Beary Good Girls

Milly & Molly: 1997  (Started: 1996)

I bought a Merry Beary bear pattern #72 during a trip to Berrima in 1996, and finally managed to put two girls together in 1997.  I started stitching their jackets in May 98, but the embroidery & applique aspect of it languishes still.  I have a photo of them amidst the packing up for our move from Watsons Bay to Kenso, so they were just in need of jackets even then.  I gave the girls to mum for a bit of girl talk. One day she’ll get their jackets too!

The bears themselves were quite easy to sew up and I managed to find a rather nice felty type of fabric.  Very Cute with their little dresses!!

This is the pattern which I found on ebay & currently for sale.
I'll replace this with a photo of the girls one day soon. 

Birds on the Plain

Flock (of Pink & Grey Galahs): 2004  (Started: 1996)

Galah photo from Wiki

I’d been working on an idea since my Tamworth years inspired by those crazy pink & grey galahs which to me typified life on the North West slopes and plains.  I’d even called my idea in advance, “flock” and that has been the cause of a great stumbling block.  I made two quilts in quick succession, both pink & grey, then failed to record their details before giving them away.  Say no more!

This quilt, started 1996, is made from a large collection of pinks and greys (16 so my notes tell me) gathered to one day settle my itch for a “flock” or feather quilt. The initial pattern I chose was from Shortcuts to the Top (p 55), Birds in the Air. Then I found Kansas Troubles (p122) in Rotary Roundup - much more appealing.

My first pink & grey was started with all the relish that a new rotary cutter provides.  I had it ready for batting and backing & basting by late 2001; there was a rush on at the time to clean up the ever-growing UFO box. I was also teaching myself how to machine quilt with the new Bernina (2003), so straight lines were the go on both counts - speed & sanity.  Eventually given to friend, Kath for safe-keeping. 

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 189x 189cm
Block Size: 16”
Cut in: 1996
Pieced & Basted: Machine 2001
Quilted: Machine 2003
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 2004
Exhibited:  No
Collection: Private 2/6/07
Pattern Name: Kansas Troubles
Pattern Source: Rotary Roundup, Hopkins & Martin
Fabrics Purchased: Colour Collection
Fabric Design: Prints & Plains
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
After a few years of study, I was eager to get back into quilting proper.  I chose a quick pattern with a large size block and a nice scrappy look to get all those pinks & greys I had to form a homogenous whole.  The top was fast, fun to make and satisfied an itch. I still really like the way this quilt turned out.

 

A Loss of Memory

Mine & the Computer's....

I’ve been slow to start up again this season.  Much has to do with commitment to other activities, particularly blogs as we finalise sailing season details, including (his) technical minutiae.  Sadly, we’ve been lagging behind in adding information about maintenance and upgrades from previous years.  Sometime I should add costings as well, but that’s another story and I’m sure that anyone who is prepared to figure out how to cut, sew and generally re-arrange fabrics ad infinitum understands how important all these little things are.

I’ve also reached something of a crossroad in my memory bank as I know I made two pink and grey quilts about the same time but couldn’t seem to reconcile one with the other as my notes were slack, my memory shot and both quilts were passed on to better homes; one without a photo.  Gosh Darn!

Outside Hagia Sophia, Istanbul in Turkey 2013

Of course, I went back under the stairs to find my photo boxes – a shattering experience as I’m reminded about how much work I still have left as I catalogue my travel and quilting life.  I did find a few snaps of quilts I’d quite forgotten about and a photo or two of ones that I thought I hadn’t taken a photo of at all.  So all is not entirely lost!  Whilst on the subject of photos, one other incident is worth mentioning.  Somehow this year I lost (completely) a file of digital photos – our trip to London is now but a few photos pasted on a blog post.  That means 170 taken in London (again, gosh darn!) are forever lost to the world.  Yes, I did backup but too late it seems.  This now means that I will have to change HOW I backup…. 

Well, I think I’ve now sorted all my memories out now and am ready to get back on my hobby horse.

I'm now forever in love with blue tiles.
So much inspiration for a new quilt!

Playing Possum

It's time to take a serious break from the computer (and my garden shed) to catch up on some research and photograph more interesting masterpieces of the textile world.  Join us on the jolly ship Windjammer or check in with the Textile Tourist from time to time to see what I've discovered, which will hopefully be interesting.  

Meanwhile, I must go and rescue my magnolia tree from a hungry possum.  It seems they have a fondness for the flower buds.  I always wondered why it never flowered especially well....

New Years on Sydney Harbour: 2012

 

Changing the Rules

South Pacific Drums: 1997  (Started: 1996)

Colourful spools & a prairie points held down with buttons
(the garden is just the right setting?)

The RLI Quilters had scheduled workshops during their monthly meetings so I seemed to forever be finishing off projects, getting further and further behind.  Rather than attempt bed-size quilts, I began to think about working smaller to get more done – meaning FINISHED!  So, when we had this workshop with Dawn Perrin May/Jun 1996, I was well on my way with smaller (and fewer) quilts.  At this time I was not only working full time but studying at university too (forever the student…) so time and space management was rather important.  Even so, I managed to get a little quilting done on the side.

