We had a lovely day yesterday

Well, we had a lovely day yesterday with the family for a Christmas lunch, swapping pressies and generally not doing much. It was a lovely summer's day, and we rolled home and were early in bed.

Today it is pouring and we won't be going anywhere. Maybe from the lounge to the machine and back!

It has been very busy here, and I finally turned off my big machines at about 2pm on Christmas Eve. I had a last minute frantic call from a new granny, and how could I say no to that .

Anyway, I probably won't be posting for the next couple of weeks as Harry and I are off to visit with my sister in LA, flying out tomorrow. I have checked the weather sites and it should be good to go. If I can work it out then I will post some holiday pics, but other than that - I'll be back.

Enjoy the New Year,
See you soon
Belinda

Symbols of Japan

I quilted this beauty this last week for Margaret. Isn't it divine? I love the different shades of the pinks and greens.

It is a design based on traditional Japanese designs, interpreted by Val Moore and Patricia Cox, and other pics can be seen on www.simplyval.net.

Each of the applique pieces has been machine satin stitched on. Exquisite. I have quilted it with a filler of a sort of clam design, big and little; parallel curvy lines, and a design by Anne Bright in the outside border called Asian Gardens b2b.

Totally not quilt related, but isn't she cute? Indiana Lara (named by 2 men - I wanted something like Fifi) wrapped in Harry's original baby towel post bath!!! I'm thinking my dearly beloved is having a moment and thinks he wants another baby. Ha!

Enjoy

Belinda

I'm trying something.

I have a problem in that some of my pics are not able to be clicked on to make them larger. So after consulting my web guru, we are trying making them larger. So, we'll see.

Last night was our school awards night, and Mr Smarty Pants above received the school library award for consistent library use and actually reading the books, not just leaving them in his bag. Well.....we were very surprised and pleased with this achievement.



These are my nearly current NYB blocks. What do you think? I think it is a little much, and I will probably rearrange them to try and tone it down. I like the colours though! (Don't you love the stripey flannel sheet as a design wall?)

Enjoy
Belinda

Feathers 2

We have been a little busy here, with a school excursion, birthday, homecoming, rain and getting sorted for Christmas, and I have not many pics to show for it.

However this little quilt is one of mine from a couple of years ago. It is a Mexican Feathered star and has been very heavily quilted and trapuntoed.

I have used the "cutaway trapunto" method for this quilt which took ages, but, I think makes all the puffy bits very puffy. When it was quilted, I echoed the star shape, and then put in lots of feathers and fill.

When I was quilting it I used a blue washaway marker which I was spritzing with water to get it to disappear as I am a bit leery of leaving the blue in for longer than it needs to be.

Next morning all the black had run. Nice. Not. It has been washed in a large wash in the machine and, touch wood, all the black came out. And, no I didn't pre-wash. Silly girl.

Anyway, enjoy

Belinda

Pretty in pink - and something not so pretty at the end!

This quilt was made by Lynne of Sydney, in a class with Jennifer Corkish. It has lots of flowers which have all been needleturned, and lots of open spaces for quilting.

It is quilted using rulers and templates, and freehand fillers and feathers. The outside curved cross hatching was done with a new ruler from Westalee Designs and doesn't it look great!

Lynne always uses gentle and pretty fabrics in her quilts, and I particularly love the pink rose border she as used in this masterpiece.

We are very excited as Terry is back tomorrow after being away for 3 1/2 weeks. He is coming back to this....

and long grass, washed out driveway, 2 dogs who will be beside themselves and a 10year old who CANNOT wait for his fav dad to come home. And me.

Enjoy

Belinda

Portobello Market

This masterpiece belongs to Di from Molong, and she is giving it as a gift - unfortunately not to me! It is the Portobello Market quilt by 3 Sisters for Moda, and you can download the pattern at the United Notions site.
It has many pieced blocks which Di says gave her grief, but I can't see what her problem was! .

It is quilted with freehand feathers in the red background fabric. I used a chalk marker to give me an idea where the spines would go, and then filled in the gaps with big and little feathers. Very effective and looks great. The blocks were done with an Anne Bright p2p on the statler (Majestic I P2P). All the blocks are quilted with the same design. I picked a pattern which wouldn't come too close into the centre with all its seams, but one which would pick out the centre star.

Love it. Maybe it will have to go on my "to do" list, along with all the others. Or, maybe Di will make me one?

Enjoy

Belinda

Redwork quilt - done in greens

I finished this beauty a year or so ago but found the pics on my computer this morning whilst looking for more quilts to post. I have been busy doing "non-publishable" quilts, so am a little light on with stuff to show.

Anyway, this was done by Margaret in Sydney, and is a pattern by Tita Leach called "Redwork Quilt". If anyone wants to purchase the pattern, let me know and I'll pass on Tita's email.

It has houses, mushrooms, snails, frogs flowers and they are all stitched beautifully and all the greens work so well. Very scrummy.

I quilted it on both the statler and freehand, with an Anne Bright design in the outside borders. It has SID around the applique and in the ditches, with fillers where needed. The background fabric is like a linen and was very easy to stitch with.

I also found about 600 pics of a bionicle battle which occurred on my front verandah...

Enjoy

Belinda