French Bouquet Quilt Progress

I spent quite a few hours pottering and fiddling with this quilt in progress yesterday.  Ages ago I posted an occasional update picture of the centre block applique and the star blocks when I began making them.  Some time ago I decided to make a start on stitching the star blocks and sashing strips with little stars together but put it away a little frustrated.  So I finally taped up a design wall of sorts and tackled the beast.  I don't want to be churlish, I love this quilt design, but the pattern instructions leave a lot to be desired.  I'm not mathematically minded or gifted with the ability to see the most logical and practical way to attack some problems...so there was some unpicking and a few rude words before I finally got it together.  Of course once I got it right it looked so obvious and simple!  I'm talking about the top left corner blocks, only four of them!  If the instructions had been....well instructions... it would have taken much less time out of my afternoon and dinner wouldn't have been a thrown together pasta (so I could get outa the kitchen and back to the sewing machine).  Just saying.

So here it is thus far.

It looks so straight forward, I know!

This is how the finished quilt should look.

I plan to have it looking like this in the not too distant future, lol.  Truly.

Hope life is good for you, it's a happy place at my house with Ben getting stronger and better every day.

Happy stitching,

Rowena

Civil War Blocks 33-38 and Ben's Surgery a Success

Firstly, thank you to all of you who sent prayers and positive thoughts for my son, Ben (24 yrs), who went in for spinal surgery a week ago.  After nearly 20 months of agony and the last 2 months barely able to walk or move he had the surgery last week and it has been a wonderful success.  For the first time in all these months he is pain free apart from the normal soreness from having surgery but he tells me that's nothing!  He is now walking, standing straight and tall and has a smile and genuine happiness about him, does my heart good!
Thank God for modern medicine!

On the quilting front I spent yesterday catching up on my Civil War blocks from Barbara Brackman's weekly quilt-along.  I've completed blocks 33 - 38.  Here they are.

Block 33 Indiana Puzzle

Block 34 Rosebud

Block 35 Star of the West

Block 36 Kentucky Crossroads

Block 37 Confederate Rose

Block 38 Ohio Star

I'm off to make some more of the Kona Cotton solids stars I was working on last post.  Spring weather has been lovely though the nights are still quite cool.

Happy stitching,

Rowena

Quick Star Blocks

Some months back (November 2010...I didn't think it was that far back ;) ....) I was the lucky winner of a Jelly Roll of Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons in lovely muted shades.  I always knew I would make a quilt with a black background with these fabrics.  I was skipping through Youtube looking at quilting videos and came across a Missouri Star Quilt Company video on star blocks from 2 1/2" strips, I was convinced these would be ideal for my Kona Jelly Roll.  So over the weekend I made these.

The cornerstones are a rich purple unfortunately washed out by the flash.  I'll use black for the sashing.

The blocks are 12" as they are now.  I have enough for a double bed quilt.  These blocks go together so quickly and easily it will take no time at all.  If you are interested the video on Youtube is well worth a look, click on the link you tube Jelly Star To see a whole quilt made up, check out this video you tube Jelly Star quilt

I think this is a great pattern if you need to satisfy your "instant gratification" 21st century gene, lol.

I don't have any civil war blocks as I'm a little behind but fully intend getting them done in the next few days.

The following is not quilting related, just a warning....

