Fabulous Friday and sensational Saturday makes me whoop!

Let me tell you why I want to whoop about my Friday and Saturdays achievements.  Firstly Friday I decided to clean up all of my fabric.  All of my bins were just horrendous and looking like this one above.

After a short time I managed to get them looking like this.

I have sorted the boxes into a box of yardage and three small boxes of fat quarters and smaller usable pieces.  Then there are three boxes of scraps which I am going to cut  I to 2.5" squares and charm squares.  These can then be used for quick quilts or borders.

But look at this little lovely and this would be a great whooping find, I did this in 2004 and all it needs is a border, but I have an idea and may include it in a quilt I am planning on making in the next couple of months.

My other little whoop is this darling little fabric bowl basket, which I have posted to someone who needs a bit of cheer in her life right now.

My sensational Saturday found me outside mowing my lawn and I am finishing the evening off nicely at the hand quilting frame.  I am linking this post with Confessions of a fabric addict

Exciting news!

I am announcing a linky which I will be hosting at the last Friday of every month. This will be celebrating the goals I have met and the goals I hope to meet for the future month.  I am asking for you to think of what you might like to blog about in this regard and link with me.  I am really looking forward to this and so you don't miss out on all of the fun be sure to follow me whichever way you find easiest.

Until the next time we meet,

Have a wonderful whooping weekend, I know I am going to,

Wendy

Mothers Day slow stitching Sunday

What a wonderful day I have had today, this Mother's Day.  Managed to get a lovely sleep in.  My youngest daughter was able to come home and spend the day with me.  My eldest daughter had to work so we will catch up on her day off this week.  Once again my girls have spoilt me and given me some lovely hand and body cream with some fantastic shower gel.  The above photo is a progress photo of my love calms the seas quilt.  I am now able to quilt at a reasonable pace so Heather should have her quilt sooner.  She did take another quilt back with her as it is starting to get a bit colder. 

This a photo of my thread keeper, it has a magnet on the top of it which keeps the needles together.  I love to thread all of my needles and then just cut them as I need them.

I thought I would also share a photo of my thumb thimble and my new little threader which my friend Kathi sent to me as a surprise with some fabric.  It makes me smile each time I see it.  I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday. I would like to wish everyone a happy Mother's Day and I hope it has been special for you and that you can be thankful for the little things in life.  Remember by adding the little things in life we achieve big and wonderful things.

So until next time have a wonderful and fun time,

Wendy

Fabulous Friday Fun

Today I was overwhelmed with a parcel I recieved from  my dear friend Kathi.  I said I was looking at this Eiffel Tower fabric online and Kathi suggested that she buy if locally to her and send it to me.  To round out my parcel she included some fat quarters.  I gave her some colours and said surprise me!  Wow was I surprised, they have had me smiling all afternoon since I collected them from my post office after I recieved the notice for collection.  If you would like to see the wonders that Kathi creates you can click here and check out all she has been up to lately.  

I can't wait to be able to start creating with these fabrics and show you all so be sure to sign up to follow my blog and see what I create next.  I can't wait to use the cute little needle threader when my eyes are just not coping and I am starting to struggle seeing the eye of the needle.

This morning I was busy with all of the mundane chores on our lovely autumn day.  Around midday all of those chores were complete so I managed to sit down and quilt at the frame on my love calms the seas quilt for my daughter.  I am continuing quilting this tonight as I watch the yearly event of Eurovision song festival.  This has become a tradition of ours  which we enjoy very much.

So as I sit at the frame and quilt and watch television I hope you all enjoy your day or evening doing what you have to do.

Until next time, enjoy the ride,

Wendy

Fun coasters

I had lots of fun this morning making these coasters!

So much fun in fact I thought it only fair to share how I made them, so here are my notes:-

Firstly I cut out six cirlces from my cream Kona solid and six cirlces of my fun print.  I also cut six circles from a thin wadding.  The circles were 5.5".  I then used a gathering stitch and gathered the edge of the circle to pull the raw edges inward.  I placed the batting within the bottom circle and pressed it flat.  

I then did the same gathering on the plain Kona fabric and then placed it over the bottom so a small amount of the base was showing.  I then pinned the centre.

After this I used 12wt Aurifil mako thread and did some fun big stitch quilting in the shap of a flower after I had stitched all around the circle.

Just like this

And here are my finished coasters which I have posted to my swap buddy.  I have some coasters on the way to me and they should be here next week, I can't wait to receive them. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Please leave a comment on how your Wonderful Wednesday I would love to hear!

Until then, have a fun day

Wendy

Slow quilting at the frame

Today I have been able to return to my quilting at the frame for love calms the sea.  It is certainly a different process quilting at the frame to in the hoop.  For me I much prefer quilting on the frame, I do know that others struggle with this process but since I have adapted to quilting away from me with my thumb i believe I can get a more even stitch plus it seems to be quicker.  I am using my much loved aurifil 28wt to hand quilt with and I just can't say how much I love using this thread.

I have also been busy cooking today, I managed to do two loaves of bread and some bread rolls along with date and nut loaves.  It has certainly been a productive day even if it is a slow stitching Sunday and I am glad to share this Post with  Kathy.

So until next time have a wonderful Sunday and enjoy your slow stitching,

Wendy.

Busy week comes to an end

Well this week has seen the finishing of Gelato my miniature quilt but it deserves its own special blog, so I will only give you a snippet of it here.

