Antique lace and a mystery quilt

Hello friends and readers, nice to have you stop by!
Barbara has been busy finishing quilts ready for Christmas presents, she knows to get her quilts to her quilter nice and early!
Barbara attended another class at The Country Yard some months back to make this beautiful quilt.

Barbara has used some exquisite laces and doiley's, some her grandmother had made, some from her own wedding dress, many she didn't have the heart to cut up, so she kept them whole and will add antique buttons and beads to hold those areas of quilt together.

Barbara chose her favourite batting, bamboo/cotton. I used a soft beige Madeira thread to 'doodle', loops, feathers, hearts and flowers. The quilt measures : 76" x 76". Barbara tells me she will add some hand embroidery as another embellishment.

Oh my, I see some feathers escaped out onto the border!!! Thank goodness Barbara likes my feathers!

The outer cornerstones received some swirled feathers in a contrasting thread.
You might remember several weeks back I quilted Joanne's Anitque Lace quilt, see here. Also, here for the class sample.
 Now a couple of 'out in the garden' photo's.

Thanks you Barbara, the family member receiving this stunning quilt will cherish it for sure, what a special family heirloom.

Next up is a quilt I quilted for Kerryn at The Country Yard. Friday night was one of her famous 'midnight madness' classes. The following quilt was what the ladies made on the evening.
I understand lots of fun and laughter were had, along with a few silly antics!

I used Jamie Wallen's all over simple swirl in a variegated Gunold thread in goldish/cream tones, over cotton batting, this quilt measures 64" x 64". Finished off with a curling ribbon on the border.

Thank you Kerryn.

Here in New Zealand we are starting spring, here in Northland however, we are experiencing rain! So much it seems. I had two days this week of sort-of-fineish weather when I should have got out and mowed the lawn, but I just procrastinated about the job and continued quilting my clients quilts. The ground is very wet outside and today has a chill in the air. I did scoot out to take a couple of photo's of a few things that are blooming in my garden.

 This glorious Magnolia, I just adore the colour. We are so happy that this tree is flowering as it was one we transplanted a couple of months back. Not so much joy for our Kowhai tree, it seems it has passed away. (insert sad face)

This wee ground cover is so happy, with it's tiny mauve flowers and cheerfulness and memories of my Mum in her better days, gardening away the day. This was a plant she always had in her garden, not sure of the name? Never the less it's my 'Mum's' plant.

Wishing you all a happy Sunday wherever you are, no matter the weather, enjoy the day!

creamy delights & Christmas in July???

Joanne signed up for a class at The Country Yard some months back to make the Antique Lace Patchwork Quilt , you will remember I made the class sample back here. Joanne asked for hers to be quilted the same.

Ever so sorry for the substandard photo's, but we are having the most incredible relentless rain & wind here in Northland,  there was no way I could take any outside photo's of this pretty quilt!
Joanne tells me she now has a new found addiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . .collecting doilies! I can join her on that addiction, they are hard to say no to. What better way to use some of them though, in a stunning heirloom for generations to enjoy.

Joanne chose Matilda's Own 50%wool 50%cotton batting. The quilt measures : 62" x 62". I used a soft taupe Maderia poly neon thread, that just seemed to blend nicely into the fabulous linen & cotton fabrics. Honestly I wish you could see some of the fabrics better, the colours & textures made this quilt dreamy to work with.

Of course I had a few 'interesting' times with the quilting foot getting caught in the doilies! I had to take things real slow. I like the choice of sashing, a tone on tone, old world look brown, which Joanne says she will bind the quilt with also. Now that the quilting is completed, Joanne will add some of her collection of antique buttons, no doubt that is another addiction!!

                                                     Thank you Joanne, enjoy your quilt.

More cream to share, not a quilt, but a pincushion. I made this for my friend Raewyn, who had a wee birthday last week.

