PIA, our new word...

Yep, over the W.I.P, the U.F.O. etc, Wendy has coined a new anacronym, PIA for Project/s In Action, she refuses to have a U.F.O, reckons that makes a project sound so unloved, whereas it may just be that it has slid down the slope, been overtaken, by the list of 'most pressing', 'most popular', 'prettiest' etc list, so PIA it is!
So, do you have a long list of P.I.A.'s?

Jane isn't fessing up to a long list of P.I.A.'s but she certainly is fessing up to 'too much stuff in my sewing space'. Eyeing off a rather largish stack of wools of all hues she decided to knit a knee rug, rather a large one, needing circular needles. Being rather pleased with the result she sailed forth and in the space of 7 weeks, created a total of 6 knee rugs, of all sizes, the latest one being the 7" squares she is holding in the pic below.
Jane bought along her 'squares' rug for a little advice on backing, she is off to colder climes in the near future and wanted some extra warmth. Of all the knee rugs she is keeping the squares, the others have zoomed off all over the world.

Val created two more charity quilts,
This one certainly drew its compliment of 'ohh's and 'ahh's

and this lovely all in greens and purples, a strip pieced Q.A.Y.G.

Gwen has finished her 'I Spy' version and bought it along to share, using a variation of Attic Windows with a little twist.

Lastly, if you are in our neck of the woods on Saturday 27th August, pop into our Atrium Open Day, promises to be as much fun as previous years.

2015 Quilt Show and Sale #4 and Raffles collected

Such excitement at our meeting yesterday, chitter chatter on how the quilt show went, who sold what and folks dropping by to collect their raffle prizes.
Lainey had been at the Cottage through the morning but managed to snap a couple of pics of delighted winners in the arvo.

1st. Prize Raffle quilt was won by local patch-worker Debie who confessed she really had her heart set on winning 'Celestial Dream' and couldn't be happier.

We even had some Show and Tell, a stunning quilt made by Val for her Great Niece.

Starting off our #4 quilt exhibition post is a set of very special place mats.
Sheila
'Among my Souvenirs'

"These place mats feature purchased reproduced images of Tasmanian animals and plants: free motion stitched with image created using thread.  They featured in the award winning art quilt, 'My Island Home' by Cindy Watkins, Deloraine".

Jane
'Tessalations'

"The Brigette Giblin pattern 'Tessalations' was my first experience into fussy cutting.  I love the bright and interesting combinations of fabric provided by Material Obsession as a block of the month project.  I added my own choice of fabric for the borders.
I hand and machined pieced the quilt and the machine quilting was done by Fiona, the Quilting Fairy".

Wendy
'Inside Squares'

"This was my first 'modern quilt' and I realised how many more blocks you have to do when there is no border!
The fabric is 'Home School' range by L.B.Krueger.  The design is 'Growing up Modern' by Allison Harris.  I machine pieced and machine quilted the quilt.

Diane
'Sashiko Cushions'

"I wanted to do some hand sewing and given my lack of skills at embroidery I tried my hand at Sashiko.  I bought a panel from BeBeBold at the recent quilt show in Brisbane and turned it into six cushions.  Ideal for my outdoor table setting".

 Gwenyth
'OMG Not More Stars, but Moons Too'

"I found a star from a pattern called 'Shooting Stars' that I had made, I needed something to do on our 'Bossies'' week end away.  I started the quilt and have only just finished it.
I machine pieced and hand quilted the quilt".

Karen
'Country Romance'

"With not a lot of quilting experience I purchased this pattern and kit to have a go at a country theme.  I was surprised how easily this came together.  I used the quilt as you go method to put the blocks together but hand quilted the rest.  I also wanted to break my habit of always choosing pink and floral fabric.
The pattern was designed by T.Hylton for Patchwork Pumpkin".

Fiona
' White House Hexagons'

"I have made this quilt with 1" hexagons.  English Paper Pieced, taking 2 years to complete, I first started basting the 'hexies' while traveling and watching my son Kart Race.  The layout is called Honeycomb Mosaic.  It was inspired by a quilt made by Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur C1830, first daughter to be married in the White House.  Maria's quilt never was finished.  The quilt was hand pieced and machine quilted by me, the Quilting Fairy".

Susan W.
'Floral Fantasy'

"From the book 'Country Best' by Deborah Kitching.  Using bright fabrics, hand appliqued by me machine quilted by Esther Strelen".

