Table Runner and African fabrics quilt and much more...

A lot has happened since I last blogged. 

My husband was involved in a car crash landing him in hospital with a sternal fracture and both cars involved in the collition at the scrap yard. I am grateful as we stand because it could have been a lot worse.  One of the positives is that I now have a brand new car and he's taken over the car I normally drive, which is about 3 years old with very low mileage.

So with having to sort out a few issues, the sewing has taken a back seat.

 

I am pleased to share in this posting what I had in progress is now completed.

 

This table runner started up as a wall hanging but once I had done the applique flowers, I didn't like the design on the pattern after all.

And given that I actually wanted a runner for this cabinet, I made it to fit.
The applique is wool but the centres are cotton.

In the past whenever I completed a quit top, it was considered done; not so now.

Since acquiring the Handi Quilter that definition has changed;  it's completed when the quilting and binding are done and I tend not to blog about it until it's at that stage.

All the fabrics for this quilt came from my African fabrics stash which I purchased in South Africa many years ago. I don't know what this block is called but I have seen it in many quilts but not the way I have arranged the blocks to form 'steps' hence I named it "Stairway to Heaven".

I made it for a relative who lives in Africa.

Recently I participated in a pincushion swap and received this cute pincushion.

My friend Lynne who often inspires me with her beautiful work gave me a book by Tula Pink and these lovely fabrics.   She knows that I have eclectic tastes in quilting so a twist of modern is something I am enjoying.

Just an aside, the little painted bird house on the right, I painted years ago when I was very involved in tole painting.  If time permited I would have love to still persue this hobby.

I follow Katheleen Tracy's blog and she has created a group with the aim of each participant completing each month, a small quilt from her books. Her work is so adorable that I decided to order her books and have a go.  Probably will start with the recent month's project and will try to catch up on the backdated projects.

And finally another couple books I received in the mail this week as part of educating myself and became a better quilter.
And of course a bit more fabric again...

Autumn is with us and my favourite season.... my garden is still showing off and I am loving it.

Sewing with my daughter and other fun things...

At every opportunity I get I try to entice my daughter to sew.  She wanted a bag for school so no better time than that, to get her onto the sewing machine.
She loves cats, so I had a cat fabric just 'purrfect' for the task at hand.

And this is what the bag looks like with it's on model to show it off.



My mate Stan come over to meet HQ18.  He was most impressed and totally got it ! He had a play with it and I was most impressed with his ability in handling the machine.
He is such a natural, but then again I am not at all surprised because several years ago I taught him and another girl make a small quilt and his quilt turned out a lot better than hers !

 

I had my blog printed by a company that turns the blogposts into a book.

 

I'll give you a peak preview of my next project.... I am very excited the way it's turning out so far.  I'll just say that I am using fabrics I have been collecting for a long time. 

Probably one particular print that you can see below gives the clue where I got the fabrics from.

You'll have to wait till next post to see what the quilt looks like...

 

And now for some music....

 

Boney James is another of the Smooth Jazz artists that I enjoy listening to. He has a new album coming out soon but this song is from a previously released album.