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Hello!
I went away camping last week over the (extra) long weekend we had here in Australia (2 days for Easter and 1 day for Anzac Day). We (I will give you some details in a minute about new boy be patient!) went to the (Central) Flinders Ranges which is situated in the Central and Northern Agricultural regions of South Australia. It’s as outback, as this girl as ever been.
 Somewhere in the Middle of Brachina Gorge, Flinders Ranges The entire Flinders Ranges, let alone, the area we were camping in is spectular and even though I was not quite fit enough to see all the bits some of my fellow campers got to see, it is one of the most stunning places I have been to in Australia.
 Our Campsite So yes readers, I went camping with the man, I mentioned in my previous post, who has so far kept me a bit further away from my sewing machine than I would have anticipated. He is (after 2 weeks and 3 days… no not counting  ), still quite wonderful and I am very happy. Historically I have not been that ‘lucky’ in love, but I am still more than willing to take a chance that I will get lucky. So far so good!
This weekend there was some time which I was not either spendingwith him, or day dreaming about him, that I actually did sew a few seams! I completed the four shoofly blocks (of the 14 for Block 1 and Block 16) attached the ones for Block 1 to the outer edge of the block. It’s so exciting to see the block coming together, with all that yummy fabric and stitching, so I did kind of gape at this point, even though some butterflies were wingless and antennaeless at this point.
 Vignette Block 1 Nearly Completed - Just some Stitching to Complete in Borders I used all the same fabrics indicated for the shoofly blocks, but used them in different combinations except for the pink and yellow block, which is the same combination as the one in the magazine. I completed the butterflies and the satin stitch heart and ironed away my pilot frixion pen lines and here is my (finally!) completed block 1.
 Vignette Block 1 Completed ('scuse my head shadow in the pic!) I also started working on my zippy purse swap and am only a teeny few steps away from completing mine and mailing it off to LeAnn in California. I am very excited about this one, and so far think that LeAnn, should like what I have done for her.
Here is a sneak peek of your zippy purse LeAnn!
 Zippy Purse Swap Sneak Peek, from me to LeAnn in California I love the fabrics in the zippy purse, it arrived in the mail on Friday, and I knew right away that it would be perfect for the zippy purse pattern that I had chose. The Diamonds are from Michael Miller Fabrics Harlequin Lagoon Mini and the Damask is from Anthology Fabrics by Khristian Howell. I grabbed some fabric last week from Pink Chalk Fabrics ( a previous order I did in big sale time, was unfortunately mailed to another Australian person – you have my fabric give it back  – they have told Pink Chalk about it, and hopefully I will get it back, but not sure that will happen. ) Anyway, I was refunded my full purchase and postage by Pink Chalk, so decided to add some more yummies to my stash.
 Pink Chalk Fabric Order Arrived in the Mail on Friday I have not been able to participate in Le Petite this month, I ordered the Brocante pattern (again from Quilt Taffy) but have not touched it yet. I do hope to have a play at some point as the pattern really is lovely and I am sure the parade on Sinta and Sherri’s blog will be equally lovely.
So my current mission (if I choose to accept it) is to ensure that inbetween totally indulging myself in any way that I possibly can in the absolute giddiness that is my new relationship, I actually do remember my little Toyota sewing machine, and all the good times we spend together!
Oh… my block swap adventure partner should have received her blocks by now, so going to show you the blocks I made for April.
 April Block Swap Block 1 Amanda wanted one colour theme blocks but didn’t mind the pattern, so I chose this Jacob’s ladder block (which I followed instructions on from Marcia Hohn’s Quilter’s Cache) I know Amanda likes bright colours and I couldn’t decide on pink or purple so I made two.
 April Block Swap Block 2
Posted by  Q in Craftie Craft, Quilting on  March 12, 2011, at 11:22 am
I didn’t get a chance to post this last week about sewing achievements, but I did actually achieve something. I think I mentioned that I had basted and pinned Mon Ami on Monday night and started the quilting. Well I didn’t finish it on Monday as anticipated I was just so tired when I got home from work, that sewing was not going to be part of my evening.
