Cindy's Lambton Quilt

        Imagine my delight when this gorgeous quilt arrived in the mail for me to quilt......................

Before quilting

Measuring 85" square. A mix of exquisite needle turn applique and English paper piecing. Cindy attended Katrina Hadjimicheal's retreat last year when Katrina was over teaching.

Cindy requested light-ish custom quilting and wool/polyester batting. As you can see from the next photo I wanted to quilt the four corner blocks (which are the same ) a little different from the other remaining blocks.

Cindy was keen for some stipple between the echo lines that I had created around the block and applique. I did small amounts of quilting on the applique just to anchor and give texture.

                          Pat me on the back I remembered to take photo's of the back!

Cindy's labour of love is a piece of true beauty, impeccable work -womenship and I believe an heirloom. Thank you Cindy.

Here's a peek at the quilt I have also just finished (can't share more at this point)

And the quilt currently on my machine......................

Oodles of variety wouldn't you say? Happy week to you all..............................................

Summer and Autumn........................

This was the feeling and look when I quilted Linda's 'Queen of the May' and Kerryn's 'Autumn Song' Quilts! Linda's quilt was fabulous to work on as there was rain, hail, wind and very dark sky's.............
Here's the 'before' quilting on Linda's quilt..............

photo from Linda

Now the 'after' quilting.........................

Linda asked for light custom quilting of this Kathy Doughty inspired quilt from Material Obsession.
Using Glide thread in the colours 'Military Gold' and 'Mocha' over wool/polyester batting I quilted what I am naming Vintage Feathers on the border and the background, then a series of curved lines, swirls, spirals and a bit of ruler work for some straight lines.

Isn't this a spot of sunshine on a cloudy day? Along with the quilt top Linda posted a sweet vintage sheet for the backing.

To see more of Linda's delightful quilt and her progress of making this quilt, please pop over to her blog for a look. If you type "Queen of the May" into her search bar (top left hand side) all the posts relating to this quilt will show up. Thank you Linda I look forward to collaborating with you again!

Next is Kerryn's 'Autumn Song' quilt made from a range of fabrics by One Sister Design's.

A panel bordered with pieced blocks made from the same fabric range. Look at that panel, looks just like crazy patch!

Again I was asked for light custom quilting, a simple meander over the panel, some loops or big e's and little e's and cross hatching on the pieced blocks.

This quilt was given the 'Full Quiltmekiwi Binding Service'. To find this scrumptious panel and coordinating fabrics please see Kerryn and the team at The Country Yard. 

Non quilty news........Simon fans know how much he loves his Biscornu.......................

A small hole developed a couple of weeks back, but I have been so busy procrastinating about fixing it that is has grown into the perfect place for Simon to kneed into - purring like crazy and stuffing his head into!

What to do???

More secret quilts revealed......................

Hi there quilt lovers today I have two more of the 'secret' quilts to reveal. The Country Yard girls have been very busy making some beautiful quilts so their customers can rest their eyes on some very tempting quilt candy. The first one is 'Garden Maze' a Lynette Anderson design, made with Lynette's fabrics.

Measuring 58" x 70" custom quilted, poly/cotton batting, Glide thread and the binding attached completely by machine.

Lynette's sample had quilted hearts, but I had different ideas, Kerryn said go for it! Using a curved ruler (ProEcho) and some free hand looped feathers and swirls.

The swag border worked well to frame the quilt, some 'picket fence' quilting on the outer edge helped pop the swags.

Kerryn chose a grey Tula Pink wide backer for the backing.........................

Next is 'In the Spring' a design by Leonie Bateman a sweet table topper........................

           Measuring 38" square, poly/cotton batting, Kerryn asked for light custom quilting.

Sunday saw me out tramping again, this time Tanekaha Forest . A beautiful spot with some lovely views of Mangawhai beach.

We ended the day with a swim in the ocean and an icecream.........a perfect way to end the week!

