Almost Done

Phew, this 9 patch has been HARD WORK. Never ending, and all the little seam pressings in between ! I was determined to finish the top yesterday! It was over 30 Degrees outside and I was struggling. Nine o'clock last night I had it! But, the piecing is done and I just need to go around to my local quilt shop and get  more of the plain fabric for the borders. But I am happy so far.... a bit worried about some 'waves' around the outer edge, must have stretched it somehow. Hope the borders will rectify it somehow!

Long Arm Quilting Day

I have a scraps box with ....scraps collected over the past 12 or more years. I just used to move the box this way or that way, too scared to open it! Who knows what might live there! Last year my friends and I decided to do a disappearing 9 patch quilt at our monthly quilt class. K had the most beautiful Moda fabric she used to make a quilt for her 10 year old. Looked like candy!

Me?   Out came the scrap box. I decided it can stay in the box for another 12 years or I can make an ungly scrappy quilt, hence my Ugly Scrappy Picnic Quilt. I only had to by 3 Fat Q's and the border fabric in order to get it done. There is a small bit of scraps left.

I took my Ugly Scrappy Picnic Quilt to Jenelle's last week and had my second go on her quilting machine. This time I just did a freehand stipple. Now just need to do the binding and it's done!

Slowly getting there

I managed to get a few of the 9 patch blocks sashed. The quilt will have 10 blocks per row and 12  blocks going down. I was going to do just the plain homespun sashing between the rows, but as I bought a layer cake in the same fabric I might add a square in order to have a chain effect..... will show you later what I meant when it's done.

My messy dining room table as a result!

My friend and I popped in at another popular patchwork shop in Wyong today by the name of Blueberries. I bought a little Moda kit to make the Lil Zippered Purse by Vickie E and quickly whipped it up when I got home, all done in an hour. Even my two  teenagers are impressed!

Out of the Closet

This was only my second sampler quilt which I pieced 12 years ago in New Zealand when I started quilting! It was a beginners class in Palmerston North . All these years it was just sleeping on a shelf. I started quilting again last year and wanted to learn to use a longarm quilting machine this year and needed a small project to 'practice' on, so guess who came out of the closet last week?  The quilting was done using just a simple pattern to get te feel of the machine. It was good fun, and I am going back for more!

FIRST TIME Machine Quilting

Today was so exciting. I had my first attempt at quilting with a long arm quilting machine ! I did a simple scollop pattern and after a few tries , just went for it and did it . My instructor was Jenelle Kent from Pieces to Treasure, a very successful designer, teacher and patchwork shop owner. She has a beautiful cottage where you can just go and forget about the world outside and quilt! A few friends and I go once a month and it is always a pleasure.