Wednesday, November 20, 2013

My…how they grow!


This is a photo of my Grandchildren in Australia, all dressed up for a  Graduation Ball. Only two of them are going, the older two (who had theirs last year) just making up for a lovely family photo.


Brisbane Kids 2013 1456077_387936791340223_1890266427_n
Matt, Alex, Malitta and Troy. You are all beautiful kids!

On the quilting front, I have just finished a couple Christmas gifts for friends. I can’t get over the fact that I’m a little ahead of the game at this early stage. I think it must be çause I’m not on any committees at the moment. :-)


20131119_141505 

  susannaquilts.blogspot.com This is a rather large square bottom bag, which is perfect for putting your knitting in beside the armchair!



20131119_141734
A table runner made from a tutorial by Tara of Tazzie Quilts. Thanks Tara it was so easy to make.

I also made a skirt for my 9 year old grand-daughter Jenna. The photo isn’t the best but I’ll show another one when I get it.
20131108_210820

I made her one last year, and her Mum tells me its the only skirt she will wear! Makes me very happy çause you never know with kids, whether they’ll like something or not. If not  it stays in the wardrobe!
Thanks for dropping by
My signature 3DB53C2AE8E4EAFAC737E65CFF71863F

Sunday, November 3, 2013

So exciting!

I  had a phone call on Thursday evening to tell me I had won 1st place in the Large Bed category at the Auckland Festival of Quilts Show.

What a fabulous surprise it was, as the standard of quilt making in the Auckland Quilt Guild is very high. My quilt was beautifully machine quilted by a good friend Judi who has a long arm machine.

Along with the usual categories in a show the AQG has  a category of one or more makers  which doesn’t receive a Blue ribbon, but an aqua coloured ribbon. That ribbon doesn’t count in the achievements of Blue Ribbons.

I haven’t had a quilt win a ribbon since 2006 so I was over the moon as you can tell!!

FIFTY SHADES OF CREAM!

P1020142

P1020126

 

P1020143

P1020144

Thanks for dropping by

1508403875144323021113

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Rushing as usual

to finish my cute little doll quilt hosted by Lori of humble quilts. I really love her Header quilt on her blog, and I think Lori was asked so many times about it, that she graciously offered us a quilt- along called 'Faithful' 
Typically I left it until the last minute, thinking it wouldn't take me long, but those HST are more time consuming than you realise, especially as I didn't have a container full already and had to make them from scratch! 
I love the quirkiness of it...no matching on the corners, which is quite hard for me to do.
I haven't quilted mine, as I intend making 8 more blocks to make a larger quilt.
P1020109
Thanks for dropping by, and please take a look at http://humblequilts.blogspot.com
at the Faithful Quiltalong’
Sue






Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Had a Great Time…..

last weekend at a retreat run by my little local group – Village Green Quilters. We had the retreat at a Bush Camp which would have been lovely for photographs, but for the weather which on the Friday night, and Saturday blew and rained like you wouldn’t believe. After going to bed in our bunks, I froze – so much so that I wore my fleecy lined rain jacket and socks to bed. Haha what a sight. I had taken a quilt and a mohair rug, but obviously it wasn’t enough. Fortunately for the second night, I remembered I had a picnic rug in the car. One of those old fashioned tartan ones that our mothers used to own. I slept snugly the second night.
We had lots to eat of course, and huge amounts of laughter. Just what the doctor ordered!
Some show & tell of what was made or started or finished for the weekend.
IMG_20131012_093230
            All hard at work                                                          


IMG_20131013_135606

Sue T’s Sampler 


 
IMG_20131013_140017
 One of the 4 tops Anne made




IMG_20131013_140659 

The centre of Esther's Mystery Medallion


  IMG_20131013_140125
 Jackie’s cot quilt



IMG_20131013_140237
Friends holding Judiths blocks 





IMG_20131013_140409 IMG_20131013_140738
Lynn’s lovely applique  Quilt         Pat’s baby quilt
                                               
