Scrap Jar Starts quilt

Amber from the blog 'A little bit biased' is a self proclaimed scrap quilt maker and has this lovely tutorial for a scrappy star quilt which you can see by clicking HERE.

Festival News - Making rosettes

Yes, I have a little to tell about the 17th National Quilt Festival in Bloemfontein from 1 to 7 July 2013.  Just because I write the blog does unfortunately not mean I am let in on all the secrets and should I by accident hear something that I should not, I am warned in a severely stern voice that "it is NOT for the blog!."

Occasionally however one of the higher forces sends me a photo with permission to use on the blog and I am just as charmed as the rest of you to see that everything is still moving along smoothly.  Those of you who have been involved in organizing a festival would know it is really hard work and plenty of planning but the nice part of the people in our guild is that we have so many helping hands and nobody has to work their fingers to the bone.

Look at this group of lovely ladies who participated in making rosettes for the winning quilts (or then the makers of the quilts) for the festival.

Now if you could hear Iessie, our festival organizer, you would hear words such as "amazing, I had such a great time, I learnt so many new things, Mariëtte (Venter) is such a good teacher" - so from what I gather they not only worked hard but had fun doing it too.  Thank you so much ladies!

PHOTO MAGNETS

Take a look at these cute photo magnets. I am not a morning person but I think a few of these on my fridge would make me smile. Especially if it’s special memories, or just fun photos. Click here to see how it’s done.

Bi Fold wallet tutorial

Have you started thinking about Christmas gifts yet?  I have, I always do this time of the year but sadly it never becomes more than just 'thinking about it'.

When I found this wallet tutorial I (once again) 'thought about it'.  Hope you will do more.

This tutorial is by Modest Maven and can be found HERE.

TRAVEL SEWING KIT.

We all do handwork sometime or other. At Handmade Harbour they have a tutorial for a travel sewing kit. I think it will make a wonderful gift. Now all your goodies will be together, and not falling all over the place. Click here for the tutorial.

Hobby X Bloemfontein

Yip, you read it right.  Hobby X is visiting Bloemfontein from 25 to 28 July and furthermore quilts will be exhibited.  So Marianne and Frances made an urgent appeal to all our guild members to PLEASE volunteer your quilts for this exhibition.  They would like the Sand du Plessis theater covered in quilts!

Contact any of these two ladies urgently at:

Marianne - 082 826 2128

Frances - 078 803 4019

Our African neighbors

There are so many international blogs and websites on the internet with great ideas but I do love 'home' and enjoy local blogs so much more.  So today I'd like you to pay a visit to our African neighbors in Kenya and take a look at what they are up to.

Click HERE to read and see more.

Bountiful Bouquet BOM

Another link sent to me from blogging friend, Chris.  Now with Chris and Karin helping to find or write articles for our guild blog it is getting easier by the day.  Chris found this BOM from Silly goose quilts and I do love their logo which says "finished is better than perfect."

This BOM is available over HERE and you can even still get the months you've missed.  How kind is that?

Start saving your PDF documents, purchase the fabric and begin a new BOM!

PINWHEEL PARK

Amanda at Sew We Quilt has a tutorial on making a quilt named Pinwheel Park. Take a look here to see this pretty quilt. It reminds me of sugar and spice and all things nice. Enjoy .

Patience is a virtue

I think all of us at some stage during making a quilt wish that we could just finish it faster or find that perfect shortcut to get it done.

I recently took this virtual tour of the work done by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and the only word that came to mind was 'patience'..... and plenty of it.

Sit back, relax and take a look at this and the next time you make a big quilt, remember this and say to yourself "it is after all not that big!"

Due to strict copyright rules I could not place any images but click HERE to take this amazing virtual tour.

BACKINGS.

Sometimes when you have finished a quilt you made one too many blocks or you feel like making the back of the quilt a bit different. Lynn Brown has some interesting tips to help make the backs more interesting. Click here to have a look at her ideas.

Bias Tape Maker

People are so resourceful and today I'd like to share with you PC's inventive way to use an ordinary household tool to create bias tape.

PC writes the blog MeiJo's JOY and to see how cleverly she uses this tool, click HERE.

3D DUCK PATTERN

While browsing the net the other day, I found this cute little duck pattern. As I know there are new moms to be or even a new granny can make this for the new members of the family. I just love the 3D part of it. Visit Sew we quilt over HERE for the free pattern.

Enjoy it.

Take it all tote

Now I think we are all looking for that ONE tote that would just fit everything.  Have you found one yet?  I have so many bags and totes and a couple of favorites but I've not yet found THE ONE.

Melissa Cory from Happy Quilting thinks she might have the answer to all our tote prayers with this lovely tote.

Find the full tutorial to make this by clicking HERE.

MORE FATHER'S DAY

It amazes me at the ideas these people think off. Here is another easy project for Father’s Day. I found these cute towels to make at The Silly Pearl page. Click here for the tutorial. Now he can have his own barbeque towels. How about making a few different ones eg, fishing, working on vehicles etc. Have fun.

Come help make rosettes

We will be making rosettes for the festival on Wednesday, 13 June 2012 at the CUT and need all the help we can get.

If you'd like to help, please note this date in your diary and phone Iessie at 082 705 5279 for the time and room number.  This will also enable her to see how much help she can expect.

FATHER'S DAY

Seeing that Father’s Day is around the corner, here is something quick and easy to make your special dad. Hopefully my girls will make one for their father as he is an avid cook. It sure will help me trying to get all the stains off his favorite shirts. Here is an easy tutorial put together by Nicole of Shabby Beach Nest. Click here for pattern.

Watch channel 111 tonight!

The program TUINE & TOSSELS recorded an interview with Elsa on quilting and will apparently be broadcasted this evening on channel 111 at 17:30.

Be sure to watch.

FATHER'S DAY

Found this cute idea for Father’s Day at Mel’s Designs. It can be changed if your dad doesn’t play golf, maybe some fishing items, sweets. Click here for the tutorial.

Beaded ring tutorial

A while back in THIS POST I shared a tutorial to make a button bracelet and had a couple of people telling me that they liked it.

So today I'm sharing a tutorial to make a beaded ring to fit with the button bracelet.  This tutorial is by Serenie from England and you can find the instructions by clicking HERE.

Important notice - Mari's Forest Course

This is so lovely to see that our blog is effective.  Mari contacted me yesterday evening to say that both her classes for the Forest course are fully booked.  Thanks quilters I think it is great that we support our own teachers!

So for those who missed out - no need to fall in deep depression.  Kind as she is, Mari decided to do this course one more day on Friday, 29 June 2012.  So check the previous post and phone Linda if you are interested.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Course by Mari Strydom in June 2012

Forest course (Woudkursus)

27 & 28 June 2012 (choose ONE day) at Christine's shop in Bloemfontein

R160 (includes a light lunch)

For reservations contact:  Linda Landman 072 826 4244

*check out the page on Courses for any other course information*