The last week

 

Before I get queries from certain people about my lack of posting, I better update you on the past week. I am having a slow start to my Sunday morning, sitting here by the heater in my dressing gown.

It has been a very wet and windy week, which I guess is expected as we are in the middle of winter, and a week past the shortest day of the year.

First up is a photo of my pumpkin harvest. I planted these a bit late in the season, and some are still coloured a bit green, so not sure if they will ripen or not, and some are a bit tiny. The bushes had all dried off, and I did not think I should leave them out in this wet weather, so here they all are, stored in the shed. I found an old screen door which I propped up on some timber and they all fitted on there. I think there will be quite a bit of pumpkin soup coming up! And the second photo is of broccoli and kale. I had not been into the vegie patch for awhile, so was surprised to see the broccoli. But not surprised to see that the weeds are running rampant, so there’s another job that needs doing soon.

This quilt was made by Kerry for a wedding gift, and the centre was quilted with an all over pattern called Hearts a Flutter. The border was finished with a feather design, and I love the texture that this has given. Kerry finished her quilt in a hurry and did not measure the borders, and just sewed the strips on. Thus there was some fullness in her border, but the feather pattern just “sucked” it all up nicely.

The first border for our group’s Head for the Border project is due to be completed in a week, so nothing like a deadline to get something done! The first border was to include square in a square, and this is what I came up with. I had a few options worked out in EQ7, and changed my mind a few times. My main challenge was to get the centre part into a square. The rose blocks are not square, they are a hexagon shape, and you can see I put a spacer in the centre and then a border right around the centre. I don’t have much of the dark pink, so am trying to limit the use of this, and needed to introduce some different fabrics to take me through the next borders. I have been unable to match this pink so far, so hope that I have enough of the pinks and greens to get through the rest of the quilt. I am quite happy with it so far, but a long way to go. I can see it will be challenge to get it all to work together, and there are some design options in the tin, which I hope are not pulled out!

I have a quilt to make for someone which has been sitting around and needed to have some progress made on it. So yesterday was the day, and below you can see the bottom 2 rows all pieced together, and below that the top 3 rows all laid out ready to be stitched. As it was laid out on my bed I needed to shift it last night, so just rolled it up in the top quilt, and as there is no shortage of quilts in this house, found another one to put on the bed. I had probably been a bit ambitious thinking that I would get the whole top stitched together yesterday, but the thought did cross my mind! (The squares had all had there cream sashes stitched). Maybe today it will happen?? Then I will need to work out how wide the borders need to be for it to fit the bed it is intended for. After this is finished, I have another commission quilt to make, this time in all white fabrics.

Below is another project which had been hanging over my head, and needed to be done. The squares had all been made into blocks during the June long weekend UFO retreat. It could have been a quicker project if I had not put the square blocks into the sashing, but decided that it probably needed it and I had most of them cut out. The centre pictures in the blocks are from a fabric range called the Fast Ladies (they are all driving cars), and were given to me by Alison of Canterbury Quilts for the Pink Retreat weekend in September, so I decided that they could be made into a raffle quilt. I know that the quilt is not all pink, but had to go with the colours in the blocks. I am not sure if Fast Ladies is quite the right title, so I think I am going with Girls Having Fun. Just hope that the quilter can get her act together and get this done soon, and then I will be selling some tickets. I will have more details later, and would love to hear from you if you are interested in a fun weekend, hosted by Michele Hill, from September 20-22, to raise funds for Breast Cancer Network. Am starting the collection of “pink” things to auction during the weekend.

I have also spent some time in the kitchen this week, making pumpkin, and chicken and veg soup. Amazing just what you find in the bottom of the fridge which can be used up in soup. I sorted out the freezer as well, and found out just what was in the bottom. Am planning the menu for a couple of retreats coming up, so a bit more time in the kitchen will be happening this week.

It has been lovely to spend time at my sewing machine this week, and it sure feels good to finish off some projects. There has been so many things going around in my head, it all gets a bit stressful sometimes and I don’t know where to start. So feels great to actually cross some things off my list!

That’s all for now,

Blessings, From Jude

EQ7 Retreat

 

I better get busy and post a report of the EQ7 weekend with Judy B, the Virtual Quilter, before it turns into old news. It was another great time of learning, sharing and creating. The class is a small one so that Judy B can give each person individual attention. This is the third class that I have been there for, and as I am not there all the time, due to catering committments, I do miss some parts. But each time I am learning more, and am working on some more designs for the Paper Bag Mystery weekend. Another one has been planned for October, more details to come later.

