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.