All Things Miniature

I finally have some good news on the UFO front!   It's been a struggle but I have a completion!!!

It's been a year,  but now it's done!   I created this little quilt after I had been playing around with pincushions and just seemed to keep going!   See post dated 26 February 2011.

I loved doing these little blocks which are from Carol Doak's book "300 Paper Pieced Blocks".   I had enough pincushions for the time being so I thought, well, make a quilt!   I also had some charm squares which were perfect as they had just the right amount of fabric to use in these 4"x 4" blocks!

I didn't do anything too fancy with the quilting, just stitch in the ditch.  I find with these small blocks it is best to highlight the mosiac effect of these designs,  I did some free motion quilting on the border fabric, which I found quite by accident, it is just quirky enough but not too overwhelming to frame the framed blocks!!  I think it looks happy enough!

I really love working with small pieces, especially foundation paper pieced blocks.  I love the intricacy, and I don't mind fiddling around and fussy cutting to get the effect I am after!

A couple of years ago I was involved in a swap on Carol Doak's yahoo group  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarolDoakQuiltingGroup/#ans  which featured Potted Posey Blocks.   I made 12 blocks and received 12 in return from different members.   I made up a small wall-hanging with them, they are quite cute!

These blocks are 2"x 7", I arranged them in a pleasing way and I now have this delightful Spring Thing LOL!

I was then inspired to make something similiar for my Mother for Christmas and came up with this cushion.

I  was able to use some of my tiniest little left-overs, which is why I never throw anything away if I can get a seam allowance around it!

I made this little Japanese cushion for some friends to go with their Japanese quilt.   I was quite new at Foundation Paper Piecing and at the time didn't realise that I did the pattern back to front, hence the kimonos closing from left to right, instead of right to left!   Needless to say I never made that mistake again LOL, I don't think my friends were too worried, they just loved it!   I bought the pattern at a Sydney Quilt Show!

My only other completed miniature is another Carol Doak pattern for a table-topper.   This one now lives with my brother and his family in New Zealand.

Now these pieces really are small!! From memory it finished at around 24" 24".  I love the range of fabric plus a few extras I found for this quilt.
It's supposed to be Christmas in theme, but I guess you could have it on the table at other times as well!!

You may remember I made a mug bag earlier this month (post dated 17 April), if anyone is interested in this pattern you will find it here:
http://nzjo.blogspot.com/2006/08/cq-origami-pouch.html

As you can see the original design is a crazy patchwork square, which looks quite beautiful!  I used two squares at 24"x 24".  You can make it any size you wish as long as the two squares are square, ie if you want a smaller one you could try 18"x 18".    Here is the inside fabric I used.

This pattern lends itself to any theme fabric you wish, Oriental, Bright, Reproduction, Contemporary, they would all look great!

I now have another UFO awaiting its birth LOL, I don't know where they all come from I'm sure!!!

Have a great rest of the week, another weekend upon us soon enough!!

Thankyou for dropping by and I really do appreciate your comments!!

Happy sewing!!

Merilyn

ANZAC Day 2011

Another weekend and another lovely block from Barbara Brackman.   This block is called Comfort Quilt and how appropriate that is coincides with Anzac Day.  

I used purple and khaki this week, I recently bought this purple (Jo Morton) because I want to broaden the colour range in these blocks.   I had the khaki and then needed a sympathetic shirting, after a dig around in some long forgotten pieces I found just the perfect one that had both these colours, whew!!  that was lucky!!!

As I said this is an appropriate block for this weekend especially here in Australia and New Zealand as we are remembering the fallen soldiers who fought at Gallipoli 96 years ago!  An event that saw the birth of the Anzac spirit.  

As it happens my mother's family have two fallen soldiers who were with the New Zealand Army Corp,  Trooper Frank Woodhouse who died at Gallipoli and Rifleman John Willian O'Leary who died in the Somme in France.  They are my great-great uncles!

New Zealand and Australia are two countrys that have a very unique bond!

During wartime women have always delivered comfort where they can.   Nursing, and providing for the basic necessities such as bedding and warm clothes.

This Log Cabin Quilt was made during the 1940's out of wool scraps including from army uniforms, hand pieced, tied and stuffed with an army blanket.

