Part 2 Orca Bay Mystery Quilt

This is all I have managed of part 2 this week. I need to make 72 of these little units, they are only 3 1/2 inches. I'm not worried if I can't do them all this week I will catch up!

Pop over to Bonnie's Blog and see how everyone else around the world is getting on with the mystery.

My link is number 101! So there are a lot of people doing this mystery, (this is only the people with blogs) think of the hundreds of people who are also doing the mystery that don't have blogs!

And this is why I'm kind of behind in my sewing. My eldest Son has returned home for a week before he moves to Sydney Australia. He was very proud of himself as he was able to pack all his worldly possessions into his Toyota Corolla. Now they are in my lounge! Oh well he flies out on the 5th so it has to be sorted by then.

First Quilts

Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville is linking a whole lot of blogs today, with posts about the first quilt they made.

I have two first quilts. A bit confusing but it is because I was making a sampler in a beginners class, and before I finished that I started another! So My first quilt was kind of my first UFO too!

I started a second project as my Nanna had moved from Tauranga to Wellington. (From warm weather to cold for non New Zealanders). She was feeling the cold so I made her a lap quilt. I managed to made it in a few days, post it off and then continue with my sampler quilt.

You can see it was a simple quilt, that’s why I could run it up in a few days. I hand quilted it too. The white & black floral squares actually came from an old sundress of my mothers, and the red was a poly mix. I remember the poly batting bearding through the black backing fabric. I learnt why there is black batting through that! But with all those white squares maybe it was just as well I didn’t use black batting.

Nanna was a lovely lady who knitted and sewed all her life, so she greatly appreciated that I had handmade something for her. She enjoyed it for about three years before she passed away.


Here’s my sampler quilt that I finished not too long after the class! You can see my teacher taught a wide variety of techniques. There was hand and machine applique, curved piecing, hand piecing, english paper piecing, strip piecing, bargello, etc etc.
I had no idea what colours to use that’s why I did red white & blue. I thought all those flags can’t be wrong! And don’t you love the gingham border! It’s not even quilted, oh well I did learn heaps from making it though. I machine quilted this as I had just bought a walking foot and was keen to use it. Mostly I just quilted in the ditch and outline quilted around the appliques.

If you have enjoyed looking at my first quilts, pop over to Bonnie’s blog to she her first quilt, and all the links to other blogs featuring theirs.

The Hobbit

I have been enjoying Junez Scrapz recent blog posts with photos from her son. If you haven't clicked though and had a look do so (link is on the sidebar too). He is working on The Hobbit movie, and has been sending marvellous photos to June of the scenery.

Today I was reading a story online about the sets for 'The Hobbit' & Professional Blogger Eric Vespe, who has been invited by Sir Peter Jackson to blog from the set. 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/new-zealand/6031824/Hobbitons-Green-Dragon-tipped-for-pulling-pints

Hobbit Hole, Matamata New Zealand. Photo by Eric Vespe, Ain't It Cool News.

I love the book The Hobbit, I remember one of my school a teachers (Mr Elgar I think!) reading it aloud to the class. He would stop at the end of each chapter and our homework that night was to write a page or two on what happened next. We would read our versions aloud the next day. Some were close to the book, some we thought more fun, and others well there has to be a donkey in most things!  But it was a great way to get us kids wanting write.

Anyway in case you are a fan like me I thought you might like to read  Eric Vespe's blog posts. 
As I have been to most of the 'locations' (long before they were taken over by Hobbits), I really enjoyed seeing these familiar landscapes turned into a mythical middle earth.


Here's links to the first couple of posts, from the set of The Hobbit.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51787
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51851

If you want to read more use 'unexpected journey' in ainitcool.com's search box. 

I’ve been making Flags….

Well not really but that's what it looks like coming out the back of the sewing machine!

I've decided to join in doing Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt Orca Bay. I've put a button to take you to Bonnie's instructions in my side bar, if you'd like to join or just have a look to see what it's all about.

Heres's the flags I was talking about!

I decided to sew this in the lounge so that I can look out the window, and watch TV in between. I love how this is so easy to do with my Sewezi table. Here in New Zealand we are going into Summer so the weathers good, so there's no snow outside my window!

Look at the circle the flags formed on the floor.

I was lucky that Oscar the cat was having his afternoon nap on the spare bed, so he didn't want to play with all these flags. I'm sure they would look very tempting for a cat! And before anyone asks, YES that is half a Lamington cake on my plate! I should have hidden the evidence before I took the photo  ;-)
EDIT: Lamingtons are sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing (or red jelly for the pink ones), then rolled in coconut. You can cut them in half and add jam and cream too. Mine was a bought one which was nice but nothing on the chocolate ones my Mum used to make for Birthdays etc when I was a kid.

On the left this is what the flags make.

You see those triangles that won't match up, well I feed one thru the sewing machine upside down! No big deal I just sewed a new partner for it and moved on! (I then made sure that I feed all my pieces the same way up thru the machine!)


Progesss! I only have to make 224 hour glass units! Can you see these rulers on the left? Bonnie recommends them for the mystery, so I decided to get them. I had to order them from Australia as I couldn't find them for sale in New Zealand at all.   :-(
So far I really happy with them, but you can do the mystery without them, so don't let that put you off if you would like to join in.


OK this is what 224 little hour glass units looks like. I clipped all my dog ears off last night while watching the Leaders Debate ( New Zealand's General Election is this Saturday ). See all the dog ears filled up a cup!

The next clue of Orca Bay is out on Friday, so come and see how I'm getting on!

