PatchworkDreams

Design area covered by a teflon is sheet pinned

Iron down main stem,  stems I turned at the edges I ironed on a strip of iron on fussing, so all stems can be ironed down.

Next stem added and pressed in place

More stems added

Then final stem, keep in mind this is a rough job just to share, or I’d be here all night doing this?

I made up my happy dancing flowers this way?

My stems for block 4 of WIL carefully lifted of the teflon sheet to the background then iron down?

This is the start of my 4th block of Wrapt in Love released to day , my huge bloom started off a small rose about 1/3 of the finished flower, I cut petals and more petals till it was the size of the bloom in the pattern, a real borderier Perse rose. My candy cane stem is made from men’s shirt fabric cut on the cross and run through a bias maker? It has been machine appliquéd down. I made my thorns from a 1 inch red square of fabric fold in 1/2 twice point to point ?  then the raw edge tucked under the stem.  Some people call them Prairie Points?

I started making up my 4th block last night at 7pm and cut and cut till midnight . Only the main stem is sewn down and I did that a couple of days ago. Now I need to iron down my mushroom lights; remove every thing else but the stems and start machine appliqueing it all Down?

Cling wrap is laid on top of pattern and then with a fine permanent marker I draw the pattern to the cling wrap!

Cling wrap pressed down on the pattern? I made my curved swirls much fat, it made it so much easier to machine applique them down, and that extra fabric will not show when I add the wee birds and circle eggs?

cling wrap is smoothed on to my fabric that I want to use (which has iron-on-fussing behind it as I’m doing raw-edge applique)

Here is my left side swirls cut out with the iron-on-fussing paper removed.

Now  they have been ironed on to my background fabric.

ready to be machine appliqued down.

I only iron down what I’m going to work on, as the pieces get rubbed to much if every thing is ironed down with all the twisting and turning you have to do when machine appliqueing, then they start lifting and falling off, so just take photos of how you liked your lay out remove every thing but the pieces you are working from and start appliqueing.

checking swirls for size of circles I will need?

Looking at how that left side will look?

love the little birds?

Then finally it’s all in place and ready to be sewn down?

I now have 2 waiting to be appliqued down now and number 4 started?

Starting to applique down my stems first.

These yellow stems remind me of Disneyland Eels LOL  I’m going to add eyes to them????

Procrastinating over which coloured thread to use on the swirls, aqua or gold, I ended up using both Gold on the top of the swirls and aqua on the bottom ones!!!

You can see the gold thread on the top swirls and the bottom aqua, the colour of the fabric makes the threads change colour?  and the gold on top makes like the sun is hitting the tops?

I started making up my block last night at 7pm and cut and cut till midnight . Only the main stem is sewn down and I did that a couple of days ago. Now I need to iron down my mushroom lights remove every thing else but the stems and start machine appliqueing it all Down?

My centre 4 blocks of Wrapt in Love

I Have small creatures tucked in funny places in my garden for my Grandies to find?  Notice

Notice the eatten  leaves? It makes one wonder how they can chew through the leaf in the centre of it?

Look closely, she hiding under her web, yes it’s a gunnel web spider not some thing I like finding but we have a lot of them here?

Bbeautiful birds nest fern?

CColurs are so lovely on this local weed but it’s a menice it covers every thing so quickly and kills it?

This is a dead flower head from a palm tree above, this flower is around 7 feet long?

NNature helping make the end of the swimming pool like lush cool and beautiful?

hows that for Colour?

Can you spot the cat?

Ariving  in Brisbane, it is the  capital of our state.

A beautiful ghost gum tree on the edge of the sea.

There is nothing more beautiful than a sun rise or set over the ocean

How’s this for an entrance to a unit and a view to look out on when sewing?

I also made a wee nock out side to sew at.

I sat there and worked on my diamond blocks.

Made up a Dear Jane Block.

Back of my DJ block.

Then walked out to the point , the sea is so beautiful here at Noosa, water is crystal clear and you can see the dolphins and turtles if they are around.

Sadly it falling apart just due to constant use. Some thing any quilter loves to see as it tells you it has been loved and used. I stitched down some applique that was falling off and patched a nasty pice of fabric that had parted just so worn.