This is one of the many quilts featured in quilt historian Annette Gero's book, "The Fabric of Society - Australia's Quilt Heritage from Convict Times to 1960".

 

A Crimean War Quilt from the collection of the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

This is a World War II Signature Quilt made by the Red Cross Durie Hill Sub Centre and the Wanganui Women's Club, New Zealand.

The last two photos come from a book called "Warm Heritage - Old Patchwork Quilts and Coverlets in New Zealand and the Women Who Made Them"  by quilt historian Pamela Fitz Gerald.

Both Annette's and Pamela's books contain a chapter on wartime quilts and are a part of ordinary women's history during wartime.

Sadly Pamela passed away last December.   There was an article about her and her contribution to New Zealand's quilting heritage in the latest 'New Zealand Quilter' magazine.

I received this copy in the mail a few days ago.

I have been working on a Civil War Needle Case for my partner in North Carolina.   I belong to Kathy Tracey's yahoo group SmallQuiltTalk.   We put our names forward to do a Needle Case swap and were assigned partners with whom we will exchange our Needle Cases.   There are members from many different countries and it will be so nice to see what everyone has made.   There was no set pattern so I created my own taking ideas from several different needle keeps/cases I have seen.  

It is completed now so I'll be able to show you after everyone gets theirs!

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

This Ode comes from 'For the Fallen' a poem by the English poet & writer Laurence Binyon, it has been used in association with commemoration services in Australia since 1921.

Thankyou for dropping by.

Merilyn 

Autumn Days at Last!

I do prefer to be warmer than cold!   but I have to say it is so nice to experience cooler weather now that Autumn has finally arrived!  

As has become my usual habit of late my Sunday morning was taken up putting together Barbara Brackman's latest BOW.   Another easy one!   I wait gingerly hoping it won't be one that will make my head spin with math calculations!



This one was a no brainer!!

The girls in my Quiltbee group have been making small bags to put their cups in.   A mug-bag!  It can be any small draw-string affair, padded or not to bring your own mug to class or sew-in!  

I have been wanting to make a mug-rug for the longest time and this provided me with the excuse to make one to go with the bag!

I first had to decide what size to make it, but then I wanted it to fit into the bag and cradle my mug, so that sort of determined the eventual size!   I wanted a block of a 'cup' or 'sewing machine'.   I checked EQ first and there it was! a great block of a sewing machine so I printed off the foundation pattern at 5"x5".

I then found some flying geese which I had to stretch long-wise to go on the sides.   I used some of the fabric ("Zen floral")  from the mug-bag plus a few from the same line (Makower UK) and some solids that matched!  Finished size:  9 1/2" x 5 1/2".   The batt I used is a fairly dense, stiff batt especially for bags or table runners, place-mats etc.   Easy to sew through!

I decorated my little draw-string bag with some beads (they are fixed to a ribbon and used for lamp-shades), which I thought would cheer it up a bit!

Now of course I couldn't use just any old mug LOL!  so off I went to the local kitchen-ware store and took with me a swatch of fabric (as you do!!! LOL) to find a mug that would go with the fabric - makes perfect sense to me!!    I found a dear little mug (by Australian designer Nicola Cerini) that matched perfectly!

So now I can take my own mug to our next Quiltbee group and carry it safely!!

Last week I visited Teresta's blog.   http://allthingsvintage-teresa.blogspot.com/

She featured some beautiful old wedding photos from her family - great-grandparents.   I wrote and told her I had an old wedding photo of my great-grandparents as well, and that my G/G-M wore a black wedding dress.  She had not heard of that before.  Neither had I really, but a little bit of research revealed that white wedding dresses did not become a popular option until around 1840.   Apparently prior to the Victorian era brides married in any colour,  it seems that black was popular in Scandinavia.  Black was also a practical colour as it was easier to keep a black dress looking clean, especially around the hem edges.

My great-grandparents were married in New Zealand, they are my mother's paternal grand-parents!

The photo was obviously black and white and has been hand painted!

While on the subject of old photos, this next one is a picture of my mother's maternal grand-mother, my other great-grandmother!

Oh my! those corsets!!!  Sure glad we don't have to string ourselves up in these before we go to work of a morning!!! LOL!

I'm still working on another UFO, hopefully we'll see some light at the end of the tunnel soon!!!

