Quilt for our Show

Inner City Circle will be holding their biennial show -  "Quilts & Textile Temptations" - at Milton State School on Saturday, 31st August from 10.00am - 3.00pm.  A challenge was issued to make 2 x A3 quilts using any 2 of these 3 themes - Shapes, Seasons or Favourites.  Above is my take on  Shapes.

This one is Seasons - my interpretation of Summer & Sunflowers. 

Members from Purple Paddo Patchers & Inner City Circle have been making a sampler quilt under my 'instruction' .  I did not like the blocks I had made - thought the fabric was so dull but it's ended up being quite a sweet quilt & I'm now happy with it. My bit of wisdom for the year/decade/century - Quilts can be a bit like children - they grow into what they should be & are often quite a nice surprise for all.

Dressing up.....?

An old wooden tray that was looking particularly daggy has been dressed up with paper & Modge Podge.  I used an old American Quilt Society catalogue, tore up pieces & applied Modge Podge to seal it.  Above is the front & below is the back/bottom of the tray.

It looks a little more interesting now.

Wedding decorations

As wedding coordinator at my church (a posh title for the person in charge of opening & closing the church at a wedding!!!) I have seen lots of different arrangements of flowers.  This is the first time for paper flowers.

Beautifully made by the bride, they were glued on to the hessian & this was put on the front of the altar.

The pews also had posies.  She also made the bouquets, the boutineers (not sure of the spelling, the button-hole flowers for the men) & the 'corsages' for the mothers.  It looked quite nice - didn't get a chance to ask why the paper flowers - that will remain a mystery.

Harvest Time!!

OK - so I won't be  holding a stall out in front of the house selling the overflow of crop -  but we had a meal of butter beans & used some of the celery in a soup.  Thyme enhanced the meal! Yesterday, No: 1 son harvested beans, celery, variety of lettuces & was pleased with the meal that provided too.  Aquaponics hard at work - fish are getting bigger but we are a long way from harvesting them.

WIP - free motion quilting

After taking this quilt to a 2Q (guild) meeting & seeking advice from one of our quilting masters - Jane - http://quiltingjane.blogspot.com.au/ -  I've started quilting.

Just 2 widths of the quilt done with this vine/leaf pattern - all free motion & I'm quite happy with it.  Now, I'll take  deep breath, have a good think & add more quilting to other sections of the quilt.

Drive in the country

After an exhausting couple of hours at a quilt show - one has to have lunch,

Sunday - we took a drive from Brisbane to Beausdesert & then over to Boonah - visited some friends & HofM was lucky enough to get a ride in a glider. That's him in the front seat.  Wasn't the weather just divine over the weekend?

Beenleigh Quilters

Just a few of the quilts displayed by members of Beenleigh Quilters.  Some stunning quilts.  There quilt show was last weekend at Beenleigh Show Grounds.

Loved this one.

Bargellos aren't really my cup of tea but this one was amazing.

Can't go wrong with black, white & yellow or red or lime green.  Simple blocks & it's great.

Another simple quilt but quite lovely.

This was done by one of the members who is a professional long arm quilter - sorry, can't remember her name - the work was great.

Sherwood Stitchers - last chapter

Sherwood Stitchers supports Project Linus & funds raised through our Quilt Show go to this worthy cause.

Only part of our sales table - all items made & donated by members.

Some of the quilts made by members & others for the Linus Project.

A wonderful display of children's quilts.

These quilts were just as inspiring as all the members' quilts.

So - if you missed our show this year, please keep us in mind for your Show Calendar in 2015!  I know - it seems so far away but, believe me, it comes around toooo quickly.  Thank you to those friends who suported us again this year.

Sherwood Stitchers - Part 2

Just a sample of the talent of the members.

Oooops - forgot to turn the image - still looks fantastic, doesn't it?

Loved this one - 3D flowers.

Coffee & roses - just beautiful.

Sherwood Stitchers Quilt Show - Part 1

Saturday, 1st July was not as sunny as we would have liked it but it was dry & Sherwood Stitchers was ready for its biennial show at St Matthews. 

Yep - definitely a quilt show inside.

The church was transformed into a Quilt Show - showcasing the talents of the members of Sherwood Stitchers.

We make quilts

A couple of members do amazing stumpwork.

Our challenge this year was to make a scarf for display - such a variety!

Talented ladies.

2Q 'Doing your Block'

I was so inspired by the fabric I'd won that my fingers were itching to do the block. Think I've covered by themes for the month - Home - the reef (Tick) Native - the fish are native to the reef  (Tick)& I hand appliqued with blanket stitch (Tick ) - all rolled up & put away.  Unfortunately I won't be able to attend next month's meeting for all the other reveals - I'll just have to wait till the August meeting. Hope I'll be able to weave my theme around the monthly instructions...............will be interesting.

Veggies & aquaponics

I swear the snow peas grow as I'm looking at them - just waiting for flowers now.

The celery is doing beautifully too - we've eaten some of the lettuce & herbs already.

This is a regular garden that HofM has put under to sheeting - (a) to keep the bush turkey off & (b) to help with warmth as this part of the garden doesn't get too much sun in winter.  The tomatoes are loving it

The bush turkey is building his second mound (the first one was moved by our neighbour & became mulch for his veggie garden) - the turkeys clean up every bit of leaf litter & mulch they can get their feet into.  They scratch & scratch all day long & can move the litter from one side of the yard to the other.  Don't you love the cow eyeing off the turkey or is it the other way round!  They are not always welcome in suburban back yards - they can destroy so much in such a short time.

Queensland Quilters (2Q)

Last night was the evening meeting of Queensland Quilters www.qldquilters.com - our state guild- and I was lucky enough to win the Lucky Door Prize - about 3 meters of this lovely fabric.  We are a smallish group of members that meet each month unlike the day time meeting where they get over 100 to each meeting. Our intrepid leaders, Margot & Jane are challenging us to "Do our Block" this year - each month we will be given two themes (we can use either or both) and we will be shown a technique & we can use that if we like.  The object is to make a quilt for our annual show held each October.  Maybe mine will have a reef theme using the above fabrics - what do you think?

Backyard blooms

The zygocactus (Christmas) cactus are out & what a display this year - we've not done anything to them - they're just showing off their natural beauty!

HofM moved them out in amongst the bromeliads & they look stunning.

Smile for your close up!

Some of the broms are flowering too.

They really sparkle when it rains!

Broms continue to fascinate us - the variety in leaf colour & the blooms.......

The front yard looks pretty good too - the snowflake bush is in full bloom. For our northern hemisphere friends - yes, this is our winter & we have flowers!!!!!