Tuesday, January 26, 2010

It is a Family Thing Part 4

January 26 is Australia Day, the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet way back in 1788, and a day to celebrate all things Australian.  It is a family day of BBQs and roast lamb, the latter for me - roast lamb prepared by my MIL.


And just so you know that I will be in good sewing company today, this is what my MIL gets up to in her spare time. These star blocks are all beautifully hand pieced by my mother-in-law.  Her hand stitching is perfection and I can only hope to one day have the patience and time to piece with such precision. 


The diamonds are all traced onto fabric using a template, placing the template so as to fussy cut the desired image, cut using scissors, and a 1/4 inch seam allowance marked with pencil. My MIL can hand piece two star blocks in 45 minutes!  80 blocks completed, another 160 to go.


The fabrics may look familiar as my MIL raids my highly guarded scrap bin regularly!  Naturally I supervise...

59 comments:

  1. Those stars are absolutely stunning - wow!

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  2. wow, those are just gorgeous. wish my MIL had such good taste in fabric!

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  3. Wow! Those stars took my breath away. Amazing work. Happy Australia Day!

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  4. You are a lucky girl to have a MIL who shares your same interest - even if it means raiding your scraps,LOL! Beautiful work!
    Hugs - Lurline♥

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  5. Wow-love the stars, especially the Heather Ross mermaids.
    I feel like I'm down under celebrating with you because I've been watching lots of Australian Open tennis! The crowds look like they are in full celebration mode (or maybe they are naturally rowdy)

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  6. Wow -- your MIL sounds fabulous! I'd love to see the quilt she makes from all of these!

    joan

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  7. These are incredible. Saw them on Flickr and went nuts!

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  8. Beautiful.....I'm so curious as to how she's going to set them. I didn't piece that many before I gave up.........the only project I've ever hand-pieced, and I cheated and used machine-pieced borders!
    (you can see mine here.....


    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dottycam/449740551/in/set-72157594397197755/ )

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  9. Those are amazing! Her piecing is immaculate. =)

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  10. Gorgeous! Maybe she will share....
    Paulette

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  11. Happy Australia Day! Sounds like tons of fun happening at your home today. You are right your MIL's piecing is just gorgeous. I hope that when she is done with this quilt you will show us.

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  12. Gorgeous! Maybe she will share....
    Paulette

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  13. Happy Australia Day! These stars are beautiful. I especially love the one with the little girls swimming. Thanks for sharing with us! Have a great day!

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  14. Happy Australia Day. How great to have a MIL to share with!

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  15. WOW! These stars are gorgeous. I was thinking that your MIL has great taste in fabric, very funky for a MIL, but given that she's drawing from your scraps she has great choices to work with. When I saw these on flickr, I was also thinking, OMG, when did you find time to do these? Your MIL is a star!
    Happy Aussie Day, enjoy your lamb roast!
    Kelly :-)

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  16. WOW! Those stars are amazing!

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  17. oh my..word....that block is unbelievable. if I had that fabric stashed I would pull it out right now and make one.

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  18. Those are beautiful! That is so fun to share that bond together isn't it? I would love to make some of those stars. They look like they would make a really cool quilt!

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  19. Beautiful stars! Especially the ones with the mermaids. That fabric line is scrumptious!

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  20. Her stars are divine! I am making a little pram quilt with six-pointed stars at the moment too (see kitbikquilts.blogspot.com current last three posts), but I use freezer paper templates ironed on to the back of fabric then tacked down because I find ruling a line on to fabric using a ruler leads to too much 'drag', causing me to cut 'wonky' looking diamonds....I'm obviously missing some essential technique! Hers are stunning!

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  21. she is amazing...and those stars are gorgeous. i love the mermaid star. happy australia day!!

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  22. If only I had a MIL like that! wonderful work!! Happy australia day Rita x

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  23. How wonderful these blocks are!
    I was taught to use a needle, thread and a good pair of sissors as my basic tools, and they still are my favorite to use. I never use a rotary cutter because to me the sissors are part of the 'fun' of cutting and creating.!

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  24. Her work is beautiful! You are lucky to have her as a MIL.

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  25. Happy Australia Day!!!

    Good grief that's a whole lot of patience and skill! Beautiful blocks... it's mind-boggling to me how she manages two in 45 mins!

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  26. It IS a family thing! How fun!!! Those blocks are beautiful. Happy Australia Day!

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  27. Happy Australia Day! We had roast lamb last night, lamingtons for morning tea and a BBQ and pavlova planned for tonight - I love our "national" food! These are beautiful hand pieced stars, I am really looking forward to the end result, guess it will be ready by Easter if she sews that quickly?!

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  28. Happy Australia Day!
    Those are beautiful stars, her work is wonderful.
    I like how she fussy cuts the designs in them, that is a fun idea.

    Debbie

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  29. I was going to say that you girls must have fun shopping for fabric! But fair enough....seeing as MIL is putting those scraps to good use. Love the HR mermaids!

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  30. Happy Australia Day!

    Aren't you from a talented family? Good to see that some of your scraps are going to such good use.

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  31. Those stars are amazing! I would love to share my hobby with my mother. My DIL has done a quilt or two, but is too busy right now with my darling grandkids, so I'll give her a pass on that and hope we can share this great hobby at some point in the future. And also that you will share that quilt when it is done.

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  32. You belong to SUCH a clever family!!!

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  33. I love that chicken star Rita! It's so cool... reminds me of that Chicken Song by the Wiggles (you can I tell I have toddlers!) - do you know what the print is?

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  34. Stunning. Just stunning. My Oz Day was not as restful as I would have liked, but has ended with champagne and making a lamington roll, so it's all good.

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  35. Happy BIRTHDAY Today!Rita.
    Mum.

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  36. Ooh, those are gorgeous! (I'm slightly obsessed with fussy-cutting since I saw a demonstration at the Irish Patchwork Society meeting at the weekend.)

    Happy Australia Day!

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  37. They are beautiful stars - amazing hand piecing Jan!

    Rita, I hope you have had a wonderful day!

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  38. These are wonderful! I love your fabric selections!

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  39. I am in love... Be sure to show us her completed quilt!

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  40. Wow, those stars are amazing, especially love that Heather Ross one! Does she just attach all the stars together once she's finished?

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  41. Gorgeous! I would love to see what she makes out of them!

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  42. You're nicer than me - I would totally give her the bins with the non-designer fabric! My MIL wouldn't know the diff and would be just as happy with "regular" fabric.

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  43. The mermaid star is brilliant.
    Hope we get to see the finished quilt
    Happy Australia day!

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  44. Beautiful! :) What a great job she is doing! I would love to be in the presence of a family member that could teach me how to hand piece. What an opportunity!! :) Enjoy!

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  45. Happy Australia Day! The stars are wonderful...I can't believe she makes them so fast! I hope you'll share when she finishes it...

    Enjoy the festivities

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  46. They are absolutely beautiful! I'm in awe!

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  47. You've really given those starts a new look! I love the mermaid!! :) Christine

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  48. Aren't you the lucky one! Hope you had a good holiday...

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  49. Your MIL does beautiful work. She certainly is a pronounced quilter for sure. Just love her work an thank you for sharing it. Love your blog, and happy quilting!

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  50. What a delicious assortment of stars- you are very lucky to have such a gifted MIL!

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  51. Love, love, love these stars!
    Please keep us posted...

    ; )

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  52. LOVE them, fabulous, they are beauitful.

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  53. Your MIL does beautiful work--every star is absolutely amazing! thanks for posting!

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  54. I love the diamond with the mermaids! Absolutely gorgeous!!!
    Impatient to see the finished quilt:)

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