More beautiful hand dyes..........

Meg bought along another big box of hand dyed silks for us to share yesterday, including occasional pieces of lace and braids, yummo, everyone had a ball but it was so hard to choose just one piece,

At times the competition got a little fast and furious, with every toss of the fabrics unearthing another treasure.
Thank you again Meg for sharing your beautiful bounty with us.

Wendy showed us this beautifully stitched little treasure with the vibrant sashings complimenting the coloured stitcheries.

I have to tell you, those little stitchery raindrops have nothing in common with the raindrops that are falling as I sit here in front of the computer, its pouring, and the drops are huge.

Wendy went on to confess that the backing was a fabric from her stash..........from when her kiddies were little tots.  She wasn't sure what she bought it for originally, but thought perhaps PJ's??

Would have made cute Jim Jams for littlies, but better as a backing, what do you think?

So a day with not much Chantelle (Show and Tell) was rounded off by a delicious Arvo Tea, and I heard a rumor that next week, recipes will appear........will post them for you.  That chocolate and nut mud cake was divine, can't tell you about the strawberry and plum tea cake, it got scoffed real fast but if the ummmm's were any indication it was yummo too.

Binding with a Difference - It's Fluffy Binding

We all love something new and different, and Linda, from Flourishing Palms Blog, has posted a tutorial on how she constructs Fluffy Binding.

Isn't that just the cutest binding you ever saw? just perfect for a kiddies quilt, would even be super on a Shabby Chic quilt.
Linda's tutorial is clearly written with step by step instructions and clear pics.

The easiest way ever to bury those pesky quilting threads

Brenda from Serendipity Patchwork  posted a link to RedBarn Studios where quilt artist  K Grace Howes has posted this amazing tutorial on how to easily bury the tails of your quilting threads.



I have to confess that I really couldn't imagine an easy way of doing this yucky job........but there it is, one of those tips that I know I will use on every quilt from this day onwards.

Pop over to RedBarn's tutorial and see for yourself.  Oh and while your are there, look up 'FUN FACTS'...........Gotta go, there is a whole new web site and blog to explore.

500 Art Quilts.........Stunning new Book

This eagerly awaited book finally arrived yesterday, had to pre-order it, but finally it is here

It is chock full of the most inspiring quilts, but the quilt I was particularly waiting with baited breath to view was Grass, (on page 151 if you have a copy to hand) a quilt by talented quilter Brenda Gael Smith.

Growing up in N.Z. Brenda now lives and works in Copacabana N.S.W. (how romantic does that sound - Copacabana- just had to say it again...).  Brenda is a quilter, quilt tutor, and quilt designer with lots of patterns available on her site.

Brenda will be coming to Brisbane with the Textile Art Festival  being held at the Exhibition Center on the  25th to 27th June. with a very exciting part of the Festival being the world premiere of the Twelve by Twelve exhibition, including demonstrations and floor talks by her, just think of it, 144 quilts all 12" x 12", from the Artists first theme series.  Now I know this will come as a total surprise to you all, but my fave challenge by these girls is "Pink" from their first colourplay series, followed by "Chocolate"  Being familiar with some of the styles of these 12 talented quilters, its rather fun to look at a theme and pick who did what.

The book is available now from both Amazon Books for AUD 30.84 including shipping or from Book Depository AUD 27.49 with free shipping.  From my experience there isn't a lot of difference in the shipping times.


To see a pic of 'Grass' pop over to Brenda's contemporary quilts site and scroll down to the third row,  hover your mouse over the pic and left click, a larger pic will come up on your screen.  There are other quilts along the same vein on the page too, so lots to see and drool over.

A Joypatch Pattern Giveaway....hurry to join in

Joy from Joypatch has a giveaway on her blog, it is the cutest bag pattern with pretty little pleats around the sides, held in place with beads, the imagination can run riot with the beading combinations.  I haven't had time to ask Joy for a picie, so you will just have to take my word for just how pretty and gorgeous this bag is.  One version has the sweet braided handles while the other version you make your own handles.

This bag pattern is hot of the presses, Joy hasn't shipped it to any stores or even put it in her own internet stores as yet, and we have 3 chances to win one for free!!  Just click the round Joypatch Button in the sidebar - (I have moved the button up to the top to make it easy for you) and leave a comment at the bottom of Joy's  post........Joy will be picking the winners on Sunday 21st February, so get in quick!, and good luck.

