Busy with Broderie

I have completed four more broderie perse blocks for my Morrell quilt. They are all very different because of the fabrics used.

 

Remember these two that I accidentally sewed together here? 

All repaired now and worth the unpicking.

My other projects, particularly the 12 Days of Christmas and the Chester County Criswell quilt, continue to be neglected but I'm on a Morrell roll. I've even booked it in to be quilted so I have to finish it!
Cheers
Carole

More Morrell

I've been working on my Morrell quilt and have finished 5 more broderie perse blocks...

I use a small button hole stitch on my machine. I change the top colours but keep a light grey in the bobbin. I worked on all five of these blocks simultaneously, ie all the green leaves, then yellow flowers etc. My other projects have been languishing but it feels good just to power through on one thing for a change.

Cheers

Carole

Winterthur Winners!

Hubby has drawn the 2 winners out of the hat for the Winterthur fabric bird panels: 

Max & Louise (not sure if it was Lisa or Lou who left the comment?) and 

Missie Carpenter of Hallbrook Designs. 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

These birds will be winging their way towards you. 

I'd love to see pics of how your panels get used in your sewing.

Cheers

Carole

Winterthur Museum fabric giveaway!

This week I have been working on some broderie perse blocks for my Morrell quilt. I had done a few but there are over 30 required for this quilt (!). It was difficult to cut into these beautiful Winterthur Museum John Hewson panels from Andover. I purchased these a while ago and can't remember where I got them :(

Anyway so far I've managed to produce these blocks...

 

 

I was all motivated so then pulled out some others that I'd prepped ages ago and was doing a few at at a time, using the same colours on different blocks.

 Going great until....

@#*$%+! How did that happen? I was so engrossed in the sewing that I picked up 2 at a time, I hadn't realised as there was no backing on these and thought the thickness was the backing. Of course this would happen when I was using cream and decided to use a smaller stitch - aaargh! Now having to do the worst unpicking. Anyway let's turn this around and have a give away :) Just leave a comment (or send an email) on a sewing muck up that you have had, for a chance to win one of these small Winterther bird panels (approx 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 ").

I have 2 to give away & I will draw randomly next Saturday evening (3rd Nov). I will post overseas - good luck!!

Sisters Sewing by the Seaside

Just back from a relaxing week at Airey's Inlet (Victoria). The new header picture is of an orchid or wildflower(?) found at the base of the lighthouse.

My sister and I stayed at...

It was very close...

and the inlet....

There were beautiful flowers in the cottage garden...

and in the bush...

We did lots of sewing. My sister was hand quilting a beautiful quilt of her own design for a friend (lucky!). It is all in liberty fabrics, hand pieced and needle turn applique - just gorgeous!

Her other project was restoring a quilt that her mother-in-law had made by creating some new hexie flowers to patch over the worn areas.

The top panel was unpicked and pulling out the hexagons on the side gave a prairie point look and showed how much the red had faded.

The cottage had a large living area where we could lay out our quilts. I was working on my 12 Days of Christmas.

It seemed to take ages to finish the 'Eight Maids are Milking' block. The raw edge machine applique took a day (all those beaks & buckets!) and then there was the hand embroidery.

I also laid out my Morrell quilt for the first time. It was great to see that the colours in the different fabrics do seem to be working.

'

I also did some un-picking on some broderie perse blocks that I wasn't happy with, changing the thread to cream in some areas. Much better now...

I also managed to do some hand piecing for a Morrell block.

All in all a very relaxing and productive break away.

Off to do some more broderie perse blocks - I'm all inspired.

Cheers

Carole

Final week of the 1 hour challenge

I have completed my last week of the Simply Needle & Thread 1 hour challenge. I've slipped a bit this week as I have clocked up 6.5 hours, just under the 1 hour per day average.

But I have managed a total of 28.5 hours for the month which is 7.125 hours per week, which is just over 1 hour per day on average - yay! I've met the challenge. Hmmm...need to treat myself.

This week I've gone back to my Morrell quilt to work on another hand pieced block. Lots of pieces in this one. I went to a 'Morell Sit and Sew Group' at Kaye's Needles and Pins in Warrandyte. It was great to get some handy hints from Kaye and to see different fabric and design choices - especially for the broderie perse blocks. If you need inspiration to finish your Morrell quilt you should come and join us.

Well, actually already treated myself with more fabric for the Morell quilt from The Stitchery in New Zealand which has sadly now closed.

The other hand sewing I did this week was to take up the hem on no. 1 son's new suit pants for a job interview (he got the job - Yay!!!)

Cheers, Carole