It is a new leaf about to unfold into a giant fern frond. It is called a tree fern here in OZ

things grow so fast here and if you don’t prune quickly they grow where you don’t want them to like this branch has grown through the Grandchildren’s basketball hoop in the garden???

Like my kitchen serve ??? My DGD loves to catch the tiny fish in the pond which there are 100’s. So she borrowed my serve one day, it was hung on a Brocken branch and over the wet season the branch regrew and has covered the handl completely???  We don’t stand still for long around here or we would be swallowed up by the trees?!  

The handle end is completely swallowed by the tree? !

My DGD 6 with her tote bag she finished making on this sleep over, so lovely to see her wanting to sew? Thats a tapestry of mine she choose to applqiue on to the front.

Centre of a big daisy? On a men’s tie shoulder  bag I’m making.

Pulled my scrappy quilt and made up 40 more background shapes so I can add some more when I have time.  I will still need about 60 more after them????  This is one of Esther’s designs all so.

Changed my big flower bloom head

To this one, it goes better with the rest of my Alice theme?

Start of making block 2 of Wrapt in Love.

Love how the colours are working?

Changed these flowers to Borderie Perse fussy cut flowers, Alice would have loved them?

And there we have it all ready for machine applqueing down.

Block 1 and 2 together! 

Making my diamonds that have a strip in them for HOTYH

First one made now I need to make another 3?!  I’m working on themLOL

One of my scrappy shoulder bags I have been making.   It was for some one special.

He came to visit us tonight about 3 1/2 inchs long, we call the green tree frogs, they love to go back to the same place each  morning for the day time. When we lived in PNG I had trees all around my verranda and I had 7 of them coming out each night and then slide back in to a wee knock for the day time and all ways in the same wee spot????  Biggest one we had up there was 5inchs when crouching. They were so use to me they would not move when I went up close and studied them?

It has been raining  for weeks, on the 1st April  that morning the sun tried to break through but didn’t make it?  Cloud base was down so low it was at my front door?

1st of April and I had To go  down to the city. I went and had lunch at my favourite wee restaurant which is at Muddies children’s water play ground right on the edge of the ocean, sadly the tide was out but I was happy to eat fish and chips with the best mug of coffee

I sat and stitched tiny tiny stitches on a DJ block and let the world drift by? Even when the rain drifted in from the ocean and blocked my view I just moved my table and chair back out of the rain and kept stitching  LOL.

I dropped in to a wee patchwork fabric shop near the Cairns Airport called Hooked on Sewing before going in to town and these Australian batiks were spilling all over the counter waiting to be put back on the shelf? I fell in love with them specially the blues and aqua’s .  ,

The owners daughter offered to make up a swagg roll of one of each colour while I was in town. A swagg roll is 5  1/2 inch’s wide. Now how’s that for service, it is not only a great wee shop with top quality fabrics but great service.

So if you are ever in Cairns and need a fabric fix drop in to see them.

These lovely lovely Ozzie batiks on the right and on the left is a swagg of Hoffman’s lovely fabrics.

Those Hoffman’s will be great for wee DJ blocks.

Nnow isn’t that a sight for saw eyes if you are a quilter?

As soon as I saw these

DJ. Block

I have been looking for my DEar Jane folder for months and a few days ago found it, where? On my bookshelf of course???  So I’m back making some DJ’s mostly because I know a lot more about cotton fabric and quilting than I did years ago when I started to make these wee blocks.

Back of DJ M – 13  I have cut away behind the wee square I appliqued in the centre and spiralled the hem to take the bulk out of that tiny square and it is sitting nice and flat?

DJ F – 9.  Colours are no5 bright like this , taken at night time.

DJ F – 9 using the dark maroon from one of the new Hoffman fabrics I just bought.

DJ.   F –  9. This is very close to the true colours I’m using. Such a sweet wee appliqué Block ? Time consuming but with it.  All hand applique.

I laughed when I really looked at my work table this morning? There are 7 projects lying there??? From sewing Lewis Bears Harris tweed hat back on, to giving Kangaroo a new nose, plus my Diamond Hill  in-fore ground designed by Esther I’ve just pulled after buying some more black fabric, of course I will find the original border fabric now I have cut some new ones? Tomorrow I hope to mitre the corners and irondown my stems.