An enthusiasm for Crazy Patchwork builds and a disaster......

firstly - the disaster, something that I worry about happening, did happen, there were some lovely items on the show and tell table yesterday,  I got called away while Sheila was showing them and their creators were telling their stories,......I usually don't fret too much when that happens, I get the low down from the creator when I take the pics - but yesterday,... dare I confess? - (in a bit of a whisper)....."I didn't take a pic".  Can you believe it?
I am still reeling.
So here, with apologies, are a couple of  cropped pics of some really beautiful work that I will hopefully be able to update next week.

A beautiful and beautifully stitched tapestry cushion, and just behind it, a casserole carrier, I saw that beauty being shown by Sheila and I can tell you it is just the ant's pants, large enough for a decent sized casserole or lasagne dish, stout wooden handles and well padded, I shall be keeping my eyes peeled at the next fair for one of these beauties, or maybe a commission?? ----

And these two lovely Jewellery rolls, I didn't even see them laid out......but the colours are magnificient, just calling to you to have a little pat and a pet.

Jenny, from the Thursday Evening group has agreed to be the Judge of our Lyn Ballinger Challenge this year, 

and for some of us the challenge is going to live up to it's name, just cast your peepers over this little bombshell on the side!... in particular that bottom line..........no Patchwork Cottons .....eeeek.

Thank goodness Sheila organised a little treasure bag of laces and goodies for us as our Christmas Gift.

Jenny very kindly agreed to come along to our meeting to give us a bit of a heads up on just what is involved in Crazy Patchwork, now unless you have really looked into Crazy Patchwork it could leave you a little cold.........but after yesterday not even a tinsy nip was to be felt, everyone is totally enthused, Jenny explained her method of Crazy Patch and had many samples of her wonderful work,as well as some examples of her students work, and on top of that, patterns that Jenny teaches down at Patchwork Angel, in particular the cutest little box. Just gorgeous, give the girls at the Angel a tingle to join Jenny in a class.


Janice getting a few pointers from Jenny on her 4 square throw, sashed with black velvet, this sumptuous piece seemed to be the most popular piece on show.

with an abundance of ribbons, buttons, beads and the most intricate embroidery  you can spend ages drooling over each block........don't ask how I know......the tinsy cupids aiming their arrows at the tiny gold heart, the spider and her web, and the curiosity of what story is behind this piece with the olympic rings embroidered on one square.

The black fringe and the myriad of textured fabrics give this throw a feeling of luxury, Jenny wanted it to reflect some of the colours and memories of South Africa, and I think she has certainly succeeded.

Jenny had quite a pile of blocks, a WIP of outstanding proportions, how beautifully embroidered they all are.

More of Jenny's goodies, how special would you feel, off to a special event with this evening bag

 and a cuter than cute work basket, full of goodies for Crazy Patch.

As we arrived yesterday, Sheila gave each member a number, well, we knew we were in for a treat, and what a surprising and generous treat it was. 
Meg, who you will surely remember, makes the most divine silk bags, bought along a box full of her hand dyed silks as a gift for us and also gave us a few pointers on using and stitching silk.

Just look at that box full of the most vibrant through to the most beautifully subtle shaded silks.  Can you imagine the ooohs and ahhs as each number was called and the silks were turned over.......not to mention the gasped prayers of  'oh gosh, please leave that, it would be perfect'. There is lots of sharing and trading, and groups getting together to see just what we really do have in our stashes.  Thank you Meg for being so generous and sharing with us.

It certainly was a day for the opulent, Janette bought along a quilt that has been 3 years in the making, a house warming for one of her Sons.  Janette, with Janet as helper, smiled beautifully in this pic, can't you see them? just behind the quilt, standing on chairs to show of the quilt in all it's glory........what we do for our passion!

and now you see why they stood on chairs for us, otherwise we would have missed out on the top of a fabulous applique quilt.  Janette machine quilted this beauty herself, and I don't believe the grin behind the quilt could have been any bigger than this smile of justifiable pride.

Julie gathered these fabrics at a Brisbane Craft show last year with a quilt in mind for her Niece's new baby to be, on turning to leave the booth she then spied the quilt pattern........and so one very lucky little miss has a lovely new quilt.......mind you, this is the second quilt that the little great niece has received from her great Aunty

a collage of some of the animals that Julie has stitched into the white on white spotted squares in her great Niece's quilt.

Remember those cute teddies and the nine patches from last week, well Betty decided to use some of her Japanese fabrics as hearts for their tummies, aren't they so cute?

