Quilting Owl

I started sorting things out in the studio with a vengeance this week and the first job I tackled was making about 10 of the CWQ Quilt blocks that I had fallen behind with - and ta da!! I am now up to date with this project.  It was wonderful to spend a couple of days just selecting the fabrics and making up the blocks in this very enjoyable project.  Civil War Quilt Blocks 1-30 While I was sorting through a big heap on one of the tables I came across a couple of quilts that I had made using blocks I had candlewicked.  I really like Candlewick Embroidery and I used to do a lot of this and I particularly like the tone on tone look.  This quilt is called "Bouquets and Butterflies" and was made using tone on tone sage green.  The designs for the candlewicked blocks came from Book 6 of Jean Jensen's Candlewick Designs and then I designed the setting for the quilt and needleturned the orange peel blocks.  The design for the blocks in this ...

Once a year the Cairns Show comes to town so I took some time out today to go and have a look at some of the local arts and crafts.  I was delighted to see that Kathy, a Sunday Stitcher, took out 1st Prize in her section for her lovely Baltimore style wall quilt.  Kathy started this quilt in a machine applique class at Cairns Craft Centre and then let her own creativity take over to produce this fabulous quilt. There was a lovely display of quilts to enjoy and a small red and white quilt which really caught my attention. I spent some time chatting to Louise and Jenny who were busy in the demonstration area making charity quilts.  They have received fabric and half square triangles from all over the world and have now made 19 quilts which have been donated to specially chosen victims of cyclone Yasi and to other good causes.  Well done girls - a fantastic effort! When I moved around into the cake decorating area I found some more prize winners - Sue,...

I was sorting through some photos tonight and came across a few that feature my favourite colour.  As a child I received a Christmas pressent which was a lovely doll that my mother had dressed in a beautiful yellow outfit and I think this is what started my love of all things "yellow".  This is another Christmas present I received some years ago from a dear old friend and customer who loved to crochet and I just adore this beautiful doily - and I would be lost without my little "buzzy bee" to get out and about in - My favourite rotary cutter and rulers and squares also happen to be yellow - and I always enjoy this tree with yellow flowers beside the local shopping centre carpark.  I might add that it is not all that long ago since this very spot was a canefield and often flooded in the wet season. Queensland would not be the "sunshine state" without its pineapples and bananas and I noticed the other day we have another pineapple maturing in the garden...

"Rural Rambler" a table runner/skinny quilt project has just been published in the latest edition of Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 20 No 7 - Country Special. "Rural Rambler" by Frances Leate - AP&Q Vol 20 No 7 Till next time Frances

It was wonderful to have time to chat and have some fun with all the girls last Sunday and this time there was a surprise project for them to do - a scissor fob.  I didn't get the opportunity to photograph the the girls' finished work but here are a few of my samples. Cynthia brought her beautiful Japanese themed quilt to show us - while Sonjia has been very busy making this quilt top for her father from fabric she selected when we last got together. Till next time Frances

I have been very busy working on a lot of different projects inside the studio but don't seem to have a lot to show at the moment and every day I seem to be getting into a bigger mess so I thought I would take a few photos of some of the things in the garden just outside the windows. Grevilleas Lipstick Palm Orange trees During the day while I am busy quilting Peter can often be seen working away in his gardens - there is always a lot to do particularly after the very long wet season we had as everything grows so fast here. Till next time Frances

I have had a busy week but here are just a few bits and pieces.  I finished quilting and machined the binding on a soft blue baby quilt and now I just have to hand stitch the binding and finish stitching the binding on "Redlynch Village".  Next it will be time to write a few patterns - this job always ends up taking far more time than I would like as I would much prefer to be stitching. Earlier in the week I taught a class which included strip piecing log cabin blocks and here are a couple of blocks which I managed to photograph made by Karen and Jenny. Peter and I have invested in a lecture series entitled "How to Listen to and Understand Great Music" given by Prof. Rober Greenberg.  This makes extremely entertaining lunch time viewing and something I have enjoyed watching while stitching. I am currently finishing a large project with a deadline but somehow I have allowed myself to be distracted by these fabrics - I must sharpen my "focus" and get bac...