My second piece from the Esterita Austin workshop in Queensland. I've changed a few pieces since this photo was taken but can't download from my camera at the moment so the new photos are stuck in the camera. I enjoyed making the first piece more than I did this one.

I'm just not happy with it, Ive changed the sky and added a road going into through the buildings but it doesn't thrill me.

Newest Quilt



This is a very early stage photo of the latest piece
I've made and I'm currently working on writing
up the pattern.


Its almost finished, quilting is all done and the binding
is about to be put on.


Should have the pattern ready soon.

Esterita Austin Workshop

A fantastic day was had yesterday at a Queensland Quilters organised workshop with Esterita Austin who is out here doing workshops in Australia and New Zealand and I believe she's been very very busy.

This is my piece at the end of the workshop yesterday. Using Esterita 'Misty Fuse' and pattern, we fused our pieces to the background and then painted in highlights to show light and dark and let me tell you it was a great deal of fun. I'm doing the Portals workshop next week and so looking forward to it.

Greenbank Show Queensland

This weekend is our annual local show which is quite a big deal in this area.

Its also one of the biggest horse events in Sth East Queensland.

Our quilting group has been meeting for 10 years at the community centre where the show is held and to celebrate we decided to be a part of show weekend and hang some of our quilts.



Quite a few of these quilts have been made as presents for members special birthdays.



My bright one stands out a little.











In the spirit of the occasion I entered a couple of my bags and won 1st and 2nd prize, (I don't think there's actually a prize other than the ribbon)








Vicki's Blue and Yellow Birthday Quilt.







Faye's Wedding Ring Birthday Quilt

Back home after a week in Melbourne

A beautiful evening sky thought there was a storm coming but alas no rain.

How many faces can you see in the cloud

I made this bag and one of my daughters friends fell in love with it so it has a new home.

Playing with Quilt Photos

This was a picture of one of my quilts.

I played with it in Paint Shop and Kaliedescoped it and this is one of the resulting images.

I've played with a lot of photos and have some really good images to use if I could only think of what to do with them.

I guess I'll have to put on the thinking cap and see what I can do.

Here's another

Off to Melbourne
I'm going to Melbourne on Friday morning to visit the Australian Quilt Convention and I'm excited.

37 Australian Art Quilters from the online Aus_NZartquilters list have a selection of their first year of Journal Quilts on display.

A journal quilt is made each month using a new technique or following a theme, the choice is the individuals. They are A4 in size, 8in x 11in.

This is one of mine that will be in the display.

Looking forward to meeting some of the people I've only comunicated with on line, in person and getting to know them a little better.

The 100th Birthday Quilt

I have a friend, Allyson, who often says she's having a 100th birthday party and everyone is going to be there.

I made this quilt with her in mind for a Down Under Quilts competion, the theme was 'What 100 means to you'.

Allyson now has a quilt made for that very special birthday, I'm sure I wont have the strength or motivation to make it when I'm 101.

I may give it to her before the 100th comes around, or let the anticipation build a while.

Some more bag pics

This is the latest bag I've made.
This time in shades blue, using hand dyed muslin.
I gave the first bag away to an 86yr old lady who fell in love with the Green bag Carmel made.
See previous post 07 Dec06 which has photos of the first Green bag.

Kits available for making this Blue bag here

https://www.rosdye.com.au/bag_by_ros_ward.htm

A Walk in the Back Paddock
What is around you goes almost unnoticed until someone comes to stay and you go for a walk.
Carmel was quite taken with the colours in the trees in my back paddock and we took our cameras with us on a walk. I hope you enjoy the colours provided by nature and man.

The two on the right are one and the same, notice the bark looks like its unpealed around the bottom of the tree.

Sometimes its good to have a husband who collects things and you find them rusting in the paddock. What great colours are in this drum.

Carmels Bag Making Day
Had a great day with my friend Carmel who really liked my green bag and wanted to make one. This is a good time for me to take notes for a workshop and get someone elses input on wording so its well understood. We also took lots of pictures at different stages and really enjoyed watching the bag take shape.
There's only so much time in the day and Carmel went home with some homework to finish off her pieces then on Thursday we're getting together again to put the bag together.

I've made quite a few changes since making the first bag. It began as a small wall hanging/postcard piece that I wanted to make to use the fabric, the colours of which I really liked.

Red Bag Finished

I've finished sewing the red bag seen in an earlier posting. More news and photos of the bag soon.















I've had a lot of enquiries from people wanting to make the bag and have put a kit on my website.

https://www.rosdye.com.au/bag_by_ros_ward.htm

Purchases can be made through PayPal with your bankcard, they are very secure. Or you can direct debit to my account from yours at your bank, or send me a money order.

I'm taking orders now and have quite a bit of fabric to dye to fill orders recieved so far.

Decorating for Christmas
Tis the Season, and I've got everything hung up and arranged the way I want it.
The dining room wall has had the wallhangings taken down and the Christmas ones hung. I'm liking it.
The loung room has the Santas and helpers arranged on a bench made by my DH's Uncle
The Merry Christmas was made by a friend.
The tree is just a baby but it enough for me now there are no children in the house.
Around the window in the dining room are Pot Holders that I swap with friends each Christmas. I missed a couple of years so only have 10 out of 12yrs of going away with these friends.

Thirteen Thirteen Thirteen
This was a group project when my local patchwork group was still quite young and there were a lot of new patchworkers in it.
We decided we'd make a block - School House - and swap them and make a quilt.
This is mine almost finished. The blocks joined with tree blocks, only the quilting to go.
For a long time if the number 'Thirteen' was mentioned there was a chorus of 'Thirteen Thirteen Thirteen' in the meeting room which would give us all a good laugh. It still happens now on occasions, something thats going to stay with us for a long time.

Starting another Bag

I liked the first bag I made, unfortunately it was just a little small for my needs.
This is dyed cotton fabric and I've spray basted the backing to wadding, its about 14" x 30" long.
Then I spray basted small pieces of fabric (that I'd torn into strips then cut into pieces) to the top of the wadding.
Using a Rayon thread I'm now stitching the pieces individually with the stitching going in different directions.
More later. Its going slowly as I'm making some Christmas decorations to swap at my Quilting Groups Christmas breakup.

Bag Making

I dyed some muslin fabric (not quilters muslin) which is really soft and with some torn strips, batting and a backing I made the bag seen below.

A Corner of my Garden

Queensland Quilt Show is over for this year. This is one of the quilts I had on display.
I took a photo of a corner of my garden, (the name of the quilt) and made this quilt from the photo. I made a few changes to the original photo and added a few extras, like the gum leaves hanging in the corner. I'm surrounded by gum trees and just needed a few gum leaves.
A large gum tree snapped in half during a storm last year thats why the tree trunk doesn't go to the top edge.
I bleached the lines in the plants using a tiny paint brush and was hovering at the sink ready to plunge them into water when the bleach had done what I wanted it to.

Jan Stroud's Winning Quilt
Got a photo of this quilt from a happy customer who entered it in a local show and was she thrilled when she won 1st in her category and Grand Champion of the show.
Congratulations are in order. Well done Jan.

Busy Day Cutting Out
Lots of cutting done yesterday to get strips and squares done for a fabric club to add to my website. www.rosdye.com.au
I loved playing with the fabrics and seeing all the colours and textures. A feast for the eyes. It was more fun arranging the squares for the photo, lots of trouble with my digital camera though, it just doesn't want to focus these days and I lost count of the number of photos I actually took and had to delete due to being blurry.

A Quilt Finds a Home
this is little Abbey and her new quilt, I hope she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it. She looks snug as a bug under there.