Aussie Hero Quilt Continued.

 Keeping the shapes simple and allowing the fabrics to tell the story.

I like how it is coming together. The reed stems are bias binding.

Aussie Hero Quilt Continued.

This is a couple of the turtles in progress. My plan is to use as many of the donated fabrics as possible, see if you can spot yours! First I drew the pattern pieces on the interfacing, then sew it onto the fabric right sides up. I will be sewing on the outline adding an allowance on where the pieces overlap. Then I cut a slit in the interfacing to turn it right sides out. This will then leave the interfacing with the glue side on the outside. I then will using the lines on the shell stitch to give definition. layer the pieces together and hand stitch until it is one unit then machine applique into place on the quilt block. It is an extra step but it gives the same look as vleisofix at a much lower cost. This is the same way I did the owls. The branches, leaves and reeds will be drawn onto the interfacing and ironed on and cut out then appliqued directly onto the block as they do not have multiple layers to attach.

Dress Alterations.

Anyone who knows me know I wear my clothes until they literally fall apart. I bought a whole heap of clothes, all the same style when they were on special 12 years ago. Time to alter the last lot to wear. They had long sleeves until yesterday, the armholes have been finished but now I need to alter the shoulders. I will be cutting them apart and taking away 1 1/2 inches and then sewing them back together with a french seam to finish.

Aussie Hero quilt in Progress.

 This is the Aussie Hero quilt request I have started. The request is for , purple, black and silver owls, girly brown and green turtles with pink bows. An 8 block quilt as you go project with 4 owls and 4 turtle blocks.

 The owl blocks will have applique branches and leaves on them, all slightly different.

 The owls themselves have been hand appliqued layers and then finally machine appliqued to the block.

This is the turtle colouring page I have used to make a pattern with. They will be assembled in the same way as the owls then stitched onto the block. I will be adding reeds along both sides of the green, again all the blocks will be arranged slightly differently to give it more movement.

Quilt Blocks To Heal Violence.

 

 

 

There’s an epidemic sweeping our Nation at the moment and it’s killing woman and children in dramatic numbers. This year alone 62 woman have been killed in Australia in acts of violence against women. 62! These deaths are brutal and shocking and are not limited to adult woman, children are being killed as well. This month alone a woman was shot dead allegedly by her ex-partner in a Gold Coast McDonalds in front of other diners. It’s confronting and disgusting that this type of crime is on the rise while our State and Federal Governments are reducing funding to the organisations that try to help women flee these situations.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Block: Tic Tac Toe – it’s great for all skill levels (there’s no HSTs!) – click here to get the tutorial.

Colour Palette: Bright centre cross with low volume background fabrics.

What is Low Volume: White or cream with a grey/black/white print. See blocks on the hashtag #quiltblockstohealviolence for examples.

How Many Can You Make: As many as you would like.

Who Can Donate: Anyone!

Where Do I Send The Blocks: Quilt Blocks To Heal Violence, 7 Barton St, West Footscray, Victoria, Australia 3012.

Closing Date: Donations will be accepted until the end of October. Jackie is aiming to have them pieced, quilted and bound ready to be gifted before Christmas.

Aussie Hero quilt finished.

Aussie Hero quilt finished. The request was for blue cats.

Aussie Hero Quilt Continued.

This is the layout of the quilt so far. No sashings on this quilt and the rows are off set.

Aussie Hero Quilt Continued.

 Having made a fish skeleton outline and glued it onto cardboard and used it like a stencil, I drew it on the fabric, sewed it and coloured it in with fabric markers.

 The same with the feather, the ball is free hand, I drew a circle and filled it in.

 Coloured the birds. I will add more colour to the play equipment.

Coloured the mice.

Aussie Hero Quilt Request.

 This Aussie Hero quilt request is for blue and cats. I have decided that these will be 8 large blocks with different fabric applique cats with cat related items on each block. Some will be hand drawn and coloured in afterwards like the cat play equipment.

 On this block all the mice are just sewn outlines for the quilting.

This block will have fish on it as well. The background is hand dyed cotton fabric. All the cats are pictures from the internet, the birds, bowl climbing equipment and mice are my own as will be the fish and other cat related items.

Baby Quilt Started.

 Meggie being Meggie. This is the start of a baby quilt present for my niece who is expecting a girl.

Lighting in my room today is poor, but it is in tones of pink and neutrals. It will have white sashings, a pink and white border with ric rac. on the tops of the flags.