We found this old machine in very bad repair as it had been stored for years with out a cover may be in a shed some where. It was the first machine Brother made in Japan in the late  1950’S.  The bobbin plate and teeth plate are hinged and lift out as one piece????   So when you want to lift the bobbin plate it folds up and back on to the machine !!!!

It took a lot of cleaning but underneath the parts were all in very very good condition just need the rust removed and lots of oil and now she is running perfectly so so smooth.  Rod took the attachable motor off and added a wee handle on the wheel so in any power cuts I can still sew if I want to?????

This is the back of the machine interesting thing and I think it must have been a mistake on the manufactures place, the threading parts are on the back facing away from the machine??????  SO you have to think back to front and work from the back to thread it?????

Cleaned, oiled, rust removed, and sewing like a charm

My wonderful sewing partner in crime can think out side the box with any fabric she see’s.  She collects embroidered  place cloths and doilies and she made her self this dress one day a few years ago?????

Back of her dress, those bird’s are done by crossstitch ??!!

All cross stitch/

Crochet bag made from a string onion bag?????  Look at the lovely edge she added to finish it off?

She is now making scarf out of crochet  tubes!!!!!!

Mini quilt in a Healing Heart?  I could not settle to sew the other night so sat down and send 1inch squares together then they became a 2inch square in side a Healing heart?   So I made some thing lovely.

Finally have all the bits and pieces in sachets or wrapped around noodles and all in one box so hopefully I won’t loose any pieces this way?????

Lots and lots of hours ahead of me machine appliquéing all those tiny pieces down.

making up my dividers for the first border, I made mine up a little different. First I pressed my panel in 1/2 length ways and marks where my flower would be attached , next strip I have added a embroidery stem. it pulls the fabric up so you need to steam iron it  back in to shape .  number 3 strip Iv’e ironed down the petals ready for machine appliqué

I have 8 waiting to be appliquéd down now?

My first block of Wrapt in Love by Esther cut out waiting to be machine appliqued down!  My goodness I had so much fun making this block, I call it Alice after Alice in Wonderland as I saw the flowers in the pictures of Alice when she was at the tea Party as soon as I saw the print out. Yes those are wee fish jumping out of the flower fish bowl, remember this block  is called Alice?  LOL.

It is going to be a beautiful and different quilt that’s for sure?

Close up of those hexagons before sewing them together by sewing machine, first time I have done EPP by sewing machine and hand???  This is my  1st hexagon Block of 4.

Same centre just the light playing on the silks?

Tonight I finally managed to cut out my 52inch square for HOTYH Centre.  My fabric was wide enough to cut it out in one piece, then I had to cut ironon  interfacing for it and iron it on, that was the hard part it is so difficult not to get a wrinkle any where???  So there it is in all its glory ready of all the applique to be added??? What a wonderful quilt it is going to be.

Much to my delight they will fit my Janome and my 380 Bernina, she was surprised at how happy she made meLOL.

Starting to machine appliqué down my applique pieces for block 1 of Wrapt in Love by Esther Aliu it is her free BOM for 2019, a lovely happy fun beautiful design .

I started on the yellow centre doing a straight Stich to out line it, my stitch length was almost zero. I was sewing one stitch at a time to get around the curves?  Yellow thread is a sulky No 40

Then I filled it in with straight stitch with the length at the same setting almost zero

Stage 3 I set my double button hole at my lowest settings and appliqued down the right side of my purple face then did straight stitches radiating from the very centre of the purple shape.  This was my first mistake, I should of buttonhole stitched down the mauve central shape petals first then done the purple face??

checking with the camera to see how it looks, use your camera when you are not sure if you are on the right track?  It will not lie?

ON to the left part of the purple face double blanket  stitch you could use a very small zig zag instead, but I found I could place that straight part of the blanket stitch along the edge of the shape?

close up and I hold my breath till I see it’s working?

on to the bottom part of the face still using double blanket stitch but Stich length a tiny bit wider bite in and a long Stich length same colur thread which is a rayon no 40.  Used this thread count through out.

On to the next stage I double button holed down top two petals using a fairly normal setting .

Both top petals done, I then did the light mauve petals that I should have done straight after doing my yellow centre. Again using double blanket stitch you can use the stitch you like using when doing your machine appliqué.

Last front petal was  again done with double blanket stitch then I added the straight stitches to the petal and it was complete.   I hope this helps to take the fear out of  any of you worrying about machine appliqueing your pansy’s.  Secret is to go SLOW?!

