The last day of September was yesterday.......................................

Welcome! Please enjoy your browse through the photo's of my three latest customer quilts.
                                             First up is Thelma's granddaughters quilt.

Thelma used a layer cake to make this simple yet sugar sweet quilt, simple piecing for a quilt that will surely be loved and cuddled. Thelma requested a 'girly' all over quilting design, "Whirls" seemed perfect.

Madeira doesn't name their thread colours as some thread companies do, if they gave me the job of naming the thread I used on this quilt it would be 'candy store delight'...............what variegation of colours does that bring to mind? Perhaps I need to start taking photo's of the cones of thread I use?

If you are interested how I quilt all over quilting designs using pantograph pattern you might like this short video I made quilting that very pattern on that very quilt!

Next are two rather cute quilts made for babies, to be give as gifts made by Donna. When friends and family have babies and you are a quilt maker what better gift to give than a quilt.

You may remember back in July last year I quilted this quilt for Donna. Well this quilt here is made from the scraps, simple charms pieced together then classic cross - hatching to finish off.

Donna's next quilt also features cross - hatching and some stipple, this along with the cute fun little birds makes for a calming modern quilt for a new baby.

Donna chose Matilda's Own Wool/poly batting for both quilts, which give a nice soft finish that is also durable.

                  After a few washes these birds should 'feather' up nicely as they are appliques using the  raw edge method.
Thank you ladies, may the young ones you made these pretty quilts for love them for years to come.

Yesterday, which was the last day of September here in New Zealand had me feeling like I needed to do a bit of spring cleaning. Pulling out the bed, dusting, vacuuming, polishing furniture and changing my quilts. Do you 'spring clean'?

For you Simon lovers  he was also enjoying the warm spring day too, I left the door open to the spare room and look who was on the bed........the bed he is NOT suppose to sleep on! Simon!

quilts, quilts & more quilts part two

First up.........
 A class sample. This is one of those wonderful Buggy Barn 'whack n' stack' quilts. Kerryn made her sample using reproduction fabrics. I had fun quilting this one. (August 2013, is how long this one was in hiding for our New Years launch!) A few different quilting things this time..........................

                                                   A few echoing swirls & boxy feathers.

Raewyn made the other class sample, if you fancy, pop over to her blog to see that one too!

Next up...............................................

A block of the month, a Birdhouse design called 'My Garden'. A combination of piecing, English paper piecing (hexagons) & stitcheries.

 

You will notice I have pinned the attached binding back to the carpet so you can see the border. Once again the bindings were kindling stitched down by some of The Country Yard fairies.
Kerryn used Aurifil 12 weight threads for the stitcheries. If you haven't tried these threads you don't know what you are missing! Scrumolishous!

The second photo shows the centre of the quilt, stars. I simply 'orange peeled' them & some cross-hatching.

The last one of this quilt is for you back lovers.

The last few weeks at the shop, we have sold the last of some older BOM's, so this meant for me I could bring some of my quilts home!

This one, 'Homecoming Lane' is a Gail Pan design was made as a BOM for the shop back here. Looks quite nice on my bed.
But then yesterday after four years I got to bring this beauty home! Seemed like a changing of the guard was called for!

This is a Sue Daley design called 'Under the Southern Stars'. English paper piecing & applique. I made this quilt in only eight months, amazing what a self induced deadline will get accomplished! See my blog post about this one.
Lots of photo's in this post I know. Next time I will show you the another new BOM I have been working on.

 Until then, be kind to yourself, for you are your own best friend!

A customer quilt & taking you to "On The Edge"............

This quilt has such beautiful colours, big prints & a clever design that it really does seem to suit an allover quilting design. Joan  made this quilt for her granddaughter, I'm sure it will be well loved.
The pattern is called "The Big EZ' by Bloomcreek. Joan chose cotton batting & bought a organic cotton for the backing.

I finally got to take my menfolk to the local gallery -"On The Edge"  to see some of my quilts on display.....& wouldn't you know it the batteries were running low on the camera, anyway have a wee look & see what you think?

My Under the Southern Stars

My, Lynette Anderson 'My garden' button BOM

 This photo shows my 'Stitching Round The Block' cushion as well
as Raewyn's & Kerry's ( see this post for more details). Also a bag I made. The quilt on the bales hay was made by Raewyn.

This quilt was made for our friend Jacki's 70th, we all made a block that we felt was related to our relationship we had with her personally. I didn't make a block but donated my time to do the quilting.

Dark as this photo is.....arrrrgg....low batteries! shows Noeline's 2 bolsters & cushion, Noeline's embroidery is out of this world stunning! The patterns Noeline used are by Crabapple Hill. The quilt is a Cinderberry stitches made by Jules.

The quilt laying on the table was made by Rachael, who also made another lovely one that missed out on getting a photo because of the battery situation! The quilt in the background was another 70th birthday quilt that was jointly made for Mary. Jule's , Mary's daughter quilted this one. Below is the block I made.....

 


 This display of quilts from The Country Yard as well as some beautiful photography & other art is on display for another week, after that the exhibit changes. Richard & Shari are wonderful host's that have a done a fabulous job of creatively displaying all work. So if you are in Whangarei  area pop along to On The Edge Gallery.
Raewyn has some nice shots of the gallery too, she didn't seem to have a problem with her batteries!!!