A Flurry of Finishes.

 I've been busy packing up my quilting books and shelves of fabric and it's a huge job. As I'm packing fabric I'm trying to remember where I put certain colours which I know will be good for bindings but once it's packed it won't be that easy to get it out again. Luckily I still have the "magic cupboard" with more fabric and I've been raiding that for bindings for these quilts.
 The first top was made and donated by Marg C. from my Melbourne quilting group. Marg does beautiful hand worked button hole stitch around the applique pieces and she has some very cute patterns she uses. A child will love this one and it will probably got to a child in foster care.

 The next three tops were all donated and I'm working hard to get more of them finished to be donated for Christmas.

 This top is simple but a child will love it and the fabulous jungle animal fabric.

The last one is a cot sized quilt which will welcome a new baby for a survivor of domestic violence. I'm back working nights again tomorrow but hope to get more packing and quilting done soon.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Zieber Quilts Petite Treasures.

While we were house sitting in Melbourne last month, I was very lucky to attend a fabulous quilty weekend at Quilts in the Barn. Leah Zieber came out from the US to present her weekend of studying cot and doll quilts and dresses. The textiles ranged from 1830s to1940s and we were privileged to hear the history of the quilts and also to study the fabrics up close.
  It was such a wonderful weekend to spend time with other quilters with a love for antique textiles. Linda Collins arranged the weekend and she was ably assisted by Bev Bannard with catering. I can share some photos with you but the best part was hearing Leah talk about the history of the textiles so if you get the chance to attend one of her talks make sure you go.
   I'll share a few more photos soon. In the meantime I'm busy decluttering so we can get the painters in and new carpet as well as working nights. Life is busy but we are looking forward to downsizing. We have decided to move to the outskirts of Melbourne to be closer to our youngest DD and good hospitals.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Today's Show and Tell.

 I'm very busy packing up my sewing room at the moment and in between times, I'm finishing off donation quilts. You don't realize how many bits and pieces of fabric scraps you have until you have to gather them all together in boxes. The hard part is trying to remember where things are stored in case I have time to work on them before we move.
 The first top is my version of Sharon Barnes' Chester County Criswell quilt. Sharon ran this replica of her family's treasured quilt as a BOM pattern and several of us have finished, or almost finished, the quilt. Mine still needs to be quilted and we hope to show them at an exhibition or quilt show next year. I needed to send Sharon a photo of mine so I've done that and now it is packed away until I have time for the quilting.

In the meantime, I have quilted another top made by one of my Melbourne quilting group members, Marg C. makes these lovely quilt tops and I'm happy to quilt them for her and then they are donated through AQA. I have another donation quilt just waiting for binding when time allows. Back to packing in the meantime, as well as working more nights.
Hugs, Jan Mac

The Beauty of Scrapping.

 While I was in Melbourne I received a large parcel of scrappy goodies from Nanette G. of NSW. Nanette stitched these fabulous string pieces onto foundation fabric and made 6" blocks from them. They make such a lovely quilt and this top will be quilted ASAP and donated for Christmas. I love all the variations of blue and the added red and yellow makes a beautiful quilt top and a great way to use up all those little scraps we all seem to accumulate.

Nanette also sent some more of the string pieced blocks as well as some orphan blocks which will play nicely with some I have here waiting to be made into more tops. I think as quilters we get a bit carried away with all the beautiful fabrics and forget that even the smaller pieces can be used to make a comforting quilt to donate.
   Many thanks for all your work and your beautiful donations, Nanette. They will bring some lucky people comfort this Christmas.
Hugs, Jan Mac

More Donation Quilts

 These quilts were all made and donated by members of my Melbourne quilting group, Australian Quilters Association (AQA). The tops are much lovelier than the photos show and will be donated to Peter Mac Cancer Clinic as they are all larger sizes. The members are very generous with their donations and the recipients will be thrilled with their new quilts.
   I volunteer to quilt tops as my contribution for the AQA Gift Quilt Program. I get to play with all the pretty fabrics and quilts but don't have to store them so it's a win-win.
I'm still finishing quilts to be donated to domestic violence support groups as well and will have more to show soon.
 Hugs, Jan Mac

Getting Ready for Christmas

 It's good to be back blogging and since I've been home I've been busy getting more tops finished to be donated as gifts to domestic violence survivors for Christmas.

 This lovely little top was donated and the fabrics are really lovely. I love how the quilter has used pink and pale green for the outer border. Possibly she ran out of pink but it  makes it an even prettier quilt.

 I also finished another QAYG quilt from donated blocks so if you look closely you might see some you have made and donated.
Many thanks for your help with these quilt projects. Christmas will be here before we know it and while I'm tidying,. I'm also getting some more tops finished to donate. The pretty little quilt will delight a child but also bring joy to the mother as she wraps her little one in such a pretty gift.
Hugs, Jan Mac
 PS I am still trying to sell my quilting machine and frame and the price is now down to $2,000. If I don't get any interest I will dump the machine and just take the table as DH would like it for storage when we move. He plans to cut it in half to make it easier to shift.

I'm Back With Giggleswick Mill

 I'm so sorry to have been absent for so long as changes to photos on Picasa Albums has meant I've been unable to load photos from my iPad and then I was unable to access my blog at all. I was seriously considering starting a completely new blog but I also didn't want to lose all my blog posts from the past. I'll have to see if I can use my iPad for future posts, otherwise I won't be able to update my blog when I'm traveling.
 We've been house sitting in Melbourne while our DD and her husband were on their honeymoon so I didn't have access to my computer while we were away and I have done some lovely quilty things so I have lots to share.
   Just after the wedding I took a day class in Broderie Perse with Di Ford Hall, using her new design she's making using her new fabric line, Giggleswick Mill. I had lots of fabric from her previous line, and I like to have my quilts look a bit different so I used her previous fabric line and made up my own design for the central block. I also used some other floral fabric which was in the same colour tones as Di's fabric. I hadn't tried broderie perse before but I found it to be very freeing and I think it's something you just need to practice to gain confidence. I lightly glued the pieces in place and now have to stitch them down using needle turn applique.
   Of course I've done nothing to it since so I hope the pieces have stayed in place. Anyway it's great to be back as I've missed writing my blog and staying in touch with all the blog readers. I hope I can get the blog problems sorted for the iPad but at least I can use the main computer.
Hugs, Jan Mac