Another Christmas Gift!

I didn't have time to post a photo of another table runner I just finished.  I finished sewing the label on, on the night of the 23rd. We were leaving to go to Pauanui on the 24th, and had to drop this off to my grand-daughter in her new home, on the way.

Ditch stitching the edges of the trees.

 I stitched some straight lines on the trees and some wavy lines on the background.

Back view

I was really please with how it turned out, and apart from the striped border and binding fabrics, the rest was from my stash!

I love it when that happens.
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http://www.susannasquilts.blogspot.com

All Ready To Be Posted!

This quilt or table runner actually, was meant for a birthday present for my DIL in Australia, but her birthday was on the 11th, and I never quite got it finished, so now its a Christmas present!


I had alot of  fun designing this quilt, after seeing a few Dresden Plates on Pintrest.  I found a wedge ruler  I had in my collection, and just strip pieced my fabrics and went from there having no idea how it would turn out.

As it is an 18 degree ruler my plates turned out rather large, and I was worried it would be too large for her table, but it fits mine, so should be OK. 

Then I thought one plate would get hidden by a vase or bowl, so had to make three. Two would be wrong! :-)

All fabrics were from my stash and I had some yardage of white, so all worked well.
I managed my very simple machine quilting, by ditch stitching all the blades, then big stitch hand quilting every second blade and the circle.

I machine stitched about 1/2" out from the edges of the blades then did some free motion quilting.

 I decided that white would be better for the binding. I usually scrap piece my bindings, but as the plates were so close to the edge of my miss-cut ( a little too small) squares, I thought scrappy bindings would detract.

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The countdown is on…..

We are in a rush now to get sorted before our trip to Australia on 24th December. Hopefully to lots of sunshine, although today is really nice, but very humid.
I wanted to show you what I have been making for various Christmas gifts. Firstly a swap with my local quilt group. The brief if we wanted to participate was to make a table runner.


  

Unfortunately the photos don’t show the lovely gold on the fabric.  I stitched around some of the shapes using gold thread and I was happy to put my name to it on the label!!
Next was a bag made for a friend in a secret swap. This bag is a great bag,  as it has a square base, and is good for putting by the couch with your knitting or whatever in.
 
I have made about 4 of these bags. Sometimes you find a pattern that just really works! Photo below shows the bottom of the bag.

 

Next is a bag for my sister.



This is a pattern by Wendy Williams and I have made 3 of these! I practised some straight line quilting as you go that I learned from a Craftsy site.
And lastly another table runner for my friend Carole! This table runner also had lots of gold on the fabric, but the photos I took with my phone don’t really do the fabric justice.



I hope every-one who takes the time to look at my blog has a wonderful and safe Christmas, and a very happy and healthy 2015. Thank you for all your comments!
Lots of hugs

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.



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. :-)


 

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




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.


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!
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How Cute is this!

Born one month ago today. She was given a paddock name by one of the grandchildren of Icecream because of the shape of the coronet on her head.
I thought I would post a photo of a quilt that I made in 2000 to commemorate the new Millinium. I was in a 2 1/2” squares of fabric exchange through out the world. It was alot harder to do in those days :-) as I wasn’t as computer literate as I am now. The exchange was 24 different squares plus a calico square with your name and where in the world you came from. I had the need to use it for the first time last night, and thought how lovely it looked. I also figured what is the point of it being in the cupboard, and not being enjoyed. I’m not sure if anything these days will be heirlooms in 100 years or so.

One of these blocks came from Italy, the other from USA. I kept every square that the quilter sent me, in the same block and didn't muddle anything up, as I thought it was nicer to do that. I also received a letter from each quilter, telling me about her life etc. It is a wonderful memory quilt. The sashing was a fabric that was printed with 2000 all over it. It looks so nice on the bed that it will stay there for some time..

Recently I finished a table runner for a friend in a Christmas exchange.

I practised my machine quilting and was quite pleased with the result. Much easier when its small!

I hope you all have a great Christmas with your families.
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A very late Christmas gift…

Finished at last. I started making a gift for my friend Carole in the USA, and because it was the weekend I started machine quilting it in a thread I wasn’t so keen on, but thought it would be O.K. Well, it wasn’t. I did half of it, put it to one side, and kept looking at it over the next week or so. DH bless him said it was fine, but what would he know.LOL! The colour was wrong, and when something annoys you like that, its very hard to pick it up again. I then decided the only way was to unpick it – what a job!!  Anyway now its finished and I am about to wrap it up and post it to her. ( hope she doesn’t read this before she gets it)

I have also finished another Civil War Block and I am very chuffed to say that Barbara Brackman  - http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/wrote and asked permission to insert one of my blocks in her up and coming book.
A lot of photos of the CW Blocks are featured here
http://flickr.com/groups/civilwarquilts.2011/

Below is the block Barbara requested.

Below is a block I have just finished
#43 The Right Hand of Friendship

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