What I have been up to

Well it is a long story. Have you ever had this calling that you have put on hold. I have an absolute passion for pastels. I started collecting them back in 2002 for that one day when I would have time for both my passions. Quilting and sewing are my first love but I am learning or should I say exploring pastels. I went to an exhibition of someones work and fell in love with pastels all over again. Workshops were offered in the school holidays and let us just say that the temptation was too great.
These pictures are not finished yet. Nearly but not quite. I am a little scared at putting in the final touches til I have explored a little more. As it is I have discovered that the outside look of the pastel is not necessarily the inside look. This is a person who has not done art really so I do not know any principals. I just go by my Gut instinct. I love the feel and texture of pastels but I have not rubbed any in as I prefer to lay colour over the top. I have discovered that I can draw standing up using an easel and I like that too. I love getting my hands dirty.

This was done on a Navy pastel paper. The photos were taken in our gorgeous Amazon Lily Pavilion in the Botanical Gardens in Adelaide. This is not an Amazon Lily though. My leaves just need a little tweaking. I am now going to an art class a week. Just to play. Who knows where it will take me.
Meanwhile I am still working slowly on that Nearly Insane. Made 2 corner blocks and did not like the green I used so they are going down the bottom and I have used a different green for the top. I have even prepared one of the LeMoyne stars!! Mind you that is going to be the only one I do.
Promise I will not leave it quite so long to post next time. Cheers Lynne

Block97

No Sewing this weekend but I did manage to finish this one on Monday. Just the way it happens sometimes. This block is a little darker but it is a top block. Love the subtle blue centre. Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane is happening Block 98

Block 98. I couldnt put the first row together as I had not made B98. Made only one side as I just had to see what was going to happen when I added the sashing and cornerstones.
LOOK :-)
 
Ok so I have not made the top LH corner block or finished the second row as I need B96 but what do you think?? I like it. I like the colour graduation and the fabric is a little more golden than in the photo. The photo will enlarge

Here is a close up. Sure wish I had a wall to pin it on.  I still have to make block 22 and I had been avoiding that one. I know the blue stands out in my sea block but there will be enough blue in the rest of the quilt to compliment. Long weekend Monday tomorrow and the weather is magic. Enjoy yourselves where ever you are in the world. Cheers Lynne

B8 Another Maltaville block

I now have 5 blocks finished and 5 more on the go. I feel like I am getting somewhere. The gorgeous green in this block was thankyou to Christine and a scrapbag I won on her blog. It is perfect and just gorgeous. I finished The bird block too.

Happy now. I even put a little yellow beak on my bird. A friend suggested that I try back basteing on the sewing machine for my applique. I must admit that I was hesitant but after trying I love it. I can see the hole guides so much easier and it is also easier to needle turn under.
Hope you are all enjoying your projects.
Cheers Lynne

My Maltaville Blocks

A2
A4

A6  
E7

I have been busy making Maltaville blocks. A few girls in our quilting group had a wonderful weekend away and I decided I would like to work on my applique. I have quite a few of the other blocks started and some are all but finished. I know I am doing the Civil War Bride quilt but it nice to work on these bigger pieces. Love seeing the nice big pieces of colour and the texture of the fabric too. The last block is not quite finished. It needs a little piece on the bottom. The bluebird was a little tricky and it has a little tiny yellow beak.  I am enjoying making these blocks.   Happy Sewing time all Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane Block 52

Photos will enlarge. Thought you might like to see those little Roses Closeup.

Spring has sprung this week and the temperatures have been around 26c for a couple of days. My roses are out and so I could not resist making my block to include roses. I know the centre is not a Repro fabric but it is so perfect with little Red Roses and birds. I enjoyed making this block.

Now that Spring has Sprung I need to make myself some shirts. I am hoping we get a little more cooler weather before Summer takes over.

Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane Block 85

I quite like the way this one developed. Lots of tiny pieces but I did not lose the colour. Had fun with the stripes.
After seeing the gorgeous tiny version of the quilt from the Small Endearments by Sandi Fox on Dawn’s Blog, I thought you might like to see mine. My Good friend Nancy gifted the gorgeous little kit to me, purchased from Cyndi from Busy Thimble.

I even hand quilted this one too. This quilt was finished quite a few years ago and has been up on the wall.
Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane Block 33

Not happy with my block 33 Thought it looked odd in the book.I want to turn those units around so that it is more or less symmetrical.As is is paper-pieced it is not easy to turn the units around.  Maybe Salinda was having a bad hair day :-)
Feeling a little better as I see that Tazzie interpreted the block the same too. Maybe I should  just leave it as a quirk.

Love that Dargate Indigo in the centre and decided to go for Green and Gold  as an Aussie symbol. Pink is there as there are small pink flowers in the indigo. Besides I just happened to like that pink.
Finally finished all 120 units of 4 Flying geese!  Loved doing them but I was sure glad to finish.
I can now concentrate on Nearly Insane and Maltaville. Have a Great Week All  Cheers Lynne

Geese for My Blind Man’s Fancy Swap

Enlarge the photo and see if you can find sandcastles, bees, butterflies, the chicken and the egg and cotton reels and I know the girls have a  sewing machine on theirs and  Gum leaves. Another that is partway finished has wattle. The fabrics are mainly repro but I wanted to put a little of me in. The sandcastles because I live near the beach. The wattle and gum leaves for Australia. One of the friends I am swapping with lives in America. She will know my geese :-)

I have been busy making Flying Geese units for a swap between 2 friends. There is lots of colour and texture in my geese.

I have made 3 times this many geese and there are two other sets the same for my two friends.

I still have 11 sets of 3 or 33  sets of 4 geese to go. I am having fun  making them but they seem to be taking forever. Have been making them for quite a while now. Stealing spare moments of time to sneak out and sew just another lot.

They are all paper pieced. They are trimmed but the papers are still waiting to be removed.

I know I am behind on the Barbara Brackman CW blocks and the Nearly Insane blocks but I want to finally finish these geese.

Hope you All had a great weekend Cheers Lynne

Davis Vertical Feed c1891

This machine is known as the New High Arm Davis Vertical Feed Sewing Machine. The Factory for Davis was in Dayton Ohio. United States America.  Interestingly there was a branch in Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
This is an early walking foot style machine. The fabric is pushed through by a pronged foot. There are no Feed dogs. It does have a boat style shuttle and a spindle.
This is a close-up of the centre bed decal. Barely visible is the Eagle above the American Flag.    
 All the phots will enlarge if you click on them for great detail.

See some of the damage. Love the little pull out drawer

  This poor machine has had a hard life.  She must have sat in water for quite a while. The only thing left of the pullout drawer was the front and the wooden base was in five pieces. She restored remarkably well and of course there are not any Before photos!  Rob has her sewing now despite her being siezed so he is happy.

I have been getting some sewing done. Lots and lots of sets of Flying geese units. so far I have made 60 sets of 4 with 60 more to go! I need to photograph them. They are taking quite a while to make. Having Fun though. The Migraines have Gone and I am happy.
Have a great Week all 
Cheers Lynne and Rob

Quilty Pleasures 100 blocks blog prize

I am overwhelmed. I won the outside of America Quilty Pleasures 100 blocks blog prize :-) Can you believe it. I received it in the mail early this week and thought I would share some photos. I have been busy sending emails and Thanking the wonderful contributers to the prize

Lots of gorgeous patterns You can enlarge the photo to see. There is so much inspiration.

Fabrics from Clothworks I do have a small black and white stash.

Fabrics from Troy Riverwoods. Will really complement my Japanese Stash.

Lots of gorgeous books from LeisureArts and C&T Publishing and some more patterns. All the books have a different flavour. I don’t know about you but I like reading about peoples different methods and approaches to the patchwork and quilting. There are so many wonderful ideas out there.

Gorgeous hand dyeds from Iris Quilts so rich and vibrant.

