Wednesday 6 November 2017 - Breakup Luncheon

This morning saw 28 ladies gather in their Christmas finery and bling to enjoy some breakup shenagigans and a meal together. Our room had been decorated with bright placemats and silver Christmas runners and even little silver wrapped presents down the middle of the tables.

Conversation was calmed as everyone tried to unscramble the Christmas word scramble, find the words in the quilting wordsearch and match words to the letters of Merry Christmas. Joan eventually won the word scramble, Marion got the prize for finding all the quilting words and Cheryl won the alliterated words. Brenda declared that the words must be exactly the same as she had on her list and in the correct order. Although when someone wanted to know if  'yule" would count instead of 'yuletide' she was very lenient in allowing a half point! Robyn thought that she should get a point for her 'C' answer of cocktails, chocolate, custard and cream but Brenda was not that lenient. As soon as the answers were given, Kaye calls out that she has won unless anyone could beat 1 1/2. Somehow, Cheryl managed 9 1/2!

There was a competition to guess the length of a stitched selvedge. Flo got very close with 40 feet but was disqualified because it had to be in metric. Although we work in imperial, we do have to buy fabric in metres. Elaine and Liz were the closest to 11.472m but Elaine is better at guessing numbers and won the prize.

There were 4 lucky spot prizes of little sewing knick-knacks and these were won by Robyn, Marion, Brenda and Di. What a coincidence that Di and Brenda who had done so much to organise the function both ended up with prizes! (No, the staff secretly placed the spots so they actually didn't know where to sit!)

When it came time to draw the raffle Diana instructed Flo to pull out her ticket or she wouldn't drive her home. So Flo did just that! Diana won a lovely tin full of colourful batik fabrics. We thought Diana should pull out her mother's ticket for second prize, but it was Kaye, sitting on the other side of Diana. Second prize was a pincushion and thread catcher with some fabric lollies all made by Brenda. Not sure why there were no photos of the raffle prizes. Maybe the lucky winners zipped them out of sight very quickly so no one would make off with them!

 The happy gathering at the Souths Suburban Bowls Club for the Breakup Lunch

 What was in the gifts used as table decorations. Everyone got a zippered bag or pincushions. That is really what you call a lucky door prize! Everyone is lucky.

 The results of the Fat Quarter Swap. As usual, everyone was thrilled with their beautiful fabric. Wherever does it all come from? Everywhere from Brisbane and the Gold Coast to Melbourne and even our local Needleworx.

And we even had some Show and Tell today. Elaine just finished this wallhanging this morning from a kit she bought at the Brisbane Craft Show. The angel and each ornament has a light glowing behind it. Wonderful quilting and technology. What next?

And so ends another patchwork year. Thank you to all who celebrated it today. (Sorry Vera and Deane that you were otherwise detained. Best wishes to you both.) Thanks to President Delma for her work for the club and her boundless energy and enthusiasm. Thanks to Brenda and Di for all the wonderful surprises and fun organised for today. 

And here are a couple of snippets from the Fat Quarter Swap.

QUILTERS NEVER GROW OLD, THEY JUST FALL TO PIECES

and

We are actually NOT stopping sewing this year. Bring your quilting, handwork or machine, to the Women's Centre every Wednesday and we will join with the craft group there in the air conditioning.

Saturday sewing will continue on the second Saturday of the month at the Women's Centre.

Meetings at Northern Beaches Community Hall will resume Wednesday 7 February 2018.

And here is the very last apology for sub-standard photography. The Blogsperson does not know why she can't take an in focus photo in a large room. But no longer an issue. The position of Blogsperson and Camera Operator is now up for grabs. Please volunteer to Delma or this is the last Blog Post ever. Thanks for reading it for the past three years.

Wednesday 29 November 2017

Today was the last morning of meeting at the Northern Beaches Community Hall for this year. Meetings will resume here on Wednesday 7 February 2018.

Next Wednesday is our Breakup Function at the Souths Surburban Bowls Club, Wardrop Street, at 11:30am. If you haven't put your name down and would like to come, Friday is the final date for numbers. Ring Delma or Di to book a seat.

There was not a heap of completed Show and Tell items today but they will be gone as presents before the next Show and Tell session. Doreen won the Badge Draw and took the very last voucher home.

Cathy brought in some delicious (and slightly potent) rum balls for morning tea today. Guess it must be Christmas soon.

