Hotrod Weekend & Boonah Retreat

I have been quite busy of late with the last two weekends away. I also have a quilting camp on this weekend at Tamborine Mountain while my hubby goes to Tasmania for his niece's wedding so in all March is just flying by for us.
Photo below shows preparations for my placemat for the Beaudesert Quilters Amish Retreat - 25th-28th March.
The quilt camp with my quilting group this past weekend, was most enjoyable. I didn't take anything big to do, just decided as life has been a bit hectic of late, I would try to catch up on some bits and pieces that I am falling behind with. I managed to finish 2 more blocks for the Pinwheel Quilt Along and Block 2 of the Jelly Roll Sampler. I also had to make the challenge project for the camp next weekend. This time it is a placemat to be used at camp. The theme for the camp is Amish based so I have made my placemat using a block pattern called Amish Boxes. I have used tone on tone fabrics in black and blue and am quite pleased with the result. Of course, I left my black cotton at home and so it still has to be quilted and have the binding attached. I did a few other prep things for more pinwheel blocks and stitcheries but will show them later when they are finished. Usually when I go away for camp I have everything cut out ready to go but this was not the case this year so that means by the time I sorted out colours etc, it took a lot longer to get things done. I also helped a couple of other people along the way so by the end of the weekend, I felt I had accomplished quite a bit even though I don't seem to have much to show for it.


Above Pinwheel Blocks.
Below Jelly Roll Sampler Block 2.

The photos below are of our trip to Toowoomba for the High Altitude Rod Run weekend. We always have a great time catching up with our friends and joining in the activities that the Toowoomba hotrodders arrange for the weekend. This time I was asked to ride in our friend's son's car as he had to have a licensed driver with him. He doesn't have his P plates yet but even when he does get them, because the rod has a V8 motor in it, he will have to be accompanied by a fully licensed driver. A bit of a downer for a 17 year old but for safety reasons and with so many of our young people getting killed in road accidents, it probably isn't a bad thing. The car is called a Rat rod and is very basic inside, quite low to the ground and tends to bottom out when you go over bumps in the road. Quite an experience and made me appreciate our roadster which is the yellow one ( it's not quite as bright as it looks in this photo) in the other photo.

On Thursday, we also celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Where have those years gone?

Second post in two days ...........WOW!!

This is just a short post to show my final block of the Bunny Hill BOM from last year. It is the December block. I have 2 charm packs in blue which I am going to cut in 2 1/2 inch squares to sash the blocks. Not sure what I will do after that to finish it, will wait and see what it looks like then decide. Need to purchase blue buttons as well to add to the blocks so a bit of a way to go yet.
I managed to finish my Jelly Roll Sampler block today as well which was no mean feat as I was looking after my grandson who was sick and couldn't go to school. Anyway back to the block. I love the way it turned out. I am using Blush fabric by Basic Grey. Now just have to add the photo to the Flicker group.

I also had time to cut out my next blocks for the Pinwheel Sampler but just couldn't get to stitch them. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Love Is Blocks, Pinwheel Sampler Blocks

Sorry I haven't posted for a while but I've had a few family issues happening. They are still ongoing but last week I found time to get out in my quilting room again and play with some fabrics. Quilting is so relaxing and helps take your mind off things for a while which is just what I needed.
I was able to complete the next block of the Love Is series of stitcheries. The fabric used is Rouenneries and is a beautiful fabric to work with. Block 4 makes up the first row so have stitched the blocks together to get an idea of what it will look like. The next one is available on the 10th of March. They are very quick and easy to complete. I must admit redwork stitchery is one of my favourite things.

I have also finally finished my first 4 pinwheel blocks. I am using Cotton Blossoms fabric by Bonnie and Camille. I had it set aside for another project but as I had some extra pieces of fabric in this range, thought I would use it so I could keep the same secondary fabric for the first 2 blocks. I am quite pleased how they turned out although, I would still like my joins to be better. Maybe by the end of the quilt they will be...... I can always hope. Below are the four blocks :-

Have just printed out the next block pattern so will try and get a start on the next 2 blocks tomorrow. Choosing the fabrics to use in each block is often the hardest part I think. I have to be careful that I don't keep using the same colours.

