Australian Quilt Convention Visited...

Today, on a cold Autumn morning; bright and early, I headed off to the Quilt Show, with my good friend Nancy, to be inspired, and to see what crafters and quilters were doing, what was 'in vogue' 

and to shop, shop, shop!!

Held in the beautiful "Royal Exhibition Building" in the Carlton Gardens; it was the perfect setting for a wonderful display of quilts and a great variety of patchwork shops and stalls.

We spent the first part of the morning wandering around the shops, looking at what was in, and spending some money on fabrics, patterns and notions.

I spent some money on a cute little collection of fabrics from "The Quilter's Barn'

 and picked up some "Liberty Prints' from "Ballarat Patchwork', these I have wanted for ages...

We then went through the 'quilt show' and were thoroughly inspired by the detail of some of the quilts on display, I was amazed by the quality and captured by the story that 

each quilt told.

Here are a few of my 'show' favourites:

(Detail)

(Detail)

(Detail)

(Detail)

(Detail)

(Hand Painted and Quilted)

I just wish some day I could display one of my quilts in a show too. But I'm not a member of a quilt guild, which I think by the look of things you need to be; that is; to be in a show!! Never mind, I enjoy just making quilts for me and mine...

Until next time,

Keep Quilting,

Sharni

XX

My Rainbow Quilt...

After seeing this quilt in a book, I decided that I really wanted to make it, as it was so striking in its design and by using just one jelly roll of plain rainbow colours and strips of white homespun. A rainbow quilt was born.

It was a little tricky to get the placement of the rows which are all offset by 4", but having a large lounge room floor definitely helped with this, (I must admit, my knees didn't like me the next day!) I eventually got it all worked out, and began to stitch it together.

I love the final product, and quickly had the complete quilt top at the quilters!! I decided to have it quilted with clouds in white stitching, which I think has turned out great. Edge to Edge Quilting have done a great job, thanks Sandra and Chris!

I really didn't know what to put on the back of the quilt, and I knew I didn't want anything to plain or to colourful as it would take away from the front of the quilt, so when I found this retro sewing ads fabric at my local Spotlight, I knew this was it!! And only $8 a metre!!

Finished result - Excellent and definitely a favourite!!

Until next time

Keep stitching

Sharni

XX

The Great Granny Quilt Along...

I have always loved the crochet version of the Granny's Blanket, and at the moment I am trying to make one of my own...this for me is taking a long time, I am so slow at crocheting.... and these are my blocks so far!!

BUT....then I came across this.... "The Granny Quilt" 

I discovered this quilt awhile back and I loved the simple design, so I decided to give it a go....if you would like to make your own version of this quilt, this is how you do it...

What you will need:

2.5mt of white homespun (or a plain fabric of your choice to match your colour palette), 

* Cut the white homespun into 38, 2 1/2" strips, crosscut 25 of these strips into 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" pieces, you will get 12 pieces out of each strip, which is what you need for each block.

* Crosscut the remaining 13 strips into 2 1/2" x 5" pieces, you should get 8 pieces from each strip, in which you will need 4 pieces for each block.

* Lay the white cut pieces into their sets, 25 sets in all.

Assorted fabrics from your stash - the challenge in this is to use what you have - no buying any extras!! Can you do it??

You need 4 different fabrics for each block, cut as follows:

* 1,   2 1/2" square for the middle square -

* 4,   2 1/2" squares for round two -

* 8,   2 1/2" squares for round three -

* 12, 2 1/2" squares for round four -

Place all your sets together with the white pieces you cut previously, now your ready to stitch.

Stitch it all together:

Lay your first block out in the correct formation, placing a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" white piece at each end of each row, except the middle row. 

Join each square together to create rows, pressing seams open as you go. Then join rows together, and press the seams open.

When the rows are all stitched together, trim of the ends to neaten.

Then stitch a 5" x 2 1/2" pieces to each end of the block, and press seam towards the outer edge.

Using a 12 1/2" square ruler, square up your block, trimming each side. Each block will be 12 1/2" unfinished and 12" finished, when all the blocks are stitched together.

Make all 25 blocks using the same method. 

Tune in later for the completion of the quilt top.... I'm sure the making of the blocks will keep you busy for a while...I'm still making mine!!

Keep stitching...

Sharni

XOXO

Some New Things....

I decided to treat myself with a day out and went down to the local patchwork shop to see what they had that would spike my interest...I just love the citrus greens and oranges at the moment, with that touch of navy and grey!! Now what can I make with these???


I came home with a few of...."Lucy's Crab Shack" by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics...

and some of..... "Bella" by Lotta Jansdotter...

and on the way home, called into "Safeway's (Woolworth's) for some groceries, and picked up a few of these very funky 

bowls and I also happened to buy the matching mugs....cute!!

Kaleidoscope Quilt....

I found this quilt in a new book that I purchased awhile back, called "Little Bits Quilting Bee" by Kathleen Ricketson, founder and editor of Whipup.net; a woman who has brought into being the world of creative craft blogging!! 

Kathleen's quilt is called "Gold and Garnets", which I love, but when I purchased Tula Pink's fabric range, "The Birds and The Bees", I knew straight away that I was going to use this range of fabrics for this particular quilt. The contrast was perfect.

As I was making it, it started to remind me of those old fashion kids toys; 'The Kaleidoscope'. Don't you think?

The challenge was the points...but as Kathleen says, don't be to perfect with the points, just match the green/blue intersection, and it will all be okay...and she was right...This is my version of the quilt...and I love it!!

Until next time...keep stitching...
 xoxo

Summer Holidays and a little Recovery...

I know you normally do a "Spring Clean" in Spring, but because I work full-time, my spring clean comes whenever I get the time.

At the moment, I'm on holidays, it is Summer, so I get to do my cleaning now!! I love to wash everything, vacuum every surface and get everything spotless ready for the next year!!

So I decided to recover the Sofa, as I washed the other covers, while on my mad cleaning spree and they promptly fell apart!! Why does that always happen???

So I took a trip to my local fabric shop, and bought some fabric and spent 2 days measuring and stitching, and finally the Sofa was done.

I Think it Looks Good!! Nice and fresh!! Ready for the next year of wear and tear!!

Doing A Little Work Lately...

It seems that I have been taken over by the quilting monster recently....I have been consumed by getting some of my quilts that I started awhile ago, finally finished...and I can say I have almost done it...

Here are some final pictures of "Swoon"...finished..

A little mini quilt using a sampler pack of "Vintage Modern" by Camille Roskelley...finished...

Some hand quilting on "Flower Sugar"...almost finished!!

And the finished "Kiss Kiss" Nightshade Quilt...which I am very proud off...and has gone to my new daughter-in-law for her birthday....and she loves it!!

Am I allowed to start something new now!! Always!!