 Mon Ami Schnibble Quilt using Plume by Tula Pink for Moda Basted I did quite a lot of quilting on Tuesday night, but didn’t quite get to finishing it all. Wednesday night, I got it all quilted. I stitched around the stars, did a serpentine stitch on the inner background border , stitched around the peaks and valleys on the half square triangles and straight line stitched about 5/8th of an inch apart on the outer borders.
I then made some pretty pink binding using my 1inch Clover Bias maker and bound it by machine. I wasn’t up to doing it by hand and I could nearly taste the satisfaction of completing it. I attached the binding to the back first, then folded to the front and used a decorative stitch to attach to the front. I am admittedly not very good at this, but I will only get better the more I do it, so I am quite happy with it.
Some problems with my quilting.
- I still find my tension a bit strange and inconsistent at times and am not sure what to do about that
- my machine has a handy quilting guide attachment for equidistant straight line quilting, but it doesn’t attach when the walking foot is on, only the standard foot. So the straight line quilting kind of bunched a little at the end of the lines
So this is the second quilt top I got finished so far this month!
 Mon Ami Schnibble Quilt using Plume by Tula Pink for Moda Backed and Bound  Mon Ami Schnibble Quilt using Plume by Tula Pink for Moda Hanging Up  Mon Ami Schnibble Quilt using Plume by Tula Pink for Moda draped I gifted this one to my mum as well.
Quilt Details:
Pattern – Mon Ami Schnibble designed by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosies Quilt Co
Completed as part of Le Petite for January 2011 – Hosted by Sinta Renee at Pink Pincushion and Sherri at A Quilting Life
Parade of other completed Quilts for Le Petite Here and Here, I highly recommend having a look, it’s so wonderful to see the same pattern in so many different colour, fabric and even size variations!
Posted by Q in Craftie Craft, Softies - sewing on March 7, 2011, at 1:30 pmI was going to post this last night, but I thought that the person who I made the pony for might see it and it would ruin the surprise, I realise now (since she isn’t at work today, so still doesn’t know) that it is highly unlikely that anyone who I know personally (as in see in real life) would be reading this anyway.
So other than the new Le Petite Project for this month (Endless Summer by Pam Buda from Heartspun Quilts), I am focussing on quilting and backing and binding, because evidently (yeah, I know it came as a complete shock to me?!) your quilt isn’t actually done until it has been quilted and bound.
I’m also licking my wounds (emotional ones) from becoming single (again) last week. One of ( or quite possibly all of ) my grandparents are probably doing the proverbial turning around thing now, with their oldest on one side and oldest girl on the other side still being unmarried and *gasp* childless 4 days before crossing over onto the wrong side of her mid 30s.
So Friday night, I completed quilting the 1800′s Vintage Doll Quilt that I (tried) to make. It was gifted to my mother, who thought that my hand quilting was rather well done stippling ?! And didn’t say anything about the bad angles and the general non-square-ness of this square quilt. Saturday morning I got up early-ish and made a pony.
She is from the Pippi Pattern from Melly and Me. A friend here at work has horses and one of hers hurt her foot a few weeks ago – look away now – and ripped one of her toe nails off her foot – you can look back now. So I decided she needs a horse that won’t hurt her foot. Pippi was bigger than I anticipated, but a fun, quick and easy pattern that I finished in a few hours. Great way to spend the early morning!
 Pippi from pattern by Melly and Me Pre-Stuffing I was so happy with her, I took her around the house for a photo shoot, here she is on top of niecey poo’s toy shelves. Looking out over the play pen.
 Pippi from Pattern by Melly and Me Play Pen Pose and then I took her outside to nibble on the undergrowth below one of my brother’s Bonsai trees.
 Pippi from pattern by Melly and Me grazing I also started finishing (started finishing?! – that sounds idiotic if you really think about it) my Mon Ami Schnibble – added the borders and basted it and started quilting. I believe I could finish the quilting and binding tonight. (A little optimism never hurt anyone did it?). I am also thinking up inventive ways to add more red to My Sweet Spot Schnibble and started blanket stitching around the sawtooth stars last night with red thread.
