Merry Christmas!

Hi Everyone sorry it has been a while but since class finished I have been flat out.

My husband ordered a skip to put rubbish in so I have done out every cupboard in my house, boy did we have some rubbish. My kitchen was the worst, for someone who doesn't cook I seem to have plenty of equipment., as I had no idea what some of it was its all gone.

I also had one of the best days shopping ever, my son and his partner are having a baby next year so yes I will be a grandmother, honestly I just can not stop smiling and shopping for the baby was wonderful.

Of course I have done some Christmas shopping and as all my family are coming for boxing day I have sourced wonderful easy cooking tips from you all, Kathryn your pasta recipe was wonderful.

Today I moved Anna out of uni for the last time, so many books to pack.

Let us have a look at some of our lovely last class-Christmas parties.

Here are the girls from the Saturday class at Post Office Patchwork Glenbrook on our last class for 2011

I will be posting lots of quilts after Christmas but I wanted to get a post done before Christmas day so you could see some of the girls who have shared their wonderful work this year.

A very happy group from Friday class at Timeless Threads Mittagong, just love Vanessa's Kath Kidston sewing basket!

For those of you doing Miss Austen's Garden a range called Papillion by Moda will be in store in January and the blue is perfect for the quilt. These were samples Jackie brought back from the U.S so Blueberries will definitely have the range.

The Saturday group in Mittagong decided to go out for lunch, we walked through this wonderful garden and sat outside in The Sturt Gallery garden.

Hobbysew girls, yummy food, very good cooks.

A very Merry Christmas from all the girls.



I will be sending another email out soon with all the final details for Summer School.

This has been a lovely week I have caught up with lots of friends in the mountains and I am looking forward to Christmas with family which is what the season is all about.

Thank you girls for another fantastic year of stitching and friendship, I hope you all have a really happy Christmas.

I will say goodnight as it is now 11 pm below is the lovely ginger bread house the Monday Glenbrook girls gave to me.

So delicious.

End of the year.

 Hi everyone, I can't believe I am teaching the last classes for the year! A very busy time for me as I need my samples ready for 2012 and all the requirements lists done, get ready girls as I have already had one class and there was a lot of decisions to make and of course shopping for just the right fabrics.

For all the girls not in classes and have asked for patterns the correspondence school will begin in February so email me your details to get the information to sign up in January. 

Let us look at some beautiful quilts.

Karen has finished her Sampler and Cream Tea, she has been very creative and added more hexagons onto her quilt, just stunning.

In the Glenbrook class three girls are making Anna, I think it is really interesting the differences in fabric choices.

liz



Pat

Vicky

Last week I hired a movie called From Time to Time by Julian Fellows staring Maggie Smith I hadn't realised it was based on the book The chimneys of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston it is a lovely story but the best part was seeing Maggie Smith in a couple of scenes sewing a Lucy Boston quilt.

Here is Robyn's Lucy Boston quilt, mine is still one of my favourites.

Helen has been finishing and brought along her buttercup and cream tea.

Here is a quilt by Chris who works for Rhonda at Post office Patchwork Glenbrook, she just kept covering hexagons with fabrics that came into the shop and joined them together with no mosaic pattern in mind just kept sewing. It really is stunning to look at.

Di brought a couple of her antique quilts for us to have a look at just lovely, don't old quilts feel beautiful.
It is nice to think that if my UFOs and quilts end up for sale a quilter will come along and buy them and give them a good home, perhaps finish the projects in the to do basket.

It is nine p.m so I must pack my bag for Mittagong tomorrow so goodnight to all,

Karen

Hi Everyone, my Internet is fixed and I think I am finally caught up with all my emails.
Thank you to all the girls coming along to Summer School, Susan is completely booked out and my classes have just a few places left.
Everything has happened smoothly and dinner promises to be a great night. We have four shops coming on different days these are: Post office patchwork, Cottage Quilt Works, Patchwork Plus and Blueberries.
We are really going to be tempted, you will all see what I face each week with the wonderful fabrics on offer.
Well I think it is photo time, here is my finished Hidcote Garden, for all the girls after the border fabric I think it is being reprinted as Blueberries had an email last weekend saying it was still on the way.

As you can see my small blocks have no applique as I decided to have quilting in them instead.

Here is Jan's Irish Circles, a variation for the final border but I think it works well.

In the Blueberries Thursday class Lisa and Marion had their Antique Applique quilts basted ready for quilting. Great work by both not an easy quilt to finish in eight months.

Here are some fabrics from Blueberries perfect for French Mosaic.

And for the girls doing the applique quilt next year here is a picture of my background with a kit put together by the girls at Cottage Quilt Works.

Really yummy!

And for the girls looking for a border for Irish Circles, where my green border is here are two by the same designer as mine available from Cottage Quilt Works and Blueberries.

Thought you might like to see my Antique Applique.

That is all the quilting news for now I am working hard to finish my Folk Art Quilt I really love it but I want to see it finished.
For those of you looking for a good read I just finished a great book, The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.
Goodnight to all,
Karen

Summer school

Hi everyone, just a quick post from my I pad my Internet at home is down,they think with all the rain the cable needs checked, so they will be here on Wednesday.
All my Summer School files are in my main computer so I can't send any info out.
I will get to you all as soon as possible.
The weather for the long weekend is awful so cold and way too much rain but I have finished my Hidcote Garden quilt, looks lovely.
My parents are coming tomorrow for lunch with all my gang which means I have to cook always a nightmare!
Hope you are all relaxing this weekend,
will post nice photos as soon as I can
Karen

A great day.

Hi Everyone, yesterday was my daughter Anna's graduation she now has her Masters in chiropractic.
What a great day watching all the families, everyone was smiling and looking so proud soo many hugs!
It's not often you get a day where no matter what your background or country you come from the experience is the same, wonderful.
Congratulations to my dear Anna.