These little bears are going to make the loveliest quilt for one of the younger set, Betty is using a Country Cupboard Designs pattern

and just look at the cute little tote that comes with the pattern, wouldn't a little girl just love that for a gift.

Happy Quilters and..........

the biggest quilt we've seen for awhile..........that was our lot yesterday, along with lots of excitement when Marguerite found this ........

a beautiful BOM in the mag 'Patchwork & Quilting' that she quite thought she would like to try, the interest and excitement mounted as others also thought they might like to give it a go..........perhaps it will turn into a group effort? ........time will tell.

The quilt is in lovely soft colours, softer than this pic and is a mixture of applique and pieced blocks, it is a Therese Hylton pattern of a couple of years ago named Flower Dell, perhaps someone out there has made this quilt? would love to hear from you if you have.

But enough of quilt dreams, on to the quilts that  made it to Show and Tell yesterday.





Firstly we had this lovely flimsey from Betty H.  Betty used a pattern from one of our new books by Kaffe Fasset, in Betty's words, a simple and easy pattern.  But such a pretty quilt

Wendy bought this wonderful quilt along, 'Girls Day Out', with all the places and things gals love to do when they get together for a day out.......notice how the patchwork shop with its window display of a quilt and a treadle sewing machine  is front and center........the fave place to visit.

Quite a number of Patchworkers are also Needleworkers, and ever so conviently Needlework meets in the a.m. making it a full day of busy and fun for some, Sadie had a framed piece for Needlework show and tell and asked if I could take a pic for her to send on to friends........well of course a bargain just had to be struck........piccie taken and I could put it here for you to enjoy..........

Beryl started this BOM with the Nowra quilters group and bought it along to show us, it is quite the largest quilt we have had for show and tell for awhile. Beryl ditch quilted this beauty herself!.

Beryl also had this rather cunning reversible, quilt as you go table runner, another group project from Nowra.

and of course...........the reverse

While all quilts get admired and closely examined, it's been awhile since a quilt has elicited such interest and excitement as this one from Sue, it is for her Grandson's imminent first Birthday and we all had a lot of fun finding the meaning behind, and discovering some of the hidden pics, little Grandie will love this quilt and spend many hours snuggling under and finding little secrets.

 assembled block by block in a QAYG style, Sue gave an impromptu QAYG lesson on just how she had created this quilt.

Sue created a lot of the 'I Spy' icons, trying to incorporate more that the usual 'I Spy' meanings and pics, Q is very innovative, -just love the little quilt,  T has 'tail', M has a Martian, and G has a cute little kitty wearing Glasses!

The lighthouse on an Island in I got a bit of conversation going, along with the Imp, E was a hit with the little teddies Eyes and Ears, but the all time fav was X with the little boy being X-Rayed, Sue had some skeleton fabric that you can see she used in the border to create the boy. All the letters were machine embroidered by Sue's sister.   Just a few stitches.........well a few hundred..... to finish the binding and this treasure will be zooming off to one lucky little Grandie.
Sue does have a couple of hints for us that she discovered while making this quilt though........... write the name of the store on the selvedge when you purchase fabric, this would take away the need for you  to traipse from one end of the coast to the other, begging store owners to think.........did you stock this?........did I buy it here?.......have you got just a tinsy bit more? and the other hint is, for heavens sake, if you have fabric put away for a project......leave it there!!, don't get all carried away thinking you have plenty and won't miss just that little bit..........or you will end up wishing you wrote the store name in the selvedge!

Free Patterns, stitcheries and Block of the Month

Well the rush of Christmas is well behind us,  and it's about now that quilters, stitchers, and other crafters start to look around and plan their years projects.  We see a lot of Free BOM's being offered, there are also many pay by the month BOM's out there, but that's a different slice of cake..........so here are just a couple of the freebies that have turned up in my mail box.And of course, don't forget to check the list of other BOM's and freebies on offer from some wonderful designers in our sidebar.

 Happy day!, sometime ago I wanted to paper piece poinsettias for a project, and in my search I came across a lovely sharing lady who gave me several patterns and ideas, well computers being what they are I lost the lot, but mainly I lost the contact details, how wonderful today to re-discover the wonderful site of  Regina Grewe.  Regina has some wonderful patterns and free patterns available on her site and a inspiring BOM with paper pieced mushrooms and a delectable mushroom stitchery.  This BOM started in September 2009 but the patterns are freely available on Regina's site, and just to make the landscapers in us ever so green, go visit these beauties. Regina's site is choc-a-block with lovely work and photos, well worth spending time to check out her wonderful work.

