Aiming for Accuracy Quilt Along - finished!

YAY, I have finally finished the quilt top/flimsy for the A4A Quilt Along





Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

To Pre-Wash or not?

Do you pre-wash?

I did when I first started quilting, then for some reason I stopped .................. I guess I was eager to start sewing and didn't want to take the time to pre-wash.
I posted recently about going to a Quilt Workshop, and I decided that since I was embarking on something I really wanted to work out well, I decided I would pre-wash my fabrics as I was working with very dark fabrics and a very light background ............ not a good look if all the colours ran.

the colour catcher on the left was used with fabrics I didn't think would run - it has a green tint to it

the colour catcher on the right was used with the burgundy fabrics for the Double Wedding Ring Quilt - it has taken on a very pink tint - imagine that pink all over my nice ivory backing ............. :(  

I am so glad I did - sometimes it is worth making the extra effort ;)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

A Quilty Day Out - Show and Tell

Well, yesterday I spent the day at  A Quilters Odyssey doing a workshop for the Double Wedding Ring Quilt.

It was heaps of fun ;-)  it was so nice to be able to sew with like-minded people, and to be able to sit quietly and concentrate, with the assistance of the lovely shop owner, Kate, who helped us through all the 'tricky bits' ........ and let me tell you, there were a few tricky bits  :)

Kate's Quilt - the sample we were all admiring :)

As I posted previously, my final choice of fabric was this

Final Choice - all washed ready to go

I stayed with the purples/burgundy selection.

the class - with Kate, our wonderful teacher, on the right

Under Kate's guidance, we had a ball learning some new techniques.

I must confess, I started with class with lots of excitement with the intention of making a Queen Size Quilt.  As the class progressed, and we got to the 'tricky bits', the quilt size reduced to a Single, then to a lap quilt, then to a table runner, then down to a cushion cover  LOL  but I think I will persevere and make a lap quilt - although I am already thinking ahead ................. it would make a great candle mat in Christmas fabrics ;-)

I fully understand now how quilters have such a sense of achievement when finishing a Double Wedding Ring Quilt - I only hope I can stick with it and share that sense of achievement myself ;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

A Quilty Day Out

I am off to an all day workshop today, at A Quilters Odyssey

We are doing a Double Wedding Ring Workshop

Kate's Quilt - the sample I saw in the shop

It took me three weeks to finally decide on which fabrics I was going to use ;-)

first to be pulled out of my stash - Tea Time by Andover
(my very first quilting fabric purchase back in 2010 and I STILL haven't cut into it ;-) )

Then I pulled out my purple batiks - not quite enough in the collection for a queen size quilt

Final Choice - all washed ready to go

I finally settled on a collection I got from AP&Q (Elegance) for renewing my subscription in August 2012.  I went to Spotlight and got some Ivory for the background and the two purples for the centre squares where the rings intersect.

Am hoping to post more pics tomorrow ;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

FASI/FNSI - show and tell

Well, it FASI/FNSI again - (Friday Afternoon Sew In/Friday Night Sew In) I love getting together with my blogging buddies and sewing - it is the next best thing to a real get together ;-)

The day started off with some obligatory errands and housework - my car is going to need some TLC. I got some new tyres last week and they commented that my CV joints need some attention :(  so off to Mr Fixit's mechanic I go.  My car is also WAY OVERDUE for a service, so it is booked in for 1st November.

I also had a trip to the Post Office to pay some bills and return our old Foxtel Box (pay TV) - our old box died the other week ....... the power went off and when it came back on again, Foxtel was decidedly dead :( We were out of action for about a week, but we really can't complain, our old box was at least 10 years old and we used it just about every day to record shows.  We had been thinking about upgrading anyway :)

Of all the times for our Foxtel to fail and to lose some shows we had recorded, but not watched .................  I lost the LAST TWO episodes of Army Wives - now I have to wait until SOHO screens it again.
I also lost a week's worth of  The Young and The Restless - some may say 'no biggie' BUT ............ there was an unexpected pregnancy, two marriages break-up, an attempt on someone's life, and the biggie ............ Nikki was diagnosed with MS :(

We also missed the return of Revolution, but were able to watch that on CatchUp - don't you just love modern technology.