I was quite afraid of the finishing bits because I am petrified of quilting (well free motion anyway). The idea of spending all that time stitching and making a top I like and then stuffing it all up with the quilting, makes me feel ill. I have now realised it’s not so bad if my work is not stippled or beautifully free motion quilted. So I will do this and maybe have a go at the free motion stuff, every now and again, to see if I might improve.
I also need to finish my Dresden Plate Runner, which I am using as a wall hanging; and my Amy Butler Daisy Chain, High Flying Geese quilt. As well as make a pot holder later in the month for my swap. With this in mind, only little projects like Pippi, that I can start and finish in a morning are allowed to be commenced.
Well that’s the plan today anyway…
Posted by Q in Craftie Craft, Generic Ramblings, Quilting on March 2, 2011, at 7:06 pm
Here in Adelaide, and where I was born (and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere) it’s the start of Autumn. Here in Adelaide it means the Adelaide Festival, The Fringe Festival, the Adelaide Cup – conveniently a new public holiday for the Adelaide Cup, which is also conveniently very close to my birthday. St Patrick’s day and getting close to Easter.
So I like March? what about you?
Today I have a few things to talk about
- my parade (no not that parade… my parade)
- the Where the Wind Blows fat quarter pack giveaway at Vignette in Stitches
- I decided to make a list at the top of my post just in case I forgot something whilst writing, and I have already forgotten
The Parade, is the Le Petite Parade for February and can be viewed here on Sinta’s Blog and here on Sherri’s Blog – mine is on Sherri’s blog this time. Coming up we are making a pattern called Endless Summer by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts. After my little tragedy with the black and whites I think I may go back to pre-coordinated fabrics before improvising again.
Here is Sinta’s version of the pattern, isn’t it purty?
 Endless Summer pattern designed by Pam Buda Quilted and Pieced by Sinta Renee (Pic copyright Sinta Renee)
To celebrate the printing of Issue 2 of Vignette Leanne Beasley of Leanne’s House, has passed on a Fat Quarter Pack of Melanie Hurlston’s Where the Wind Blows Fabric Collection, which is used in a project in Issue 2, to Perri, the hostess extroadianaire at Vignette in Stitches Blog, so hurry on over before the 10th March (next Thursday) so you can get a chance to win too!
 Vignette Issue 2 by Leanne's House (Pic copyright Leanne Beasley)
I’m not sure if I will be stitching any more today, I had one of those days at work where you get into the office, sit down and look up and its 5:30pm. I always explain to people that I turn into (more of (?)) a moron straight after work. It usually takes my brain a few hours to recover, especially after debugging, and I have been debugging this particular code for a while now… Recovery, however, seems a bit elusive today, so I may wander over to the television and numb my brain with something entertaining. You don’t want to know what I find entertaining… he he he
But I am looking forward to spending some quality time with some fresh cottons this week, and have no fear, you will be the first to ‘hear’ about it.
Oh yeah…
Sneak Peak of my block progress so far for the March Block Swap Adventure below
 If I Gave you Any More Details it wouldn't be very Sneaky now Would it?
Posted by Q in Generic Ramblings on February 26, 2011, at 1:41 pm
This month, I got around to ordering my pattern for the Le Petite project for February (hosted by the lovely Sherri at A Quilting Life and the also lovely Sinta at Pink Pincushion I think on the 7th of Feb. I ordered it and the Mini Fit to be Geese Ruler (developed by Monica at Open Gate Quilts) from the Fat Quarter Shop. I am in Australia and delivery takes at least a week. Every month we make a teeny quilt. This month it was the Schnibble called Sweet Spot by Carrie of Miss Rosies Quilt Co.
 Sweet Spot Schnibble by Miss Rosies Quilt Co Version 1 Pic by Miss Rosies Quilt Co
I thought I had this brilliant idea to use black and white fabrics with just a hint of red to make it pop, sound’s fabulous right?! wrong
Here are the pieces after I cut them all out, at this stage, I was still optimistic about the outcome.
