Feeling workshop deprived?

got the answer!
e-mail popped up this morning from Melissa Marginet offering another free Mystery Quilt-a-Long. Melissa offers this quilt-a-long via facebook on a closed group, so you need to join or be a facebooker and apply to her closed group at Melissa’s Mystery Quilt-a-Long
Melissa "The quilt is another simple pattern that will come together quickly but is sure to please. It will be 60" x 60". This is a favourite quilt size for me. It fits perfectly on my queen size bed as a coverlet over my plain bedspread, it's a great size for a lap quilt, I like this size for baby gifts as it is something the child will not outgrow quickly, and if you want to make it bigger it's easy to add borders.
The Fabric Requirements have already been posted, so head over to the page and have a look.
I am looking forward to meeting you online."

Melissa is the Canadian lass who's book 'Walking Foot Quilting Designs' I have shared with some of you at the Cottage. If F.M.Q. isn't for you for whatever reason, I can wholeheartedly recommend this style of quilting. Janome Life did a review here if interested.

However, if you feel the need to part with a few (55) dollars you can sign up for a rather interesting online class with this chapie, Peter Byrne, but you have to be fluent on Instagram and have a Paypal account but most importantly, be a night owl, the course is a 'full day' and starts at 11.30p.m. our time!!
...still....tempting, tempting!
Peter talks a bit about 'Hover' quilting, apparently it's been around for about a year and some of the newer D.S.M.'s have a hover function. Bernina has an explanatory video here
It's amazing what's out there girls!

Anyone else got a link to an online workshop you would like to share??

Meanwhile, back on our home patch, we have managed to miss an important '0' birthday, but thanks to Karen we have managed to catch up with Di with a basket of goodies and some lovely birthday wishes. Hope you had a wonderful day Di.

Kept the most time absorbing till last.
Yep a Virtual Quilt Show, you can even vote for your viewers choice.
Like all quilt shows it is for a limited time, April 27th to May 3rd 2020.
Pop on over to view some amazing quilts in all categories. Oh and if you want, you can sign up for classes as well, just like a real quilt show.

A Birthday Feast and some silliness

Sheila sent a big thank you to everyone for her birthday wishes and just had to share how sneaky Karen had been. Firstly in pinning down the actual date and the e-mail shenanigans Karen went to to contact the group members without Sheila being aware. Its all fun and games!
Although in 'lockdown' Sheila still managed a lovely day of 'visits', starting off early with a visit from Karen and the basket of goodies, followed a lovely long Internet visit with every member of her family, a distanced luncheon with her S.I.L and finishing with a special surprise from her Brissy branch of the family of a delicious seafood delivery from Psari Mooloolaba

Only one word for it really. Spoilt! Well if you can't be spoilt when your special '0' birthday is in lockdown when can you be?
Glad you had a lovely day Sheila.

Marlene forwarded some funnies for us to giggle over. Thanks Marlene

This giggle surfaced, Thankyou ?.

And for some of you who just want to get out there and get going, well, maybe this will help, Virtual visits of National Parks of U.S.
https://crafty.diply.com/121060/you-can-virtually-tour-a-whole-bunch-of-national-parks-from-your?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=grumpyoldgits&utm_content=gog000470&fbclid=IwAR3Zlv59CT3pcF2hDOBP1gguzUOzV4lUgy3I_zn_bWm6VTFCOq4Q4yhf5gA

'Guess Who?' We have a winner

Congratulations Janice, first to match a correct name to a corresponding pic. You get to choose 2 F.Q's of your choice from Kimz Sewing and Patchwork. That will be something to look forward to when this craziness has ended, an excuse to visit Kim and fondle fabric...somehow or other internet fondling just isn't the same, (and the screen tends to get a little grubby.)

Got a couple of extra pics last night to share, Karen D's story is a real hoot.
This cutie is Betty.

Karen's story"
"Okay - so I am in the middle - with what some would say is a fancy dress
costume on.
I will have to correct you - it was my pink silky negligee. Yes, my
parents would let me walk around everywhere with that over my normal
clothes.
This phase of my life only lasted for TWO years. I often think about that
negligee, who owned it before me and what were my parents thinking!"

