Eye candy at the Ballan Quilt Show

So much to show you from the Ballan Quilt and Craft show this weekend. This is Helga's Sunbonnet Sue quilt (I snapped this picture for Rosie)...

The theme for the show was The Circus. I just had to show you all the props on display....

I have no idea where they got a carousel horse from!

This is the entrance to the display. How special!!

These screens were especially painted...

I had to show you this quilt.. just stunning.

Andrea just finished this quilt in time for the show!!

This is one of 3 quilts made with a very traditional look... I couldn't resist snapping all of them. Would you believe they are all made by the same man (Neil)?? He used machine blanket-stitch, then had them professionally quilted.
Correction -Bernadette left me a message after seeing this post: Neil quilted this four-block quilt himself. Thanks for the tip Bernadette. I whizzed past some of the labels too quickly and jumbled up the info.

I love this Dorothy fabric. Doesn't the rainbow really stand out?

This Baltimore is another Neil quilt... just gorgeous.

I like this strippy stars quilt - I can see myself making it with repro fabrics.

Another Neil applique quilt...

These lollipops were made from fabric - part of the circus-theme atmosphere.

What a stunning quilt!! I just had to share it with you...

I hope you feel as inspired as I do!!

Piecing the Past

Still working on this quilt, but I need to get the quilt top finished by the 30th March. Let's see how I go!!

This is the sashing.

I needed to un-applique a few leaves to avoid sewing them into a seam. They will need to be re-appliqued after the outer sashing is added.

I love seeing the quilt blocks (now the centre of a quilt top) on this screen. Seeing them reduced in size brings out a lot of detail.

Ooh! I love this quilt already!

1950s quilt top completed!!

Woohoo!! I've got another quilt top to give to Mum!! I really wanted to give these 1950s stitcheries the right look. I think the spot fabric is perfect! But, it needed something to break up the great expanse of blue.

I added the appliqued aprons (with cherries on), and then little bunches of cherries floating about.

I framed the centre in a cherry coloured fabric, and then added ric-rac across the quilt.

All I need to do is scallop the edge when it is quilted, and bind it in the same cherry red as the centre frame.

I am really looking forward to a few finished items this year...

Now my arm is sore...

There are 156 leaves on this block so far... I need to add a few more, but I will wait to determine the exact edge fo the block - some might need to hang over the block into the sashing. Would you believe I have another block to work on for this quilt? It's okay, it's not quite as big - only about 50 leaves on it...

My arm is sore though, I only hope I don't aggravate it by playing bowls tomorrow..

Guarding the eggs...

The nest is now guarded...

Not by my foot which seems to have made its way into this photo... but by the bird at the top!

I am really loving the way the colours are coming out in the applique now... such a pretty rainbow of colours, without being overly bright.

There are still more leaves to go however... my arm is getting a little sore - probably all this applique.

Eggs in the nest

Rosie is quite distressed to see this block at this stage - the nest is unguarded she says. Who is looking after the eggs? This is true, although there is a bird at the bottom.... there is another bird to come. Obviously it can't sit on the nest or you can't see the eggs!!

Appliqueing the past

I am appliqueing a heck-of-a-lot of leaves onto this quilt.

This is how you last saw this block (above)....

and this is how it looks now...

I need to stop here and wait for some more fabrics to arrive....

Hmm.. doesn't the carpet look nice behind this? Whoops! LOL!