Start out with a Huge circle then cut out a good bite for the top of the bag shape

Then cut two fabrics moon shaped for the lining of the bag.  Pin well to stop movement when sewing the quilt as you go strips.

Place some wadding the same shape on top of the lining with right side facing down lay the first strip in the middle roughly on an 45deg angle

Pin a strip on top to the left of the fabric and sew down

Open fabric and finger press down,

Add another strip of fabric to the right hand side of the 1st strip of fabric and sew down

Just laying some colurs to see how they go together

Starting to sew I start in the middle and work out too each side of the moon bag, my green with the shoes was my first strip .

Quickly it grows

Adding a couple of small pockets inside, Ive used two small circle doilies for the packets, turned over part of the circle to make them in to pockets, will hand sew theses on.

A larger pocket ready to be handsewn down?

My Front and back completed, now to bind them both then add the gusset, which will be two men’s ties.

Wish it wasn’t quiet so bright LOL. But that’s me!!!

I finally found my Churndash quilt top last week and have sewn on the last border, so wonderful to have it completed. Background of the churndash blocks are a silk and the pattern cotton. More I see it the more I like this quilt top? Loved making the borders for it.

Iv’e Just set out another memory block of my mums treasures. She use to make these ladies in the 1950’s placing one in each  corner of a metre square piece of coloured gingham fabric, I still have one some where?

I have removed all the little bits and pieces and sewing down the top lac e that reminds me of hanging wisteria, and the Crinaline lady using beads. It’s slow and relaxing, much more so than writing a late blog LOL. First I laid some dusky pink silk fabric then the share lace over the top 1/2 of the block with a 1/2 inch lace across the very top to anchor any thing up there to later on?  Will take me 5or 6 days to addthe beads to her dress and the above sheer lace.

Stunning a exciting solids

A fabulouse and over whelming gift I’m still recovering from this beautiful gift a quilts dream come true?!

Who can go past cheeries

Fabulouse panel of fabric

I was hoping to get this wee beauty going this week but I have not even uncovered  her.

Hubby’s going to put a handle on the wheel when we find the right one. This wheel is the heavy wheel that was made for a crank shaft, the lighter ones came out in the 20s when they started to add the little electrical motors which were mounted on to the back of the machine?

my dream comes true she’s very old and needs a great deal of TLC but with thT a love she will go I’m sure?

She has 6 lovely draws and one long one still.  Only thing missing is one wheel

But  with a wee clean she looks different all ready.

Love  the art Nouveau paintings?

Number  that tells us how old she is. 1923 so she is almost 100 years young LOl.

top is quiet damaged sadly.

Every one of the additional parts for the sewing machine are there including the original box? Brings back lots of childhood memories as I learnt to sew on my mums singer treadle?

there are mudnests every where from the mud wasps.

it does need that top replaced sadly.

This narrow long draw had dozens and dozens of mudnests.

this does not look good but we will see what we can do?

Very  sad to see how corroded this piece is, but I’m sure it will clean up?

I’ll just print the pattern

May be I could see what it will look like if I just ironed a few pieces of fabric down on the Teflon sheet

I was a gonna the moment I printed the pattern LOl.

It started out by think I will just print the pattern to see what it looks like and how big it will be??? Then maybe I can just cut out the shapes?

May be I could cut out some fabric shapes too?  Oh it so nice just a few more?

OH gosh those two shades of  pink looks so good?

I want to add some gold and silver fabric for my star???  So I do!

ANd I just keep on cutting and cutting those pieces of fabric LOL

Then all the pieces are cut out and pinned and it’s 2am LOl. And I fall in to bed.

So I remove it completely and add two dark shades of silk ?  I’m happy now it’s working for me.

So I went from light to dark, even the sunlight likes it? So

SO it is ironed down to form a flower on my background fabric, I start in the centre machine appliqueing it down .  Mt diamonds remind me of when I became engaged I choose a saphire over a diamond? I just love colour.  Cheers

Finally it was all machine appliquéd down and I’m happy, but I really wanted to make my HOTYH in cotton as it is for some one who will want it on her bed to be used??? So even though the silks are calling I may still make it in cottons?

