My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Friday, November 15, 2013

Stitching away, buzzing away and a Giveaway

After my flurry of posts and sewing at the end of October, it seems to have all been quiet here in Raewynland. 
So time for a catch-up (and a giveaway, however you have to wait till the end of the post for that!).

I've been busy handstitching away, but all I can show you are some sneaky peeks....I am sure you will guess the theme of these couple of projects....


More stitching away - this time some more quilting. I realised the other day that I haven't really been sharing about a project I have been designing/sewing for my favourite quilt shop this year. It is a BOM which focusses on learning different fmq skills. I've been really enjoying doing it; here is this month's block. Lori, from the Inboxjaunt has inspired me a lot this year and I was tickled pink that she has given me permission to use some of her designs in this project.
This month's block with Lori's picket fence design.
We have two more months to run on this BOM - I haven't quite run out of ideas yet!!!

 The bees have been buzzing away - it's that time of year here in New Zealand,
They might only be scrubby Manuka bush trees but they are so pretty at the moment with their brilliant white flowers....
And they do make the wonderfully flavoured and healthy Manuka honey. We have several beekeepers vying for spots in the bush to put their hives. For us, the rent is a good supply of honey. 

 No stitching for me yesterday as I went down to Auckland to the end of year exhibition of YD's design course. (Year 2 of 4 for her). Great to see what she has achieved this year, particularly as she hasn't been so well. And very cool to see the works of the other students too.
Can you guess, Dr Suess inspired font!
 More stitching away, I finished the mini wholecloth I was sewing for the 'It's all about Borders'  2013 FMQ challenge run by SewCalGal. Yaay!!
So hard to get a decent photo of something like this, getting the light right
 was a challenge in itself.
Excuse the photo bombing by the dog and the fence that looks
like it needs a waterblast!!
I had several comments and emails about the feathers I did on this quilt. They were done without a sewn/drawn spine and were so much fun - and easy- to do. 
I had found this book, Dream Feathers, by Peggy Holt, and was totally inspired by it! So much so, that I decided a second copy would be a good idea so that I could have a GIVEAWAY!!
Peggy has really good instructions - for beginners through to more experienced quilters, and lots of different ways of using and shaping these feathers. They really are great fun to do and also quite liberating as well (if that makes sense!). She has some good thoughts on the shaping of our feather lobes too. I think it's a really useful book.
If you would like to win my spare copy, please say so in a comment below. My only requirement is that you are a follower of my blog so please say how you follow. I will draw this on my next blog post - in a few day's time. (If you don't want to go into the draw, you can still comment, just say you don't want it!).
Till then, happy stitching,

38 comments:

  1. would love to win that, just starting in free motion quilting

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  2. hi raewyn,
    your quilting ist stunning ! I wish I could do that too.

    happy quilting
    Angelika

    I follow you via Google

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  3. Love your block with the birds. Your work is exceptional. I will pass on the book...just wanted to say hello!

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  4. Your quilting is stunning! I would love to win the book and would certainly need it to improve my quilting! I follow you in my blog list.

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  5. always lots of lovely things to read and look at on your blog... how lovely is that block... I also find Lori's blog inspiring and it is great to see how you have used the picket fence....
    I would love to have my name in for that book.... I follow through Google friends connect.. well, maybe I stalk rather than follow!
    Hugz

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  6. Your quilting is amazing! I want to be able to do that when I grow up. Please throw my name in the hat. I follow through Google.

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  7. If that book would teach me to quilt like you then I would love to win it
    I follow this Blog and have for quite a while now

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  8. Oh my! Your quilting is amazing. Love your sneaky peek and the wonderful photos of all those busy little bees x

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  9. I know you are so happy to see honey bees. We don't see many around here. For just a little while when one of our trees is blooming. We do have other pollinators though.

    Your whole cloth quilt is just superb. Well done.

    I would love a chance to win the book. I am a follower through google friend connect.

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  10. Your quilting is amazing, and you're obviously really enjoying it. Great prize for an aspiring fmq.....but please don't put this hand quilter in the draw. :)

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  11. Your work is amazing , your whole cloth quilt is stunning , hey everything you showed us is lovely including the bees . I'd love to win the book , I could sure use the help. I follow by google .