 Fabric Selected and Cut for Sweet Spot Schnibble I could still be optimistic, that looks fine doesn’t it? to me there was no hint that this would not work at all. I knew I didn’t have much time (I think I cut on Wednesday night), the quilt top was due for the parade on Monday – and well I had to fit work and some down time in there too!
I started playing with the Mini Fit to be Geese Ruler (I am going to write a separate blog entry/tutorial type thing on this soon, so won’t go into detail here) and got started on the 100 flying geese in this quilt (36 of which are part of the sawtooth star blocks).
 Sweet Spot Progress - First Trimmed Flying Geese Unit  Sweet Spot Flying Geese Units Trimmed and Untrimmed Thursday I was tired when I got home and didn’t do anything. Last night I finished the first 36 flying geese and then got half way through the next 64. At this point, still optimistic about the colour scheme.
I made some sawtooth star blocks, which I thought looked great!
 Sore Tooth he he he Except this one, which I have renamed 
 Saw Tooth Star Blocks for Sweet Spot Schnibble I made some flying geese borders, which on their own also looked fine and I didn’t suspect a thing.
 Sweet Spot Flying Geese Borders and then I put them all together, to get this anticlimactic effort
 Finished Sweet Spot Quilt Top … I am a little disappointed with the lack of contrast in the centre stars and how it came together. Am going to add red blanket stitch around the saw tooth stars and appliqué red circles in the squares where the stars meet. Also adding a red border and then probably going to bind in black, with a red backing.
But hey… it’s Saturday afternoon and I got it done on time, and I’m slightly less frightened of flying geese units and slightly more experienced at piecing. How you doing?
Posted by Q in Craftie Craft, Quilting, Softies - sewing on February 3, 2011, at 7:05 am
So, remember the Mon Ami Schnibble I was working on? – I finished the top (well sans borders) it has yet to be quilted, but was what I wanted to do during January because of the Le Petite or Year of Schnibbles Project Hosted by both Sinta on her blog Pink Pincushion and Sherri on her blog A Quilting Life
So on the 1st of the Month, everyone who participated project is paraded on each of their blogs and this month I am proud to be one of the parade!
Here is the post on Sinta’s Blog for the Mon Ami Schnibble Parade 1st Feb 2o11 (I’m in this one – about half way down the post yay!)
Here is the post on Sherri’s Blog – as you can see one pattern can have a life of its own.
As you know I am not the speediest of sewers/quilters, but I did get a start on Miss Perkins, but she is not quite ready for a parade just yet. I tried to attach her legs without a doll needle and was not happy with the results so will be getting that today. Miss Perkins also doesn’t have a mane, tail or eyes just yet. But with the Rosalie Quinlan Fabric Collection by Lecien Fabrics Grandmother’s Flower Garden, she is quite the Melly and Me child isn’t she?
 Partially Completed Mrs Perkins Giraffe from Pattern by Melly and Me -Note to self – Iron On Interfacing does not work well as a photo background he he he
I also got some stash additions yesterday, want to see?
 Three Yards of Pretty Bird Fabric Designed by Pillow and Maxfield for Michael Miller Fabric Whoop Whoop! This arrived yesterday from my mum’s latest Fat Quarter Shop purchase ( I snuck some stuff in there!) and will be use to make the wonderful Stella Handbag pattern by Patty Young!
 8 Fat Quarters from Playdate Collection Designed by Patty Young for Michael Miller Fabrics and speaking of Patty Young and Michael Miller Fabrics, I also added these 8 fat quarters to the stash! – They are not ear marked for anything just yet, but I can’t to have a ‘date’ with them.
And last but definitely not least, my local discount craft store Spotlight has a sale on that started yesterday so I grabbed two of these 25 X 2.5 inch strip rolls which equal one ‘jelly’ roll and are also not yet assigned to a project.
 2 Times 25 Strips of 2.5 Inch Widths from Spotlight Pink and Lime Green
Posted by Q in Craftie Craft, Quilting on January 23, 2011, at 7:12 pm
So… with a scant 8 days to spare (get it scant… oh hilarious Q ) I have finished my Mon Ami Quilt Top!