Jhbb

January was full of beautiful sunrises

Found on the driveway on morning when it was not raining. I could not see why it had died but it had not been alive for very long as there was no damage at all to its wings, such magnificent creatures, I see them daily flying around the garden?

My DG son making a very tall block building? I was so lucky to have them many days over Christmas, New Year and all the month of January for the school holidays  . 

Cutting my main stems for the 4 borders of Love Always by Esther Aliu.  Ive ironed iron-on-fussing to several lengths of fabric then cut my stems out, storing them on a piece of swimming foam.  I use them all the time for rolling quilts around or like this?  Keeps the stems clean and tidy.

More Pulled fabrics these are cotton though.

These colurs make my heart sing they are cottons I’m thinking of using for the 2019 BOM ?

Back ground fabric for my LA it’s 100 % silk woven with a beautiful design in the weave then dip dyed so it is a deep blue one side of the fabric and fades to a soft grey.

Have traced the pattern on to some kitchen cooking paper  so I can cut this up instead of my main printed off pattern, I find this an easy way to mark my back ground. I cut out the stems on this sheet then mark the background silk with white tailors chalk.

I was given this machine that was electrical by adding a free attached motor on the back of the machine these came out around 1910  may be later may be earlier????  I do remember my mum getting one put on to her treadle when I was about 4 or 5?????? around 1948?  This one came out around 1960 looks like the Bernia’s that came out around  then, this was made in Japan though? These machines were built to last and be repaired not replaced LOL

Hubby removed the portable motor and foot treadle

Drilled a hole and added a knob till we fine a wooden handle to crank the machine. SO no more frustration when the power goes off? I can still sew?  Only frustration is I could not find time to try the machine out in Dec or Jan, have my fingers crossed I get to it this week?????

A wee Sunbird decided it liked our porch and started to build her nest on our hanging Christmas lights?

Dawns were so beautiful in Dec I would get up at 5am to watch?

Then the sunrises were just as magical

Had many cloudy days from mid Dec so the sun had to fight to find its way down to us here it is just peeping down a sun beam on to the fish pond? K

TAken just before the rains started 6 weeks ago, now we are water logged?

Some of the oldest living plants in the world, itis nearly 3 metres across! That ball in the middle is a new bunch of leaves about to unfold like a flower!!!

Reason we need ants????  they keep the place clean of rotting creatures in hrs this insect was nothing but a empty shell?

Our wee Sunbirds nest up close?

Starting to work on my 1st Love Always  border designed by  Esther Aliu?  This is where I left you in nov. 2018?

I made my 3 Rose blooms first, I’m so in love with the magnificent blooms Esther designed for the Love Always borders. I’m using mostly silks in these borders.

Next I made up the two toned leaves love making these leaves up. Those who know me in the quilting world will know I love circles and leaves when doing applqiue LOL

Making my bloom on top of a Teflon sheet that is over the shape of this bloom from the pattern. I place from the top of the bloom first which is the palest lilac then my greys on the side, my tow purples then the deep purple  my leaves then finally the stem and iron them down as I go???

Adding lots of different coloured leaves but trying to keep this border dreamy and subtle????? Not my normal strong bright colours LOL

Love these bloom shapes!

Where I’m up to right now, all most 1/2. way machine appliquéing it all down?

My roll of kimono fabric and some silk fabrics I may use, all have iron on fusing behind them ready for cutting out to make the blooms and buds.

First I number all the pieces starting with the pieces I will add first.  I’ve printed my design on orange paper as we had run out of white paper!?

Tracing all my pieces on to the Press’nSeal using a fine permanent ink pen and have numbered them, this is important when some shapes are similar.

Cut out roughly

My cut out pieces cut with smooth lines and ready to be ironed down using a teflon none stick ironing sheet over the bloom .

Added my top pieces and those bottom pieces first then added the rest. I pinned the pieces in place. Behind  the printed paper is a mini ironing board.

Rest Pined  ready to be ironed down over top of the first 4 pieces

I’ve pressed the cut out press’nSeal pieces Ive removed from the shapes  to the other 1/2 of the teflon  I may be able to use them twice if I’m lucky?

Irioned bloom peeled off teflon  and placed on the backing fabric. Make sure you let that bloom go real cold before peeling off the teflon or you will pull the pieces out of shape?

It started with pieces of garden vegetation

She attached the pieces to our Christmas lights hanging in front of our entrance that were to come down that day???