IMG_20131013_140839
Centre of Pats Mystery Medallion

IMG_20131013_140907
               
 Maureen’s scrappy Quilt



IMG_20131013_141052 
 Linda’s Lovely Zig Zag quilt 




  IMG_20131013_140946                      
   Maureens Grand-daughters quilt


IMG_20131013_141326
Lorraine's Double Wedding Ring

IMG_20131013_141219 IMG_20131013_141237

Norma’s two lovely baby quilts –
ready for whenever she becomes a Nana


IMG_20131013_140341
  Jan’s ZigZag Quilt


IMG_20131013_135524
Gayle’s baby  quilt
                                                

IMG_20131013_140506

Carol’s Striking quilt
IMG_20131013_140643  
    Esther’s quilt


IMG_20131013_140607
  Sue B’s son’s quilt     



IMG_20131013_135426       
            Carol (with matching shoes) 

                          

IMG_20131013_135812
Lynns beautiful quilt

IMG_20131013_121611

Another striking quilt of Linda's
 
IMG_20131013_141339
Sheila’s double wedding ring.  

IMG_20131013_141331
IMG_20131013_141537
The girls insisted on holding up my weekend’s worth of work. Doesn’t look much, but took ages of precision piecing – 

My Mrs Billings.20131012_144857

Thanks for dropping by
My signature_thumb

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

10 days to Hand in Day

For the Festival of Quilts in Auckland, and I am busy finishing two quilts.  I am not on the committee this year, so there was no excuse not to have a quilt to show.
This one I started in March this year…. this is probably a record for me to start and finish a quilt in the same year. :-)
I started machine quilting this about 2 weeks ago and as I am not a good machine quilter yet… I am just doing straight lines. 

2013-09-13 14.25.22
20130924_155807

The other quilt…..I have just collected from the quilter….and have sewn 9 metres of binding on. Now for the hanging sleeve.

20130924_163853

Thanks for dropping by
My signature 3DB53C2AE8E4EAFAC737E65CFF71863F

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Remade

A post or two back you will have seen where I had made 72 nine patch blocks - all the WRONG size for my quilt. After much anguish and lamenting, I realised I had to bite the bullet and make 72 new ones.

 I couldn't just cut the originals down to size as it meant the centre row in the 9 patch would have been a different size to the others. 
I then looked at my quilt and realised that the last 2 'rounds' of my medallion weren't fitting as per the instructions. After checking the emails against what I had printed I realised my printer had printed the measurement wrong and where I had read/cut 1 3/4" for my plain borders they should have been cut
1 1/2".

So, after undoing my quilt back to the last 3 rounds, and resewing them, I now have it pretty right!!

Please excuse the photo but it is getting very hard to find a space large enough to fit the quilt in for a photo.
Now for the last couple of borders.
Thanks for dropping by



http://www.susannasquilts.blogspot.com

Thursday, August 22, 2013

A Bit of Show & Tell….

from our Wednesday group of VGQ, my little local group. A nasty old day, wind, rain and quite cold, so ventured off for some quilting.

2013-08-21 12.25.24 2013-08-21 12.24.58 Sue and Esther sewing their Farmers Wife Blocks.


2013-08-21 12.22.35 
Lois and her lovely applique.


 2013-08-21 12.23.07 
Jennie sewing the last of her applique on her Vintage Crosses quilt.                                                                                                                          Pattern available at Pinevalley Quilts


2013-08-21 12.23.33  
Sheila preparing some Farmers Wife Blocks.
2013-08-21 12.23.52
Lorraine preparing some applique blocks.


2013-08-21 12.24.31 
Chris stitching her Blue Work


  2013-08-21 12.50.47 
A couple of lovely bags made by Lorraine.


2013-08-21 12.56.172013-08-21 12.49.28 Ngaere’s Jelly Roll quilt. 
                    
More of my Hexagons for Mrs Billings Coverlet.

Thanks for dropping by
My signature_thumb