Over the River quilt

I entered the embroidered quilt of my posts from March in our Local Royal(Agricultural) Show.  When I went for a visit to the show today I found out that the quilt had won First Place in its category and also Champion of the Patchwork Section.  My total prize money for the quilt was the same amount as the entry to the show!!!!

But it now goes on to  EKKA in August which is the State wide Quilts Across Queensland Exhibition. I just might try to finish a couple of more quilts to put in other categories in Ekka too. 

I don't make the quilts to put in a show.  I make them for me, then enter them in a show for others to see.
One of these years I may make a quilt purely for the show circuit, but that sounds like a lot of hard work to me.

APQS Machines

I have owned my APQS longarm machine for over three years and have had no major problems with it.  It was great to spend yesterday with two of the Engineers from Amercia and go through the sevicing of our machines.  They are very easy to self service.

AS long as you know the difference between man tight and girl tight.  We even through in a few teenager tights too.

Came home and serviced afew things on my mahcine and it is runnng even quieter.  I'll put on another quilt today and stitch away.

My husband even said I could go ahead and buy some new wheels for my machine, when I order my grease.  Good idea to have him accompany me!

APQS Mini Swap

There is a box finding its way from Australia to America with some very special contents for a lucky recipient.  I hope nothing gets broken.

Raw edge applique all stitched down in the quilting process.  Teeny tiny feathers, tiny little swirls and some small continuous curves.  The whole quilt is 24" x 24" so all the quilting had to be on a small scale too.

Once I have heard that the box has reached its destination I will post some pictures.

My Houston Trip purchase finished.

I showed the pattern and fabric earlier, that I had bought during my trip to Houston. 

I started the embroidery on Friday 10th December, while amusing myself at my husband's work while waiting for HIS christmas party to begin!

Continued the embroideries through the rain of December and then the floods of January while we had no power.  I couldn't stitch by candlelight - I did try to.

Pieced more blocks than the pattern had, as I wanted it longer.  Then played on my longarm with Metallic, Glow in the Dark, Holographic and Polyester threads.

It is a Crabapple Hill Pattern called "Over the River", very appropriate name for this year.



I can't get it to go right way up!



APQS Mini Swap #2

I thought it was about time I did some more work on my APQS mini Swap #2 quilt.

I am trying a new technique and I am Liking how it looks so far.  What do you think?

You didn't expect me to show the whole lot.  It is supposed to be a secret.  So here are the papers from the vliesofix and a paper spoon .

I will have it in the mail before the end of the month.

Back to My Customers

After spending three weeks quilting almost 20 quilts for the Lockyer Valley Floods I have got back to customer quilts.

The these two quilts are for young children and I had a lot of fun playing with them.  The first one the customer asked for flowers, bugs and garden things.  She is yet to applique dragonflies over the top.

The second quilt top is made from a panel from the Storybook "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".  I used to recite this book to my own children so I enjoyed now putting a quilt to the story.  I didn't put it one apple, two pears etc but I was tempted!  Of course it had to have beautiful butterflies somewhere in the quilting along with the leaves the big,fat caterpillar ate.

55555 Quilting Special

As I will be celebrating a double same digit Birthday this year I decided to give a birthday gift to all my customers.

For 5 months I will quilt any quilt up to 55"x 55" for only $55 using one of Five patterns.

More information and close ups of the patterns can be found at 55555quilting.blogspot.com

I have been using these same patterns to quilt numerous tops that I have received from Toowoomba Quilters, Sew Creative Community Quilters and Queensland Quilters that will be given to individuals that were affected by the recent flooding in the Lockyer Valley and Burnett River Areas.