Beehive quilt top

My fellow Beehivers have come through for my month so amazingly!!

(Please excuse the crappy photos. My new 'baby' will be with me at the end of the week and all things photographic on this blog are sure to improve).

I asked everyone in the bee to make string blocks using a gorgeous green Kaffe shot cotton through the centres and loads of my scraps everywhere else.

I also requested each person to contribute a scrap or 2 from her own stash to make it a truly communal quilt.

I'm still considering adding to the border with more scraps. (I've run out of the green and I'm not allowed to buy any more!) What do you think? It is currently 53 inches square(ish).

Either way, I'm so excited to get this one quilted and bound.
This has been my first quilting bee and I have so enjoyed the process of creating these beautiful communal quilts.

Hope you are having a great week.

Andi :-)

Different sized bums

... make different sized bags.

Andi :-)

Turning Japanese

My mum came with me over a year ago to the Melbourne quilt expo and bought a quilt kit that she fell in love with.
I promised way back then to make it for her, and I've FINALLY made a start ...

I've finished the quilt top and just need to select a backing and get quilting.

It will be given in a few weeks as a house warming gift when my parents move in to their new home.

Hope you are having a great Thursday.

Andi :-)

Grinner

I'm a winner AND a grinner!!!

It has been a great mail week.

From top left corner:

• My first purchase of a clothing pattern. I have admired this reversible coat ever since Amy Butler released her 'Love' fabric line and it appeared in the promotional material. The pattern has only just been released and I'm going to attempt my first proper garment. Wish me luck!!
• An oinky brooch that I won over at Cath's for admitting that I love bacon ... even though my rabbi might disapprove. Thanks Cath!! Here's a better photo ...

• A twirly dress made for my princess by this crafty princess. It was a little swap we arranged and her princess will receive a rather pink cushion with her name written all over it!! Thanks Kate. Ella is twirling all over the place!!  :-)
• My copy of the latest Mixtape magazine. Full of wonderful articles and how-to's. Unfortunately, this may well be the last Mixtape published due to Justine's new and rather busy family life. But I hear whispers of something exciting coming to replace the gap left by this wonderful publication. Can't wait to find out all about it!!
• And last (but certainly not least) some yummy kona solid fabrics. Now don't jump up and down about me breaking my fabric buying embargo. I WON it!! Thanks so much Dana and Fabric Shoppe  for this yummy little bundle.

And another thing keeping me grinning this week .... we took our kids to see snow for the very first time.
It was so magical watching them discover the fun to be had!

But I must say, I could use some warmer weather. I'm SO over the cold.

Wishing you a sunny day!

Andi :-)

Flickr faves

1. "Riot of Passion" patchwork skirt, 2. My First Quilt, 9-patch, 3. details - pink balloon, 4. liberty of london quilt top, 5. summer.nothing, 6. Sunny Squares Quilt, 7. In progress..., 8. "Huckleberry" Modern Baby Quilt, 9. back & edging, 10. Joseph's Coat Pillow in progress, 11. Uncle Albert Quilt, 12. Quick Change Trousers, 13. New Quilt Top!, 14. Doll Quilt Swap 6, 15. dotty, 16. Close up

Down Under Doll Quilt Swap

Clever Kate has organised a wonderful group of local quilt makers into the first Down Under Doll Quilt Swap.

I have been itching to show you what I made but had to wait until my quilt was received by the secret recipient.

It has now been received so I can safely show you the little quilt I made for Fi.

We were all asked to indicate the sort of things we like / dislike so our partners could make us something to suit our tastes.

Fi wrote:

• likes:  florals, dots, fresh bright fabrics, 30's repro, hexagons.
• dislikes: brown, earthy tones
• color pref: reds, greens, blues, yellows, purples

Here is what I made ....

I call it "Fi's Garden - A family portrait".
You see, Fi is not only a fabulous crafter, pattern maker, blogger, etc .... she is also a wife, mother to 5 delicious little people, and keeper of a large menagerie of 4 and 2 legged creatures.
Basically .... she's BUSY!!!

