New Class At Pioneer Patchwork

I have arranged some additional dates for classes at Pioneer Patchwork at Narellan for the rest of this year.  These workshops will take place on Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm.

Whack and Stack Quilts: Tuesdays 8 October and 
3 December, 2013

You will have the choice of making one of three different designs in this class.  All quilts are made by cutting repeats of fabric and stacking them in a pile and cutting different shapes to create a myriad of spectacular designs.

The first is called "Millefiori".  This quilt contains blocks constructed of 60 degree triangles joined to make hexagon shapes.  The border includes smaller hexagon blocks and detailed piecing.


Detail:

The second one is called "Fandango".  It includes whack and stack circles and some foundation piecing of the spikes. (Need a better photo)

The third option is called "Rococo".  We cut diamonds from the stacked fabric to create Le Moyne Star blocks:

Foundation Piecing Workshops: Tuesdays 
24 September, 22 October, 19 November and 
17 December, 2013

You can choose to make a quilt from a number of designs I have created using paper foundation piecing techniques:

"Aura": made of New York Beauty blocks.  The batik fabrics are a departure for me, but look I can do it.

"The Way Ahead": featuring two different large compass blocks surrounded by circular flying geese and set with more flying geese.

"Ashbourne Mill": featuring Dusty Miller blocks with template work and more flying geese, of course!

"Cherry Ripe" with its centre pineapple block and detailed piecing with room for lovely quilting.

"Spikes and Specks": lots of yummy spikey blocks and machine applique:

"Paradise": a smaller quilt featuring a centre large compass block and machine applique:

I hope you can join me at some of these workshops.

Please phone the shop directly on 02 4647 3555 to confirm your booking or email me at kat.had@bigpond.com for further information or to discuss the available options.

A Taste of Jane Austen Country

Helen Bertram of Whitecroft Traditional Tours has been sending me some more enticing photographs from England.

Helen is in the process of finalising all of the activities and visits on our Jane Austen itinerary for the tour taking place in September/October 2015.

If you have not checked it out yet click on the tab at the top of my blog page to read through the itinerary or click the link to go directly to Whitecroft Tours.  There are still a few places left so do not miss out if you are interested!

This should whet your appetite for England:

This is the sign post of the church at Steventon where Jane's father preached when she was a young girl.



Here is the church - isn't it gorgeous?  They are waiting for a wedding to commence.

                   

            

This is Chawton cottage in Hampshire where Jane spent some very productive years writing her novels.

This is the house in College Street, Winchester, where Jane passed away in the arms of her sister Cassandra.

This is the plaque in Winchester Cathedral where Jane is buried. The flowers are magnificent.

Here is the interior of the Cathedral - magnificent!

 I am wondering if I can maintain my excitement for two more years - yes, I think I can!

Katrina x

Glorious Weather for the "Misty Mountains"

The weather was glorious again today so I enjoyed my drive up to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains to teach the delightful ladies from the "Misty Mountains Quilters".

This was our third lesson on my "Longbourne" quilt from the Jane Austen Collection.  It is always very gratifying to see the ladies enjoying making their quilts and a delight for me to see all the different colour combinations.

Here are the quilts so far.  I think you will agree they are all absolutely magnificent.

The first one belongs to Kerry.  I love her reproduction fabrics and the great blue striped border fabric and red and blue colour combinations.

This one by Meg has beautiful subtle colours in the hexagons including a very pretty French General fabric that has been "fussy cut" for the hexagon centres.

Here is a close up of the hexagons pinned in place:

This one made by Jean is divine in shades of blue and green with gold. Her hexagons are beautiful!

Here is a close up of some of Jean's hexagon/square frames for the next border:

                                      
                                      

This quilt by Therese is gorgeous in a beautiful mixture of hexagon flowers on a brown background. Love it!

This one made by Victoria is stunning and bold with hexagons that stand out against the dark background. Wow!

This one has been made by Faye.  She was amusing us with her stories of sewing the paper piecing in the car while being a passenger on holidays and hanging background strips from the caravan door.  It is simply glorious in its shades of pink, blue, green and gold.  And yes, Faye, the urn is still not finished!

This one by Helen is so soft and pretty in delicate fabrics and colours. The background to her hexagons is very subtle.

This one was made by Jill.  Her "fussy cutting" is extraordinary.  Check out the different shapes created in the hexagon flowers.

Here is a close up of Jill's hexagons. Gorgy!

This one was made by Clare in batik fabrics.  She joked that she did not set out to make a purple quilt (but the others told me all her quilts have purple in them!)  It is so lovely with the soft gradation of colour across the different fabrics.  The shades of green really add to it.  Wonderful.

Although she was not able to be with us on the day, Anne sent me a photograph of progress made on her quilt in bright Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  It is looking fabulous.  It looks completely different to all the other versions that have been made and I am so thrilled that the design holds up.

What a fabulous show and tell.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing these beautiful quilts.  There is more to be done on them with the next couple of borders.

Katrina x

Jane Austen Honoured!

I was delighted to hear the news during this week that the Bank of England has announced that none other than Jane Austen herself will grace the ten pound note from 2017.

It is incredible to think that from all the worthy women of British history, it is my heroine that has been chosen.

Just goes to show that Jane Austen still has it!  Her wit and wisdom have survived for more than two hundred years. What a fabulous legacy she left us in the form of her novels and surviving letters.

Thank you to all my blog readers who let me know about this.

"Pemberley" Comes to Nowra

Veronica and I had a great time travelling down to the Jukejema Quilting Barn in Nowra to spend the day with some lovely ladies who are making my "Pemberley" quilt. The day was fine and warm after a frosty start - it was wonderful to sit in the sun at lunch time and soak up the Vitamin D.

All the girls had worked very hard on their homework and we were able to make considerable progress today.

Let me show you...

This is Sheila's very soft pastel version in shades of pink, blue and lilac.  The bow fabric in her pot looks beautiful.

Here it is again after the "oval" treatment complete with green piping!

 

This is Wendy's beautiful version:

Here is Sharon's version with her fabulous golden scallops pinned around.  Wonderful!

Here is a close up of the great pot.

They are all gorgeous.  Well done ladies.  I am looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Katrina x