Unsewing with a Change of Plan, and a very useful camera hint.

Lorraine was doing a wee tad of 'unsewing' today,

two rows of this quilt to be have been assembled but are now having their sashings removed and will be reassembled in the QAYG method that Lorraine showed us in her tutorial.
Brilliant idea, the quilt will measure 9' x 9' so quite a bit to maneuver through the throat of her machine.  I saw most of the blocks on Lorraine's design wall, this is going to be a stunning quilt, and when finished it will live on Lorraine and her Darling's bed.

Ja` is one of Gwen's hand piecing students, and bought along her 3 completed blocks to discuss some of the finer points with Caitti, well of course we all had to have a peek.  When finished Ja` will be giving her quilt to a very lucky friend who has even chosen the colour pallet.

Betty wasn't able to be with us today, but we still managed to see her latest flimsey, it's on it's way to be quilted by Fiona.

Betty has swapped at random, patches from the darker coloured rows throughout her quilt, giving the whole quilt movement and sparkle.

Wendy has finished her QAYG table runner from Beryl's demonstration.  Wendy lay the blocks out in both  design options, using her digital camera she took pics of both and made her decision on the design she wanted to assemble her runner.  Great tip Wendy.

Shortbread and Ginger was all the go for a very yummy arvo tea, Shortbreads, Ginger Shortbreads, Ginger Cake and Chocolate Biccies.....

More on the Disappearing 9 patches

Just because she can, Sheila decided to investigate the Disappearing 9 patch variations, making these 3 blocks to show different layouts creating completely different blocks and quilt effects.


Wendy finished her disappearing 9 patch, started at last weeks workshop. She backed it with a rather nice plaid, you can just see it peeking out from the fold. Wendy thought perhaps this quilt could live its life as a picnic quilt..........don't you just love picnics on a quilt!
Sue is busily 'Flirting with Flowers', the 'Free for a Month' BOM from Vicki of 'Tozz's Corner'.
Oh. and Sue did ask me to mention........the pimple on the Daisy leaf, not a pimple at all, its gonna be a Lady Bug!..

"Don't forget to tell everyone about my seams" is the instruction from Ja`. She has been working on her version of the Disappearing 9 patch with some guidance and help from Lorraine I.
Lorraine shared a really cool way to make sure (and I do mean sure) that your seams intersect perfectly everytime. It involves using 3 pins at each point..... Check 'em out, all of them perfect!
Oh and talking of handy hints, Lorraine H. gave us a beauty about easily getting your floss through even the smallest needle eye.
Courtesy of tutor Jenny, Lorraine astounded us with this revelation, don't thread your needle...........Needle Your Thread!......sounds bizzare?, but it works beautifully, catch your floss between finger and thumb, leave just a little protruding, short is best here, and bring the needle eye to the thread, it slips over easily, everytime.

I was so busy perfecting threading, I forgot to get a pic of Lorraine's flimsey, such a pretty little scrap quilt, containing quite a few pieces left over from her Granddaughters previous quilts. As soon as her Granddaughter clapped eyes on it she decided it was just what she needed for a summer quilt!, no batting please, top and backing only.......what a brilliant idea! Hopefully Lorraine will bring the finished quilt in next week.......Please Lorraine?!

Arvo Tea was delish, wonderful Apple Cake with fresh whipped cream and those shortbreads, Heaven on a stick..........Yummo.

Disappearance Fever

The girls certainly have an attack of Disappearance fever, quilts and flimseys are appearing weekly.
Marie had some lovely border print in her stash that she was unsure how to use, inspiration hit with the disappearing 4 patch block that Marcia sent us last week, and so, today, we have a disappearing 4patch quilt.
Marie made the blocks rather large, so the quilt went together very quickly. There are only 6 blocks in the quilt, 2 blocks across and 3 blocks down. How fast is that for a stunning quilt!.
Wendy introduced some of the group members to the disappearing 9 patch in today's class, bringing along a couple of items for inspiration.....
...the cunning 'I Spy' layout above and just because we are also into Crazy Patch, this combination of Disappearing 9 patch with Crazy Patch blocks, cool huh?....
Wendy is also a member of the Machine Embroidery group, which explains the wonderful machine stitches she has used on her beautiful bag.
All the instructions given, all the cutting done and its stitchin' time, Ja` and Christine getting their first squares done.
Wandering back to put another 2 stitches in my 'bring along project' I passed this flimsey, just sort of laying on the table, gave it a little pat whilst admiring the beautiful fabrics, who did it belong to?, no one laid claim, it was a case of 'I don't know' all round.
The show and tell table held this really cute bag, no problems finding the owner, Sue put her hand up very quickly, it had been a kit gifted to her by her sisters. The fabric has a printed hexagon pattern, the braid handles have an unusual edging, lovely and soft but still strong.
Jan is working on this adorable bear, he is currently 'nose-less', and that's not all........
turn him over and lift his jacket, and its there for all to see, his stuffing.... in plain view......
Jan was making this darling for her Daughter, but has decided to make a larger version. Jan tells me that her daughter once had a teddy, a cute, large, lovely teddy, and he, well, he sort of got misplaced, lost, dare I say it....sent off to teddy heaven!
Daughter has lamented the loss of her teddy for awhile now, 40 years actually. Jan has decided - enough is enough - a new teddy her daughter shall have....just not this one.

