September quilting challenge

When I was demonstrating at the quilt show I had several pieces ready to work on...

One of them was my September challenge for QuiltShopGal's freemotion quilting challenge that I am working on each month....

This month featured Kaleidoscope Kreations software but an alternative design to trace was provided for use in Option 1, which is what I chose to use.

As in other challenges I have used a 'recycled' piece... this is a plain white napkin this time.. with a small detail at one corner....

I had already traced out the feathers and first up was placing the traced napkin on top of wadding and stitching carefully around the edge using a water soluble thread...

After that I trimmed the wadding back to behind the napkin hem and then that was then placed on a background fabric which had more wadding and backing on it - this was to give a bit of extra puff to the piece... 

I first sewed it carefull around the hem to stabilise the napkin onto the background fabric

... then the real fun started on the quilting of the feathers...... which I did using a pale blue embroidery thread 

I don't feel I am very good at keeping on the lines but when you iron/wash out what you have traced with it looks fine.... mistakes get hidden

... added more feathers on the outside of the feathered star....

.. and then stippled quite tightly on the background to make the feathered parts stand out more...

I have included a safety pin so you can get an idea of size.. they were pretty small feathers

I then did larger feathers in a circle around the square napkin...

... I always like the effect on the back... sometimes more than the front!

the challenge is for a finished cushion, which I am just not going to get done this month due to moving house, however I thought it was worth linking up anyway to show I have made use of this great tutorial and idea (saving up for the software as there are so many fun ideas!!)

Thanks Darlene for another great challenge, and thanks to Terri Lucas who was this months guest tutor.... I will be looking out for October's challenge.

Anybody else wanting to learn and practice your FMQ .. this is a great way of doing it ... you can join in anytime and of course read back to the challenges earlier in the year.... they are great reference material...

Righto, Gotto Go.... I am packing away my lovely sewing room things today... so only hand sewing from now on to keep me sane....

I had to have a break......

.... from these boxes....

I had already managed to make the border from the 2" blocks....

... and whenever Hubz wasn't looking I hid in the sewing room and did a bit more.... (he thought I was sorting stuff!!)

.... but I discovered that this is true for me....

... and this morning whilst Hubz caught up on the World Cup Rugby he had recorded, I did a bit more 'sorting'.....

I love this top......

This is Anni Downs "Natures Journey" and I have used a range of French General fabrics "Lumiere de Noel"

... and I purchased some plain red French General for the binding.....

... now it's folded up together and packed in a box.....

Big thanks and Hugz to Chookyblue who hosts the StitchALong and trusty Susan who helps out with a bit of whip cracking..... and all the girls who sewalong and are so encouraging to each other....

Righto, Gotto Go... I think oven cleaning is the worst job in the process of moving house so I think I will get it over and done with.....

It's been a busy week but a lot of fun....

Last week with the Tuesday girls we sewed another 3 of these 6" blocks for our versions of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler....

Crows Foot (40 pieces)

Bears Paw (45 pieces)

Crossed Canoes (16 pieces)

We are now up to 48 blocks (of the 140) and 847 pieces.

This week we didn't sew but went off to do some of the activities at the carnival.... There was 2 quilt shows on - Creative Fields at Highfields which is where I was demonstrating and quilting... and the Toowoomba Quilters Club in Toowoomba.  I didn't take pictures except when I got to play on a new machine...

... and yes, I have ordered one for my new quilting room.... I have been saving for a couple of years now and decided the time has come .... very nerve wracking for me

... here are us girls off to play... we are in the tea pot/tea cup show and there were a couple of magnificent clocks.... we all look like we were admiring his bum but we weren't!

... of course we made time for the devonshire tea/coffees....

... there was also some aprons... who thought to put hairy legs on them??? temptation to peep!

... I did do some hand work over the week and finished off these 3 girls from the Stitchers Day Out weekend.... this is Bronwyn Hayes design...

I have a 'wool' swap coming up so I worked on that whilst demonstrating.... feathers and wool.. it comes out rather nice with the added texture....

... I also did lots of a quilt (which I haven't got pics of) but this is part of the quilting....

