French Connection

Today a special friend of mine, Jeanne, turned the big 60, so what better

  way to celebrate the occasion than with a quilt.

I really had no idea what colour to make or what pattern

to do, I had brought fabric in America on our trip (that we did together)

with intentions to make it into a quilt.

Still unsure I kept and eye out and then I found it in a

recent issue of Homespun Magazine.

"French Connection"

by Rebecca Johnson

I am so happy with how it has turned out and I know this will go

well with Jeanne's decor. I loved it so much that I went out

straight away and brought the same fabric to make me one. It goes well

with my decor too, I was sort of hoping she didnt like it and then I could

make her another ha ha!!!

I went to the local patchwork shop and chose all my fabrics

 and then began busily putting this together. You definiltely

need space to spread out with this one.

I machine quilted it with a Panto called "Gardenia" by Patricia Ritter

For the first time in a while I put a label on the back, I generally

don't put labels on but recently have changed my views on labelling 

quilts.

I did add a quote on the back saying

"Friends are the family you choose"

Jeanne loved her quilt and I hope she has many cozy nights curled 

up on the couch with her quilt.

I must add that about an hour and a half before I gave her the quilt I decided

to photograph the back and would you believe I got bird poo on it, fresh bird poo!!!

Arrrggghhhh! I tried sponging it off but, NO, it made it worst so into the washing machine

it went, all the time crossing my fingers the black wouldn't run. Thank goodness

for colour catchers. Then straight into the dryer and onto the BBQ. Phew!!!

It was a little tense I must say but all was well in the end.

Happy Quilting!

Santa Sack

 I know I haven't posted for a while but I have been really

busy making lots of things, that I just can't show for

a little bit longer.

But today I finished my little Grandsons Santa Sack,

I just made this up as I went along and I think it turned out

great.

 

I used homespun for the sack and lined it with a

red and white stripe and made a bow to tie the

top with.

I appliqued rudolph on the front and taadah!!!

one Santa sack.

Here's the little munchkin sitting up, 8 months old

already, time goes by so fast.

Hope you're not stressing too much about Christmas!

Have fun.

Save the Hooters

 I recently quilted this quit for Leeanne, this quilt was made to raise money for

Breast Cancer Research and as this years motto is "Save the Hooters" Leeanne has incorporated

the motto into her quilt.

 She has machined appliqued all the owls, I know she had

limited time to make this quilt, but she has done an amazing job.

I have done some background fillers and some feathers in the borders

I think they are pretty cute, you have done a great job Leeanne.

 

I hope you raise alot of money for your charity, thank you

for letting me quilt this adorable quilt.

Happy Quilting!

       

Bloggers Quilt Festival - Fall 2013

 I am so excited to be participating in Bloggers Quilt Festival again, I didn't enter in the previous one as I was away on holiday and  it just so happens that I finished this quilt called Dream Big by Camille Roskelly just in time.

I made this quilt for my brother, Marty, in the Northern Territory, I did ask him are you sure you need one as it is so so hot up there but he assured me that sometimes Kristy has the air conditioner up so high he gets cold.....precious!!

As we have just returned from spending a week with them I was determined to get this finished so I could give it to them in person. The fabric is called Whimsy by Figtree, I  chose these fabric as it incorporates

all the colours of the Great Australian Outback, red the colour of the soil, orange for the sunsets, greens of

the bush, browns of the rocks, yellow of the golden sun. I machine quilted it with a pantograph called

Royal Plumes and backed it with a beautiful rich terracotta colour again incorporating the outbacks rich reds and oranges.

So with the outback in mind we took a walk on their property and found these beautiful termite mounds, these termite mounds can reach heights of  three metres high and up to100 years old and are structures unique to the Northern parts of Australia. It was a little difficult to drape these over the mounds, so in the end we held them up,

I was a little concerned walking into the bush and coming across one of those long slithery things, but

luckily the dogs were with us and must of scared them away. The things you do for a photo!!

 Here I have hung the quilt on their washing line.......its safer!!

I was really happy with how it turned out and Marty and Kristy loved it and it

now takes pride and place on their new lounge suite.

I have decided to enter this into the Photography Category, thanks again Amy

for all the work you do in organizing this amazing festival. I cant wait to go and

see all the gorgeous quilts.

Happy Quilting!!

Mandy

Licorice Allsorts and Juvenile Diabeties

Today I had the pleasure of quilting a quilt for Leeanne, this was Leeannes,

first quilt she has ever made and it was a joy to quilt

no wavey borders just perfect.  Good job Leeanne!!.

 

The pattern is Licorice Allsorts, Leeanne has made this with beautiful
pinks, oranges, greens and browns and added a couple of little owls ...what a hoot!!
I have done and edge to edge panto called Daisies Galore in a variegated thread.

Leeanne has made this quilt for Juvenile Diabeties, which will be 

raffled in Queensland.

Hope it raises alot of money for your charity Leeanne.