All eyes are focused on the screen as Judy shows them some of the amazing features of this programme.

I think this lady was very surprised at what ended up on her screen, and thought she might call it “and I was sober!” I look forward to seeing this being made into a “real” quilt.

Not too sure about what is on this screen, don’t think it was part of EQ7! I think she was “resting” the brain?

And this lady just raced ahead in leaps and bounds, and has only had the programme for a couple of weeks! This is an image of a lizard on the screen, (well the top part of it that you can see), and she traced around this and it will become part of a quilt real soon I think.

The usual group photo, to add to the photo frames on the walls.

And relaxing in front of the fire, after 2 days of solid work on their computers. The weather turned rather wild on Sunday evening and it was a wild and wet night.

It was lovely to meet some new ladies who travelled from Adelaide for the weekend, thankyou for coming. The beds are remade, the house is cleaned, the washing all done and time to get back to some quilting this week. And as it’s the last week of the financial year, some bookwork will be happening too.

Hope you had a great weekend, whatever you were doing. Catch ya again soon.

Blessings, From Jude

More quilts

 

In case you were getting used to a quilt show every day, thought I would post a few more this morning. Am having a great weekend at The Sanctuary, which I will post photos of soon. Judy B, the Virtual Quilter is teaching Electric Quilt to a few ladies this weekend.

First quilt is a rather cute bunny puzzle quilt made by Helen, and the quilting was very simple, in the ditch only.

This monster was made by Merridy, and quilted with an edge to edge pattern called Square Dance by Ann Bright.

This was made by Liz and quilted allover with a flower pattern, but the recipient of the quilt loves elephants, so Liz wanted me to do one row of elephants through the daisies.

And this was made by Susie, and quilted with an all over daisy pattern. Sorry the photo seems to have posted sideways, and don’t know how to change it now.

Well, that’s all folks for this morning. Time to get to the shower and be dressed ready for another day. Need to make some salads for lunch as well.

The weather has been rather cold and wet, but it’s lovely and warm at The Sanctuary, have the wood fire going, and think I have trained the “city” girls to keep it going over night! But we can “flick the switch” and turn on the electric heater if need be.

Have a great day,

Blessings, From Jude

Last batch of the May customer quilts

By the end of the week I should be all up to date showing you quilts, and this is the last of those done in May. I hope the scheduling thing is working, as I do have a bit of fun with blogger sometimes. I have been rather frustrated lately with not being able to leave comments on other blogs, and I don’t know why it has suddenly changed. Maybe I need to talk to the computer guru.
Below is Kath’s quilt made from a pattern that was in APQ magazine. I have quilted one of these for another lady, and Kath decided to have an all over pattern on this one.

The next 2 were made by Helen, and quilted with all over patterns as well. They are both bright and bold, and very striking quilts.


This was made by Lyn for a new baby girl, lots of fun animals to look at and nursery rhyme patterns. Custom quilting was the direction for this one.

The next are 2 panels made up by Di, for some little people, and simply quilted with all over patterns.




Be back soon,
Blessings, From Jude

More quilts

As promised here are a few more quilts, which were done back in May sometime. I hope they are coming up each day, as scheduled.

First is made by Helen for her grandson who likes playing drums, so this edge to edge by Ann Bright called Bounce, reminded Helen of drumsticks.

This was made by Sherrel and featured lots of Aboriginal prints, and they look great with the black sashing. It was quilted with Debs Swirls.

Very simply pieced, but showcasing the fabrics, this is Annie’s quilt, made by her mother, Cherie, and quilted with an allover dragonfly pattern.

This was made by Merridy for a young man, and quilted with a allover circles and loops pattern.

Enjoy your day, whatever you are doing, and wherever you are in the world. Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings, From Jude

Quilt catchup

Again I have been slack in posting photos of completed quilts, so will attempt to catch up and schedule posts for each day this week. There just seems to have been so much other “stuff” happening lately, and quilt blogs have taken second place. I have still been quilting them though.
Quilt made by Maree, and quilted with a butterfly edge to edge pattern. Very pretty fabrics and turned out lovely.



Above an I Spy quilt, and I like the way it has been put together by Robyn, which breaks up the feature fabrics and adds more interest.

Above and below are both made by Jenny, the first a sampler quilt, and second  Garden Twist, in lovely Aussie fabrics and quilted also with edge to edge of Gum leaves.


Above another quilt made by Maree, and quilted with edge to edge called Pearl Strand. I love this pattern.

And this was made by Jenny awhile ago for her grandaughter’s first birthday. I waited to take photos after Jenny added all the 3D stuff, very cute quilt.