Actually I found out that my seams are probably not not that scant, but more about that later!
I finished the 25 main blocks for my quilt on Friday (21 Jan) and excitedly started laying them out to see what they would look like together. Then I noticed the 1st error, and then the second and then… Well I found 7 blocks that I had made mistakes on. Of the 7 though, 5 of the mistakes were exactly the same, so their must have been some flaw in my piecing production line!
In the pic below you can see 4 of the errors are the same. One block was totally wonky, I must have been half asleep piecing that one!
 Mon Ami Schnibbles Core Blocks Starting Layout but Spotting Errors So just for some added hilarity… I decided to hand stitch the fixing so sat on my bed watching telly and patiently unpicked the errors and started fixing them. I am busy fixing the first block looking at another for reference, and well… I only took the blocks with the errors into my room to work on and left the correct ones in my study/sewing room. So I fixed my block with another error!
Aaargh!! LOL. What a moron. After that I did ok I think.
 Mon Ami Schnibbles Core Blocks Final Layout after Fixing Errors (the ones I noticed!) Anyhoo, then I had all my blocks layed out in the order I thought would work well, by row 2 I had a made a mistake there too (woo hoo!) You see how the background fabric and the contrast fabric (the one that isn’t the star) flip from a vertical to horizontal position in the layout- I sewed the second row incorrectly so I had to move that row somewhere else. I didn’t panic too much about that one, no unpicking required!
 Mon Ami Schnibbles Core Blocks Stitched after Fixing Errors (the ones I noticed!) Anyway so here are the 25 core blocks after I stitched them together. Now smarties would see an error, but I didn’t I was too excited or something..
This centre square was supposed to end up measuring 23inches by 23inches, mine was 22.5 by 22.5 so my seams were less scant than required, but hey it was a square, which is better than I have done in previous projects!
After piecing the blocks, piecing the pieced border was a breeze but yes… you guessed it I made a mistake there too! One of my half square triangles had the wrong side of the fabric facing, so it’s slightly duller than it should be. And if you didnt’ spot the error, but now you have to know what it is, in the middle row in the pic below, the block to the right of the middle block is wrong
Here is my quilt top. I initially cut out outer borders that are the same as the background fabric, but am considering changing that so have not done the outer border just yet.
 Mon Ami Schnibbles Quilt Top using Plume Charm Packs by Tula Pink for Moda
Posted by Q in Craftie Craft, Quilting on January 10, 2011, at 8:03 pm
It took me a while, but I finally read the bit where Carrie explains the name for the Mon Ami Schnibbles Pattern that is being used for January in the quilt-along hosted by Sherri and Sinta. You see it’s a friendship block variation and it’s a Schnibbles so it’s small hence My Little Friend Mon Ami… I was a little daunted after my last piecing effort and convinced that it would be My Little Enemy, but I have started and so far so good!
I am using: a quick quarter II ruler (mad by Quilter’s Rule) to help me with my half square triangles and my newly purchased 6inch square rotating mat and rulers to square up the 2inch by 2inch half square triangles blocks before putting the block together. I also added a magnetic seam guide to my machine to help with my 1/4 inch seams so armed with all this additional assistance I am optimistic about lines potentially meeting where they should!
 Plume Fabric Range Designed by Tula Pink for Moda Here are my paired up charm squares (had to pick 25 light and dark pairs to use in the quilt)
 Background Fabric Chosen for Mon Ami This is a close up of the background fabric I am using.
 Plume by Tula Pink for Moda Half Square Triangles for Mon Ami Schnibbles Paired up Charm Squares are in the top left ready for cutting, the new rotating 6 inch mat (by Fiskars) beneath the unsewn block and my first 2 completed blocks.
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Blurbie Thing Hi, I'm Quanita, Q for short and this is my space... Qspace
30-something - IT Geek - totally neurotic - In an wonderful relationship with a cool cable guy - Aunty to Charlotte Rose (and another niece coming in August 2012!) - introverted extrovert - Gen X - Arty Crafty
Welcome and enjoy your stay!
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