Quilted and inspected.

 As you can see I put the border around the caramel stars.

 Then set about quilting it!!

 Love this square design. Very simple to do.

 I wasn't so sure about what I wanted to do in the border. I'm not overjoyed with the loop- de - loops.

But that was what I came up with.

I have to say, it's quite difficult to quilt when the inspector is lying on floor at one end of the frame.

I think maybe she was inspecting it from the underside.

Or maybe she just wanted to play?

Time to go bury thread ends, while I mull over the binding....

Having Fun.

Well I've been a busy girl!!

My Caramel coloured quilt is almost a complete top. I just need to add a border, then quilt and bind.

Speaking of quilting...

I loaded this quilt into my frame the other day. It's one I finished many years ago. 

 I was pretty naive back them and made many mistakes. 

It was also a QAYG piece. Over the years the Dresden plates have started to come off, at times I have re attached some of them using various fancy stitches on my machine.

Some of the hand sewn seams in the back had also opened up. I have restitched them by hand.

The quilting was always very simple and basic. Echoing the shape of the plates and in the plain squares a very simple heart.

Well, I had fun playing on my frame.

Some of the plates now have the flowery pattern you see below, not perfect, but better than it was and less likely to fall off!!

 Some of the hearts now have a tight little meander and all of the back ground has a wider meander.

It's not finished yet, but I decided to take it off the frame and bury some threads before I go any further with it and it frees up the frame for my latest creation.

I learned a lot in the short time I had it on the frame and thoroughly enjoyed myself too.

 One of the things I learned is just how many bobbins a larger quilt will require.

 Belle kept a close eye on the bobbin winder for me.

I need a quick trip into town to buy more bobbins!!

It pays to have several all wound up and ready to go!

Then later today I get to play some more.

New Zealands No 1 Quilt and Craft Fair.

On Friday, Debs and I set out for Christchurch.

We had tickets to attend the Craft and Quilt fair at Wigram Air Force museum.

I had been led to believe that it would be something akin to the exhibition I used to attend in Birmingham England.

Hmm, I was misled. :-(

We got chatting with some other ladies who told us that last year, it was much, much BIGGER!! and better.

Never mind, Debbie and I enjoyed our day and having less to see and fewer shops meant that there was time for us to take in a couple of demonstrations.

That was fun and we were both inspired by them.

Debbie especially so by a quilt as you go technique.

There was a small exhibition and I took a few photos.

Sorry, I forgot to get details of sewers. 

 I loved seeing the ANZAC/Poppy quilts. 

 They were all minis at about 10 - 12 inches square.

 Debs and I spent some time looking at the healthy Kiwi. We saw many of the fabrics which I recently used in a charm quilt.

 Debbie is now collecting those same fabrics to make herself a foody table cloth.

 Look at the amazing quilting on this bee quilt. I wonder if I will ever be that clever?

 And I loved this quilt. I believe the quilter has used the fancy stitches in her sewing machine to make this circle pattern.

 There were a few vendors, some better than others. Sadly not as many quilty vendors as I would have liked, but it was billed as a craft and quilt fair. 

 Of course we shopped.

I ordered a book from the same lady who did the QAYG demo that Debs was so taken with.

Hopefully that will be here soon.

I also bought patterns, pens and buttons

We stopped on the way home at Annies Country Quilt store, well you have to don't you? Since we were passing....

I bought a wee kit, some quilting threads and a new cutting mat as mine is incredibly tatty!

I had hoped to spend time sewing yesterday, but alas the sun was shining and Mr Heron was making noises about working outside.

We worked out there for quite some time. I weeded my vege patch and planted silver beets. And also had a tidy up of my wee collection of herbs. Then we set to and had a go along the back fence, where it was so over planted, over grown and neglected.

Last summer I had started cutting back many of the shrubs and had left some stumps in the ground. Tony pulled loads of those yesterday and we made some decisions about what else had to go and what would stay.

We have planned a second vege patch and Tony talked with his brother about ripping out the weed patch that passes for a lawn and starting again.

The green house is looking good. My garlic, spring onions and baby beets are growing well.

Several little surprises have appeared around the garden as spring makes the days even warmer.

Snow drops, Daffodils and Narcissus have appeared. Along with some hyacinth and muscari. I also see some Iris just starting to show green again. I had seen pansy and viola leaves amid the weeds and carefully worked around them, they are now flowering. Two beautiful Helebores have appeared. in a beautiful deep burgundy colour.

The trees that shed their leaves are also starting to show signs of life again. Our two cherry trees are covered in buds, some are starting to turn pink. 

I really should get out there with the camera.

But not today.

Today I sew.

Moving up!

So, you know in my last blog post, how I mentioned that if I wanted to have a try at a pantograph I would have to move my quilting frame away from the wall and that it might create certain issues?

Well, I happened to make the same or a very similar comment to my lovely husband over lunch.

And he said....

"Why don't we give it a try now love? No time like the present"

My wee frame was duly pulled away from the wall and my wee desk was also moved.

Then he said....

"Why don't we extend it out to the full length now? You've had a practice, time to go up."

So out came the bits!

 And by dinner time, it was a full length (120 inch) quilting frame!

I must say we did have a 2 hour visit from his folks in the afternoon, which meant we had to down tools!

 I thought it was BIG before!

Now it is HUGE!

It takes up a great amount of space, and as I thought we had to have a good shuffle around of other furniture.

 The stash drawers are all the way around on the other side of the frame now. 

 And my poor wee desk is out in the hall. :-(

Of course the cloth leaders I made for the 60 inch version are no good on a 120 inch frame.So out I went yesterday and bought ticking to make new ones.

My laptop now shares a table with my sewing machine, fine while I'm building blocks, not sure how that will work out once I start putting blocks together and I need more room.

I also shoved the work tables along the wall and popped my chair around the corner, so I sit with my back to the lovely warm sun. (That was bliss yesterday, while I was making the leaders, my poor back was so sore after all the maneuverings, the warmth was lovely.)

So, now sewing on Sunday.

Functional sewing on Monday.

Work on Tuesday!

I WILL play tomorrow!

P.S. This is post number 1000!

What a chatterbox!

There was a certain amount of swearing...

While he was up there.

 Drilling and screwing and making sure things are level.

 While he did all of that.

She did this!!

 And now we have this.

This is the sight that greets anyone who comes in through my front door!

And that weird pokey wee shelf that I never really liked, is hidden. :-)

Love it!

Thank you Mr. xx

Love you too.

*

The charming stars blocks are progressing.

I made three yesterday.

So quick and easy to put together.

I'm not being too fussy about the points, they are not perfect, but they are not truly wonky either.

They work for me.

Just a few more and I will have enough for a lovely little lap quilt.

Just enough to snuggle under on a cool evening.

Then I get to play with the quilting frame again.

*

I was looking at pantograph quilting patterns this morning.

Doing something like that would mean moving the frame away from the wall though, as I would need access to both sides.

Hmm, that would create issues!!

And necessitate a big shift about in this room.

The wee desk at which I'm sat would have to go.

And I suspect so too would the ironing board.

I think for the time being I'll stick to FMQ!

From the front of the frame.

*

I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday making stars.