Rachael's French General Sampler Quilt

At the start of this year I had the privilege of quilting this 56"x78" twin bed sampler quilt for one of my most long-time friends, Rachael Chalmers (from Dunedin), who gave me free-range to do whatever I liked!

Although I've had my Bernina Q20 longarm since late 2022, I had only re-erected it a couple of months before Christmas (after having moved house in June), so have not completed a lot of projects on it yet.

With this quilt I was able to do a mixture of free-motion quilting and ruler-work, trying out different designs in the different blocks - gosh, I had so much fun!  The blocks are a mix of pieced and appliqued patterns, so it was fun coming up with quilting designs that would enhance those patterns.

Altogether it took about 12 hours of quilting time, and used x6 250m reels of thread (and x7 bobbins).

Completed: Amy Gibson's Craftsy class: BOM Sampler quilt!

Began this in 2012, following along with Amy Gibson's online class and finished it this past January with Leah Day's free motion quilting class (both from Craftsy.com)

Really cool to try a few new techniques and I love the pink colour scheme...the back is white with a pale mint polka dot section but I didn't take a photo as the white quilting on white fabric didn't really show in the photo.

Bess had to get in on the action...she is in the picture above but her black colour makes her hard to see! Much better in a close up!

QUILTING FINISHED!

I have at last completed the quilting on my Craftsy Leah Day FMQ a BOM sampler class!

The last block was my hexagons, for which I used the herringbone stitch on the machine.  And then Leah suggested using river path on the outer border. 

Now, just to trim and bind it...

Craftsy/Leah Day FMQ class Block Nine PLUS GIVEAWAY!

Wow!  I see by my blog overview that this is my 100th post! I think that deserves a suitable celebration! I have had a look through my stash and I have this little set of six fat quarters, not labelled but they seem to have a Japanese floral theme - I bought it as I love the colour combo of pinks and oranges, purples and reds. 

Everyone who leaves a comment before the 1st February will go in the draw (including international visitors). Become a new follower and leave a second comment to confirm that and it'll give you a second chance to win! Good luck and thanks for visiting!

I have quilted these blocks from my 2012 Amy Gibson Craftsy class BOM modern quilt sampler, following Leah Day's advice in her FMQ Craftsy class that followed up the BOM.

(Block #1 here)       

(Blocks #2 #3 here) 

(Blocks #4 - #8 here)

Have used Leah's travel back feather design on this one...

I was better with my shape on the longer feathers on the right than I was with the ones on the left, c'est la vie!! Will see how I go with the feather wreath on block ten! Watch this space. 

Thrilled to be linking up with Lee's WIP Wednesday and Amanda Jean's Finish It Up Friday!

Craftsy/Leah Day FMQ class: Blocks Two & Three

(Cont.)    (Block #1 here)

Have today quilted these two blocks from my 2012 Amy Gibson Craftsy class BOM modern quilt sampler, following Leah Day's advice in her FMQ Craftsy class that followed up the BOM class.  
 
A radiating spiral over top of the strings block...

...and a flower design, with an in-out spiral in the centre and wandering clover in the corners of this block.

I practised the radiating spiral on this sandwich...

Gosh I love summer school holidays!!
I made myself a promise (or rather a command) that I couldn't attack the quilt today until I had cut back all the peony rose bushes this morning - this turned into a full on gardening session as, after working my way along the peony rose bush plot, I then decided I might as well work my way back the other way by trimming up the ten standard rose bushes and pulling out the rest of the weeds along the way. Have now got quite a few gaps to fill in...thinking/plotting/planning is underway!!

Kieran is back from his ten days at National Scout Jamboree tomorrow - am looking forward to hearing about all his activities!!

Giraffes in progress and a new BOM block

Here is a head shot of my latest bunch of gals...eyes and lashes on, ears and horns on, manes and tails on...legs still to be put on!

And the latest block from the Moda Designer Mystery BOM - "County Fair" by Julie Comstock from www.CosmoCricket.com...

And I spent the first day of the holidays catching up on pre-washing and ironing the pile of new fabrics I've built up over the past few months...boy, the plans I have for this lot!

