Quilting Morris

Hi Friends

I recently started quilting Expression of Morris using the QAYG method. That part is working wonderfully. However, my Pfaff Expressions 4 gave me all sorts of bother, again, and I was ready to throw it. Each time I start to quilt, even when used 2 weeks earlier, those settings gave me grief. Whether it be breaking & shredding thread or jumping stitches the frustration of this temperamental machine and just wanting to sew has driven me to tears. I joined a lovely group on FB and asked for help, which I got lots of. Who knew that reducing the needle tension, considerably, was really the key after all. I kind of thought that this expensive clever machine would set itself correctly when choosing the different applications, as in Free Motion Quilting. It was also suggested to use the Spring loaded foot for echo work so I can slow down and this helped too. So lots of trial and error, we are on a roll and back to happy Pfaffing!

Here are the blocks completed so far:

I recently flew to Melbourne for work and captured the Natural Patchwork Landscape from above

Beautiful Canola Fields in our area of regional NSW Australia. It's a yellow that makes you smile on the Inside, even on a not so bright spring day.

This is Bertie (Albert) as I've named him, the resident Magpie at work who lands for breakfast when I arrive. He also gets lunch and sometimes afternoon snack as well. I don't see his wife Rose as much at the moment as she's busy on the nest and Bertie is collecting food for her. She will come in later in the season when they bring their young one to meet me.

 

I bought a removable design wall from Amazon (cost $27AU posted from the US). It has eyelets and is attached to sticky hooks - those ones you can remove without tearing the paint. I've had a bit of a play with Emma Mary, a Judy Newman design, to at sometime get onto joining them and not leaving til all 225 are done!

Angus my Fluffy.

And with Wayne my Love, my ever so sweet and thoughtful Husband, who got me away for the weekend for some time out. Am going through some hard times and we are far from the other side of it.

Wherever you are, I hope you are OK. 

Reach out if you are not, because you are Worthy and it's Ok to not be Ok.. you just don't want to stay there

Heartfelt Love

Linda

XX

Time: Where Art Thou!

Hi All

Just a little post to say hello because its been ages!! My time gets away and it would seem not slowing down anytime soon.

Stitching progress has been slow; but progress none the less.

Eyton Hall has been joined & papers removed. I'm now onto making more hexies for the border section - which will also be all hexagons. Yes I really am doing that!!

Torrington Park the Quiltmania Mystery Quilt by Michelle Yeo has been in the works too, I'm way behind with only 3 blocks completed. We were extremely fortunate to meet Michelle in Sydney.

 

On Sunday I decided it was time to get onto something I'd purchased from Cutting Cloth at the Sydney Quilt Show (our last blog post). Making this beautiful pillow case with crocheted edge; the fabric is divine and the crochet edge the sweetest. How lovely for the Pfaff to get a change from mending!

Cotton Crochet Edge - a new skill for me

Next on the agenda is a couple of little Christmas Stitcheries - I'm trying to gear up to being in the Spirit. Something that has been missing the last few years.

JulieAnn & I are having a sewing weekend in November; managing to go away without leaving town! I can't wait; we'll definitely post an update.

Well that's about it for today; hello from Angus too

Take Care &
Happy Stitching
Love
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

Florence is Finished

 

Something about Florence is on my bed at long last. She is SOOO Big!! A beautiful design by Susan Smith incorporating needle-turn & paper piecing, the borders helped her grow. I had her machine quilted by Sarah Lennon who did an amazing job.   

Stitching the final section of Binding.

Angus "helping" with Irish Circles (next on the agenda for borders to complete)

~Heaven Has A New Angel ~

A Week ago today I farewelled my friend of 29 years. Margaret was the most amazing, loving, inspirational, courageous, brave Woman I have ever known...I believe anyone who had the privilege of meeting her would tell you the same. 12 Years ago Margaret defied the odds surviving breast cancer, battling through treatment & numerous complications - I always said she was a blessing as she wasn't meant to be here. She came back brighter than ever with a zest for life that was infectious. Last year in November, a few days after my 50th Birthday Margaret was given the news she had 30 brain tumours...not just one - 30!! And breast cancer had also returned. Marg knew she wouldn't beat this one - but oh my gosh - she gave it one almighty nudge, cramming as much as physically possible in for much longer than expected. The last month of Margaret's life was spent in Palliative Care - each and every day 24 hours round the clock a group of Margaret's friends (myself included) spent time with her, many of us had never met each other before. She was never alone. We are all connected now forever because of one very special Angel.

A coming together of Friends to light over 400 candles to be given out at Margaret's farewell;

  all lit from her World Peace Candle 

 

~ "I'm going to make everything around me more Beautiful. That will be my Life" ~

Elise de Wolfe

 

Take care Friends

XX

Linda

Happy Pfaffing

Its a very quick hello today as the Blog is not playing nice & won't allow me to upload photo's properly

I've progressed on "Valley Forge" a Karen Styles design from Somerset Patchwork and have it all together only needing a saw-tooth border to complete. Hopefully there will be some free time on the weekend.

Its been fun to get back on the Pfaff; I'm eager to get this finished & finally have a quilt suitable for my boy Sam (he's 23)

Til next time
Happy Stitching & stay warm (or cool, depending where you are in this glorious world)

Linda
XX

Girls' Weekends

Recently JulieAnn and I ventured to Tumut in NSW for a weekend away sewing, relaxing & much needed Reviving of the Soul(s).

Tumut is a lovely little town on the northern foothills of the Snowy Mountains just an hour from me & a little longer for JulieAnn. And didn't we feel it with it snowing not too far away! Lucky for us we were kept warm & cozy in our Cabin at Riverglade Caravan Park; we even got electric blankets on our beds!! The facilities allowed for the cooking of Pumpkin Soup which really hit the spot (LOVE pumpkin soup) & did us for lunch as well. Plus an extra late checkout on Sunday meant more sewing & no rushing. It really was perfection. We are planning (or trying to) for our next getaway hopefully soon.

Our View out to the Tumut River on a Frosty Morning: so serene & peaceful.

Perfect!

 Our hideout; can you feel our sadness as we had to leave??

 And to prove JulieAnn was there & stitching: here are some photos!

 

 
Little Prince (Susan Smith design at Patchwork on Stonleigh) got his Stripes

And YES!! Sitting at her Bernina is JulieAnn

 

Trimming Chapman Quilt - Also a design by Susan Smith

This is such a beautiful quilt - all Hand Pieced!!

Also getting a trim for binding is Something About Florence (Another by Susan Smith)

I also got the machine out & gave the Pfaff a good work out. A new-old project Valley Forge a design by Karen Styles at Somerset Patchwork using Judy Rothermel fabric range Indigo Pewter & Honey. This has been packed away, cut, organised & ready to piece for several years. I'm happy to say it still has the appeal when I first chose the fabrics; my plan is for it to be a Sam Quilt. Since the weekend I'm ready to piece it all together (that will be next show & tell)

 

 

And Because We Can: We Do & We Did!

We are the Quilt & Wine Enthusiasts

 

 

 

Til Next Time

Happy Stitching

 

LG & JA

XX