TALKING QUILTS (FEB. 2019)

Finally making a start on this little segment, even if it's only for my own documentation.  Having made my first quilt in 1977, the journey has been ever fascinating, meeting many wonderful quilters along the way, both in magazines & books, as well as in person.  They have all contributed to making this a fun hobby.  THANK YOU, to all & sundry in the industry.
Although I have some very favourite books, I'm starting with one I've used again very recently, as well as in the past.
This the book we'll talk about first.

Stars by Magic, by Nancy Johnson-Srebo.

Block 1 instructions, of 30 different numbered blocks.

The first quilt I actually made using the book was Quilt Map #10 in the book, which is the same blocks & setting as laid out, though my  own fabric choices. 

Rustic Star Medallion.

I called this quilt Rustic Star Medallion & it was a commission by a friend who is vision impaired to go on her guest bed. 
Next up came a quilt I started making from a magazine & half way through I got bored with the same little stars, so put one of "the" stars in the centre & also added broderie perse roses to 4 blocks.
This particular pattern was from The Quilter, March 2007, called Orient Express by Roxanne Carter.

Then along came a much needed wedding gift for one of my nieces' in the UK.  I designed the quilt, but was not happy with the centre, so guess what?  A star of course from the above book.  This was designed & made in 2011, ready for attending the wedding in June, in her chosen colours.

Chelsfield Star.

Over the last few months I've been playing with fabric from my stash along with a few of the "many" designs awaiting for their turn in my graph books & on my laptop.
We have a couple of results, although they aren't quilted yet.

Mandalay.

This came about because I really wanted to use the beautiful gingko pattern fabric & as I had a design in mind I got started from this pattern below.

Wonky Star designed on Quilt Wizard program.

Things didn't go to plan, with the wonky star being a tad complicated to piece & not having enough background fabric, so was redesigned to become the one above.  The centre star is the one from the book.
Another lot of fabric had also been sitting around in a pile, languishing along with it's pattern, so another start was made, with similar complications to the above.  Below is my original idea.

Blue Stars.

I'll show some of my design progress in a few snippets below.

 

And this is what it all became.

Shazzam.

The four blocks surrounding the centre crossed star is a simple block I created to tie it all together.
The odd blocks in the left hand corner of my design wall are the leftovers from the diagonal cutting of the star blocks & I couldn't bear to throw them into the scrap tubs, so the brain started working overtime, as well as the hands & machine & lo & behold, we ended up with this...............

I'm lucky to have a great stash & could find plenty for the background & accidentally found a fat 1/4 of  pretty fabric to frame the centre block.  I actually like this, even though it was a spur of the moment flight of fancy.  I've not thought of a name for it yet.
Thank you Nancy for much inspiration & your great instructions.

OK, my first attempt at the Talking Quilts segment, which I'll try to do once a month.  I've a few in mind so hopefully it won't be too boring & if it is, you can give them a miss.  I'll pop by during the week with some crafty finishes for both hubby & I over the last couple of months, then on Friday, it will be Scavenger Hunt day.  Where has this month gone, as I've just remembered a day out which I've not done.  Hubby has been a little low this week with a nasty cold virus, but is on the mend now, although still has a niggly cough. 
Enough from me!  Hope you are having a great weekend, take care & huggles,
Susan.

                                                                                            

IT STARTED WELL!!!!

Ah, today started with all sorts of plans in my head.  Eat breakfast on the verandah, as it was mild, overcast & fresh.

Being sung to by these two on our TV aerial.

After the usual housework, I decided to get to grips with a quilt that has been languishing on the machine, off the machine for unpicking, then back on the machine.  Photo one taken just after morning tea at about 10.30am

Photo two taken around 11am.

Yes, we are off again, due to a few issues with the belts which are connected to the computerised system of my machine.  While I wait for a phone call about all this, I am doing a long overdue blog post.

Due to all the "extreme" hot weather we've had lately, it's been a bit "stay in & try to keep cool" and I don't enjoy being too housebound.  There has also been so much smoke around from the fires, which are still burning here in both Victoria & Tasmania, which has made being outside unpleasant.  Anyway, lets go on a photo heavy couple of days out.
DAY OUT 1.
Powlett River Mouth.
Our youngest son J, came down from Canberra for a few days with B2 & Little E & one day they thought they'd like to go to the beach.  It was one of our milder days, so we all set off to find somewhere along the coast & we ended up here.

The river near where we had parked.

Walking further down, you have sand dunes on the far side.
Just on the ridge line, we have J & B2 looking out to sea.

DH & I didn't cross the river, as I had shoes on & didn't want to get my feet all sandy to put back into them, but one day we will go across at low tide, which is what it was.  We walked on out to the rocks where the river flows out to sea.

DH making his way along the riverside with the waves breaking just beyond.

Another look at the dunes.

Don't these colours look stunning?  Rocks, crustaceans & seaweed.

I suppose you are now wondering what on earth this is.  As we were walking down along the riverbank, we'd noticed horse hoof prints & came upon this, which both DH & J remarked looked like a dead horse!!  The kids were a bit shocked..............but it was weird decomposing seaweed, which, if you had imagination did resemble a horse in the sand.  We saw more of this decomposition "stuff" as we walked, but mostly in grotty looking lumps.

DAY OUT 2.
Blind Bight & Warneet.
Last weekend on another cooler day, we set off for a drive/walk & ended up going back to a place that we once went into & out again due to time restraints, but always said we'd go back to explore.  This happened to be the day.  Somewhere we'll go to again for some walks.
We headed to the floating jetty at Blind Bight first.

A picnic area looking out over the mudflats & mangroves.

The mudflats at low tide.

I think this sign says it all.

Can you see the jellyfish?

Little mangroves poking through the mud amongst the rocks.

 As we wandered along the track from the mudflats we came to two ponds with a path between them & sitting on one of the posts is a shag.

                                      And here we have a bee in the centre of a gum blossom.
              Hopping back into the car to drive on to Warneet, we stopped to take this photo.

Warneet is only a stones throw from Blind Bight, but quite a different feel, with a long jetty & plenty of boats moored hereabouts.

Some odd photos to finish up on, but I know that we'll be popping back to this area again before long.
People who know me well, won't be surprised to see a tree photo.

I wonder which way the prevailing winds blow?

                                      The new community centre sports this lovely mail box.

 

The boatyard with works in progress.  Whoops, that sounds like a 'quilter' talking.

This said "quilter" is trying to put together a section on my blog called TALKING QUILTS, which I was going to start at the beginning of 2019.  Alas, it's still in my head & hopefully I'll make a start before February ends.  It will deal with how I go about finding ideas, focusing on using my stash, books/magazines (authors/designers will be given credit when used) & how I now play with a computer program as well.  I started out 40+ years ago with absolutely no idea of what I was doing or where it may lead, so for me this will be a bit of documenting my journey.  The gallery pages I hope to update too, with lots of photographic sessions so you see finished quilts instead of only pieced tops.
OK, enough from me today.  This started as photo archive of my day, but we ended up with some long overdue ramblings, because of a long-arm machine glitch. 😊
Take care all & huggles from Susan.