April 19th, 2011

Almost another fiasco. We arrived without the code, but fortunately someone had Emma's mobile and so we were able to gain access before Emma arrived.

Another small gathering - Esther, Carole, Rose, Emma and Kate. There was plenty to chat about since the previous weekend was AQC. We all enjoyed the quilt exhibition and agreed it was better than last year.

Rose says she is quilted out after a weekend at the Australasian Quilt Convention, followed by Cathy Miller serenading her at the AQA meeting on Monday. It is no wonder she has only done about 15 stitches tonight  - helped along by three cups of coffee.

Rose shows her clamshells - all sewn by hand in record time!

 More of Rose's work - sorry I forget its title.

Emma is still recovering from Matilda's 8th birthday in Paris last night!

Emma's Rainbow Pussycats for Ros's 60th birthday in May - a friendship group project

 

And here is Matilda's Eiffel Tower Birthday cake - what a lucky girl!! 

Esther is still recovering from AQC and to help her return to normal has a swag of new books, some of them bargains from Lincraft. I was particularly taken with "Beautiful Botanicals" by Deborah Kemball.

Carole is looking forward to Paducah next week, and we are looking forward to a report next week.

Carole continued working on this project. It was begun in a AQC class with Gael Koenders of Patchwork Unlimited. Using intense pencils and fabric medium it is great fun - colouring in and making sure you are within the lines.

 

 Esther helps me hold up my Bedford quilt. It is actually two Bedford kits (thanks to Jennifer Ray for one assembled set) and two extra blocks

March 15th, 2011

In Kate's absence we had no professional photographer this evening so we have all agreed to return with out show and tell next month!

In Attendance tonight were:

Esther, Carole, Val, Rose, Jennifer, Evi, Emma

Esther showed us her beautiful blocks from her current BOM Hearts Desire - beautiful blocks, abd beautifully made. Vvisit her blog to see them http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/  
Jennifer was particularly taken with the background fabric of the blocks which surround the central block.

Carole has made an amazing piece for the Geelong Guild's 25th Anniversary challenge - silver of course, a portrait of her silver poodle Muffin. Fantastic thread painting surrounded by tiny stippling then a piped frame then silver tiny stippling in the final border - it's sure to be a winner!

Val had a "me too" quilt top she had just completed for a niece's friend's baby after the friend saw the pram quilt Val had made for her niece's child and wanted one too (sorry Val if it's not your niece please correct me).  So of course this child's a bit bigger now and so too is the second edition of the quilt!

Rose had enjoyed a weekend of finishing tops from some time ago, finishing two over this long weekend; one of which was a Robyn Falloon medallion with pieced (maybe Seminole) border from 1999.  Lovely colours and very nice execution - without a photographer this month she promised to bring it back next month and we suggested that maybe next month it will be quilted and she'll be binding it! ;)

Jennifer brought along Oriental 4B (the "me too" copy of her Oriental 4 quilt), 4B is going to live in ? (I think there is still an embargo on this information). Jennifer also had Oriental 5, very  striking panels beautifully set with pieced borders to compliment the colours of the panels.  Apparently Shane doesn't see the need for the Oriental series to be displayed as a collection in their home!  The quilting and harmonious colours in the series we have seen so far really do need to be hung together to fully appreciate them.

Evi our resident librarian brought along magazines for us to peruse and was knitting in delicious different yarns.  She's looking for knitting patterns, but now I can't remember exactly what for.  Sorry Evi, I should have written it down!

Emma brought along the completed Sashiko Tote bag she has been stitching at Tarts in the Under the Australian Sun fabric range; with a pink waratah sashiko stitched on teal background in the feature panel.  Also Christmas Belle's finally all in one piece and pin basted; a Debbie Mumm appliqué and stitchery quilt made from scraps and leftovers from projects Emma made for her daughter from baby blanket backing to smocked dress off cuts and bed quilt leftovers; This has been Emma's ongoing hand sewing project over the last four or so years.  Now moving on to Matilda's Waltz for daughter Matilda as an ongoing stitchery quit hand work project; lots of tiny satin stitch and single thread blanket stitch flowers; with thanks to Sue Lancaster who gave away the patterns when she had finished with them.