... and I worked on a cushion cover challenge ... little feathers...

I did display 3 of my quilts.... 

This is Bluebirds of Happiness designed by Christine Hayward....

... very pretty Ausi themed sticheries for each month...

... and this is Baby It's Cold Outside by Toni Alexanderhttp://theredbootquiltcompany.com/... lovely applique designs...

and the other one was Birdie Stitches by Little Miss Shabby... but I didn't get a picture .. and guess what as soon as I got it home I packed it in a box ....

Righto, Gotto Go.. those boxes won't fill themselves! have a great weekend everybody...x

Gifts and Gardens

Recently I won a prize from Anorina at Samelia's Mum... it was a sheet of the iron on dissolvable paper printed with 1" hexagons.... I'm looking forward to trying these out.  Anorina so kindly added one of her too sweet for words denim and liberty heart needle cases.... It's so pretty and useful!

Thanks Anorina... both will be well used...

My daughter and I have continued walking around some of the gardens that are being prepared for Carnival which starts this weekend...

.. this magnolia just looked utterly splendid against the blue sky...

... and a huge bed full of beautiful tulips... (they flowered a bit early following odd weather here)

mass plantings in all the beds...

... I love these little hedges cut into mother duck and her babies...

this hedge is a big curly caterpillar... can you see how they did the feet.. so funny

 this little kookaburra just sat while I stood quite close... I was about a metre away from it here....

My dear friend Shez had a birthday (quite a while ago and I was late in sending her a giftie)  This is a set designed by Kris (Tag Along Teddies) Shez travels quite a lot so I thought these would be useful and added some ever so sweet border type fabric for her to play with.  Happy Birthday Shez.

Righto, Gotto Go... I am demonstrating quilting on a domestic machine at the Creative Fields Quilt Exhibition hosted by The Quilters Angel this weekend and need to get some samples ready.... it's going to be such fun

A lovely weekend....

This last weekend was the annual Stitchers Dream Day Out hosted by The Quilters Angel .... I am lucky enough to be allowed to attend both days.. one as a helper and the other as a stitcher...  its lovely..

Kris and I consider ourselves in charge of getting chairs ready.... don't they look so pretty?

.. and there is a little shop stall for those emergency items one needs at a stitching day

...

.. and gift bags with patterns and starter kits for the projects....

.. display boards with samples of the designers work.... this year we had Julie Lovell from Calico Farm Designs and Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly....

... No pictures of the designers but they were both lovely... I have read Bronwyn's blog for years and was a bit celebrity tongue tied meeting her... I have to tell you she is just lovely, down to earth and was quite happy getting her hands dirty helping clean up at the end of Sunday... ooooh and she sat in my car!!!! woohooooo

Here are the samples for the patterns we got...

I helped with registration and had this lovely red tea cup with lavender in it... and a cup of lovely coffee from the lady with her van...

... and wonderful to meet friends... here is Susan....

... and Marilyn... and Robyn (no blog)

... and here is all the bloggers together... Susan, me, Kris, Marilyn and Narelle (who drove 3 hours in the morning to get there)

... pretty roses at the tea table...

.. and lovely cake.... 

Narelle stayed overnight and joined us on Sunday too and it was lovely to get a chance to sit and have a chit chat (just a little!)

On Sunday I got my pack and kit... my project was one of Bronwyns ladies designs.... I do love her 3 glamorous girls....

Christine Lyn and I dressed for Tea Time (which was the theme for the weekend)....

(we do look like the girls in her drawings don't we.. though I don't think they blatantly show off their legs!)

... and there was another lovely cake....

(by the way they tasted just as good as they looked)

When I got home I found a little parcel in my bag... I thought someone had dropped it by mistake but Narelle sent me a message and said it was for me from her ..

I lovely gift - a little hanger for my new home, a thread holder and all wrapped in fabric and tied with ric-rac...

 - 

... obviously she had taken note of how my thread was during the day!

... so now it is sorted .... thanks Narelle....

A lovely weekend... I'm looking forward to next years already....

Right, Gotto Go....