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  12. It looks gorgeous, Raewyn!
    I follow through Google Friend Connect, and I love the look of that book! : )

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  13. It was lovely to see this quilt in the flesh, it is very pretty.
    I have Peggy's book, too it's great. ( please don't put me in the draw)

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  14. I can't think of a word nice enough to describe your quilting...wow!!!! It is just stunning...I would love to win this book.

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  15. Your quilting is gorgeous!!! And the photo's of the bee's are very cool! The BOM looks really interesting, keep up the good work!
    Michelle

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  16. The sneak peek at your hand stitching projects looks interesting. I look forward to seeing the completed items. I don't think I will have any trouble guessing where I might see them. Your whole cloth quilting is wonderful. Having just quilted my first feathers on the Birdy Love project I am sure I would get lots of good advice from your give away book. I would love to go in the draw, thank you for the opportunity.

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  17. gorgeous quilting on your bom project. and your mini whole cloth i samazing!
    the hives look great rent paid in honey sounds like a perfect arrangement.
    (I am not a machine quilter so am happy to not be in the giveaway draw)

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  18. Amazing photos Raewyn... seems like plenty still happening in Raewyn-land :0) Looks like a really interesting book, great to feel liberated rather than stifled. I follow you on my blog roll... not sure whether that counts as following or not?

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  19. Hi Raewyn, love to read your blog, very inspiring, I just love your quilting, would love to win your book, I hand quilt and would love to machine quilt feathers, a dream but someday maybe... I follow with google friend connect.

    Have a happy day
    Sharon

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  20. love your picket fence block I am sure the quilt BOM you are working on is going to be amazing, is it a 12 block series presume BOM`s are based on a year?
    Great quilting with the feathers, I have yet to learn FMQ so if I were lucky enough to win the book it would be a great help and I really would have no excuse for not having a go!!

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  21. Christmas presents! Yay! I don't know what the manuka trees look like at other times of the year but right now they are gorgeous. I love those little fat birds!

    While I love quilting books, I am sure that others would get much more out of that one than I would at the moment.

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  22. I follow you with Google friends and would be happy to win this book (and I agree to pay for shipping ) XXX

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  23. Your quilting is incredible! Such a beauty!

    Mmmm, I like manuke honey :)

    Hugs,
    Tatyana

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  24. Your BOM is lovely! Those red birds and all that lovely quilting sure caught my eye. I'd love to win the book if you're willing to ship to the US. I've shied away from feathers and this book might give me a push in that direction.

    I follow you via google.

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  25. I follow you on Google. Have done a tiny bit of machine quilting, but have always been terrified of doing feathers - sounds like this book would be very helpful!

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  26. Such amazing quilting! Haven't seen this book yet!

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  27. Fabulous quilting!
    Count me in your lovely giveaway please - I follow with GFC!

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  28. Love your work! Toss my name in the hat...:)

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  29. The Tramp talks nostalgically about Manuka honey. Feathers are the best. I love your quilting. What a generous give-away! :-)

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  30. Yumm...Manuka honey and your quilting is wonderful.
    I'm nowhere near ready for feathers in my quilting so I'll leave the chance of winning to someone else thanks :)

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  31. Your BOM looks gorgeous - clever you! Love all your quilting too, very beautiful. Your daughter's alphabet looks wonderful and your manuka and honey photographs are beautiful. I haven't seen white manuka before!

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  32. How nice to see spring is blooming, Manuka tree with bees, good tasting honey I'm sure. Love your daughter ond the alfabet :-) and gorgeous quilting, Raewyn! Thanks, but not my name in the book.

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  33. Your fMQ has come along in such leaps and bounds, I've been totally inspired by watching your projects so would jump at the chance to win a book that's inspired you. And I follow you with Bloglovin' now ;)

    PS - your daughter's exhibition looked like it would have been lots of fun

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  34. your quilting is amazing and always inspiring I follow you on google
    Ann

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  35. HELLO, what a neat blog!
    Love your projects! Would love to win this book! Thanks for a very nice giveaway>maybe this will help me with my FM stitching!
    Happy to follow>GFC

    msstitcher1948@yahoo.com

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  36. I would love to win your spare copy, I am a new learner to FMQ and a new follower of your blog.

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  37. Raewyn, I have just run across your blog. What a surprising joy to see that you offered my book as a prize. It is a thrill for me to know that folks are finding the book helpful.

    For those who believe this book is just for machine quilters...not so. It offers plenty of design information that the hand quilter can use as well!

    Thanks again for the lovely comments.

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