Piecing for a Change

It is not often that I piece a quilt. I don’t really enjoy piecing these days. I much prefer machine quilting which is my passion. In the last 3 years I have discovered ruler work and I’m hooked. 3 weeks ago, I attended a workshop with Amanda Murphy at my local Bernina store. Amanda is a Bernina Ambassador and traveled all the way to Perth, Western Australia from Charlotte in the USA to teach us. I was fortunate enough to attend a ruler workshop and lecture with her. Amanda was an inspiration and after she left, I joined her Fast Forward quiltalong so I could continue to enjoy being inspired by Amanda as well as being taught at the same time. This is the reason I have pieced the quilt in the photo. I found piecing this quilt challenging and glad it is completed ready for quilting. If you would like to join in this quiltalong or any others that Amanda runs you can find it here

New Ruler Workshop

There are still a couple of spaces available in my next WAQA machine quilting workshop during September. The focus in this workshop is ruler work, so book now to avoid disappointment if you are interested.

Information about the Fun with Rulers workshops can found on the WAQA website

Workshops update

After just over a break of 2 years from teaching, I am pleased to say I will be teaching again during the latter half of the year. From now on I am specialising in teaching free motion quilting and have now updated the workshop page.

Shirt Tales or Tails?

During last weekend I started cutting out Terry’s flannelette shirts to make a quilt for my youngest daughter Cathrine who will be convalescing for several weeks after major surgery early next week. I cut enough fabric out to make 100 half square triangle blocks which I completed over the weekend.

On Monday and Tuesday I managed to stitch half the blocks together in rows. During this time I began to wonder why I had ever started this project as piecing is not my forte. You have be so precise to get the points to meet and it doesn’t seem to be happening for me. Looking forward to the quilting which I always enjoy.
Today I began stitching the rows together and Angus my Jack Russell has been lucky to see the day out, he has been a real terror. I might end up swinging him round by his little tail.
I laid my blocks out in rows on the floor ready for sewing together and Angus thought he would rearrange the design for me🤬 Thankfully he did not chew any of the blocks up! Note to self put Angus and Abby in the garden when laying quilts out on the floor. Will I ever learn?

Pleased to say tablecloth finished ready to be posted to the UK 🇬🇧

How Time Flies

Wow! Where did June go? I haven’t even found time to post this month and July begins on Wednesday. Looking back over the month, I have been busy sewing completing one project and beginning a few more.

I am pleased to say that I have finally finished the Westalee Ruler quilt which I started  as an on online class in October. It was a 7 month course and I received instructional videos every month.

I also started  the Mysolation Mystery Quilt on line this month which was a 4 week course organised by Rachelle Denenny to raise funds for Backpacks 4 Kids. This organisation supports children who are victims of domestic abuse.
I have finished stitching my blocks but haven’t found time to stitch them together yet.

I also appliqued 2 blocks as my contribution to the William Morris quilt which will be raffled next year to raise funds for either the Royal Flying Doctor or the Breast Cancer Association.

Last week l started designing a tablecloth for my sister in the UK and did some stitching this morning. I’m quite enjoying this project as it is a change from what I usually do.

A few more butterflies to be added to the tablecloth. At the moment I’m not sure that I will use wadding in the tablecloth as it needs to be drapy. I am thinking it will be best to use a soft fabric as a lining.