A Willy Moment

From our home overlooking Launceston we have an amazing view of the rising sun and also when it sets against the mountain range to our east.

The sun was just hitting the top of the mountain and it looks like snow.

Yesterday, after a good dose of rain, Graeme grabbed my camera and took the perfect rainbow over Mount Barrow. Sadly he didn't step back far enough to get the whole thing in one picture !!! LOL

Not much sewing being done - there's a new bit of technology in the home and it's taking all of my attention. I don't do instruction books well!

I have been waiting for many years to see this!

#2 son is actually vacuuming his car!!!!

I don't think the cleaner will recover!

"Fresh Air" to a new home.

I gave "Fresh Air" to Catriona. She's Rob's girlfriend, a lovely girl and I hope she cherishes the quilt.

I also gave an "ABC I Spy" quilt to friends for their newly adopted granddaughter from China. It was fun working out fabrics that were gong to be relevant to her.

P for Panda, T for Tasmanian Devil, N for Nurse, C for Crayfish and Q for Quilter.

Launceston Patchworkers & Quilters Exhibition September 2009

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68269939@N00/collections/72157622215953891/

They're here - all 257 of them.

Make yourself a cuppa or glass-of something and sit for a while.

Click on the above, then there are 3 sets "inside" this Collection. Click on each one.

There's one for Set-up day, one for the whole exhibition plus extras, and then there's a set for last day.

Here is another one of my quilts.

Trail of the Tin Dragon

Still Plodding

It's hard to believe that it's now 2 days since the exhibition! I'm still doing the photo's and I've found 4 quilts that I can't remember who made them, so I'm going to have to read through the entry forms!

Here are 5 of the quilts I had on display.

It's Over!

Our Exhibition's over! What a wonderful 4 days we've had. The over 170 quilts displayed along with many small bags, quilts and sewing aides from our monthly workshops were dismantled in 45 minutes with the church set to right for tomorrow.

I am slowly cropping, enhancing and labelling photos from the show and they will be on Flickr in a day or so.

Today.... the start!

Here we are at the front gate. Exciting isn't it?

Then there's a small peek inside :-)

Back to the front gate! Need to edit the quilt photos now! They'll be posted on Flickr in a day or so.

Ohhhhhhh..... that's lovely!!!!

This is what I was up to last night after the exhibition set-up!

Today has been fantastic! Everyone has been so impressed and our members are so pleased with the diplay.

Of course, as soon as I sat I began thinking of plans for pulloing the show down! Relax Fran! Enjoy the show!!!!!

Am I glad today is over!

Today was set-up day for our exhibition. Now I am no spring chicken and I consider myself one of the "younger" members of LPQ's, but there were many older than I in attendance today helping to set up. I've just had a recovery session with my feet in a basin of 'Lectric Soda, let's hope it works!

We've hung over 160 quilts and lots of bits and pieces from our monthly mini-workshops.

It's not a judged show, but we have a viewer's choice prize for visitors. That's it!

It's a show for members to display their quilts for family and friends to see what they've been up to. A time for us all to be proud of what we achieve. It's always been happy event and finishes all too soon. Today is the hardest day, but what a moment of satisfaction at 3.30PM to be almost complete other than a few labels for quilts to be finished up.

Our menfolk are wonderful turning up and erecting all of our stands, our members are as equally as wonderful for making the quilts, cooking and manning the show.

I am soooooo..... tired though! :-)

Launceston Patchworker & Quilters Exhibition is this weekend!

It's a lot of hard work setting up an exhibition which then ends all too quickly.

LPQ's (Launceston Patchworkers & Quilters) are having their first one for 5 years.

Over 160 quilts will be hung - somewhere!

It will be a wonderful exhibition, we will all have a great time and then in 4 days time it will all be over.

I can't show quilts yet - mainly because they are all bagged up on the lounge room floor ready to be popped into the car, but I can show 2 tops made for The Quilt Patch as samples.

C U in Bali is my "C-Section" design made up in batiks. This was the design we made 18 quilts for the Victorian Fire Relief. I didn't have one for myself, nor a commercial pattern. Now I do!

One Bali Pops roll plus 16 more strips. (Kits available for $80 - pattern included)

I have also just made a top from a "Layer Cake" - I lay awake all night wondering how to set 40 blocks - 5 wide by 8 long is such an awkward shape - too rectangular! By about 3PM I'd decided to make it 6x6 and use the 4 left over as a side for a bag etc etc!!!!

Undid the Layer Cake and what do I read??? 42 squares - 2 bonus ones, which makes for a better sized quilt of 6 blocks wide by 7 long! When did they start adding the 2 "bonus" squares?? Never mind, the quilt quickly got made (top only) and I'm please with it.

I used a stack and shuffle method, 6 fabrics at a time, paying attention to values between the fabrics, cut it up as one square and moved the top central piece onto the bottom - understand?

Great!!!!

I called it "Happy Cakes" Happy because I worked it out and Cakes in honour of the bundle! Weird? yup!!!!

Retreat Getting to Know You project, Magic 9 Patch

Retreat Getting to Know You project, Magic 9 Patch, originally uploaded by FranW.

There are 2 quilt tops here. It was a small project for LPQ Retreat ladies to start with, just to get their machines humming and a "get to Know You" project. It's the Magic 9 Patch design and when they had cut their 9 patch into 4 squares they had to swap with 3 other retreaters and sew the block up again. As someone said "we already know each other", but it certainly got them moving and sewing!
The tops will be completed "one day" and given to teenagers with long term illnesses.

