2 years has flown by

 

2 years ago today, I started writing my blog. I have made around 200 postings, so you can see I don’t do it every day!  It has been a learning experience, and I am totally amazed at the number of page views. I don’t know where they all come from, but thankyou to everyone for dropping by. It’s sometimes hard to know what to write, and I think maybe it’s a bit boring, but it’s snippets of my life and the quilts I do for customers and the fun retreats that are held at The Sanctuary. Sometimes there is a bit of family added into the mix and some garden photos. And when I get each year of the blog printed into a book, it’s a diary of my life. I love to read other blogs and get a glimpse into their lives.

A few more customer quilts done in July, hope you enjoy the quilt show.

Pauline’s quilt made in a mystery quilt class.

I just quilted wavy lines across this one, and Helen H was going to hand quilt around the circles which I basted down.

This is a Ring Cycles variation made by Helen P, using the fabrics that Helen dyed in a workshop. Helen colour washed the different shades, and then dyed a piece for the backing, matching the colours in the front as you can see below. It was quilted with an edge to edge called Windy Night.

Time for bed I think, as it was a 5am start this morning. Have had a busy day, started with some baking for the coming weekend retreat with Faye Packham, then a morning Bible Study meeting at 6.30am and then loaded another quilt, finished that and went shopping for more supplies.

Be back with more another day,

Blessings, From Jude

Some garden colour

 

Just a couple of reminders that spring must be on the way. Firstly the jonquils, which smelled so wonderful, that I picked to take to a friend in hospital. Second the daffodils that are blooming, unspoiled by the big winds and stormy weather that we have had recently. Lovely to see them as I walk across the road to The Sanctuary. And just a hint of a bottlebrush in the tree behind, the first of lots of trees about to bloom soon.

Hope you are having a great day, the sun is trying to shine today, after a few days of rain.

Time to get back to the quilt on the machine, lunch break is over and I need to walk away from the computer.

Blessings, From Jude

More quilts

 

Just have time for a quick posting before I start on the next quilt this morning. I am trying to catch up with the quilts in the queue.

Below is Val’s Ring Cycles, done in a class with Lessa Siegele. She is working on another one at the moment, with a dark background.

Vals’s 18 year old granddaughter made this quilt, great colour choices, and you can see the border with the applique in the second photo down.

And below are 2 jelly roll quilts, made by Kerryn for her niece and nephew. A great way to make a quick quilt, and they all turn out so different. The blue one has stars and moons quilted on it, and the pink one has a ribbon allover.

Well, that’s it for today, be back tomorrow. Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing.

Blessings, From Jude

Pat’s Candlewicked quilt

 

My apologies for the delay in posting photos of Pat’s blue quilt. This is the second candlewicked quilt that Pat has made for her 5 daughters. There is another one waiting in the queue at the quilter’s and one being made and one left to be started yet. What a magnificent legacy this will be for future generations. Each block represents about 20 hours of hand stitching.

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Blessings, From Jude

Christmas in July, 2013

 

I am home after another great weekend retreat at The Sanctuary with a lovely group of ladies, from Adelaide, local and just over the border into Victoria. Thankyou ladies for coming and making it such a special time.

The house was decorated with the tinsel and candles and Pat’s lovely arrangement of red flowers on the mantlepiece. The wood fire was burning and the house was cozy.

Santa left his presents under the little Christmas tree.

And the Rudolph biscuits were made for morning tea.

Lots of activity by the girls, they had “stuff” all over the tables. You never know just what you might need, so better bring it all. But I have to say that the Adelaide contingent were very good. THere were 4 of them, they travelled down in a small car, all brought there sewing machines and fabrics etc. They were instructed by the driver (and I won’t name her), to only bring the bare essentials of clothing. They did well.

First project taught by Pat, was the Christmas stockings. This was followed by other small items, which I did not get photos of.

Saturday evening they were asked to dress “Christmassy” and this was the first group, waiting for the others to appear.

Here are the ladies, in all their “finery”, all set for a Christmas dinner of Roast meats, roast vegetables and gravy, followed by Plum pudding and custard.

Following dinner, these snaps were taken, when they were all comfy and sitting by the fire. Don’t you just love the orange sox and pj’s?

Hand piecing blocks, which she said was relaxing!?? ( I can’t imagine anything more stressful?)

The last round of the binding, needs to be done before the quilt is valued this week.

And Raelene being an angel and helping to sew some of the binding, on the pink raffle quilt which is for the Pink weekend fundraiser at The Sanctuary in September.

The girls have all returned home and the house is quiet. But not for long, as Friday we start all over again, with a workshop by Faye Packham, but without the tinsel next time.

Have quite a few quilt photos to blog, so hope to be diligent this week and keep up. Time for some shut eye time, ready for another busy week. The large green quilt is being picked up tomorrow, so hope the customer likes what I have done. Will post photos another time.

Good night, Blessings,

From Jude

UFO Retreat

I have realised that I have not reported on the UFO retreat which was earlier in July, and I know some people have been waiting for this blog, so before I get busy for the day I shall correct my oversight.

Below are June’s blocks, not far from finished, ready to start sashing them. June is making one of these quilts for each of her grandchildren, all in different colours. I look forward to seeing them all finished, should not be long now.

Some of the girls hard at work.

And relaxing in the lounge at night, hand sewing or just watching the fire. I don’t think they even turned the TV on.

And this is Helen’s Ring Cycles (pattern by Lessa Siegele), which is now about to be quilted today.