Great Work

Happy Quilting

Percy

It's a finish, I have so many UFO's

on the go at the moment, its great to cross one of the list.

So here he is Percy the plane a pattern by Melly and Me.

When I saw this little guy and his friend Herb (the helicopter), I knew I had

to make these guys for my GS, except that Herb

will have to wait till later.

I just do not know where time goes these days.

 Here he is with Percy, I've been told that his wings taste pretty

good at the moment.

What a cutie!!!

So now back to the sewing room to cross another

off the list, wish me luck!!

Till next time

Keep Smiling!!

Snug as a Bug

It's been so long since I last blogged, but

I have been busy doing lots of bits and pieces with

no particular finishes.

But I did get to machine quilt this 

pretty little quilt that Kym made.

She wanted Minky on the back and I was

hesitant at first because of the stretch and I wasn't

 sure how it would go on the long arm but gave it a try and

it turned out fabulous!!

 

I quilted it with and edge to edge pattern

called Square Spiral, I love the texture that

it gives the quilt.

The minky has made this a 

really snugly quilt.

Enjoy your quilt Kym!!

Lucky Me

So while I was away I couldn't resist finding

a quilting shop or two and managed to

slip a few presents for me in the suitcase.

A trip to the Christmas Goose in Las Vegas !!

Score  !!!........... some Kaffe Fasset, Comma by Zen Chic and

Avalon by Fig Tree, lucky me!!!!

 

A pattern by Camille

 some of her fabric

 Camille's latest book and two books by

Angela Walters, I love her style of quilting.

 and some happy go lucky charm sqaures.

It did weigh the suitcase down a bit, lucky we brouight

two extra suitcases, but worth it I think.

Happy Quilting!!

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Home Again

Well my holiday is over, I have been home one week today and finally caught

up on my sleep, its very tiring holidaying, you know!!.

We had a fabulous time and enjoyed every minute

Bethesda Fountain Central park

New York was very humid and we struggled with the heat, very different

to over here in OZ, we had gorgeous sunshine and blue skies though.

View from Top of the Rockefeller Building

 Niagara Falls

(the evening we arrived)

 Niagara Falls the next day

We copped the wettest day and coldest day in a while , so our tour guide

told us.

Here we are after our Maid of the Mist Trip

all wet and cold ready to head to the airport.....yeah!!

 

Next stop Vegas.

The Grand Canyon was so beautiful with all the different colours, so amazing

definitley worth the trip in the hot helicopter.

Here we had the hottest day on record in Vegas for 12 years, 112 Farenheit

and that's just the beginning of Summer.

 

You've got to have your photo taken under the Vegas Sign!!!

We went to see a Baseball Game, so much fun, loved it

The Golden Gate Bridge and Niagara Falls were the two things I was most

excited to Photograph and both days were yuck! every other day

in the month were blue skies, can't win'em all I guess!!

We rode over the Golden Gate Bridge with Electric Bikes a must do

if  you ever visit San Francisco, thoroughly enjoyed this day.

We then drove from San Fran to LA down the coast, OMG!!!

the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. We stayed the night in a

little town called Cambria, such a cute and quaint little town.

 

Of course we had to go to Disneyland and meet Mickey

Last stop Hawaii for Rest and Relaxtion right??.......NOT

we were so bust trying to fit everything in that we only 

had half and hour to go for a swim......crazy I know!!!!

I loved Hawaii and definitely intend to go back there one day.

Aloha!!

 We did have the best time and I know hubby throughly enjoyed his time away

from the business his first four week holiday in 15 years.

PS.. I did manage to find two quilt shops and do some damage, which I will show in my

next post

Happy Quilting!!

Bon Voyage!

I am so excited, we are about to go on our big holiday.

We have been planning a trip to the USA, with our good friends,

for quite some time now.

Now the time is here whoo hoo! After lots of endless nights on the computer, co-ordinating flights and hotels etc, the time has finally come. Sometimes I think the best part is the countdown!!

My bags are packed, just adding the last little bits and pieces, then 4 more sleeps and we are off.

New York, Buffalo, Las Vegas, San Francisco, LA and Hawaii.....................can't wait

Therefore not much will be going on here for a while, unless I get some time to post 

some photos................ (WiFi permitted).

So I guess it's Bon Voyage for now.

Mandy

Beep Beep!!

Beep Beep !! is all that was going through my mind the whole

time I was quilting this quilt.

Just a simple quilt for mum to have in the car

to keep my little GS warm, especially now that

the weather has turned very cold.  Bbbrrrr!!!

Easy and fun to make I let the fabric speak

for itself.

 I was so happy with the way my ruler work turned out.

I did ruler work in the blue and green fabric, swirls in the

dots and stripes and stars where the cars are, with

straight lines in the news print.

I didn't get a photo of the back........................but it is the car

fabric all over, very cute.

My little GD had to help Nana while she was photographing

the quilt.

Happy Quilting!