Playing with BOM

I should have been writing reports today but have been playing withthe BOM instead. I have come up with a new block which is in the bottom right hand corner of the photo. There will also be some pieced blocks as well and I have done the pinwheel block already. The next one will be a nine patch. I seem to be attracted to only three thread colours and have yet to venture into the yellow/beige colour.

Our Magnificent Toadstools and Exciting News

toadstool in the garden

Over the last month or so we have had some magnificent toadstools in our garden. My husband took some pictures of them and I am sharing a few of them with you. They conjure up fairies and all things magical. I remember having a book as a child with one such toadstool on the cover.

Classes for next year

As for the exciting news, my daughter is just about to sign a contract to buy a house in the Canberra so looks like next year when I am retired from teaching we will be spending some time over there. If you live in the Canberra area or close by I will be able to come and visit your machine embroidery/quilting heirloom groups and take some classes with you if you are interested. Please drop me an email and I will try and organise something.



Busy Week New BOM

Moda Chateau Rouge by French General Charm

Moda Chateau Rouge by French General Charm Squares

Block 1

Another block Stitch out

First week back at school has been a busy one as we start report writing. We also have timetable changeover in a couple of weeks and before then I have to meet with 230 students and counsel them into their new courses.

I received the Antique Rose Squares designs from Hen House Quilts this morning  and set about stitching out the first in my new BOM. If you wish to join this new free BOM you can email me HERE.
I am using  a layer cake and a charm pack from Moda Chateau Rouge by French General. The link to where I purchased these are in my previous post.

Hopefully will get the first lesson out by the end of the weekend but also have to do the instructions for the baby bonnet.

New free BOM

As I mentioned in an earlier post I am just awaiting the arrival of my fabric and the designs for my next planned BOM. I have just ordered a layer cake and a charm square pack (to be on the safe side) of Moda's lovely new French General Chateau Rouge collection. The Want It Neeed It online shop here in Australia has them for sale already and the prices are just fantastic. A bit of a different colour palette for me this time.
 They are yet to be released elsewhere. I will have to wait until September to get the yardage for the borders and that will give me plenty of time to plan and change the blocks as I go.

The designs I am going to use are the Antique Rose Squares from Mother Hen's quilts which are on pre release for a few more days. If you join the Yahoo group there is a link to order the designs for a few more dollars off.

If you want to sign up for this free BOM you can email me here and I will add you to the list.



Update on classes

Heirloom Bonnet to Match Christening gown

We have wound up the Candlewick QuiltAlong with the last lesson being sent out this afternoon. I will zip all the lessons into one file  in a day or two and have them up on the blog for download for a limited time.

I have also made the bonnet which is the last piece in our heirloom christening gown class. I am working on the instructions for that and will send that out to participants possibly tomorrow. I will also zip all the lessons for that class and have them up for download for a limited time.

Tomorrow it is back to school although we have a student free day to undertake professional development. Luckily I prepared the session  I am leading before we left for holidays.

Christening Gown Finished - another new quilt idea?

Finished christening gown

I have spent the last day of my holidays (back to work on Monday) finishing the christening gown that we have been doing as an online class. It has come together well and I am very happy with the result. I will have the instructions ready to sent out later on today I hope. Just have to make a matching bonnet. Do not know if this will ever get used. Think it might be another creation that goes in the cupboard to help keep it warm along with all the quilts I make.

As I was having a look at Mother Hens Quilts, I came across a design set that might just be the basis for my next quilt- BOM. think the combination of the embroidered blocks with fabric in them is a good one and a great way to use charm squares, layer cakes etc. What do you think? The designs are reasonably priced as they are on pre release.

ITH Quilt blocks and Quilt as You Go

As we have been doing the quilt along I have had a few people ask about ITH Quilting and using quilt as you go techniques.

The quilt as you go techniques that we are using for the quilt along are a perfect way to use ITH quilt blocks.

