November Stitching Monday

Four of us eager ladies were waiting outside the door at 9:30am, loaded up with baskets, bags, and sewing machines, waiting to get in to start our day.  Along came the man with the key.  “I’d better unlock the door and let you all in”, he said.  We went into the hall, pulled the curtains back to let in more light, and set up our sewing machines.  The hot water zip was filled up and switched on, ready for that first cuppa.  Others arrived shortly after and amidst all the greetings and chatter, the sewing machines were soon humming away.  Betty was working on a very pretty quilt made up of nine patch blocks set against tulip focus fabric, then bordered with pin wheel blocks.  This is going to be for a grand-daughter, Betty said, but she’s just not quite sure which one yet.  Which ever one gets this quilt, I’m sure she will be thrilled.

Betty with her tulip quilt

It was no wonder that Gaye was working on her Christmas Star quilt, with the festive season fast approaching.   Made with Christmassy reds and greens, and lovely rich buttery creams, all the fabrics have a touch of gold.  Even the backing fabric shone with gold thread.  The pattern was from a Australian P & Q magazine.   It’s been hanging around for a couple of years, she told me, and now is the time to finish it.  I understand completely, I know I have a Christmas quilt pinned up somewhere that I have started machine quilting then put aside!  Wonder when I’ll get around to finishing mine?

Gaye’s Christmas Star quilt

Pamela was working on a Christmas quilt too.  She is making up her own design, using patterns that she fancies from various magazines.  The top row is completed, hand appliquéd  Santa’s sled with reindeer against a starry night sky.  She was working on another row for a good part of the day, these cute little pieced Christmas trees.  And the Santa block is gorgeous too. 

Pamela’s Christmas quilt

My machine was kept busy too.  I can’t really say what I was doing just yet, as it is for a Christmas gift, but will post a photo when it has been presented.  But as a clue I will say it is something brown, and cuddly, and I was appliquéing letters on it.

Doing my secret sewing

“Good golly, Miss Molly”, is what Joyce has named her work in progress.  Full of bright fabric, curved piecing and appliqué, it is certainly going to be one of a kind  when it is completed.  Joyce is having such fun doing this quilt, and keeps saying, “I don’t do brights”.  We all think she is doing brights very well indeed!  There are two curved borders to go on yet, and knowing Joyce it will probably be well on the way to completion by next month’s Stitching Monday.  And special thanks Joyce,  for letting me cut a few selvedges off your fabrics for my collection.

“Good golly, Miss Molly”

We were very impressed with Jo and her free motion quilting skills.  Pansies and twirly bits were stitched without any effort at all.  She made it all look so easy.  I certainly wish that I could stitch like that.  It’s just a matter of practise, we were told.

Free motion quilting on Jo’s quilt

The hand stitchers were also being very industrious.  Marg was busy stitching down her quilt binding, and we all know how long that can take.  Then she worked on her intricate looking bargello tapestry.  Faye traced out the pattern for a set of nice round Santa's to be made out of felt, then pulled out her hexagon project.  And Maureen always likes to have some “take along” hand work to do, the current project is  appliquéing her 1930s blocks.  

Maureen’s 1930s blocks

Our next get-together in December will be one week earlier, and will involve a shared lunch of goodies, so that sounds like fun.