End of Year Breakup Luncheon

It was another lovely occasion at Ocean International Hotel for sewing friends to share together good food and good fun and good wishes and a fitting end to another year.

Thank you to our president for her hosting and thank goodness she had her little red bell to ring! We hope that broken arm heals quickly, Marilyn.

Thank you to Jan for organising the meal tickets and all the other tickets. Thank you to Julie for the prizes and activities. Thank you to Elaine for the decorations, gifts and sewn prizes - her sewing machine must have been going overtime. Thank you to all the others who helped in any way to make the breakup such a success. 

We have possibly managed to capture everyone in these general photos of the seating arrangements. Maybe any blurring is due movement  and/or excitement and not due to dodgy IPhone photo techniques.

Some of the beautiful table decorations and place setting gifts made by Elaine.

Some lucky winners!  Our "bag lady" Marlena won a bag in the pass the parcel competition. Iris was very pleased to win the raffle. Margaret won the lucky door prize and was relieved to find it was a little notebook and bright fat quarter after being told it was probably some embroidery!

And some of the lucky spot prize winners, Helen, Anne, Kaye, and Cheryl. There seemed to be so many winners but these are all the photos we could find. Congratulations to these ladies and the others we missed photographing.

The annual exchange of fat quarters was again wonderful fun. Florals, geometrics, moderns, orientals, abstracts, from places as diverse as Houston, Adelaide, Dalby and even Mackay - every fabric was unique. Now we have until the first meeting in March to incorporate our present into a project. Hmmmm. We have to actually cut the fabric and not just look at how pretty it is??!!!

And we even had some Show and Tell. Di has just finished quilting these two tops pieced by Margaret from the breast cancer fabric donated by Phillipa. The quilts will be given to Breastscreen for them to use as fundraisers. Margaret said the first one went together like a dream but the second one was a little more contrary. The first has been quilted with butterflies and swirls and the second has large heart shaped leaves winding all over. So appropriate for quilts for Breastscreen.

So this is the end until 2016. Thank you to everyone for a wonderful quilting year. Merry Christmas to all and may all your presents be soft and foldable.

Wednesday 2 December 2015

It was our last meeting in the hall for 2015 and possibly just as well as the fans were spinning at full speed today reminding us that summer in Mackay is not really the time for draping large quantities of fabric over the legs while stitching. And it seems there were quite a few ladies who were at home hiding in their air-conditioned sewing rooms!

Morning Tea today was a preview of Christmas delights with dainty smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches, shortbread, parmesan and thyme cookies with beetroot relish, decadent chocolate and nut brownies, salted caramels and even watermelon Christmas trees among the delicacies to sample. (Yes, those ladies at home in the air-con really missed out!)

A reminder that meetings will resume in the hall on Wednesday 3 February 2016.

Next year will see lessons in a sampler quilt given by Joan. If you need a brush up on basic patchworking techniques, or you have never learnt all the tricky little patchwork hints, or you just want to have a go at a few different blocks, make plans to put this on your New Year resolution list. 

Beth used a layer cake to make this quilt. She quilted it herself using Faye's long arm machine. It is a "hope chest" item for her daughter. 

And this one is for Beth's daughter-in-law. It is made from the coordinating jelly roll to the layer cake above.  Di quilted this one for Beth in a lovely open swirl and dragonfly pattern which you may or may not be able to see in the photo.

Anne has made this from the leftovers of the piece she made from the leftovers of the wedding present table runner.  Even the backing and the wadding has been patched together as she has used every scrap. Waste not want not, Anne!

The Christmas Star BomB (Block Of the Month Bonanza) blocks that came in today. The last BomB for the year.  A simple positive /negative machine applique pattern that has a lot of punch. And learning to draft a 4-point star was all part of the 'extending ourselves' process. These were won by Deane who will no doubt make a very festive table runner from them.

The last Badge Draw of the year was won by a fairly new member, Jan, proving you don't have to be in the club for 5 years before you ever win a badge draw. Among some sewing tool goodies in the prize was the cutest ever little doggie retractable tape measure.

Wednesday 25 November 2015

It is getting close to the end of our patchwork year. We had last month's Bomb blocks, Spinning Wheels, drawn (lucky again Kaye) and had a demonstration in this month's Bomb, Christmas Star. We might yet be all caught up before the end of the year comes around.

Next Wednesday, being the last meeting at the Community Hall for the year, is to include a morning tea of Christmas delicacies. It will be a good opportunity to start the Christmas baking early.

Ladies coming to the Christmas Breakup Luncheon on the 9th December are reminded to bring a fat 1/4 for the gift exchange. Enclose a note with your special fabric choice to explain who is gifting the fabric and where you bought it or why it is special to you. Pop it in a brown paper bag or wrap it if you are feeling fancy.

