Wednesday 3rd August, 2011

Before I make up the tale of our August get-together I would like to remind everyone of the Mornington Peninsula Quilters Guild’s Exhibition – details as follows:

1st weekend in September – Saturday and Sunday from 10am at Toorak College, Mt. Eliza.

Great items for sale as well.

Now to our day at Carrum Downs -

What a gorgeous day it was – Spring visited Melbourne that week and the sunshine brought out much frivolous behaviour – yes, we sure had a fun day.

The trading table was full of special treats, with both Maggie and Laurel on the move – luckily not too far, so they can still join us at our monthly debaucheries.

 

A few pics of the happy crowd.

 

Front and back of Hermione’s quilt. She said that she didn’t remember making it when she was so ill last year – but found it in her UFO pile and quilted it (beautifully, of course), Naturally approximately half of us claimed that we had made it, but as Hermione says “Finders keepers”.

Ramona made this lovely specimen “Hills and Mountains” using 60 degree triangles for her twin sister Rose. Love the fabrics used.

Here Wyn (the good looking one) and myself hold up some beautiful fabric, which my friend Belinda and I stretched on to canvas (those who want to hear a record number of swear words are welcome to the DVD of this process for a mere cost of $99.99). I bought the fabric at the Kiama shop hop and loved it so much, I couldn’t bear to cut it up. I have plans for them.

 

Dianne M. has started a sewing group at her Church. 14 women turned up on the first day – which was a great success. Here are the first two projects she had them make – name tags (very useful) as well as mug rugs (also very useful). Good luck with your group Di!

 

Here Sally proudly (ok , there was a bit of persuasion) shows us her first Dear Jane triangle. Only how many more to go???

 

A very warm welcome to Deidre who joined us this month – she brought along a beautiful stitchery bag and is currently working on this beautiful flower stitchery. Too clever!!

Wyn brought back this striking panel back from Tanzania and has incorporated it in this beautiful quilt. Wyn is kindly donating it to the church organisation which organised the Tanzanian trip. The binding, strips and flying geese used the challenge fabric from the Bendigo Retreat Committee’s annual weekend of fun and frivolity and occasionally planning! 2013 here we come.

 

Jennifer with yet another of her beautiful applique blocks – she is making them up as she goes along – not, as I wrongly (spank me! spank me!) wrote last month, doing a BOM from Anne Marie's store in Mentone.

 

What a fast worker! Julie, who joined us last month, borrowed a book from our great library and promptly made this magnificent table runner from a pattern in the book, Great work Julie – keep it up and we’ll have you organising the Christmas Party.

Pam purchased this panel as an outlined picture and has appliqued in her usual incomparable manner, a beautiful quilt top.

Laurel – and her beautiful version of block three of “Down in the Garden”. Love the colours she has chosen – don’t know why she is working on it sideways though.

 

Lovely Louise and her blocks for this year’s “Quilt for a Cause” – every year Moda Fabrics owner brings out a collection of reproduction fabrics to match antique quilts called “Collection for a Cause” – with proceeds going to charities. Looking at these fabrics makes one want to check it out on the Moda website. Great work, as always Louise.

Sandra working on her beautifully coloured Pies and Tarts quilt – pattern from (excuse guessing but I cannot read my scribble) Sue Dally? Daffy? Daily"? Sorry Sue – I do love your patterns.

Fran, firstly a beautiful cushion from a workshop with Leesa Siegel and secondly, a memory quilt she made for her mother’s 80th birthday some years ago. She asked family members to contribute to make a wonderful quilt which has become a memorial to her mother.

Ginny made this lovely stitcher’s pocket from a “Leanne’s House” pattern. A beautiful pattern and such lovely work. I was lucky enough to purchase this pattern from the trading table – next project??

Before I sign off, I am sure all of us who knew Anjii Solomon were shocked and saddened by her sudden death wish her a peaceful rest now.

Your roving reporter,

Helen Evans

Wednesday 6th July 2o11

I could go into great detail as to why our blog is late this month – I could mention that I downloaded the photos and then lost them in the computer, then DH found them for me, so  have decided I will take him to the Townsville retreat next year – then I posted the whole blog for July , complete with brilliant comments and lots of photos, then the blog for July disappeared – but I’ll spare you all the waffling and I won’t mention any of that….
So here at last is our Carrum Downs report (without brilliant comments as I have forgotten them by now) for July.
It was a dark and stormy night….oops wrong blog! It was a frigid winters day actually, but we were warm and snug in our special room ( yes Virginia I know it has padded walls, but that is for a very good reason).

Here we are – going about our business – which is talking, eating and stitching.
I should mention that earlier this year we  had a special day where a number of us worked on the Bedford Mystery Quilt – see previous month’s reports for photos of finished quilts. This quilt is designed by Leesa Siegel and the fabrics she chooses are just fantastic. We are planning on doing it again next year and if we get 15 or more participants, Leesa will come over and give us the benefit of her experience for the day. This would be wonderful – so please let us know if you are interested in joining us for this great and worthwhile project – the Bedford foundation helps disabled children in South Australia.
And here we have a ovely lot of show and tell:

This great mug bag pattern is available from our Sandra’s Shop – Foothills Fabric and Threads  http://foothillsfabricandthreads.typepad.com/
for $5 – all proceeds going to Cancer research.