I have posted a few points for you consider when doing ITH quilting

• Check out your quilt blocks with a sew simulator etc before launching in to a full scale stitching of the block. If the quilt block combines embroidery as well as quilting make sure that all the embroidery is completed before you float the back and finish off the quilted section of the design.
• Your choice of thread is important here. Do you want to have the look of the quilting thread as in a traditional quilt ?  Some ITH quilt blocks that have stippling incorporated in the design may still need to be completed with embroidery thread in the bobbin and you do not really want that on the back of your quilt.
• Some digitisers may not give you instructions to change the threads etc so be mindful of that.
• Also you do not want your machine to be automatically cutting jump stitches and have the little tie offs that are left so turn off that feature when you are doing the last stitching.
• If you are not confident with just floating your quilt backing under the hoop, remove the  hoop from the machine(with your design still firmly attached) and very carefully attach the backing with a light spray baste. Place the hoop back on the machine and stitch the final quilting step.

Candlewick Cushion Design and Free Kona Fabrics online magazine

Candlewick cushion design

I have been playing around with the candlewick designs and have come up with a cushion design that coordinates with my quilt.It will actually have some lace insertion sections between the centre design and the outer corners that I have modified from the split section we are using for the triangle blocks.I will have a tutorial when I get it done.

I will start this embroidering whilst working on the christening gown today.

Beginning this week, the very popular Asian Fabric magazine is becoming a free online publication. This publication showcases Asian fabrics with free quilt patterns etc. Visit their home page to sign up for this free magazine. You will find the link on the right hand side of the screen once it opens.

Candlewick Quilt Finished

Candlewick Quilt

Close up of Candlewick Quilt

Candlewick quilt on the bed

Candlewick Quilt Corner

I have spent the day today finishing my candlewick quilt and then cleaning up my sewing room. Unfortunately quilt as you go can get very messy with lots of trimming etc.

 I have taken some pics of the quilt on our queen sized bed as well as being held up by my husband. If the quilt is too long for your bed you can easily leave off the border on the top and bottom of the quilt. It isn't really tapered at the bottom as it appears in one of the pics. It was also getting dark when I took the pics so the lighting wasn't that great.

I really must now concentrate on writing up the remaining lessons and also work towards completing the christening gown which is my goal for this last week of my holidays.

Candlwick Quilt Update

Candlewick Quilt Halves

Border

I have been busily working on the candlewick quilt when I should have been doing another lesson on the christening gown. The quilt is now ready to go together in one piece and then all I have to add is the other 3 borders.

I hope to get the tutorial on embroidering the large squares out in the next day or so as well. Seem to have picked up a bit of a respiratory infection so will see how I go. At least it is a bright and clear morning with the sun streaming in my sewing room for the next hour or so.

Touch of Africa Quilt-Tutorial uploaded

I have finished the Touch of Africa quilt and uploaded the tutorial. You can find the instructions HERE.

I am trying to get the another Christening gown lesson as well as a Candlewick quilt lesson organised. I hope to post another video tutorial to You Tube later on today for the candlewick quilt.

As for my plans for next year I have had  enquiries from 5 various groups wanting me to teach so that is definitely encouraging.

Blog- First Anniversary

Last night marked the 1 year anniversary from when I first set up my blog and made it live. I had a whim on a Saturday afternoon to make a blog and set up getting it organised for the  rest of the day.

I could never have imagined how popular it has been with just short of 150 000 page loads in the first year.
It was a very cold and overcast day yesterday and I got little done. My plan today is to finish off the top for my Africa quilt.

My plans for the future

About a month ago I decided that I was going to retire from teaching at the end of this school year in December. It was a big decision and took some sleepless nights for me to decide to leave the job that has been my life for the last 33 years.

As for my plans for the future: I am a teacher and will always be a teacher.I started this blog as a way of being able to pass on my skills to others and so I have decided that if anyone wants me to come and teach a machine embroidery, sewing group or whatever that is what I will do. So if you know of a group that would like a visiting teacher in 2013 I will be available.

A New Quilt-Touch of Africa

I am officially on holidays for two weeks. In fact in 3 days time it will have been one year since I started this blog.

Touch Of Africa Quilt

The candlewick quilt is coming along nicely and I have all the embroideries complete apart from 3 more of the borders. I have spent the day today working on a new project. Whenever I see black and white designs I am attracted like bees to a honey pot. BFC Creations have a new set  of 9 designs called South African Architectural Etchings. I have started a new quilt called A Touch of Africa using these designs. It is similar to the Blooming Art Nouveau one I made a couple of weeks ago but is more of a lap sized quilt. I will post a tutorial  for all design sizes when it is finished.