Saturday, May 7, 2011

100 Blocks winner announced

Well last night I finished off block 40 in my next major quilt and it had 141 pieces and so I have decided that comment 141 will be the lucky winner for my magazine.  
RAW, who likes unicorns (email address gave away that piece of information) and lives in Geneva is our lucky winner.
Thank you to everyone who entered this competition and also thanks to Quiltmaker for organising the tour and providing all of the wonderful prizes.  I am positive that everyone will have picked up lots of fantastic ideas for new quilts.  Don't forget that Quiltmaker is running a further competition every month.  Simply send a photo of your quilt using any of the blocks which have appeared in any of their three magazines to be in the running for the monthly prizes.  Check out here for more details.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Quiltmaker Blog Tour - My Big Day

Well the blog tour is off and running.  There are lots of wonderful prizes to be won.  As a starting point check out Quilty Pleasures blog first and leave a comment for a chance to win a prize.  Every day there will be a selection of different prizes so don't forget to return daily.
Also on that blog you will find a link to the day's featured blogs which also have prizes up for grabs.  This is going to be a great week for anyone surfing.

Here, as promised is a photo of my quilt made using my block Khanam's Surprise. As I said previously my machine pedal has died and I am awaiting replacement so I haven't had a chance to add the borders to add the borders to finish it off.
My quilt also extends further than the photo but the shadow effect was so drastic I had to cut it out... I'm glad I don't make a living as a photographer.

Some of my other designs may be seen on my website Cinzia White Designs. There is even a photo of a qult I designed using a variation of my block, Isobel's Flight, from the last issue of QM 100 Blocks.  I can't wait to see the finished quilt which Isobel has made and will be hanging at the next NSW Qulit Show in Sydney in June.
 

The block design is a compilation of designs from some  mosques.  I was actually working on a third design which I preferred but it wouldn't work and this one suddenly fell out.  The name came from my son's girlfriend Khanam and the fact that when she sees it she will be surprised.  I am sending her a magazine as a gift and haven't told either of them about it.

Quiltmaker is providing one copy of the magazine to someone who enters my 'competition', which is simple enough.. you have the choice.... any one of the following three actions will give you an entry into the competition.  
1.  what do you think would be a good name for this quilt? 
2. what kind of border do you think would suit this quilt the best?
3. or simply leave your name.

Although the winner will be chosen by random number generator I would dearly love help with the naming and/or border design of this quilt.
btw if you don't happen to win a copy of the magazine you can always order one from here if your local newsagent doesn't get it in.  Don't leave it too long as the first issue is totally sold out.  Also if, like me, you prefer digital versions you can order that from the same place... I don't think they are available from the newsagents... well definitely not from my little old newsagent.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Frenzied Final Friday Flaunt - again!

Well this has been a fantastic month.  I have finished so many things but to top it all off I have also had a block selected for  Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 3.  
The block is called Khanam's Surprise and  I have almost finished a quilt using it. I will upload a photo of it on Tuesday, which is my day in the blog tour.  
Quiltmaker is organising a blog tour all week and by visiting the blogs of the designers you will have the chance to win a copy of the magazine. Each designer is giving away one or more copies so there are many up for grabs.  I think Quiltmaker itself is running some competitions so don't forget to check out their site either. 
Be sure to check back here on Tuesday for the blog tour as you will have an opportunity to win your own copy of the magazine and also to see how different this block looks when actually made into a quilt.... I only need to add two borders and quilt it by then.  OK let's be honest chances of getting it quilted is Buckley's as my machine pedal needs replacing and I only ordered the replacement yesterday.  

Monday, April 25, 2011

AQC 2011

Well the holidays are almost over and I will need to return to work :(  However I thought I would share a few photos from the recent AQC.  The work was amazing and the photos I have uploaded are just a few from the sixty plus which I took.
 
The first is the chandelier from the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.  I thought I had taken more photos of the centre but they didn't turn out too well but it is a truly impressive building.

The second photo is my quilt,Turkish Delight.  I am definitely over this quilt but it was still a buzz to see it hanging there. 

The next one is a miniature.  Gorgeous colour choice and oh so cute . Although the photo doesn't show it  the   precision in her piecing was impressive.. 
This one was made by one of the teachers, sorry I don't recall her name.  
I just loved both the subject and the colour choice of this quilt.  There were several in this series and all worth another look.  I think I took at least two photos of each and different details... perhaps one day I will try the technique.  No let's be honest applique is never going to feature in my list of enjoyable activities.
 
Now if ever I could have a quilt made by someone else this would be it.  The different techniques which Kay H? used are amazing.   And aren't those mice so lifelike?