Thank you to all the girls who have booked in for summer school one class is just about full!

You will get a follow up email soon.

I have sent all the emails so if you don't have one email me again.

I did send them in groups of five but if one didn't go through I am not sure if the rest did, some got the email twice.....sorry about that. My little lap top is in shock so many out and in.

I am hearing helicopters hope no more fires.

I have had some lovely emails from the American girls asking me my teaching schedule in America, I am coming on a tour with a group of my friends (all quilters) we will be in Paducah for the show first so I would love to meet any of you there and one day if asked I would love to teach in America.

Last Monday I shopped  at The Crewel Gobelin Killara, I fancied doing a cross stitch, Picked a needle case on the cover of the book below, the girls were so helpful they had a kit ready for me and sold me a space age magnifier as I was sure my linen had no holes. I know when will I get time mmmm no answer but it does look pretty.

Sneak peek.

Here is a sneak peek at one of next years block of the month quilts, in progress but looking good, the other block of the month is a large applique, I love that a few of you have booked into summer school to get a head start on the applique without seeing mine , such faith.

Well that is all today I am having a cutting out day and so far not much done.

Hope you are all having a great day wherever you are.

Karen

September 2012

Hi everyone, sorry it's been so long I have been busy getting ready for next year's classes and I am very happy to say I am fully booked for 2012. So excited about the trip to America and for those of you coming along remember the lead up is nearly as good as going so much planning, I already have some U.S money.
The emails should arrive next week for Summer School, to be exact Tuesday 20th so if you don't get one email me as I have a long list so please forgive me if I miss you it would not be deliberate just my limited skill with contact lists.
The issue of Quilters Companion is out with the Buttercup pattern in it, a very nice issue with lots of nice quilts.
The photo's on this post will be the last with my old camera, my friend Robin had such wonderful photos of her holiday in Europe I had to have a camera like hers, so we should get better photos when I learn how to use it properly.

O.K some show and tell, first the lovely weekend at Janet Edmonds farm was fantastic as always.
Here is Robin with her finished Bluebell.

Janet also made Bluebell and gave it to her sister for her birthday.

There was a lot of homework done at Cottage Quilt Works such wonderful enthusiasm.

Here is Di with her finished machine quilt, she did not use the V&A fabrics, love the Randolph stripe on the border.

Kerry just needs to add her border.

Here are some more photos of the embroidery from Leonie.

Over to Patchwork Plus Miranda and Elaine has finished her Anna Quilt, she made it for her grandaughter.

Patchwork Plus, yummy fabrics.

Just love Jan's pile of hexagons.

And finally Barb is finishing the Bridesmaid Quilt, I love it when an older design comes out again.

Someone wanted to buy my Bridesmaid Quilt and sometimes when someone really loves your quilt it is hard to say no but at the end of the day I just couldn't part with mine.(yes I have sold a couple)

Well it is nine thirty and I have to get ready for Mittagong Tomorrow so I think that is all the quilting news.

I have had a day at home and maybe because it is spring I have done out my wardrobe and sent four bags to lifeline, I wonder why it feels so good to have a clean out.

Hope all is well with you all,

goodnight

Karen.



 



August news

The month seems to be flying by!
Anna is o.k no more visits to the hand clinic she is still home, always nice to have her around.

I have been very busy getting things sorted for Summer School Susan and I will be ready for photos in two weeks so not long now.
I am also going to Paducah next year everything is organised, so exciting just think of all the lovely quilts I will see not to mention fabric!
Speaking of fabric here are a couple of stripes perfect for fussy cutting. I bought them from Blueberries.

Mary from Mittagong received her Irish Circles back from the quilters, beautiful.

My computer is really slow The Boys have down loaded so much stuff I have been slowed, don't you hate that.

I was hoping to see the movie Jane Eyre but of course ended up seeing The Planet Of The Apes still the pop corn was excellent.

My stitching is going great the binding is on French Mosaic Connie the quilter has Miss Austen's Garden and I will take Nottingham away with me to Janet's this weekend and hopefully get it finished.

Then I want to finish my Folk Art quilt so that you can see it hanging at Summer School, I know its August still think I can do it.

That's all my news this time I have workshops for the next nine days so there should be lots of show and tell.

Happy stitching

Karen



Spring at last

Hi everyone, I saw this Parrot feasting on spring flowers a perfect picture for the start of the season.

I have had a busy time this week running my daughter to the hand clinic as she had an accident in Bali on her holiday and crushed her thumb, don't you hate those phone calls from your children overseas that start with don't panic but I had an accident on a boat in Bali!

Thank you for your enquiries for correspondence school everyone is welcome to join  you just need to email me direct with your details.

kcu53348@bigpond.net.au 

Lisa from Blueberries brought her finished Sampler to show us, all hand quilted and just beautiful.

Bev from Quiltsmith has just about finished her Folk Art Quilt.

Lyn from Quiltsmith has finished hers, I am a little jealous.

Do you remember Lyn made her Buttercup quilt for her granddaughter Zoe well here it is hand quilted and ready to hand over. My pattern for Buttercup will be in next months Quilter Companion if you would like to make it, issue 51 September issue.

And finally I went to the Camden quilt show opening on Friday night, such a great evening with lots of lovely quilts to look at. The sales table had such fantastic things. This beautiful tin had to come home.

Jan Cardy won a prize for her Lucy Boston quilt just look at her amazing hand quilting.

Susie dropped off my French Mosaic Quilt today I am very happy with the quilting it looks lovely so binding tomorrow but tonight I am going to relax and do some hexagons.

Happy stitching to all

Karen