2018 - and so the fun begins...

What better way to start off the New Quilting Year than with a group meeting. Sheila recapped our major achievements of last year and pronounced them all a great success, including the open Christmas tree for Najidah kiddies, some of the gifts pictured here.

Apologies for some of the pics in this post, there has been some gizmo installed on the ceiling above where we present show and tell and it gives all the pics a blue cast. Turns some colours from yum to yuck! sadly, didn't notice until too late.

At last weeks meeting Wendy presented a demo to the group of a Nancy Zieman block, showcasing large areas of beautiful fabric you just don't want to slice into.
This week, Wendy bought along her quilt using said block for us to ooohh and aahhh over.

At Show and Tell, Wendy ( who is known to state that she never reverse stitches) confided that she suspects she is 'shape challenged' and 'fessed that yes, on this quilt she did do some unpicking...just didn't love the block layout. Well, we were gobsmacked...and those who have been forced from time to time to do the dreaded reverse stitching had little grins of relief.
I'm sure you will agree, it was worth the unstitching. A stunning quilt with a modern flair.

Wendy used both stippling and straight line echo quilting to showcase the design and fabrics.

One of the dreadful 'blue' pics to show you the lovely design layout.

UPDATE
Wendy shot me off the links for you all to enjoy the 2 youTube videos of Nancy with designer Debbie Bowles as well as the fabric requirements for one block, depends on the size of the quilt how many blocks you will make. Thank You Wendy.
Video part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwvCmczCkho

Video part 2
https://wpt.org/SewingWithNancy/Video/sew-big-quilt-blocks-part-2

Fabric requirements per block
12.5" square of focus fabric

3 strip sets
Set 1
2.5” wide Dark
4.5” wide Light
stitched together and crosscut into 1 @ 8.5” and 1 @ 12.5” segments for each block

Set 2
2.5” wide Dark
2.5” wide Light
Stitched together and crosscut into 2 @ 6.5” segments for each block

Set 3
1 2.5” wide Dark strip
Cross cut into 6.5” segments 1 for each block
Your blocks will be 18"

Being a 'non reverse stitcher' Wendy had not heard of the wonderful invention that Alex Anderson from the Quilt Show presented to the quilting world last April. Alex had her Son-in-Law the engineer design it for her. You just plug your phone into your machine USB port: download the reverse stitching App from the App store and Bobs you Uncle. Here is a link to Alex giving a demo, for Wendy and anyone else who has missed this amazing invention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2t2JWlcXXM

Another update....Sorry Di. It was Di's finished finally pillow and cushion that started the U.F.O finishing challenge,.
The U.F.O. gauntlet has been thrown down, yep, the group is challenged to finish those U.F.O's lurking around their sewing space, with the last meeting of the month as Show and Tell for the finished U.F.O's. Apparantely it all began last week when Sandy Di bought in a finished finally cushion and pillow and things just went on from there. We have a U.F.O counter on our sidebar now, but as Karen pointed out, the gals who always finish a project before moving on are at a disadvantage, no U.F.O's for them. Mind you, I reckon a few of them will unearth U.F.O's from Vinnies to finish - or I know a few folks who would be happy to donate...just sayin'.

Karen Do. was so proud of herself for finishing these two she just could't wait for the end of the month so shared with us yesterday.
A too, too cute Christmas Bunting,

Was told Brian's Fabric had some of this range in stock, worth a visit?

Karen also had this darling zippered box. Karen told the tale of how she got to the end of stitching only to find that there was about half a centimeter of seam allowance that had not been caught inside the enclosing seam. When she realised what had happened, she was so upset she tossed the poor little bag to the back of her desk where it spent the last 12 to 18 months being shoved from pillar to post, it took less than no time to fix, and now she has this cutie, No. 2 finished U.F.O.

Lorraine I,. also had a U.F.O. to show and tell. Not dreadfully impressed with her first foray into improvisational modern, a cut down and re-arrange found her with this quilt in a strong, vibrant colour palette, which coincidentall matched up perfectly with the Quilts of Valour sizing. So of course, off to Quilts of Valour to someone who needs and deserves a little love, support and respect.

Lorraine quilted her quilt using a mix of stippling, F.M.quilted leaves and straight line stitching then finished her quilt with a striking pieced binding.

And so another one bites the dust - wonder what the final tally will be for the year? and who will win?

Yvonne has been quietly beavering away throughout last year, creating hexies, lots of hexies - the result? This really cool shoulder bag, beautifully stitched with a really snazzy shoulder strap.

Janice was busily stitching more of her ever so popular coasters that she sells in our Atrium.

If you are a local or will be visiting our neck of the woods, a trip to our Atrium is well worth you while. For opening details and some peeks of the wide range of crafted goodies for sale visit the Atrium page on our Buderim Craft Cottage website
We also have a very handy page of coming events, compiled by the ever helpful Karel Beech

Sheila was constructing a quillo for a dear friends 90th Birthday, but zoomed off to attend to 'leader stuff'. Sue is packing up the ironing station after turning and pressing a pile of tubes that we will be using in the construction of mastecotomy drain bags at a workshop next month.