Featheration 2Blu features in America

I made the decision mid November last year to honour my mother by entering "Featheration 2Blu" into two American Quilt Shows in 2017. I was elated to receive notification in January that she was accepted into her first show, so with much trepidation posted it to America. In mid March I heard that she was also accepted for her second show. Winners of the first show were to be notified on the 29th March (US time) so it was quite a surprise to find an email that I was a winner at Lancaster Quilt Show when I woke on the 29th. I agonisingly thought I would need to wait until Midnight to find out what I had actually won. Thankfully I found out about 1pm. Not expecting anything a Third Place was much appreciated. Since my husband and I did not take the trip to see my Quilt hanging in the US shows I had to wait until FB friends posted a photo of my quilt to see the ribbon. Knew there must have been a reason why I woke extremely early this morning. These photos came through at 2am.

Limeberry Tart

I was approached by Down Under Magazines last year to write an article about Limeberry Tart.  It had just won First Prize in the Professional Pieced Category  at Qld Quilters Inc Quilt Show. The request came a week before my mother's  passing so I quickly answered the required questions.   A week later it would not have eventuated. Fortunately I was able to show my mother  Limeberry Tart with its first ribbon on my last trip to visit her.
Limeberty Tart now proudly hangs on the wall in my bedroom  for me to admire daily. I am almost ready to share her with a wider audience if she is accepted into NSW show, then I might even let her take a solo visit to the US as well.

I pushed the send button on entering Featheration 2Blu into two overseas quilt shows this week. After the trying time of my mother's passing I thought it appropriate to honour her by furthering the journey of my quilts. I will not find out until 6 weeks before the shows, if I have to send it overseas. Because of the number of quilts entered they Pre Judge entries so my fingers will be crossed. My husband and I were going to make the trip overseas to visit the quilt shows and tour the USA, however, the notification he couldn't get extended time away from work, my mother's passing and the invitation to a nephew's wedding in Hawaii all happened within a 48 hour timeframe. So I will send her alone and watch her journey on social media. A trip overseas to visit quilt shows will come my way someday.

Should I or Shouldn't I

I feel it is about time that I let the larger quilting community of United States see a few of my quilt.  On the insistence of a "quilty sister" I've  started the process.  Still to fill in a few gaps but when you know that a quilt has taken mumerous hours to complete and a show will only value it for $1000 without an appraisal you hesitate.

I'm  still at that same stage two days later.........

Limeberry Tart is now sporting a Blue Ribbon indicating she won First Place in the Professional Pieced Quilt category at Queensland Quilters Inc 2106 Quilt Show. She had some pretty stiff competition in the Best of Show category and Congratulations go to Sue Duffy for her "Cudgery Creek" Landscape Quilt. The dilemma is now shall I send both "Limeberry Tart" and "Featheration 2Blu" on a road trip overseas next year.

Twelve months since my last post, but I can say that I was busy piecing!

Limeberry Tart is made with 14301 half inch hexagons.  From the time I started designing it to finished and dropped off at its first show was exactly 25 months.  So every spare hour for the last two years has been spent on her.

All the hexagons were thread basted, I found I could do this in the car as a passenger, on the numerous road trips we took to visit our two new grandsons.

I calculate, that on average, I  spent almost three hours everyday for those 762 days working on her.  Some days were more others day nothing!

At her first show I was very fortunate to win a ribbon. I entered it in the "Quilts Across Queensland" competition in the  2016 Royal Queensland Show  (EKKA as the locals call it).  It was awarded the Best Machine Quilting Rosette.

Last week she was hanging in the Toowoomba Quilter Club Inc Show during the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers and I know she was admired by many visitors.

Next week it will hang in the Queensland Quilters Inc. 2016 Show and I have been informed it has won an award there as well.  Fingers crossed for her journey and I hope all the attendees enjoy viewing  her.

Not really missing in action

It has been an extremely long time between posts.  Mainly because I have been busy so hopefully I can do some retrospective catching up.  The latest and possibly best news I have had is the Best of Show win by my quilt Featheration 2Blu at the recent Queensland Quilters Inc 2015 Show.  This quilt will now be considered with the other 7 state winners for the Best of Australia in April next year before it sets off on a journey around Australia and New Zealand to the respective State Quilt Shows.

 

To say I was extremely excited would be an understatement.  My new Bernina B720 machine is already ensconced in my sewing table and it hasn't been home for even a week.  It just means my trusty Janome 7700QCP is now looking for a new home.

Afgeppab

This quilt started with an Appliqued centre block from a Cathy Van Bruggen pattern. I then used it as a Challenge with Sew Creative adding borders around the block in a defined order, each additional border had to be separated by a plain border.
Afgeppab stands for Applique, Flying Geese, English Paper Piecing, Applique and Borders.

My Centre block was a bit too large to fit the outside borders despite me measuring lots!!!!!!!!
So after I had spent six hours just SID all the pieces I cam back to the centre.

Filtec Essence thread, Magna Glide bobbins,  machine light switched off, Glide on.
 The butterfly is 1 1/4".  Before and after photos.  Sorry about the sideways shot!

Baby Blanket

Most people do not realise the costs involved with quilting.  I spent today making a quilt for a new baby.  Only a panel, but with wadding, backing and time taken.  Total costs would be $236.  That was with machine binding front and back..I am pretty proud of those corners.  Would be nice to be able to charge a true professionals charge per hour,  but customers would baulk at paying the same wage as a tradie.

Sewing instead

My granddaughter will be ten months old this week.  Now she is at the standing and almost walking stage I felt some new clothes would be needed.  My Easter gift to her.

Clamshells

Oh oh ...I think I am liking these clamshells and I may have to make another quilt to put them on.  Only 5565of them on this quilt.

RnS pattern boards

I bought these Pattern Boards from RnS Designs before Christmas as I knew I had two quilts coming up that would need them.  1 3/4"clamshells..... They are spot on.

Concert time

Diary Quote

Positive anything is better than negative nothing.

Baby Base

I felt a smaller base for my machine would be best for the quilt on the frame.  I drew the pattern on the perspex and left it with my husband while I taught a class on Saturday.
He.broke his first top so had to redraw it.  Now I have a Baby Base. 10" x9" and a Big Base 18"x15".
No stopping the ruler work now.

Laying Foundations

1500metres of Glide Marine thread, 13 hours and the foundations have now been  quilted on the Queensland Quilters Inc raffle quilt for this year.  The fills, the colours and the pattern fun is still to start.  It was only near the end of the base work that the ideas for the decorating came to me.

Webshop

My webshop full of yummy Glide threads, Magnetic bobbins, Bottomline threads and APQS  spare parts is now ready to order from.  Grab your coffee cup and head on over for a looksy.


http://www.busyquilting.com.au/shop/index.php



More books

I have just received another lot of new books.  Recommended by other long farmer's.  Reading these and practising before I use the techniques on Queensland Quilters Inc raffle quilt.  Must also finish my own quilt that had been getting snatches of my time in the last very busy three weeks.  None of the busyness really quilt related. :(

Foundation piecing light box

I have started piecing another Quiltworx quilt.  I like to make sure the first piece I put on is in the correct place by using a light box.  That way I know I have it covering the whole space.  At home I would put. Light under the clear sewing machine table. Since I am away from home,  I have found I can use a plastic container with a clear lid and my small Ott light inside it.

Diary Quote

There is more in you than you think.   Discover it!