GenX quilt.. and more

 It is a good job that I have a tall son and a slightly shorter hubby or I wouldn't get a photo of any quilt! This is the GenX quilt that was a freebie on the internet this year. I got it back from the quilter(thank you Leanne) on Friday, stitched the binding down on Saturday and gave it to DH niece on Sunday. It has a butterfly design on the quilting and overall I am very happy with it. The niece was pretty chuffed with it as well. I figure that people may as well enjoy my quilts while I am still around to see them enjoying.

 At the Kilmore show I was sort of coerced into buying these butterfly blocks. 14 in all, 4 completely sewn, 3 half sewn and the rest stuck on to the fabric.When I was paying for them I also was given the other butterfly fabric so was able to make up two blocks and make the quilt square. I so like symmetry. I have quilted this myself using the modular quilting technique and I think that I am improving my skills in that area, so much so that I am in the middle of doing "My Town" in the same way. This is for another of DH's nieces who when I told her she was getting a quilt said" I have wanted one of your quilts for such a long time" so I know that it will be appreciated. Not giving this one away until I have shown the person who started the blocks the finished quilt.

 QBSA 12" block frome Helene. Aren't those embroideries great.

 Last Monday I dropped thses off to my 6" swap partner, Kate, who lives about 15 minutes away. Really good to meet her and swap in person.

 I was a bit spoilt though as Kate gave me 4 blocks instead of the required two. Love them and they will go beautifully into a Blanket of Love quilt.

 These are also a 6" swap from Jan and again will be made into a Blanket of Love when I get some more blocks through the yaer.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and every good wish for a safe, happy and healthy year in 2014

What a week it has been

 My baby boy turned 21 a couple of weeks ago and his party was french themed. DD! made his Napoleon outfit and then cobbled together her "maid" outfit. I just wore the Tricolour! After this event he found out that he has been accepted into a  double Master's degree for translating and interpreting. This involves 12 months in Australia and then 12 months in Lyon, France so he is off to follow his dream thousands of miles away. Proud of him but I will miss him. I know a good excise for an overseas holiday and I aim to do that for his graduation in 2016 and I will then visit my brother in UK.

 The left overs of Archer's quilt that is on it's way to NSW for Blankets of Love.

 Even smaller left overs with the remains of the backing fabric also on the way for Blankets of Love. Had fun quilting this one( I put" love" across the yellow squares) I enjoy these as they are small enough for me to manage on my machine and I can practice.

 Thanks to Fiona over at Mum's cupboard blogspot I have some homemade gifts for my breakfast friends. We meet for breakfast every four weeks or so and catch up.... we have known each other for about 28 years. I do love making gifts and these look so good.As we have chooks in the garden I am giving them an egg(called for in the recipe) as well

 All ready to be handed out tomorrow at... yep breakfast. I think handmade gifts are so wonderful.
Merry Christmas to one and all.

Bitter sweet day

 This is the "tube" quilt that I made for DS1's best friend's baby. I delivered it today and got to have a cuddle of this little fellow....

 This is Archer being held by my DD1 He is so cute and slept through four of us holding him. He is so like his mum!

 These are my "babies" Today is the second anniversary of us losing Christopher so while it has been an emotionally sad day it has been lovely to see new life in Archer.Christopher actually sneaks into this photo above Hannah's head but the light was shining on the frame so he's a bit fuzzy.My beautiful big boy who turned 21 on Saturday isn't keen on having photos taken but I insisted on this one. Love you guys.

 We all were overwhelmed by the size of his hands and I had to get this to show the comparison in Terry's baby's hand to my baby's hand. Tiny little knee in there too.
So while my heart is still broken about Christopher there was joy in greeting this little one. Thanks Terry and Mikayla for sharing him with us today and I know that he has a guardian angel watching over him.

It's beginning to look....

 ...a lot like Christmas. Just a few of the decorations I have been sewing in the last couple of weeks.Thanks to Michelle Ridgeway's patterns( last year's and this year's)

 When I went to the craft show in July I bought a kit to make these tiny angels. I still have to put ribbon on 10 of them but that won't take long.

 These are three that I had tucked away and forgotten about till after I had taken the photo of the other ones. Christmas is one of those times I feel very homesick so I am not big on lots of fuss but I do love making decorations as gifts for my friends.

I'm sure everyone else is well on in their Christmas preparations. Only ??? days to go?

