17ufosin2017 July August update

And yes I know we are well into September! Before I start on The List I would like to thank everyone for the lovely comments I received on my blue and cream AWS, I was quite surprised at the response to that post. Anyway since my last 17 in 2017 post I have completed my Value  Proposition Quilt - yay!

I was really happy with how the borders went on - Jo Morton style. I'm glad I decided to go with the tassels hanging out which also gave a nice little inner border.

I have decided to hand quilt this quilt and have been experimenting with some threads and needles with this kit from the Temulca Quilt Company. 

I thought I would have been well and truly over sewing hexies but no! I've already made a rosette for the label...

...and with inspiration from different sources, including Karen's Empire Quilt, I'm thinking of hexing up my Aunty Green.

This beautiful quilt that I saw on Pinterest also inspired me. It was at this year's Sydney exhibition but I'm sorry I've lost the orginal source and the name of the maker.

I think this antique quilt was a source of inspiration for Karen's Empire Quilt.

Image from Bonhams

I have also been re-thinking my Reading the Fine Print quilt. I've been following along with Sharon's quilkt along on and off and was going to use a range of pieced blocks with the applique blocks. I really liked the block from this post and whipped it up in red and white.

Sharon's unnamed block

I liked the uniformity of Judy's version of this quilt (that all the G'nTs are making) with her pieced baskets between the appliqué blocks...

...so I'm going to use variations on Sharon's unamed block with different red and white fabrics.

A few more applique blocks for this quilt.

I have also finished all of the blocks for my woolly Words to Live By and added the red and green triangles.

I'm no longer sure about that border fabric but I'm liking the black and cream fabric in the centre - very dramatic!

I was hoping to finish Words to Live By by the end of Winter but so far the start to our Spring has been very wintry.

Last but not least I've finished one of the borders for The Twelve Days of Christmas.

I love the way each lady is slightly different.

Cheers til next time

Carole

Mad May

This month has been rather up and down for me. All great on the sewing front - I accomplished goal for May by completing my Antiquwe Wedding Sampler quilt top for a Year of Lovely Finishes .

It took me hours days playing around with the layout but it definetly helped having it vertical on my 'temporary' (still there) design wall (just a flanellete sheet). It's now been packed off and taken to Katrina's for quilting, I can't wait to see what she does with it.

I have been lucky enough and so thrilled to have this quilt selected to be part of the Applique Guild of Australia's display (not to be judged) at this year's 

Victorian Quilter's Quilt Showcase in July. 

It was difficult to just concentrate on AWS to get it finished in time so now it's been fun getting back to other projects like Gossip in the Garden. This is my next quilt that I want to get finished.

I don't know why I left these Dresden plates to the end, they were easy to piece by machine and then needle-turn applique the embroidered centres and the whole plates to the backgrounds. I'm very happy with how these turned out, just one more to go.

Last weekend Judy and I went to the Applique Guild's Applique-in down at Mt Eliza on the Mornington peninsula. It was a really great day, Irene Blanck was the guest speaker. She gave a trunk show of all of her quilts and spoke of her recent teaching trip to France and the launch of her new book - Focus on Applique.

Botanica

Irene spoke about the importance of making a beautiful label...

Irene pointing out the finer features of Eva Grace

Miz Kelly

Green Acres

 

Tribute to Lucy Kemper

 

A gorgeous new quilt by Irene - not sure of the title but I'm pretty sure I want to make it!

Mosaics

Interesting to see these diamonds are appliqued - not pieced.

 It was great to see Auntie Green again, Irene's favourite. 

Auntie Green's Garden

I took mine along and have been inspired to keep working on the top left-hand corner this week.

  I was also extremely lucky to win the complete set of Victoria Park fat quarters.This beautiful range is Karen Styles' first collection and was generously donated by her as a door prize - Thanks Karen!!!!! I'm having a lot of fun planning and plotting what I will do with these...stay tuned.

  

So this is all the great sewing stuff that has happened this month but unfortunately it's time for a career change as I'm losing my day job at the end of June. Now I'm on the hunt for a new job - wish me luck!

Going around in circles

Another AWS block is driving me crazy.

I don't know why I only made 7 circles for this block? There were meant to be nine, 8 around the diameter and one in the centre. Oh well, I won't be changing it - my SIL will never know.

You might remember that I thought I'd found the perfect fabric for the outside petals/leaves? Well I thought I would go with the green but after sewing a couple down it just seems too wishy-washy. Now I don't know whether to go back to the pink, do a combination of green and pink or find different fabrics all together?

Anyway, Spring has sprung in Warrandyte and the plum trees are all in bloom..

This has inspired me to get out poor old Auntie Green and add some blooms and lots of circular buds.

 Once again I spend ages (but this is fun) selecting fabrics. My choices for this quilt are quite weird and random so it's hard getting the right combination, so lots of auditioning happening.

But she's slowly growing.

I've finished the stitchery and appliquéing the mini Dresden for Gossip in the Garden. I decided not to make the centre a circle, but reversed appliqued the centre for a hexagonal shape instead. It's a relief to work on this BOM as the fabrics are already chosen, although I am making some changes, including using a yellow background for this mini-block.

I have also added a stitched circular button to Sew Laugh Love.

And a little cupcake with a cherry on top.

I hope you're enjoying the change of seasons in your part of the world.

Cheers

Carole