Lovely Fabric Donation Received.

Look at what arrived in the post this morning. Some lovely fabric from Linda in Victoria. This is for Aussie Hero stuff. Thank you Linda, Keep an eye out for your lovely fabrics in a quilt soon.

Aussie Hero Quilt Finished.

Aussie Hero quilt finished.

Aussie Hero Quilt Progress.

This is the next Aussie Hero quilt I have started today. The request was for Holden and Ford cars and blue. This is the donated cars fabric I have been given and last night I struggled with how to divide it evenly into block sizes to make the most of the fabric. This morning I realised all I had to do was fold it into 4ths one way and then the other way to get 16 same sized blocks. 15 will be in the quilt and 1 on the laundry bag. All the blocks are the same. All the blocks have been sewn. I will now put them onto the batting and backing and quilt them together then cut out to size. Sashings have been cut ready to go.

Laundry Bag.

Laundry bag to go with the quilt just made. The fabric matches the back of the quilt.

Aussie Hero Quilt Finished.

 Aussie Hero request quilt finished. The request was for rainbow and hearts.

A double sided quilt, this is the back.

Cards And Cups.

 Today I went out Savers shopping in Greensborough. I am always looking for Aussie Hero stuff and so I bought these cards, 2 packets of 40 blank cards for $4 each and these photo paper packs for $3. The Thank you and heart cards are fine as they are and the babe cards will be altered.

 Crosswords with answers and word search and cards are ready to use.

I did not have a single cup and saucer in my house as we all drink from mugs. This is what I actually was on the hunt for. Cup and saucer and tea plate set. Bonus is that it is 1962, my birth year. $6 the set. This is for our 21st birthday high tea celebration at A.C.D.A. cloth doll club next week. I found this cutlery too. Silver plate. All are 1960s. $2 each piece. It is official, I can classify myself as being vintage!

Collapsible Thread Catcher.

The quilt I am working on is half way done, But I have taken a couple of days off from that to start on my Christmas gifts for my internet friends. Collapsible thread catchers using this tutorial.

Collapsible Thread Catcher

Tilli, Meggie And The Next Quilt.

 Tilli asleep in her pram in the sewing room this afternoon.

 The next Aussie Hero quilt request. This one is for rainbows and hearts. The easiest thing to make stencils for. This is a quilt as you go block. I will be making the main colour of the blocks in black and white alternating blocks and have the hearts going in all directions.

Meggie soaking up the sun in the family room.

Aussie Hero Quilt Labels.

 Spotlight had on their clearance table some Setasilk dyes for $2. I had read that it could be used on cottons too so I took a chance and bought some. I gave it a try so now I am sharing that with you. This is how I have made some labels for my Aussie Hero quilts.
This is what you need.
Gloves. A foam brush. Hairspray Your stencil. A strip of cotton fabric washed, the width of your stencil. (I used a cotton sheet). A tiny container to hold a blob of dye. A foam backed table mat. A piece of tape to hold the fabric down. Iron. Ironing board and a piece of grease proof paper.

 Iron your fabric, place the foam side of your place mat foam side up. Tape the top of your fabric on the table to hold.

 Spray the back of your stencil with hairspray, this acts as a temporary fixative and holds your stencil in place. Put your stencil down on the fabric and run your fingers over it to make sure it is all held down.

 Place a small blob about the size of a 5c piece into your container.

 Lightly load your foam brush and run it over the stencil.
Lift the stencil, slide your mat down the fabric strip for your next label. (This is why you have the tape holding your fabric down at the top). You can use the stencil without adding hairspray for about 3 times before you have to add some more.

 The next step is now to iron it to set the dye. Place your stencil on your ironing board with a piece of grease proof paper on the top. This is to protect the iron from the hairspray on the fabric. Iron using a cotton/linen setting.

 Wash in soapy water, This gets rid of any extra dye and gets rid of any hairspray too. Rinse then iron again.

This is the last step. Place your lovely labels wrapped around a tube, put around that, a couple of elastic bands to hold in place. I have on my last 3 labels made a pencil mark to know that I have almost run out and to need to prepare more labels.

Aussie Hero Laundry Bag.

This is the perfect T Towel to go with the quilt I have made. It looks blue but it is in fact purple.

Aussie Hero Quilt Finished.

Aussie Hero quilt finished. The request was for purple, cupcakes and butterflies.