Suzan on the Craft Channel 31 program is recommended
 http://www.c31.org.au/program/view/program/suzan-is-craft

Program airs Monday 3pm.  Repeated Tuesday 9am, Saturday 7:30am, Monday
4:30am.  So there should be a time slot in there for everyone!

Glenice has requested Esther speaks at Werribee in September.

Quick, three mins left before I turn into a pumpkin!  Good night.


Thanks to Emma for the report. 

Next month, with luck we will have lots of Show and Tell photos. Kate has been doing a Photography Workshop at NGV, but as it is Landscape Photography, it probably will not improve the Show and Tell photos!

February 15th, 2011

Jennifer, Val, Esther, Kate, Carole, Emma and Barbara turned up.  

We started with a long and lively discussion about mobile phones and the difficulty of establishing just what the various deals mean! Also, it smacks of smart business practice, when a particular company starts advertising a vastly better deal, but only offers it to existing customers if they demand it. When the boot is on the other foot and they want more money from existing customers they quickly send emails asking for the extra charges to be paid! Another issue discussed was the cost of using mobiles overseas which can be astronomical.

However turning to quilting Esther showed us the Centre Block for her BOM. It is lovely and although the Civil War fabrics are very different from Esther's usual choices they look fabulous.
Esther was recommending Roxanne glue to hold the applique pieces in place.


Emma and Jennifer spent time trying to reconcile our finances and to work out where we stand with Rent, Insurance and VQ membership. There is quite a bit of catching up to do.

Val was working on the finishing touches of a large bag made for and designed by her 51/2 year old granddaughter.

Val was also working on a hexagon bag from precut fabric donated by someone who no longer wanted the hexagons.

Esther is working hard and busy chatting, but also missing Evi as we all were.


Barbara is busy crocheting rugs for her daughters. She is very interested in Esther's new BOM as it would be a good project to take on her long trip later this year.

Carole reported that after 12 months her Tuscany quilt is nearly finished and hopefully will be in Show and Tell next month.

Kate has just started knitting a doll - one of the Ak traditions designs. With three pregnant nieces, it is likely at least one baby will be a girl! The Johnstone collection has a lecture in May about dolls in the Western World starting with Roman examples and I have booked to go as it sounds fascinating.

And now for the Show and Tell:-

Esther's central block for her new BOM, Heart's Desire.

Val's granddaughter's large bag. I love her choice of colours.

Val has almost finished quilting this cot quilt for her niece's baby girl. The niece and her partner found the pattern on the Internet.

Jennifer with Oriental 4, - spot the progress since January. Jennifer also had the very pretty Oriental 5, but I did not focus the camera properly hence no photo yet.

Carole and her Point Lonsdale group are making the Quilt Show BOM 2010. Carole's blocks started off in pinks and purples, but other colours are now starting to creep in.

Barb with one of her crocheted rugs. Her daughters should not lose the rugs if they are all as bright as this.

18th January, 2011

Val, Esther, Evi, Emma, Kate, Jennifer and a late arrival, Barb met in our usual venue. Barb had a good excuse for being late - she had been celebrating her birthday with her family.

Val's Bernina had broken down as she frantically tried to finish two quilts in time for her daughter to take them to Germany. The upside of that was we got to see them in Show and Tell.

It seems that Val is not the only person to have recently had trouble with a new Bernina. I guess like everything else, they don't make them like they used too!

Esther brought some spare copies of various magazines and in "Creating Country Threads Stitchery magazine" Vol 11, No. 1, pp 84-85 the patchwork group featured is Waverley Patchworkers and Jennifer's quilt, Flying Free is prominently featured.

Speaking of Waverley Patchworkers, Jennifer is now the Treasurer and is written up in the January issue of their newsletter.

The same issue also has a nice wedding photo of Desley Regan.

 Val and her smart chenille bag - the panels were from a trading table.

I think this is Val's intricate work.

Luv that cat, Val!

 The first of Val's quilts for Germany

Val's second quilt for Germany - same pattern, but the different colourway has quite a different look.

 Jennifer's Oriental 4.

Emma was busy working on a table runner which the school staff had given her as a Krissy Kringle, but unfortunately I forgot to photograph it.

Bye for now, Happy Sewing!