Marg Low Designs

March is the birthday month

March is the busiest month,when it comes to friend's birthdays. There are three, all in the same week. With a little planning it shouldn't be a problem, but for some reason I don't get moving on the presents until a few days before I need them.

What I like to do is chose a project at the start of the year and then make it for every birthday. It didn't work out that way last year and not everyone received a travel light bag. So I dithered over making the bags for those who didn't have one and doing something totally new.

In the end I made the bags as I love coordinating the fabrics and felt and using the Aurifil wool thread.

You'll find the pattern for Stitch in Spring - Travel Kit here.

It would be simpler to buy a gift card but I get a buzz out of making a different one for them each year.

If you follow me on facebook, you will have seen Jan's orange gift tag.

 

halfway finished?

I'm so keen to finish my quilt with the dresden plates, I've been sneaking in a little extra stitching between Fridays. The problem with starting a quilt ages ago and committing important things like the number of blocks and layout to memory is I forgot! I couldn't remember if it would be 5 x 5 or 5 x 6 blocks or if I needed to make more wedges.

The answer was simple in the end. I'd cut 30 background blocks and even better had enough wedges sewn to complete the blocks.

Of course this created another dilemma. I've collected more fabrics since starting the quilt. Should I cut and make more wedges and include the new favourites? I decided not to; the fabrics were perfect for the quilt when I started, so why create work for myself and inadvertently alter the look.  

All the plates are made now, I just have to applique them onto the background fabric, do something with the centres, cut out the sashings and cornerstones and sew it all together. I'd like to think I'm halfway finished.

Castlemaine Applique Group Exhibition

Saturday was an early start for the Friday Girls road trip to the first Castlemaine Applique Group Exhibition. And it was worth getting out of bed before sunrise. The quilts were stunning!

Two of the Friday Girls had quilts in the exhibition.

Jan with Civil War II

 

Sue-Anne with Swan Lake.

If you'd like to see more quilts, pop over to Sue-Anne's blog and for a recap Threadbear.

It was such a lovely inspiring day I hope all involved will do it all again next year.

 

friday girls sewing

There are unfinished quilts in my cupboard. Some will never be completed as my tastes have changed but others I still love.

When I started this quilt (can't remember when) I was like a girl possessed. I felt certain it would be finished in next to no time but something newer and more exciting must have come along. It's been packed away in the cupboard, only seeing the light of day, when I've needed one of the fabrics for another project.

With nothing prepared for Friday Girls sewing a few weeks back I thought it would be just the thing to work on. For a couple of Fridays now, I've been appliqueing the machine pieced plates on to the background fabric.

As with anything to do with patchwork it is taking much longer than first thought! Fingers crossed I can keep working on it and just maybe finish it this year.

 

saturdays class

The nice thing about the first class back is seeing what the girls worked on over the holiday break.

Sally finished her Sarah's Sampler

and has done a beautiful job.

 

Bronwyn took a break from class to buy the border fabric for her Magic Circle quilt. 

I love it in the 1930's fabrics.

You'll find the pattern for this quilt in my book Things I love to Make.

 

The class projects.

 It was good to see them so easily finished in the class.

You can still join the Little Treasures Club and receive the patterns or kits in the post.

 

Related articles

Sarah's Sampler (1855) show & tell

october sampler class

Sarah's Sampler (1855)