Oh Yoo Hoo....

OMG... I can't believe it's been over 12 months since I have posted... pretty sad... but oh so exciting for me too!!

You see... I have once again made some big life changes and in January this year, I took a great leap of faith and headed back to school... to study NURSING... can you believe it?? heh heh

It is huge... and I absolutely love it... sooooo much hard work but I am coming through it fairly unscathed, and the new friends I have met are just beautiful... us nurses all are you know!! heh heh...

Poor Nina... I miss her so... but she understands its only for a little while... and I will be back!!

I haven't quilted in over 12 months now... I miss it... but I need to focus and get this Diploma done and dusted... and then, well... I've got forever!!

So, everything is great... life is wonderful and I am living again... albeit with my head stuck in a book or behind the computer 99% of the time... but its just great!!

Until next time... Lx

Lolly Logs... It's time...

For those of you who have been following my blog... I'm quite sure you will recognise this quilt... It's been going on and off for 12 months now and to be honest, I'm thinking you are probably tired of seeing it!! I am blogging about it here though because it's a very personal quilt for me... one that I started before my (lets just say) "big life change" and one that I haven't (until now) had the inclination nor inspiration to pick up and continue...

I finally had the courage to pull it down from my shelf last week and I decided it was too beautiful to leave with any bad memories... Lolly Logs is indeed, like me, making a comeback!!

I have so far, added the sashings and it's now ready for the quilt sandwich.. (Quilt As You Go)... Here's a sneak peek of a couple of rows... The finished quilt will be 5 rows x 4 and fairly large when complete... I really should have ironed the rows before taking the photos!!

"Funny" how a quilt can hold so many memories and how those memories can come flooding back when all you do is pick up a piece of fabric... I spent one day on it last week and let me just say, it was a box of tissues day!! I do feel though, this is one quilt I need finish... one that I need to conquer... one that I need to deal with and one that I need to face head on... very therapeutic I guess!! I'll let you know how I get on but please be patient :-) Lx

Ryleigh's Quilt...

Yay!! I managed to finish another quilt on the weekend... and here it is..

It was made for Ryleigh... a gorgeous baby girl, born earlier this month to good friends of mine... I decided to make this a Quilt As You Go project... It is made up of 4 panels (fronts and backs)... here they are, ready for the quilt sandwich...

And here are the quilted panels... ready for joining... You can see how I do this in an earlier link here...

http://leeannegilbert.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-is-how-i-quilt-as-you-go.html

Once the panels are all joined together, I trim up the edges and attach the binding...

I always use a Walking Foot to attach my bindings... it stops anything sliping and shifting, which can sometimes cause an uneven binding... I also made the decision to stich down the binding using my machine.. I do like to hand stitch my bindings but I needed to get this quilt finished and so I used the Walking foot and slowly and very carefully stitched down the binding...

I'm really happy with how it has turned out...

Here is the finished quilt... after washing and drying... I never pre wash my fabric... but I always wash and tumble dry it when it's finished... I do this because I absolutely LOVE the antique look of the fabric once it shrinks down and the batting fluffs up...

The finished look is very soft and snuggly...
Although I am quite particular with my piecing, I don't worry about little imperfections in my quilts... it adds to that rustic Antique charm I am looking for...

A close up of the label on the back...

All washed, dried and folded...

Ready for delivery...

Sneaky peek...

Want a sneak peek at my next quilt?... This is all I can show you at the moment because it's a surprise... sssshhhhh!!

It's all pieced... I decided on a disappearing (or split) nine patch pattern this time...

This one's going to be a quilt as you go project...

Backs have been cut... just need to cut the batting to size and start quilting... I'm planning on having this done by the end of the weekend... Ha... famous last words I know!!

P.S... I'm just about to deliver my last quilt to it's new owner... I'll be posting pics later on this afternoon so make sure you stop back and check those out too!!

Kirby's quilt...

I finished this quilt a couple of weeks ago but I haven't posted the pics until now because it was a gift for a friend of mine... well, actually it's for her daughter Kirby who was born in January this year (better late than never I guess... heh heh). Anyway, here are the pics...

