Happy Mothers Day

 

 

Just a quick posting this morning before I walk out the door. A few more quilts done recently.
I would like to wish all mothers a happy day today, hope you are blessed in some way.
I am going to see my mother and most of my children for a family lunch today. Most of my siblings also and some of their children, I think about 30 in all. Should be a good day.
My father will be 80 soon, and he has chosen not to have a party, so I think this will be it too.

Enjoy the coming week, whatever you are doing,
Blessings,
From Jude 

Just testing

I have been trying to work out how to add a link to people in this blogging world. This is a test to see if it works. Hope you enjoyed reading about the workshop with Michele last weekend.
I am looking forward to making further progress with my design, so far I am very pleased with the
way it is turning out.

Blessings,
From Jude

Recent Quilting

Just another couple of photos of customer quilts done last week.

 

Have been in recovery mode today, loading another quilt, and washing, and unpacking my "stuff" from the weekend retreat with Michele.
Enjoy your week, whatever you are doing.
Blessings,
From Jude

Michele Hill Retreat

We have had a fantastic weekend here at The Sanctuary with Michele and Designing our own quilts.
Amazing to see the results of each persons work, and we even surprised ourselves.

Sorry the photos are not in order, not sure how to change them around.

A demo on the machine on the second day.

A picture of concentration by Jean, she is very happy with her table runner.

 

Above is a group photo and the progress after lunch on Sunday.

Below is Michele trying out the baby sling she made for her grandson. Was a bit of trial and error until she worked out the pattern, and the "baby" in the sling is actually her large pencil case!
 

Above is early Saturday morning, and the drawing in progress, everyone concentrating!

End of the first day, some were content to relax, and others spent the time cutting out.

Thankyou girls for coming, thankyou Michele for a great weekend. Cant wait to see the finished quilts.

Time for bed, after a great weekend.
Blessings, From
Jude

"Biggest Afternoon Tea"

Yesterday our local quilting group, held our annual fundraiser for the Cancer Council's "Biggest Morning Tea" event. We usually have an afternoon tea and a small quilt display in someones garden, or a hall, and invite the locals to come for afternoon tea. We have tables set up, with tablecloths and use cups and saucers, which is unusual in a society where we drink from a mug. This year it was held at "The Sanctuary".
We were blessed in the weather yesterday, a lovely sunny afternoon to sit outside and have a cuppa, so there was a good turnout from members of our district.


Above, some of the members after the setting up and hanging of the quilts.

Inside the back pergola, before people started coming. Notice the lovely floral arrangements on the tables, that were done by our president.

 

 

 

Below the lovely display on lines strung up from tree to tree, up the driveway to the house.
 

 

Below, is "Bones", my dog, just fits nicely into the doghouse, which was in the back yard
when I bought the house. He doesn't cost a lot to feed, and makes no noise for the neighbours to complain about!! Jean named him Bones, because she thought he needed a good feed!
Marlene brought her dog to visit, and I am sure that "Lady" was wondering why this other dog would
not talk to her??
 

 

Above, the working crew in the kitchen, notice the lovely cups and saucers, many of which belonged to mothers and grandmothers. It's usually a once a year airing for them.
 

 

 

A few shots of the people gathered around for their cuppas. It was a good fundraising effort.
 

 

 

Well, I think its time to get back to the quilting, have a few I want to get done this week.
And then its time to get The Sanctuary ready for another weekend retreat, this time with Michele Hill.
I am looking forward to that. There is still one place left if anyone would like to join us.

Enjoy your week, whatever you are doing.
Blessings,
From Jude 

Quilts, the fabric type and another sort

Below are 3 more photos of quilts done this week, quilts made of fabric.I have had a run of edge to edge, which has been good, with the other jobs I have been doing.
Getting ready for this Sunday, for afternoon tea at The Sanctuary.

