Work on Wednesday !0th September

Hi Everyone,

Have had a great week, topped off last night by being taken out to dinner by my workmates.
The reason - another big 0 has appeared in my life today. 60 years old, LOL
I don't feel one bit like 60 - except when I overdo the gardening - then I know I am getting older!!!
Evidently my love of quilting is not a huge secret.
A gift voucher for use at Country Dawn Fabric shop was my birthday present from my workmates, another voucher for Country Dawn  followed this morning from my DH. - We do not usually buy presents for each other ( we just buy what we need or want, when we need or want it)
I had to laugh when Steve told me that when Karen asked him to fill out my name on the gift certificate she said, "OH for Jenny, she does such beautiful machine applique, we are all in awe of what she is currently making" Gave me lovely warm fuzzies, as that has to be my LE she is talking about.

I receieved a beautiful Healing Heart block from Esther Aliu last week and it was a wonderful moment, knowing someone cared enough to make it for me.
I have now dealt with all the current Estate matter's regarding Mum's passing and have lost myself the last week in my Jinny Beyer Faberge Wall hanging.
It has come together far faster than I had thought it would.

I can only say I love the glow of Jinny Beyer fabrics

My quilt top is now finished.

I worried how my border fabric choice would work as it is lighter, brighter and more mauve than the original fabric which is no longer available - but I love it.

My borders have taken days to do as I decided I would take my time and trust Jinny Beyer's instructions completely. Am describing briefly what I did but haven't taken any photo's as there is a video and detailed instructions available for free at jinnybeyer.com under the Tips link.

I did NO measuring, squaring or trimming before adding my borders just trusting my cutting and stitching had been accurate. All cutting of the borders was done with the border across the center of the quilt. Top border first, matching a motif with the center point then cutting the first mitre at the fabric edge,  folding cut end to other side matching the pattern and cutting the other mitre. Bottom border then cut to be identical.

This wallhanging is rectangular so to match the corner mitres the side borders had to be cut and rejoined.

So it was cut a matching mitre then position the border again through the center of the quilt and measure and cut straight across the border 1/4 inch past half way. One more identical 1/2 border and two mirror image.

Can you see the joins on the sides borders above?

Perfect mirror images.

I did have a few moments concern when fitting my borders,  my quilt top was definately a little wider at top and bottom than in the center but that is the reason for Jinny's method, to end up with a perfectly squared top. Patient easing of the quilt top in to fit the border fabric, plenty of pinning and a little pressing and it all came together.

A gorgeous corner design formed by the mitre's

For stitching my mitre's I used Esthers technique which is on her blog site under tutorials, it is so easy and made matching the design very straightforward. A quick addition here as have just checked on Esther's blog and couldn't find Tutorials but go to the Hearts Desire link at top of her site and her blog on how to Mitre corner's is there.

Now I'm off to spend some of my voucher's buying batting so I can start quilting my top.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Cheer's Jenny

Work on Wednesday 3rd September

Hi Everyone,
Have been making the most of my morning as have to go to work this afternoon, it is officially my day off but we have to do a cosmetic area stocktake so it is all hands on deck. Extra pay can always mean more fabric next week so not all bad if I just think of that.
I now know I made the right decision to rest my LE for a few weeks and do something totally different as
I can't wait to get to my sewing room and work on my new project.
Cathy sent me 50% true Faberge pattern fabric's plus her recomendations for the others.
After very carefully cutting my 1 3/4" inch strips and putting them into their correct strip sets I had 2 problem fabric's that did not seem to work in their various locations.

One was no problem as I had found the correct fabric at Country Dawn and yes there was there a huge difference between the two.

The one on the right is the correct fabric.

The second was more difficult as the pattern images showed a very designed fabric for the central fabric but the one below just seemed to strong and too dark.

After two trips to Country Dawn yesterday morning as I had forgotten to take the most essential strips with me the first time ( they were sitting on my ironing board so I wouldn't forget them )  Luckily they are now only 6km from home not the 60km they used to be.

I could not find a fabric in similar colours that would work but when I went back to their range of Jinny Beyer fabric's it came to me. The one of the left was actually too light.

Now this looks better already.

My new fabric is from the Jinny Beyer "Faberge" range so a truly authentic fabric for this quilt although not the correct one.

However - it is the same design as the background fabric of my LE - how about that !!!!

Have just had a phone call to say stocktake has been cancelled as our scanners have not arrived so will be able to do a lot more sewing later today.

Small stripsets sewn and cut to shape, first stripset plus triangle joined.

Maybe my blue fabric next to the stongly patterned one should now be more green/blue but I know there was nothing better to replace it with at Country Dawn.

Cental Star has come together perfectly, it is ages since I have done strip piecing and matching points. 

Think it was my LE compass.

Oh WOW, I am loving this.

First half of my central hexagon complete. The pattern is so precise in it's instructions that the inset seams have been so easy to bring together along with the dovetailing of the seams.

Along with a printable sheet of labels for both fabrics and the strip cuts everything has been made simple.

The blue fabric that I wondered about, really should have had more green tones but it is working for me as is.

Well this is my Wednesday so far, off to link with Esther's WOW.

Enjoy your day,

Cheer's Jenny