Quilting Owl

The Christmas spirit came late to our home this year but finally I managed to put aside some of the sadness and pain of the last year and get on with it.  One of the big surprises was when I got the urge to finish a long time UFO of quilt-as-you-go hexagons and create the Christmas Tree Skirt which they were always meant for.  Some very late night stitching went into the final assembly of the project which now covers a multitude of cords around the base of the tree.  Thanks Sonjia for the inspiration I needed to finally finish this project. The crib also sits on a new runner which was a QAYG hand quilted project stitched when my arm was in plaster. The studio is now adorned with a project I designed to hang along the top of the sliding plantation shutters which has recently appeared in Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 24 No 4.  This was a fun project to stitch with lots of embellishment with buttons and beads. "Christmas Bunting" by F...

Many of the Sunday Stitchers rose to the challenge to make a quilt or patchwork object using a specific piece of Christmas fabric and I would like to share some of the wonderful  results of this challenge.  There was a Viewers' Choice prize which was won by Lesleigh with her beautiful runner with freehand embroidery. Lesleigh Maryanne Kathy Joan Jenny Sonjia Maryanne Till next time Frances

In the latest Christmas issue of Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 24 No 3 my project "Poinsettia" has been published.  This was a fun dimensional applique wall quilt. "Poinsettia" by Frances Leate A couple of my other projects have been re-released in a special issue "Keepsake Quilts".  On the cover is "A Summer Place" which started life as a cuddle size quick and easy jelly roll quilt and just grew to become a full bed size quilt. "A Summer Place" by Frances Leate Also in this issue is "Star Bright" another of my small hand pieced Christmas quilts. "Star Bright" by Frances Leate Till next time Frances

I am still having a lot of problems with my left wrist and hand and at times over the last couple of weeks have been trussed up in compression bandages to reduce the swelling. This has given me a lot of time to spend hand quilting on a commissioned quilt for future publication in AP&Q. For distraction I have been indulging myself by playing and sorting out my growing thimble collection.  This has been time well spend and brought back memories of past travels and the many gifts received from dear friends.  I have also spent much time on the net researching the history behind some of the collection. The thimbles now have a new home and it is wonderful to finally have most of them in one location. I would also like to share this lovely dual purpose birthday quilt made by Shirley from West Australia who is a seasonal member of the Sunday Stitchers (Shirley and her husband, Tony, spend the winter months in Cairns). Jenni has been busy strip piecing with...

We  all congratulate Jenny on her first published quilt which has just  appeared in the latest edition of Australian Patchwork and Quilting Vol 24 No 1 which has New Zealand on show. "I Still Call NZ Home" by Jenny Edlin Here is Jenny with another of her lovely quilts. This striking quilt was made by Jan which she started in a recent workshop in Cairns. Cynthia's lovely mug mat. In the back of AP&Q Vol 24 No 1 in the section "All Your Own Work" I was pleased to spot Sherrel Meyer's own version in a different colourway of my last Mystery Quilt project "Red Sky at Night". Till next time Frances

Well the cast on my arm has been removed but mobility is still very poor with my left hand so it will be a lot more one handed stab stitch quilting for me.  To make this task easier I am now the proud owner of new multi function hands free frame. I am looking forward to getting back to some of my other numerous works in progress and hope this will be soon. Until next time Frances

One of my projects "In Chains" has just been published in the latest edition of Australian Patchwork & Quilting.  It is always great to see my projects beautifully photographed and presented in this wonderful magazine. "In Chains" by Frances Leate AP&Q Vol 24 No 12 At the last meeting of the Sunday Stitchers there was a mug rug swap and here are some of the lovely ones made by the members.  Missing was one made by me as I left it to the last minute to make one and of course I got injured before doing so. Deb showed us a WIP she is making for a lucky little girl named Sophie from a gorgeous panel. Hopefully in another nine days the plaster cast will be removed from my left arm and it wont be long before I am back stitching again. Till next time Frances

Quilts from the Sunday Stitchers made by Jan and Jenny feature this week and first up is Jan with "Vintage Roses" that she began in one of my classes which she has now finished machine quilting.. Jan with "Vintage Roses" by Frances Leate Another very happy panel quilt made by Jan which she has again finished with her own very effective machine quilting. This quilt was made by Jenny as a gift to Joan who recently lost her little black dog, a long time friend.  Jenny has also machine quilted this with a bone motif on the background. To finish off I thought I would show you my one handed attempt at some hand quilting.  The quilt top was made for me by Jenny some time back and while I had done all of the machine quilting on the background and border I had put the quilt aside when I ran into some tension difficulties on the owl appliques.  For the last few days I have been racking my brain about what I could do while watching TV and came up with the idea...

This has not been a good month for me!  I was sitting at my desk in the studio last Sunday designing a new project for my Sunday Stitchers and things were not working too well when I suddenly got a new idea.  Well I reached down to pick up a new piece of paper from my recycling heap when the chair took off and I crashed into the desk.  The next thing I remember was waking up lying on the floor in extreme pain.  Peter eventually found me and rushed me into the Emergency Department at Cairns Hospital where I was well looked after.  After a day and a half he got me home where I will hopefully make a full recovery once I get over the shock and pain of it all. As I said this has not been a good month and I lost another friend to cancer - rest in peace Wendy. Till next time Frances

I have spent a lot of time over the last few days looking through some very old photos and picking out the ones with my sister Anne in them and thought I would put up some of them as a tribute to her.  The first was taken in the hallway of our old family home just before she married John with me as one of her bridesmaids. Here she is sitting on the front fence at home with our niece, Maree, who was the first grandchild for my parents and then 21 or so years later with Maree's daughter, Melinda. Here is a photo of the six of us (the "Deakin girls") at Margaret's (No 1) 50th birthday celebrations Anne with her husband John taken the same night Another family outing and this time to celebrate Tricia's (No 2) 50th birthday I just love this photo because it was so typical of so many family gatherings at home when a group of us would always end up around the dinner table having a laugh. We miss her already but she will be in a heart...

Just thought I would share some finished projects from the Sunday Stitchers.  First up is Sonjia with her stunning version of my quilt "Just Kimonos". Joan has just finished this fabulous quilt as a gift for her brother Jan has finished machine quilting her version of my class quilt "Shades of Purple" which looks stunning in black, white and a touch of hot pink and also the top for this lovely red work quilt which is no longer a UFO. Till next time Frances

I love making blocks and have succumbed to Barbara Brackman's "Austen Album Quilt" block of the week and here are my first four blocks "Austen Album Quilt" Blocks 1 to 4 I have also finished the latest block for the "Threads of Memory" BOM and here are the four blocks I have made so far "Threads of Memory" Blocks 1 to 4 Anyone would think it was my birthday or Christmas as some lovely gifts have come my way recently including this exquisitely crocheted beaded doily. and of course to add to the owl collection there is this lovely felt applique which is now hanging in the studio with other owls to keep it company. My thimble collection had been rather neglected of late so I was absolutely thrilled to receive these lovely additions and don't you just love the owl on the thimble in the centre. Till next time Frances