When Country and City Meets The Coast

My Brother came up from Sydney and Mum and Dad visited from the country (Central West NSW) for Christmas Day.

It was great to catch up with everyone...we had a great day with WAY too much food.
I am enjoying a small break now and actually doing some sewing for ME!!!!
Cheers
Jan

HO....HO.....HO.....

HO....HO....HO....

I hope you all have a great Christmas with friends and family.

All the best everyone.

Jan

Kerrie's Quilt

Kerrie's Quilt

This week I had the pleasure of working on Kerrie's quilt.

Kerrie designed this quilt herself. I love the colours and the way you get secondary patterns happening within the pieced blocks.
Kerrie is a patchwork and quilting tutor and it was a joy to work on a quilt that was well pieced and square!!
It was quilted with an Edge-to-Edge pattern called "Joust" by Willow Leaf Studio....and Kerrie nearly didn't get her quilt back!! ha!

Happy Quilting
Jan

Small Custom

Small Custom

This small custom was completed this week. I really love how the circular quilting design sits within the square block.

Some all over feathers looked good on this quilt also.

Happy Quilting

Jan

Quilting Workshop-Walk All Over You

Quilting Workshop-Walk All Over You  On the third Saturday of each month I attend the Novocastrian Quilters meeting in NewLambton.

A free workshop is available to members at each meeting. Last month Jann Sturdy ran a workshop on free-motion quilting, and yesterday I followed that up with a workshop that explored quilting with your walking foot...looking at a variety of designs that are suitable to use and a few different methods to transfer your designs onto your quilt.

I enjoyed organising and teaching the class. It was a good day.
Cheers
Jan

Valuation

This week the Quilters Guild of NSW held a Quilt Valuation day here on the Central Coast, which I took advantage of, getting two of my own personal quilts valued.
This blue and cream quilt is a combination of freehand background fills and stitch in the ditch with some Statler feathers and motifs.

I also put in my first whole cloth for valuation which was done entirely freehand. I learn't a lot with this quilt and will hopefully do another one soon as I found it a huge challenge which I LOVE.

It won third place in "Traditional/Professional" at Darling Harbour Quilt Show this year....!!!
I have no real idea of the value of my quilts....so it was a real eye opener to have them appraised by the Guild. I realised that I have been undervalueing my work by a LONG way.
What I thought their value would be was about one third of what the Guild valued them at.
My 'better half" often accuses me of not taking myself seriously enough and of not realising the true value of the work that I do.
I think many of us "artisans' would be in the same boat. Many of us feel uncomfortable putting an appropriate monetary value on things....we are not sure we are worth it. Do any of you feel the same way???
Cheers
Jan

Would You Just Look....!!!

Would you just look at what my garden has been doing despite being glued to the Gammill for FOREVER!!!!

Doing the " Loopy/Heart Stipple" this week.

Happy Quilting
Jan

This Week at the Shed

This week at the shed has been busy and a bit dusty...we are putting up a new back verandah.....only needed doing since we moved in 12 years ago...you can't rush these things.

Bob and Ruby are worn out with all the helping.

Lots going on in the shed with a few E-2-E completed and a custom finished.

Love this quilt. I have a thing about reproduction fabrics..just love the colour. I also love the simplicity of this quilt. I have just joined a reproduction fabrics club and am considering what to do with the fabric I have.

This custom quilt has taken a while. Lots of stitch in the ditch and outlining, background fills and flower motifs..hope she likes it.

Lots of work has come in this week...I think I need to have a tidy up in the shed!!
Happy Quilting
Jan

Four Novocastrian Girls in the City

Today 15th Oct 2011, four Novocastrian Quilters got up early and drove to Sydney to present the 2012 Raffle Quilt to the NSW Quilters Guild who held their A.G.M. today.

Here are Debbie (the quilt's creative director), Elizabeth, and Ros...as they are about to do some collective retail therapy at "Quiltsmith"....four Novocastrian girls can't go to Sydney without some essential, necessary purchases.

Then we were off to Burwood RSL for the NSW Quilters Guild AGM where we had been invited to unveil the 2012 Raffle Quilt and showcase some of our work.

On the way as we took the tourist  route it was amazing where you might find quilting inspiration.

The NSW Quilters Guild AGM

Jan, Ros,Debbie and Elizabeth in front of the 2012 NSW Quilters Guild Raffle Quilt. Designed By Debbie Carraro , pieced and appliqued by around 20 Novocastrian Quilters, and quilted by me.. Jan Foster. We are very proud of what we have created.

Elizabeth, Debbie and Ros talking with Maree Gebhardt.

Debbie presenting the quilt.

We got a chance to present some of our work to the Guild members.

Ros presenting her 2010 Novocastrian challenge quilt winning entry.

Elizabeth's quilt.

Elizabeth's 2011 Novocastrian challenge quilt entry.

Debbie's quilt.

Debbie's 2011 Novocastrian challenge quilt entry.

We were treated to a very impressive showcase of "Men who Quilt"

I just loved this quilt and when I got talking to its creator, Anthony, it turned out that he was from the Central Coast too!!! I just HAVE to make one.

And this is how we ended the day....thanks for driving Debbie!



Happy Quilting

Jan

Semi Custom

 This week I've been working on a lovely "semi-custom" quilt for Noeline. Semi-customs are the custom quilts you have when you're not having a custom quilting job done. You still get the "custom" look but without the price tag as all the slow stitch in the ditch is taken out. A good option for some quilts. Basically a block is repeated over and over...sometimes into the border.

Off to Sydney with the Novo girls this Saturday to present the 2012 NSW Quilt Guild raffle quilt to the Guild which the Novo's created and I quilted....SOOOO excited. Will post photo's when we get back.

Happy Quilting

Jan