New Piecing Technique: The X Blocks Ruler

I have recently made two quilts using a unique rotary cutting tool called the X Blocks ruler.

With the aid of this ruler you can turn ordinary nine patch blocks into something extraordinary.

I will be teaching this technique at Jukejema Quilting Barn in Nowra on two Fridays, 17 October and 31 October.

The first quilt is called "Fairy Floss".  It is the simpler version which I have made in bright colours with a white background. The dart border is made with the pieces cut from the nine patch blocks.

The second quilt is called "Black Magic" and is more complex with every block being made with different colour combinations.

You can see that you can achieve spectacular results with this technique.  The blocks form zig zag patterns across the quilt's surface.

More classes on these quilts will be announced soon.

Apple Cores

The applecore is an amazing shape to work with.

This week I showed a group of ladies a technique used by Sue Daley to join applecores together.  We made a panel of four inch ones that I made into a cushion.

I will be repeating this class on Tuesday, 12 August, at Pioneer Patchwork, Narellan.  Please phone the shop on 46573555 to book in.

Here are the applecores in the different colours the ladies were using:

Jenny's Amazing "Hunsford"

I love it when my students do something they never thought they could.

This is Jenny's first major quilt and she did an absolutely fabulous job from the colour and fabric choice to the fussy cutting, the applique and the piecing.  Well done, Jenny! I love it in the red and assorted blues you have used.

Notice the butterfly and beetle circles.

New Classes at Jukejema Quilting Barn, Nowra

I will be teaching machine applique techniques to a group of ladies in Nowra tomorrow.

We will be working on samples and then stitching a small placemat applique project with lots of different stitches.

This class was so popular, we have booked another date to repeat it for ladies who missed out: this will be held on Friday, 19 September, 2014.

Here is the placemat design. You can phone Kim to book in on 0244212577.

Another "Longbourne" is Created From Class at SA Quilt Encounter

Wow!  I met Danielle in Adelaide at the recent Quilt Encounter where I was teaching quilts from my Jane Austen Quilt Collection.

Danielle attended the two day class for "Longbourne" and her Mum, Cathie, attended the three day course for "Pemberley".

It has not even been two weeks since QE finished, and Danielle has completed her "Longbourne" centre applique of urn with flowers.

Here is a photo (taken on her phone).  She has set herself the task of making two one inch hexagon rosettes per night! A great challenge!

For those other ladies in class, please send me some photos so that I can share them.

                                   

      

Lovely "Longbournes" Happening in Nowra at Jukejema

It is great to see the progress on the quilts being made in class at Jukejema Quilting Barn in Nowra.

The gorgeous Kim runs a very happy and relaxed shop for the ladies to enjoy.

I think the first photo is really cool as Louise is holding up her Longbourne centre in front of my quilt, which completes her borders!  Just happened that way.

Here are some more.... The ladies have done some gorgeous "fussy cutting" on their top Tudor rose flower.  Yum.

Check out this box of gorgeous goodies- I called them hexagon confetti.  Louise's grand daughter had great fun playing with them. They are all 3/8 inch hexies.

Meeting Up With Sue Daley

It was great to see Sue Daley, English paper piecing guru, at The Stitcher's Cupboard last Thursday.

Here is Sue talking about her career and how it all started.

She is standing in front of a quilt I have just finished in one of her Riley Blake ranges called "A Beautiful Thing".  It has some pretty machine applique flower blocks and some simple piecing - perfect for the little girl in your life, or perhaps just the inner girl!

Here is a pic of Sue and I (we both love to wear red)!

                                   

Thanks for a great day, Sue.

   

My New Logo

I have just received the final proofs for my new professionally designed logo.

I wanted a symbol that would represent my work and look a bit "old fashioned" but definitely "quilty" - what better than a hexagon shape surrounded by stitched scallops!

Here it is:

I hope you like it and that whenever you see it, you will know it is me!

Quilt Symposium Manawatu 2015 in New Zealand

The Committee organising Quilt Symposium Manawatu in New Zealand in January 2015 have recently published their second newsletter.

Here is an extract:

Katrina Hadjimichael

From Narellan, on the outskirts of Sydney, Australian Katrina Hadjimichael is an expert in traditional methods of piecing and appliqué and is passionate about collecting reproduction fabrics, books about antique quilts and all things Jane Austen. Her award winning quilts are an amazing showcase of this passion and include hand applique and a mix of machine piecing and foundation piecing. Katrina has recently finished “Meryton”, the latest quilt in the series inspired by the houses featured in “Pride and Prejudice” and has started working on "Lambton”. This is the village located five miles from the splendour of "Pemberley", where Elizabeth and the Gardiners were staying when Elizabeth received a letter informing her of Lydia's flight from Brighton with Mr Wickham.
Katrina’s quilts are not what you would call ‘quick quilts’ and while you will not complete a whole quilt top in her classes you will receive the pattern and learn the techniques needed to complete them at your leisure. Katrina is also a well-known designer of projects, both large and small, which are regularly published in the Australian quilting magazines. She is a regular blogger at http://katrinahadjimichael.blogspot.com . Her post for Monday 7 July post contains some close up images of the quilts she is teaching at QSM 2015. We are thrilled she is joining us and you will not regret attending her classes.

I am very excited to be travelling to beautiful New Zealand for this fabulous event.

If you would like more information about the many workshops on offer, you can click here. 

Two Special Deliveries!

Today I received two very special items.

The first was the return of my two quilts from the NSW Quilters' Guild 2014 Quilt Show with my lovely light blue ribbon attached to "Henrietta".  Here is my Judges Commendation.

The other delivery was the brand new brochure for the 2015 Quilt Symposium Manawatu to be held in Palmerston North, New Zealand from 16 to 21 January, 2015.

And here I am listed among the international tutors:

Very exciting!

Home Again

I love being away but it is always good to get home - one's own bed and the coffee machine!

I had another wonderful week at SA Quilt Encounter 2014.
Congratulations to the hard working Committee for a fabulous event. 

If Caroline Sharkey can photograph her mug, so can I, ha ha:

While I was away I managed to get some more hand quilting done on my new table runner.  Nearly finished.  The machine only tutors thought it exhausting that Wendy Williams and I would want to stitch at night after teaching all day - machine sewers have not discovered the "therapy" value of hand stitching!

Having a rest this weekend - yay!

Final Day at Quilt Encounter

Today was the final day of teaching at Quilt Encounter in Adelaide.  Sad face!

Once again I have had a fabulous time teaching all the enthusiastic ladies and spending time with the other tutors: my mates from last year Jacqui Karl, Amanda Daly, Rachelle Denneny and Michele Hill and getting to know Gloria Loughman, Wendy Williams, Mirjam Aigmer and Gina Burgess.  We had a complete hoot.

Lots of laughter, sharing, talking, sewing and eating.

Here are a couple of photos from todays classroom.  We were working on samples of sections of "Longbourne".

Jackie wanted to show she can have a relatively organised desk (after yesterday's photo).

Well done girls and happy stitching!!  I am on my way home in the morning.

Day Five at Quilt Encounter

Today I taught a new group of ladies at Quilt Encounter my "Longbourne" quilt design.

Here are the ladies in the classroon.

Here is some of the work being done on their gorgeous centre blocks:

Some ladies make a bit of a mess..... Ha ha.

Just a reminder that I will be teaching both "Pemberley" and "Longbourne" at Victor Harbour in late February/early March 2015 for Helen Campbell of The Quilting Room in a weekend retreat.  There are only a couple of vacancies left.  For more information see thequiltingroom.com.