Celebrating 20 years of quilting

Yes, that's me.

Quilting in the kitchen

New iron for Christmas after the one melted!

This year I am celebrating 20 years of making quilts!

Yes, really in the kitchen

If you ask any quilter, they will have their own story as to how they first got started... and here is mine.

I was in between university courses - having finished an Honours degree and was waiting for the Grad. Dip. Ed. to start (at the time I wanted to work as an Education Officer at the Zoo). I had six months without the Austudy supplement, and I needed an extra job for rent while I lived in a share house. I went for a job interview in South Melbourne and arrived early. While I was waiting I browsed in the newsagent across the street. And there I saw it... an issue of Naive and Country Patchwork, and I fell in love. I decided then, if I got that job I would come back to buy that magazine (I didn't even have a spare $7). I got the job. I bought the magazine with my first pay. I pored over it, I looked up quilt shops in the phone book, and I found a hand piecing class at a shop in Essendon. That was ok, I had a car and a license now, I could drive there. Mum gave me the class and the materials I needed for a special combined birthday and Christmas present. I have never looked back.

To celebrate 20 years of making quilts I hope to show you some of my pre-blog quilts during the year, I plan to challenge myself more rather than follow patterns, and I hope to make a naive and country quilt to commemorate the finding of quilting.

I am excitedly waiting for Project Quilting's first challenge item to be released. I think it's in another 12 hours, as they are 16 hours behind our time. To get ready, I finished sewing the binding on the second last runner. When the quilt shop reopens I will buy enough fabric for binding on the last one.




Not really wanting to start anything else until after Project Quilting, I have been patting this collection of fabrics all day. I found a whole 15 metre bolt of seeded muslin, 4 metres of linen blend with spots about a metre of linen blend with red flowers, a couple of waffle tea towels and fat quarters from the big sale last week.. and here they are all together with some Bronwyn Hayes stitchery patterns. I am going to work them together somehow. It will all just come together!


I will keep going with my Pears for now..... Happy New Year!

I did it!

I did it! I stuck to it, and I've finished machine stitching the six QAYG table runners!

Trois Oiseaux  (Three Birds) QAYG tablerunner

And I need to buy 10cm of fabric for the last one. It was pretty close I can tell you! But, somehow I had cut up more of the red squares than I needed (I have enough for another table runner), not yet! Not now!

I like to use the pre-printed labels to attach the label before quilting, then the label can never be removed. I usually remember, and I've even done it on 5 of the runners (not that they are likely to be stolen). It is a good practise, nobody can ever remove your information without ruining your quilt.

I enjoyed studying quilt history a few years ago, and there are so many quilts with no known story. Are you telling the story of your quilt on the label?


Keeping along with the pears, 4 calling birds is finished. A few more have been hand stitched, but I cannot cut them out yet. I've been economical with the fabric and put them close together, which means if I cut them out without stitching all of their neighbours the hoop wont fit.

Three pears so far

I have a tendency to keep projects in bags like this.

 I am often called the "bag lady" for taking so many bags around with me. I like to keep each project in its own bag. I also like to see what is in the bag. I wonder what I could make from tea towels as projects bags, maybe with a clear window. And my threads are becoming tangled. It looks like my baby boy has been into the threads, or perhaps I have dropped some, there are less colours in here than when I started...

Hmm... what to do on the sewing machine next? I might finish another Christmas project... let's have a rummage.

SEX and another runner

Hahahaha! Don't be fooled by the title of the post! SEX is Stash Enhancement eXpedition... and yep, another QAYG tablerunner.

I was up early, out and about in the sales this morning. I only went to one shop! I was in there one and a half hours! I think it must have been the sales assistant's first week on the job... bless her...

Last night I was swanning around on here feeling awake and inspired when I should have been sleeping. *hand slap*. Somehow I found a swag of free redwork and Christmas stitcheries by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly. I downloaded all the PDFs and went to bed with redwork in my head.