My two stitches done, went off to see what else was happening, Beryl had finished her blocks and was getting some expert help on placement from Marie, Jan and Gwen
The workshop was going great guns, Marie joined Lorraine and Wendy for a quick discussion on the various layouts that you can achieve with the disappearing 9 patch block.
A few pics of the various stages of those disappearing 9 patches, as you can see, they do just disappear.
Lorraine and Ja`, happy with the way Ja`'s blocks are coming together.
Lorraine dropped a pin on the floor, and promptly used her scissors to pick it up, have you ever done this?, most scissors - no, not all - (I tested a few), but most are slightly magnetic and will collect up a pin that you have dropped on the floor, no more bending right down to the floor while sitting on a wheeled chair and having the rotter shoot out behind you........nasty shock that!
What have we here?, that flimsey has made it onto a screen.........and there is quite the gathering around it, and a bit of 'well, we elect you!' going on.........
Sue assembled this ever so pretty quilt to be, using beautiful Bali Pops, in Greens, greys and golden browns with sky blue splashes. Wonderful Forest colours..........
Just like these actually..................Yep, 2011 is the International Year of Forests.....and as some of you know.....2011 is our next quilt show year.
and of course we always raffle two quilts...........
'Forest' will be quilted by Fiona from the Quilting Fairy, with design input from Sue, but who will be making the label?, who will sandwich and pin?, who will be stitching down the binding in ever so neat tiny little stitches?

Then there are these, beautifully done reverse applique blocks have been donated to us, just the ticket to start the second quilt.......
Gwen, Betty, Sue, Sheila and Jeanette were in hot discussions over layout, colours, and quilting designs to incorporate these beautiful blocks into a stunning quilt...........stay tuned.......it will be another beauty, betcha!
Arvo tea I hear was lovely, when I made it to the table there were a few lettuce leaves, 1/4 of a sanger and a few anzac biccies..........I really have got to get there faster! - the 1/4 sanger was great though, thoroughly enjoyed it!

Tessellation Workshop with Val

What a great array of tessellated flimseys met us when we arrived for our workshop with Val, the original flimsey had step by step blocks for our greater understanding, although step two, glanced at from a distance convinced one eager lass to cut her block in half..........ooops! oh dear!
There was an 'I Spy' variation, wouldn't that be great on a Grandies Wall, or a bigger version as a quilt or quillo.
Val had a range of tessellated flimsies for our inspiration. These diamonds with the floral chevron is a real eye catcher.
Stars and Windmills in stunning colours,
And this geometric in solid colours, a simple enough block assembly but the colour placement creates another stunner.
Firstly there was some figuring out to be done....that kept everyone busy for a bit.followed by in-depth instructions from Val, with the ever willing Sue, our workshop co-coordinator helping out in the background.
Wendy showed us her workshop ironing and tracing prototype. Firstly you gotta have 'the pretty' so Wendy quilted a cover for her board.
Open it up and there is the sandpaper on one side and the pressing board on the other. Wendy is working on the idea of a cutting mat on the back. Pretty Cool huh!. Maybe this should be our next workshop.
Ja`, making sure everything is centered and as Val instructed, pin, pin, pin.
Lorraine decided cutting in bulk was the way to go.
Fran showing us her first completed block.
As work progressed we got to see the other colour choices and combinations. Ja` went with a grey background and red and blue for her kimonos, Chris decided on a solid cream background with Japanese prints
Wendy chose a warm beige background and Japanese prints in lovely browns, pinks and rusty reds, while Caiti's choice is the kimonos in sunflowers and a WoW paisley background.
Janice went for the black background and for the Kimonos, Japanese prints on a black background.
Sometime through the afternoon Lorraine H. decided that strip piecing was the way to go and managed to assemble all 16 of her blocks. Lorraine chose a White on White print background in a geometric design and some lovely Japanese fabrics
It was a fun and fantastic workshop, beautifully organised and prepared. Thank you Val and Sue

Row x Row reveal and Christmas Stars

The ever industrious Wendy took it to mind that a wall hanging wasn't quite the way to go with our Christmas fabric, last week we had all decided to elect Wendy to make the wall hanging for us, but she has come up with a different idea, Christmas Stars!

