After The Ides of March

Sewing this month was on the 19th, 4 days after the Ides of March. How is this relevant to sewing? It isn't really! It is just one of those dates (the 15th that is) I always remember courtesy of high school english literature and Shakespeare's Julius Caeser.

Anyway, it was a much smaller group that gathered, just 7 of us. Sue, Barb and Chris all absent for various reasons. But that didn't mean any less noise! We discussed everything from the terrible tragedy that is the Japan Earthquake through to "Inside Job", a documentary on the global financial crisis, (and all at several decibels above the safety levels I am sure).

Merri and I have both been to see Inside Job and highly recommend it. The only downer, you will come away angry at the greed, the cronyism and the collusion between the banks, government and academia.

Now for the sewing. Our day always starts with show and tell. First up was Kerry with her almost completed 'A Tribute to Mrs Williams'.

Julie has made some progress since last month on her version of this beautiful quilt and started adding the blocks in the first border.

I am sure many of you also follow Deb's blog and will have seen her progress on Homage to Sally Ann. She has started work on the corner blocks. We all just love her colour choices.

Di brought along 2 projects she is working on. First up she is re-working her Antique Wedding Sampler.

And now that all the sashings have been removed from her Baltimore Album, Di has a fresh wave of enthusiasm for this quilt and is working on additional blocks to complete it.

Merri has commenced a version of the the 'Feather with Flowers Quilt' from Fons & Porter's book, Quilts from the Henry Ford. Note the background fabric - Moda's Luna Notte in the pale green. I think every one of us in the Sisterhood lusts after this particular fabric but it sold out very quickly. I think Ann has managed to get a few metres and I was also lucky to get some.

And last, but definitely not least, Ann has completed all of the blocks for her daughter's "wedding quilt". Just the borders to add then off to the quilters. Oh, and I did remember to ask, the pattern is from Material Obsession.

So, that's about it for this month,

Until next time,

Meghan

Work(s) in Progress

Yesterday was the third Saturday of the month and it looks like normal service has been restored with lots of new projects started, or work on old ones resumed, by the Sisters.

First up from Barb, the outer border of stars for the Burnt Quilt is under construction. Love the fussy cutting.

Julie has always been a 'one project at a time' person but finally it looks like she has succumbed to temptation with two, or did I hear her say three, challenging projects started.

Here she is with the almost finished centre panel from A Tribute to Mrs Williams. The pattern is by Corliss Searcy of Threadbear.

And below, the centre panel from Deb's Not Quite Telling the Truth. Photos never do colour justice, the background fabric is from Moda's Luna Notte range, it is a beautiful pale green.

Next up, on the left is a small sashing Sue is making for her Art Deco inspired creation. More photos of this 'quilt under construction' can be found here.

Below from Chris, the beginnings of a quilt she is doing in a class at Somerset. My apologies but I forgot to get any details from Chris.

Di brought along a quilt top I remember from early days at Primarily Patchwork. It is a four patch Baltimore. Imagine our surprise when Di started unpicking it and removing the sashings (just peaking out from under the block). Why? Because she no longer 'loved' them. In her opinion, the sashings were too heavy and so off they came. This is one of the blocks, sans sashing. I can't wait to see how Di puts the blocks back together again.

And last, but never least, from our most industrious Sister, Merri, a completed set of blocks for Linda Bear's Best of Friends - reverse applique. All that is left to do to complete the top are the sashings. Merri is one of those quilters we all envy as she has the focus and commitment to finish projects.

And a few close-ups of some of the many blocks.

Until next time,

Meghan

"Another year over, a new one just begun"

Well not quite - after all we are now almost at the end of January!

Before logging on to write this post I was trying to think why it has been so long since the Sisters updated their blog. Apart from Deb, I think we are all in quilt hibernation following the huge effort put in by all to get quilts completed for Quilts in the Barn.