Quilters Guild of Plano brings us this 'Sweet Treats' BOM, It is a finished BOM, that is, all the blocks can be downloaded now - no waiting and no surprises!, the blocks cover various techniques, patchwork, applique, paper piecing, curved piecing and chennile, what a wonderful idea for a beginner or as a finished quilt for one of the younger set.

The talented Kim Noblin, editor of Block Central  has designed a BOM 'Sentimental Journey' Each link will be posted on the first of the month, and the link will take you to a printer friendly block instruction page.
If perhaps, you would prefer a different colour scheme, clever Kim has a printable colouring page for you to download.
block one for January is up here with a printable fabric list,  and a cutting chart for the whole quilt, 
The folks at Block Central are a bit partial to BOM'S and you can access the list and links here for previous BOM's

Sue, Terri, and  Vicki from 3 Creative Studios 

have a Mystery BOM with 5 blocks  already posted and set to go, another 3 blocks will be posted on the 16th. of each month, finishing in May 2010.  These ladies have also set up a special group for the block of the month participants to join and post pics of  finished blocks and ask questions.

This talented trio have a plethora of goodies on their site, one really piqued the interest, Cereal Box Booklets !!  -- Wha?...  the step beyond reading the spots of the Cornflakes box?..........no! really fun, go on, off you go, I know you are just as intrigued as I was.
Now if you think that was fun check out the mixed media fiber cuffs.

Planet Patchwork have this vibrant BOM 'Moonlight Dancers' on offer, it was started way back on August 2009 and there are 6 BOM's and 6 variation BOM's on offer.  Each block comes with cutting and assembly instructions as well as a fabric list.  The blocks stay up and available until the end of the BOM, and you can also sign up for a reminder for when the newly posted blocks arrive on site.
Planet Patchwork is a site well worth browsing, with a niche for beginners, a section called 'quilter profile' where you can read about some very interesting and innovative  quilting folk such as Jane Sassaman and her totally amazing quilts and a lady with a real story Ildiko Francais....go read her story and become inspired, along with more folks than I have space to mention here.

Kelli from Don't Look Now writes the loveliest patterns, you can take a peek at some in her online store and she also tutors workshops  Kelli  has a number of tutorials on her blog, including the wonderful project that she is currently working on, aptly named 'Joseph's Coat'.  Kelli has posted very clear and comprehensive step by step instructions for the project, starting with Drafting the blocks on to finishing the ends of your rows and everything in between, you will find all the links on the side bar of her blog.

Bronwyn from Red Brolly Designs, was rather taken by a quilt  made by Rita for her daughter and has been moved to offer a free cat stitchery each month for us to make into our own quilt design.  There is a pic of Rita's quilt in Bronwyn's post containing the first free stitchery pattern of Brutus the cat snoozing on a cane lounge......very cute.

About Quilting, a free quilting site well worth investigation, has a whole section on Miniature Quilt Patterns such as this Miniature Bear's Paw Quilt Pattern

Followers..........

Have you noticed the little collage of piccies under the heading 'Followers'?, these are ladies, no gents yet, who like to read our blog and follow our antics. -I have just moved it to the top of the side bar for convenience, shortly it will be back down amongst the other buttons for you to investigate.

You can catch up with these lovely and talented ladies on their blogs by clicking your mouse on each photo, a new screen will open, headed Buderim Patchwork with the members profile of whomever you just clicked on/selected.

Reading down, under Links, there will be a blog header/name, which is a link to the selected blog, click on the link/name and go visit........lots of fun, you can leave a comment on the blogs visited, even let them know you are a 'Buderim Patchworker' and don't forget to check out their list of blogs that they follow in their sidebar.........there are lots of wonderful blogs out there.

However there are a couple of followers, such as Debbie with the 'Maxine' cartoon, who I gather is a blog-less follower, but there is still a list of blogs for you to investigate that Debbie follows and enjoys, such as Blackbird Designs, with this amazing post on - of all things - quilling, a different quilling, an olde worlde version of quilling that has me hunting out my old quilling tool.

This is pic is from Blackbird Designs' blog, One stitch at a time a stunning version of quilling.
Enjoy the surf on this wet and rainy day..

A generous offering from Quilter Lyn Brown

Lyn Brown, a Californian quilter, Instructor and Lecturer has compiled a book of 18 quilts that she is offering as a free PDF for us to download and enjoy.