She flew in and out from dawn till dusk for 6 days?

Here she is forming the entrance???

Carrying a huge mouth full to line her nest.

So so busy

Checking me out?!  after one day she was not worried I was taking photos one metre from her.

Again checking me out before going to the nest.

One glorious Dawn I stood and watched it in awe for 20 mins.

A beautiful moth found on the veranda floor one morning

Dawn breaking one morning

Sun filtering down through the canopy

Sun trying to break through the mist yesterday, it managed to peer through one hole and send a beam down ?

Look at the intensity of this colour???

All most completed about two hrs of tiny French knots in the centre of the flowers that are in the bobbin lace basket in the centre, I was going to add bows around the edge of the block but the layers needed anchoring so went for embroidered daisies instead.  Also adding around 60 French knots in those flower centres in the bobbin lace basket, using only two fine threads for these knots so it’s very slow, I may finish them tonight.

Lying on the silk Kimono I’m using to add the backing on these QAYG blocks, I hope to unpick enough of this kimono to day to add the backing to this block.

Two blocks completed, I used the sleeve fabric from the kimono for these two QAYG blocks

Trying to show you this beautiful silk fabric, it’s very tightly woven and very heavy, this quilt will be heavy and warm when or if it gets finished LOL

Kimono before I unpick it today? Takes me 2 to 3 hrs to unpick depends on who the seamstress was and how good her sewing was? They are or were all sewn by hand so the fabric was not punched by a machine needle, you can see the woven design clearly in this photo?

You can see the embossed weaving on the left of this block.

Also thinking of using my wedding train-lace as sashing’s and borders, it’s very fragile but may be OK if I use a iron on interfacing?

I can not find this quilt top to add the last border Iv’e just finished machine appliqueing ???  I so wanted to have this as a finish this year?!!

Joining all these QAUG blocks by machine but with a flat finish no bulky seams.

These two hankies above had fabric applique added to them and the fabric had faded from green and a orange colour to light brown see leaves on the left side, plus the threads around the main flower had faded, original colour was still showing at the back, so I used my silk paints to colour them in again close to the original colours. 

First row across is joined and I was happy how it was laying so flat but firmly joined.

I choose the same embroidery stitch I’d used to sew down the turned edge on the QAYG seam. It’s quiet difficult to see the join.

Corners all have one of these beautiful pieces of embroidery.  Mum made a lovely morning tea table cloth but the rats loved it too and ate the Centre, so I cut the corners off and have added them to this memory quilt of hers.

I used  very long pins alternating which direction they were pinned

All sewn except for the last centre row?   I forgot to take a photo when it was completed ?

some times I had to pin ever 1/2 inch or even 1/4 inch when the blocks did not line up by a good 1/2 inch, but it paid off as this easing can not be seen any where.

I picked up these charming  and delightful pillows in a local Opp Shop last Friday, it was so sad to see someones work in a shop but I was very happy to bring them home to enjoy. .

Also picked up 4 metres of this lovely fabric from the Opp Shop?  Great to add to my stash. I love the tulips.

Desert Rose Incrediable colour?

Our main entrance where I enjoy sitting on the cushions and having coffee in the mornings.

Large Christmas arrangement of heliconias.

Small heliconia arrangement

Spider orchid still flowering.

Button flowers blooming so happy after I repotted it.

Coral palm tree flowers and seeds, which reminds me of snorkling off the coast and the coral out there?

Giant Brom flower to be?

Very heavy looking storm clouds this morning but still no rain?

Number 3 block as it was two weeks ago?

After adding some pink silk, some 1/4inch crosshatch machine quilting to the silk area and then some real pearls for a necklace that mum wore when she was younger? I still need to add some tiny ribbon bows around the outer edges.  This is bobbin lace  which was around the edge of Carols grandmother hankie.  A very very special pice of lace.   So

Where I stRted with Block 4. This is h easy silk and it was a tiny pillow, badly marked with mildew, I unpick ed the pillow then soaked the fabric for a few days in a soft solution of exit moulde and water. All the Mideast spots disappeared.

Tried fine lace firs5 and did not like it.

Then started to play with bits and pieces much better.

Now close to completing the lay out?

Start of block number 5 This lovely piece has the most beautiful embroidered flowers in satin stitch from I think may 1950’s?

Slowly building the block of number 5!

