APQS Mini Quilt Swap

I received an absolutely gorgeous mini quilt in the mail today. This quilt was sent to me from Rebecca of Illinois as part of an exchange through the APQS Forum. We had no idea of who would send us quilt. We emailed our preferences to a co-ordinator and were then given the details of whom we were to make a quilt for.

We are all slowly receiving our quilts as they cross "the Pond" and "the States".

The details in the quilting are great. The whole quilt is only 26" square so it gives you some idea of how fine these feathers are. The colour doesn't show up really well in this photograph but it is fall tones of greens and I love them.

Rebecca also sent me this little card with the quilt, along with some other treasures.

Now if my swappee has been reading this blog and got this far.... here is a little teaser for you of part of your quilt that was posted late last week.

Check for the brightly coloured mailer it is coming your way.

Family Bargello's

These are some of the Bargello quilts that I have made for family and friends. The lady Bug quilt is a king Size quilt made with 36 different lady bug fabrics and a wedge ruler. The autumn tone quilt was also made using the wedge ruler but only 6 different fabrics.

The other two are more traditional bargello. The purple and orange again has just 6 fabrics. The Blue/green has 22 different fabrics.

Wednesday's Wall

My sewing room walls are looking bare this week. I have just dropped off nine quilts for Toowoomba Quilters Club Inc Quilt Show and will spend most of next week demonstrating Foundation Piecing and Bargello Piecing to the Show visitors.

I've also entered two of those quilts in Queensland Quilters Show in October, so I can take those reminders off my wall too.

Lesson plans for the last three classes I have to do this year are almost complete. It has been a productive week completing my own tasks, as I haven't had any customer quilts.

I have also finished a Stack and Whack quilt that I will be teaching in October. I haven't quilted it yet, as I need some quilts to practise what I learn in Houston on. But it is hanging in Sew Creative Gatton.

I've added Sue Patten's latest book to my Houston shopping list, "Adaptable Quilt Designs".

Spring has also arrived. I picked my first feed of fresh Asparagus and Roses this week.

Tuesday's Tutor - Caroline Price

I have had the opportunity to do two of Caroline Price's classes. The first was at my first Quilting Retreat at Burrendong Dam. Throroughly enjoyable time stitching, eating, stitching, and more eating. No wonder I keep putting my hand up for these enjoyable type of retreats.

At this retreat we were learning how to make a Double Wedding Ring. Arcs were pressed over freezer paper templates and then machine appliqued to squares with corner triangles, before the squares were joined together.

I fussy cut my striped fabric. I then used T-shirt transfers to make the pictures to put on this quilt for my mum. I tried to get the wedding photos from all 6 of her children but we all didn't come to the party. So instead I raided the old photo albums for pictures of us in our youth, adulthood, the grandchildren and times when we have all got together.

I then hand quilted it, but not over the photos. This quilt has not faired the washing as well as I had hoped but it is much loved.

The second workshop I did with Caroline was a 2 day landscape workshop. When I showed my chosen photo, the comment was made it will turn out like a blob. I don't think it did! We had visited Uluru the month before the class, and it had been "raining on the rock - what a beautiful sight to see" so I tried to replicate the rain with the threads. There are over 20 different threads in this wall hanging giving it a real tapestry affect.

I Love Weddings

You could always tell this was going to be a very special wedding. The daughter of a dear friend of ours was marrying her soul mate. Yes, we had been there from the beginning of their relationship. So it was great to see them enjoying their day with friends and family.

The Bridal Vehicles, the truck that Dave drives, the props for some photos the old trucks waiting for the renewal. The love clearly their for all to see.

Congratulations Dave and Renee, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Now enjoy your life together.

Another Family Quilt on Friday

My son is the lucky recipient of this quilt. The churn dash blocks are made of all the homespun colours I could find at the time and a few batiks that were just coming onto the market. It was a Quilt from a Patchwork and Quilting magazine and I didn't remember the designer.

I was giving it to a longarmer to quilt for me during one of my first quilt classes, Celtic Hearts pictured in a previous blog, during show and tell the tutor commented that it was from her design. When I checked the magazine it was, a Michelle Marvig pattern.

It has been through two university degrees with him so has been a much loved and used quilt.