Pat
'Petit Fours'

"I really enjoyed making this quilt.  Using a Jaybird Quilts Hex'n' More ruler and my basket of quilt scraps.  The ruler allowed me to use various pattern pieces to come up with this design.  My husband said it looked like petit fours on a plate waiting to be nibbled.  Hence the name.
I used my domestic Janome to heavily free motion quilt each piece of the wall quilt".

Susan W.
'Strawberry Thief'

 "This wall hanging is based on a design by Michele Hill, inspired by a William Morris pattern created in 1883.
The all-cotton fabrics have been hand appliqued and hand quilted by me".

Wendy
'Home is where your chickens come to roost'

"I started this quilt when all my children had left home and was suffering the empty nest syndrome.  It has been a UFO for some years and now finally finished.  The pattern is a Patchwork Pumpkin design.  

The quilt was hand embroidered and then machine quilted by me". 

Gwenyth

'Thank You Mary Ellen'

"I just love black and white and checks.  I had the outer borders for many years, they are a Mary Ellen Hopins design.
I used a template package for stars and decided on the colour design.
The quilt is mostly hand pieced and hand quilted".

Marguerite
'Hexy'

"Nothing exciting here!  Simply using some of my stash collection.  Have, however, very much enjoyed the process and I am very happy with the result.
The quilt is hand pieced and hand quilted.

Diane
'Pleasures Found'

"I attended some classes in the 1990's but put the quilt aside for some years when I went back to work full time.  As I have now retired and with the encouragement of my sister I finished the quilt this year.  I loved doing the hand quilting but was glad when it was all sewn up and finished.  I could then start lots of new projects".

Was ever so taken with this cute little box of pink, yep, pink bobbins from Kim, one of the merchants at our Show, but just bowled over by the generosity of Inge who, when she spotted me sitting patting and playing with said bobbins, offered to fill them for me!  yeah! really!

Quilters really are the bestest folks!.  Thanks Inge, and when I finish these blog posts, guess what I will be spending time playing with .

2015 Quilt Show and Sale #3

Ready for some more loveliness??
The third batch of wonderful quilts with a few other interesting pieces for you.

One of the colourful floral arrangements supplied by Betty and Inge from their gardens.

Lorraine I.
'Jessica's Horses'

"Last year my Great Niece stated she had grown out of her baby quilt and could she have a new quilt made out of horses, but I decided to go with fabric instead.
The large horse panels are cushion cover panels, the smaller pieces are from the 'running wild' fabric range and the background horseshoe printed fabric was sourced for me by Brian of Brian's Fabrics".

Marlene
'5 Minute Purple'

This quilt was made at a Buderim Craft Cottage workshop with June Sulzberger in 2011.  The workshop was on 5 minute blocks with Fat Quarters.
The quilt was machine pieced by me and quilted by Fiona of the Quilting Fairy".

Sheila
'Scotia's Top Five'

"This is granddaughter Scotia's 13th birthday quilt.  She loves ballet, cups of tea, books, guitars and hugs.
This is an original design using a guitar image by Prairie Queen on the internet.  The fabric is from my stash.
The quilt was machine pieced and machine quilted by me".

Janice
'Oriental Dreams'

From my large stash of Oriental print fabrics.

Ailsa
'Christmas Wall Hanging'

This is an Indigo Niche design which I hand embroidered and machine quilted.

Karen
'Country Romance'

Machine pieced and appliqued lap quilt, bag and matching cushion.

Michelle
'A Walk in the Park'

"I thought this design would make a lovely wedding quilt for my daughter.
I finally finished the quilt in February this year.
This is a Missouri Star Quilt Company design and was taught at the Patchwork Angel in 2013.
It was machine pieced, the machine quilting was done by Fiona, the Quilting Fairy.

Fiona
'Jack's Chain'

 "The quilt was started in a class with Leesa Siegel last year.  My aim was to conquer 'set in' seams on a machine.  The block is a Hexagon surrounded by 9 patches and Triangles with every seam being a 'set in' seam.  I am planning on making another one!
The design is by Leesa Siegel.
The quilt is all machine pieced and quilted by me, the Quilting Fairy".

Jackie
'Red Delight'

"This is my first hexagon quilt.  I just love the colour.
Machine quilted by Judy Davidson of Furball Farm Quilting."

Lorraine I.
'Blocks of Aqua'

 "This quilt featured on the front cover of Quilters Companion and was designed by Michelle Marvig.
I was in need of a new quilt for my bed and made it up but a lot bigger and with large borders to hang over the sides of the king sized mattress.  I followed Michelle's directions and made it quilt as you go, much kinder on old, damaged shoulders.
I love this quilt, making it and looking at it, until I put it on the bed and found the green tones of aqua I chose didn't go at all well in the blueish coloured aqua bedroom.  So I took off the large borders, took off one row of blocks and bound it to become my bed quilt for going away on quilting retreats.  I will eventually join up the sides and row of blocks into another quilt.
The quilt is my design.  I machine pieced and quilted it.