1/2 yard cuts of some of the Papillon range by Jessica Swift for Red Rooster. Don’t you just love those gorgeous Butterflies and all that wonderful texture and colour.

FQ from the Pat Sloan range from P&B Textiles. Teh red is a wonderful paisley

I thank all these wonderful people and companies that so generously contributed to a wonderful prize and to Quiltmaker and the Quilty Pleasures blog with all the wonderful designers to their 100 blocks book which I also received and love. I just found out this morning that I am also going to get a mug. WOW Thankyou

 

I have had a rotten bout of cluster Migraines lately and this wonderful win has cheered me no end. While I have not managed to get much sewing done it has been wonderful to look and fondle and have a quiet read. There is so much inspiration in the quilt world out there.

Cheers Lynne

Winselmann Titan Saxonia Handcrank

All the photos enlarge when you click on them so you can get a better close up.
This is a really beautiful example of the Winselmann  made Titan. Made in Altenberg, Germany around 1890 to 1900.

This machine has what is known as a fiddlebed and a large hand wheel with the crank handle attached directly to the wheel. this style of machine is known as a Saxonia

This machine is a half-size machine.

She is a Transverse shuttle as in the boat shuttle moves along the length of the bed.


The decals on the dome are copies of badges won by the company for Trade awards for their machines.   
Bought in a local Antique shop. Her decals are almost perfect and she polished up beautifully. She also has a lovely porcelain handle. Rob has always wanted one of these.Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane Block 50 and Barbara Brackman BOW

 
B50 is done. All those set in corners were a challenge. Yes I did paper-piece. Loved the way the colours interacted.  That centre Chrome Yellow is a zinger. I only bought a fat 16th from the Quilted Crow and a little bit here and a little bit there sure stands out. I love it!!

My Union Square block is finished too. I do have lots of the other blocks in between to finish but I am going to work backwards.
I have reminded Rob to photograph a lovely Saxonia machine he has just finish pulled apart, polished and put back together again. It will happen soon.
Bye For Now   Cheers Lynne

Nearly Insane Block 29 :-)

Now that I am back to Insane I decided to make another with Australian Fabric. These prints are from very old ranges. The green wattle fabric compliments the inner stripe Repro. Love the gums and the waratah.
I am Behind on Barbara Brackman. In fact this is only the second block I have made so decided to work my way back. I do not need to start another quilt but I do like to work with lots of colour and lots of different fabrics. Maybe that is why I was tempted . Off to sew some more. Stay tune. Have a great weekend all Cheers Lynne

Lady of the Lake

    I can finally show you the top :-) We had lunch today to celebrate the birthday. Rosemary loved her Quilt top.
She now has the option of making 3 more blocks, using it as a centre to a medallion or maybe just adding a smaller border of half square triangles and finishing it off.
I am pleased with the finished result. There was a bit of cursing going on and finding that final fabric was a real challenge. There are a few birds in the border too.
There have been a few personal challenges on the homefront too but we are getting there.
I can now get back to Nearly Insane. Just Love Tara’s and it is time that I got back into the swing of mine.
 Cheers Lynne

Civil War Block 2

Sorry I have been quiet. Life is a little on the carousel at the moment. The dreaded bookwork is taking too much of my time too.
I am also working on a secret project with what little sewing time I have managed to get.
I am behind on Civil War and Nearly insane too. They are waiting patiently for me though.
Did manage to find a gorgeous Winselman Saxonia Fiddlebed sewing machine for Rob.
Stay Tune for Photos.
Have a Great Week all  Cheers Lynne

Thankyou Quilt Threads

The book I won on Quilt Threads arrived in todays mail.
Thankyou so much Meredith.
I just love it. There are some gorgeous block choices. One is calling to me. Lady of the Lake Feathered Star. Now I might be cursing all those HST by the end but after Nearly Insane Block 8, Hey I can do anything! Stay Tune.
I see Civil War fabrics and Lots of Colour.
Have a Great Day All Cheers Lynne