Charity quilt project

It's been a while since our last blog post, and a lot has happened since then....

We have said goodbye to several members who have gone back to their home countries. One of these is Carole who was doing a great job on our blog. Thanks  Carole for all your work and we wish you and your family all the best in settling back home in Australia . We have also said our goodbyes to Sandra, Marg, Elizabeth and Patty (temporarily as we have to share Patty with the USA for a couple of months each year)

We also welcomed new members including Roberta,  Leone , Lily, Kym and Sharon.  (My  apologies if I have missed anyone)

The last couple of weeks we have been busy working on a charity quilt at our weekly meetings at the Hollandse club.  This will hopefully be raffled off for a charity once it's finished. Great teamwork everyone and the quilt looks great!

 Charity quilt blocks

Busy behind the machines

From Left: Wendy, Ya Hui,Leone,Kathy, Kath and Roberta

Next week we are not meeting at the Hollandse club but will be back there on the 12th of August.

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.

Colourful Singapore

Just a few shots taken around beautiful Singapore for inspiration. Where's the quilting photos you ask?...

Well I'm afraid there didn't seem to be much sewing happening today, but plenty of laughter, chatting, eating and drinking (tea and coffee, we haven't taken to regular G &Ts...yet!). It's nice to know that all around the world, including sultry Singapore, there's a group of quilters happy to share their craft and company.

So there's no works in progress this week, but we did have a couple of finished projects. Ta daa...

Everything old is new again.

This quilt was started by a friend of Kathy's grandmother way back in the 1960s (seems like yesterday!). For some reason it was never finished so Kathy took it on and did a great job of matching fabric and adding a border. I'm sure the original quilter would be delighted with the result. Kathy plans to donate it and i'm sure it would brighten up the dullest room.

Photo debut.

Carol made this sweet baby quilt from Amy Butler fabrics. It's for her daughter, who happens to be a baby photographer (I know what you're thinking, no, she's a grown up). She needed a neutral quilt that would work for shots of girls and boys. Let's hope pictures of this quilt grace many a loving parents' walls (and washes well!).

And now for something completely different...

The dog who lingered too long in the sewing room!

Bye for now.

Springtime...

    Yes it's Springtime in Singapore, so it's time to take the warmer quilts off your beds and swap them for lighter ones...  OK, OK. So in reality it's hard for the expats amongst us to detect any difference in the climate throughout the year here, despite the clothes' shops changing the fashions with the seasons, but we can pretend!
     So with this in mind, here's some fabulous quilts complete with flowers, birds and beautiful bright colours!

Elizabeth was bursting with joy at the progress she has made on this BOM (block of the month) quilt from Material Obsession.




Below are some of the lovely little details.

A few months ago Andrea bought in her version of the same quilt. Quite different, but equally gorgeous. 

And here is Kate's half finished block,  love how the colours really pop! 




These quilts seem very challenging, especially if you consider the need for so many tiny hexagons. But the effort seems worth it, given the wonderful results.

And to finish, here's a colourful vase of flowers by Janice. Love the vase fabric. If it looks familiar that's because it is similar to the one Marg is making. Janice is making the quilt version, which will be great to see when it is finished.  We were treated to some excellent tips from Janice on hand appliqué. I need all the help I can get -my last attempt saw me so profligate with the glue I couldn't get a needle through!


And now for something completely different...


Well not exactly, I just love that heading!


Janice finds these tweezers indispensable for appliqué work. I thought she must have purchased them at huge expense from a specialty store but it turns out you can pick up a pair for two dollars at PNC Traders Blk 34 Upper Cross Street, #2-150. It's a beauticians supply store. We shuddered at the thought of what a beautician needs to do with them... 


Bye for now.

May Show & Tell

Many thanks to Janice C for hosting today in her lovely home. It was wonderful to have four new faces joining us.  We bid a very sad farewell to Janice J – thanks SO much Janice for all your dedication and hard work for ANZA Quilters over the past years. You will be sorely missed, but always welcome back!
It seems ages since we’ve had a proper Show & Tell. Today we saw Maggie’s baby quilt for “Timeo” which is destined for Hong Kong. Lucky Baby.
Melissa joined us for the first time and has made this lovely pincushion from a Heather Bailey pattern, while she is waiting for her sewing machine to sail over here
And Alison finished the Wonky log cabins cushion, the pattern from Quilting Arts Stitch magazine

Lunch/High Tea

We enjoyed a “High Tea” which is really lunch, at the Shangri La Hotel’s Rose Veranda to say farewell to Melinda who is leaving us and heading to Shanghai with her family. Lots of yummy food, 102 different teas to choose from and a scrumptious dessert buffet.  Best wishes for your new adventures Melinda – we’ll miss you and your wonderful classes – and we look forward to hearing about the quilting and fabric opportunities in China.

September Show & Tell

Thanks to Michele for hosting today. For those of us living at ground level it was a novelty to watch the big tropical storm from up high!  The rain was so heavy, we stayed and watched quilting videos – what a treat.
Get Well wishes to Miranda – we hope your recovery is swift and also to Kathy who we hope is out and about again soon.
The first pic is Michele and her Eye Spy quilt for one of her grandsons.
and a close-up

then some of Michele’s nine-pach blocks, intended for a Disappearing Nine Patch quilt design, also in Eye Spy fabrics.
Christina made this stunner from a pattern which was a Mystery Quilt pattern.  She machine quilted it herself on a long-arm machine, which you can “rent” for the job at shops in the US.  What a great idea!
and another one
It really has been SOOO hot and we haven’t had any rain for a while, so when it hit today, the temperature plummeted to about 26c and some of us felt Quite Cold!

Show & Tell August 2009

Wow. We have been busy this month.
First up is the Group Crazy Quilt we have put together, which will be raffled at the upcoming Quilters’ Lunch & Show in Singapore in October.
The top was made with lots of donated fabrics which each of the members made over the past year.  It has been tied, rather than quilted.
Next is a quilt which Dal has for sale to raise funds for her African charity.  The top was donated to her and she had it professionally machine-quilted by Desley (Addicted to Quilts) in Melbourne.

Melinda has made this lovely quilt with bright, modern fabrics.  Not sure what she has planned for this one?

Lorraine has made the gorgeous “Owl Bag”.  How cute is this ??

Lastly, Melinda has made this beautiful Sampler Quilt, which she’s teaching at one of her classes.

Quilting Today

We were up high at Judy’s new apartment…..look at the view!