The names you all are waiting on are:
1 Sheila
2 Lorraine I
3 Sandy
4 Sandy
5 Janice
6 Janice
7 Sherrye
8 Sue A
9 Sherrye
10 Andrea
11 Estelle
12 Wendy
You can pop back to the 'Guess Who' post to see the original pics with names

The Sewing space competion has also been updated with the names of who owns each space, pop back to the post here.

Jackie has been busy both on facebook and updating her needle craft.
"I’ve looked at Lisa Walton’s Facebook, there are two quilts made from the Power of Three pattern released for free at end of March, Lisa also says the pattern will be free through May....Lisa has three of her quilts there in different colour ways.
Looking at the Facebook page you can see her newer work and some older work.
Lisa comments, plenty of people passing her house each day, she is putting out a different quilt for the people to look at each day.
Cheers.....Jackie"
and a follow up some stitcheries for those who like to wield a needle,
"for the ladies who like stitchery, Ive been seeing reference to these free stitchery patterns.
I’ve learnt to do colonial knots this week, something I’ve rarely done before.
Cheers....Jackie"
From the facebook site:
16 Aussie stitchers of note have designed a free 6" stitchery to share. It is on a closed Facebook group, pop over and join.
Or if you would like to simply view the stitcheries go to this Images site
Did a search of some of the stitchers names (available on front of relevant facebook page with the words 'Love and Hugs from Aust and got a blog link to that gals stitchery post, so that is another avenue if you don't want to do the facebook thing

A wee tad of quarantine trivia for you to ponder
During the Black Death, incoming ships were forced to wait for 40 days to prevent possible infection. The Italian work for 40 'Quaranta' is where we get the word quarantine.

Some other things to think about:
If you replace 'W' with 'T' in 'What, Where and When', you get the answer to each of them.

Your future self is watching you right now through memories.....now that is spooky...so play nice and play happy

Competition closed & more eye candy from Wendy

Remember the heads up from Jackie less than a month ago about the Lisa Walton free pattern and facebook group for her quilt 'The Power of Three'?, well Wendy has been there, gathered up the pattern, and done it, yep finished the quilt, and yes, it is beautiful.
"This is my Power of Three Quilt that I have just finished. I think it was Jackie who posted it on the blog with the free pattern that was available."

Karen did us all proud yesterday with a surprise visit to Sheila to help her celebrate her big '0' birthday. Karen organised birthday messages from the group that she then printed out on pretty paper for Sheila as well as a basket of goodies. Thanks for your hard work Karen, and thanks for sharing the pic of Sheila with her goodies. I'm sure her family would love to have a peek.

The 'Guess Who?' competition is now closed.
We had 9 brave souls who played the game with 12 photos. To win the wonderful mystery prize just match the 9 names with 9 of the photos, yep there will be 3 left over pics, but don't let that throw you.
Send your entry to my e-mail or to my mobile phone, first correct entry wins. Good Luck
Player Names are:
Wendy
Sue A.
Sherrye
Sheila
Sandy
Lorraine I. (Lainey)
Janice
Estelle
Andrea
Pop over to the original post to see all pics and make your guesses.

A Very Special Birthday...

...for a very special lady.
Today is Sheila's Birthday, and yep it is one of those Big '0' birthdays, a birthday that calls for cake, and in a normal world we would have had cake, but today we make do with a promise of cake when this is all over.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHEILA X X X

We know you will have many 'Skype' family visits and even a 'social distancing' visit or two. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Jan sent along some lovely eye candy for us.
"These are for my granddaughter in Scotland and don’t know when she will see her parcel!
I made her dress from donated fabric given generously by Ailsa.
The little bunny was for Easter this year but should still be good for 2021!

Still keeping busy with sewing those UFOs and succeeding."

Sue A. has also been busy finishing another U.F.O. and chucks out this challenge (with a hint no less) to you all.
"Can you tell the front from the back.
I like the back better than the front, but then that’s me."

Now just because this crazy world we now inhabit needs a few shortcuts, here are two that will save you time and perhaps a few $$$'s
Firstly, if you have been a little tardy in keeping up your mask supplies and need a quick fix, follow this lassies smart idea. Pretty well self explanatory!