Wendy arrived with a big bag full of all the supplies necessary, every little obstacle we met, into the bag dived Wen to pull out a gizmo/gadget/solution to our problem. There was no escape!
So here's our table, making little pointy bits to turn into stars, Wendy ever so kindly cutting out the templates to keep us well supplied while the rest of the group tacked down the fabric, creating lovely neat little points, ohh and Wen, did you know there are 32 of those little pointy foldy corners on each star? hmmm?
Here is a better view of those beautiful freesias grown by Marguerite, took the pic at end of day, the tablecloth had been put away so Fran popped one of her hexagons underneath, makes such a pretty pic. Thanks Fran.
Marguerite showing off her first little pointy piece, with Fran busily stitching to the side.

Thankfully, err, unfortunately Janet then called us all to the front for our Row x Row reveal, gosh it was exciting, each row was laid across the table in the order they were made with our own row at the top.

Janet had said how pleased she was with how my log cabin row had turned out, so I jumped the gun, and pulled mine out for the first reveal, (not a very patient puss at times is me!). It is fabulous! Beautiful! Wonderful! After much ooohing and ahhing, and with a bit of a grin, popped it back into it's little baggie and grabbed the camera in time to bring you this feast of rows.

Barbara's rows were the next to be unveiled, Barbara does the most beautiful and neat blanket stitch and for her row gave us appliqued little yellow chicks set off by one little brown chic.
For Barbara's rows, Janet did the Flower Pots, Andrea the disappearing 9 patch with one of the 9 patch squares being a 9 patch, Heather did the stars on point, Lyn the Flying Geese and Wendy did the Log Cabin with the cute little apple centers.

Heather's rows were next, she started her rows with houses interspersed with pine trees.
Lyn appliqued flowers and set the blocks on point, Wendy sashed her 9 patches to form a secondary pattern, Barbara appliqued the moon and stars, Janet did the cunning combination of flying and loose geese with one side of the geese background forming a pinwheel and Andrea did the log cabin fence.

Lyn's rows were next to be revealed, she had chosen a Christmas theme for her quilt, starting us off with a row of Christmas trees,
Wendy followed with the appliqued holly and berries, Barbara did a double row of 9 patch, Janet the very cute Santa Stars, Andrea the geese flying in to decorate the tree and Heather the courthouse steps variation of log cabin with centers of Hellebore or Christmas Roses.

We then had Janet's rows, Janet also wanted a Christmas quilt and started us off with angels, wrapped presents, and a Christmas tree.
Andrea followed the theme with Appliqued poinsettia wreaths, candles and a central bowl of Hellebore, Heather's 9 patch made use of some HST's in the 9 patch blocks to form a secondary chevron pattern, Lyn did the varied star blocks, one of which she found in a net search with her surname, how cool! Wendy's flying geese row made a delightful row of Christmas trees and Barbara finished the rows off with appliqued Christmas themes in the center of her log cabins.

The last rows to be revealed were Wendy's, gosh, wasn't she patient to wait to the end?
Wendy started us off with a row of applique crazy patch hearts interspersed with appliqued flowers.
Barbara pieced hexagon 'Grandmas Flower Garden' blocks, Janet put a twist on the 9 patch theme with appliqued squares forming a secondary pattern, Andrea did a row of assorted star blocks, Heather did the most intricate flying geese and only after starting, realised just how many of those little suckers she was going to have to make and Lyn gave gave us a new variation on Folded log cabin blocks with an applique center.

Missed taking pics of my rows at the cottage, so here the are on our back deck, My row was inspired by a border on Kirsten Duncan's quilt, 'Blessing' to which I added rows of half hexagons to form well, hexagons actually. Done the easy way.
Heather followed the embroidery idea with beautiful appliqued flowers and Suffolk puffs, Lyn alternated the 9 patch with rails, a very cute idea, Wendy pieced piles of HST's to give me the Star blocks, Barbara chose a pink paisley to make the flying geese with the sweet stripped sashing, and Janet made the wonderful log cabin hearts. What made these blocks more of a challenge, a majority of the fabric used was from a Jelly Roll.

We all thoroughly enjoyed this swap and everyone was very pleased with their rows. The second group in the swap has 7 swappers, so they will have their reveal in 6 weeks time.

Show and Tell gave us more goodies to feast our eyes, with Lyn showing us her finished appliqued table runner, she is now off to make the table cloth to go under the runner, whew, that will be a big job.
New member Ja` showed a cot quilt that she made and donated to Janet for her babies charity.
And last piccie of the day, a 'get well' plant for someone we all miss and wish a speedy recovery and return to our group. Hope you are back with us soon Maureen.