Thursday night

Denise has been busy............... a little birdhouse wall hanging.....

A jelly roll quilt - on the home straight - binding time!

Another jelly roll quilt - I cannot remember who made this one - apologies to the maker!

Elaine had some knitting on the go............

While a few of us made cute little mug bags.............

Just buttons to ne stitched on and they are good to go!!

Luscious Quilts, snazzy flimsies and a simple quilt construction.

Every year for International Women's Day Bev from Maleney Magic quilt shop hosts a Luncheon, featuring a well know quilter as guest speaker, speakers have been Dianne Johnston, Jan Mullen, Margaret Rolfe, Barbara Travis and Susane Briscoe among others, many others.  This year it was the turn of Judy Hooworth.
Judy, along with Margaret Rolfe are the authors of that amazing book 'Spectacular Scraps'
Beryl bought along a quilt to share that she had made in a Judy Hooworth workshop back in 2001 at an S.C.&C. Quilters Workshops.

A closer view of that stunning center.

 

Log Cabin construction with an H.S.T 'Heart'

Did you see that little photo on Beryl's Quilt?, managed to get a snap of it to show you the other quilts made at the S.C.&C. Workshop.

 

Dont'ch just lurve technology. These are all stunning quilts.

Jackie was one of the many girls from our Patchwork Group who attended the luncheon, and bought this rather special note along to share with us, from our current Govenor-General Quentin Bryce to Bev Perel, the luncheon organiser and owner of Maleny Magic.

A wonderful time was had by all who attended, the food was fab, the entertainment terrific and the speaker was very entertaining.  Great idea to pencil the date into your diary for next year.  Just pop over to http://www.malenymagicpatchworks.com/newsletter.html  to read the online newsletter and to book for future I.W.D. Functions.

That Jelly Roll Race, gosh what fun was had by all.  Mary, knowing she wouldn't be at this weeks meeting got her rush on and finished her flimsey before leaving last week.

Wendy, has totally finished her quilt.  Of course one of the negatives of a Jelly Roll Quilt is....yep, you have used your entire roll and there is nothing left for a border.  Of course you could purchase a second Jelly roll to make a border, and then of course you need to be thinking and planning how to use up those leftovers. - or not.

Wendy cleverly solved her problem by using a mauve fabric and tying the border to the quilt by appliqueing a mauve flower on the quilt surface.

The perfect fit, Wendy already had some mauve floral in her stash for the backing.

Jackie is off on a rather lovely sounding holiday soon, so decided to bring along two items for show and tell, firstly this stunningly vibrant Hexie quilt.  Larger hexies to make the most of the vibrant Kaffe Fassett fabric

A closer view of some lovely fabrics.

Jackie hand pieced the hexies, just look at those sharp points!

She then had that talented quilter Judy from Furball Farm Quilting quilt her beauty with this lovely allover design.

Every time I pop over there, to Furball Farm, to drool, to copy the link address, whatever, I am blown away by the stunning work Judy does.............Just gonna steal this pic from her site to share with you, sometimes you just gotta do what you just gotta do.

 Now isn't that just magical?, don't you just want to go visit with this quilt and pat?!

Of course I will use my manners and shoot Judy off an e-mail requesting the use of her pic....

Addendum THANK YOU so much for permission Judy.

Jackie also had her Jelly Roll Race flimsey, all Christmassy in flavour

and it was amazing to watch Jackie talk about ideas, options and what she may do with this flimsy.

Can't wait for Christmas when this potential stunner comes into the spotlight.....oh and that digit? the one offside?- well that was Christine telling Val a snippet about her flimsey, which she repeated later on.

And here it is, Christine's wonderfully muted flimsy. 

What could be a better design than to use this great flimsey as a background for an underwater scene?  Yep, not only is it the plan, her newly retired Darling has unearthed his inner artist, and has drawn up the design details, something about dolphins, coral, etc, etc....

Another quilt I can't wait to see finished!.

