Stitching In Isolation.

 The sun is out today and I have been spring cleaning and it feels good to be able to pack away things we no longer use. We can't drop off things to the Op Shop but it feels like progress to move things out to store in the garage until we can leave home again.
       I have still been busy quilting donated tops but I have also started a few new projects for me. I love hand needle turned applique and I have started Collector with a Needle's new design, Fig Leaves and Flowers, a reproduction of a 19th century quilt. I love the petals and I decided to stitch it predominantly in reds and greens.

 I'm back basting it and find that I get a lot done in the evenings if I have prepped the pieces in advance.

 I'm auditioning fabric for the flowers next to the tulips and then I will start the next wreath surrounding them.

 I have almost finished the Lyre quilt top which was one of Di Ford Hall's designs and I have used fabric that I had in my stash as I couldn't go to the quilt shops.

 I've decided to change my quilt by not adding the sashed border as I was undecided about what to use for the shirting background. Instead I decided to use a lovely border print fabric and it will be ready for quilting soon.

 I also have hand appliqued a UFO piece that has been donated and I will add to it and make a table runner to be sold in the Peter Mac auxiliary shop.

I'm also working on my Poppies quilt so I have plenty to keep me busy for a while in between quilting donated tops. I hope you're all enjoying your stitching too.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

Still Quilting.

 We're now having Fridays as a child free day which has given me more time to finish off donated tops as well as a time to put some kits together from donated blocks.  This first very large top is going to brighten someone's day.  I haven't had time to look up who donated it.

 This lovely and bright quilt top was made by Wendy Snook from Vic and it's such a fun quilt that will be treasured.

This lovely I Spy quilt top was also donated and it will be a lovely quilt for a boy.
   I'm also working on some projects for our quilting group's exhibition which has been postponed until next year. Being busy with the bushfire quilts for so much of this year I didn't think that I would have time to finush some of mine but I have a top almost finished so I hope to have at least one finished.
  I hope you're all safe and well, and finding comfort in your time with needle and thread.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

What's Happening.

 We're 18 days into our second lockdown here in Melbourne and it feels like it's been harder this time as the numbers of people infected continue to climb. We're both healthier than ever as we're not leaving home and catching the usual coughs and colds. I shouldn't complain as we're lucky that we don't have concerns about trying to work, financial worries etc, but I have been feeling a bit flat, probably because we've had to postpone delivering the bushfire quilts again so I've slowed down a bit with quilting donated tops and have spent some time with some stitching of projects for me.

  Anne Marie Ward from WA has very kindly donated another beautiful top as well as 24 more lovely crocheted squares for another blanket.

 I did get an older donated top quilted and this will go onto the pile for Peter Mac patients as they will also need quilts again very soon.

 This top was one of AQA's tops that I have quilted and it will also be going to Peter Mac.

 One highlight of our days are these 2 precious boys. We're caring for the boys so their parents can work and both families have continued to isolate so we can do this safely.

 This takes me back to when our children were young and playing in the cupboards.

I'm also making up kits from donated orphan blocks and finishing donated UFOs as well as working on some needle turned applique blocks so life is busy and I hope you're all staying safe and enjoying some time to stitch.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

Some Finishes.

 These beautiful QAYG blocks had a fish/water theme and they make a great quilt for a male.

 I also put together the crocheted squares donated by Margaret Humphrey and it's a lovely warm blanket to comfort someone.

I also quilted a top made by a member of my quilting group, AQA, and I need to get some more finished to donate to patients at Peter Mac Cancer Centre.  Being in lockdown again must be tough for people going through cancer treatment as they aren't able to have visitors now. Of course I can't leave home to deliver quilts at the moment but I feel very lucky to be able to make quilts to bless others when travel restrictions are lifted again.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

Many Thanks Maria W.

 Maria Wilson from WA is a long term supporter of Oz Comfort Quilts and she has very generously donated 2 more beautiful quilts for boys who are being treated at the Peter Mac Cancer Centre.  She has backed them with flannelette and they will be lovely and cuddly.

 She also sent a lovely piece of fabric, a large pile of QAYG blocks and binding.

Thank you so much for your support, Maria.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

My Isolation Projects.

  Apart from finishing off other people's donated UFOs and making donation quilts my other passions are repairing and restoring antique quilts and making hand stitched needle turn appliqued quilts. After the much loved quilter Di Ford Hall's recent passing, I knew that I needed to stitch some of her designs and keep some treasures for my family.  I have a couple of Di's designs in progress as I took some classes with her just for fun as I alwsys learnt so much about using fabric in different ways to enhance a design. Some of these are WIPs and UFOs and I'm yet to find them since our move. However I have started 2 of Di's designs since March and the first photo is one of her designs from 1998, called Poppies. It has 16 blocks and I have finished 10 of them so far.

The design has a cut out shape in the centre of some blocks but I wasn't really happy with it. Funnily enough it looks better in the photo.

 I covered that area with a circle and will do the same for the other blocks so they are uniform.

 This block and the 2 below  were stitched while I was resting my knee. Thankfully it seems to be much better after my last visit to the Osteo.

 I also started stitching the Maltaville quilt when a lovely friend gifted the patterns to me. It's a bit different to my usual red and green applique quilts as it uses more blues and yellows and I find that I can get blocks stitched quickly if I have them prepped in advance. I use the back basting method and try to trace several blocks at a time as that is often what stalls a project.

 I restarted the Noah and Matilda quilt as I originally started it with modern fabrics and lost interest. After one block this time I decided that I wanted a darker background so I ordered more and will either remake this block or tea dye it.

I also started Di's Lyre design based on an antique top in her collection and I have already stitched 8 blocks and have started the last one. I was stitching each block over 1 or 2 nights once they were prepped but I  was undecided about what to use for the borders and unable to visit a quilt shop so work slowed down on this one. I really need to get the blocks pieced together and then decide about the border. My complication is that I used 2 different fabrics for each block and I am not sure what to use next. The fabric is 25cm strips from Max and Louise's range and I bought it at the Leukaemia fundraiser for Di, as well as mainly  using red from their fabric range as well as Di's.

The Peter Mac auxiliary shop is currently closed due to the virus but I have lots of donated kits etc to finish off for them so I made up a cute little bumble bee beanie with antennae . I also finished the baby jacket and that will be donated to St Kilda Mums to be gifted to families in need of support.
   Aren't quilters lucky that there is never a shortage of projects to work on. It's apso good for me to complete some quilts for my family as I have very few on hand, having donated most of them.
Hugs, Jan Mac 

GV Quilter's Donations.

 When we were in Shepparton, catching up with family, we also met up with some of the GV Quilters as they had more quilts to donate to our bushfire quilt drive. We met Pam Knight, Sue Vranzizan and Gael Thompson donated 16 quilts between them and they will be much appreciated when we can distribute quilts again.

I'm finally caught up with taking photos of donations and now I just need to fold, count and pack up the quilt mountain in readiness for our next delivery. Now Melbourne is in lockdown again we'll have to wait until travel restrictions are lifted again but we're grateful that we've been able to give out 516 quilts so far and this gives me time to find out where the next delivery should be made.
Hugs, Jan Mac