Hope you enjoyed the quilts, and I shall try to keep up in future.
Blessings, From Jude

Down Memory Lane

 

Time for a report on my weekend just gone, before the next one gets here. I had a busy week last week, catching up on customer quilts and doing bookwork, amongst other things. Saturday afternoon I finished a big quilt, and got another loaded, and completed the figures up to end of April. I planned to do May figures on Sunday, and finish the raffle quilt for the Pink Retreat Weekend, but when I got up on Sunday morning, I had another idea. It was the first Sunday for months that I had “free”, so maybe I would go for a drive and catch up with visiting some special people?? I know it was a last minute decision, but thought I would “give it a go”. Made a phonecall and off I went, but unfortunately Plan A did not work out, and these things happen when you only make last minute decisions. But there is always Plan B, and I went with that instead, and just maybe God was leading, and that was supposed to be Plan A all along! I know that I had a lovely day out, and felt a bit like I had been let out of school, and I had a lovely trip down memory lane.

Above is the ferry that I had to drive on to cross the Murray River. We used to live on the river when we owned a dairy and milked cows, so ferry crossings were common, but it was years since I had been on this one. And below is view up the river, with the willow trees on the river bank. It must be winter, as the willows have all lost their leaves, and are dormant. As soon as the leaves started appearing we knew that the spring was coming, and the grass would be growing for the cows to eat and milk production would increase, and hand feeding the cows could be cut back.

Getting closer to the other side.

I visited a few antique shops that afternoon, and took just a few photos. There were lots of things in the shop that I remembered from my childhood, so felt a bit like I could belong in the antique section!! Although I must say that these irons were before my days, and so glad I don’t have to press all my fabric with these heavy things!! I do appreciate the light irons we have that just glide across the fabric.

This treadle did not have a price on it that I could see, and as I could not fit it in my car, I did not ask. But I do remember sewing on my grandma’s and my mothers treadles when I was younger. Not sure where grandma’s machine went, but I do know that mum’s machine ended up on the farm rubbish pile when she got a new electric machine. How I would love it now, but who knew then what collector’s items they would be!

I do remember one of these brown phones on the wall when I was very young. We had a “party” line, and had to ring the next house to get an outside line to make a phone call. And then we updated to a black version. What would our ancestors think of our mobile phones today?? I do think we are too accessible and expect instant replies. In those days, if you were not home you were unavailable, and you certainly could not even leave a message.

This record player was just a bit before my time, but I do remember seeing one stored in the room behind Dad’s workshop. Wonder if it is still there? I guess the years have not been kind to it.

And I believe these rabbit traps are outlawed now. But I do have lots of memories of my 3 brothers setting the traps and catching rabbits to skin and then sell the skins. Rabbits do a lot of damage to our countryside.

On the way home I drove along the swamp road where we used to live. The cows had just finished being milked and had to cross the road to get to the feed. This dairy was milking lots of cows. I am not sorry that we are no longer milking cows!!

The calves in their paddock, waiting for their feed of milk. The female calves are taken from their mothers and hand fed and will end up as milking cows in the dairy, and so the cycle continues.

Cows still walking across. They don’t hurry, but I was quite happy to wait and watch, remembering so much of “what used to be”. I remember lots of travellers used to get impatient and try to drive “through” the cows instead of waiting.

The cow yard is so mucky, especially in the winter, and it was rubber boots only. I once went for a slippery slide in the yard, and ended up with a broken ankle! Daughter number 3, who was only a baby at the time, went to stay with her Aunty while I was on crutches, and I remember how upset I was when she came home and did not want to come to me.

And this is the house where we used to live. The yard where the green grass is had a transportable house in it when we moved there, and as we did not need it, we sold it. Was a big event when the truck came to load the house on it, and the local school children came down to watch.

A few changes have been made to the house, and I need to go and find some photos, just to remember how it was. The front fence is the same.

And this is the little school were 3 of my children attended. This entrance is much different too. There were about 70 – 90 children attending back then, and the girls went to High School after that with over 1,000 attending, and had to travel by bus.

I had a lovely day, caught up with a cousin I had not seen for a long time, and enjoyed my day out. Now it’s time to get on with another day. I have customers coming to pick up quilts today, and expect a visit from another friend travelling through. Tomorrow I hope to meet an email acquaintance from West Australia, and then it’s time to prepare for another weekend retreat. It’s the EQ7 retreat and Judy B has a full class of ladies eager to learn about the programme.

Enjoy your day,

Blessings, From Jude