For some of us jumping in at the deep end with an involved large project  is just the push we need, for others it requires a more gentle approach with a smaller project to give us a little kick start.

My new baby quilt “Chloe” could just be the item you need to get you started for 2012. I know I have given you some enticing images of this quilt but now you can purchase the pattern and begin making this cute quilt for your favourite baby.

Remember to visit the “sewing tips” catagory if you need visual help with making the clamshells. Click here to begin shopping.

……..Or you might like to create the very handy  ”Cotton Reel Keep and Pincushion” to complete your sewing basket items. The keep will hold 4 small reels of cotton and your needles. Ideal for travelling.

This pretty project will allow some quiet time to do some hand embroidery and finish off quickly with the machine.

Available as a pattern only or a kit this project is now ready to purchase. Click here to begin shopping.

Carol

I took A3 sheets of paper and cut them the same width and length as the fabric I needed for the border. Using a pencil draw a line horizontally and vertically through the lengths of paper to find the centres in both directions.

Take the pattern pieces with the lines of the verse on them and cut out each word. Centre each word onto the applicable length of A3 paper to recreate the line of the verse and lightly glue into place.

Take the fabric lengths which have been pressed in both directions to find the centres and position over the paper strips making sure that you match the pressed centres to those drawn on the paper.

Using a 2b pencil lightly trace each line of the verse onto the fabric.   

TIP……I just pinned the paper strip with the fabric over the top onto my ironing board.

These 3″ clamshells are available through the website.

Hope these tips help you

Carol

Happy shopping

Carol

They have been a real pleasure to make using the Marti Michelle templates.

The knack of course to all good sewing is your pressing.

After piecing together the 16 segments  make sure you leave the last join open until all the pressing is complete.

Have a close look at the picture and be sure to  press the seams on the outer edge open. This lessens the bulk when drawing the circle up onto the cardboard. When the pressing is complete stitch the final seam together.

Draw the sunburst onto a cardboard circle, press and then remove the cardboard. Centre the sunburst onto your chosen background fabric and blind stitch into place.

If you want to further reduce bulk in the block then trim away the excess background fabric before adding the centre.

Once this is done make the centre in the same way and stitch to the centre of the sunburst.

I will continue to bring you up to date with this quilt and when it will be available.

Happy stitching

Carol

I do hope that you all had a very merry Christmas and are looking forward to enjoying good things for 2012.

In case you didn’t know I have been away for 5 weeks in Europe….Yes I know, it was very hard to do but I managed (LOL).

We arrived via Dubai in Vienna where we had four lovely days. We stayed in the Atlanta hotel, where we have enjoyed this hotel before. This hotel has a lovely old world feel and is very comfortable and close to everything. Unfortunately the facade of the building was getting a face lift whilst we were there but when finished it will look all sparkly and fresh.

The Christmas markets is where you can shop, eat and drink. Very much the local family event at this time of the year.

The assortment of cured meats is really unbelievable, and of course no need for refrigeration at these markets.

We thought this time that we would take the train down to Modling to visit the Seegrott Caves in the township of Modling. A wonderfully pretty little town and the caves are also quite amazing. They mined Gypsum here in the 1930′s and then it was accidentally flooded by underground water to become the largest underground lake in Europe. During ww11 they used the large caves as a place to make aeroplane components.

Modling street scape. Of course there are so many  places to see. Dont miss the Shonbrunn Palace and the Belvedere palace ( this is wonderful at night)….just beautiful.

Off to Hungary next, Budapest, Eger, Pecs and Szentendre.

All I am going to say about this is that I really really need this holiday. Where am I going you may well be asking?. Well that’s the million dollar question and you will just have to wait for the answer. I might just be hanging around my garden and enjoying being home for a change.

What ever the answer, you will find out for Christmas and rest assured that I will be sewing and making wonderful new projects for you for 2012.

Some items are well under way, others are in the “Thinking Stage” and others are ready to begin. So lets have a little sneak peek….

“Chloe” the clamshell quilt is finished and the pattern will be ready for sale in the New Year. Just the right amount of hand sewing and machine piecing to make this little gem a pleasure to make. So start saving all those pretty fabrics from you stash for this one.

The Sunburst quilt will be something different for me. While a striking setting and fabric colour will take the eye, the reproduction fabrics for the blocks themselves will look even more inviting.

Do you like this one? It’s so cute with a little surprise inside. Kits and patterns will be available for this project.

