50 Kinds of Heat!

Keep cool and Quilt on......... It's the hottest time of the year in Singapore, so not really the best time to rest a large quilt on your lap for some hand quilting! Luckily there are smaller projects to occupy us and thank goodness for air conditioners! So, apart from perspiring, what are the ANZA Quilters up to?

Here is the first Block of the Month designed by Elizabeth. Lots of scope to play with colours and fussy cutting. We can also use the tip from a few months ago  where foil is used to create crisp circles. Patterns and instructions are kindly supplied by Elizabeth during Tuesday meetings.

Kate was busy basting this superb quilt that looks even better in real life. She will now hand quilt it, using a frame - on a stand to keep the heat away!

In between creating BOMs Elizabeth has embarked  upon the journey of creating her version of the pictured quilt. Always fun to make the very first cut into a fabric for a new quilt.





Little tip...

Who'd have thought? When blades get blunt, fold up a piece of tin foil (about 4 layers) and start slicing through, over and over. It really does prolong the life of a blade. 

Something completely different...

Thanks Roslyn for your 'Singapore Inspiration' photo. Keep them coming.

PS. Anyone who'd like there finished quilts or even works in progress featured, please bring them to tuesday meetings. It's great to show them off! Alison and Chris are happy to take photos, you can even email your own photos to us.

Have to Use My Imagination...

Mmmm. Even Jacob from Twilight couldn't make wolf themed panels fashionable again. "What to do?" thought Kathy. What to do?...

THIS!

 Here's some evidence that the  panel was the raw material  for the quilt top. Don't look at this for too long,  it does weird things to your mind!

Kathy has now got many of us interested in this technique (which is well explained in the pictured book). People began mentally picturing their stack stinkers and how they might finally have some use for them.

Now you might wonder how we can face hexagons again after working on the charity quilt, but it's just like child birth. You forget the pain and focus on the result! (Or have amnesia until you are in the thick of it again!) 

Here's my first attempt. 

What great quilts for the bed ridden etc. You can stare at them for ages, as each hexagon has different details. 

And I know it's a sacrilege to mess with Kaffe's beautiful fabrics, but I'm really curious to see what the technique will produce from this design. Red or blue domination? 

What else is happening?

We wished Mel a fond farewell this week. She is taking her sunny smile to chilly England. Hope the move goes well. We will miss you.

And here are some of the farewell we blocks we made for Mel.

And now for something completely different...

 For a minute we thought Andrea had mixed up her cooking and quilting groups as she industriously wrapped little parcels in tin foil. But it turns out she taught us a brilliant way to get sharp edged circles for appliqué. 

Place a piece of tinfoil behind your fabric circle and NON MELTING template. wrap edges over firmly and iron. Hey Presto! Edges are so sharp you can remove the template and sew circle to backing. 

Bye for now.

Works in Progress

Hi everyone, thought we'd have a look at what some of our members are working on at the moment.

Mel is hand quilting this pretty lap size quilt. The colours look so fresh.

Chris is enjoying playing around with the Joel
Dewberry Heirloom range of fabrics. 

Roslyn is adding final touches to her Chinese lantern quilt. To tassel or not on a bed quilt? I say yes! Love tassels.
























Will take a photo that does this quilt justice when it's finished






Rhonda's Quilts.


A new member of our group (welcome!) showed us some of her quilts

Love the colours and details. Use your zoom for a good look!






And now for something completely different...


The topic today turned to the dilemmas of sitting in one position for a long time while we hand or machine sew, (some of us seem to lose all track of time!). Quilter's back, quilter's shoulder and quilter's wrist were mentioned, as was 'upper thoracic syndrome' (now that sounds impressive). We discussed the need for warm up exercises and regular breaks and some people shared some good stretches with the group.

1. Place hands in front of you. Rotate like so (only as far as comfortable). Shoulders back. Arms straight and lean back a little. Aaagh, relaxing.

2. This time place tops of hands on the table. shoulders back, arms straight and lean forward a little. 






If you are having real problems with wrists, arms, shoulders, backs etc its probably safer to see a doctor first.  If anyone has other tips, please share them with us so we can quilt on into old age! 


Bye for now...