Wednesday, June 29, 2011

FWQAL ... week three

Hi,
I'm posting another two blocks for the Farmers Wife Quilt A-Long. I had a major drama this week with the templates. Following advice from fellow bloggers I printed off the templates and had these laminated. However, I did not follow the advice to check the size of the templates! Big whoops as they were not the right size due to the print set up shrinking the size. It took me along time to work this out, two blocks (one with 25 pieces) and a good 4 hours. Back to the drawing board. I am very daunted by the small pieces in these blocks and its a help having a big support group.
Have a good week .... We are having wonderful sunny winter days in Melbourne ... cold but lovely once it warms up.
Amanda

week #3
week #3

Saturday, June 25, 2011

scrap quilt update

Hi
Its the weekend!! Dont you just love weekends? Time with friends, brunch, market shopping, yummy dinner, hanging out with loved ones, reading the paper (the old fashioned non electronic kind), a clean house. Ticked all of those today AND managed to get in time on my Tiffany quilt. Blocks are 75% finished. Just one more side to add on. It is coming together quick with some concentrated periods of sewing. The many different fabrics keep the sewing process interesting and I'm looking forward to laying out the completed blocks on the floor and seeing the colours come together. Off to start sewing the final strip onto the blocks! Have a good weekend everyone. Amanda.

Tiffany Quilt Blocks Colour Explosion

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

scrap quilt underway

Hallo
I'm making great progress on my Tiffany Quilt designed by Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. 300 scraps cut and ready for stitching :) Love love love this design by Rita and enjoying making my first scrap quilt. Back to the sewing machine. Have a good week everyone.
Amanda

Lots of ScrapsA bunch of scraps ready for stitching

Monday, June 20, 2011

farmers wife quilt along - week 1 & 2

Hi,
Guess what? My The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book arrived today from Amazon! It feels like I have been waiting for weeks (probably only two weeks if I'm honest). I'm looking forward to reading the book tonight and working out what blocks I will make for week three. I suspect that these blocks will be addictive based on the huge response on the flickr site. Its wonderful to be making this with so many passionate quilters. Yah!

Over the weekend I made four blocks. The mittens and chairs look so cute! I'm very excited about creating the sampler in bright modern prints with white in each block.
Bring on week 3 (and 4) as I'm running a couple behind.
Have a good week everyone.
Amanda

Farmers Wife Week 1 &2
Farmers Wife Book

Monday, June 13, 2011

the farmer's wife quilt along ....

Hi,
Its a public holiday in Australia today and we have enjoyed a weekend away at the beach. The fresh air was bliss and we had a fantastic time with two close friends. I have missed quilting in the last two weekends but have found time to think about my next project.

I love reading Angela's blog at Fussy Cut and a few weeks ago she and her friend Amanda started quilt-a-along The Farmer's Wife Quilt-A-Long. It has taken me a good ten days to really think about whether I will be excited about this pattern to persist for the full 12 months. But I have to say that Flickr posts have inspired me! How people are reinventing the colour palate is inspiring. I made a couple of blocks but are not in love with them so its back to the drawing board.
photo6Take #1 .... Not a Fan!.

I decided to put some more thought in before launching into making the blocks and feel more comfortable having chosen these fabrics as the base. Don't you love the mittens?
photo3
photo5Love the Mittens!
My book is in the mail from Amazon ... please arrive soon!!
Have a good week everyone.
Amanda

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

new fabrics

Hi everyone
We have just got back from a long weekend from Brisbane. Ah, 24 degrees and sunshine for a couple of days was wonderful....However, Melbourne was a barmy 11 degrees today (with a wind chill taking it below 5 degrees) so I have six layers of clothes on today.
As I have not quilted this week I thought I would post some pictures of new fabrics. The first is Kumari Holiday from Hawthorne Threads. I dont know how I will use this yet but couldnt resist the patterns and colours. A close up shot of my three favourite prints.
P1010799
P1010801
P1010802
I also picked up this wonderful fabric from my local quilting shop at their 50% off sale. I used this on the back of quilt I posted for the Bloggers Quilt Party . Its such a vibrant colour and I'm pleased to have 3 metres in the stash.
P1010796
P1010792
The last photo is some bits and pieces I picked up for my stash. My next quilt is a scrap quilt and I'm busy gathering additional fabrics to round out what I already have - fingers crossed another parcel with the last of fabrics I need arrives this week. Have a good week everyone.