Progress ....

Tonight we sewed the units into Disappearing 9 patch blocks like these:

And then sewed the blocks into 2 quilt tops - this one is 36 blocks (but it was already folded when the camera came out, so this is just a bit!):

It doesn't need borders, and will be quilted by Jean and bound.

And another 24 blocks have gone home with Georgie to make the second floral top - it will get a border or two.

Two quilt community tops this week - not a bad effort!

Lynette has started with the next two using red, green and cream colour families .... pictures to come.

Sew-In Thursday 21st May

Today we cut 4 1/2 " floral squares, put them together as 9 patches, cut them in quarters and and re-sewed enough Disappearing 9 Patch units for two quilt tops. Easy and fun.

The resulting blocks are gorgeously scrappy, and we will randomly sew the units and blocks together to highlight the beauty of scraps in light dark and medium florals. We will not try to make them match, or even "go" together - we know that they just will !

There's a little bit of sewing to do, followed a little bit of quilting and a little bit of binding .... if you'd like to help, we'll happily share the remaining work around among the Monday and Tuesday groups too.

Thursday Sew In: 21st May

Our next "Thursday Sew In" is scheduled for

Thursday 21st May, 10.00 am to 3pm

Pennant Hills Leisure and Learning Centre
8 Warne Street
Pennant Hills
(off street parking at the centre is available for about eight cars)

Bring lunch, or the Pennant Hills shops are nearby. Morning tea will be provided.
Bring your sewing machine, ruler, rotary cutter, and work on the community projects that are underway. We have lots of fabric, orphan blocks and partially completed quilt tops to be completed.
Come when you can, leave when you need to - you will have a companionable day, contribute to our community projects and practice your patchwork and quilting skills.

Thimblelady Fine Quilts and Gifts: opening in Thornleigh

Thimblelady, Luixin Newman, has announced that her new shop will open soon in Thornleigh:

Thimblelady Fine Quilts and Gifts
Shop 2, 293 Pennant Hills Road, Thornleigh, NSW 2272.

Opening date: 26th May 2009

Further details: www.thimblelady.com.au

Phone: 02 9144 7207
Fax: 02 9144 3427
Email: info@thimblelady.com

Fabric shops news

The Purple Patch - Clearance Sale
Wednesday 13th May - Sunday 17th May 2009 (inclusive)
10.00 am - 5.00 pm
13 Cabarita Road, Concord
Ph. 8765 8481
All fabric $6 per metre; Fat Quarters $2; All Patterns $2

- - - - - - - - - - -

Country Pickin's At the Corner has moved to a new corner (from Tuesday 12th May)
New location: Q North Business Centre, Shop 9/829 Old North Road, Dural (in the complex next door to KFC and McDonalds, but entry is via Quarry Road)
Ph/fax 9651 7201
http://www.countrypickins.com.au/

Fairholme traveller

From Sharyn Knitter, as she and Ken take six months to travel around Australia:

We are currently at Airlie Beach having returned this afternoon from a week at Club Med on Lindeman Island with all of the family. (Actually came home for a rest.) Weather was not crash hot and we had several days rain and entertaining 3 little ones was quite challenging. Playground equipment under cover is a wonderful invention. We all managed to do our thing whether is was golf, tennis, sailing, archery or reading at some stage during the week. Very little swimming, pool water too cold but several of our lot found the ocean more enticing.

We're hoping that Sharyn learns how to email photos during this trip!

Binding: the perfect end

Here is a link to Brenda Smith's photo-and-text tutorial on the perfectly fitting finish for your quilt binding: Continuous Binding Without Bulges. Click on any of the photos for a close-up. Very handy!

Note that the technique will be included in the DVD (featuring Brenda Smith) attached to the next issue of Quilters' Companion magazine, due out in a few days.

Shopping Day

Thanks to Lynette Harvey and to Prymer Tours for another fun and productive day of shopping on Saturday 2nd May. We stopped first at Quilt Essentials in New Lambton (conveniently located next door to a fabulous cafe, and the girls provided tea, coffee and delicious morsels at the shop as well); then headed back south to Patchwork and Coffee on Main in Boolaroo (where the cafe is actually in the fabric shop!); then on to Blueberries at Wyong (where the girls also kindly provided tea, coffee and cake).


It might sound like just a fun day of shopping, eating and hanging out with friends, but it's a bit more demanding than that. We had lots of exercise, getting on and off the bus, walking the shops' aisles, hauling bolts of fabric, side bends and neck rotations to inspect fabrics, weight lifting our purchases ...... and we used our brains - doing maths (geometry, probability, addition, subtraction, time keeping, economics); geography (finding our way around Patchwork on Main); literacy (finding the right books, studying patterns); and of course we did a little practice of our oral communication skills .... no wonder we were tired by the time we got home!

Here are just a few random photos - you can see that we are doing our bit to stimulate the local economy.

And which cool Fairholme Quilter wore her glow in the dark joggers?