Wednesday 27 May 2015

Another beautiful day in paradise and another very small group of quilters at our meeting. But there were some lovely quilts to see up close and personal today, and some delicious chocolate cake with ginger on the top and a fun little truck block to sew for the monthly Bomb. And Anne is leaving for the Sunshine Coast and Jan is leaving for the Territory and Heather is on her way to the Shetland Isles. Hoping some other travellers return home soon (Who knows where Elizabeth has got to?) and are able to get back to quilting again.

Here is the little "Name the Doggie" stuffed toy for the Greenmount exhibition.
Thank you to Julie who normally loves making stuffed animals, especially dogs, but ended up sewing this one together with 9 stitches in her hand. Ouch.
We appreciate your efforts Julie and are sure this little guy will attract some attention on Sunday.
Can you see the cute little bone he is chewing underneath that ribbon?

A simple wagga made in the style of the suiting sample waggas for the wagga display at Greenmount.

A representation of the very first waggas made from hessian chaff bags. This one is a little thin for warmth, but they were supposed to be stuffed with straw, newspapers, kapok or rags.

Marlena made this Urban Pods quilt to test a new Quick Curve Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful. Check out the website for more inspiration but it looks pretty fun! Marlena assures us it is impossible to be inaccurate as each block is squared up perfectly with the ruler to match the next block.

Here is the quilt we mentioned last week from Brenda. Called Green Retreat because she started it at last year's quilt retreat with a green jelly roll. Beautifully quilted by Toni Trott at Only Quilting in Brisbane.

Erica did last year's Patchwork Paradise workshop and although she still hasn't completed the workshop piece, she did buy this Judy Niemeyer pattern after getting bitten with the foundation piecing bug.  Glacier Star is one stunning quilt! Erica sent it to Quick Quilt at Tiaro to be quilted.

Josh's Pinwheel Quilt in bright colours for Margaret's grandson. She machine quilted the sashes but hand quilted the blocks. Hand quilting always gives a beautiful softness to a quilt. The binding fabric is also the backing and it is delightfully bright!

Today's Badge Draw was won by Carol.

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Mackay in May is just glorious weather. Maybe why there were only 25 or so to sit and sew today. Everyone else was out exploring while the weather suits exploring! A good chance to move around and catch up with what everyone was doing. It was good to see Linda W back with block 4 of her hand appliqued quilt. Anne and Rita are working on gorgeous embroidered table runners with hundreds of lazy daisies for the cherry blossom on the trees. Fay was hand quilting a dainty pink quilt for a new baby named Molly. (The old fashioned names are really having a comeback.) And Brenda was binding a lovely green quilt started at last year's retreat. Photo soon no doubt.

Karen collected some fabric on last year's trip to Alaska. And here it all is in a completely hand sewn and reversible quilted runner. What a beautiful memory of the Northern Lights.

Karen also made this cot panel into a lovely quilt for a friend's daughter. Karen embroidered cute little animals all around the border and even hand quilted the centre. The backing is some of the cutest little puppy fabric ever seen. Hope the baby loves all the animals.

Linda L made this pretty little pastel raggy quilt for a great niece. We like the idea that you don't have to bind these raggy quilts.

Joan had a bit of a cupboard clean and found the pattern for this quilt and decided it was time it should be made. Joan is not usually a "Christmas sewing" quilter. Nor does she usually machine quilt so closely. So something a bit different to her usual style but a great accomplishment and a very festive quilt. Happy Christmas in May!

The blocks from last week's Bomb together for a recycled wagga. We do love old scrappy quilts and we think we've managed a pretty good replica here. It is attached to an old, stained and moth eaten cream blanket Lesley found which either belonged to her mother or someone's grandmother. It has a  recycled colourful lease of life now.

There was a whole new bag of prizes today after Helen had a shopping excursion in Rockhampton after last week's workshop. Today's lucky winner was Karen.

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Not quite as many in attendance this Wednesday as we had at the Biggest Morning Tea, but if we had beaten last week, it wouldn't have been the biggest would it? Good to see the two Heathers back after a while, Deane returned from a quick trip to Adelaide and Iris has returned too, bringing those lovely pumpkin scones of hers. Welcome back ladies.

It was Committee Meeting and In-House Demo Day. 

Brenda brought her machine and lots of little squares to show how to match seams perfectly with fork pins. It was amazing that so many had never seen fork pins, or had bought them once and never used them. Thanks for illuminating us all to the advantages of fork pins Brenda.

