New Topic

For everyone's information our group had our last get-together this year to share our 'Fantasy' 12x12 quilts. I am sure that Ashleigh will manage to get these on our blog soon, in between all the demands of being a new Mum to a handsome little baby boy - Lincoln! Once again we have all gone in such different directions, although a few had floral ideas for this topic. We also received our new topic.......'CHILDHOOD'. Wow this topic definitely is one to cause brain overload!!! I have pages of ideas but have narrowed it down to 2 that I would like to try. We have a lot longer for this challenge due to Christmas and New year. Our get-together is on Feb 12th in 2012!!! .......where has this year gone! One of the most exciting things for me is to look at my wall where I have 8 FINISHED (well technically number 8 still needs it's binding!!) 12x12 quilts hanging! They may be small but they represent hours & hours of thought and stitching and lots of new ideas and techniques tried!! I can see little things I would change, but as a whole I am really happy with my results! 4 more to go!! The most exciting thing though will be getting all of our quilts together when we have finished all 12 topics! For anyone considering joining a group like this - GO FOR IT!

International 12x12

Just a note that the International 12x12 group have just announced their new challenge as noted by Bev. They have now changed the size of their quilts to 20x12 and will be doing 5 Quilts this year. You have to check out their blog http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/ , Karen's husband Ted has surprised all the 12's with a glass plate of one of their quilts! They are amazing!!

Fantastic

I watched the movie Labyrinth with my grand daughters and there is more than enough inspiration in there for "Fantasy". Just hope I have left enough time to do what I plan. I am tossing many words around in my head. I note with interest that the International 12's have "Metamorphosis" as their new word - which is one I played with for a while - so that is off the list! Looking forward to the next reveal.

Congrats

Phew Ashleigh, lucky you were organised & did your Fantasy 12x12 early! Congrats on the safe arrival of baby Lincoln on your actual due date - that was clever!! Once again I am lagging behind. I finally sat down yest after a mad mad week & started drawing out my idea for this challenge, which is due on 27th Nov - Eek! Unfort I was soon interrupted, but hopefully my idea will work! If not I will resort back to the one thing that wouldn't budge from my thoughts - Dragons! I look forward to seeing what everyone has done as I struggled coming up with an idea for this, I obviously need to work on my imagination!!!

I'm done.

Never in a million years did I think I could say that I am well and truely finished my next 12x12!! Thanks for the cool topic Sheena, I really liked it and really enjoyed what I created. I thought I better get my A into G to get this one sorted just incase baby decides to come early. Owell i'v got a finished fantasy quilt and still a fat tummy. Now I can relax and wait for when the time comes and for our next topic! Happy sewing :)

Letters Photos

Here are the photos from our latest show and tell from Eileen's theme of "Letters". I really enjoyed doing this topic and once again was blown away with everyone's interpretation of it.

Lets hope I get all the names spelt right this time. I AM VERY SORRY BEV!! And others in the past!

Also some of them didn't photograph very well, sorry about that.

 Lynne Rowe

 Wendy Lang

 Eileen Greenfield

 Sheena Brock

Maree Schroder 

Marj Peirson 

 Donna Ward

Bev Butler 

Mary Raleigh 

Carol Lindale 

Maree Tournier 

Ashleigh Ward

Afterwards!

Isn't it funny how you always seem to see something that you have been looking for after the event!! I tried to find a pic of a NZ postie as I thought they would probably have saddle bags? covering part of their back wheels,didn't find any decent pics & decided my more simple wheel was sufficient! This morn I had to go into Hamilton & saw two posties & they both had those bags. Typical!
I've been home alone for the last two weeks with my two mischievious boys so have missed socialising with all my fellow quilters, so thanks for a lovely avo! Great quilts once again with lots of interesting techniques & so much variety. I have been taunted by our next word "Fantasy" although, luckily I was so tired from my late night getting "Letters" finished, I did manage to get some sleep! I had a couple of thoughts this am but I don't think my 'fantasy' of doing something more simple will happen this month!!!

A quick note

I thought maybe a gentle reminder on here would help get my surname spelt correctly? Butler with one "t". Now I know how it feels as a kid when the teacher spells your name incorrectly :-).

Thanks.

Lettuce, OOPS!! Letters

Well the head is a jumble of letters, and time is passing rapidly. Got a busy weekend focusing on getting this one started and ...... finished. I hope! Something usually crops up with the family and my letters, plans slip off the page.
A lot of ideas have been planned and scraped, but really happy with my current idea. Not as adventurous this time but sometimes simplicity works alot better.
Hope you are all enjoying the process and look forward to catching up in a few weeks and sharing our quilts again.
Quite excited about presenting my word, which has changed several times in the last few weeks.

SONG!!! half way point.

Eileen Greenfield

Sheena Brock

Maree Tournier

Ashleigh Ward

Donna Ward

Marj Peirson

Lynn Row

Carol Lindale

Mary Raleigh

Maree Schroder

Wendy Lang

Bev Buttler

Lunch on Sunday

Hi girls, just thought I'd give you a quick update about where and when we are meeting on Sunday the 11th of Sept. It is at the Woodside Est Cafe on Woodside road at 12.30. If you head onto Morrinsville Road and just after Chanel park on the right turn down Matangi road and Woodside road is on the left hand side, it's a little drive down Matangi road so just keep an eye out. See you then!!!!

Inspiration!

