Show and tell

There has not been alot happening on the sewing front at my place, trying to work out what to work on first and maybe finish something or head out to the garden where I don't have to think about it.

My Wednesday group have been busy over the holiday break and below is Sharon's version of a bargello design.  It is just 5 fabrics and it is stunning, she has done an amazing job.

A couple of close up pics...

A job well done, now for the quilting!

This is Kaye's take on the French Dresden that was a class project, it was good to get it to this stage to do the quilting.

And now for Helen's table runner with appliqued hexagons. It was gorgeous and just to say she has another hexagon project on the way (addicted for sure!) 

Maybe I will get out some hand work and do some hexagons too, while watching the Olympics tonight - leave you to it, till next time

Janelle.

View from the hill

I apologise for a gap in blog posts, it has been a sad month for our family as a very close family member passed away recently.  We needed a break from all the goings on and when the sun came out the other day, it was decided that a bbq up on the hill was just what the doctor ordered.  A couple of snaps of the view - although it was sunny and it looks like a lovely day, the wind chill factor kept us close to the fire as you can tell by the clouds rolling in. The view from up there is amazing, I love going up there and picking up sticks - there is a small amount of pyromaniac in me - making a fire and the kids cooking marshmellows on a stick.  Very theraputic.

Just slightly around the hill a little more.

Okay, back to the important stuff, fabric!

For anyone who may be interested, there will be a Quilt and Craft Exhibition at Jugiong, NSW (right on the Hume Highway) on the weekend of 25/26 August.  The theme is Hearts and Hexagons, with a redwork challenge for quilts etc.  There will be stalls, light luncheon available and much more.  If you are wanting more information please  ring Janelle Manwaring on 0263 866 289 or you can email me at jillimar@bigpond.com and I will pass on the message.

This is the start of something I hope to have finished for that, plus a few other things - does anyone know where I can buy some time?

Also, just wanting to share with you Noeline's version of Whirlygig,  which she made last month using up some old fabrics from her cupboard and added a few new ones, just has a couple of sashings and binding to put on and its all done.

Well its starting to get dark so time to go and fill up the wood box and get something organised for tea, till next time,

Janelle

Dresden in french

Apologies for having a couple of weeks away from the blog, I hope you havn't all given up on me.  There have been lots going on at home, but also wanting to get this finished so I could show it to you in one piece. The latest range of French General fabric came out awhile ago, and I loved it the moment I saw it, and straight away I thought it might make a great dresden, something I have been wanting to do for awhile.

So I started with the idea of 3 dresdens and just a simple table runner,

These are the fabrics I used,

I got it all cut and sewn together ready to quilt.  The next day when I looked at it, I thought that it was not right, it needs to be bigger, so I unpicked it all and made another 6 dresdens.

This is it, below, with all the borders.  It is now ready to quilt, and I am NOT unpicking it again!

Just a little of bragging to be done!  If any of you have a copy of the latest Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine, you will recognize the quilt below.  Level Crossing is made from some of my favourite reproduction fabrics, and I feel very lucky to have it in AP&Q's lastest edition, also a great project by Chris Jurd using another of my favourite things - hexagons!

MICHELLE HILL CLASS - If anyone is free on the weekend of 4 and 5th August and would like to do a Michelle Hill workshop, she will be at Simply Stitches in Wagga.  Please give Faye a ring on 0269 216 722 for more information as there are just a few places left.  I went to Michelle's workshop last year, and she is brilliant at what she does and I learnt so much.  This is a rare opportunity so don't miss out.  Ring now!

I shall leave you for now, hope you are all doing lots of stitching while the weather is cold and wet, stay well and safe,

Janelle.

Young Quilt Show

Last weekend I travelled over to Young, where the Lions Club put together a quilt show in the Town Hall.  I set up a small trading table on the Sunday to hopefully meet a few of the local people and convert them to my style of patchwork.

