More Applique

Looks like applique is a popular topic. Quite a few visitors have found us through searching for applique topics. Welcome, glad you have found us and come back to visit us often.

Ruth has been slowly working on a shadow applique project. Progress certainly has been slow and here is a photo of one lone block.

She hopes to finish some more soon to make a quilt for a special person.

Shadow applique involves placing organza over the raw edge applique shapes. Ruth uses 2 rows of machine stitching around each shape. This finishes off the edges and creates an overall delicate picture. A twin needle would give the same effect but tension problems would easily cause puckering.

Applique Centre Block

Satin stitch applique by machine is the method used by Fay in her centre block. More borders are being added to finish off this quilt. More applique elements will appear in the borders. Faye's fabric selection creates wonderful flowers. She is also ending up with some swiss cheese fabric left over.

Next patchwork day is not until May 9th so mark your calendars.

The Local Show

No unfortunately it's not just a Quilt Show we're talking about. Our local agricultural show where everybody rolls up and participates in something is coming to town. Whether you are a steward, competitor, volunteer or spectator ( or all 4 during the day) we must attend our local show.


Cooking, sewing , craft work, woodchopping, horse events, cattle shows and ringside entertainment and of course some side shows, flowers,fruit,vegetables , floral art and schoolwork. There's even demonstrations of some things new and the proverbial old as well.


Yes it's all coming this Saturday April 19 at the Mt Perry Showgrounds.

So hope you have been avidly reading the schedule and been organising ( finishing ) your entries.
Here is one item that probably wont be entered as it should by now be on its way to its new owner. This quilt was made in 12 hours of machine sewing by Patty. It's to keep her daughter warm whilst in her gap year serving her country. I'm sure it will be loved in its new home. Patty's 2 sisters machine quilted it on their mid arm frame in 6 hours for her. Doesn't she have some lovely sisters?

Patty is a well known hoarder of bits and pieces. The bright pink patches are of an old shiny dressing gown and the finished item is certainly not how she envisaged it would be when she started. She just wanted to use up some calico. The new owners fave colour is you guessed it PINK!. Not that she is probably wearing much pink these days. Hope it keeps you warm Yanna.

Applique Techniques

We certainly showed the various applique techniques that are available for quilt making.

Out of 5 quiltmakers sewing in the hall , 4 were working on applique projects.

Narelle was out of style as she was finishing a quilt for sending off for an internet swap to someplace overseas.

The rest of us were appliqueing and designing more things to applique.

Lia was buttonholing by machine a series of blocks commenced before the Brisbane visit rudely interrupted her sewing career.

There are quite a few of these and she has a production line in action buttonholing around all those small flowers. It was good to see her return and therapeutic for her to keep sewing.

Saturday 12 April sees the Charity Auction at the Grand Hotel Mt Perry to raise funds for the Burns Unit at RBWH Brisbane.

Margaret was busy with her pansy leaves. These are satin stitch applique using a variety of different machine embroidery techniques for the backgrounds. The total number of these pansy petals are quite high so we know what Margaret will be working on for awhile yet. Margaret is very good at artwork so we reckon she should start designing her own pattern line.

Margarets clever use of her fabric has ensured she now possesses swiss cheese fabric in her workbox. She is also very clever at her colour combinations.

More photoes will be displayed in our next post of our other projects.

Our next sewing day is May 9th because Anzac Day falls on our next Friday date. This is also a Bundaberg Agro Trend day so plan your busy schedules accordingly.

Some Good News at last

Friday 28 March delivered us some good news. As we no longer have a community newsletter since Perry Shire ceased to exist we thought we would share some snippets.

One of our members who has spent a while "working " in Brisbane at the Burns Unit assisting in the care of her family members has returned home. Eager to rev up the sewing machine and pick up the threads where they were interrupted weeks ago. She called in for a visit on Friday 28th vowing to return to sew on the 11 April.
A charity auction is being conducted on April 12 at the Grand Hotel Mt. Perry to raise some funds for the Burns Unit in Brisbane as a result of their misadventures.

Politically speaking we had some news as well, with a previous councillor from Mt Perry surviving a close count to be elected as our Division 5 councillor in the North Burnett Regional Council. Division 5 covers a large area and Mt Perry only has a small population within that area.
The Mayor of our new council was also the Mayor of Perry Shire Council so we know the interests of all in the North Burnett Regional Council area will be well served by these two people who have been elected to this new council.

Patchwork also plays a large role in the life of the new Blackall Tambo Council Mayor as Jan Ross is the current QCWA Piecemakers convenor. We have a link to their blog if you wish to visit .
We talk about large distances to travel around our area, she has a 2 hour drive just to get to her new office. Maybe she should employ a driver and she could do some hand piecing in that time.

The last sewing day saw Kerry proceeding with our latest adventure. A raffle quilt for a Cancer Fund Raiser. We purchased the fabric on our shopping spree in December. Ruth cut it up and Kerry has commenced sewing. Anybody wishing to assist with this project will be welcomed with open arms and given a small job.
The rest of us continued working on our projects. Patty spent the day preparing for her big adventure overseas. I hope she takes a camera with her.
Next patchwork day is during the school holidays so we may have some young ones with us learning to sew.