March Block of 2012 Moda BOM Mystery Quilt

This is called Sunday Drive and I must say I enjoyed spending an hour on this Easter Sunday morning creating it (having first cleaned up the mess that the cat left for us of an Easter bunny cousin in the laundry, that he'd caught out in the fields somewhere, and after reading my new Sarah-Kate Lynch novel while enjoying eating my chocolate button Easter egg that Kieran kindly found in the backyard for me after walking past its very obvious hiding place at least twice!). So nice not to be rushing around for a day or two!

Bock Ten of the MODA 2012 Designer Mystery BOM; designed by Polly Minich and Laurie Simpson from www.MinickAndSimpson.comwww.MinickAndSimpson.com

 

The ten blocks so far (with shadows from the window panes, showing that we are still having lovely sunny days to start the autumn off!)

And my mission is to get these four giraffes finished before the end of this week!!

Moda Designer BOM (Feb) - and blog hop giveaway!

Welcome to all Quilting Gallery Beat the Winter Blues Blog Hop 'tourists'!! It is super to have you visit and I hope you will have a look at a few of my posts and be inspired!

THE GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED -  my hubby has run his hand over the list of names and stopped on ...Jodie!! Congratulations - I will be in touch for an address (in Australia it seems!)

ORIGINAL POST: It is the end of summer here in New Zealand and, as we move into autumn, I am hoping we will have warm sunny days for a while to come!  However much of NZ is experiencing a drought so a little bit of rain would be good for the farmers and vege growers...just not while I've got my class away on our annual senior camp though!

With the first term of our school year well underway, I have been flat out with my preparation and planning and all the side-issues that arise with being a teacher of the 10-11 year olds of our primary school, so I have not been as productive as I would have liked, despite my to-do list.

I did though make an effort last weekend to be sure to put together the lastest arrival in my Moda Designer Mystery BOM...it did not take long and I really like it.

"Lakeside Retreat" designed by Joanna Figuera of www.FigTreeQuilts.com

I am looking forward to seeing the range of blocks get put together after the last BOM arrives!

Now, to the blog hop giveaway!  (Entries will close on 15th March NZ time)  Below is a photo of a small selection of greys that I have had for a few months, waiting for just the right occasion...I think this is it! I don't have a clue what design/er they are but they will be perfect for any stash, especially if you love novelty fabrics.

Nine pieces, varying in sizes from 8' x 13' to 13' x 13'

To enter the draw to win, please share  a comment about your favourite school days memory! I always smile when I think back about the time my class acted out Roald Dahl''s revolting rhyme "Red Riding Hood" for the school concert - I got to play the Grandma - it was lots of fun!

Four more blocks - Moda Designer BOM

Have been able to spend a couple of hours over the past three evenings getting the cutting and patching done on Blocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Moda 2012 Designer BOM - just in time before the next one arrives in the post!

Cherry Sundae - designed by Barb Adams and Alma Allen of
www.Blackbird-Designs.com

Town Square - designed by Kate Spain
of www.KateSpain.com

I think this is my FAVOURITE so far -
I love the interesting border around the star and the colours are so lovely together!
Is called Moonlight Serenade (and I love the name too!)
designed by Sany Gervais of www.PiecesFromMyHeart.net



Lime Sherbert
designed by Bonnie Olaveson and Camille Roskelley
of www.CottonWay.com and www.ThimbleBlossoms.com

Craftsy BOM project

Finally had a chance to catch up with the July blocks and the August blocks for this Craftsy class; need to print out the instructions for the Sept blocks and Oct blocks and will try to get them done before the end of the school holidays.

Traditional dresden plate

Modern dresden wheel

Ohio Star

Double Star

Saturday sewing!

I linked up with the Friday Night Sew-In - spent Friday night cutting fabrics and today sewing them up!

Brian took Kieran on the motorbike to visit Nana Olive in Gore, left Kieran there for the night as Kieran had arranged earlier in the week, then motorbiked over to Winton then home again (after which we drove to Invercargill to see the movie 'Two Little Boys', which was awesome by the way!)

So was just me, my sewing machine and Kimbra, Gin Wigmore, Crystal Bowersox and Bon Jovi in the living room for the afternoon! Gotta love it!

Got this month's Moda Designer Mystery BOM made:

"Breezy Afternoon" designed by Aneela Hoey

And created this bag - I just love this bird fabric - influenced by this bag and these bags that I have made already - a combo of the patterns.

Gift tote bag for my 3rd year trainee teacher, Saskia Van den Beld,
who has been working with  my class this year.