March - Green

 PostCard - Grannysmiths - can't get much greener.

 PostCard - Green Leaves - sounds like a song!!!

"I'm Looking Over...…." - sounds like another song.  (A4 this time)

February - RED

 February's colour was Red.  The A4 piece is called "Red Square"  I free motion stitched Russian style buildings and overlaid it with some white nylony fabric to give a feeling of snow.

 Postcard - "Roses are Red" - homage to Valentine's Day.

Post Card - red fruit - cherries "Cherry Pie"

2QAQ Challenge

Our challenge this year is related to colour.  So we have been given a colour for each month & can make whatever we like no larger than 10" x 10".  January was orange - below are my pieces.  We only have to do one, but I got a bit carried away - not sure if I will be able to keep up the momentum.

 "Dust Storm" - an A4 piece with an overlay of an organzery(?) type of fabric to give the dust storm effect.

 This is a post card entitled - "Orange Juice".

Another post card - "Bird of Paradise" both cards are fused and free motion stitched.

Sherwood Stitchers Challenge

The second of four postcards - used some selvedges for the background - quite enjoying the simplicity of making postcards at the moment - but I do have to get on to bigger UFOs and projects.

Sherwood Stitchers Challenge

I am almost overwhelmed with Challenges at the moment.  We selected a page from a magazine & had to take inspiration from that page to make something - didn't matter what.  My page (will post that next time) had 4 sections to it & I'm making 4 postcards.  When you see the page - you'll be able to work out which part has inspired this PC.

WIP

Just to let you know that I have been sewing - Above is a peek at a challenge I'm working on for one of my groups, Purple Paddo Patchers (Triple P).  The theme for the challenge is 'Glad Rags' - the exhibition will be on in October - so will let you know when it gets a little closer.

This quilt is being hand quilted with coloured sashiko thread. I'm glad this is a cold winter (for us Queenslanders, it's cold!!!) because it's keeping me warm as I quilt.  It's the wedding quilt for my youngest son & his fiancee - have to had it finished by June next year.  If it's along cold winter, I should get there.

Everyone needs Retreats

My 'friends' always have a go at me about accomplishing a lot of finished projects on retreat.  I copped it all again this time - comments about over achievers were flying around & I wasn't the only one to receive these 'barbs'!  The above item is a "Waiting Bag" made for littlies to fill with stuff they can play with while waiting...... Apparently these are kept in the car or Mum's bag & hauled out when needed.  I will be showing a group of young Mums how to fuse & then stitch (probably just a running stitch) the applique.  Worked out this prototype on the weekend. Owl is taken from a pattern "Hooterville" by Brandywine Designs. http://www.brandywine-design.com/  He's so cute!

These two quilts were made from a Layer Cake (10" squares of a range of fabric).  Completed with large stippling but looked really ordinary - so I decided to add applique which will be blanket-stitched by hand  & then they'll go to a friend's little children.  Think the applique has really made them nice looking quilts.  Also managed to get binding on to 4 small quilts - give a 'tutorial' on 3 different ways to make Flying Geese.  Some of the girls are making a Sampler Quilt under my instruction (I too am making it as I have never made one)  It's an interesting exercise.

Retreats are a wonderful break shared with lovely friends & allow us to sew, drink, laugh (oh, the jokes & stories), eat and sew some more. If you've never been on one - try it - you'll be hooked.

Mail Out

This one is photo transfer then thread painted at bit.

Fused applique - used left over bits from the fish quilt (see below), then free motion quilted.