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

It was a close call and a joint effort yesterday but we finally managed to clear enough of the building work and debris away to add some Christmas cheer to the house. I always love decorating the tree with all the old and familiar ornaments and baubles most of which are hand made by me and friends.  I get very nostalgic as I unwrap all these treasures and really enjoy the memories of those that I received as gifts. The tree and nativity scene have a new home this year in the entrance foyer that Peter created earlier in the year from part of the old carport. We also managed to find a corner in the living room (the site of the latest renovation project) for all of our favourite santas - some large and some small. It has been an eventful year for us with the handover of the shop (now known as Cairns Create It) to Adrian and Jane and lots of building work to our home.  I think the house will always be Peter's WIP and he will always find lots to do t...

Well I have definitely been missing in action and now believe that there is some other being who steals time from me or else there are just less hours in the day now!!! I finally got around to downloading some photos from my camera and found some I had taken at a Sunday Stitchers some time back when we had a "To the Manor Born" show and tell.  This quilt is one I got immense enjoyment designing and appeared in Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol. 23 Nos. 7, 8 and 9 and is also one of my class projects.  It was great to see some of the girl's work in various stages of completion. "To the Manor Born" by Frances Leate Lesleigh's version of  THMB Kathy's version with added hexagon border of THMB Thora's THMB wip When I made the original quilt I only intended at first to make a small medallion but it just kept growing.  Later I decided to make another version of the quilt centre with different fabrics and what a difference ...

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...

I had a wonderful couple of days with a great group of ladies when I was invited to teach at the "Family of Quilters" retreat at Redlynch on the weekend. After a fabulous welcome dinner on the Friday night it was time for my trunk show and then show and tell from some of the members of the group.  Jane Austen gowns featured throughout the night and Ruth wore her beautiful blue one. "A Spring Affair" by Frances Leate "Flowers in the Sun" by Frances Leate Karen's confetti quilt Margaret's Bargello Alexis' version of Di Ford's "Montmellick" Fiona with the "Jane Austen" gowns she made for her and  her daughters To finish, a selection of the Kimono blocks made by Karen, Alexis and Madonna for one of the projects they could choose on the weekend. A big thank you to all the members of the group for a great weekend. Till next time. Frances

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

I have had lots of distractions over the last few months and have been very remiss keeping up with this blog.  In between these distractions I have been working on lots of different projects mainly UFOs but not too many finishes as yet. There have been some additions to my pincushion collection, some gifts from dear friends and some I have made myself or purchased at craft fairs. I have finally finished quilting a quilt top hand stitched as a gift for me by Jenny and this quilt now hangs in the studio. I have turned a panel into a quilt for the latest addition to the family, a great grandniece called Ivy. Then it was time to start on some of the UFO projects housed in plastic boxes and I finished this quilt top which is now layered and currently being machine quilted. I have assembled these hand pieced diamond blocks into larger sections which are now ready for an appliqued centre medallion.  At least I have made some progress on this long time UF...