Have a great week everyone, keep those fingers busy!!!


Merilyn



A UFO finally emerges!

This weeks' CW BOW was a treat to make!   I am thoroughly enjoying these weekly delights!

I had a lot of fun selecting my fabrics, although it may be time to put them altogether and see what I have actually used, I may need to add a few more colours into the mix!

A couple of weeks ago we did the Blue Basket block, it was always my intention to add a handle to the basket!   Finally done!   I'm happy with how it turned out!

Now the block looks complete!!

I've had a busy few weeks doing QAYG blocks for the Qld and Chch disaster projects.   But I really needed to get a wiggle-on and try to get a few UFO's completed.

A quilt top lay hidden under a pile of other UFO's for 7 years (I thought it was 8, but then I checked my records, whew! not as bad as I thought!! but bad enough LOL!).

For a while I was really into Australian Indigenous prints, they were hard to resist really as the fabrics were just so wonderfully colourful, the prints exciting and bold.

And they were Australian!  designs created by Indigenous Australians.   Like this piece!

I had purchased a book which gave me some great ideas on how to use these wonderful fabrics.

"A World of Quilts" by Beth Ann Williams, 10 projects using ethnic fabrics, 2003.

When I opened this page, I just had to make it!

I had collected quite a bit of fabric so it was a great choice.   I added another border as I wanted a larger quilt, and had just the perfect fabric for it.

Unfortunately the photo doesn't really do the fabrics justice, it is much richer!   I think the overhead lighting makes it look a bit washed out!   It measures approx 1.60m (64") wide and 2.00m (68") long.

This is the back.

I just love the snake prints, they are my favourite!!!   I pieced it in April 2004, prepared the backing, binding and batt and folded it up and neglected it completely....until now!!!  

I had no idea at the time how I was going to quilt it, I think that was probably the stumbling block, but now that I have access to a long-arm quilting service from a local lady, who does a great job,  I'm now retrieving long forgotten treasures!

A couple of close-ups shots taken outside, where the quilting can be seen more clearly in the dappled sunlight!

I made another quilt using these type of fabrics, it is more square approx 2.00m.sq.   It will be seeing the long-arm quilter too! but it's a couple of years younger than this one!!!  

New Zealand's Maori art and design has also been captured on fabric so several years ago I decided to buy a kit from NZ.   I don't usually buy kits as I find the fabric cuts can be a bit lean,  but I thought I'd give it a go!  (If you look closely you can see where I had to add a darker piece to complete the binding on the top of the wall-hanging - and I'm a very careful cutter!).

The pattern is called "Kowhaiwhai", which in Maori means 'visual art', 'pattern' or 'design'.   It was a design by Libby Shallard, Rotorua, NZ, 2002.

I really loved this design, it also incorporated a lot of new techniques for me such as using fusible webbing, machine applique, some fabric weaving (representative of flax weaving for baskets or mats) and creating that iconic NZ fern, which took a bit of thinking through to get the result I was after.

I love the 'koru' as well, the pattern that represents the unfurled coils of the New Zealand fern fronds, which is used in a lot of Maori art works, jewellery and carving!

I used a mixture of hand quilting and machine work, but mostly hand quilting in the central part of the wall-hanging.

I took my time with this one as well!  I started it in 2006 but didn't get it completed until April 2008.
It now hangs in my living room.   (I'm beginning to see a pattern here! LOL,  April must be a good month for me to finish things.....)

I'm generally a traditionalist and like old style prints, both English and American, but there is something nice about these Indigenous designs, and I appreciate their organic beauty, both from my birth country and my adopted country!

I hope you all have a safe, happy week and am able to keep your sewing machine company for some of the time!!! 

Thankyou for dropping by,

Take care,
Merilyn

A Little Progress!

Another wonderful and pleasing design from Barbara Brackman this weekend.   The math was easy with this one, a no brainer!!!!

I love this red print!   It is an old one by Jo Morton, 'Jo's Little Women'.   I had some of this several years ago and recently discovered I could get more from my favourite quilt shop in Brisbane, so I ordered some.   There was also some available in the blue colourway, so I got some of that too!!!

