Update on the Gypsy Quilt progress and my BOM's progress

Many of you have written to me and asked how I am going with the Gypsy quilt by Sharon Schamber. Many of you will remember the dramas I had with it back at the beginning of the year when I started it. Remember this quilt design CD cost $115 on pre release and was released  back on November 4 last year so I assumed all bugs would have been sorted with the designs etc. I downloaded one update and then started the quilt.

You can read about my progress involving all the trials and tribulations here.

After spending over 2 hours trying to attach one sashing I packed it up and put it away. I assumed my sewing skills were not up to scratch.

 I emailed and asked for the construction pdf on how to put the quilt together on January 27 and was assured that a great version would be available two weeks after that. I waited until February 26 and asked about how far away it was again. It was being looked into and today May 1 here in Australia it was released, nearly 3 months after it was promised and six months after the design CD was released for sale.

I eagerly opened the pdf to see how to attach these curved sashings and borders and discovered that you have to trim them back exposing the raw edge, glue and basically topstitch/ applique them to the block and cornerstones. Will I complete the quilt? The answer is a resounding NO.  I will not be spending countless hours putting this quilt together with raw edge sashings to have a far than acceptable result for me. I was assured that many people have completed this quilt so perhaps if you are one of those reading this blog you can email me and tell me where I am going wrong. Obviously this quilt is way out of my league and expertise.

For the $250 I have spent I could have purchased a lot more fabric and lace for my Bridie's Blossoms project.

The last of the initial round 117 Bridie's Blossoms packs with over 1300 individual items have been picked up this morning for delivery to hospitals in the southern part of the state over the weekend.

Yesterday Misty took great delight in testing out this box that had arrived last week from Fabric.com.

Block 3 has been sent out in the Embellished Dogs BOM

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and Block 48 in the Kenny Kreations Crazy quilt BOM has also been sent out to those participating.

This will probably be my last blog post before we are leaving for Canberra on Saturday morning . We will be gone for 10 days. We have a friend house sitting to look after the babies so hopefully they will not fret. It is the first time since we got them that they have been left by both of us.

Double Flying Geese Tutorial

I have been promising this tutorial for a couple of months and decided to do it tonight. I do not know if this unit has another name but I call it double flying geese and it is featured in Block 14 of the Graceful Air, Land and Sea BOM.

The double flying geese unit made I will finish with here is 2 1/2 inches high x 4 1/2 inches wide before being set into the block. I will put in brackets the sizes you need to cut to make  2 inch x 3 1/2 inch, 3 inch x 5 1/2 inch geese

I will give the instructions for making the triangle units using both the half square triangle ruler and also by the traditional method.

First up we need to cut the centre square  that measures  2 inches x 2 inches (1 3/4 inches, 2 1/4 inches,)

You also need a pair of half square triangles cut from a 2 inch strip (1 3/4 inches, 2 1/4 inches )if you have the half square triangle ruler. These are the lower triangles on the lower edge of the geese unit.

If you do not have a half square triangle ruler cut one 2 3/8 inch square( 2 1/8 inches, 2 5/8 inches) and cut diagonally to yield the two triangles needed.

For the larger upper wings that we normally use  cut a pair of half square triangles cut from a 2 1/2 inch strip (2 inches, 3 inches )if you have the half square triangle ruler

If you do not have a half square triangle ruler cut one 2 7/8 inch square( 2 3/8 inches, 3 3/8 inches) diagonally to yield the two triangles needed.

We will sew the right hand "wing" to the square first so make sure your triangles are oriented as they are below. By doing this the notch on the triangle makes the triangle side the same size as the square.

Stitch the seam

Finger press this wing out. Do not press with the iron as you can stretch the wings

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Add the left "wing" triangles in the same manner.


Your unit should now look like this

and  before you go nay further  you need to make sure that this lower geese unit is trimmed to the 2 1/2 inch line on a quarter square ruler if you have one.

