Easter Fair Preparations and Colour Curiosities

Pretty huh?, but just how many colours do you see? 20 or less, you have something in common with dogs, up to 39, well it's the bees for you.

 Following the controversy surrounding 'that' dress, there have been various interesting ideas and explanations thrown up on the net, including this rather interesting article on Linkedin by Diana Derval.
Want to know more, pop over here and read all about why we see colours differently.

Someone who has no trouble with colours at all is Marie, she shared this terrific alphabet quilt with us.  Marie created 26 lovely alphabet blocks using machine embroidered motifs and appliqued letters.

To get the setting right, Marie needed two extra blocks, enter the Mouse and the Kangaroo.

Sashed and bound with a gay (that is the happy and bright gay - ta, I do know that shows my age) multi-coloured fabric to finish off an Easter Fair offering.

Which block is your fave? Marie is for the sea urchin, me, I'm for the mouse.

Karen is learning a new skill, yep, with Mary tutoring, Karen has joined the ranks of the Hardanger enthusiast. Look closely, you will see that she has completed her first half inch, so we are truly in on the ground floor of this new enterprise.

Wendy, with the aid of her new toy, a wonderful and wondrous ipad (aren't they all) googled Hardanger,

we were curious to see where it had sprung from, seems it had its beginnings in Persia but between 1650-1850 it flourished in Norway, called Hardangersom it was used for national costumes and even household linens - bet they only used them on special occasions!

Co-incidentally, at the other end of the room Gwen was up to her elbows in a beautiful piece of hardanger, a table throw, started some time ago by another and given to Gwen to finish, she is reveling in the piece, Gwen loves Hardanger work.

Another gal wielding a needle was Susie,

She took pity on some poor 'needle challenged' soul last week and volunteered to stitch these corner bookmarks together.  Susie has taken them from 'yawn' bookmarks to these,

bookmarks with personality! - They are for the Novelties table at the Easter Fair - Thank You Susie.

Courtney is taking a break from her 'horses' piece and has started a floral long-stitch piece that will eventually become a lovely cushion.

Diane and Sandy were both hard at work, Diane is learning to hand quilt, tutored by Gwen she is making great inroads.
Sandy is working on this beautiful pattern, 'Sweet Daisy Dreams' by Robert Kaufman, embroidered blocks interspersed with pieced and a stunning scalloped border.

Karen has finished her version of 'Leanne's House' B.O.M. by Leanne Beasley.  Several members have made this quilt and all the different versions will be part of our upcoming Quilt Show in July.

Karen has even put a label on her quilt......and it is reported others have not.....hmmm....does that mean they aren't finished yet?  Wendy??

It is one heck of a cute label-yes?

Lots of laughter and shenanigans going on with this two, and lots more of those little fabric parcels...

Gwen had two stunners for Show and Tell, the hexagon quilt originally started  by our sadly missed Janet not long before her passing.  Gwen has finished this lovely hand pieced hexagon quilt with a difference, hand quilting daisies in each hexie center.  Janet had a million - well lots, of little pieces already cut for a pieced border but after a lot of thought Gwen went with a black and white pin striped fabric for the border, mitering the corners, it sets off the quilt beautifully.  You will just have to take my word for the pinstripes, unfortunately the fabric photographed as a light grey.

The second quilt was created from Gwen's left over check fabrics using a pattern from one of our library books.

The black and white check on the border was also from another project, Gwen's 'Venitian Floor' quilt, inspired by photos she took of the floor of St.Marks Basilicia in Venice and the winner of the 2013 Quilt Show Viewers Choice award. The check fabric was very difficult to work with but Gwen had quite the meterage left over, all pre-fused with vliesofix and no way was she going to waste it, hard to work with or not.  Happily it fitted around the scrappy quilt perfectly.

 The book is Scrap-basket surprises by Kim Brackett, a book of jelly roll friendly patterns.  Gwen mentioned that the pattern construction is deceptively easy, after the first block she busily stitched away only to later realise that she had created extra work for herself.  Her advice, read the
instructions!

Thursday night gals have been busy, busy, lots of chickens, hens and easter egg collection bags made for the Novelties stall at the Easter Fair.

And lastly Sheila bought along her thread catcher, we will be having a workshop on this in the near future.