Made from a wooden coffee tree stand ( saw some rungs off & the top) & an old round cake tin, a dash of paint, then sand some paint off for that 'well-loved-vintage-chic' look. My total inspiration must & does go to my dear friend Julie, over at My Threadbear  Life, so much inspiration is she!
 Backtrack a few months to here where I made another one for a friend for Christmas. Then I bought this awesome one from Julie at my last visit. fun to make, but much easier to buy from her!!
Anyway, I used felted cream wools from up-cycled woollen clothing, & a small doiley all bought from OpShops (thriftshops). I made a flower for the top. I called Raewyn's pincushion "The Pin House".

It's always fun making handmade gifts for friends & of course receiving them! I wonder how well my handmade gifts will be received this month, as I signed up for a 'Christmas in July Swap'. I had to make three handmade gifts. We got to choose from a Christmasy themed list. I have no idea who I will receive from, but of course I know who I am giving to!! Here they are wrapped & ready to post.

I hope other Northland readers are all OK & of course anyone else out there in the firing line of this amazing, relentless wild weather.

quilts, quilts & more quilts

Fancy more sneak peeks? 
Oh I couldn't do that to you all again......so soon! You have had enough sneak peeks to last you until Santa comes calling!
First up...................................................

This Amish Barn quilt was made by Kerryn as fabric inspiration for some fabric new to the shop. Take the feature fabric, cut a large square of it. Take some of the co- co-ordinating fabric & make stars. Sew them all together & you have a dashing quilt!
 Using poly 'soft & bright' batting I quilted the 'organic' cross-hatching through the middle piece of feature fabric, followed by some straight lines & curling ribbon. This quilt measures 60" x 60".

Secondly.....................................

A Muted Nine patch table runner. Measuring 19" x 64" this is a lovely runner. Quilted over cotton batting with an all over design & cross-hatching on the nine patches, using Gunold & Madeira poly threads. This is a available as a kit or pattern.
A photo of the front & back, just for you! Note all these quilts at the time of photographing needed the binding stitched down, lucky some special fairies came to help out! Thank you fairies, you know who you are.

Last, but not least.......................................................

 Antique Lace! A whack & stack method of piecing this pretty quilt, add some old Doilies & lace. Cotton batting was used as well at Madeira poly threads with an all over pattern except on the doilies, they got some special treatment. Of course where would we be with out a feather on the border? 64" x 64".

See some of those pretty lacey goodies.......very pretty....it can be hard to cut them up, but this way they are being used. If you have ones that are stained & you have given them a good soak, but still the mark is there, just cut it off, or plan to sew a button on!

This will be available as a class at the shop if you are interested.
back soon with part two......................................................

goodies!!

I wanted show you some lovely goodies I recently received.
Firstly..............
Julie sent me this box of *OMGdreamyquiltersheaven*!!
 When Julie asked if I would like to do a swap, Julie wanted strings, so I sent her strings, Julie asked me what I would like. I said "oh a few 2:5" squares would be handy" (it's always nice to have variety when making scrap quilts)  So what does a girl do when she doesn't have 2:5" squares?
This.........................

AND this!!!...................................

A lovely hand quilted mini quilt, a jelly roll (there are my 2:5" squares!) and this fabulous kit for a Jo Morton table runner! Squeal!!
You rock Julie!
 Please jump over to visit Julie if you need some inspiration for making the most lovely quilts from scraps.

Next,
 my sweet friend Barbara gave me a big bag of old lace. I'm sure Barbara wouldn't mind me sharing her age with you all. She has just gone 80 this past February & is struggling with diminishing eye sight. Barbara was a fabulous dress maker, often on a Thursday & Friday evening she would make a whole new outfit ready to wear on a Saturday night on the town as a young working women.
Much of the lace was also from her mothers supply.....take a look at just a small amount I received.

This wide top piece has the prettiest colours.

Please click on this photo to see the large roll, that appears to be hand made? There is part of the end of the roll unfinished. I need to get someone who knows about lace making to take a look.