Saturday Sewing

The third Saturday of the month saw all of us gather for another lovely day of stitching, talking and eating.

Di was fresh off a plane, having just returned from Houston.  She was full of stories and chat about her very busy days there.  

And it is so nice to have Clare joining us on Saturdays now.  Her boys are rapidly growing up and the need for Clare's taxi service on the weekend is diminishing so there is more free time for sewing.  Lucky us!

There was lots of show and tell - Merri has been very busy.  First up, another border has been added to the Beamish quilt.  And there was lots of discussion about the next (and final) border from a size and colour perspective.  This is going to be a gorgeous quilt when finished.

And it didn't stop there! Back in 2010 the Sisters made the raffle quilt for Quilts in the Barn.  We called it the Sister's Peony Quilt - are they peonies or lilies? Does it really matter!  Anyway, Merri has nearly finished making her own version of this beautiful quilt, just the outer border to go.

Clare brought out her now finished 19th century nine patch.  I am not going to say how long this has been in the UFO pile.  but just maybe the end product has been worth waiting for!!

And Ann bowled us all over with her stunning clamshell quilt.  This is just glorious to see in the flesh - so to speak.  The clamshells (sorry Ann I cannot remember the exact number but know it is more than 1500) are full of colour and set off the aubergine background fabric and borders beautifully.  And as you can tell from the photo - it is a big quilt!  No-one was tall enough to hold it up high enough for me to get a full view of it so apologies for the poor photo.

And last, but definitely not least, Deb's completed Phebe.  Back from Helen Hayes who has yet again done an outstanding job on the quilting.  What can I say about this quilt?  I love it and need to stop drooling over Deb's quilt and get busy and make my own version.

Hope you have enjoyed the show and tell as much as we all did,

Until next time,

Meghan

"Silence is golden"

So does that mean the silence from the sisters over the past month has produced streets paved with gold (don't you just love mixed metaphors!!).  Not really, just these few bits and pieces....hope you enjoy them.

A new quilt from Merri, based on an antique quilt in the Beamish Museum 

Les Grandes Feuilles Rouges by Merri, just back from quilter Katrina Wilson, who has done a superb job with lots of feathers balanced by straight lines in the centres of each leaf set and the borders

Dear Jane from Barb, nearly there!

From Di, an almost complete centre medallion, we were all debating whether that 3rd hexagon flower , centre top, should be included or not.

And after x%!@& years, finally finished and quilted (by Laurene Horsnell who has done a wonderful job),
my version of Di's pattern, 19th Century Flower Baskets.

Until next time,

Meghan 

The SSS "1st Thursday of the Month" September Gathering

Greetings Fellow Quilters..................I have decided that September has officially been (so far,for me!) the most busiest month of 2013. Hence the rather latish entry to the SSS blog-site........if that's what it's called!!!
However, I will do my best to bring everyone up to date on our first September gathering.
Here are "The Gatherers" at Clare's place on a rather chilly, rainy day. Love the back yard.....I want one of those instead of my muddy "lawn" and "leaning", actually falling over fences!!...but that's another story!
After the group (missed you Deb, Sue, Barb and Meghan) devoured this: We did lots of hard work on the various projects that we had brought along. I will let the pictures do the talking!


Clare had been VERY busy finishing this masterpiece, using Dutch chintzes and the "Tree of Life" centre panel. WoW!!!! Now she is working on this gem...part of a much bigger gem.

Ann is adding these... (pardon the colour, forgot the flash!)to these... and has just completed this!!!

Oh! aren't we just sooooooooooo good!! That's Di on the right...Ann is on the left, well, I think she is on the left!...oh, yes, I can see a hand. Now Di has began something "new" for the "new" book that will be published in a year...or so (yes! that will be No. 2!) Meanwhile our Merri has turned a dab hand at designer and has fallen in live with an antique quilt, seen in a book. (that's Merri's on the left and Di's on the right! This is the result..a beginning really, lots more to come. As for me?...I keep stitching "relics" from the past and am trying to complete my version of the "Antique Wedding Quilt"...only 4 blocks to go and I begin the border appliques! Mind you, I have just a "few" other projects on the go!...as I am sure we all do. Well, that's the day's story..hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Happy Stitching. Kerry

Emerging from hibernation......

As Melbourne enters the last 2 weeks (officially) of winter, I thought it about time I emerge from hibernation and write a blog post.  The third Saturday of the month has just passed so it was off to Di's for a lovely day of sewing and chat.  Everyone was most industrious!

First up is Ann who has started making 'When Stars meet Hexagons' from Petra and An's beautiful book, Promenade in a Dutch Garden.

A very tempting box of stars, anyone for lucky dip?

 Deb is up to block number 26 of Corliss's stunning Caswell Quilt.  You can seem more of Deb's recently completed blocks here.

Just beginning.....

 Clare is working on the borders for 19th Century 9 Patch, a very old pattern of Di's

So sweet.....

 While Barb has started a quilt for her granddaughter, Freya.  Can't wait to see all of these circles joined together.

Lucky Freya!

Merri is the most prolific of the group, and her show and tell consisted of two works in progress - the beginning of Esther Aliu's new BOM, Love Entwined, and...

Great fussy cutting!

 ...she has finished the centre of Di's pattern, Ann Daggs,

Ahh, the first swallows of spring!