I love sewing and making, and quilters are usually so giving that we give a lot away... (for example, out of 6 tablerunners I am making, one is for me). but I have decided to be good to myself, to love myself more, and that means to make more for me.

If I am going to make a little ornament for someone else, I am also going to keep one. That's my new rule. And to celebrate, I found this little Santa ornament stitchery also by Red Brolly. And... this tree skirt on the moda bakeshop site.

That was it! I was inspired to get out of the house early, and got to the Spotlight Christmas clearance before it opened. We were accidental earlybirds! Oh my goodness! I've never been to the frenzied after Christmas sales before, and luckily it wasn't too bad. Actually, I might have been the one everyone was talking about afterwards that was taking all the sales assistant's time!

With Christmas redwork on my mind, It should be no surprise that I bought stacks of these fat quarters. Silver and gold on white in FQs and red and cream scandi FQs.

An absolute bargain, it worked out at $4 per metre.

Keeping in mind Jo's recommendation to buy on sale, and use it throughout the year, I bought a stack of tea towels.

Such a big stack they are nearly falling over. 

Under $5 for a pack of three high quality tea towels. Ooh! I am going to be looking for tea towel projects. Do you know of any? Jo directed me towards some aprons and I found a pattern here. There are so many tea towels. I won't want to make quite that many aprons, even though I do seem to have a run on a particular project now and then (see sidebar for mini quilts, oven mitts, journal covers, 12 FQ quilts, QAYG runners... you get my drift?) . Any other ideas?

Ribbons on sale, I thought would be useful for apron strings and Christmas tree skirt ties. Ah. And can you see the batting I went in to buy? It's there in the back left corner. Ooh, and on the right you can see a Christmas mug. A couple of those went into the stash, a mug and mug bag can be useful gifts.

Coloured homespun to use with the Star Wars and Motorbike fabrics I already have under the bed.

And I became quite excited about these napkins. At under $5 for a pack of 4, with a bit of redwork on them I thought they would be very special gifts.

Honestly, I don't think I bought myself anything much. Except for my new rule to make one for me!

It's all still Christmas, Christmas, Christmas in my brain!

And then here is the fourth QAYG tablerunner finished so far. I pieced fabrics from the panel to create the centre.

Now I have more batting I can start two more. ... as soon as I finish googling for tea towel projects!

Sshh... be very quiet

Ssshhh! It's early in the morning on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas here in Australia), and Mummy is up to do something she wants to do. (Sew and read blogs! Giggle.) while tired kiddies and Daddy are still sleeping off yesterday's excitement.

What a wonderful family day we had, and I am so grateful....

6pm - the end of a wonderful day - still smiling!

I had finished all my Christmas gifts this year, and I wasn't sewing madly Christmas Eve (actually, that's not quite true. If any were unfinished, I replaced them with something else a bit earlier, and I was still sewing on Christmas Eve morning, but that was for fun)....

As well as this pavlova (with secret ingredient glace ginger), I made a parsnip and cashew nut roast. Ooh! Vegetarian heaven! It tasted like stuffing! Kind of sweet and chewy with crunchy bits and lots of herby flavours!

This is the Bird and Berry tablerunner. I just love birds and berries! I think you might be able to tell!

This one is a birthday gift for my MIL Gail, which is in January.

Maybe there will be none of these next-year- Christmas gifts left by then! Let's see, out of six runners I think: one for me, birthday gift for MIL Gail, birthday gift for my Mum Wilma, Christmas gift for sister Libby, 40th birthday gift for Robin, birthday gift for Aunty Ann! That's it. All spoken for! Hahahahhaha. Or should that be Ho! Ho! Ho!

Well, I'd better get sewing. Merry Christmas. xo

Luckily I have been given a fabric gift voucher.

Ahem. I also found...