Lyn designed these quilts to celebrate 9 years of Adult Learning quilting classes. Each quilt can be made from a Layer Cake Pack or if you prefer..use your stash.
The book is only available for a short time, so download and save or print this wonderful offering now.

Lyn has posted the above quilts throughout her blog, so if you sadly miss out, a visit to her blog and some searching will no doubt uncover these lovely quilt patterns.

Lyn's Etsy shop also has a great collection of very well priced patterns and kits available.

And if that isn't enough from one very sharing quilter, Lyn also has a Free Baltimore Album Quilt available on her blog.  Lyn posts a new block each Saturday ( that's Sunday for us Aussies) and has posted 3 blocks so far, Crossed Laurel Leaves, Mexican Rose and Pat Nixon Rose.

The Supply list and a pic of this wonderful Baltimore quilt is available here

You will find a link to more 'free patterns' in the 'Categories' section of Lyn's sidebar, a section that is hard to leave alone, just ask me.......... and it gives you lots of inspiration.

Quilts, WIP's, Hanging, a little stitching.........

......and this amazing little invention

 

amazing as Lorraine I. is, I'm talking about the bag/roll - quilt room in a kit thingy that she is showing.  A friend of Lorraine's had a similar roll, Lorraine decided she just had to have one of those, so drew up a rough pattern/idea and went to work, end of day, one amazing roll/bag - quilt room thingy - there is a place for everything - I kid you not, and on the outside there is a pocket, empty yesterday, to stash your choccies when going on retreat.

More views of the amazing quilt room thingy...........

 and a pic of it rolled up and ready to go..........I flipped the piccy for a better view, that is why Lorraine's arm has that 'what the?' look.

Wendy bought her finished Row x Row in to show us, it is destined for her spare bedroom, just fancy visiting and getting to sleep under such a wonderful quilt.

Wendy finished off the rows by putting a wider 'rail fence' border and two narrower borders around her quilt.

Janette is doing a set (don't you just love it, a whole set) of wall hangings of Japanese Ladies, she bought in Lady #2 to show us yesterday, looking forward to seeing Ladies No.1 and 3.

Janette and her Darling went on a little cruise over the Chrissy break, and as part of the relaxing activities they were going to share reading a trilogy, well some people read faster than others don't they? so what to do, she managed to find a little tapestry kit and a tiny sewing kit, to which these tiny little scissors belong, aren't they cute?

Sheila is busily continuing with her Son and Daughter in Law's quilt, she is using the large and the small Drunkards Path templates from our Library and coming up with some terrifically innovative blocks, like this turtle..........

here are some of the other blocks Sheila showed yesterday, the top right block will be a stylised version of the Custom House in Rockhampton, the city where Son and D.I.L. live,  and the circle will be a ball............basketball?, Sheila did say........an 'I Spy' quilt for adults, so looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.

oooh isn't that last block blurry!........not sure what happened there.........probably busy gossing.......the photographer, not the stitcher.

Val made this version of a Chinese Coin quilt to donate to her charity group, made from strip pieced scraps Val tells us it didn't use up anywhere near as many scraps as she would have liked, I guess there will be more scrap quilts in Val's future.

Another of Lorraine I.'s designs, inspired by a magazine pic, Lorraine made this vibrantly coloured beauty over the Christmas break and bought it in to share with us yesterday.

While designing the quilt Lorraine realised that if she double stitched the H.S.T.'s, instead of having a lot of left over triangles and scraps she would end up with extra blocks to use in the backing of the quilt..........

and so another reversible quilt was born.

Found these cuties on a table down the back, seemed to be just hanging around waiting..........stuck them together and took a pic...........who's were they??

 

My goodness, they have multiplied.............and there are 9 patches too...........still no owner..........

 

Eventually mystery solved when I spotted Betty walking around with a bear block, there will be little hearts on the Bear's tummies and Betty was getting opinions on what fabric to use..........some of her precious Japanese prints?, or perhaps something a little pink?........what do you suggest?

And lastly, you might notice a green 'Free Rice' button in the sidebar,

 Free Rice is a non-profit website started in 2007 and run by the United Nations World Food Program, you get to challenge yourself, improve your language or maths and with each correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated via sponsors to the World Food Program...........so a bit of fun, a bit of a challenge and a good deed too...........with a nice choccie and your fave drinkie......what more could you ask?..........well actually I'll ask you, what is a gilet?? thanks to this little game I now know it is a vest..........can't wait to use that one!