I've been preoccupied as my beautiful son  (24 yrs) is going in for spinal surgery in a week. He has two ruptured discs in his lower back (L4 and L5) and for nearly 2 yrs he has been in the most intolerable pain.  Standing by while your brave son has tears running down his cheeks and is moaning in agony, it is so hard not being able to do anything to help.  Last Monday we spent the entire day at the hospital ( Royal North Shore for those in NSW, Australia) to have all the pre-op tests, scans and X-rays done. I had to drop my son at the hospital at 6am Tuesday ready for surgery at 8am (to remove the part of the discs pressing on the sciatic nerve and free up the nerve path).  We had spent a terrible night because his local Doctor has miscalculated his pain meds so he had run out on Monday, not a night either of us would ever want to repeat.  There had been emergencies and he hadn't gone in for his op until 12 o'clock.  I rang at 1pm to see how the op had gone, while I was on hold our call waiting started to beep, I usually ignore it but for some reason I answered, it was my son telling me they couldn't do the surgery. On Monday 10 - 12 hospital professionals had missed the fact that he hadn't had the most important scan, the MRI, which the neuro-surgeon has to have to do the surgery!  He was in utter depair the poor boy, they discovered the lack of MRI at the operating theatre doors!!!  I had to get in the car and drive back to Sydney and bring him home.  We managed to get an emergency appointment for an MRI scan and the hospital has given him another surgery date, 13th September 2011 because they admit the dropped the ball, hah! dropped the ball alright.  Poor Ben was such a mess, he has lived with such appalling pain for so long, his life has been on hold while we waited 12 months for the surgery date.  He spends his life lying on the sofa propped with pillows and hot water bottles and taking pain medication that barely makes it tolerable. Sorry to moan , but I must say I feel so much better getting that off my chest, lol.  Say a prayer or send positive thoughts for his operation on the 13th September, he sure needs all the positivity he can get, the poor little sod, it's been quite a nightmare.

Loving the warm weather that has been creeping up on us, 1st September being the first day of Spring for us hanging off the bottom of the world.

Happy stitching,

Rowena

Civil War Blocks 29,30,31,32, Doll Quilt in progress and Quilt Labels

I've been a bit lazy with my blog but I finally have some things to post about.

First, these are the Civil War blocks I've completed recently.
29 Railroad Crossing

30 Peterson's Stars and Stripes.  

I'm sure getting these applique stars down...do we need any more?

31 Empty Spools.  

I had a bit of a fiddle with the set-in seams but pre-stitched with a large stitch first to make sure everything was where it should be (easier to unpick if they aren't).

32 Carolina Lily.  

I really am pleased with this one but I wasn't sure if it would look OK with the other fabrics I've used in the previous blocks but when I laid them all out it looks fine.

After I had finished making the Carolina Lily block I still felt like playing with fabric so I cut some small rectangles from a  pile of mixed 5" repro squares I bought a while ago.  Then sewed them into these strips.

Then I had a play around with some background fabrics.

I wasn't satisfied with that so I went to my LQS, The Home Patch and had a bit more of a play.

Maybe green?  I'm still fiddling but I think I like the green.  I bought these 2 green fabrics.

I have finally stitched the binding on this quilt for one of my sons.

I transferred a label (from a book I have), coloured it with Derwent Ink Pencils then painted Textile Medium over the pencil which will be permanent now I've heat set it with a hot, dry iron. All this accomplished I have now sewn it onto the quilt back.  Finished at last!

Here's the label and washing instructions.

This is another pretty label I recently did (from the same book).

This has been sewn onto a quilt I made from a FigTree pattern, Jelly Roses. 

I have a quilt on the longarm that has had me procrastinating for a few weeks, I think I finally have an idea nailed down so I've made a tentative start..... I've had all the ditch work done for a while and am feeling quite pressured to get it done.  Better get at it!!

Happy stitching,

Rowena  

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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

I Made a New Bag/Purse

I've had this bag/purse pattern by Australian designer, Monica Poole, for quite a few years. I apologize for the out-of -focus photo, my camera is not working suddenly (and sadly) so my daughter took the photos with her phone.

 I've put off making it because I thought it looked quite difficult.  I used to be quite a confident dressmaker and would tackle tailored jackets without a worry but this bag was something out of my experience.
I really loved the style of bag it is and have bought fabric to make it twice.  Well this morning I just grabbed the pattern and the gorgeous French General fabric I had bought for it a couple of months ago and went for it.  You know what, it was really quite straight forward!  I am so delighted with the end result, love my new bag!

It has a pocket inside for a mobile phone and a larger pocket for keys/lipstick and such with a slot on the end for a pen!  How 'bout that!  I even managed a magnetic clasp!

To hold the shape of the opening of the bag,  the pattern called for the use of a product called Rigiline.  This was simple to use as it's made so you can stitch through it so attaching it to the top of the bag was easy.  I then did a line of stitching just below the Rigiline all the way around the top of the bag, this has made such a difference to the shape, without it the top of the bag would have been squished flat by the front flap.  

Hope you all had a weekend filled with happy stitching,

Rowena