A little while back Mayleen from http://www.qisforquilt.blogspot.com/ had a quiz and the prize was a little gift pack of Fat Quarters plus a gew goodies.   I tend to throw my hat into the ring most times but never win anything!   this time however my luck changed and I won!   

A few days ago a little box of goodies arrived!!

I loved the pink post pack! I have never seen anything like that here in Australia, ours are plain and boring!!!

As well as the FQ's, there was a cute little pair of scissors (I just love scissors!!!), some American chocolate items, different to what we get here, and a wonderful message gift card.   I love the Amish quilt picture,  it now sits in my sewing space where I can enjoy it everyday.   I love the colours, it's been a great source of inspiration already as I've been eyeing off my box of solids!!!

The fabrics are just beautiful! I will be making something very special out of these, but I will have to pat them for a while yet before I cut them up LOL!!!

I  got a couple of quilts back from my local long-arm quilter a few days ago too, whoo-hoo!!!  Leanne did a great job as always!!!    I put the binding on the child's quilt, washed it, dried it on the line with the little bit sunshine that was carefully dished out yesterday in between the showers and now it is ready to send to Jan at OzComfort quilts to be sent on to Christchurch!    http://ozcomfortquilts.blogspot.com/

The girls in my Quiltbee group have also been very generous and have made more QAYG blocks, the latest contributions came from Marian and Ethel.   Some have children's prints, I also added a few more using left-over kid's prints.

All up so far, including the panel quilt, we have made enough blocks for around 5 quilts, not a bad effort from our Quiltbee group!!!



I have a dog tale to tell you!   It's a nice story and although the following picture is not the actual dog it looks exactly the same!

Last weekend, Saturday morning, I had to drive across to the next rural village to the local Butchers to get some supplies for me,  my two dogs and 1 cat!

On the way home I came across a small dog on the road, it looked as though he was wanting to play, but winding rural roads are definitely not safe places for young dogs to play.   I pulled over, stopped and tried to get him to come to me, after a bit of cajoling he trusted me enough to be patted, I grabbed him, checked him over and although he had a collar he had no ID on him at all.  

At the same time a local farmer had turned up in his vehicle, he told me that this dog had been on the road several times before and lived at a nearby house, he knew the number and phoned but there was no answer.
I got the number from him, and took the dog home with me!   He seemed quite happy to ride in the car (with me the dog napper!!!)  (I've picked up a few dogs like this over the years!!!)

I finally got hold of the lady who owned him (she had been out).   She told me that 'Dubbs' (a pug/cavalier cross)  had been given to her, and she couldn't keep him (she also had to move in the next couple of weeks).   She had two small boys to care for as well.   I took 'Dubbs' back to her house and we spoke at length.   She was a nice young woman who's circumstances clearly could not include the care of this dear, friendly little dog!

I made a phonecall to a woman I know in town who owns a Pet Supply store, she also takes in  strays, abandoned and surrendered animals.   She said this little dog was very rehouseable and would take him in.
I left the young mother with this information and returned home, hoping she would follow through and do the right thing by 'Dubbs'.

I thought about 'Dubbs' all week, and on Friday last, while I was doing my weekly shop, I dropped into the Pet Supply store to see if 'Dubbs' had indeed been surrendered.  

When I walked in I immediately saw 'Dubbs' in an enclosed area of the shop, he was his usual friendly little self, enjoyed a pat and some attention!  I asked the girl in the shop about 'Dubbs', and told her I rescued him from the road.   She said he was about to go home with his new owner!!!   I spoke with the new owner and told her 'Dubbs' story, she was very excited to be taking this delightful little fellow home, (with a fully fenced yard!), where he would have the company of another dog and her little boy!!!  I also noticed that he had been licking himself and there were stitches, so poor old 'Dubbs' (17months old) had had his little operation as well!!!  

No more wandering the roads looking for company and fun, and hopefully he will have a full and loved life with his new family!!!

I was so pleased that the outcome for this little dog was a good one, and the string of events that led to his new home had several twists and turns.   I was also pleased my timing could not have been better,  had it been a few minutes later I would have missed seeing him again and meeting his new owner!!

I like stories with happy endings, don't you!!!

I have one more quilt to bind, a UFO with a very long history!!!   That will be another post!!!

Have a great week everyone!!!

Merilyn