Patchwork

[LizG]

One completed queen size quilt top; almost a year to complete. (As suggested Sue!!)

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[Stanley]

Now that is a labour of love! Looks wonderful Liz!

[LizG]

I make a lot of this stuff for myself and family (whether they like it or not!) but I also belong to a group that makes them for charity. We give a lot to the local nursing homes as well as for paliative care kids. It gives me a lot of time to practice.

[PanBiker]

It's a good one Liz. My wife Sally quilts along with her other sewing related hobbies. She also makes for friends and family, all babies get a personalised cot quilt, our kids all have their own designs put together by their mum. Sally's biggie was a King size she started back in the 80's. It is all 1" sided hexagons made from the kids clothes that she used to make when they were young. Carla's summer dresses and the boys shirts, any other cottons that have had significance over the years. I think there are just short of 3000 hexagons, all hand stitched at 15 stitches per side. Sally finished it in the mid 90's and used it as a focus project for herself when she was on her chemo treatment. Very much a labour of love, It's on our bed at the moment.

[LizG]

Wow,

Of all the things I've made I must say hexagons are one thing I tend to shy away from. I have 2 small projects made of hexagons that are still waiting to be finished so I have a great deal of respect for anyone that can persevere. Why don't you post a photo?

My Grand kids also have lots of quilts, mostly hand appliqued and I love that. I've just finished a small Christmas kids project so I'll post a photo when I've sewn the bells on.

[Stanley]

I'd like to see it as well. As I have often said, let's hear it for mild obsession! I often wonder when I have one of my engine-building storms whether it isn't obsessive behaviour.....

[Sue]

That's lovely Liz, thanks for putting it on the site. Liz and I had a chat offline and I suggested people may like to see her work. It is certainly very good. I don't think my attempt will match that. I am dreading quilting all the pieces when they are joined together.

[LizG]

I don't do the quilting on the big quilts Sue, I send them to a professional with a long arm quilting machine. The throat on my machine isn't wide enough to push all the fabric through even if I wanted to. The other reason I don't quilt my own is that I figure I've just spent all that time and money making the quilt top I may as well pay for a professional finish and be happy with the end result.

My favourite bit is the patchwork not the quilting so I only quilt my own small projects.

[Sue]

Isn't that very expensive?

[LizG]

It's about A$260 for professional quilting so the whole quilt ends up costing about A$800, but the end result is worth it. It's best not to think about the cost, everyone needs a hobby!

[PanBiker]

Wow Liz, best not to think about the price indeed. That's £150 for the quilting and nearly £500 for the whole thing! With the number that Sally has made, if they all cost that much we would have been destitute long ago.

[Sue]

So far I have only done table runners a number of cushion covers and am half way through a wall hanging.

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They have all been hand quilted.

I am tackling a double bed quilt from my mums and dads bedding which will incorporate some individual printed bird designs that match the wall hanging. Big venture. I don't know when it will be finished. IF EVER!

Now how have I managed to duplicate two images!

[LizG]

They are fantastic Sue. You will finish the double bed quilt eventually. It doesn't really matter how long things take. The one thing patchwork has taught me is patience.

[LizG]

Wow Liz, best not to think about the price indeed. That's £150 for the quilting and nearly £500 for the whole thing! With the number that Sally has made, if they all cost that much we would have been destitute long ago.

We don't discuss the cost of hobbies in our house, it would probably scare us to death!

[Stanley]

You can't value good work like this and the peace of mind and satisfaction it gives you like pats of butter.....

[Sue]

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This is not patchwork but I have just taken delivery of the most fabulous fabric to make curtains and a simple quilt for number three grand child's bedroom, being decorated at the moment.

[LizG]

It will make a very cute quilt Sue.

[Sue]

Curtains done and toy bag done today. I need to buy the wadding to make the quilt.

The toy bag has a front pocket.

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[LizG]

Well done Sue. It's very cute. Any time there's a new baby in our family we make a Santa Sack very similar to this, for their first Christmas. We usually applique a Santa on one side and something like a reindeer on the other. We leave it up to their parents to fill.

[LizG]

Here's a bag I've just finished. Not the easiest thing I've made. The front is woven.

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[LizG]

This is a Christmas quilt but I thought the colours were great for a kids room, hence it is on the Grandkids bed.

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[Sue]

Love them both. I have not ventured into bag making yet but I do have a couple of books and ideas. The quilt is magnificent

[Sue]

Phew , the quilt is finished. When I initially made it, it went completely wrong and I had to unpick rows of stitches. I did it again on Sunday using a different technique.

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[LizG]

Well done, it looks lovely. It's not much fun unpicking those rows is it? worth while though. It's one of the reasons I let someone else do the quilting!

[Sue]

In the first attempt I used a foot guide and narrow rows. Big mistake. The bulk of the quilt kept lifting the foot guide. In the second attempt I did each row of stitching in an order. Measure, rule a line , sew, press then next row. I started from one corner and not the middle as once I had a few secure rows all went smoothly. I did my rows 13 cm apart, that width worked out symmetrically across the quilt.

Yesterday I finished the curtains so the set is complete. Apparently the bedroom is now decorated so curtain hanging next , when we can get over to see Claire and Adam.