Brenda found this dramatic pattern on Pinterest and promptly set about drawing up a foundation paper pattern for it. Brenda loves making table runners and says you can never have too many.

Marlena and Phillipa are back from the Houston Quilt Show where they took a workshop in a mystery quilt pattern. Marlena was a bit concerned about where the fabrics she chose were going to end up but is very pleased with the finished quilt top. Phillipa has promised we will see hers sometime next year.

Anne has acquired some UFOs from her good friend Marylou who has passed on. Anne incorpoarated this graphic chenilled piece  into a new cushion cover.

Lesley won the badge draw today . That is twice in one year for her - a new exciting record! The parcel contained some scissors and pins - just what every sewer can always use.

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Seems it was a blue day today with a short blue Show and Tell. We missed all the ladies with embroidery machines at their workshop and hope they are learning lots of new techniques. (Elaine will no doubt have some beautiful finished article by next week.) Small Christmas projects are starting to appear round the tables as the weather gets still warmer and we start to imagine this year might just be the year we finally finish that Christmas hanging!

Jan won these Heartsease bomb blocks February 2014. When Kaye needed a quilt to raffle, Jan said she could finish this one which still needed one row of sashing, borders and quilting. Let's hope Kaye raises heaps of money with it. Kaye has been wearing purple clothes to match her purple hair but is shaving the hair off to raise money for leukemia research. (Wonder what clothes will match when her head is hairless!)

Marilyn was the only machine sewer at the back of the hall today. She was busy sewing multiple tiny scraps of fabric into this pretty border for her medallion quilt.  There are to be many more borders yet, so  it will no doubt be a long term project .  

These Spinning Wheel bomb blocks came in today but as it was a busy week and about 8 more blocks were promised, we are holding off the draw until next week.  2" pink sashing and a 4" border would make a very pretty 40" quilt from these though for a little girl.

Marilyn won the badge draw today of a piece of white on white fabric, some embroidery thread and a small pair of tasselled embroidery snips. It was a little late with the fabric as she had to go and buy a 2m piece to complete last week's bomb. She'll never be short now!

The Sewing Revolution Trunk Show

The Armstrong Beach Embroidery Group organised a 2 day workshop with Kym Goldup-Graham of The Sewing Revolution and invited us to their Trunk Show at the Boomerang Hotel  meeting room.

Although the presentation was designed for machine embroiderers, there was much of interest for patchworkers and quilters and about a dozen of our group were present.

We saw the special rulers designed by Kym and listened to an entertaining explanation of how to use them with many different quilt, cushion and table runner examples being pulled from 3 bulging suitcases.

There was a jelly bean guessing competition where the winner (lucky Helen with 250) won a $50 voucher although we won't mention those who guessed in the region of 623!

Many people took advantage of the discounts offered on rulers and patterns although poor Faye took the ruler she was impressed with home to find she already had the exact same thing unused in a drawer!

It's always good to meet with other crafters and there is always something new to learn. It was a good morning.

If you are interested in seeing the trunk show in photos, or purchasing the rulers, you can visit The Sewing Revolution website at  www.thesewingrevolution.com.au
Or see some of the more recent projects on The Sewing Revolution Facebook page.

Meeting room filled with happy and interested participants

Kym out from behind the table where the details of projects
and demonstration of rulers were projected onto a screen for great vision.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Although summer is being felt, we had a good amount of people come today.  Lovely to see Ellen after her illness.  The monthly raffle was won by Kaye McNamara.  Also Di H. was ecstatic to be told she had won the grand prize in the Queensland Quilters Raffle.  The 'Flower Garden' quilt is a design by Kim McLean.  Congratulations Di.

Queensland Quilters 1st prize - won by Di H.

Margaret L. has very quickly made this very pretty quilt top from donated fabric,  ultimately to be given to the Breast Screen Clinic.

Anne W has been using up some of her left overs again to make this Disappearing Nine Patch Table Runner

Anne's interpretation of the Mystic Mountains Table Runner we did.  She is going to donate it to the Diabetic Assoc for a raffle.

Anne F has finally finished a very old Christmas swag, Will hang in their 'truck' 

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Well it was a perfect day today for a drive out to the country and our meeting at Yakapari Country Crafts. The parking seemed to be in short supply, but there was plenty of room inside and much chatter, and possibly some sewing, was done.

It was a spacious area in the well lit workshop. And it appears that Diana is assisting Julie with something tricky - or they could just be talking. Hope Beth enjoyed her little outing from hospital and that Chris and Karen got her back before the nurses noticed she was missing!

There were  happy and industrious sewers in all directions.

And at the other end of the room, Di just can't believe Helen's story. (The problem with candid photos!)

