cunningham design, hand pieced & needleturn Applique

Til next time

Happy Stitching

Linda

xx

Happy Pfaffing No 2

Hello Friends

Hoping you are all keeping safe & well wherever you may be. Due to a very wet winter with much greater rainfall than normal locally & in catchments we have local flooding again. Thankfully, at this stage, it is categorized as minor flooding without loss to houses. My work backs onto the Murrumbidgee River so we watch what is going on very closely. Yesterday afternoon not long after I sat outside for lunch we had an unexpected visitor in the form of a Brown Snake  - a very healthy, very large one, on his way to find dryer ground. We do get them here, its just much earlier than expected!

One good thing about the weather; I managed to sit and sew on the weekend after a happy coffee outing with my Man. To be honest, I couldn't be happier!!

Smile!

 

 Work in Progress; the Pfaff ready to roll.

Two quilts required borders & I was determined they were both going to be "Done".

 Firstly, Valley Forge a Somerset Patchwork design by Karen Styles.
I decided it needed a small border to finish off. This one now needs quilting for my boy.

 

Next onto Irish Circles - a Karen Cunningham Design

 

I started this one about 5-6 years ago, it was packed away (and not in my possession) for quite a lengthy period. This year I finished all the blocks and got it together - with some ME Modifications. I decided not to continue with appliqued borders - I needed it DONE!

I am however somewhat disappointed with the outer border.

After taking the quilt into a shop, choosing a beautiful fabric, allowing the professional shop assistant to measure the quilt & then using her guidance on how much fabric to purchase - not only did I not have enough to miter the corners - but there wasn't even enough for the length.

The only way around it was to join; my hope is quilting will disguise them 

 

Irish Circles

 

 

Hello from Angus; my Fluffy Boy

 

 



JulieAnn & I are counting sleeps, we are heading off to our Tumut hideaway for a weekend of sewing and relaxation. Exciting!! We will update with pictures soon

Sew til next time, happy stitching.
Love
Linda xx

Holidays & Home

Hello Friends
I decided as half the year is about done an update was in order.

Its winter here and while the real icy weather hasn't quite hit we are getting more rain than is normal making the days rather bleak...perfect for quilting if one wasn't at work!

Firstly; I recently holidayed on Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday region of The Great Barrier Reef. I instantly fell in love with this idyllic paradise; Whitehaven Beach is truly magnificent, the water really is that blue and the sand the purest white! I am extremely thankful I enjoyed it above by helicopter and by the sea; with both options being essential on a trip to this region. The weather, the food, the people; everything was perfect.

 

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays

 

 

 

Sunset

 

 

I also made sure I saw the sunrise

 

 

A Room With a View At the ReefView Hotel



Some of the locals

A Dink or Two

 



 Not in time for Cuddles The Wildlife

Park but a very close view: Love our Koala's.

So beautiful to see them "at Home"

 

A Potoroo (so small and very cute)

 

And a 4.5metre (14 feet 7 inches) Saltwater Croc called this Park home

Back at home a few projects closer to completion and underway:

Irish Circles a pattern by Karen Cunningham needs its borders

The centre ring got a personal touch

 

Little Sparrow started many years ago now is back on the agenda; a Susan Smith design



 

 

This is Susan's Quilt; I have a long way to go!

 

Most recently I visited my Granddaughter Miller; she is now 4 months old & the most beautiful little treasure. She fills my heart & her Uncle Sam is pretty smitten too   

Miller 4 Months

With Uncle Sam

And Mim & Uncle Sam

And what would a post be without Angus XXX

A Bunny to Finish: I seem to have a liking for them at the moment; they are breeding :0)

 

Well that's it for now, hopefully next post will have some of JulieAnn's work: we are off on a weekend away stitching. Stay Posted!!

 

Until then

Happy Stitching

Linda xxx



A New Year

Hello Friends

Here we are in February - good grief!! Time to make an update before another month goes by.

Last year I had a couple of finishes which now that they've been gifted I can share.

Firstly, French Mosaic a Karen Cunningham design started in 2012 as Summer School was completed & given to my sister for her 60th Birthday in January. I used predominantly French General fabrics and changed the design layout (slightly). The label is a doiley made by my Grandmother on my dad's side who I never knew, but my sister has fond memories of her so thought she'd appreciate its use on her quilt.

 





The special man in my life has quite a liking to the Confederate Flag. On finding a pattern for making such a thing I ventured into making something completely different. Lots of measuring, cutting, stitching, cutting, stitching & so on. However I was extremely dissapointed & needless to say angry that there was a major error in the pattern which couldn't been rectified as only appeared at end completion.

JA had been talking about making a "Frozen" quilt for her grand-daughter and on a trip away had managed to find a panel & some fabrics. A very good friend's daughter loves Frozen so much I decided to do the same. She was thrilled & wraps herself in it every night, even though in Australia it is Summer!

 

 





                               

Now they are out the way I'm currently working on Something About Florence a design by  Susan Smith. JulieAnn is also making this one, we are both very excited to be attending Susan's workshop in March for The Prince. Nothing beats a new project!!

To finish a picture taken at Southwest Rocks on the northern NSW coast while visiting my sister for her birthday. A beautiful little part of our country not yet over commercialised and hopefully stays that way.

And of course Angus has to have an appearance, this being his Christmas shot.

Til next time, happy stitching

Linda
XX

Sew Excited!!

Hello Friends

It's been quite some time, but I can really say I am excited, esctatic even!!

Tomorrow JulieAnn & I are heading off to Talbingo Mountain Retreat for a long weekend of stitching, relaxation, good times, wine & Friendship with a most lovely group of ladies.

Since my last post I've been progressing along with a couple of projects. They are definitely on the to do list this weekend.

Firstly I got the centre of French Mosaic completed, slightly modified from the original by Karen Cunningham, then attached first border #1. I got stuck with this fabric & ended up ordering something new & of course its another French General. WOW....how long it had been to get "happy mail".

Removing Papers

Centre Stitched

 

An Afternoon at the Machine

First Border & what I had for Final Border

The New Border Fabric

I've also got back to the Convict Challenge quilt - now this was meant to be finished in 2012. I'm very late, but keen for it to grow. My Brown Paper Bag was predonimantly pinks & yellows. I decided on paper piecing, its a design definitely in progress. My inspiration came from Annette Gero's book "The Fabric of Society - Australia's Quilt Heritage from Convict Times to 1960".

 

 

 

 

Sew til next time - very soon, happy stitching. I plan on updating a little more frequently. You can follow me on Instragram; User lmg065.

Love
Linda xx