I feel like I am being such a good girl using up all the Christmas fabric I bought last week. I had enough batting for two table runners. Finished those. Now what to do? Bit of a rummage for some other sewing projects, and yippee! I found enough batting for two more! Hurrah! No need to try to get into town for batting during the crazy, busy week before Christmas.

 Two Birds table runner is finished

It is wonderful to see sew many variations when quilters make similar projects. I think that's why linking up is so much fun. It's inspiring and motivating. We get back on here and "report" (or write our blog), and it keeps us on track with our projects.

Berry Bird tablerunner is sewn, just needs binding

Dollan Design made a Christmassy table runner in a similar design and it looks so different. She has used scrappy fabrics for the centre squares. What a different effect is achieved!

I also love her Christmas tree placemats. Such lovely colours.

Ahem. Did I mention... during the rummaging...  I also found...that I have a stash here after all. I thought my stash was in storage. Nope. It seems once a quilter is a fabric hoarder, she is always a fabric hoarder. Here I am, thinking how good I have been using up all that fabric I just bought, and using up stashed backing and batting.. but there is SO MUCH FABRIC, mostly organised as projects, ready to be sewn under the bed.

When I wondered why I collected so much fabric here in under three years. I thought about it.  I had packed up my life into a caravan and wandered with no stash, only a few little projects to keep me sane. Eventually I settled 3000km away from my old home and started to collect fabric. But this time, I wasn't buying a fat quarter here or there, I was buying for a whole project. Um. This goes back to a few years ago when we had so much fabric, that Andrea and  I decided  we were only going to buy fabric if we knew what it was for. Sometimes I would stand in the shop and make up a new project. Hahahahhaha! And so, I became used to buying for an entire project. Or in my case 6 table runners!

It looks like I will finish four out of six QAYG Christmas tablerunners, then turn towards other projects for a while, until I buy more batting.... And I was trying so hard not to be distracted! It could be a disaster where two are left undone. Maybe I could work on one of the UFOs under the bed?

Sewing in the kitchen

When one is sewing in the kitchen, it's not the same as having a permanently arranged studio. For one thing, I have to clear away all the dishes and wipe the island bench immediately after dinner - it's my cutting mat area. (Usually a quilter on a sewing spree would just leave the dishes undone.) The freezer has a towel and iron over it. There are leads extending across the room.

Oh no! I am sorry darling! Are you ok? Ouch. He tripped on a cord. Luckily he is ok. Iron hit the concrete floor. Well, let's see if it still works.

A bit later... What's that smell? I rub the iron over an old towel on top of the freezer. Eww. Lots of brown is now on the towel. I'll turn down the temperature.

A bit later... Pew! That smell! Oh My God! The thermostat must be broken! The iron is so hot it is melting itself. YES! The plastic half an inch away from the metal plate has melted on one side.

Ok. Unplug and it's time to throw it out. Hahahhahahhaha. Oh! The casualties of sewing in the kitchen!

Because I had been sew conscientious yesterday, I had all my pieces cut, pieced and pressed. I was able to start the second tablerunner.

Meanwhile, adjustments are being made while trying to work out the optimum times to sew in the "Darwin kitchen". (This is Australian jargon for a covered roof with 'walls' enclosed only by shadecloth, with electric lights and fans on the ceiling. Cooking inside the house heats it up too much). It was lovely out there at 5am this morning and too hot by 7:30am. Slowly fitting into a schedule that allows family time, and sewing in the cool of the day (ha! Whatever that is!)...

Winter birds tablerunner is finished.

The binding should be finished on the Monsters quilt today.

Sewing Adventures

It's been a wonderful week of sewing adventures. I've finished a quilt, and started new projects. Feeling inspired and happy!

Now I have to slow down on the machine sewing and cutting mat part, and lean towards more handwork during the day.

It's too hot here to be outside, even under fans, and I've had heat stroke symptoms three times in the last five days.

Before it happened today, I was able to start the binding on the QAYG Christmas bird table runner.

