Civil War Blocks 26,27,28, Nine Patch Quilt Top and New Quilting Machine

This is my nine patch, I stitched the blocks together and am now debating whether to put a border on or not.      It's not the greatest photo but I'll try to get a better one once I have quilted it.

I've completed 2 more of Barbara Brackman's Civil War quilt blocks.  I so love choosing the fabrics, playing with different ideas then settling on my choice and putting together another new block.
Here are the blocks .

Block 27 Irish Chain

Block 26 Barbara Frietchie Star

Block 28 Next Door Neighbor

The other really exciting news is my new quilting machine arrived and is now up and running.  It's a Handi Quilter Avante with an 18" throat, fabulous stitch regulator and the best track system I've tried.  As yet I've just had a practice piece on it but I have a customer quilt waiting to start.  Here are a couple of photos of my new beauty!

I  have a 3 week turn around on quilting and would love to quilt for you on my new machine.  My quilting is all hand guided and I have 19 years experience in quiltmaking.  I am happy to take orders via post.

Happy stitching,

Rowena

Civil War Blocks 23-25 and Customer Quilt

I went down to the Sydney Quilt Show which I thoroughly enjoyed.  So many talented quilt-makers in New South Wales.  I was very restrained and only bought a couple of Layer cakes, for the CW quilt-along.  I bought Collection for a Cause Hope, to supplement the fabrics from that range that I've been using for the CW blocks and I had to buy Barbara Brackman's Civil War Reunion for the same project.

                                                                                   

Before I went to the Quilt Show I arranged to meet up with Liz from Quilterie .  It was such a pleasure to meet in person after exchanging comments and emails, in blogland.  Pay her a visit if you haven't before now.

A few more CW blocks have been completed.  As usual I've had fun choosing the fabrics and making new (to me) blocks.  

Block 23 Illinois Roads

Block 24 Ladies Aid Album

Block 25 Calico Puzzle

This is just some of my blocks so far, I don't have room for all of them on my make shift design wall (door).

I'm really delighted with how they look together.  I was reading how one lady is planning on setting her blocks on point, it will be an enormous quilt set that way!  I think I'll use sashing and cornerstones to finish mine

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This week I finished quilting this pretty quilt (a Quilter's Companion project some time ago) for a new customer.  I'm always so pleased when I hand over a quilt to a really happy customer.  Sylvia is sending this over to England as a gift.  The fabrics are really pretty native Australian florals.  The applique was done with a machine blanket stitch.

Here are a couple of close ups of the quilting.

Such a pretty native floral print.

I've been researching and looking at Longarm Quilting machines for months and I have finally made a decision and placed an order for a new machine.  I'm so excited.  I will of course now be selling my current setup which is a John Watts frame with a Tin Lizzie 18 inch throat with a stitch regulator.  This machine would be a great starting point for someone wanting to get into machine quilting on a frame.  If at all interested please email or phone me for more details.

It's my youngest son's 11th birthday today, time really flies doesn't it.  I no longer have a little boy, he's growing up, next thing he'll be a teenager!!  Happy birthday Jorden!

Hope you are are all well and happily stitching,

Rowena