Karen's Jelly Roll proved to be a Junior Jelly Roll, that is, only 20 strips, but not to be outdone, Karen rummaged around in her stash and found extra, 

then just because she wanted to, she cut her flimsey 2 ways, creating 4 pieces that she flipped and scooted to form this totally stunning flimsey, with the addition of a 1" gold border and then a wider dark blue border she has an amazing take on the Jelly Roll Quilt.  Karen is a newish member to our group and I hope to catch her with her next creation to introduce her to you.  Welcome to our group of friendly quilters Karen.

Today was 'The Day' for Val to show us the amazingly simple quilt layout.  Sashed 4 patch blocks, so simple to assemble and with Val's layout so simple to create a flimsey with the minimum of points to match.
Val had a slab of 10 blocks already joined to start us off.

She then demonstrated the twist and turn method of laying the blocks against each other to minimise matching seam joins.  This added block has a long side sashing running across a short sashing bordered on each side with long sashings.  - following? really?

Oh just follow the pics peeps, its all there for you.
Adding the second block along, its all reversed, see?, simple really.

As Val points out, there are very few seams to match with this method.

 

and of course those little 4 patches in the center. 'portant to get them matching, whole design hinges on those points coming together nicely.

Val was asked how she created the 4 patches, cut individually or strip pieced and crosscut.

With a big deep sigh, Val fessed up, she has been making scrappy quilts for a few months now, so when she worked out she need x number of red squares and x number of blue squares for her four patches................she just went ahead and cut them~!!! it was when she sat down to stitch that the dawn - well dawned.  

Being the trouper she is she just went ahead and stitched them altogether.

No one asked if any special words were muttered......I mean really, would you ask?

This is going to be another loving and lovely Charity Quilt.

Jelly Roll Race and other things

The day of the big Jelly Roll Race finally arrived, lots of anticipation and eagerness to get going, of course, there was the last minute dash by those doing the busy-busy thing, not quite being in two places at once, but pretty close to it

Christine was  ripping the wrapping from her roll at 2 mins before 'go' time.

Then there was the reading of the rules by the adjudicator

Finally, the much awaited Ready, Set, Go!!!

And they were off,

Lots of calm control at this stage.

Mind you, someone was under a bit of a handicap, after a run in with something sharp in her quilting room - (I hear tell that there was a bit of a dash to the doc who promptly informed her that the wound was 'still pumping'...and she didn't pass out!! how's that for brave!)

None of that affected her sense of humour though, when she promptly stitched both ends of the first two strips together...

a bit of a quick un-stitch and she was off....

While the racing gals were heads down, the rest of us were busily 'doing' and 'admiring',
Lorraine bought along a finally finished quilt, started 3 years ago from a quilting magazine pattern.
Stunning pattern, Stunning rendition.

Sue had a couple of hours free this morning and ran this little darling up, who can see this as a part of your 'day at the races' accessories??

Beautiful yellow daisies on the front with a black and white/lemon back, spliced with a zip to form a secure pocket for your winnings - there are a few of the little cut off triangle from the Jelly Race strips poked in the opening to show off the zippered pocket.

Yeah, I hear you, who in their right mind would be wandering around with fabric bits that really belong in the bin....well, someone who had read the Ami Simms post on crumb quilts, or watched the youtube video on Ami's post featuring Megan Null and her lovely scrappy quilt.  Megan wastes nothing...NOTHING...I'm so in awe.
Bye the Bye, a big thank you to the ladies taking part in the race who donated all those lovely tinsy little scraps, they will make lovely blocks.

Anyhooo.....go watch the vid, read about the challenge and peek at Megans lovely scrappy quilt.

There were lots of 'Scottie Dogs" being finished off, but with the excitement of the Race we decided to have a kennel club meeting next week, except for this little guy, Marcia bought her flat pup along to show us before she stuffs and posts him.  He is just adorable and someone special is going to love him to bits.

Back to the Race!!
Lots of stitchin' going on, but Christine is wondering just how big a pile 1600" of fabric strips makes.

Back at the Ranch, oh well, back in the main room, Fae was setting out some hexagons she has been working on

...muttering about, 'a decision has to be made' and 'joining bits' - I'm sure hexie creators would understand.

Finally, she was happy.  Decision made!.
Looks very pretty, hope we see more of these please Fae.

The tension is mounting, those strips are starting to form a flimsy!

