Quilting Owl

Hexagons make a wonderfully versatile block whether on their own or as a pieced shape and here are just some I have played with over recent years. "Licorice Allsorts" by Frances Leate AP&Q Vol 24 No 10 "Christmas Tree Skirt" by Frances Leate AP&Q Vol 25 No 5 "Marmalade & Jam" by Frances Leate AP&Q Vol 19 No 8 Hand pieced hexagon UFO blocks by Frances Leate To finish here is some of Lesleigh's work - one of her earliest quilts and a more recent table runner where she has added some beautiful embroidery. Till next time Frances

I have always enjoyed houses as a theme for stitching so here are a few from my cupboards, walls and friends. "Redlynch Village" by Frances Leate Machine pieced and quilted "Midsomer Madness" Hand pieced and hand quilted Jenni's house top Thora's little houses Before I became addicted to quilting and applique I enjoyed other forms of stitching such as blackwork and cross stitch and here a few from the walls. To finish I just love these Dutch houses. Till next time Frances

I can't believe it is August already and while I never seem to stop stitching I haven't had as many finishes of late.  Maybe one of the reasons is my preoccupation with the wonderful quilt "1718 Coverlet" which I have been making from Susan Briscoe's book.  This project is very addictive and I have been enjoying hand piecing and needleturn appliqueing the blocks.  Unfortunately I now have to put it aside for a while to get on with some more urgent projects. At Sunday Stitching this morning we had fun with some of the quilts started in previous classes for my project "To the Manor Born".  I really love seeing how people interpret my designs and the power of colour and what a difference it can make. "To the Manor Born" by Frances Leate Lesleigh loves red and teal and what a difference it makes to her gorgeous entirely hand stitched quilt.  Now she just needs to finish the hand quilting. Kathy added to the project to make a lar...

To honour the centenary of ANZAC Day some members of the Sunday Stitchers have accepted the challenge to make a mug mat with this theme.  All the quilts tell a story and some about ancestors who fought as ANZACs.  These quilts are currently hanging in Cairns Craft Centre. Till next time Frances

The latest edition of Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol. 24 No 7 features quilts from several members of the Cairns Craft Centre Sunday Stitching group including my "Victory Parade" made from two layer cakes or 70 10" squares plus a narrow border.  It is great to be in such good company. "Crazy with a Twist" by Joan Taylor "I Now Call North Queensland Home" by Jenny Edlin "Victory Parade" by Frances Leate Till next time Frances

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

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

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