As usual, I didn't use a pattern... I just improvised as I went along... I guess you could call it a kind of stacked coins style... although the blocks are 6" square, not strips which meant it made up really quickly... I laid the strip sets out onto the floor and played with them until I was happy with the layout...

Finished size is 150cm x 180cm or roughly 60" x 70" which is not usually classed as "baby" size but I think this is a good size... babies grow so quickly and I want her to be able to use it when she's a toddler and in fact, it's a great size to throw over your lap at any age!!

Once again, I have pieced the back... just to add a little extra interest...

And I signed the label too... I used a really nice variegated thread for this one...

All washed, dried and ready for a snuggle... hope she likes it!!

P.S: Delivered Kirby's quilt this afternoon which was a great chance to catch up with my friend...

Good coffee, great conversation, a few laughs and cuddles with a gorgeous baby girl... can't beat that!!

Oh yeah, and by the way... she loved it!!

Something a little different...

Quilting is all done on the baby quilt... binding still to be done, but I need something to just chill with tonight...

I pulled out a couple of leaf prints I made some time ago... think I might have a play with these two and get my free motion embroidery groove goin again... Good practice pieces..

Here are a couple more pieces I played with last time I needed to get my groove on...

I call this piece my "Tree Of Life"... It's raw edge appliqued and free motion embroidered with various threads... heavily stabilised as it is not quilted...

This piece is pure "doodling" with variegated embroidery thread...

The background I painted using setacolour fabric paints... it is also quilted... good fun...

Last, but not least, this little piece... I call... "Tulip"... heh heh... It is a raw edge reverse appliqued piece... heavily stabilised with variegated threads used again... I love the rough edge finish on this...

This one might make it into a frame on one of my walls I think...

It just goes to show.... never, ever discard anything willy nilly... you may just fall in love with it later on in life... sometimes things happen like that!! I'll let you know how I get on... Lx

Back in the swing of things... and it feels great...

Spent the weekend piecing and quilting... it's good to be back and my new Sewing Room is once again running like a dream... Thought I post a few sneak peeks... not too many though as this quilt is to be given as a gift... ssshhhh, don't tell!!

Nina... she doesn't miss a beat...

My favourite quilting gloves... inexpensive cotton lined gardening gloves... they are awesome to quilt with and they work a treat!!

Glad I have a great table setup... even with a Baby Quilt, you certainly need the room to manoeuvre all that fabric under your machine needle...

Should have this quilted tomorrow... having a break now... can't rush these things you know, and besides, kids are away until tomorrow and I spy a nice bottle of Merlot over there... what's that? I hear it calling me to hither and open it!! Heh heh... Think I'll do just that and put my feet up tonight... Lx

It's a new day, it's a new dawn, it's a new life for me and I'm feeling good...

Well... where do I start? There's been so many changes in my life since June last year... some good, some not so good, many changes were and still are very sad, but a there have been a few happy ones also... In any case, life is moving on, albeit slowly but moving none the less...

What a start to 2010 it's been... The kids and I moved house, my baby girl started High School, I'm learning to become an independent woman again and we are all managing to get on with life!!

We have been in our new home 6 and 1/2 weeks now and I have finally set up my new sewing room directly off the kitchen and in the middle of the house... I can "hide" away but still be part of the "action" as opposed to being "missing in action" come sewing time!! heh heh

Luckily, I was able to move my mobile cutting table and sewing table with me and "Built" myself new Book Cases and a Computer desk to fit my new space. I'm very happy with my new Sewing Room and Nina started purring away again yesterday when I started a new baby quilt (a gift for a friend)...

It's great to be back... and I'm hoping 2010 is the start of a new quilting life for me too... I hope to sell some of my work this year when I get the "gist" of Etsy... stay tuned for that one!! Lx

I'm (almost) Baaack...

My latest quilt "Lolly Logs" is making it's long awaited comeback....