There has of course been some activity, so here are a couple of photos,. The first is of Ann working on a wedding quilt for her daughter. At last count I think Ann said she had 90 days to finish the quilt before the big day.

Barb has started the Burnt Quilt. This is one of the inner borders, which are now all completed and attached. Sorry there is not a more recent photo to show you, rest assured it is beautiful and Barb's hand sewing is perfection (as always).

Me, I have pulled another UFO/WIP from the cupboard. This one, 19th Century Flower Baskets, is another of Di's beautiful patterns. I started it at a class with Di in 2005 when Primarily Patchwork was still open. It became what I call my 'travel' quilt.

Why? At the time of starting the quilt, I was travelling a lot with work and it involved a lot of long haul flights. Because of the size and shape of the applique pieces I would prep a block before a flight and take it with me, sewing mainly while in the air. Work was always demanding so I don't recall getting much sewing time once on the ground.

I have now finished the four centre blocks. The background is a lovely old gold toile that I purchased in the USA during one of my trips.

I have also finished one of the inner prairie point borders and prepped 3 more. Still lots of sewing to go but I am enjoying it.

Until next time,

Meghan

Saturday Sewing

Yesterday was the most perfect late spring day in Melbourne. It was also the third Saturday of the month and time for the Sisters to gather, this time at Deb's, for a day of sewing and chatter. For the first time in ages all ten of the Saturday sewers were present as Barb and Kerry are back from their travels. It was not one of our most industrious days as there was so much to catch up on. In addition to hearing about Barb and Kerry's trips, Di has also been away, somehow managing to fit a visit to Houston in her busy schedule.

I took along a recently finished quilt top to show the girls. The top was started at Patchwork on Stonleigh's Summer School in January 2008. I took a class at Summer School with Karen Cunningham. She called the original quilt, Miss Emma.

As I am making it for my niece Erin I consulted her on colours. She wanted something 'black'.

After the initial burst of enthusiasm that marks the beginning of any new project, I had got this far. It then disappeared into my cupboard, not to see the light of day until 4 weeks ago.






I have done mostly hand stitching for the past 2 years, lots of needleturn applique and hand piecing. It was a nice change to get out the sewing machine to add the final 3 borders.
This little pile was destined to become 24 10inch blocks.





According to "Carrie Hall Blocks" by Bettina Havig, they are called Godey's Lady's Book Block. Such a mouthful! There must be a better name for it!








And here is the finished quilt top. As you can see, it is very black! (And very big, 94 x 94 inches.) These are not my natural choice of colours and therefore it was a bit of a struggle to finish. The Sister's assure me that I will like it more as more time passes.
Because of the darkness of the quilt top, I have made some alterations to Karen's pattern; removing the soft, rounded blocks that are in the original and replacing them with blocks that have more angles. I think I also need to rename the quilt. So, in deference to its original title I am calling it Miss Emma's Husband So much more appropriate don't you think?

Until next time,

Meghan

A big thank-you...

From left to right, Sue, Julie, Di, Clare, Meghan, Merri
Absent: Ann, Barb, Deb, Kerry and Chris

On behalf of the Sisters I would like to say thank you to everyone who visited Quilts in the Barn and for all the wonderfully kind and overwhelmingly complimentary comments we have received, both on the days of the show and following via this amazing online quilting community.

When we were first invited by Linda to be the featured exhibitors we were very excited and rather flattered to think we were going to have our very own quilt hanging. After the show all I can say is how humbled we have been by your reaction to our quilts.

To my fellow Sisters, a big thank you as well. I began my patchwork and quilting journey in 2004 to try and counterbalance a hectic working life that saw me frequently traveling overseas and sometimes away for extended periods of time. Little did I know that this creative passion would bring in to my life an amazing group of women, all unique, who quickly grew to become friends.

From meeting other quilters and from the many blogs I read, I know my experience is a common one. How lucky we all are!

Until next time....

Meghan