two favourites

Whilst preparing for this Sunday's 'Antique Quilt Big Day Out', I took the opportunity of today's clear breezy sunny weather to give two of my favourites a breath of fresh air.

This afternoon the light was so nice I snapped some shots.  These two will be coming to Northbridge for show and tell, but for my "out of town" friends...a little preview!

Purchased about 12 years ago from a favourite eBay dealer, I fell in love with the hearts everywhere! Notice the one which is both red and green?

Not quilted, it is backed with plain calico and finished with a knife-edge, no batting. Recognise those little trees on the border? I reproduced them in the mad birds and hexagons quilt currently in the quilting hoop.

True Turkey Red - you can tell because it doesn't fade, just wears away and becomes thinner and thinner, eventually showing some of the inner undyed white core of the threads.

Another sweetie loaded with hearts purchased from the same dealer about 10 years ago. One little heart needs to be carefully re-attached.

 Who could go past hearts..... AND cheddar..... AND zigzags? (not me!)

Also not quilted, this one has a thin batting, backed with plain calico and tied with white and gold embroidery floss. Plain calico binding. This one is a little stained, but I don't want to wash it - from unhappy experience old 19thC cheddar has a nasty habit of running madly.

Hope you enjoyed the preview, I'll post more photos after Sunday. Until then - happy quilting!

what's happening here?

Not a lot to show but lots happening behind the camera.

Birds and hexagons is finito! well...the top is finished, the back is pieced, the batting washed and it's all ready for a-basting. Hopefully that will happen on Friday, then the fun begins. It will be hand quilted but there are no plans fixed in my mind yet - I think it's the sort of quilt that will tell me what to do as I go along. I'm looking forward to this next stage.... only about 13 weeks before I have to hand it over for the Darling Harbour Show so needles really need to be flashing!

A few sneaky close-ups...
A solution to the corner dilemma. I decided to leave the mistake in.

Happy with the blue outer border/binding next to the coral

I spent a ridiculous amount of time last weekend on the banner....hares rampant!

...and lastly, for my fellow cat lovers, here is my gorgeous puddy, Harley. She's a tortie Burmese, and will be turning 17 this June (but don't tell her that.) She thought she was so clever balancing on her scratching pole yesterday.

 Until next time - happy stitching!

antique quilts 'big day out'

If you live in Sydney or plan to visit  towards the end of March, you might like to put this date in your diary:

Sunday March 27th, 2011
2:30 - 4:30pm

Antique Quilts 'Big Day Out' 

at

Northbridge Bowling Club

The Outpost, Northbridge, NSW

(click here to view a map)

You are invited to bring along 1 or 2 old quilts for show and tell, or just come along to enjoy others share their antique quilts. It's an informal afternoon to enjoy seeing some great old quilts and hearing the stories behind their acquisition.

Special guest will be Dr. Annette Gero, who will be selling and signing her book 'Quilts: Fabric of Society'.

As well, I will be there with my collection of antique and vintage quilts, quilt tops and quilt blocks available for purchase.

$15.00 entry includes afternoon tea 

(cash only at the door)

All proceeds will go to Merlin a charity who trains doctors and nurses for frontline duty in emergencies and disasters. 96c of every dollar donated to Merlin goes directly to operations.

RSVP:  bernadette.ramseys4@gmail.com or

SMS: 0418 221 976

A little background - Meghan, the London-based daughter of the event organiser, will be running in the London Marathon in April, the largest annual fund raising event on the planet - runners have raised over £500 million for good causes since the race began in 1981.  100% of the $15 entry fee and 50% of profit from quilt sales on the day will go to Meghan's fund raising effort.

Bernadette and I hope you can join us!

Back to the '30's - revisited

After completing Teresa's blocks, I was reminded that I have two quilt projects in the WIP category from the 1930's, and thought it would be nice to bring them out, give them some air and have a photo shoot.

(Read here that I am procrastinating....I need to sew the last 3 birds to the "Mad birds" quilt and I am dancing a little avoidance dance!!)

So...This quilt top was purchased damaged with extensive mouse nibbles. Fortunately the holes were restricted to the green sashing - must have been the way it was folded, or else the green was extra tasty, or the mouse was strange and thought he was eating his greens?

Anyway, all the sashing was removed, I saved the yellow cornerstones and matched the green as best as possible.

I just love the chunky string-pieced tulips! I have an elegant 1870's quilt with a version of this pattern, but I believe I prefer this one simply because it is so-ooo "in your face"!

 Probably more 1940's than 1930's, based on the bold patterns.

 This is most definitely a keeper and I will quilt it some day.

The second '30's era project I am (sometimes) working on is a fancy nine-patch or extended nine-patch.  I purchased 81 blocks, some sewn together  most not.  After examining what was already assembled, and sorting through what I had, it worked out that the solid  colours could be arranged in diagonal rows! How clever! (not me, the original designer).

4 rows are assembled, 5 more to go. I was able to find a white muslin similar in weight to the original...not an exact match colour-wise, but perhaps the old one will brighten up when it has it's first bath.
Seems the original maker liked the straight seams, but baulked at the curved piecing involved in setting in the melon /oval pieces.

 The curves are very gentle, so it's actually not difficult to piece...lots of pinning required that's all. And as you may know I do like hand piecing.

 Great fabrics, although somewhat fine - almost like lawn...no novelties actually, just florals.

This might be a keeper...not sure, I'll see how I feel about it when it's pieced together...may end up moving it on?
Wishing you a productive weekend. K

back to the '30's

These cheery looking blocks are for Teresa from Fabric Therapy. They are the February contribution for my monthly online quilting bee. Teresa supplied us with 3" 1930's-style squares and plain rectangles and asked us to supply 8 more 3"squares to produce 2 blocks. 

 

This month I ditched the sewing machine and loved the process of hand-piecing the blocks. It's been quite some time and I had forgotten how much pleasure I get from piecing by hand.

 My contribution from my stash
- the blue and white elephants HAD to go in.

Teresa's fabrics - love the tumbling red and white bunnies 

(they match the elephants above)

So here you are Teresa- love the block, love the fabrics, hope you like them too.

On another note, I thought you might enjoy a mini-tour of my favourite harbour-these pics were taken over the past few days during my ferry commute to work. It's a pretty special way to get to and from work. (I ignored the looks from my fellow commuters - thinking I was a somewhat strange tourist wearing business attire!)

 It must be "cruising season"

another liner on the same day, opposite side of the harbour

 Leaving Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour Bridge at twilight 

 Early 1800's Colonial buildings with a replica "Tall Ship"

Circa 1900's finger wharves now used by Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company, and a luxury hotel

 Luna Park built circa 1920

 A stunning Federation-era house at Birchgrove Wharf

 The Wednesday night twilight race fleet leaving Woolwich

Hope you enjoyed th little tour, the weather this week means the shots are not quite so picturesque, but I'm not complaining, the cooler days are very welcome!

Happy quilting. K