Another OPAM Finish, Pinwheel Sampler

Here is my second OPAM finish for February. It is another Xmas wall hanging. I have had the stitchery done for quite a while and didn't know how to finish it until I saw a hanging in a Country Threads magazine and adapted it to fit my stitchery. The red Xmas fabric I had in my stash and when I saw the yellow fabric, it all fell into place. I tried to get red star buttons but couldn't find any so looked through my red button jar and came up with these. I am really happy with how it turned out. I have decided that I am going to try and make one Xmas thing each month so by the end of the year, I will have either lots of new decorations for my house or some nice gifts to give away. That sounds like a plan. Hope I can keep to it. I guess time will tell.

PS I Quilt has the first block of her pinwheel sampler quilt up on her website. If you would like to check it out, click on the button on my sidebar.

OPAM Finish, 'Love Is' blocks

MY OPAM finish is my machine mat which I have been working on for some time. I had it almost finished last week but when putting the binding on, I realised I had one of the stitcheries upside down. What a job to fix it, lots of reverse sewing and unpicking but it had to be done otherwise I would see it everytime I used my machine. I sometimes wish I was not so particular about finishing everything off so it won't come apart easily. I'm sure I could have made another mat in the time it took me to unpick it.

Blocks 1-3 Love Is BOM from Paula of Pacific Patchwork.

I must say I am a sucker for redwork and just couldn't resist starting the free BOM called Love Is. The button is on my sidebar. I am using Rouenneries fabric which I purchased from my local quilt shop, Homespun and Beautiful. 2 Stitcheries are provided each month on the 10th and 25th with a total of 24 in all. They are really quick to do and look great, do you agree? I am making my sashing 2 inches to make the quilt a little larger and may add an extra border as well.

A Finish, Something New, Projects on the Go

This project has been sitting unfinished since before Christmas. I really started it a couple of years ago but had put it aside and forgotten about it until looking through my cupboard and there it was. I had to change the year to 2oo9 and I still didn't get it completed. So it is now on my wall near the dining room table until the end of January so I don't feel so guilty about not finishing such a small project in time for Xmas. My first finish for OPAM.

The stitchery above is one I am working on and when completed will be incorporated into a shoulder bag. It is a Hugs & Kisses pattern which I purchased long ago. It will be a gift for a very old friend I have known since primary school. I have painted part of the stitchery using my folk art paints and have added fabric medium so that the colour will be permanent.

The patisserie layer cake, a lovely gift, will be used to make a Pin Wheel Sampler quilt that Rachel will be starting on PS I Quilt shortly. The button and link can be found on my sidebar. A layer cake, 3 yds of co-ordinating plain fabric, backing and binding is all that is needed.

And finally, my new Brother machine which I needed to buy as my old faithful machine, sadly, could not be repaired and had to go to machine heaven where-ever that is. I have had it a number of years and it has been most reliable so I decided to stick with the same brand so I could use all the clip-on feet from my old one including the walking and quarter inch foot. I have found that when the Bernina is on the quilting machine if I don't have another machine to use, I can't do any machine sewing on other projects. Once I start a quilt top, I really don't want to take the machine on and off. Just thought I would let you know that I am still practising and improving slowly I hope. Am going to try out the speed control and maybe the pattern device on the week-end. Wish me luck, I may need it.

Next Tuesday is AUSTRALIA DAY here in AUSTRALIA. Hope all my AUSSIE friends have a great day.

Time to Begin ..........

Here it is the 6th of January already and I have passed my 1st year blogversary by 3 days. It has been such a big learning curve but I have enjoyed every minute of it. I love visiting other quilter's blogs and have found my fellow quilters to be a very generous and helpful lot. If you want to know how to do something, usually you can find another quilter has done a tutorial on it and it is on the net somewhere, just have to search. I have learnt so much, enjoyed being in swaps, loved gathering lots of free patterns and managed to complete 1 BOM and have 2 others almost completed.

This year there are more BOM's on offer. Bunny Hill is doing one called Snowbound, Jenny's of Elephantz is called Bouquet, Cheryl of Willowberry Designs has one called Under the Sea and Flirting with Flowers is by Vicki of Tozz' Corner. Check out the buttons on my sidebar for the links.

Kris from Tagalong Teddies along with Peg of Happy in Quilting is going to host OPAM again this year. This was such a great encouragement to me last year to get some of my UFO's finished, that I am going to join again this year and hopefully keep the momentum going. As I look at other blogs tonight, I can see that most of my blogging friends are already showing completed projects for this year so I have decided it is time to leave the holiday mode behind and take up my needle and thread and begin for 2010.