Janice
'Japanese Stepping Stones'

"Wanting to make a modern quilt and loved these fabrics with a white background.  The pattern is my design.  Machine pieced and professionally quilted by Judy at Furball Farm.

 Pat
 'Takayama'

"This qult is a tribute to the wonderful people of Japan and their traditions, culture and food.
Purchasing the red, white and black kimono fabric at the Kyoto Kimono Museum brought back the memories of the previous week during our Japanese holiday when my husband and I stayed at a ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) in Takayama.
Our personal host, Hanna (who was on call for 24 hours a day during our entire stay) told me I must wear traditional Japanese clothes for meals and patiently assisted me into my beautiful navy and red kimono.  It took awhile for her to explain the correct way to fold the kimono around me and then tie a perfect cummerbund bow behind me to hold it all in place.  I admit I did feel rather special wearing the kimono, but the cummerbund was pretty uncomfortable.
The red and black cotton fabric is of Japanese origin, purchased in Australia.  I used my domestic Janome to free motion quilt the various sashiko patterns, all of which have traditional meaning from mountains to fishing nets to the wind and trees.  The straight quilting lines represent the many people traveling en masse each day but never colliding.

Jane
'French Dresdens'

"I love this range of French General fabrics which lent itself to becoming Dresden Plates.
The pattern was designed by Majella at Kookaburra Cottage and inspired by Kookaburra Cottage - Carnival Star.
I hand and machine pieced the quilt and the machine quilting was done by Fiona, the Quilting Fairy 

Sue
Tote Bags

 Three of Sue's Totes, all with feature pockets on the front of the bags.  The totes were offered for sale as well as being part of the exhibition.

Tessa
'Needleturn Sampler'

Hand Pieced Kite, Bags and Hexies

Thursday night girls were treated to some lovely show and tell and thanks to Lorraine and her pics we can also enjoy the goodies.

Jenny C. brought along her beautiful 'Kite' shaped scrappy quilt.  This gorgeous quilt was hand paper pieced and hand quilted - mostly at Rugby matches and travelling whilst Jenny was watching her son play.  There is a possibility of a workshop in the future to show us all the technique.

A closer view of those beautiful fabrics and neat  points.

Jenny was also working on her new bag made out of those gorgeous tiny hexagons!  Her bag is made of Kaffe Fasset fabrics, and here it is laid out on the bag pattern. 

Jane was also working on her bag of the tiny hexagons - here she is with her one made in Japanese fabrics.

Elaine has made a great bag using a left over 'golf lady' panel, and she is taking it off to golf on Friday for a raffle.

Debbie loved the tutorial Janet showed us on how to make the needle holders, that she made this beautiful one for Jane for her Birthday.  Debbie added lovely pearls and beautiful lace and embroidery work.  Very pretty.

Following the tutorial given by Jenny C. some months ago on how to make the great little patchwork bags - whenever our group gets together we see them popping up on the tables with our notions inside - they are so sweet, and every one is different!

Thank you for sharing the Thursday night meeting with us Lorraine.

Show and Tell from the Thursday Night Group

There has been much talk about Fiona's Hexagons and in the mailbox this a.m. courtesy of Lorraine, lucky us get to see a piccie, .

"At the Thursday night Patchwork Group meeting this week, we had three new quilts to enjoy.

Fiona brought along her completed hexagon quilt top which  looked wonderful with its appliqued darker border really setting off the gorgeous flowers.  All that hand stitching and not a stitch in sight!

Jane brought her adorable dresden plate quilt top made with fabulous pastel fabrics.

She has done a tremendous job of all the hand stitched paper pieced dresden plates, with an interesting mix of fabrics.

Lorraine has finished her "shirt" quilt which she has made for a family member undergoing chemo treatment at present.  This quilt has been made from seven old cotton shirts and it has a lovely "worn in comfy" feel to it.  The quilt is for a 40yr. old male, and it seems to appeal to all the men who have seen it so far.  They like it because "it does not seem like a blanket"

Thank you Lorraine for sharing your pics and the doings of the Thursday night girls, all lovely quilts, the pic of your shirt quilt just oozes 'comfort'.  The very best of luck to the recipient, hope he recovers soon.