Anyway, back to my FNSI show and tell ;-)

This lovely brochure was in my letterbox when I got home, so I figured it was a very good excuse to sit down with a coffee from my fabulous new coffee machine and have a read - I am so looking forward to going this year - I really enjoyed last year :)

After my coffee, I ventured into the sewing room to work on my swap blocks for October.  

My QBSA partner, Lorraine, requested any Tulip block - my search revealed a few patterns, but none for 12" - so after a very frustrating hour for this mathematically challenged little black duck, I made up the block as given in the 9" instructions and will add another outer border in the background fabric to bring it up to 12"

I was a bit frustrated with my time in sewing room, and decided to walk away, as I have found it is not good to sew when your mind is not really on it - mistakes are made so easily.  So I ventured into the craft room, and filled my Halloween Treat boxes ready for Halloween (one or two may just have slipped into my mouth - well I had to check for freshness ......

some of you may recall that I did this last year, but nobody came to the door :(

So this year, I will have a sign on the door - and if nobody comes this year, then we will have an awful lot of choccies in the house ........... they won't go to waste (or should that be waist  :) )

So that's it for my FASI/FNSI update - visit Wendy's blog to see the list of other participants in FNSI and go visit and say hello ;-)

I am returning to the sewing room today to finish off my other blocks for swap - stay tuned for more photos ;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Me time :-) and catch up sewing

during the week ;-)

I managed to get some much needed sewing time this week.

I finished my September block for Do. Good Stitches

A 12" sampler block in greens and creams was requested.

I had a rather frustrating encounter with a paper pieced block for the Paper Piecer's Swap Group - I would really like to improve my paper piecing skills, but I am really struggling - I keep getting my flips and my flops the wrong way round.

my third and successful attempt - not so happy with the joins, but when I took the photo, I noticed the bottom left corner of the bottom block was AROUND THE WRONG WAY and was showing the wrong side of the fabric!  :(

so here it is after some 'reverse' sewing and many grumbles  :)  still not quite happy with the centres, but they are done and will be in the mail on Monday!

the scrap bin with all the bits of paper.

So I am not going to let this Paper Piecing thing beat me :)

am off to look at some tutorials and see if it finally clicks :)

After I finish a bit of housework this afternoon - yes, I guess it really MUST be done - I will get on with my QBSA Swap and my Christmas Block Swap and my A4A Borders along with my other sewing buddies on FNSI.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Feeling the Love ;-)

this post will be updated as and when I receive more photos - last updated 17th November

As Swap Co-Ordinator for the Fat Quarter Swap, I have had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful selection of gifts that our Birthday Club Members have received for their birthdays.  And now, I am so very happy to say, it is my turn ;-)

from HelenP

from Maryanne

 

from SharonJ 

extra goodies from Sharon ;-)

from Carol

from Wendy

from Janet

from Jessica

from Melanie

from Sandra

from Arlene

from Barb

from Claire

from LeAnne

from Lyn

look at this tape measure!!!  just gorgeous!!!

from Lyndell

from Narelle

from Heather

from Vanessa

I feel so spoilt!!!  thank you all so much  for the gorgeous fat quarters and extras sent - it was such fun opening them - my birthday celebrations have certainly lasted longer than just my actual birthday ;-)

Thanks to
Barb

Narelle

Wendy

Vanessa

Carol

Jessica

SandraT

Heather

Arlene

HelenP

Janet

Claire

Lyn

Lyndell

Melanie

SharonJ

LeAnne

Maryanne

I feel so spoilt!!!  thank you all so much  for the gorgeous fat quarters and extras sent - it was such fun opening them - my birthday celebrations have certainly lasted longer than just my actual birthday ;-)

My own birthday treat for me - although I think I should have got the bigger one ;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Fat Quarter Swaps for October

October is a busy month for Fat Quarter Swap - we have three birthdays (Mine is one of them ;-)) - stay tuned, I will post photos of the Birthday Fat Quarter Love I have received in a separate post ;-)

Birthday for Arlene

birthday for Jessica

October swap for Lisa - Theme:  Food Glorious Food

October swap from Lisa

If Australia Post has had a good day, these items should be at their destinations today oops, Monday ;-)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.