Use this link to check out the other people with blogs that are doing Orca Bay.

Bye

Country Dawn’s New Store Opening

Country Dawn opened their new store at 17 Gladstone St, Dargaville yesterday.
I was asked along by one of my quilting friends, (she was on the hunt for border fabrics for 2 quilts). My friend found just what she wanted, on the sales table too, score!
Of course I couldn't resist buying some sale fabric too. I have been trying not to buy fabric for the last year or so, as I do need to use my stash but sometimes you just have too buy something.....if you are a quilter you will know what I mean! ;-)


Anyway I thought you might like to see a couple of photos of the store, just quick snaps. Above is just one corner of the large front room of the store. There is a large back room too, with great natural light that they are going to use for classes.


Busy busy busy, there were a lot of quilters at the opening and the staff were running around returning bolts of fabrics to the shelves, after cutting fabric.

In this photo I managed to snap Sue & Chrissie of Country Dawn. They were very busy running about so it was just luck to get them together in this photo. Sue has the cute polka dot shoes and Chrissie has the strappy sandals.

Show & Tell, November 2011

Well it was another busy meeting last Saturday!
We had Kerry Glen of Tulis visiting as a merchant. Kerry also showed us a few versions of the quilt she will teach in a class next year. Sorry I didn't get photos of that as it was dark in the hall (some problem with the lights)
Anyway I did get photos of the clubs show and tell. Some of the photos aren't the best as I had to use a flash which washed out the quilt colours a bit. But I'm sure you will still enjoy having a look at it anyway.  :-)

Jennifer Cullen made this beautiful quilt called 'Coffee & Cream'.

'Baby Bargello' by Marie Finegan, quilted by Sandy Robinson.

Petra Pilkington was asked to make this for a friends baby. She found it interesting to use fabric that someone else had picked. It's not her usual colours or style but she likes it!

Bag (with lime lining) by Hazel Phillps,
this is another version of the bag she made last month as the pattern was so fun to make. 

Doll by Sue Gillard. This is the first doll she has made and had fun learning to paint the face. 

Maureen Jackson made this bag from a kit she bought at the Hamilton Craft Fair.

'Ferry on the Mersey' photo printed on fabric, quilted by Marie Finegan.

By Petra Pilkington, as well as tea bags Petra has used washers & beads.
Click on the photo to see more details. Petra drew all the bugs herself too.

Another smaller version made by Petra Pilkington.

Shelia Udjur made this bags from 5" squares from her stash.

'Crab Apples' by Shirley Julian, the result of Jacqui Karl's recent class

'Bugs' byTerri Mills. Terri started this in a recent class with Mary Transom.

Marie Finegan made this placemat for her four year old granddaughter.

Shirley Olsen started this about ten years ago when she was first a member at WP&Q.
She said she is pleased to have it finished!  

Sue Gillard made this quilt for her 9 year old grandson. He's fascinated by Stars & Space. 
Sue bought the fabric from The Country Yard, the stars on the fabric glow in the dark!  

Opps can't find the details for this little stitchery, 
please someone leave me a comment or email me so I can add a name to  it!

Robyn Halverson painted black fabric with bleach (discharged) to make this image.  

Shirley Julian embellished this wallhanging with copper shim flowers.

Tric Carter made this beautiful Stain Glass Table Runner. 

Helen Barnes made this wall hanging from a kit she purchased from Tulis.

On The Edge

Last night I attended the opening of ‘On The Edge’ a new Art Gallery in town.
I was invited to the opening by Textile Artist Francien Bot, as the gallery is showing several of her works.

Francien & Nymph

Francien works mostly with cotton fabrics but also incorporates more difficult fabrics such as silk, velvet, & organza. I especially like her subtle use of beads and metallic threads, they enhance her pieces without overpowering them.

On The Edge Gallery is upstairs at 69 Walton Street, Whangarei (across the road from the ASB).
Please take the time to visit the gallery, I'm sure you won’t be disappointed. 

Slide Show of Coastal Sew ‘n’ Sews Quilt Show

Tess from Coastal Sew n Sews (Ngunguru quilt group) has sent me a link to a slide show of their recent Exhibition to share with you all. I didn't get to go to the show as I was in Hamilton so I really enjoyed the slide show. Click on the photo below, to take you to see the Exhibition.

The Country Yards Exhibition

Last Saturday I went out to the Country Yards Exhibition. It was a great show well worth seeing even if the weather wasn't very kind. I did manage to stay dry in between the spring showers though!
I took at few photos of items that appealed to me, to share with you all. So here we go.

I loved this it looks like it's straight out of a picture book.
Wall hanging by Ngaire Fleming.

I love kiwis and all things kiwiana so loved this. Wall hanging by Susan McRae.

The quilting is special too. Click the picture for a closer look
 to see how the tui's tail is quilted in, and the palm's trunks are extended

This stitchery/applique wall hanging by Racheal, was Lynette Andersons Button Mystery. 

This was a group quilt made for Leeanne's 40th Birthday (no not me!)

This Leeanne is the from http://quiltmekiwi.blogspot.com/ check out her blog it's good.
I thought this was a good idea for a gift quilt, with everyone making a bag block.
(sorry for the side way's photo as it was in a tight space!)

There were a lot of beautiful cushions, this one is made by Noeline.

And this cushion is made by Leeanne of quilt me kiwi blog (link above)

I was praised for this cushion, as several people thought it was mine, but I did put them right and say it was the other Leeanne's work!

This quilt is a sample made to showcase these fabrics for the shop.
It was very popular, and the cushions added a lovely touch too.