Monday, July 28, 2014

First Quilt



                                                 Hi there friends, followers & readers! 

            Today the quilt I am featuring is Donna's first & I think you will agree is beautiful!!


Taken here in dappled light, measuring 84" square, Matilda's Own 60% cotton 40% poly batting, throughout I used a ecru Maderia poly neon thread.


Donna asked me to follow her stitched lines on the petals & leaves, then quilting a stipple for the background of the flowers, which will 'rag & soften up' as washed.
The pattern is called: "French Roses" by Heather French.


After ditch stitching the borders, next came the pieced first border. Donna really liked the double orange peel I sometimes quilt on smaller pieced squares.
When Donna came to for a consultation, I showed her several samples of border ideas. What really rang true for her was the trapunto border I had on this quilt.  This technique takes a fair amount of time, which of course costs more. So I suggested some alternatives which would give similar results.


An echo of the feather, then a medium sized stipple gives a similar look, without hurting your wallet too much! Two layers of batting would have also helped, but again it is an added cost.



Here again in different lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .





This is one beautiful romantic quilt. And. . . . . . . .pretty darn good for a first quilt! Thank you Donna & enjoy!




Sunday, July 27, 2014

Cats & 'Loose Change'


My sweet customer Lois went on the Craft Fair at Sea Cruise with Lynette Anderson, Michelle Marvig & Sarah Fielke. The class Lois did with Sarah was the following quilt.


Lois is a huge cat lover & is fondly known as 'The Cat Lady'. So most quilts Lois makes has either cat themed fabric or she asks me to quilt cats. This quilt has both!!!
 I bought the cat stencil from Ngaire at Kiwiquilts. Incidentally I met Ngaire at the show in Auckland last weekend, she is just lovely!


For all the quilting I used a black/grey variegated Gunold thread & worked the stencil so that it was a continuous design. Through the middle of the quilt, I stitched straight lines 1/4" either side of the seams. The batting Lois chose was Bamboo. The quilt is 82" square.


                                   I free hand quilted the odd "meow" & "purr" here & there.



Now for the back, a lovely soft flannelette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .


With cats on . . . . . . . of course!!! Enjoy Lois!

Next is a quilt, called "Loose Change" made as a shop sample for the shop, remember my sewing day? Over here, well here is my finished quilt.


This will be a class available, using some new fun rulers & books Kerryn bought back from spring market in America. Class coming in September, see here for more details.

I used Aurifil's Poly filament variegated thread top & bottom in a lovely rust/orange colour. Simple cross hatching through the blocks, the a curved/pointed wave on the border, over Matlida's own Wool/poly batting.



Do you fancy my label? A vintage doiley, using a black pigma pen to write the quilts own little blurb!




 I am pretty happy with this quilt & of course I have used my all time favourite fabric : Kansas Troubles.


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Pluses





One of many pluses.
  Leonie's second born daughter Heidi loves Zebra's & Orange, so for her fifth birthday Leonie made her a quilt that she loves!
Leonie asked for all over loops & the odd 'Heidi' worked into the background of the pluses. I used a Gunold variegated thread. For the pluses Leonie wanted echo's in the pluses with straight lines, again I used the same thread. Warm & natural 100% cotton was Leonie's pick for batting.



A fun, funky, fresh quilt for an Orange loving girl, that will see her through many years of snuggling.



I couldn't not show you the back, as the back has nearly as much sewing as the front! Many seams & lots of care & love.


One HUGE plus on the back!!! Look at the corner........................................



Raw edge appliqued "H*E*I*D*I" label on the back of the quilt, how cool is that!!!
What was a special treat was I got to meet Leonie & Heidi, as they came to the quilt show to pick up the quilt. I just love meeting my customers. Because I have customers all over New Zealand, I sometimes don't get to meet them in person.
You may remember the quilt Leonie made for her eldest daughter that I quilted, see here.


Speaking of pluses, I got into the garden this morning to do some pruning. The last of my roses, hydrangea & wisteria. I was wondering what I was going to do with all the cuttings, then the squirrel in me jumped up & said to save them all for kindling for next year. So that's what I did, little piles ready to be put into old banana boxes & stored away to dry.


After some pruning in one garden I found a wonderful volcanic rock, just sitting there waiting to be discovered! Who else likes these lovely rocks in their gardens?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

quilt show part two




Such a bummer, that the lighting was yellowy, as this quilt was lovely. Made from men's silk ties, pretty quilting too!
The next one is for the boys, bright fun with lots happening.



How about this Double Wedding Ring! What a spin on a very traditional quilt, some young pink loving bride would love this.



                     This one was made with 365 hand blanket stitched hearts. A bit of Love every day.




                         
                                         Last but not least............................................




Monday, July 21, 2014

quilt show




Setting up for the show was fun! We had a wonderful bunch of ladies welcoming us in. We took some of our BOM's, kits, patterns, fabric bundles, wool felt & some fun sewing paraphernalia that Kerryn bought back from Spring market in America.
Big apologies for the yellowy photo's, it was the lighting in the hall.



The swarms of ladies keen to see our goodies! They were a great bunch of ladies who loved our wares.



                                 Our fabric bundles sold like hot cakes! As did some of our BOM's!




Our basket of wool felt looked a bit flat when we packed up, as so many were purchased.
After setting up Kerryn & I took turns to pop next door to a vintage shop for a wee look around.



A lovely little old church brimming with vintage & retro china, linen & other yummies! I came home with a little blue & white china plate & a stack of magazines.


A view from the stage looking own over the hanging quilts. Despite the cold dismal day, there were plenty of people out & about.



I really fancied this quilt in browns & duck egg blues. The maker had stitched in the ditch on her machine, then stitched designs by hand using running stitch in a lovely chunky deep duck egg blue thread as well some areas simply tied.


I loved this string quilt too, made from men's shirts. It reminded me of the one I made my niece a few years ago see here.
Back soon to share more with you, until then keep warm & dry!