Quilting Owl

 I have definitely been missing from my blog of late and one of the distractions is that I spend too much time on Facebook.  So for those of you that I don't see there I thought I would let you know that I am still alive although not so productive on the quilting side at the moment as I seem to start things but have not finished too much. Another distraction is the fun I have with my collections particularly reorganising my thimbles which come under many categories and besides decorative and novelty everyday useful ones. I also just love pin cushions and can never have too many. The squares on this narrow runner at the end of a bookcase filled with quilting books are gradually filling up with badges from various location. Of course there is the ever increasing owl collection.  Owls lurk in every corner and available space in my studio and seem to breed when the lights are out! Next time I will get back to quilting. 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

As Christmas gets closer we have been gradually decorating the house, studio and courtyard to make everything festive.  With little rain around it has been very hot here in the tropics which has slowed proceedings somewhat but gradually we are getting there.  We have added lots of new decorations this year including this beautiful Nativity Scene by Jim Shore.   In the studio I have been gradually adding to the bird tree which now features lots of new owl decorations many of which I received as gifts and I will show these in detail later.   We also have a special santa shelf in the house with lots of new ones to add to the collection.   Before dinner we often have a drink in the courtyard and really enjoy watching the light show, particularly the gradual awakening of all the solar ones as they light up one by one.   I couldn't resist adding a photo of this beautiful Hibiscus which flowered in the co...

I haven't posted much lately as I have had to focus and finish a couple of projects plus patterns with deadlines for classes and a commission and I am now looking forward to a bit of a lull when I can get back to catching up on all my favourite blogs. First up I would like to share a wonderful quilt pieced and machine quilted by Margaret, a Thursday Nighter.  This large quilt has been made with love for her daughter and I am particularly taken with the vibrant colours.  By coincidence I have also been working with some of these same fabrics for a recent commission. Sunday say me back at Cairns Craft Centre for a Mini Quilt Workshop.  These classes are very popular and happen on the third Sunday bi monthly.  There wasn't much socialising as the girls were all hard at work and I am sure they will bring along to Sunday Stitching some finished quilts. However, most of my time lately has been spent at Quilting Owl Studio and both my Bernina machine...

When Peter was at a local garden centre yesterday he just could not resist bringing home this statue to sit outside our studio. Meanwhile inside the studio today I couldn't resist playing with my Farmers Wife blocks and cutting out a few more ready for machine piecing.  I still haven't repeated any of the fabrics and I have loads more small pieces in the stash to add to the eclectic mix.  You can also see just a hint of a black, white and red project that I am working on for a forthcoming class. Speaking of classes, a lovely group of ladies took their first steps towards becoming new quilters at one of our sampler classes at Cairns Craft Centre on Thursday evening.  While I was busy showing the girls some basic techniques Peter took a few photos of some of the fabric pallettes that they will be working with. It is going to be interesting seeing how each interpretation of the class quilt "Jacob and Friends" evolves. "Jacob and Friends" by Frances L...

I have had a great finish to 2011 today stitching blocks in the Studio.  I have decided that "Finish" is going to be my word for 2012 and this was inspired after reading what  Shirley  had to say last night and looking around at all the UFOs and WIPs I currently have.  That doesn't mean I won't be starting new projects but  just focussing more on finishing some of them. Here are the latest Farmers Wife project blocks which brings my block count now to 16. I am also completely up todate with the Civil War quilt blocks and only have one more to do which I won't be able to download until late tonight. A new owl has appeared on the inside of the Studio door, courtesy of Peter, to watch over me while I work.  It is a wooden cutout from Cairns Craft Centre which Peter has just finished painting.  I will sign off for the year and wish everyone who follows and reads this blog a very happy and peaceful 2012 full of lots of joy, hope and lov...

Santa was very kind to me and brought some wonderful new books for the library:  "Indigo & Sarasa" The Quilts of Shizuko Kuroha; "A History of Dutch Quilts" by An Moonen; and "The Quilters Hall of Fame" 42 Masters Who Have Shaped Our Art.  These are wonderful books and filled with lots of inspiration. Peter is always on the prowl for new owls to add to my collection and now I have this wonderful selection to add to the owl shelf in the Studio.  I also received a lovely hexagon mug rug from Suz over at PatchworkNPlay  which has an owl in the centre. Outside the Studio there are some pineapples just ready to be picked.  All Peter has to do to grow these is plant the top part of a pineapple and wait a few months - mind you at certain times of the year I think that if we planted a stick it would grow in the warm tropical earth. What with Christmas and preparing for classes in 2012, I had fallen behind with some of my ongoing projects but have managed to...

I have spent a lot of time in the studio this past week or so doing lots of machine quilting on a project that has a deadline looming.  This quilt is a mixture of hand and machine piecing with a lot of the hand work stitched on travels.  It was exciting to finally put the last border on the quilt and I have been thoroughly enjoying being totally engrossed in quilting this fairly large quilt.  Quilting from the reverse side  Peter spent a lot of time sightseeing with his youngest daughter and her family who were visiting Cairns last week and on his travels found this wonderful present for me to add to my owl collection. Till next time Frances