Robyn was the only person who had brought anything up for Show and Tell. And then she luckily, and deservedly, won the badge draw. This week it was a voucher at Mackay Sewing Centre so she will be able to acquire something for the next project.

This is the March bomb, Topiary Tiles, which Robyn won and has now competed quilting and binding. A very graphic and bold piece of quilting.

Robyn produced this tiny quilt of batik hexagons as a complete surprise, a hand project that she has finally put together, it will fit her sister's table perfectly.

Thanks to the staff at Yakapari Country Crafts who made lovely coffee, served a delicious home-made morning tea and helped us with our craft purchases. We all had a very enjoyable morning.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

The weather is warming! Finishing quilts is slowing down and small pieces of handwork are being taken up. But next week, don't come to the hall because we are going on an outing to The Leap. Should be great fun so bring some money for a real coffee, some handwork to sit and chat and stitch in different surroundings and look forward to admiring (or shopping) all the craft stalls. 

It would have been a very small show and tell today if not for Karen ready to post some quilts away.

This is a  lovely colourful panel Karen pieced into a suitably sized cot quilt and then made her mother hand quilt around all the animals. Great-grandma did a pretty good job and even hand stitched a label.  

Karen made this child's quilt for a friend from a very cute pattern obtained at the Sydney Craft Show earlier this year. It is all hand blanket stitched and machine quilted with a fancy stitch in variegated thread.

Even after Karen finished her Stack and Slash Christmas quilt, she still had a pile of Christmas fabric. So she made this top for a festive tablecloth. But she still has piles of Christmas fabric!

The Nutmeg and Cinnamon pattern by Janice Averill in McCalls Quilting  22/4 was the inspiration for this quilt. It is for the husband's chair and will match the lime green cushions on the lounge. It looks wonderfully graphic in these colours, Joan.

The Badge Draw today was won by Erica who is having a particularly lucky year.

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Another lovely Wednesday with like-minded friends.  Although it is warming up, it is still pleasant in the Bucasia Community Hall.  Every week we have new items for our Show and Tell and this past week we have had great interest in the Bomb (Block Of the Month Bonanza) Arrowhead.  Brenda won this draw and with four more blocks still to come in, we're sure she will quickly turn this into a very attractive quilt.

Robyn N showed us the recent Blankets of Love contributed from Liz, who said, "Only one more and I am returning to South Australia and cooler climes!"  See you next year Liz.

The Badge Draw was won by Faye Cole

This months Bomb blocks  won by Brenda G

Di H has constructed this very attractive quilt from cotton shirts belonging to her husband
and also a quick trip to the Op. Shop.  Some labels were still showing. It is tied together with the shirt buttons 

The reverse of Di's quilt with the left overs.

Joan  made this very pretty table runner from a photo on Pinterest
constructing the pattern herself. What an attractive  mix of colours.

Wednesday 14 October 2015

With the school holidays, travelling, camping and grandchild minding over, there was a good group of sewers today firing with enthusiasm. It was committee meeting day and Bomb demonstration day all in one. Watch next week for all the graphic bomb blocks which can be left as is for a disappearing 4-patch, set on point for a more interesting quilt design or complicated up with bias edges to make an arrowhead quilt.

Margaret has pieced this Charming Hearts design from an AP&Q magazine pattern which gave incorrect cutting instructions. She managed to contact the quilt designer who insisted that her measurements as printed were correct. Margaret was clever enough to work out what to do to complete the quilt and thinks she should maybe be publishing quilt patterns herself! 

Anne W has made this table runner as a wedding present. It is a disappearing 9-patch pattern based on the butterfly, dark green and blue fabrics chosen by the bride to be. The cream fabric on the edges was just too boring so Anne hopes the replaced pink will be appreciated. 

Do we remember Erica's large and complicated Glacier Star quilt shown in May? Well it was inspired from the foundation piecing workshop done 18 months ago. And here is that workshop piece finally finished!

Kay S won the monthly raffle voucher today and is off to the Mackay Sewing Centre for some new fabric. The badge draw was won by Noela who was very pleased with her fabric, variegated aqua thread and shiny new thread snips.

Wednesday 7 October 2015

A great Show and Tell this week.

Linda L brought along a Candlewicked Bedspread made 22 years ago for her daughter.  It was taught to her by Rita H at the St Francis Craft group.

'Gingham Girls' has  hand stitched blocks, beautifully colour coordinated by Robyn Mc and she had it machine quilted by Diana H.

Anne W's little red/black/blue/yellow quilt has a Micky Mouse Print on it.

Marilyn I. has made up this Needleworx Table Runner pattern in the striking Black/White and Red.

Marilyn I. has also competed this Table Runner.  The Dragon Fly Shapes are appliquéd.  It is a Patchwork by the Sea Kit (S.A.)