And this is Sandy’s kookaburra, a pattern by Heather Ridley.

And below are Jenny’s finishes for the weekend, although some only needed a border, but she felt good about getting so many tops to this stage.

And this is Erica’s corner, a project started many years ago, and having an “airing”, and making decisions about where to go and what to do next. This is one of “those” quilts, started in my class, with cream background and shades of pink in the blocks.

Another of Jenny’s finishes for the weekend.

Sandy working on the binding of her mystery quilt, done in a weekend retreat earlier in the year.

And this is Jocelyn’s quilt, nearing completion, just the bottom row to be added, and then the outside border. I just love to see how different all the quilts are, and how each person has changed the blocks, to make them their own! And the different colourways are great. This quilt has special fabrics from friends, and horseshoes from Jocelyn’s wedding day, so has lots of meaning. The background fabric is cream sateen.

Time to switch the machine on, and load Helen’s Ring Cycles quilt.

I have had a week “sick leave” and finally the pain has gone. Spent time watching the flames of the fire, with the feet up in the recliner, and not a lot of bookwork was done.

Need to finish some quilts this week, and get ready for Christmas in July retreat, which is happening from Friday this weekend. Have the Christmas decorations out, and planned the menu, so looking forward to a fun weekend. And the weekend after that, we have the delightful Faye Packham coming to The Sanctuary to teach Japanese Reflections.

Enjoy your week, and stay warm. It was so cold this last weekend, that snow fell in the hills near Adelaide, which only happens every few years!

Blessings,

From Jude

More quilts to show

 

I am still sitting at the computer in my dressing gown this morning, wood fire burning, house all cozy and the weather outside is very wintry. I am taking it quietly for a few days, and hoping that the medication will do it’s job. I have been feeling rather stressed lately, and being very busy, and did say that I would like to get off the “merry go round” for awhile. Just be careful what you wish for, as this was definitely not in my plans, or my schedule! Lesson to self, make sure you have a balance in your life, and don’t forget to drink water!!  So I will take the opportunity to catch up on admin jobs, and a few nana naps, until I feel recovered. And try not to think about the quilts waiting in the queue.

Still have lots of photos to show, and below some edge to edge quilting. First two from Di, and 3rd from Sherrel and the bottom 2 are Christina’s Almost Amish quilt, with continuous baptist fan pattern by Lorien Quilting.

Hope you enjoy your day, will be back with more later,

Blessings, From Jude

Still here

 

Just a quick update on News from Jude. I had hoped to be finished with the green quilt by now, but life has got in the way. I am close to being done, but on Monday morning I woke up with horrid pain in the left hip area and nausea and the shivers. Had a quick unscheduled trip for CT scan for suspected kidney stones. But thankfully, no stones, just an infection, so am spending time sitting by the fire, and waiting for my next drug fix! And drinking lots more water! Hopefully things will be back to normal by the weekend! Thankyou to some good friends for being my taxi and for their TLC.

Below are 2 photos of a Christmas Quilt that I quilted recently. Love this pattern, and thought about making one myself, but I have too many PHD’s now, so can’t start any more. If you like this pattern, contact Del or Shirley at Quilters Harvest shop at Warracknabeal. They would be happy to hear from you.

The weather is very wild, windy and wet this week. Woke up during the night to a fantastic lightening and thunderstorm display.

Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing. It’s time to go back and watch the flames again and a nana nap in the recliner.

Blessings, From Jude

Still quilting

Just a quick post, this is what I am working on at the moment, rather large, and taking awhile. Be back when I have finished.

Enjoy your day,
Blessings,
From Jude

Garden visitor

Just a quick blog posting this morning, of a visitor to the garden a few days ago. I took this photo through the window, so it's a bit blurry, but did not want to frighten him away.
Another chilly morning here, and hopefully I shall finish the custom on the machine this morning, so better get busy.
Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing,
Blessings, From Jude

Quilting update

 

I can see that it is almost another week since I have posted, and there are quite a few photos of quilts not shown yet, so before I get to the machine for the day, I shall give you a quilt show.

It is the best job, being a machine quilter, as I get to a quilt show every day, and the people who come into my workroom studio see so many different quilts. I usually hang them up on the wall behind my machine, so that they can “talk” to me and tell me how they need to be quilted, while I am working on one on Max (my machine). I usually get lots of opinions and its amazing how different we all are. One person might love what’s hanging up, and the next lady to come in the door, will say how “different”  it is. I guess we are all “the quilt police” and have such different tastes.  I just love to see what each person brings in.

Below is Rosies’s quilt, and you cant see in the photo, but it is all hand pieced! Made up of 1 1/2” finished half-square triangle units! Amazing! Rosie doesn’t like to waste fabric, and finds it hard to cut into large pieces, and this is her hand stitching project in the evenings.

Above is a quilt made by Marion, for her friend, lots of floral fabrics in this. And below a cat in the hat quilt for Jenny’s granddaughter, followed by 3 more of Jenny’s quilts. She has been having a finishing off session.

Well that’s it for today, the machine is “calling” to me, and I need to head to the post office and the shops later.

The weather here is rather chilly this week, after good rain at the weekend. There was a good frost on the lawn yesterday morning. I am so thankful for my wood heater, and a warm house, and bed at night. I just could not imagine sleeping out at night, and feel for the homeless in our society.

Will bring you an update from last weekends retreat at The Sanctuary another day, with more photos of some great quilts.

Hope you are keeping warm, and those who are in summer are cool.

Blessings, From Jude