A few notes:

I have finally posted all the photos I took at the Quilt Convention on Friday.  I have altered a few posts on that blog, as well as this blog, so if you have time, do go back and have another look if you are interested.

I got a message from Jenny at Sunrise Quilting - my handkie quilt is finished!  Can't wait to see it!  This morning I bought more of the blue fabric that I'd used for the sashing, as I will use that to bind the quilt when I get it, hopefully early next week.

My friend Glenda LOVES the snow scene table runner that I made for her.  She has been putting it all over her house, on the piano, on the coffee table, kitchen table, she can't make up her mind where to put it :-)

Playing with my new toys.

Hi Jane, Sharon and Shawne, nice to see you popping in so regularly.  Motivates me to keep posting about my sewing adventures :-)
Today I spent some time playing with my new quilting ruler/templates.  Here is what I came up with using the Wave ruler.  I cut two pieces of fabric (sorry they are both yellow, one should have been darker for contrast,duh) with one straight edge and one wavy edge.  Then I machined them together.  The first photo shows how I sewed the straight edge of one piece to the top piece, using one straight line of stitching sewn on the other (wrong) side.
The second photo shows how I used zig zag, then blanket stitch to join the same fabrics, but by sewing on the wavy edge of the top fabric.

Then I cut two more pieces and sewed them together on the straight edge.  I just wanted to see what I could do, that gives me ideas of what I might achieve using better coloured fabric and various stitching.

Then  I played with my Scalloped edge ruler.
I'm glad I stayed to watch Robyn, the demonstrator, as this was a bit more tricky.  I made a scalloped edge using different fabrics the way she showed.  It makes a lovely edge and I think I might use this for a cushion.  I took a photo of the cushions she had made, and I'll post one here.
So this is my scalloped edge.

I was going to discard the offcuts, but played around with them too:

Here is Robyn at her stall, with a beautiful crinoline lady quilt behind her.  She is a lady after my own heart - specialising in old fashioned embroidery designs :-)

 And here are Robyn's pillows - aren't they gorgeous!

If you want to know more, you can visit her website at Bella Embroidery Designs.

2016 Australian Quilt Convention.

In the past when I go to craft shows I  usually go with a friend, but this year everyone I asked about going to the AQC was either working or doing something else, so I went on my own.  With apologies to the friends who have accompanied me on previous occasions, it was much better without company!  I arrived at 10.30 am and set off to look at the sellers stands first before inspecting the Quilt Show.  I was able to browse the stands at my leisure without distractions, and I found everything that was on my shopping list.  I had been keeping a note for the last month, of things I wanted that aren't available in the local shops, and I knew I'd find them at the AQC. 

Around 12 noon I was started to feel hungry, so headed over to the eating area, but all the tables were packed, and there were long queues to the coffee and food stands.  So I decided to look at the quilts instead and it was just as well because otherwise I would have missed out on a very interesting talk by"Brenda Gael Smith,  the curator of one of the show categories "A Matter Of Time".  There were 32 entries from Australia, USA, UK and New Zealand.  Several of the quilters were there to give a brief talk about their work, and I was privileged to hear my favourite quilter Linda Steele, explain how she created her stunning quilt "Life On The Reef".   Here she is pointing out some detail on the quilt.

I took about 40 photos and will post them on my Needlecraft Shows blog shortly.  I have posted about half of them now, and I will do another post here when I've completed them.  In the meantime, here are my purchases.  Spent a lot more than what I'd planned of course...but as it is the day before my birthday, Ken was forgiving!

1.  Wave ruler that I saw demonstrated last year, but the rulers were sold out before I could get one. Now I can't remember what to do with it!  Never mind, I'm sure I'll find something on YouTube.
The other is a scalloped edge ruler, which was being demonstrated as I was walking past the stand on the way out, so I stopped and watched.  Can't wait to make something with it!  The lady had a lovely cushion cover and other items which she allowed me to photograph.

2.  I  had a small rotary cutter but it broke, and even though it has been put together again, it is a bit wobbly, so I bought this one along with the wave ruler, because I'll need it to use that ruler.

These weren't on my list, but I do need them to complete other projects.  The Japanese print will be perfect for a border for a Japanese panel I've had for a while.  And I have been after clouds fabric for years, to make a cute pattern with umbrellas appliqued over it.  Can't wait to do that now!

These weren't on my list either, but how cute is this owl panel!

 I have more than enough cats fabric, but couldn't leave this behind.  Just as well there were no chook fabrics anywhere this year!

   Classic bike fabric to keep the husband happy....

I've seen these old time prints in advertisements before, but when I saw what the stall holder had done with them to embellish them, well, they joined my other purchases, didn't they.

One stall had thousands of laces, ric rac and braids.  I always stop and look but haven't bought any in previous years because I have so much in my stash.  But I don't have any Elvis braid!  Do now though ;-)

And here is what it looked like as the day wore on.  I thought the first day would be quiet, but no, it was busy.  Hate to think what it will be like on the weekend, just glad I won't be there!

Easter Bunny table mat finished.

To finish this off, I added some bunny braid which had been sitting my stash for years.  The green fabric for the borders and back was left over from another project last year.

I just posted a pic to my apron blog here of an apron I have made for a swap on the Down To Earth Forum, if anyone is interested.
My handkie quilt top is finished and waiting to be taken to a professional quilter, hopefully next week.  The UFO quilt has come to a standstill at the moment, because I am too lazy to continue making up all the little blocks left over from the Flying Geese blocks.  I have a stack of them which all need to be trimmed down to 2"square, and after doing a dozen I thought, no way, this has got whiskers on it (meaning it's too much trouble to keep going!).  And there aren't enough to go all around the quilt once they have been trimmed, so it means I would have to cut more fabric up to make more HSTs.  So I am just going to put another border on it, then finish it.  I am not really concerned about the end result, as it was just somebody else's UFO that I took on as an experiment, and while I have learned from it, the novelty has worn off and I want to move on to other things!