Made from my stash

This is the first time I have worked from my stash, rather than purpose buy fabrics. I am really happy with the result.
Oh, I did purpose buy the white AND that was the first time I have ever bought, or used white in a quilt!

a busy quilter, magazine editor and mum

Phew, what a big few weeks, and it will be for at least two more! It's not all bad, just exhausting.

A few weeks ago I realised that I needed to make a quilt for besties 50th - which was last Saturday. So, from whoa to go it took me a couple of weeks. I made it a simple strippy style combining Moda Chez Moi fabrics and some gorgeous linen. Quick to cut and quick to piece. Then I machine quilted it (my third only machine quilted quilt!) on my new machine, Gonzales my PFAFF GrandQuilter.

I didn't see bestie on her actual birthday, I will see her tomorrow and give her her new quilt. I made a cot quilt for her youngest when he was a baby - he turns 14 today! - and a bed quilt for her then 5 year-old - soon to be 18yo son. It was about time I made one for her too!

I have also started piecing and almost finished a quilt top for a 40th birthday this coming Monday - hmmm, that may not make the deadline, but I am still trying.

I have a new (financial) year resolution to finish one UFO quilt a month, so far I have finished July's, a lap-size quilt top that I made six years ago - that has gone to grand-bubba Myles as his floor-quilt. August is looking pretty busy, but I have a small top that would be excellent to practice some 'feed dog down' quilting on Gonzales. There is no shortage of UFOs at my house ...

I have also been managing the design of the September issue of Down Under Quilts for the past week or so. Some issues go together very smoothly, this one, however, has been a pain. It just keeps going, and going, and every time I think we are almost done, another problem pops up. Arghhh, I am over this issue.
Tomorrow we will gain final approvals on ads, and I should have all the editorial finished too - then off to the printer.

Lastly, in my mum role I have been running kids around to basketball training, basketball games, swimming squad and sewing lessons. This week we had to get Mason to school early Monday for a school camp, and Eloise early today for a two-day excursion to the Blue Mountains - it was 3 degrees at the school at 7.40am this morning, brrrrrr. I suppose it will be even colder in Katoomba - stay rugged up kids!

Among all those fun, tiresome activities I have loads of birthdays to celebrate in August, including my own, here is the roll call ... happy birthday to one and all of my dear peoples ...

3 - Georgie
4 - Bestie Bec
6 - Sami (daughter)
7 - Maya
8 - Ally, Matilda and Jack Riley
10 - Zoe
13 - Nadja (and Me too)
15 - Matt

The Elite Sport of Quilting

I have bested my personal best ... well considering this is only my second machine-quilted quilt it was bound to happen!

With my new Pfaff GrandQuilter, (affectionate known as Gonzales on the basis that its stitches sooo fast!), I can now machine-quilt my own tops.

This quilt top was made about six years ago in a workshop with Dijanne Cevaal. I will bind it and give it to grandson Myles for a play quilt.

Crochet, play with ricrac, start a new quilt?

What a choice! I am home alone, the chores have been done, the sun is shining, a gentle breeze is stirring the washing - all's good. Now it's time to decide what to do for the next few, uninterrupted hours. I have a pretty crochet scarf that I could work on ... Or i could make ricrac roses ... Sew doilies to T-shirts and attach pretty buttons ... finish a quilt top ... Baste a quilt top ... Start a new quilt for my bestie's 50th (which is only 6 weeks away, eeek) Hmmm, I just can't decide! What are you doing that's creative this weekend? X dls

Quilting on the Central Coast (NSW)

is alive and well! 

When I first moved here two years ago I was frustrated at the lack of places I could go to buy fabrics and quilting stuff. So, I dug a little deeper, and I found plenty of opportunities to get my fabric fixes. In the current issue of Down Under Quilts there is a special feature listing the local places you can shop. 

Check out the FREE online subscription now to see the Central Coast listing - www.creativelivingmedia.com.au 

Also on the subject of quilty things on the coast ... last Saturday night I attended the the annual 2GO Give Me 5 for Kids Charity Gala Ball. The hosts of the local morning radio show,  Sarah and Dwayne were the special guests. I had heard Sarah comment about sewing on air about a year ago, so I had vowed that when I went to the Gala Ball I would introduce myself. I really like to meet local people who sew, and those in the media especially, because I love to see the word spread - that sewing, quilting, craft, knitting and crochet are COOL, and not just what Nanna-used-to-do. I was surprised and delighted that when I introduced myself she told me not only does she sew, making curtains and stuff, she actually LOVES QUILTING! I look forward to having a Quilting Bee with her some time soon!

Abundance Quilt Challenge winners ...?

Sorry, can't tell you yet.

We have received lots of beautiful quilts, one even hand-delivered on the final day!

The judging has been done and there are a first, second and third prize and runner up. Prizes are sponsored by SINGER.

The winning quilts and a selection of the entries will be on display at the Mad Quilters Gathering, RNA Showgrounds, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane from May 11-13.

Winners will be announced at 10am on Friday 11th. The winners will also be posted to the Down Under Facebook page later that day.

Come and see me, and the quilts - they're fantastic!

Wyong Quilt Show

I will be at the annual event that aims to raise money for charity, while entertaining and wowing the visitors with lots of quilts to see, workshops and demos, and some great goodies to tempt you.
I will have back issues of DUQ, DUT and CE with me, plus some quilts from past and future issues to tempt you.

It is on this weekend - Saturday and Sunday from 9.30-4pm at Wyong Racecourse on the Central Coast of NSW.

Last time I was there was two years ago and I was hand quilting Sadie's first cot quilt (my granddaughter), this time I will machine-appliqueing her first big-girls-bed quilt. Stop by and have a look at my progress.

I have already pieced the top,

and made a number of sweet free-form hearts ....

Above is the front and the back of the sewn, turned-through hearts. 

The hearts were created by placing the fabric right sides together with lightweight iron-on interfacing. Then you can draw the heart onto the interfacing and machine-sew along the line, or, just free-form stitch them - as I did.

When you are done, snip and hole through the interfacing. Clip and trim any curves, and turn the heart right out side through the clipped interfacing.

Viola, you have a neat edge that doesn't require any 'needletruning', that is easy to stitch down by hand or machine.