Timeless Traditions.......................

Timeless Traditions is a block of the month. I recently quilted the sample for The Country Yard.
Kerryn (owner operator) asked for simple custom quilting.

All the required stitching the ditch was knocked off first then some stipple in the background of the applique blocks including the applique borders, then some simple classic straight lines.

The quilt measures 78" x 90" which would make a nice quilt for a bed, top it off with some matching cushions, pillow's and perhaps a teddy bear!

On Sunday I headed off for a tramp around the coast starting at Tauikura Bay, along the beach around the base of Mt Aubrey then from Reotahi up and over Mt Aubrey returning to Taurikura Bay.

This photo was taken from McClouds Bay/ Little Munro Bay where 'Castle Rock' is. I loved how the sun was streaming through the Pohutukawa  tree.

Me, feeling rather proud that I made it to the top of Mt Aubrey - scrambling - then trying to stand at the top will jelly legs! Behind me is Marsden Refinery and further off is Waipu. This is just three of the twenty something photo's I took. We were blessed with a mild sunny winter day.
Sue C - note my 'tramping troll' leggings!

Next up on the quilting machine.....................................

Three quilts.....................

Hello readers, if you have been watching on Quiltmekiwi's Facebook page you will have seen some sneak peeks of three different quilts. I am happy to now share them with you.
First is Juliet's stunning Zebra Quilt..........................

Juliet is a pattern designer from right here in New Zealand, this is another one of her original dynamic creations that I have been most fortunate to have the fun of quilting it for her.
I have quilted a few of Juliet's designs and enjoy them each time, there is a lot of ditch stitching that needs to take place, but once that tedious necessary job is over it's onto the fun stuff!!

I chose three different variegated threads for the three 'colour lots' for the eclectic mix of background fills. I used Superiors Fantastico, Madeira and Gunold 40 weight threads. Juliet chose cotton batting. This quilt measures 81" x 64", all foundation paper pieced.

 Because I had used rather 'organic' background fills I kept that flowing out to the border with an 'organic' piano key border. (my definition of organic is "not perfect, not even and very carefree"  quilting....I don't think that's the dictionaries definition :-)

                           
                              Juliet's backing was this beauty, quite a silky piece but lovely.

                                       
                                        Here it is trotting back home to Christchurch!

Thanks for letting me loose on another of your quilts Juliet! Please checkout Juliet's blog *here*.

Next is Jacki's Turning Twenty beauty. Jacki has been with me from my very beginning quilting days and trusts and knows I know she doesn't like "frilly dilly quilting" (her words!).

A simple loose stipple, ditch stitching that mustard sashing then piano keys on the border (straight this time no 'organics')

          Bamboo/cotton batting, Signature & Perma-core threads, the quilt measures 68" x 78".

Next is a rather pretty scrappy mostly hand pieced quilt made by Sue for her daughter's mother-in-law who lives in Ireland.

Soft flowing florals, the applique is hand done and pretty much most of the piecing is also completed by hand! It was intended to be hand quilted also but Sue ran out of steam and flushed me out to finish it off for her.

No dense background fills this time, much softer on the quilt and the wallet! I added to the vase of flowers with feathers, tendrils and leaves.

It slipped my mind to take final photo's of the appliqued hearts and vases as I did add some quilting to these at the very end of the quilting process. As my usual order I ditch stitched around the applique's and other places in need of this treatment before the fun artistic stuff starts, it's a bit like when you were a kid, if you ate your veges first then you were left with the best bits for last!

This quilt measures 55" x 55" and the batting is Sue's (cotton I think?) I used Glide threads in the yummy colours of "Linen" and "Peacock".
The central area and pieced border was treated with orange peel and cross-hatching.

The backing was Sue's own, a pretty floral. Thanks so much Sue, I hope this is well loved and cuddled in Ireland!

With those three out of studio what's next? Thanks for stopping by, always appreciated.