Gave it a burl, works o.k. but definitely not suitable for getting all energetic and carried away with the cleaning, its a gravity thing!

Rumor has it that everyone is finally finding time for some in depth house cleaning, and if the supermarket shelves are anything to go by, boy oh boy, there is some major cleaning going on so when this handy hint was spotted, claiming to clean the whole house in 10 mins, immediately thought 'What a good idea' have to share that one,

So now you have a lovely clean house, make up a batch of these 'original' Anzac biccies then settle down to quilt, quilt, look for inspiration and quilt some more!!

Enjoy your day.
Tomorrow is closing day for the 'Guess Who?' competition, so if no other entries we have 9 names and 12 pics (yep, a few double ups just to add to the challenge!!!!
When the list goes up tomorrow morning the first person to get all names correctly matched to a photo (not all photos have to be matched) and sent to my e-mail or mobile phone wins!!! and the winning prize is ???? still a mystery and who doesn't love a mystery!

Another Virtual Quilt Show

Lainey sent us a link to the SAQA Quilt week virtual quilt show. As you scroll through click on any pic you might like a closer look at.
This quilt, titled 'Lunacy' rather captured my imagination, sorta sounds apt for the times we are traveling through

https://www.quiltweek.com/saqa-aloft/?trk_msg=MO0NU87CGNKKDDEVR40KFODEOG&trk_contact=S7DAB3096UTG8UHUFPCJQ3AM68&trk_sid=5K6TDKD4L524R3TBALQDDTPEN4&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=SAQA%3a+Aloft&utm_campaign=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020&utm_content=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020
Enjoy, and thanks for the link Lainey.


Jackie suggested links to the more unusual of our craft, so what an opportunity when this link was also on the e-mail from Lainey.

'English Paper Piecing by Machine'
a complete class on D.V.D., the blurb reads "We all love the look of precision that English paper piecing creates. Get that same precision with English paper piecing on your home sewing machine! Karen K. Stone has taken a difficult traditional block and made it easy and fun"
https://shop.americanquilter.com/11083-dvd-english-paper-piecing-by-machine-complete-iquilt-class.html?trk_msg=MO0NU87CGNKKDDEVR40KFODEOG&trk_contact=S7DAB3096UTG8UHUFPCJQ3AM68&trk_sid=5K6TDKD4L524R3TBALQDDTPEN4&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=iquilt&utm_campaign=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020&utm_content=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020
A quick look with the lowest postage of $3.01 the cost would be approx AUD$40---very tempting I must say!

There was also a youtube link to an interview with Sandra Mollon who won APQS Best Movable Workmanship Award at AQS QuiltWeek - Spring Paducah 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8PZQaNRg24&trk_msg=MO0NU87CGNKKDDEVR40KFODEOG&trk_contact=S7DAB3096UTG8UHUFPCJQ3AM68&trk_sid=5K6TDKD4L524R3TBALQDDTPEN4&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Sandra+Mollon+Inteview&utm_campaign=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020&utm_content=AQS+QuiltWeek-2020
So chuck that duster to one side, make a cuppa and follow the links above for some fun quilting time, and after lunch you can do some learning - again courtesy of Lainey, go look up Albrech Durer and his magic squares, loads of info and youtube vids...Have Fun!!

Got a rather excited call from one of our members, she has cracked the secret to Free Motion Quilting! Yeah! True!. It's all rather simple really, you just roll your tongue around your mouth whilst zooming that quilt under the needle, the tongue roll is all about the 'steering and control' She is willing to give us a demo when we all get back to gathering at the Cottage - So there's something for us all to look forward to! Can't wait!

More pics of the younger versions of your quilting mates are on the 'Guess Who' competition page. Pop on over for a smile and see if you can place some names to the faces. There are 12 pics from 9 entrants so far.
Sandy, Wendy, Sherrye, Janice, Estelle, Sheila, Andrea, Lorraine, Sue A
Good luck guessing, there is still time to join in the fun, with a chance to win the grand prize of ???? entries will close Friday