 

 

 

Well, below is another sort of quilt, not made of fabric, but painted on a board.
I have had this idea for awhile, and wasn't sure how it would work.
I originally wanted someone to paint something on the side of the shed at The Sanctuary, but noone was very keen, mainly because the shed was made of corrugated iron.
Then I had an idea to paint a board, and hang it from the shed. The board has been sitting around for many months, nothing done until a friend asked me if I would have it done before the event thats happening this weekend, The Biggest Afternoon Tea.
There is something about having a deadline coming to motivate us isn't there?
So last Friday afternoon, another friend called in and we set to work in EQ7, after I measured the board, which was 71" x 47". This is the design we came up with. So then we measured it all out, and drew it on the board with a pencil. And each day since, I have worked on it, taping the edges of each piece in the block with painters tape, and doing each separate colour and waiting for that to dry before doing another colour.
And let me tell you that there is a vast difference in painters tapes, so had a few fuzzy lines, which I hope are not too visible from a distance! And it is also much easier to quilt flowers and leaves, than it is to paint them.
An artist I am not. But I was quite pleased with how it turned out. The colour choices could have been better, but I was working with little pots of colour that I had, and limited choices.


This afternoon, the handyman husband of a friend came to the rescue and worked out how to hang
this on the side of the shed. I am very happy, and pleased with how it looks. Certainly makes a difference to the side of the shed, and a good talking point, and very appropriate for the "dyeing" shed at a
quilting retreat. (I think I can see a few more painted creations hanging in strategic places around
the place in good time.) Thankyou to the friends who have helped me with the renovations
at The Sanctuary, I am so blessed, it has been a real community effort.

I have just had my son and his girlfriend here for a meal, they are leaving this town and moving on the coming weekend. They both have new jobs about 3 hours away. They have both lived here all their young lives, so are excited to be starting out in new pastures. That means that all my children have moved away now, and its just me here now. Thats a bit sad, but I am pleased for them to be making their own way.

Well, thats about it for this time, will report in after the weekend, with some photos of Sunday,
hoping for sunny weather, so that we can hang "real" quilts around outside,
with tables out on the lawn for the "afternoon tea".

Blessings, From
Jude
 

Trying to post again

Sorry for my absence in blogland. But, I did try a few days ago, and spent ages adding photos and writing a report, only to have everything freeze up, and then I lost the lot. Was so disgusted I went to bed, and only trying again now. Instead of trying to add photos from different folders, this time I have put them into one folder, and worked from there. Modern technology is great when you know the short cuts. It seems that a computer is a neccesity in todays world, especially for a business.
I use it for lots of tasks which would be so much slower if I didnt have it. Can't imagine doing the accounting without a program that adds all the columns at the click of a button!! It helps me to stay in touch with whats happening in the quilting world here and overseas, at the click of a button. We can send emails and get a reply almost instantly these days, and not wait for snail mail.
If I want to see how a quilt would look before I make it, I can use a program like EQ7, layout my ideas and even see how different colours will look. So much quicker than drawing on graph paper etc. And I can type up my notes for a class and make alterations so easily, and print copies quickly.
All my photos are downloaded onto the computer, and I can share them with others
with another click and press send!
Even my quilting machine can run on a computer, and patterns can be sewn much easier than when we use to have to mark up the pattern onto the quilt etc.
But all this modern tech stuff takes a lot of keeping up with, as each programme keeps updating.
I even read my books now, on a Kindle and just click to turn the page!
Well enough waffle about all that, below are a few of the recent quilts I have done.
Hope you enjoy.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another day, I might tell you about something else I have been working on this week, provided it turns out as I hope. Just a few more days and I will know if I shall make it public or throw it where noone can see it!!!!

Anyhow thats enough for tonight, I have the heater going, as the weather has turned very cold in the last couple of days. Had some rain, which the country really needs.
Am hoping for some sunshine on Sunday, for our "Biggest Afternoon Tea" event.

More to come,
Blessings
From Jude