...And a whole lot of cutting out - I cut the rest of the fabric, and found I had enough for another 5 table runners - that's 6 in total with the same fabrics. Yippee! Lots of presents on their way.

While I pieced pictures from the panel to make the 8 inch square centres, I also stitched the red squares that form the centre line of the runner, using them as leaders and enders. (There are so many projects going around at the moment with four patches, I am tempted to make one, just while I am doing other things. Hmmm. Maybe I could use this bag of fabric scraps I put aside for a wedding quilt for my sister, and actually make her something.)

Pieced centres

Scrap bags - looks like I started a double wedding ring by hand. Groan. Next!!

Daytime sewing of binding on the monsters quilt, and stitchery is going to follow. Perhaps I can make the next table runner tomorrow night in the cool.

Started one of the pear tree stitchery projects

The Horsey Quilt is finished!

Last night my baby boy was asleep at 6:35pm! I started sewing at 6:37pm, and had a dream couple of hours at the already-set-up sewing machine! Woohoo!

First I started this QAYG table runner. As it was the first one, it took a bit of time to set up. I have the measurements now, and will be able to make more much faster. (More? You say. Of course! I have enough fabric for another three.)

Really, I think I need to take a leaf of out my friend Jo's book. She has been making Christmas gifts all year. I need to do the same. Maybe I can say one per month. Surely I don't need to give a hand made gift to more than 12 people?? Even for me, who loves to give hand made. Twelve should be more than enough.

Then I moved onto the couch for some hand sewing, and finished sewing the binding onto the Horsey quilt. Hooray!

I am really excited to finish it in time for Christmas.

It's reversible, so you get to see both sides, and the dog.

And here is a gorgeous pic of the 40th birthday doiley in its new home.What a lovely place for it! On a lamp! And now, who minds it if sits flat or not?

I hope you are having a simply wonderful day!

The Little Red Baked Goods quilt

Last night I found myself sitting at home watching movies for the first time in a long time... (do you know, I freaked out at the surround sound? I wondered what was going on behind/beside my couch!!) hahahaha)...

And I enjoyed my hand-stitching.... I added the binding to The Little Red Baked Goods quilt.... Oh! It's a gorgeous little quilt measuring just over half a metre squared. It feels soft and snuggly already! I love it!

Then I snipped the edges of this little raggedy edged quilt made from the leftover squares (I added another fabric for the backing squares)..And here are the little pieces that came out of one little moda snack box....

While I was hand-stitching away, I also finished the binding on this tablerunner.... I know... shocking!! When did I start it? Months and months ago... I don't think I even blogged it! That's how bad it is!!

I'm definitely happy with these 3 little finished items towards the end of the blog year.... *wink*

Keep sewing

I am preparing some handwork for Saturday. I'm off to the Willows Quilt-In at Melton with Rosie. It's been a long time since I've been to a quilt-in as a spectator. I'll wear loads of warm clothes. And sew bindings. *grin*

This is one little sucker that will be bound. This is the QAYG tablerunner I started yesterday. It needs the binding machined on.

And this is another that needs the binding machined on.

It's the French-Persian Tiles quilt. Can you see the quilting design? Thanks Mum! I love it!

And what kind of day would it be without pillowcases?

Here are some more with the gorgeous egg fabrics. Now I have 4 pillowcases - 2 of each colourway. I'll use them all on the bed at once.

But, er...

Um, no. I haven't finished the fat quarter bag. Is that okay?

I really have to put my brain into gear to modify the bag handles.

But, er.. I have something else that to show that I started today.

This is a quilter's worst habit isn't it? (starting something new before finishing something).

Is it our biggest problem? No. Our biggest problem is storing it all - started projects (UFOs and WIPs) and unstarted projects (PIGs) and even finished projects.

I have an entire couch full of quilts. Okay, they used to be all over one couch, to the point where the wasn't room to sit down. I moved the massive pile of finished quilts into another room and closed the door.

It's the same room containing all the unfinished items... and I can hardly get in the door.