Thing I have accomplished :)

Even though I have been absent in blog world I have been making plenty of achievements:) I am very happy with completing this quilt top which I have entitled "Genesis: In the Beginning". The fabric ironically is entitled 'in the beginning' by Jason Yenter and so apt in meaning for the recipient to whom I have made this queen size quilt.

 Quilted and bound.......ready for its recipient :)

I had wanted to make matching pillow cases in the fabric too but did not have enough left so I made a matching neck pillow and square cushion instead for on the bed top, but I forgot to take photos, sorry.

I made two other cushions too prior to the finish of the quilt (different theme) but also forgot to take photos of those too - never mind. They were a European size.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I had the lovely opportunity to spend a weekend crafting with my 'bestie'. I managed to sew a massive 88 blocks that weekend all with the same theme of fabric! 24 of the blocks were for this cute little quilt number which I think was called 'off the rails', a lovely pdf pattern I brought recently. This will be a gift quilt.

It is not a great photo of the whole quilt top I am afraid - it is lovely and bright and 'girly'! I had enough fabric left to make a quilt from half square triangles. I didn't get the time to put the blocks together that weekend so brought it to the next monthly ARCH 'n craft group meeting and asked for opinions! Well we played and played with soooo many possibilities of how it could be placed together. Being clever girls, they managed to make the arrangement below where you can hopefully recognise a star in the middle surrounded by squares on point echoing out to the corners. So the border fabric I had cut for the quilt lays dormant and instead I went home to sew a few more blocks for a square quilt. This picture was on the design wall but has since been sewn into a quilt top and today I basted it ready for machine quilting these holidays :) (fingers crossed). Also for a gift.

I have been getting very motivated of late to make cards again, although at this point, only Christmas cards. I haven't made any for two years. Thanks to my friend and local stampin' up demonstrator, Kerri Hunter, I have made 20 cards of the beautiful designs below. Each month I show up to Kerri's where she has prepared a set of 10 cards, all ready for me to stamp and assemble, whilst we chat and drink coffee. Sounds relaxing doesn't it? Well it is and I have just loved it! Can't wait to the next one she has planned :)

The photos don't do the 'real' colors justice at all so you will just have to use your imagination as to how gorgeous they really are. Well that is all for now, off to put some binding on a quilt so that I can show you that one too :)

Luv Bonnie xxx

Things I been up to :)

Apologies for long absences. It's not that I haven't been out and about crafting and seeing craft, its just that I haven't had time to blog about it! So tonight a vain attempt to catchup somewhat.

At the end of July I took the opportunity to spend a weekend with my 'bestie' doing what else but what I do BEST?!! Quilt! My 'bestie' doesn't share the same love and passion for quilting but she does love to craft and that's all that counts. We went to our 'usual haunt' down by the beach. It is ironic really as we see little of the beach as we craft away but it is a lovely setting.

This has become an annual event for us and this year we timed it well to coincide with the Melbourne Quilt and Craft Show - a good show to combine both our interests in one. We took the long route to our seaside location, going via the show.

I didn't take any photos of our purchases that day although we both made a purchase or two or three :) but I did take some photos of a couple of the quilts in the associated quilt show. Here they are below:

I think this one won the challenge of the show - The 7 deadly sins.

That is all thread work! Just blows me away!!

A close up of the detail. Just checkout the quilting!

This eagle was done by one of the Ballarat Quilters, Suzanne Lyle, for our 2010 group challenge. The theme required at least one bird in the quilt - well she definitely got that. However Suzanne had a car accident the day of the Christmas dinner where we reveal our challenge and unfortunately the quilt was in the boot which was towed away, so she wouldn't forget it that night! We just had to view her mobile phone photo instead. Isn't it stunning in real life?

Love it.

Wow....gotta love applique!!

This quilt has been entirely made up of tiny tiny hexagons as you can see in the closeup below. The mind boggles as to how many hexies there are here and the time and commitment it took to sew together.

Beautiful isn't it?

These two were just STUNNING in their detail of thread work, texture and realistic-ness. Blows my mind. Don't think I could ever do anything like this. Click on the photos to see a close up of each. It is amazing.

And last but not least this was the raffle quilt that Vic Quilters was offering up this year! Made by our very own Emma Jansen of Ballarat Patchwork (and Ballarat Quilters). Just beautiful.

Today I was priviledged enough to see Emma's second quilt of the same design. As the one above went to a delighted winner she wanted one of her own to keep. I think the second one is even nicer and brighter, if that was at all possible. :)

I hope to be back soon to share a lot of sewing :)

Bonnie