This little quilt, (with 3D hexagon flowers), shows a busy family of flowers, all growing together in the same sunny patch of earth. 2 big flowers looking over the 5 little ones. Each flower unique, yet each sharing at least one thing in common with the next flower. Each of the little flowers 'inheriting' at least one thing from each of the big flowers. A floral family!!

I popped a label on the back. with binding to match the quilt binding ...

Enjoy, Fi!!!

Love,
Andi x

The Craft Room

I had such a lovely morning teaching my first class for the Craft Room today.

I was so chuffed that Lynne asked her husband to attend the class as her birthday gift!
Just look at the gorgeous quilted cushion cover she made for her little neice ...

Beautiful work Lynne.
(And a big Happy Birthday for tomorrow!!)

More places available for my class (and others) here.

We'd love to see you!!

Andi :-)

One reason that I love hand quilting

.... is the wonderful selection of colours I'm using at the moment ...

All purchased from Amitie ... the happiest land of all!

Have a great week.
Andi :-)

Wobots and Wockets

For a new baby boy called ....

The backing is a snuggly flanellette and the request for the binding was satin so he can rub it on his nose for comfort.

It's a fairly small quilt .... 24 inches x 34 inches.

Fabrics purchased at the last Amitie sale. Missed it? There's another one tomorrow!!!!

Have fun shopping. I live vicariously through you, due to my current fabric diet.   :-(

Andi  :-)

Wordless Wednesday

Another sample for class

This time, the actual size students will be making.

Thought I'd make it work on my couches at home so it can be loved after the classes have finished.

 Have a stitchin' day.

Andi :-)

SUCH a lovely day!!!

My new friend Clair has a very indulgent husband. She has pretty much taken over EVERY room in their house with her fabric (puts my stash to SHAME), sewing machines, general crafting paraphernalia and her whopping big industrial quilting machine ....

Clair very kindly invited me over to have a play on her machine and today was the big day.
But before I tell you about the actual quilty bit ... just have a look at the view from Clair's machine. She lives in the most gorgeous leafy part of Melbourne (even if it is a HUGE shlep from my place).

So anyway, I started with a bit of a practice which was an excellent idea because this is seriously different to quilting on a domestic machine. Takes a bit of time to get the feel of it.

Here's my practice piece:

And here I am at the machine trying to look like I know what I'm doing:

(Can you see Clair's husband Kevin in the background? He spent his whole work day putting up with the whir of the machine which is pretty loud. He really is a good'un).

This is the actual quilt I worked on today:

It's Maddie's quilt and I think she'll really like it once it is all bound and finished.

I quilted it with big loopy flowers a-la Oh Frannson but with extra curly swirly bits in between the flowers.

I haven't taken a good shot of the actual quilting yet (it's night time now and the light is impossible) so I'll get it all bound and finished then show off my new found skills.

Thanks again Clair for a fabulous day!! You are a terrific teacher too!!!

Andi :-)

Flickr faves

Some online inspiration for a happy start to the week...

1. Vintage Patchwork Quilt, 2. Summer Quilt 3, 3. lay-out, 4. String Quilt, 5. Technicolor evenings quilt, 6. Denyse Schmidt Drunk Love Two Toned quilt, 7. Violet's string quilt - top finished!, 8. Owl Doll Quilt, 9. urban daydreams quilt, 10. Pretty Pink patchwork Maxi skirt, 11. Hand Quilting Tutorial 1 (maybe a different kind of quilting method?), 12. patchwork quilté poupée russe, 13. 'Florence' quilt, 14. turquoise dresser and patchwork, 15. Florence quilt on our couch, 16. large patchwork, 17. Star Quilt - Top, 18. Anna Maria Horner, 19. Summer..., 20. Block for Leanne, 21. Untitled, 22. Strips and Bricks II Quilt, 23. Lemon Squares Front, 24. Cathedral Window Quilt, 25. Denyse Schmidt KJR quilt

Andi :-)

Second time's a charm

Kate thought Jazzy might like something a little less busy than this:

.... so here's my second attempt:

Apparently this one is MUCH more her style. (Phew!! I don't know anyone else called Jazzy)

Both cushions made using the 'quilt-as-you-go' method and will be samples for my upcoming Craft Room classes.

Hope you are having a relaxing weekend.
Andi :-)