Quilty Happenings

Enough about me and my quilts...

You know, some things just quietly sneak up on you.  Cath, one of my illustrious partners in crime at Material Obsession has steadily been making Starting Blocks for over a year.  This is a persistent task that means she is always snooping around looking to see what everyone is loving at the minute and taking that concept into an easily doable small sized project that just might...most definately...be a starting block for something fantastic!   These projects over time have covered applique, template blocks, string piecing, Amish style, paper piecing and lots in between. But now... for something completely different we have Still Life...one of my new favourtit themes and beautifully executed by Cath...

Free from tedious rules about how, where, why? Cath has just made.  Using one of our favourite staples, Cloth, as a background, and our other staple...an unending supply of scraps, Cath has produced this vase and flowers for our Starting Block participants this month.  While in preparation we have had people walk by and grab kits so we made some extras which are available while stocks last!  But don't worry, they may sell out but there is more where that came from!!!

 

I have been seeing lots of wonderful work at the shop lately and also in emails.  Just one of the fabulous aspects of my life is that I can live vicariously through all of my quilting buddies near and far.  Such fodder for the imagination.  We have a class called Liberated Quilts which is based on the funtastic Collaborative Quilting books by Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran. 

This year Wendy Wilson has been leading the class through their stashes and now the fruits of their labor is starting to appear.  We will be carring this fun class forward into the new year and hope you might bring your stash bits along and join us for some fun.

One wonderful chook at time and several carefully pieced wonky borders and Deidre has a nearly finished quilt top full of character and appeal.  These quilts draw us in due to their random nature but don't be fooled as there is a lot of work here and many decisions have been made to make it what it is today.  It is off to be quilted now and hopefully back in time to be displayed at Swap Day!!!!

In another corner and in the throws of wedding date deadlines is Miga working on an enlarged version of Marquee Diamonds!!! Give this gal credit as she puts the sewing pedal foot to the medal to get this quilt to the church on time!!!  It is big and it is beautiful and we are all encouraging the diagonal rows to come together in good time!  Easy is one thing, big is another.

In our "beginner" category we have some samplers being finished in classes.  Each one as different as can be.  This has a nice soft palette and yet the contrast is working to show off the variety of blocks.  We steered away from sampler quilts at the start but have returned to the concept that a nice simple sampler is a great way to learn a variety of techniques one step at a time.  We offer this as a block of the month as well using only Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

This month they have an Ohio Star and some Flying Geese whirling their way to post boxes!  The Kaffe Sampler is a good way for participants  to learn about using colour (near and far away) while not stumbling too much on construction. 

Here is another Sampler with a touch, assembled with straight sashing and triangle borders...not such a good photo but a nice colour combination.

Deidre has finished this Dinozag quilt for one of her grandsons.  Quilted with many needles in no time at all it is now nearly ready to be handed over.  I particularly like the "dinosaur" egg print which makes a surprising appearance at one end!

Then from over the river and far away lives a quilter named Margret Allen.  She is a regular in the mail order box.  Here is her version of Hot Tamale...a bright and wonderful pattern for lovers of colour!

Last year Margarat joined me in Wellington for Soul Searching....which by the way is on again next year and I'll be there again so if you are in New Zealand book plans for Wellington the first weekend in June!!! for Handmade.

Soul Searching is the quintessential quilt for discovering who you are and who you can be in regard to fabric selection.   There are many considered choices to be made in this quilt and although it is fun there are tough moments that lead to self discovery.  Maybe I should have called it life through stash examination.  Anyway, it is wonderful to see it finished.  I am surprised by how soft and pretty it looks but having said that there are many layers revealed...

And then, in the MAD bird category of Fly Away with Me...I have finished this month's applique block.  I have said before but it is worth repeating that I NEVER thought I would EVER do an applique block like this but I am LOVING it.  It has brought my quilting to a virtual standstill as I sit at night and do this.  Something has to give I guess.  We can't do everything.

Anyway, this little treat and the other six blocks are all packed up and ready to go out today in the post.  Not an easy task.  This block is the November Twist Again by Sue Ross.  It is an unusual block that uses a template and a bit of applique.  

This one might be a bit of relief after the star block last month!

We were there late last night but stopped mid stream for a bit of McDonalds.  Yes, we gave in the to the lure of fast, easy and expected.  Expected crispy hot chips and got them! Expected to feel gross afterwards and did.  However, there are just some times after a busy day or working the brain that the quick fix is required.  I have to say it was heaven but now I must go for a run...payback is a you know what!

It's been a busy week as per usual full of visual delight.   We are very busy getting class schedule information together for next year which is promising to be a very year full of one word...CREATE!   All will be revealed as SWAP Day.  Newly added to our list of attractions is Saffron Craig!  See you all there! k

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Michele]

Wow. This post is just overloaded with great fabric eye candy. Thanks so much for sharing. It is all very inspiring.

[Anna]

just the stimulation I needed!

[Emily]

Such an inspiring post. Wish I wasn't half a world away and could visit the shop and take a few classes.

[June]

Love your new photo, Kathy. Love those quilts, too.

[linda kuhlman]

Love the twist block. where can i get pattern?

[402300572]

http://www.coachfactoryoutletstoreonlinez.net

[Coach Factory Online]

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