It's being shown at LPQ monthly meeting with Show & Tell

Fran Williams- Happy Birthday from Kaffe

Fran Williams, originally uploaded by FranW.

I belong to 2 Birthday clubs. I asked that LPQ friends give me black on blacks and that Tas SCQuilters give me Kaffe Fassett's.
This is for THIS year in March and I have completed the quilt, I am amazed at myself!

This was going to be the retreat project but was too tiresome to make and talk.

Fran WIlliams- this was going to be the retreat project but was too tiresome to make and talk., originally uploaded by FranW.

I was itching to make something with the bright Australian animal fabric. I'm so pleased with this one!

Fran's homework for the retreat, the Challenge in 2 ways

Fran's homework for the retreat, Challenge in 2 ways, originally uploaded by FranW.

Isn't it amazing what different fabrics can do???

Look here for the rest of our Show and Tell at our Retreat.

My quilts as donations

I love making quilts but my family can only use so many!

Occasionally I need to cull so I donate them to worthy causes or give them people I love and treasure.

The stars "Midnight Sky" and "Country Hearts" were added to the last box of quilts sent off to the Victorian Bushfire Relief and the Bento Box in pale pinks and greens was given to a local girl suffering her second bout of cancer. She also has small children. I hope it gives her some comfort.

This is what it's meant for!

I made Banjo a a "Very Hungry Caterpillar" quilt for his 3rd birthday. He loved it!

After a day at Day Care with no nap a newly 3 year old comes home feeling very tired! When told to have a lay down and watch a bit of Bob The Builder he asked for his "rug" - I will work on the terminology next visit.

Miss Maggie and her dolls

IMG_6504, originally uploaded by FranW.

This makes my heart burst! I hope she remembers to play with her dolly quilt while I'm away!

She of course received a small gift to celebrate Banjo's birthday

Maggie's First Birthday 20th May

F&G and family, originally uploaded by FranW.

It was more than a month ago, so I've been really slack with my blogging!
Nancy with Banjo, Nic with Maggie, Graeme with Fran.

Plenty of more happy snaps here

Fran and Catriona in the winter sun

IMG_6248, originally uploaded by FranW.

Catriona may not quilt (yet) but at least she's into textiles, so there's hope for my stash yet!
Graeme and I visited Dorje Ling at Lorinna to see Rob and Catriona today. A lovely tranquil area with a small glint of Lake Cethana coming through the trees and with the cottage facing a northerly aspect, it picks up most of the winter sun.

Catriona's crocheting a square and I'm doing a binding on an ABC quilt. That's the backing you can see, elephants in "ABC" poses. I will show the front when it's finished. I can't show anything else completed yet as I am making "stuff" for our quilting retreat early August.

Where I have been....

It's ages since I posted - but I've been away in more ways than one!

I got a rotten summer cold 3 March, Dad had a mini stroke and was hospitalised on the 4th, out to dinner on the 7th for my birthday and DS #2 had arrived home from India "as a surprise".

On the 12th, Graeme and I went on a wonderful trip to Syria and Egypt, the Tantalising Textile Tour with Jenny Bowker as our leader. It was wonderful and only marred by me falling off a 4" path 2 steps away from safely leaving Cairo!

After having carefully trodden my way through unmade streets, souks, ruins and the like around these 2 countries I go and break a bone in my left foot and sprain my right with 3 nights left, supposedly winding down in Dubai! Sighhhhh!!!!!

The Dubai hospital system is to be commended (recommended?) for its hospitality and cost! (wonderful and free)

Erk!!!! I have slim legs really (best part of me) It's the perspective!

After being home for a few days it was Easter, so Bridport was on the agenda then home again for a few days before attending SCQuilters' Retreat in Adelaide.

I came home to scaffolding, painters, roofers, electricians. Tomorrow it should all be over and I will be able to bring the car down close to the house and maybe start driving again. Not sure how I will go with a moon-boot on my left foot though!

We saw amazing textiles from all over the Middle East, with several memorable visits. A shop that sells antique textiles in Damascus and a visit to the Tent Maker's Souk in Cairo.

Thanks to the people who have contacted me about sharing my free pattern with their groups. I really appreciate being asked and love to know that you like my simple and easy designs.

Victorian Bushfire Relief Quilt Appeal

Australian Quilters have a challenge to make 7,500 quilts for the Bushfire Relief. It's something we can do that uses our skills and love of quilting. As I was heading off the Melbourne for the Austrlaina Quilting COnvention and had room in my suitcase I had room for a few that were in my "Quilt Bank" (cupboard in Nic's bedroom). I chose quilts that would be suitable for men and older boys. I hope they are loved!

IMG_4458, originally uploaded by FranW.

IMG_4460

IMG_4460, originally uploaded by FranW.

IMG_4463

IMG_4463, originally uploaded by FranW.

IMG_4469

IMG_4469, originally uploaded by FranW.

IMG_4464

IMG_4464, originally uploaded by FranW.

LPQ Raffle Quilt for our exhibition in September

Quite a few years ago a beloved member, June Moore passed away. Among her quilting items given to the group was this pattern by The Rabbit Hutch. I popped it away thinking it would be a great group quilt for future fundraising. 5 members made the quilt and we proudly showed it at our last meeting day. Everyone is really pleased and many reckon it's the best we have ever done! :-)

Collingwood quilt for Fire Relief

Collingwood quilt for Fire Relief, originally uploaded by FranW.

Launceston Patchworkers & Quilters are making quilts for the Victorian Fire Relief. Some tops and finished quilts are being donated and we're also having a working bee making my "C-Section" design in AFL football team colours. This one is a top in Black & White -160cm square.