Quilting Owl

I just thought I would let you know that I am still around and recovering nicely from my operation about a month ago.  I have had a lot of problems sitting at the computer and sewing machine so have fallen way behind with everything but hopefully I will catch up soon.   Some time ago we were given some bulbs from one of the Sunday Stitchers, Thora, and look at the wonderful Hippeastrums that have now bloomed.  Such a wonderful rich colour and they are giving us much enjoyment when we sit in the courtyard.   Blogger is not letting me upload more photos at the moment so I will be back soon.   Till next time Frances    

In the latest edition of Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 21 No 10 you can check out one of my designs "A Spring Affair".  This is a single bed sized two block quilt with a pieced border in a very soft toned pallet in pinks, blues, greens and of course my favourite yellow.     For some time this project was just a pile of pink, blue, green and yellow blocks and I couldn't decide what to do with them.  The next time I worked on them I decided to add an alternate block using a lovely floral print on a white background set in a square in a square setting.  When the quilt was commissioned I still hadn't decided on a border so it was finally decision time.  I always work well with a deadline and decided to add a pieced border and then an outer border with the floral print that was in the first lot of blocks.     I quilted "A Spring Affair" on my Bernina Aurora 440 with the aid of a floral stencil for the alternate blocks and m...

The Sunday Stitchers brought along some wonderful work to share with us and first up is Thora's beautiful Civil War quilt which took out first prize in the Patchwork Open section at the recent Atherton Show.  Thora made this quilt from the blocks that Barbara Brackman posted on her blog every week last year and it has turned out to be an absolutely wonderful quilt.  Congratulations Thora!  Maybe I will now be inspired to set and finish my stack of Civil War blocks. Jenny has finished the top for "Star Turn" from my recent Mini Quilt workshop. We have been watching Kathy work on Anni Down's "An Angels Story" and we were delighted to see the finished quilt.  Kathy quilted this herself on a domestic sewing machine and I have shown some detail from the border. Kathy also had a beautiful block roll she has recently finished with the lovely message "I'm always happy when I am stitching".  Till next time Frances

I have been thoroughly enjoying watching the olympics this week and this gave me the opportunity to work on projects old and new.  My very long time Double Wedding Ring project was brought out for an airing and I enjoyed doing some hand piecing to progress this quilt.  I am still not completely sure how large this project will end up but I am determined to finish it some time. As I have also been recovering from a particularly nasty bout of flu/cold I needed some comfort stitching and the machine pieced Farmers Wife blocks filled the bill beautifully.  I am still using an eclectic scrappy mix of fabrics and so far have not repeated a fabric in more than one block.  The block count is now 59 and I have passed the halfway mark. I like to vary my stitching so I have also been doing some nice and easy fusible applique with blanket stitch by hand.  These have been the perfect blocks to stitch while watching the games when I have enjoyed sports I don'...

I have been housebound with a flu/cold for nearly a week now and as I ammissing my sewing machines I hope I will get enough energy to get out into the studio soon to complete some of my current projects.  I have managed to stitch down the binding on my little houses quilt, "Midsomer Madness" so this is another to cross off the UFO list. "Midsomer Madness" by Frances Leate I have a few other photos to share with you and one of them is the very pretty quilt by my friend and fellow Sunday Stitcher Joan Taylor which has been published in the current edition of Australian Patchwork and Quilting Vol 21 No. 8.  This lovely pink and green quilt looks wonderful featured on the cover. Then there is this stunning wall quilt by Lesleigh McLennan another Sunday Stitcher.  Lesleigh made this quilt for a member of her family and only recently got a photo to send to me. I found this photo in the camera which I took at one of my Mini Quilt Workshop at Cairns Craft C...

There have been a few classes at Cairns Craft Centre this week and I just thought I would share some of the wonderful work that has been achieved. This is Rachael's first quilt and she is now machine quilting her version of "Jacob and Friends" and isn't it a real stunner. Since we last got together Margaret has made this lovely quilt which she is donating to a special program that helps mothers who are having problems bonding with their new babies. Today was Mini Quilt Workshop day and Linda and Shirley brought along quilts which have now been finished from previous classes. Linda's "In Chains" Linda's "Come Fly A Kite" Shirley's "Come Fly A Kite" Till next time Frances

I have been missing in action from blogging for the last few weeks with lots to distract me but I just had to share some of the lovely quilts from Sunday Stitching at Cairns Craft Centre the other day. We were lucky that Thora was able to make the trip down the mountain so we could see this lovely quilt top she has just finished using fabrics by Kaffe Fassett and friends. Lesleigh has turned another project from the mini quilt workshops into a cushion for one her kids. While Jenny has raided her stash for lots of her favourite dog prints to make this cute little quilt. I couldn't resist adding this photo I took outside the studio the other day of a beautiful little sunbird getting into the Zygo cactus. Till next time Frances