Gently press the units out and then add the remaining "larger wings" as you would for normal geese units.

Your finished geese units should look like the one at the top of the post and below and measure 2½ inches high x 4½ inches wide.

The square on the back of the unit should lie flat.

Press each unit and trim the side "bunny ears" 

Lots to catch up on

I am still here.

I  just been very busy with all of my Bridie's Blossoms packs as I wanted to get them well and truly ready for delivery before we head off  to Canberra on Saturday.

Last weekend I made 10 dresses and matching hats for baby girl angels along with 10 little outfits for baby boy angels. They have all been packed along with the other items in the packages. Another 34 packs are being delivered tomorrow. I am just working on putting the finishing touches to another 35 packs which will be going out over the weekend to another hospital.

Bridie's Blossoms Dresses and Bonnets

Bridie's Blossoms Boys Outfits

We have had a rainy day today and yesterday was overcast but we did start the day with this glorious sunrise.

The ladies had their weekly Tuesday sewing day. Elizabeth just needs to add the borders to her Graceful Air, Land and Sea quilt

whilst Lexie was busily choosing and adding the borders to her Embellished Dogs Block 1.

Embellished Dogs Block 2 has been completed and the instructions for that will be going out later on tonight if I do not fall asleep!

Some project pics

It is late Easter Sunday here and it has been a little on the chilly side. Autumn is certainly making its presence felt in Tasmania.

I have a couple of pics sent in by blog followers this afternoon.

First up we have Ann's Antique Rose BOM quilt. Love the colours. 

Ann's Antique Rose quilt

Lorraine entered her Floral Sketches BOM quilt in the machine embroidered quilt section of her local CWA Mornington Peninsula Creative Arts Exhibition  and won first prize. Well done Lorraine and I just love the colours in this quilt as well.

Lorraine's First Prize winning Floral Sketches BOM

Remember that if you want the links to download the lessons to either of these past BOM quilts just send me an email following the link on the top right hand side of this page.

Be Quick for These

Embroidery Library have four beautiful butterfly design free through until April 20th. The best thing about these is there may be enough to do a small BOM quilt I think so please make sure you download all of the sizes. This is just one of them below.

The Urban Threads free Home Planet design is also available until April 20th as well.

That is about all I have time to go and find for you today. I did not want you to miss the Embroidery Library ones.

Good Friday morning

I just want to take this opportunity to wish that you all have a peaceful, restful and safe Easter break.

I have been out of bed very early as the fur babies wanted to get up and once they decide that there is no stopping them so the sewing machines have been humming away from before daybreak..

I am working furiously trying to get more of my baby packs completed. I sent another 6 off this Thursday that were requested Monday afternoon by an emergency dept that deal with early miscarriages. They wanted them as soon a s I could complete them so the fingers were busy stitching and crocheting. That brings to date 49 packs that I have sent out so far with 555 pieces in them. I am currently working on packs for two other major regional hospitals.

Misty has been perched on top of fabric overseeing the activities.

It is now raining quite heavily but that was not the case early this morning as I managed to  go outside on a few occasions to take some lovely sunrise shots.

The moon was still high in the morning western sky

We had a gorgeous rainbow over the house on Thursday morning

and this glorious moon was up the night before. It was cloudy on Tuesday night so we did not get to see the lunar eclipse which was a little disappointing.

Productive weekend

I have had a very productive weekend as Sunday afternoon draws to a close. I have made up four more non gender specific packs to take to a local hospital tomorrow as they rang and requested a few replacements. Just have a couple more little booties to put the finishing touches to.

I have also sent out the instructions to Block 14, the last one before the construction lesson in the Graceful BOM. This block features what I call double flying geese along the top and I will write a small tutorial on how to do them in other size when I get the time.

Block 47 in the  Kenny Kreations Crazy quilt BOM has also been sent out.

and last but not least Block 5 in the Embellished Cats BOM has been sent out to those receiving these instructions.