I have made the extra 4 blocks I needed to start piecing the panels together (a'la quilt as you go method)...

Slowly, but surely, I am clawing my way back...

And OMG it feels sooooo good!! Lx

Proof of Life in the sewing room...

Just popping in to share a little bit of sewing with you...
Samantha needed a Banner for her Grade 6 Confirmation at school the other week so I was "forced" out of semi retirement for a couple of days!!
It felt good... really good... Here are a few pics to prove life still flickers in the sewing room...

I was very happy with my efforts and Sam loved her banner!!

At least I know I can still sew!! I am looking forward to making a big comeback... Stay tuned!!

I'm still here...

A heartfelt thank you for your lovely comments, concern and messages... They have not gone unnoticed... We're getting there... Slowly but surely... These things just take time. Lx

Life is a journey...and sometimes it sucks!!

Twists and turns... Highs and lows... They say it's all part of life's journey. Life for us as a family unit has hit a hurdle and subsequently, I find myself headed down an unfamiliar fork in the road... and so, a new journey begins... I tell you... lucky I was good at orienteering at school!! Seriously though, I don't believe blogger is the place to be airing "dirty laundry" and that is not in my nature to begin with, so, you will understand my reluctance to elaborate on my story. Having said that.. unfortunately, blogging and dare I say it, sewing have taken a back seat for the time being... I'm still passionate about both and I'm missing my "nina" terribly, but my heart is just not in it at the moment... I will be keeping and eye on what all you talented people are up to though... So, don't worry!! I will be back... Bigger and better than ever... I promise!! Lx

"Lolly Logs" an update...

"Lolly Logs"

Yep... that's what I've decided (in a complete whim) to call my latest wonky log cabin quilt...

It's coming along nicely... 16 blocks down and 4 to go... gee they take time I tell ya!!

Then all I'll need to do is add the white sashing and borders before I can stipple stitch the panels (Quilt As You Go style again!!)

I'm hoping to get the top finished by the end of the week...

School holidays begin on Monday and if I'm done.. I'll take it down to AVAREST and hand stitch the panels together...
YEAH RIGHT!!

OMG... I just realised how much work I really have to do before I can even contemplate taking it away for finishing!!

Dream on Lee-Anne!!

At least this latest post is evidence of life in the sewing room!!

Wonky Log cabin update...

I must say... after a bit of a hiatus, it is good to be back in my sewing room... doing what I love best!! Making a mess while (trying) to be super creative is such good fun and relaxing!!

I am having so much fun making these wonky log cabin blocks... they are very addictive.

Stay tuned...

Proof of life...

Proof of life... In the sewing room...

Finally... Evidence of some sewing!! YAY!!

And the winner is... another Wonky Log Cabin!!

These are gonna be whopper blocks again... just like the Blue Squares quilt.

Stay tuned!!

Ooohhh... I know!!

Really... I know!! I'm terrible, terrible, terrible!!

I promise (fingers secretly crossed behind my back) this is it for awhile.

I have quite a stash going on in my cupboard but really... when is too much fabric ever enough??

The challenge now, is to stop procrastinating and get on with it...

I'm thinking perhaps a nine patch? Maybe another wonky log cabin? An improv? Or what about another square in a square? Oooh... my brain is too full!!

Retail therapy...

I know... I'm terrible!!

2 books and 4 metres of fabric... all on sale and because I deserve it!!

TaaDaa... Drum roll please...

It's been a long time coming... considering I actually started this quilt last year!! But... today, I finished it...
My "Blue Squares" quilt has been laying around for almost 2 weeks now, waiting for me to finish (Well, start!!) the hand binding...

I had to wash it a couple of times... due to a slight dye run... but all is well that ends well...

I absolutely LOVE IT!!

Quilt as you go is definitely the way to go for me from now on...

You can see on the back where I have quilted it in panels... If I had used blue panel strips, you wouldn't even be able to tell!! I however, like the contrast of the white strips.

Here it is... all washed, and dried and ready for a snuggle... Oooh... crinkly goodness!!