Animals, tulips and a few blocks...

I have been busy since we last chatted, with quilting two customer quilts and finally getting to do some piecing.  My resolve to get some projects finished is finally getting a bit of a shove.

First off, here is Rae's beautiful quilt of tulips.

 I used So Fine 410 Charcoal, and it went beautifully over all the colours,  with bottom line black in the bobbin.

I love the texture this swirl pattern gives to a quilt, without taking away from the fabrics.  Rae's beautiful quilt was being gifted to a close friend for his birthday.  Such a lovely gift.  Still need to practice more on my spacing though.
Then it was on to Janice's baby quilt.  This gorgeous wee baby animal quilt was lots of fun to do.

The thread was King Tut 941 with Bottom Line Sage Green in the bobbin.  Looked really great with these colours.

 I took the designs for the alternate blocks from the wee sashing that is around the animals and kept it really simple.  Definitely had a great time.

 Gorgeous backing fabric that Janice used, which gives the quilt two sides.  Thanks Janice for such fun.

Then I got a little bit of me time.  Managed to finish some more Farmers Wife blocks - this is number 8

Number 9 now completed.

And lastly today I managed to complete No. 82.  Yes, a big jump in numbers, but one of our FW group is roaring ahead as the quilt will be for her bed.  This block gave her some problems so I had a go at nutting it out.  Phew!!  It took some doing, but at last a few pennies went clunk and the block was sorted.  I now have 11 blocks finished...you know what that means dont you?  There are only 100 left to go!!!!

Last night I managed to complete some more of my Blue  Scrap Quilt blocks.  These are the accent blocks with the inner red circle.  Just loving the contrast from the red.  Only 7 more blocks to go and I will be able to start assembling the rows.  Yippee!  It almost feels like I am making progress here.

So there you have it.  My list remains to same, but at least there has been stuff happening.  Now that things are settling a little in the housing department...like sleeping in our own bed, I can pop into the shop and do some stitching.  Sort of like my own personal studio/shop all wrapped up in one.  We wont look at the pile of stuff in the corner of my lounge/kitchen/longarm/ everything room!!!

Hope you are all having a great week too.  Have to go to a funeral tomorrow.  My close friend lost her husband to cancer on Friday.  It is so awful when these things happen.  Thank heavens for faith in a better life after this one.

Take care and blessings,
Clare

We have a Winner and the Chicky Bag...

Thank you to those who entered the giveaway.  I appreciate you coming to visit and journey with me via this blog.  The winner of those delicious fat quarters is.... Number 3 (drawn from the hat by my dh Kerry) and is "tawa" who has been notified.  Tawa has some precious linen given to her by her grandmother...it was embroidered by an Aunt who was traumatised by the Napier earthquake.  Thank you for sharing Tawa.

There is an interesting connection here, as my favourite (and only piece) of linen from my paternal grandmother was stitched while living in Hawkes Bay.  My father was in the Napier earthquake also and was at school at Napier Boys High.  We always remember Dad telling us that he and the other boys only survived because the timing of the quake was during interval and they were all playing outside in the yard.  Their schoolroom collapsed in on itself.

On patchwork things...I have spent a wonderful weekend stitching in a class run through Delbrook Quilt company and the tutor was Dianne Fussell.  We had a lovely time and were certainly looked after extremely well.  Light, airy and delicious cake and a superb bacon and egg pie with salad among other tasties.  Christine made the cake and Liz the pie and Pat kept us well plied with drinks (no not that kind) and serving us both days..thanks girls.  Met some lovely fellow stitchers too.

Here are some pics of what I am supposed to be turning into a fabulous bag.  Lots of work with your machine which helps to get know all those stitches that usually we just stare at!!

 This is the front and back, but there are top and bottom borders to go onto the ladies panel yet.

 We played with our free motion on zigzag to get the gorgeous looking hair.  I am also quite proud of the satin stitch going around the blue scarf...managed to go right down to 1.3 width.  There is hope!!

Oops the stars a falling off the hat band.  Might have to stitch those again.

Of course you realise that this has added another project to the list of "to be completed" items.  Oh dear, there is not much hope is there.

Well, a little bit tired after two days of stitching so I'm off to have dinner at sister in laws as we are not quite ready to be back here.  We have slept here the last two days and I have to say it is heaven to be back in our own bed (sigh) there is nothing like it, is there?

Tyson has got the right idea, so I shall leave you with him and say thanks for calling and hope to see you again soon.

Blessings
Clare

I'm linking with Sew Crafty

100th Post!! Free Giveaway to Celebrate!!

Hello everyone, at last we have finally got to the 100th post after much puddling around these last few weeks.  Make sure you read to the end for details of the giveaway.

We are still not in our own home yet, so life is somewhat in a muddle and it is very hard to settle.  We are staying with Kerry's sister still and tonight I have come back to the house/shop as Colleen does not have an internet connection.

Last week I had great fun quilting this gorgeous vintage linen quilt for my friend Therese.  She has made for her best friend's birthday...what a special gift it is.

I used my favourite thread - So Fine 402 which just blended in with everything.

The centre out to the blue is one complete tablecloth.  Therese has added all the rest.  In the centre there was only the embroidered flowers.  Doesn't it look so different?

So many different elements made it really fun to quilt.

The fans in the corner started out as one cloth but cut up into four super corners.

The centre ice cream looking shape is a doily folded into quarters.  Looked great.

One of my favourites, I just love the way this one came up with just simple pebbles.

The back view, which gives another textured look to the whole quilt...one of the lovely things about light coloured backing fabric.

Well there you are.  Enough photos for this post.  Now onto the real business...

As it is my 100th post and to thank you all for hanging in there with me and my erratic posts lately

, I am giving away this gorgeous bundle of fat quarters.  Please leave me a comment on a favourite piece of linen from your family.  I am in the throes of figuring out how to download the random number generator to draw the winner.

Thanks for reading and take care.

Blessings
Clare