On the last lap!  Marie and Wendy are going neck and neck - who will be the winner??

 

And its.........

a draw!  these two amazing quilters ripped their flimsies from their machines at the same instant!!

Show Time!
Marie shows off her flimsey

Wendy is rather entranced by the dots, well not really, well, maybe she is, maybe she is just giving thanks that the race is over..........and no injuries - (really she looked down to answer someone's question just as the pic was snapped.)

Well Done winners, well done participants, hoping to see all those flimseys finished and turned into quilts real soon  ;)

It's been mentioned before, about our 'display cabinet' where each month a different Cottage Group displays their members art work.
The current display, with the families permission, is all about the work of one woman, an amazing needleworker and caring lady.

Jane Filmore was a member of the Cottage since 1994 until her recent passing, she was an amazing instructor, although I do remember her telling me to 'go home and practice how to hold your needle, and by the way, that crowbar you have is no where near a needle!'
As a novice I was gobsmacked!!, but she was so right! and although I will never be a 'real' embroider I'm grateful for what she taught.
Jane always told it as it truly was, but was always willing to help you understand the vagaries of the needle and thread.
For more on the life of this amazing lady read from our Newsletter here.

Some of Jane's lovely needlework, for a closer look pop into our Atrium at 5 Main Street Buderim.

Scottie Dog Softie Workshop

Heads Down for our first workshop of the year, creating cute little scottie dog softies.

Marie found the pattern as a freebie on the net and was rather taken by just how cute this little fellow looks and how simple it is to personalise his look. 
Marie whipped up two variations to show us, this guy with his ric rac trimmed orange neckerchief is using 2.5" squares with felt eyes.

This cute little guy, also using felt for his eyes, with a lovely tartan bow is more 2 dimensional , using 1.5" squares, he is just about 7" high, no gusset, with a front and a back stitched together, turned, softly stuffed and stitched closed.  Just perfect for a new babe.

Story goes that the original pattern was a freebie way back, possibly in the 1940's in an American ladies magazine.  Apparently there are squillions, well lots, that surface in garage sales and antique sales across the states. Sheila reckons she has an Aussie magazine original pattern from the 1960's, so who knows, maybe we will start another wave of creating these cuties.

 

By the end of the afternoon, great progress had been made, 

Courtney was snapped at the beginning of the workshop, planning her colour layout.

 

Sheila went for a predominance of bright primary colours  for her scottie.

Wendy went for a checkerboard effect with dots and plain red

While Janice's choices were more country in flavour.

Just love the black and white zig zags in this one, gives it a modern slant.

Of course, that super swift stitcher Lorraine had finished the assembly and just about completely stuffed her dog by the end of day.

Can't wait to see the finished doggies, which ones will be girls and which ones guys? and will there be a unisex doggie? you know, one with a changeable look, such as a bow for girly days and maybe a studded collar for the more macho moods.

The possibilities are endless

If you feel the need to make one of these cuties, pop over to Denyse Schmidt's site for a PDF pattern and directions.  I think Denyse suggests 2.25" squares and we used 2.5" squares.

Thank you Marie for the class and the great pics.

On the charity quilt front, progress is moving along with Gwen having stitched these blocks from her scrappy stash and Val quilting them together.

The use of burgundy for the sashing gives another look to this ever so versatile Q.A.Y.G.

Next workshop, which is next week (no sitting on hands for us) is the Jelly Roll Race!!

Remember, it has to be a complete Jelly Roll of 40 x 42" strips to be in the competition.

The winner, that is the gal who stitches her Jelly Roll into a quilt flimsy first will win either a lovely box of choccies or a couple of fatties.

No Jelly Roll? well take a leaf out of Lorraine's book and cut yourself 40 x W.O.F. strips in colours that you love/like//hate/ think will go together in a quilt top.

If however, you have a Honey Bun, or other roll, bring it along, join the fun, there will be a prize for those who finish but don't use a Jelly Roll.

Yeah, we know, were softies at heart, not to mention lovers of all things choccie.  Well maybe not all things choccie, not ever gonna try one of those chocolate coated ants.......no way, no how!!! yetch!!