Taken moments before we were hit by an electrical storm last night.Which broke the heat wave for us., and we lost our internet, it’s back but slow!

A beautiful dawn this week.

1st memory block completed now.

Frangipani are now in full bloom and the fragrance is heavenly.

One more border to make managed to appliqué down the autumn colours this week and started some greens today

A couple of you asked me about colour and shapes of the leaves

I just cut the shape of the leaves as I feel like it,  it’s random and randomly placed.

Thread colour, I like to add a sulky gold to one side of my veins when I use a vein like this I feel it adds a little light behind the leaves, then on the opposite side I used a cyclamen colour for depth!

First I choose the main piece I want to use then start to add and add till I like the look of it all. Take a photo then remove it all but the bottom layer of pieces.

First I machine sew down the green 1/2 inch wide flange which ends up only showing 1/8th of the green flange Then I hand sew and quilt these pieces down, remember I have the wadding and some muslin as a backing on these blocks, the  background Im working on is heavily woven silk from a obi belt from Japan. Yes it is difficult to work with; I have to push the needle through and then push it back up as it is so tightly woven using  thick silk and silver threads.

Add some more background pieces and appilque all these pieces down. .

Now Add my main piece and many hrs later

Have added beads, embroidery, Sequins  and scraps of lace .

Finally I add the backing and fold it on to the front as a final border and hand sew down. This backing is  a heavy silk also, its like a crepe brocade????  I hope I have enough fabric for all 12 blocks LOL  No  I don’t cut out all my pieces I will need for the blocks first, I’m to excited to see my first blocks made LOL

This was a finished block around 10 years ago!!!!  I unpicked the basket and washed and bleached it a little to remove the stains.

First I added a peace pink circle of silk and iron-fussed it down.  Have started to add the first pieces of appilque to be?

This was a very small silk pillow? Sadly the back ground silk had spots of mould over it, it was kill or cure, so unpicked the pillow and soaked the material in a solution of exit mould for 12 hrs watching it closely, success all the mould spots are gone and colour has not faded at all.

Two lovely to discard so I cut a heart shape out, ironed on some  irononfussing on the back around the outer edge of the heart.

Ironed down Heart now to play, cut out some crochet from a damaged table cloth, sewed down the flange  ?

Trimmed the crochet  carefully and Yes I do like how it’s looking? More next week LOL

My flower ball sent up another flower

Love this flower it’s so perfectly round?

Hubby brought me home a button crispy two nights ago, I will repot it in to this blue pot so it’s roots can spread out.

Not real cherry blossoms, it’s to hot to have cut flowers now so some little silk flowers for a few months plus tiny deep lilac birds!

An ant bridge?

First completed QAYG Block for mums memory quilt to be?  This block is the first block top left hand  corner in lay out below so you can see how it started?

How I’m planning on laying out the blocks!  Started this several years ago as a mail swap with 5 other ladies.

Thought this was going to be my sashings but it is too green so may use a cream instead ? Time will tell

This block was in the top left hand corner of the lay out above. This Centre circle of lace was used as a dress collar and would have been stitched lightly on to a dress neck when there was some thing special to attend, unpicked after and put away till another special occasion on another dress even.  It must have been my Great grandmothers .

I want that collar to stand out and shine so added a piece of very fine lawn from a servette from around 1960!

Slowly  appliqueing it all down here.

Here I have quilted the rose it took 2 1/2 hrs each stitch is about 16th of an inch.  I had to push the needle through then pull the thread right to the back and push it back up to the front each time.  Those are Colonial knots beside the rose.

outlined the tulip in deep pink stem stitch, using green glass beads

This carnation was disappearing in to the background so highlighted it in stem stitch too.

Starting Block 2 First I choose my main piece this time it is a fine crochet doilie.

I keep playing and adding till I like  a lay out of roughly the way I’d like it, I then remove all the top pieces then start Appliquéing the under neither pieces down first

Working at appliquéing  down the back pieces now. Top left corner from an old hand embroidered hanky from China 1950’s, bottom left corner 1/2 a fine crocheted doilie, bottom right hand corner , corner of a grass linen servette.  Centre pink silk from a kimono lining

My block 3 to be!!! First I cut my fine backing 1/4 of an inch bigger than my finished front fabric which is a 11inchs sqaure of silk, Iv’e laid the backing on a piece of  cotton batting

Cut the batting 1/2inch wider all round than the backing this gives plenty of room for movement. pin backing in place.