Below are Roxanne, Cynthia and Aunty June, who came along to have a look at my quilts, I will have to say that it's great to have family connections to come along and make the stand look busy, not to mention the wonderful help they gave me when it came time to pack up. Thanks cous's.





This is Roxanne's quilt, a tribute to her father, it is made from all of his jeans and flannelette shirts, it was very effective, and had a couple of family photos included as well.

A closer look,

This is Cynthia's gorgeous quilt, my photography doesn't do the quilt and the fabric justice.  Made for a special little girl.

This is one that I entered, Secret Garden, designed by Cindy Lammon with a couple of changes.

I just had to take a photo of this quilt, it was my viewer's choice pick, maker and designer unknown,  the centre and colours were stunning.

And, not to brag, I was thrilled to have been voted viewer's choice in conjunction with a second quilt, judges declared it a draw between my version of Breast of Friends and an amazing embroidered quilt.  Thankyou everyone for your votes and coming over to say hello. It was a great day and hopefully everyone will be back again next year for another great show.

Until next time,

Janelle.

Head Spin

Well, I certainly did not expect the response that I got from all you lovely quilters out there regarding the blog tour last week. 

To say it was a success is an understatement, I was just blown away by the amount of comments and lovely things you all had to say about my blocks - I had to go and buy a bigger hat!  I want to thank all of those people who left a comment and made the time to come and visit my blog in the last week,  and trying to pick just a handful of winners was extremely hard.  It is the positiveness and inspiration of your words that make me get into the sewing room and want to keep sewing and working on new things (and finish old ones) and knowing that there are so many great sewers out there in the world wide blog world is just fantastic, simply amazing.

It took some time to sort through all the comments and emails, but the winners of patterns and magazines are:  VickiT, Racheldaisy, SewLindaAnn, Nancy Sue, Chris Jurd, Donna, May Britt, Kwitnkat, Quiltsue, Hafza, Rachell, Lisa, Kris, boutscholsis, bairdmtn.  Congratulations and enjoy your little prizes when they arrive in the mail, hope you like them.

Back to the cutting mat, got some more work to do, see you all again soon,

Janelle x

Today is blog tour day

Hello and welcome to my blog, as part of Quiltmakers 100 Blocks Blogtour.  If this is the first time you have been to my blog, or you are a repeat visitor,  I invite you to make a coffee and have a browse.  I am excited to be part of Quiltmakers Vol 5 magazine,  and thank them for inviting me along.  

This is Desert Dash, block 489 on page 68. 

I have always been a fan of the churndash block, and then when I saw this amazing orange print it had to be a feature in something. The name comes from the colour and the block.

Below are four blocks made, joined together.




And placed on point gives another perspective,




This is another colour combination, using only two lights, 2 mediums and one dark,



Four together



And on point,

And finally, a blue version, and in this one used only four fabrics.

I had in mind to create a repeat block, giving a secondary design when joinged together, so the size of the finished piece is only limited to your time and fabric.  All you would need is a plain border and some basic quilting.

If you leave a comment, you go into the draw to win some great prizes, including a copy of 100 Blocks magazine, have a look at some other blogs  www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/  and for another visitor who leaves a comment, they will receive a selection of Country Matters patterns.

I hope you have enjoyed your time here, and I invite you to come back and visit me again soon.

Thanks for coming,

Janelle

Blog tour coming up...

 

Okay, the day is nearly here, my day for blog touring is Friday, May 4, so if you have time to come and have a look to see what all the fuss is about, also check out some other great blogs, that would be great.  There will be prizes and giveaways and inspiration galore - www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/

This last week, after cleaning up from school holidays, and cleaning off my sewing table, I had a bit of time to fiddle with a dresden plate using the gorgeous French General range.

I loved working with these fabrics, good quality and great colour, you could make lots of things with this range.

And getting to a more finished stage, not sure about a border or not, more on that one later.

Lots to do and time for a cuppa, I hope some of you will come and see me on Friday, stay safe till next time,

Janelle.