If only I could improve my layout skills that would be impressive in itself.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks - Volume 3

Woo hoo!! Just received an email from the editors etc of Creative Craft Group.  These are the  people who, among other things, put together the Quiltmaker Special Issues and their next issue is the third in the 100 Blocks series.

This is a series of magazines in which they publish 100 original blocks from both established and up and coming designers.  I was very fortunate and had a block published in volume 2 and now I have discovered that not only will one of my blocks be included in the next issue but also it is included on the cover.

100 Blocks Vol. 3 is at the printer as of early Thursday (US time)! I can’t wait to see it! Designers who have a block included will receive their complimentary copy around the 4th week of April... so only another three weeks to go.  Yes I realise that they said around the fourth week but I am assuming that is for US designers not those of us in the colonies.

So which is my block?  Well if you look carefully at the included photo, my block is the brown and tan one which is the second block on the second row.  I will take a photo of my block when I recharge the batteries for my camera tomorrow to show it to you more clearly.  So why do I still have the block you may ask? Well because my first effort was only 11.75in square and the requirements were for 12in. 

I can't wait to see the magazine.  the last one had so many fun blocks and I am positive this one will be also be full of new exciting blocks.  Actually if I had a daughter or granddaughter I think the one on the top right corner of the shoes peeping out from the skirt is gorgeous.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Friday Flaunt

 Wow I just looked at the date of my last post....Dec 20th and that must have been posted early as I know I was overseas at the time.  
Isn't that terrible but life has just been so hectic that I totally forgot about posting. 
To make up I am not going to post lots of photos of projects I have been working on.... actually I haven't really been doing a lot of quilting and I haven't finished many things either.

However here are two things I have been working on.   
The first is another block from Raconteur - The Storyteller's Collection.  I have now finished about 350 of the blocks and they are looking very cute.  I hope to finish the last of these blocks by the end of April and then begins the major task of joining them together.  

Definitely won't make my original deadline of 2010 Sydney Quilt Show...yes I did mean 2010.

The second is from a class which I attended last year.  The Sydney Quilt guild organised for Jacqueline de Jonge to run workshops on paper piecing.  I wanted to do her Elements of Nature pattern but it wasn't offered and so I did Morning Glory.  My colours were nothing like her sample and that at the above stage everything fitted and looked good.  Unfortunately the next stage was not so successful so I am at present doing a lot of frog stitching.... or will when I retrieve this project from the ignore it and it might disappear pile!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Turkish Delight

Down Under Quilts

Hey check out the cover of the next issue of Down Under Quilts.  Yes I realise this is a brag but I couldn't figure a tactful way of saying they like my quilt and have put it on the cover!! It will soon be on sale in shops and newsagents.  But if you want an early edition then sign up for a subscription either online or hard copy..... both land in the hands of subscribers, before they hit the newsagents.

This issue has the first part of the instructions to my Turkish Delight quilt. It is made of hand-dyed fabrics in a medallion style with a series of different borders making it up to quite a large quilt. But you can stop before completing all of the borders I did! 

Check it out and let me know what you think. Pick up a copy at your local newsagent or patchwork shop or go online for your free subscription - visit www.creativelivingmedia.com.au and sign up now. 

Plus, there are lots of other great projects, fantastic quilts and interesting stories too. 

PS Take a look at Down Under Quilts' facebook page too!... but I've lost the link... you should be able to pick it up at the creativelivingmedia website.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Isobel's Flight

Well I don't know what Isobel will actually call this quilt but Isobel's Flight is what I have named the block. Yes this is the actual quilt that the block was originally designed for. I love the continuous path.. you follow it hoping to find the error..but there is none:)

Didn't she do a top job? I think she is making it for one of her grandsons. I can't wait to see it in the flesh... hopefully she enters it into the Sydney show this year.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Blog Tour Winner

Well thank you to everyone who particiapted in the blog tour.  It was lots of fun although extremely hectic as my modem died on Monday night and it wasn't until today... and four modems later... that I have been a ble to reliably connect to the innternet from home.  Luckily I was able to keep up to date with what was happening in the blog tour from work, but most days time was limited.

Now for what everyone wants to know...my husband chose number 85 as the lucky number and the winner is Susie Rhodes from Fortville IN, don't know what IN stands for but that is no problem as the people fromQuiltmaker are sending her the magazine direct and they are US also:)  Thank you again to everyone who entered the tour and the competiton.  Looking forward to actually seeing the magazine.  It is due to   hit the newsagents November 16th in the US, but I don't know when for us in Oz.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Project - Braided Rag Rug

Well here is another project which I intend to make in the near future.  

I actually made a rag rug about ten years ago.  It was lots of fun and I have been meaning to make another one since. Found these instructions and they show an easier method than my previous attempt so I will hopefully get around to making one of these in the near future also.

For instructions click here.