DEAR JANE

SO MUCH TO LEARN

I have been doing some more online research and we have so much more to learn.  In researching Foundation Paper Piecing I came across "Dear Jane"   This is a quilt done in the 1800's by  Jane A. Blakely Stickle.  Its an amazing quilt and the patterns are available on the web site www.dearjane.com I have ordered the book and am hoping to get us started on the "The Two Hundred Twenty-Five Patterns".  Maybe this will be our retirement project :-) 

THE QUILT

 

 

In the mean time I think we need to at least try Foundation Paper Piecing and maybe take some classes in quilting as most of what we have done has been from what we learnt online and from asking questions and there is so much more to learn about quilting.

 

BLOCK 5

IT FINALLY ARRIVED !

Well after an anxious week where Lynne's Block 5 arrived and mine didn't and some correspondence with the Fat Quarter Shop mine finally arrived on Friday just in time for an extra quilting day on Saturday.

Although this one looked quite complicated it turned to be fun to do as long as we followed the instructions and we were both very happy with the results.

My son gave me a mini iron for my birthday and this was our first time using it. I am very happy with it saves some walking back and forwards to the ironing board between seams.

Mini Iron in progress

Block 5

 

 

After our block was finished we each moved onto different projects.    Lynne started on a Scrappy bag. Mine was a rag quilt my hubby requested for the dog's bed, as it was quite small I had it put together by  dinner time. I am sure there will be photos to follow when both these projects are finished.

 

There is always a happy hour on quilting days.

 

Happy Hour



 

NO BLOCK DAY!

NO BLOCK ON QUILTING DAY.

Well it  happened our block 5 didn't arrive on time for the allotted day. Disaster !!  Well not really we can always find something else to do.  We both have several projects ready to start not to mention I have at least 1 under construction.  So today it was a trip to the Craft Depot to check it out, although Lynne has been there several times I hadn't been there. So after some morning tea we toddled off. It's a great shop full of all sorts of quilting stuff!.  We both made some purchases and set off back home to start a new project. 

Our project in the afternoon was another pattern I found online called  "Snap to it"  A cute little bag made from a 10" square and some pieces of a retractable tape measure used to close it.  As always these projects are a bit confusing the first time and after some deciphering of the instructions, re reading and some unpicking to round off the edges of the tape which was quite sharp they were finished just in time for "Happy Hour"  

Today was also the opening of Lynne and Hubby's pool for the summer season so a swim was in order before a yummy dinner.

Snap to it!

BLOCK 4

Block 4 Quilting Day

Well as usual we were checking the letter box every day as our Quilting day came closer, would block 4 arrive in time for the allotted day?   

Yes!! the message read "Blocks in" and Lynne immediately ran out to her letter post to see if hers had also arrived.  Like a couple of school girls we get quite excited when our block arrives :-)

Quilting day for block 4 had a little addition we also had our traditional Christmas pudding making day.  We had an early start so that we could get the puddings on the boil and start our block.

Puddings in the making

Puddings finished

The 2 Bernies

 Once the puddings were on the boil it was time to get started on our block. This one turned out to be very straight forward, (my words for a little easier than some) and was well and truly finished by lunch time.

BOM 4

 Then it was on to some other projects. Lynne had a lovely black, white and red rag quilt she has made for a friend. She needed some more labels so we made her a page of labels, and she finished off the quilt properly, with a newly designed label.

Lynne's new label

Black White and Red

My current project is a rag quilt for our Caravan bed.  Its queen size so that's a lot of squares to put together but I am slowly getting through it.  "No rush".  

Queen Size Rag under construction

Of course there is always happy hour.  It wouldn't be quilting day without a glass of champagne !

Pam and Lynne

 

BLOCK 3

Quilting Day - Block 3

After a couple of busy weeks and waiting for the BOM 3 to arrive we finally had a quilting day.  Yay!!

Bom 3 was a little tricky lots of little triangles.  We are getting much more confident and a lot less worried about the corners matching up exactly.  We have a couple of sayings .... "a blind man would be pleased to see it" or "overall effect ... look at the big picture"   Lynne constantly tells me we are not putting it in the Easter show but I think we should try at least one quilt in the Easter Show one day :-)

Block  3


THE NEW GIRL MAKES HER FIRST BLOCK

The new Bernie had her first outing today and although she has done quite a bit of work at home already, today was her first block and she did a great job too!


New Girls First Block

The old and new

There  will always be a happy hour of course :-)

After our BOM3 it was on to some cutting a Queen Size Rag for my Caravan and Lynne was making a rag for a friend. 

Another great day, next quilting day will incorporate our annual Xmas pudding making.  That will be a really busy day :-)

Pam and Lynne



THE OLDEST GIRL GETS A MAKE OVER

I decided when I picked up my machine from the mechanic to ask it if Mums old Bernina was worth fixing.  The answer was yes "only needs a service".  When I picked her up she was working beautifully.  The only thing she was missing was some of the mod cons in particular a walking foot.

So once again I was searching Google, this time for a walking foot for either of my machines. Success! The Bernina Centre at Chatswood replied saying they had one to fit my 1004, as it turned out the walking foot and a new 1/4" Patchwork foot fit both of my machines.


Bernina Walking Foot



Patchwork Foot

So now mums old faithful is my new Quilting Machine. 



I have been told she will outlast us all :-)





Good news, BOM 3 has arrived so bring on our next quilting day!!

Pam and Lynne


NEW GIRL ON THE BOG

THERE’S A NEW GIRL ON THE BLOG

Well Lynne finally made a decision after much reading and talking and looking and of course checking the bank account and thinking.  She finally cut her ties with the old faithful Bernina Nova that she got as a wedding present all those years ago.

And here she is.........

Presenting the brand new Bernina 550 Quilters Edition

 

 Isn’t she lovely, although a little complicated looking! I think there will be some serious reading and test sewing before anything major is made with this one. 

Can’t wait to have a try at our next Quilting Day.

By the way we are still waiting on BOM 3 getting a little worried hope it’s not lost!!

Pam and Lynne