April's Bomb blocks of Log Cabin Chevron were collected. There was no draw this month as Lesley and Jan are putting them together to show how recycled fabrics can make a colourful and thrifty wagga. (You'll have to go to the Greenmount Fair to see the finished wagga on display.)

Beth had two quilts finished for friends from a jelly roll pattern called Square Dance. Beth just used her fabric scraps though. One had a polar fleece backing and was quite heavy and cuddly. The other was more suited to the tropics.

Beth also finished this little cot panel for her sister-in-law's first grandchild. You've got to love Pooh and Piglet and Tigger.

Joan made this lovely dragonfly table runner as she was out of projects and needed something to do.

One of those embroidery projects from a couple of weeks ago has been finished.
Marlena is ready for Christmas.

And Elizabeth is so proud of finishing this for grandson Xavier's bedroom before he goes to school. (The projects were getting smaller and smaller!)

Brenda has made this bright and colourful pinwheel quilt with the tricky laced boxes.

Jan has completed a wagga for our Greenmount display. Made in true wagga fashion using whatever fabric and orphan blocks were found in the cupboard and sewing without thinking. It has a very old flannelette sheet as backing and is tied with brown thread.

Our charity quilt back from the quilters. Can't see the quilting in a photo like this, but it has large gum leaves and nuts all over it which really fits the "Home Among the Gum Tree" theme. Many thanks to Marcie from Marcie's Quilting Service in Townsville who did the quilting without charge for us. And thanks to Heather for bringing it back from Townsville for us. Just binding and label to go now!

Heather C won the monthly raffle and Iris won the badge draw.

Wednesday 6 May 2015

A beautiful May morning arrived for us to celebrate our Daffodil High Tea and raise some funds for the Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea. Maybe not our biggest morning tea ever, but it was quite big. We had to quickly set up a spare table in case anyone else arrived as all tables were squeezed full. There was much fun and laughter and much fine food and much tea and coffee had in much fine china. A really lovely morning and $238 raised. Well done ladies!

Yes, some ladies got their daffodil colours confused. Obviously, yellow is just not their colour. Although we almost had to bring out the sunglasses for some of the yellow blouses!

Our president in her fashionably retro apron advising Carol on which delicacy she should try first. What a fancy laden delicious table. (Jean's rose apple pies were to die for!)

The Daffodil  Apron Brigade dancing along to the Beach Boys "California Girls". (Who were they kidding?) Marlena just loves making aprons. Obviously. And Phillipa  practised on her new embroidery machine making the embroidered daffodil pockets. Cute look girls!

Certainly drew attention from some more sedate members anyway.

Anne won the prize for best apron with a hand embroidered old fashioned apron. 

Beautifully worked  Anne.

Elizabeth won the Craft Trivia Questions. We all knew what cross stitch fabric is called but how many knew what repoussage and gutta were? And which family member has a crochet piece named after them anyway?

Lesley won the Guess the School Girl Competition correctly identifying 11 of the 18 little girl photos. Poor Doreen didn't get many right. In fact she couldn't even identify herself!

5 people managed to correctly identify some of  Marlena's antique sewing implements so 2 winning names were drawn out of a hat. Congratulations (and a little prize) went to Jan and Brenda.

The daffodil challenge blocks. Enough for a bright and cheery little daffodil quilt.

Elizabeth (6) was voted most popular viewer choice for her daffodil challenge block in a tightly contested competition with Brenda (14) and Margaret (18).

And Karen's Mum Anne, visiting for the morning, won the Badge Draw.

And then we had some Show & Tell as well.

Elaine has spent two years finishing a quilt for her sister's birthday. Sister loves purple and orchids so the quilt will be perfect. The framed orchid blocks are machine embroidered and the alternate blocks are machine couched over orchid outlines Elaine drew. And she machine quilted it herself. Beautiful work Elaine. 

These two quilts are going to Karen's grandsons, who happen also to be Anne's great grandsons, of course. Karen prepared the blocks and Anne crocheted them together. What fun little quilts for little boys to drag around after them.

Lynn will put the binding on this little quilt before she heads to Toowomba to visit the grandbaby. Lynn machine appliqued those cute animals and, of course, hand quilted it. We're sure Archer will love his quilt.

Another Australiana gift Anne has made to distribute to people hosting her on her trip to the US. She is going to have so much spare space in her luggage when all the gifts are given away that she will have to buy lots of fabric to bring home!