Turn over and lay your block in the centre of the cotton batting.

I cut my flange at 1inch wide fold in 1/2 and iron with a very hot steam iron.

Pin flange around the block make sure that flange fold is facing in to the block !!!

Block  is now ready to be built on?  First I will remove the basket and add some colour behind it?    Hopefully I can show you how I add the final backing fabric and fold it to the front as a binding next week.

Sitting by the ocean having a coffee this morning

Looking North

Looking South the beach in this cove is just over 1 kilometres so a nice walk.

Completed putting on the outside borders what a nightmare as all the edges were bias so I had to pin every 1inch to make sure the weight when sewing would not stretch that bias an$ get flutting???

Ready for sandwiching, machine appilqued the last 8 yellow petals on the corner yellow flowers that over lapped the seams now It IS finished!

Completed machine appilqueing those last 24 red circles last night after midnight so another complete finish top.

Finished the last 12 leaves this end of the border for my churndash quilt now to find time to do the 33 on the other end, then 3 more borders to go!

The machine appilque dies make a lovely edge to the raw edge applique pieces.

Close up of the double blanket stitch I’m using?

When machine appilqueing this borders I roll them in to where I’m working this keeps the borders neat, pressed and much easier to handle.

My mother use to make these in the 1950 ‘s and 1960’s and add them to each corner of a morning tea tablecloth for engagement presents.  Then she made her granddaughters ones when they became engageded.  I still have m8ne but it has been WELL used.

A very very large table cloth that has been badly neglected has some big rat chewy spots and large mould stains but most of the ctochet can be saved to be reused in heirloom blocks.

Close up of one of the lovely basket of flowers in a crochet design this one I’ve never seen before?

Sun waking up early this morning ?

Very  Early this morning

He’s a borer and rather large, when I was relocating him back out side on to some trees he was very frighten or aggressive and kept hissing at meLOL.

Queens Garden. Made with 80%silk and 20% cotton This is a new project for 2018 Today I finished the last 8 petals I missed when adding the last corner yellow Daisies. 4th Nov 2018.

My first attempt was out of balance

I tried some left over pieces from another quilt top??? No to dark !

Tried adding a few circles? I love circles LOL but it was to over the top for the rest of the quilt.

OK those strong reds have to go??? Will try just circles and be radical? No!

I’ve all ways wanted to make squares in squares, ohhh No what a wall???

Let’s turn them? No out of balance with the rest of the quilt?

Yes in balance but not in harmony???

If you at first don’t succeed try try again, in my case it was 8 tries LOL. Finally finished 4th Nov2018. Vicki suggested this border she was kind enough to send me a photo of this border and I liked it instantly.

It still need the last 3 seams sewn but I have got side tracked thinking about top and bottom borders?

My first attemp but it was out of balance?

I tried some left over pieces from another quilt top??? A knew that Red was to strong but kept going!!!

Tried adding a few circles? I love circles LOL

OK those strong reds have to go??? Will try just circles and be radical? Nope TO strong like neon lights in Hong Kong!  You just see the lights an$ not the beautiful harbour!

I’ve all ways wanted to make some squares in squares let’s try them???  Nope far to heavy. ,

Let’s turn them? No out of balance!

Yes in balance but not in harmony???

If at first you don’t succeed try try and try again, but for me it was 8 try agains LOL

Making the scrappy 2inchs by 5 inch’s border strips there are 18 of these ones in each border.

Old linen and Handkerchiefs been recycled into vintage hexagon blocks like Rhonda Cox Dort lovely hexagon blocks on Quilting Vintage.

I love this old hat box I found in a thrift shop.

It holds some of my old linen pieces.

He flew on to hubbies back last night 2inchs long and had a nasty pair of nippers, he was not happy when I was trying to put him out side?

Advantage of dust on the floor here, centipedes get caught in it, on my bedroom floor this morning? Dead but it must have been in the unit for some time?

I noticed while in the pool the corner creeper left hand side was covered in dozens of buds the first time it has ever flowered like this ?

Buds every where!

These buds normal don’t open but this year must have been the perfect climate or it’s mature enough now after 25 years LOL

And the perfect bloom?