More practise with quilting

 I did these embroideries about 3 years ago and have finally put them into something,(using scraps). I think the original method of completing the quilt is in the ether somewhere. Anyway I just cross hatched and sewed 1/4 " around the embroideries. As the person who is getting this " can't even cut a hem in a straight line let alone sew on a button" in her words I think she will like it. It took ages for me and DD2 to decide on the border fabric! Do love disappearing nine patches.
 

 One of those lovely charm pack x 3 that makes a very quick quilt. Again this is a present for someone who I think will be very happy with it.

 This was the experiment that failed but was able to be reurrected into something good. I bought a half jelly roll at the retreat this year and wanted to do a jelly roll race quilt. You do need a FULL jelly roll. After doing all the sewing together the resulting quilt was a bit of a funny size, so i ditched that idea, gave the baby it was going to be for the panel in a previous post, and chopped this into two 24" squares. I sewed 1/4" down each side of the strips and sent it off to Cheryll who has "Blankets of Love" They are now with her and I am so happy that they can be used in this manner.
Really must get into the real free motion quilting! Have some more projects to have a go at so we will see what happens!

Eastern Palliative Care show

 On Saturday I went and had a quick look at the Eastern Palliative Care Quilt show. Loved quilts that have been used...  All the planes were made using pj's and it was tied and used buttons from the pockets of said pj's. One very clever way of using old pyjamas!

 Jane Austen. Love this one as it is in blue!

 For Rosalie as she so loves Babushka's

 This Japanese quilt was much more stunning in the flesh as the quilting on the fans made them look more like fans. Very lovely, not that I am in to this sort of quilt but it got my vote.

 For those lovers of hexies here is one....the quilting made it look like diamonds between the hexies......

 ... and here is another one. I really loved the path fabric on this one. All in all a great show and a worthy cause to support. Next years show is set for 17th and 18th Oct so put it in the diary.

I've been practising...

 A panel for a friends Granddaughter that is due in Nov...

 Henrietta Whiskers for a present!!! She is finished at last not quite the same as the pattern but near enough. I have been trying my hand at free motion quilting and I am soooo glad that you can't see a close up of the photos as I am not very good. The panel, well the baby won't mind and the other one is for someone who doesn't sew so I sure that she will be impressed. I have two more to finish, all pinned and ready to go, but I think that they will just be crosshatched!

 Ooops camera malfunction( no operator malfunction) Anyway, I have been sewing Michelle Ridgeway's little heart decorations and went to Spotlight to get some more variegated red thread and I spied the material. With 30% off for finishing the bolt... wow all of 45 cms, this lovely butterfly material came home with me for just on $2. I do love butterflies.The felt is cut out and I am ready to sew the stitcheries onto the felt so that will be the go for tonight.

The AHHH's are back..

 Some AHHH's finished. I have 6 more to do and another 6 in the mail coming soon. So far behind it's not funny.Think this will take me to about 100 so I am about to call it a day and start putting them together.

 These are for the trade table at Kilmore Quilter's show on 12th and 13th Oct. They are made from a pack that a friend sent me . Thanks K. Come along to the show for lots of great quilts, yummy food and of course the trade table and more traders.

 This is a bag I made for the mother of a German exchange student that we have had staying with us for the past 3 months.  I got the pattern from a swap partner in QBSA and I added two buttons so that even when full it can be closed.The lining is made up of the left overs from....

 This quilt which is now in Germany with Jule as her 17th birthday gift. She had her birthday while she was with us so what better gift than a quilt! This is the front, ably quilted by Leanne with a gum leaf pattern.....

 and this is the back and Jule peaking over the top.

Finished quilts

 Just Plain Nuts

 Inchy Hexie swap quilts. Thanks to all the people in the swap who sent these , especially the ones in memory of Christopher. I even used one on the back as a label.

 Hamilton Place.
I was told off for not posting about these so thought I had better put them up. They are all quilted and bound and ready for the Kilmore Quilt show on Oct 12 and 13th. Come along ad see them in the fabric!

Thanks Marina and Rosalie for a wonderful day out yesterday.Now I can picture where you all go when MillRose is on.Will have to try a vanilla slice if I ever get up there again!

Some blocks that have been sent in swaps

 This is one of many blocks I have sent in the Quilt Block Swap Australia 12 " group. Fun group to belong to and you get to make different blocks which is always good.

 This one was a challenge but I am happy with it.

 Don't you love these wonky windmills? This was such a fun block... only had one that I made the white bit a bit too big.Can you spot it?