Irish Circles

Irish Circles
Last years block of the month

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

New Quilt

Hi everyone great news I finished a new quilt today!
An Irish Medallion "County Kilkenny" All ready for quilting I can almost hear you all asking what fabric to buy so you will need a lovely border always nice to find a stripe and  a smaller print fabric to go with it. Alright 3 mtrs of border and 1 mtr of matching small print, my quilt is c1800s my border is a copy of an 1820's fabric.
I had my border fabric for about seven years you know the fabric you cant cut up well I had five yards and I used all of it the width of each stripe was fourteen inches and I could only cut three down the length so a little drama today as I didn't have enough to mitre but I found a solution.
You will also need fabric suitable for broderie perse: birds, baskets and flowers.
This is not a replica of an old quilt so Mr google wont find it.
This will be one of the quilts for Summer School.

There is other exciting news Michelle did her homework!
Such a shock she even received a star, such a busy girl its wonderful when we get time to just sew.


Michelle


Here are more high achievers.
Jan is behind her blue Nottingham quilt.


Bev and Sue with their Hidcote Garden's.


Karen with her Nottingham Quilt.


Chris with the centre of Miss Austen's Garden.


Here is a lesson for you all this is my mum and dad unpicking machine quilting she had done on her Irish circles quilt.
Make sure you choose a quilting pattern you like have a look at the samples on display or study quilting on other quilts to better judge what would suit your quilt.

Such a cute photo but in reality it took a week to unpick threads everywhere even the bathroom!





Here is Denise an outstanding student from Port Maquarie yes I only see her once a year and look what she gets done. Plus every year when I teach in Port it falls on Denise's birthday so she comes to class as part of the celebration I am always so happy to see all the girls each year.

Jester Quilt



New England fall.


Anna


I just cant make out who was behind this beautiful Anna Quilt but another Port Maquarie girl.
Let me know who it is!

I had afternoon tea in Port at the lovely Tea rooms.
Well it is time for bed its 10.30 and I am in Sydney for the next three days with a lovely evening planned at the Camden Quilt shows opening night on Friday.
One of my favourite shows just love the atmosphere and lovely quilts to view.
I will leave you with a photo from my trip to America this is the children's garden in the beautiful Longwood gardens PA

Goodnight all,
Karen x










Monday, July 16, 2012

Catch up


Block four "The Marriage Quilt"



I know its been a while since my last blog but since I arrived home from America I have had three of my children's birthdays a road trip to the country for two weeks, which was fantastic and lots of sewing to prepare for Summer School and class.
Thank you to all the girls who worried about me I am well perhaps a little frazzled but now I am feeling like I just might catch up!
I have had a few emails asking for my patterns at the moment I don't have any for sale  correspondence school will start again next year in February.
I have been looking to hire a graphic designer to perhaps make my patterns easier to print and more cost efficient just haven't found the right person yet. I know it is something I can no longer do on my own so that is a step forward as being a Taurus I think I can do everything myself.
I will be posting again soon I just thought I would quickly catch up today and get back to block five of the Marriage Quilt and add the next borders to Plain and Fancy so I can get the next correspondence posted.
Hope you are all well and stitching away,
Karen x