 Cathy's daughter Jenny made the black and white blocks for this quilt and Cathy added the red applique flowers. It is a present for Jenny's mother-in-law. Cathy may do some feature quilting around the flowers with embroidery thread depending on how many other jobs she has before Christmas. Di quilted it with a grey/black variegated thread which really shines on that black border.

 Another little snuggle boy quilt to go to the Women's Centre, hand pieced and quilted by Liz. (Don't you just love the cute way Delma hides behind the quilt so she won't get in the photo?)

 Liz has had a busy sewing week with this charity quilt made from fabric pieces a friend had left-over after sewing for small children. Teddies and Paddingtons and frogs and bees. The fabrics are just adorable.

 Joan went to Brisbane and visited a friend and came home with the directions of how to make a 15 minute tablerunner. Although Charmaine says it actually takes 22 minutes if you do it properly. And apparently the one made from a panel took slightly longer again!

 This is Heather's last quilt for the last granddaughter. The girls were all fussy-cut from one piece of fabric. Di has quilted it with hearts.

 And the background of Heather's quilt uses up all her 'girly' fabrics. Isn't it just fun?

The November BomB (Block Of the Month Bonanza) is always a Christmas pattern. We don't know why because no one in Mackay ever uses a quilt at Christmas time. These Christmas Tree Slash-It blocks are pretty cute though. They are going to the next Saturday Sewing where there will be some brainstorming about what to do with them. Possibly Christmas Table runners?

We never did mention the results of the 2017 Coastal Threads Art Prize that Di entered this year. This is Di's entry called Hidden Treasures.

You can find all entries and the winners here
 http://www.textileartworkshopsonline.com/coastal-threads-art-prize-quilts/
(Please contact me if you work out the judging criteria!)
The 2018 entry form for the topic "Coastal Fringe" is below this year's entries.

Wednesday 22 November 2017

A few showers today to make it awesome sewing weather. Elaine was selling items for an old friend clearing her sewing room and there were some happy shoppers with everything from fabric to wood burners to gollywog patterns. Di has been left with the Badge Draw organisation with Helen off to Asia and couldn't find the winning ticket owner today. Turned out it was Di herself.

Only one more week at the hall for Show and Tell so everyone had better get those last stitches in their projects or they won't be seen until 2018! Just where has this year gone?

 Di asked a little girl what her favourite colour was. She will love this quilt - as long as she knows her colours and pink really is her favourite! Flo has used this pattern before and it certainly makes a very effective I-Spy quilt.

 Delma found this pattern in a magazine last week and thought that the embroidery would make a cute little Christmas hanging. And here it is finished and bound this week. Well done Delma.

 Delma made this quilt for Rachel who has been particularly kind to her son during his recent illness.  Delma didn't need a pattern but worked it out from a picture in a magazine. Each flower is made by sewing tiny snowballs onto four squares.

 And Delma is very proud to have completely quilted a whole quilt with her Westalee rulers. (The photographer apologises for not taking a close-up picture.)

 Di has quilted this enormous quilt for her friend Pamela who has an extremely large antique bed. Pamela is mad about dragonflies and Di painted the centre panel to match a picture Pamela has. Pamela made the quilt to fit the bed, but Di did some rearranging of the blocks and borders before she was happy enough to quilt it - with dragonflies, of course.

Barbro has finally got to make up a pattern of Jan's that she had admired. The background and the backing fabrics are new, but the little maze shapes are all from scraps in Barbro's colourful stash.

 Two of our BomB quilts made from Japanese fabrics from Heather's stash. Named Simply Delighful and Japanese Crosses,  they are all quilted, labelled and bound now. We are so pleased with how these turned out, we are considering using them as raffle quilts next year.

 Back of Simply Delighful showing label and Di's Clamshell quilting which really matches the Japanese theme.

Back of Japanese Crosses with a large cross for the backing from the fabric remnants.

Vera's wrist pincushion. Designed and made herself to not only be useful but to also show that it is always time to sew!

The last BomB (Block Of the Month Bonanza) for the year. Called Christmas Tree Slash-It, two squares are stacked and slashed twice and the centre triangles exchanged. Wonder how many cute little naive trees we will have to make our last charity quilt from Heather's fabrics.
(Yes, the BomB Lady has resigned, going on indefinite leave travelling next year. BomB Lady position vacant. See Delma if interested.)