As well as these lovely projects there will be a pieced red and white quilt, a new sewing hold all and wonderful new fabrics from Yuwa, Moda and Marcus Bros.

Oh and I am hoping to get time for the Block of the Month that is still in the drawing stage……wow I am going to need this holiday more than I thought.

So remember to take time and smell the roses….and yes these do smell as good as they look….. because if you sleep in for too long this may happen to you….

My son Ethan, below, had some trouble extricating himself from his tent at Karate camp recently. There were many rolls of loo paper and cling wrap used and much revenge by others!

Carol

Kathy Doughty from Material Obsession arrived this morning at our sewing group….Caroline Bay Quilters….and bought with her an amazing array of quilts and fabrics and more importantly her great personality and wonderful way of imparting knowledge and enthusiasm to all who are prepared to listen.

Even if you are a traditional quilter much can be learnt from Kathy as everything she teaches in regards to colour and prints can be related back to all styles of quilting.

I just love this quilt she made using the cog wheel templates and wedges for the inner border. When you look at what Kathy makes everything is on the Large size….the blocks, the colours and of course the prints. Kathy is now promoting her own templates to make many of the blocks in these quilts….so contact the shop for more information.

And of course dont forget the back of the quilt! Every one of her quilts are just as interesting on the back as they are on the front.

Thanks again Kathy for an inspirational morning.

Kathy can be contacted at….kathy @materialobsession.com.au or www.materialobsession.com.au.

Carol

A fab weekend was had by all  beginning on the Friday with many early arrivals at around 11.oo am and continuing into the early afternoon. Some of the ladies opted to get started with their stitching straight away whilst  some went down to the Patterson Pub for an enjoyable lunch.

The weather was warm and humid but the surrounding paddocks were lush and green from  the much needed rain we have had during the year.

Once settled into their rooms they were off and running.

This year we had new faces from the Wentworth Quilters, central coast, Newcastle and Berowra. Its always great to meet new people and make friends. With this comes seeing new projects that ladies are making or have made and so “show and tell” is always popular.

This very big quilt is on its way to Argentina as a wedding gift….Oh the lucky couple to be receiving this.

Robyn who was one of the new faces to our retreat this year was making this very attractive Court House steps quilt.

Jemmy from Wentworth Quilters was busy with her Wack and Stack

Judy with her pretty flannell quilt.

Now some of the ladies wanted to make a mystery quilt this year so armed with their instructions they set out and gathered their fabrics all so different from the ones that I chose and from each other also. Some were finished by the end of the weekend and others I am hoping we will see the finished images of soon…LOL

Shayne’s mystery quilt coming together very nicely. Shayne decided to change the rest of her quilt after this point and I cant wait to see the finished project.

Louise used some lovely French General fabric for her quilt,

Jo found some soft pinks and greens were working well together,

Sue had a great centre using an owl fabric with a very interesting mauve/grey fabric as her background for the pieced border,

Sue (kiwi) was well on the way to finished just as we were packing up on Sunday afternoon,

and unfortunately I dont have an image of Jacqui’s very soft and pretty blue and pink quilt with an embroidered centre piece so I am hoping that someone can get one to me so that I am able to share this with you.

And this is my effort. I just marvel at how we are all so diverse in the fabrics that we use and our choice of projects that we make.

And of course a big Thankyou to my friend Kim, who each year keeps breakfast, morning and afternoon tea happening for us all through the weekend.

I look forward to seeing everyone again in October 2012.

Carol

Now we all love a bargain so here is one for the lovers of Yuwa fabric. Selected Yuwa fabrics are now 40% off the original price. Min purchase of 30cm please.

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Here is the latest delivery from Moda fabrics…”Etchings” by 3 Sisters.

 Available now online. Click here to browse your selection.

We are off to Tocal in the Hunter Valley on Friday. Seventeen ladies just busting to have a great time sewing, chatting and of course eating. Some of the ladies will be making the mystery quilt so I cant wait to share all the news with you next week.

 Carol

All of these fabrics are available now at $20 p/m with a min purchase of just 10cm.

I have been working on the second of my new quilts for next year using the wonderful Marti Michelle Sunburst templates. These are just so accurate I cant imagine why I havnt used them before. They have been sitting around for months in my sewing room, so I got them out and dusted them off and Oh how fantastic they are!  

Sunburst block in progress

I am going to use lots of reproduction and period prints with an exciting feature fabric between the blocks.

Cant wait to get them all done and put together.

Carol