 Kerry brought out another of her long term projects, The Wickersham Quilt from the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Block 2d complete, and 4D underway!

And me, well now that the top for Mrs Miller is finally completed, I have started a new project.  This is block number one (of four) for the Feather with Flowers quilt from Fons & Porters book, Quilts from the Henry Ford.  This quilt is for my niece, she wanted something in purple and red, a colour scheme that is a little challenging to say the least.  I can assure you that if you were to actually see this block it would not have the 'glow in the dark' look of the photo.

Spooky....

Hope you enjoyed the show and tell,

Until next time,

Meghan

The Best Laid Plans!..............

Now, as we all know "life" does not often go as planned.....and, well, blogging is a bit like that too!
It has been a bit of a long "gap" between drinks, but here we are back again! With a bit of a long post!
Hopefully, you will enjoy this......bits gathered from all over!
In July the SSS had a sit and sew at my place.......I baked a cake! ...........now some may say .."so what?"
others, who actually know me will say "WOW!!!".............'cause I am no cake-baker!!!. But it has become a bit of a tradition at SSS get-togethers that a cake is produced. So, I went out and purchased the "new" Women's Weekly cake cook book, tested  the "caramalised apple blondie" cake which worked out quite well (plan "B" was the flourless orange cake from Coles up the road!)
Then, cleared the table for the Sisters arrival..........one of them was delivering a quilt to my house (being picked up later for display at the recent quilt and craft show at Jeff's Shed) that had been a "secret" for so long........a well kept secret that 21 Quilters from all over Victoria had kept. This Baltimore style quilt named "Espirit De Corps" is a very special quilt made to raise awareness of, and funds for, The Caroline Chisolm Society in Victoria. If you see it, please purchase a "pledge" (they are $20 each) as ALL funds will go to helping out women and children who find themselves in desperate situations and can rely on the help of The Caroline Chisolm organization.
I had a bit of a problem getting a decent pic, (you know, short person, small ladder!) but this will give you an idea of how it looks and shows the label with the names of those who helped produce it.

There are 3000 tickets (pledges) to sell and the winner will be drawn at a special Lions Club dinner next June (2014)...........If you see this special quilt at a local show, exhibition or quilt-in please think about supporting the project and I hope you have a winning ticket.
O.K! .....the Sisters are all at my place and we have a bit of "show and tell"
Now, recently we all attended another fantastic CAG (Castlemaine Applique Group) meeting, so some of these pictures are not at my place, but were when we all got together at my place!........now, is that as clear as mud!?"........................Oh! ..........I'll just let the pictures do the TALKING!

 
 Meaghan has finished "Mrs Millers Journey"
Is'nt it just so special?...a close-up of the centre.

 


 Deb has been VERY busy finishing  her version of "Ode To Sally-Ann".
 Is'nt this quilt just amazing? The centre shows off both the applique and quilting. Just a bit of a closer look!
Not satisfied with finishing just one spectacular quilt,,,here is a second one made for her daughter.


How lucky is she!?
Merri has finished the main blocks and put together her version of "The Civil War Bride" quilt. Another stunning piece of work!








 Here we all are, gathered around, admiring Ann's version of  "The Antique Wedding Sampler" quilt. Just a closer look!



 Maybe a bit closer still!......... what a stunner!










...................so, once again we stitched the day away! .......ate cake, did a bit more stitching, ...........ate a bit more cake. You get the picture!
o.k....this must be one of the longer posts we have done for a while!
so now I will say bye for now and remember.......keep on quilting!

Kerry

Autumn Gathering of The Secret Sewing Sisterhood....

It was a glorious Melbourne Autumn day when the Sisters gathered at Ann's place for a bit of stitching.....we missed you Clare, Sue and Di.

 One of Ann's live-in friends supervised the proceedings...and is not camera shy either!!! Harry is wearing the latest in doggy coats to ward off the chill that was in the air  that day.

A copy of the latest book from Quiltmania was on the table. Meghan brought this copy back from France.  AND, look at what else she came home with!Our previous blog entry gives a great description of her adventure in Nantes. Both Di and Meghan have contributed to Petra and Ann's new book. Way to go  Sisters!!! As I am doing the "show-off" thing...just look here! Yes! It's Di's "Phebe" adorning one of those great collector bags.  

So, what are we all up to?....................................Barb has been VERY busy completing this "Storm At Sea"masterpiece. The front is great.....but just look at the back! Wow!

Now, this was made to display at The University Of The 3rd. Age Show at the Box Hill Town Hall, 6th, 7th and 8th of September 2013. Karen Styles, of Somerset Quilts did the machine-quilting.
Merri has also been very busy stitching up a storm (like that one!) producing a piece of work that may seem familiar to some. This is Meghan's pattern, now christened;" Les Grandes Feuilles de Rouge" Ann is working on her "Clamshell Quilt" putting on the edging, a really gorgeous auburgine like colour. Deb is stitching her version of "The Caswell Quilt" 
Meghan is continuing on with "Mrs Miller's Journey" As for me....I am still working on "The Grove Documentation Quilt"....nearly up to the last round!
To finish up this entry....here is a snap of Ann's "Winter Stars" adorning a wall in her home, reminding us that it's going to get chillier........and therefore a great reason to ..make more quilts!!!!
Happy stitching everyone! Kerry