I planned to use fabrics that were “a little different” in this quilt rather than end up with yet another scrappy quilt of American florals.  I used up some of the boys old board short fabric and some cotton sarongs that I had purchased on a trip to Fiji (on a Pacific Island cruise – a necessary  & relaxing break), then chose a plain gakky green to define the quilt as it had a definite tropical feel to it.  On reflection, (and had they been available then) it would have been better to have used a motley fabric such as a Bali batik.  I added some beads & buttons to tie down the prairie point edging.  In the end, I thought the spools looked more like African drums and for some reason I always think of that children's poem about "the great grey, greasy Limpopo".

This was my first attempt to do an interesting backing too. By this stage I was buying Quilters Newsletter and they often had helpful articles on subjects like "backings" to help you mix things up a little. Anyway, I had fun making it; especially the big Hawaiian flowers and the batik pieces which helped define the theme.  We machine pieced this quilt, and I machine quilted the centre panel of spools, and then hand quilted a border after tying the prairie points down.

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 121x 121cm
Block Size: 6”
Cut in: 1996
Pieced & Basted: Machine 1996
Quilted: Hand & Machine 1997
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 1997
Exhibited: 
Collection: Home# 026
Pattern Name: Spools
Pattern Source: Dawn Perrin
Fabrics Purchased: Fiji (some)
Fabric Design: Eclectic Mix
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
I loved the quilting process –sewing, cutting, problem solving yet also providing me with a chance to be creative. Whilst I appreciated the improved range of opportunity offered by ever increasing popularity of this craft, I was also conscious of an overwhelming American influence in the marketplace.  Neither did I want to faithfully replicate someone else’s design – it was important to add my own stamp.  I’m not sure I was entirely successful in this case as the result grates on my nerves at times.  But it was indeed another step forward in the learning process.    

Fast to Finish

Noughts & Crosses: 1996

Noughts & Crosses

I stated this wall hanging in a class with Sylvia Kennedy Feb 1996 with the RLI Quilters. This is one of my few quilts that was cut, pieced and quilted (meaning finished) in less than one year.  Amazing....

This was an easy scrappy quilt which pieced up fairly quickly on the machine and used up a considerable bag of left-overs.  I tried machine quilting, and although the result is fairly unsuccessful, it was a big lesson.   Following seam lines resulted in a thready look and any errors became obvious at once.  Better to go for an “overall flowing design” when quilting rather than end up with too much stitching to pull out and start again….

Quilting straight lines - not as easy as it looks...

Never mind, I loved the scrappy look and went for a subtle colour-wash arrangement (big at the time).  Had a bit of fun with the backing also.  I pieced it together using left-over remnants adding a piece from a vintage curtain, “morning glories”.

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 118x 116cm
Block Size: 3”
Cut in: 1996
Pieced & Basted: Machine 1996
Quilted: Machine 1996
Quilt Type: Workshop
Quilt Finished: 1996
Exhibited: 
Collection: Home# 025
Pattern Name: Shoo Fly
Pattern Source: Sylvia Kennedy
Fabrics Purchased: From the Stash
Fabric Design: Florals & Checks
Fabric Style: Scraps & Vintage
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
This is just what I was looking for – using scraps at will, working small and sewing by machine. Fast, fun and fabulous….   I just need to do a little more machine quilting practice.

Ernie Elna Supercharged

Baby Botanicals: 1995  (Started: 1993)

I purchased a panel of cute flower prints one year and wanted to piece up a fresh, spring quilt.  This easy design was speedily machine pieced during one of my holidays. 

I had fallen for scrap quilts and wanted to select random colours for Puss in the Corner blocks.  It was a pleasure to rotary cut and machine piece this easy quilt after all the concentrating at TAFE classes.   I found a bright flower garden backing which just seemed right for it too!

Cheater Print & Puss in the Corner

But how to quilt it?  I still had “a bit of a backlog” on the hand quilting front when my friend from the Literary Institute (RLI) Quilters offered me a place on a machine quilting class with Lee Cleland (Jun/Jul 95).  I took it up with relish.  Baby Botanicals became my “practice” piece after days practicing on class samplers.  I can remember sitting at my dining table overlooking a lovely view of Sydney, enjoying the machine quilting process, and now day dreaming of all the quilts I would be able to finish.  I think this must have been my first use of a cotton batt which took the machining quiet well.  I liked the end result – not too puffy – so have mostly used cotton wadding since then for quilts I intend to machine quilt.

For starters on this lap quilt, I did a traditional stay stitch to hold the layers together.  Then I did a circular outline stitch over the panels, finally adding a free machine stipple to the border.  That was a big leap forward; and not bad given that I was still using my trusty old domestic, Ernie Elna.

Just for the Record:
Quilt Finished Size: 122.5x 157.5cm
Block Size: 7.5”
Cut in: 1993
Pieced & Basted: Machine 1993-94
Quilted: Machine 1995
Quilt Type: Own Design
Quilt Finished: 1995
Exhibited: 
Collection: Home# 024
Pattern Name: Puss in the Corner
Pattern Source: Traditional
Fabrics Purchased:
Fabric Design: Floral prints & Plains
Fabric Style: Cotton
Materials Type: Cotton
Wadding Type: Cotton Batt
Backing: Cotton

Lessons Learned:
The small size of this quilt made machine quilting not such an adventurous activity. I really enjoyed Lee’s class (2 days in all) and had come away knowing that I could break away from my traditional hand work beginnings to use a wider variety of machine techniques well enough to finish off my quilts - faster.