This is Pam’s hand pieced Dear Jane quilt top, which is VERY near completion. Pam’s work is just brilliant, as always and I am sure that we will see the finished quilt next month.


Robyn bought a $10 fabric pack from Leesa Chandler’s new Australian range of fabrics a couple of months ago and made THREE lovely items with the pack. What great value. Two are pictured here. The wall- hanging was also beautifully quilted with gum leaves and the sewing roll is just exquisite.


Here are two very pretty stitchery WIPs. The one with the heart is being done by Ginny – she got it at a special sewing day with Leanne Beasley and Rosalie Quinlan in the Yarra Valley. And the lovely Christmas redwork is the gorgeous work of Maggy.

Fran was working on a wall hanging for the Dog Rescue centre. A cocker spaniel and three other dogs. The picture didn’t work (our photographer Ramona sends her regards from the Gulag), but I am sure we will get to see it when it is finished – perhaps next month.


Here we have a fabulous “I spy” quilt for young Phoenix, made by Jo – whose quilts always have that special something – and this one is no exception. He is a very lucky boy.


Sylvia Cynthia has made these delightful place mats, with matching mug rugs, and what a pretty choice of fabrics.


Hermione’s “Toothbrush Rug” took us all back in time to when our mothers/grandmothers had one of these at the kitchen sink or the back door. They are so named because the designer originally used to toothbrush to join all the fabrics together – now there is a special tool – of course we all wanted one, and if you do too, the details are here: http://www.auntphillys.com/


What, you may ask is this? Well, it is in fact a beautiful scarf. Made by Wyn or was it Bar??? Hard to tell because there was a lot of knitting going on with various lessons and serious knitting taking place. The kits for these are available from Lincraft for $10. Instructions are on the Lincraft website – it is a fascinating method of putting the scarf together and I almost wished that I knitted myself.

Jennifer brought along this magnificent block from a BOM at Anne Marie’s shop in Mentone. The fabrics are striking and go together brilliantly. I THINK that the other picture if of Jennifer working on another block – but it could be Alison (who surprised us by turning up from Singapore for the day – and a lovely surprise it was!)


This beautiful scrap quilt was made by a very welcome new member – Julie joined us for the first time and impressed us greatly with her work on this quilt, which she machine quilted herself and her husband made the Perspex templates for the quilt as well.
As well as Julie Frances joined us for the first time as well – so welcome Frances too.


A Christmas star decoration – made by me. It was very easy and a lot of fun putting it together.


And, for no reason at all, here are three of our animals. Simba the cat, Milo the dog and Elizabeth the daughter hiding in the background!
That is all for July – see you all on Wednesday August 3rd.
from your roving reporter,
Helen Evans
Devon Meadows, Vic

Wednesday 1st June 2011

Finally I 've got the photos up for our June meeting. It was the first day of winter, the sun trying to warm us a little, but not having much luck. But is was beautiful and warm in our room at the Lyrebird Community Centre. With our roving reporter Helen in need of rest and attending to family matters, I was the apprentice for the day. (thanks Fran for taking notes while I took photos)

Laurel's version of Leanne's House BOM Down in the Garden.

 Rose made this Chickidee Quilt. It represents her girlfriends who surrounded her during her time of of need.

 Rose also had this stunning quilt, they've called the Doctors Wife, as it belonged to a Doctors wife some 60 years ago. It was given to one of Rose's friends who had it in her garage for 40 odd years and she passed it on to Rose 10 years ago to finish. ( I think I have that sort of correct?)

 Virginia started this quilt waaaaaay back in 1998 and completed earlier this year, a workshop at the QuiltersBarn, it's a Mary Ellen Hopkins Row X Row.

Sue is doing the McKenna Ryan BOM Faith Hope Love

 Sue also made this stunner of a table runner from Beautiful Botanicals, for a friend of her DH. This friend is meeting with his childhood sweetheart, from Poland(?) and this is a gift for her. (If you've seen Postcards from Juliet this is the same story)

Fran's blocks from her class with Lessa Seigal

Bar's on going hexagons

Sally has put all her Dear Jane blocks together. Just gorgeous. Commenced in 2003, she now moves onto the border triangles.

Some beautiful fabric art from Wyn's recent trip to Tanzania.

 Here we have Wyn modelling her stunning 'Kanga'.

These beautiful fabrics were donated by Wyn as a lucky door prize - the winner was Fran

Cheryl Billing Smith dropped in these are Carol Beattie Mug bags, and also spoke to us about some classes coming up in term 3 in Frankston. (apologies, but details fail me!!) 

We had the pleasure of having the second Traveling  Suitcase - Jasmine.
These art quilts a just fabulous.

 Till next time, when the fabulous Helen returns.

Take Care, Happy stitching and stay warm

Ramona

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