Wednesday 15 November 2017

What lovely happy chatter and laughter emanated from the hall today with a much larger crowd of ladies than has been usual of late. And there were at least 4 ladies stitching down bindings so some people are getting projects finished! And there were also things to be learned today with Di demonstrating how to blanket stitch upside down for smooth corners and no raw edges. Don't worry if you missed it, she has promised to demonstrate again.

Elaine declared she never wins the Badge Draw and so her number was pulled out today. (Although Diana says that every week and it hasn't worked for her yet!)

Despite checking the camera battery last week and seeing it still more than 1/4 full, the camera declared it was exhausted today (Aren't we all?) and refused to work. So dodgy iPhone photographs yet again.

 Kaye has finished quilting her Friendship Braid that she pieced before her last holiday. Such a happy scrappy quilt. She had lots of scraps over, but with no quilter offering to tackle a similar quilt, she gave the rest of the scraps away.

 Another finished quilt for Kaye. The I-Spy fabrics just stand out so well with their weaving black borders. These two quilts will go to the Women's Shelter.

 Our other Kay started this baby quilt with multicoloured ducks not knowing the sex of the baby it was being made for. Baby came before the quilt was finished and it is a girl. But the mother is sure to appreciate this darling quilt even if it's not pink. 

The instructions for this quilt came in metric and not being used to quilting in metric, Elaine just went ahead and cut all the fabric out. There were blocks all over the floor. Turns out if converted correctly, the squares should be 4 inches. So now she has two quilts exactly like this one. Elaine machine embroidered the Japanese motifs and quilted the quilt herself.

 This is called Diamond Dot Painting and is what kept Elaine amused nights in the caravan for 6 weeks. It looks very effective.

 Anne asked the grandaughter what she would like for her birthday and just a few days before her day she decided she wanted a unicorn! And of course, it was so cute, someone else ordered one too.

 Anne has finished her Sampler quilt. She got a bit carried away with all the blocks as she wanted a quilt to fit the big bed in the spare room. That room will always be colourful and happy now. Anne made the blocks last year at the club under the instruction of Joan and Joan machine quilted it for her.

Joan made this little transportation quilt with vehicles she drew up from pictures on the internet. All vehicles are blanket stitched appliqued and have glittery white windows.

After 3 weeks, the October Bomb blocks are in - well - nearly all blocks. We think this Ups and Downs pattern is going to make a striking quilt.

Some ladies went to lunch after patchwork today and the conversation turned to training puppies and husbands, (as it does). So because they never read this blog, (the puppies or the husbands), we thought we should share this truth.

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Another meeting day. And committee have organised things right into next year. Wow. Where did this year go? Only 3 more weeks until the Breakup and then no more meeting at the hall until the first week in February 2018.

For those who would like a continuation of sewing over the Christmas break, we will be joining the Craft Group that meets at the Womens Centre on Wednesday mornings in the airconditioning.

There were only three charity quilts for Show and Tell this morning. One BomB quilt just back from the quilters and one about to go. Thanks Di for your ongoing commitment to quilt these charity quilts for us.

Diana was sure she was winning the Badge Draw today as her ticket number was her age. But unfortunately for her, Sharyn's ticket was pulled out. So Diana was allowed to draw the Monthly Raffle voucher so could draw her own ticket, but she drew out Maz's. Sharyn and Maz were happy though.

 Liz has completed another hand pieced and hand quilted quilt for the Women's Centre. (A nice breeze through the hall today didn't do anything for photographing quilts.) This one is quilted with sweet roses in pink thread and is just gorgeous.

 Tulips. A spring quilt made from the August BomB blocks. Lesley made a miscalculation in working out the border and only just managed to have enough of the green for a border with many straight seams. That is the last of Heather's green glitter fabric.

The Disappearing Sashed 9-Patch from the June BomB. Pieced by Marlena and quilted by Di with clamshells that go so well with the Japanese fabrics of Heather. Delma is taking it home to stitch down the binding. This one really has been a club effort.

Wednesday 1 November 2017

We only put out 5 tables in a U-shape today so it was a very cosy group of 20 or so who had a very enjoyable morning and a lovely morning tea but only a small Show and Tell. 

Lesley won the Badge Draw again which really should not be allowed as she hasn't spent her last voucher yet.

Some ladies are going out to lunch at the Mt P Tavern for Melbourne Cup. Ring Helen promptly if you would like to join them.