The other project was my Challenge block for the Lang Lang quilt show.

The challenge was to construct a block using a 3" orange square which was supplied and I could only add white and green to make a 10" block.  I decided to use all of the snow images I have been seeing on my newsfeed from the other side of the world and thought of a flower emerging from the snow.  Here is my entry

I also have Gelato hanging at the show,  if you are in the area it is a very wonderful quilt show to visit, there are always lots of things to see,  the afternoon tea of scones jam and cream are to die for.

so that about wraps up my week and that is why I am whooping it up withSarah

Until next time, keep creating

Wendy

Slow stitching feathers on Sunday

Oh how I love to hand quilt! I actually can't think of  many other pastimes I would rather be doing on a Slow Stitching Sunday and that is why I am linking with Kathy here.  I started on the second feather and am happy to say that I actually reached my goal and completed it.  

I threaded all of my needles and left them on the thread and only cut when I needed the next needle, this was such a time saver as I didn't have to keep threading needles, it also gives my needles a good rotation.  I am also happy to announce that my blog is being listed with Quilt Qua now.  It is a great site with lots of quilty information for everyone.  Please take a look.  As for me I will be continuing stitching the rest of my Gelato now.

until next time continue to enjoy life

Wendy

Inspiration is everywhere

Don't you love it when little things can spark and bring on big ideas?

For me I only have to look to my garden to get inspiration for colour and shapes

I just love these Callistemons.

Not only do they give a wonderful shape and texture the little birds feed on the nectar in the flowers.

I am often intrigued watching a little bird hanging on the flower eating the nectar as the small branch bends.

Then there is the colours of the new leaf tips on these wonderful plants and ther shape as they just wisp there way out of the plant.

Then you can't go past a wonderful sunrise with the gorgeous colours emerging within the sky.

So what inspires you to create? Leave a comment I would love to know.

Until next time, keep creating,

Wendy

Fun with my stencils

Last week I watch a wonderful YouTube tutorial by Lillian Hedley on how to draw feathers http://youtu.be/pgaRvjiMHQQ After watching this turtorial I drew this feather for my miniature Gelato.

I thought I would share how I make my templates and transfer to my quilt as there have been a few questions about templates and making them on our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/handquilting/.

I have been using freezer paper of recent times, previously I used template plastic.  First I draw my design on the freezer paper and then cut out the shape

After this point I then cut out certain sections leaving the template still holding together but with enough holes so I can transfer my shape to my quilt

Once I have it looking like this I then pin to my quilt and then proceed to transfer the design by tracing around the outside and the holes in the template,  I use a slither of soap for this but you may use a pencil if you prefer.  I use the soap as it removes easily and it makes your quilt smell nice as you work on it

I then fill in the different lines from the markings I have on my quilt to get this so then I can start quilting

I hope you have enjoyed how I do my stencils, please leave me a comment on how you do yours or if you will have a go and do a stencil for yourself now.

Until next time

Wendy

Slowly making progress with Gelato

I was hoping to have more of the little gem quilted by now,  I have lost a bit of quilting time due to my hubby finishing my desks hutch.  It is now in and is in place, I just need to reorganise everything.  It was a mammoth effort to get it into the house as it is quite large and will be perfect for our storage of books and other supplies.  We had to remove the light fitting in the area to enable us to put it in place as it goes all the way to the ceiling.  I am so thankful to have a wonderful man to build my things for me.

You can see all to the area we have now it is wonderful.

So I was only able to quilt on Gelato for the evening and not most of the day as I had planned, I have left the rest of the sorting of papers to tomorrow as I needed to quilt.

I did proceed with Gelato and managed to almost quilt another little border.

Here are some more photos of my little miniature

I am linking this to http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/slow-stitching-sunday-cross-stitching.html and also http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/sew-darn-crafty-linky-party_20.html

So come over and check out everyone's posts for the day, you never know where you may find inspiration.

Until next time enjoy your projects what ever they may be,

Wendy

Wehago Designs: Hand quilting Gelato

Wehago Designs: Hand quilting Gelato: I had to go away this week so I decided to take my hoop and "Gelato" with me. With all of my Aurifil Mako 28wt threads and my John...

Hand quilting Gelato

I had to go away this week so I decided to take my hoop and "Gelato" with me.

With all of my Aurifil Mako 28wt threads and my John James needles packed and my hoop I was all set, I managed to do quite a bit whilst away.  I have been enjoying the quilting on "Gelato" so much that I am continuing and will finish it before I return to quilting my "Love Calms the Seas" quilt which is on the frame.  

 As you can see I am making progress on this lovely little quilt

I am hoping to be able to complete her over the Easter break.

Hoping to be able to share the finished quilt in the next few days, until then I will continue to enjoy my handquilting,

Wendy

Quilting Waves into "Love Calms the Seas

Now that my storm at sea which is known as Love calms the seas is on the frame

Quilting could now commence, I managed to finish the border quilting yesterday 

It was time for some Sunday stitching to form the waves

I decided to do two rows of quilting approximately a 1/4" apart and then about and inch apart mimicking the curving which is formed within the pattern of the quilt.  I decided the waves of the green section would go one direction and the blue section would be quilted in the opposite direction, giving the illusion of a storm at sea.  The plan is to make the hearts which are embedded within the quilt pattern to be calm and still, hence the new name, "Love Calms the Seas"

  I hope you all have a wonderful slow stitching Sunday

 All the very best and have a wonderful week

                                                                             Wendy