The international 12x12 group have just posted their last colourplay challenge - Orange! Some really nice quilts once again! http://www.twelveby12.org/ I have bought their book but, with all these challenges & daily life!, haven't had a lot of time to read it...but have really enjoyed the bits I have read. I have been procrastinating on how to do my background for "Song" but looking at these Orange quilts has given me a bit of inspiration to go with a few ideas I have already had!! I've stuck with my original idea but am finding it hard to decide on the best way to put it all together without over-doing anything....Once again challenging with time fast running out! Looking forward to seeing all the Splash Quilts tomorrow!! See you there.

Progress

Splash of colour finished and delivered. Grandson's cot quilt finished and delivered. Finally time for "song". Still in my head and will probably change in the process of getting it onto fabric. Here we go!!

Recycled Outcome

Here are the photos from our last Sunday reveal catch up. They once again (for the 5th time) they look amazing. Some are a tad fuzzy, sorry for the poor photography.

Maree Schroder

Maree Turnier

Mary Raleigh

Wendy Lang

Sheena Brock

Marj Peirson

Lynn Rowe

Carol Lindale

Donna Ward

Eileen Greenfield

Ashleigh Ward

Bev Buttler

International 12x12

If you haven't seen already the International 12x12 group have posted their Gray colourplay challenge quilts & have started on their last colourplay challenge which is the colour Orange!Definitely always inspirational to look at!!

Dial-up....aarghhhhhhh!!

Dial-up has been so hopeless lately so I haven't posted anything for a while!We were so excited last week as Telecom said we would now be able to get Broadband,they sent us a modem...then bang we were rung to say after further checks we couldn't get it so send the modem back!!Aargh.....

Congrats everyone for your Family quilts!I was in Chch & I must say it wasn't the same looking at them online & not hearing the stories etc behind them!I just didn't 'get' a lot of them but luckily have now seen a few & Sheena told me a few details!They all look really interesting & I can't wait to see them(feel free to bring them along on the 31st!!!)

With being away,having Mum here,trips to Akl,kids,doing some of my Splash of Colour challenge....even though I chose Recycled I didn't really manage to get started as early as hoped but all going well I should be finished this weekend!Unfortunately I did glue some emb thread before stitching in the centre of my piece,didn't like it but left it over night just in case!Still hated it today so have removed it,hard to get all those bits glue off!!Bit annoyed with a couple of things & of course both in centre....so now @ that stage where I start doubting myself & quilt....but too late to change it!

Really look forward to our get together!!!

Recycle, restrain and reject.

Well this time I feel a lot more sorted and haven't left it till the last minute. Funny how things change and evolve as you progress through the making process. Almost as if some things have a mind of their own.
The theme recycle has created alot of ideas from family and friends. Dont think I would be able to transport it if I had used all the stuff everyone has thrown at me. Reason to clear out unwanted stuff for some.
I have been restrained and happy as it progresses towards completion. Look forward to seeing everyones at the end of the month.

I have a had a good start on my Recycled 12 x 12 and I have to say that I am very happy with what I have put together so far. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing everyone's quilts this time! It intrigues me to think what everyone will have done. The possibilities for this topic are endless really. Hope everyone is going well.

recycled

Been to Gordon Harris, raided the shed, raided the stash - can see a direction taking place. Think I'm under way. This theme is creating interesting colours for me. Not ones I usually use. Happy creating everyone.

Family show and tell

I don't know if I can take this any more!! THESE ARE AMAZING! I keep being blown away with ever ones wonderful pieces of art they keep coming up with.
Our next word has been chosen by Maree and it is....Recycled... Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. Here are the photos from our Family challenge.
P.S. Maree Schroder I need to explain mine to you. You missed a bit of news while you have been gone :)

Carol Lindale

Mary Raleigh

Marj Peirson

Sheena Brock

Maree Schroder

Maree Turnier

Wendy Lang

Lynne Rowe

Eileen Greenfeild

Donna Ward

Ashleigh Ward

Bev Buttler

Sunday get together

Don't forget that this Sunday the 19Th of June is our next get together. Be there at 2pm with your finished Family quilt. Maree Schroder is picking the next word but she wont be there so Sheena has the next word all taped up so we can all open it together. See you all then.

Yes Get on with it!!

Ha I'm the same as Ashleigh, although I have stuck with my initial idea, i just need to get sewing!I have done some initial prep of pieces which are my main focus points but am really worried they will be too big for a 12x12 to look as I wanted them to!Eek...it might look even simpler than I had initially thought!Ha definitely a challenge!!
The international challenge group have now posted their next colourplay 12x12 using the colour Spice - some interesting quilts & some even more interesting explanations of how they designed their quilts!!! http://twelveby12.blogspot.com/ Squares seem to always get me so I really like Kirsten & Gerrie's quilts with their lovely bright colours, & Helen's.Also the landscape done by Francoise & the simplicity of Diane's Burst of Flavour....well & .....I could probably just about list them all! Some interesting ideas & techniques!

time to get onto it

After a few two many thoughts of what I will do for family and none of them seeming to work, I have now decided that I have to bite the bullet and just start on something. I think I have a good idea so will make it my long weekend project.

month 3

Sorry lady's for being a tad slow but here are my photos of the finished 12x12 quilts for month 3. Carol Lindales word was Fiberlisous ( sorry for spelling ). They all look AMAZING!!! and the photos really do then no justice, the workmanship is just so good and is getting better!

Maree Tournier

Lynne Rowe

Wendy Lang

Sheena Brock

Mary Raleigh

Donna Ward

Carol Lindale

Maree Schroder

Bev Buttler

Ashleigh Ward

Eileen Greenfield

Marj Peirson