 Disappearing Pinwheel. The finished quilt from the April BomB blocks. Many thanks to Helen who did a lot more than just sew the blocks together and add a border. But she is happy now (despite the photo!) that the points (well, most of them) are pointy. Di quilted it for us. Thanks so much to both ladies. There is no particular place for this quilt to go yet. Any ideas welcome.

Di is making more shopping bags. These use some salt dyed fabrics, some old fabric painting samples and some upcycled jeans (even a pair of Wayne's he didn't wear much!) The one on the left has some free machine quilting patterns as Di can't help herself putting some quilting on almost everything. But maybe Del is holding the bag the wrong way round as the stitched flowers are impossible to see in this photo.

Wednesday 25 October 2017

There were increased numbers this morning with some holidays now officially over. But seems it is difficult to keep members coming for two weeks in a row. There are so many things to keep us all busy these days.

It was BomB (Block Of the Month Bonanza) Day today and because of people going away, we have three weeks to hand the blocks back. By then, it will be time for the next BomB! Today's block is called Ups and Downs and uses Heather's red and black fabrics, although there is still some meterage left. We forgot to get photos taken, so you will have to wait 3 weeks to see the blocks when they come back.

Liz drew her own ticket out for the Badge Draw today after winning last week. She will have a lovely little shopping spree at Needleworx.

 The ladies from the Mini Retreat with their Bali Bags (or Bali Basket in Marilyn's case) It was all the same pattern and Cheryl's is different again! When Di comes back she will probably show her sample and you can see what they were supposed to look like!

 We thought Anne was making little quilts for twin grandchildren, but these are chair covers for her husband and herself. They are both fond of trains.

 Vera is making a set of 8 of these placemats. They are crazy-patched on the special iron-on placemat material. (We could have shown you both mats but someone was bending over on the stage and ....we won't go there Cathy.)

Elaine makes these reading cushions with a pocket for the book and sells them at Yakapari Country Crafts. She brought an order in for Julie today and Delma fell in love with this one for her little grandson who is apparently a bit of a monkey.

Mini Quilting Retreat 19, 20, 21 October, 2017

10 ladies managed to escape normal household activities to join in three days of full-time sewing. It was very productive. But it could possibly have been even more productive if someone hadn't decided we should all work on a little project for one day. Di suggested she could show us how to make a Bali Bag and we all thought that would be a wonderful idea, not realising what is involved in making a Bali Bag and that it might take just a little longer than one day to complete. Still, all who attempted the bag were happy with what they achieved and other discussions and hints, especially about putting in zips, were also mastered. What a fun three days!

The Blogsperson was far too busy sewing to organise a photographical diary of events, but here are a few photos taken on the last day. (Sorry that photos of Anne and Lesley and Di sewing frantically were omitted.)

 The first time Brenda hung this quilt up, small errors in placement were noticed and Brenda made good use of her quickunpick. But the next time it was hung, it was perfect. Brenda then worked on her 1700 one inch squares project.

 Cheryl was taking instruction from Di on a new method of making bag handles. Yes, Cheryl was one of the first to finish her bag despite having to miss an afternoon because she had to work.

 Cathy was determined not to unpick her bag - but did a few times anyway. (And we won't mention her method of sewing on the handles!) Hers was the most colourful Bali Bag.

 Helen was a bit behind after making enough cording for a ginormous bag and then playing a morning of bridge as well.

 Marilyn knocked up a little scrap strip quilt first and had her grandson call in to visit and take it home with him. She then learnt from all the mistakes the rest of us had made, and sewed a little basket from the rope coils (At the end of the table.) But she is still sewing strips together to cut triangles out for her hexagon quilt.

 Vera was working so fast, her photo isn't even in focus. (Sorry Vera.) Vera made the most unusual sewing project ever - a cushion to fill a hole in the car so the dog can sit up in the front seat. Then she sewed her strips from a very pretty purple jelly roll.

 When Cathy met a lady who found out she belonged to a quilting group, she offered to donate a quilt she's had sitting in the cupboard for 12 years that she had never finished quilting. Liz was kindly volunteered to finish hand quilting it. It has very thick wadding and a very heavy backing and Liz has already managed to bend three needles. (But secretly she is enjoying the quilting!)

Cheryl brought out her Monica Poole blocks for advice. (We think she wanted advice. She got some anyway.) Cheryl has hand blanket stitch appliqued the elephant, but it took so long, she is thinking of doing the smaller blocks by machine.

And a most appropriate post script to the mini retreat. Yes, we all did it - repeatedly.