More charity quilt blocks

This week we met for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon to make some more charity quilt blocks.
 We started these some time ago and decided on a couple of different themes according to the fabric scraps we had to hand.  A 'manly' quilt using the darker and more neutral patterns, a 'ladies' quilt using the florals, and a children's quilt using the brights and motif fabrics.
Here's a close up of the children's...

 and the neutral blocks...

17 finished blocks!

We managed to finish 17 assorted blocks on the afternoon to add to our already considerable pile.  Hopefully we'll eventually make enough for 3 quilts to donate to those who are in need.  This quilt as you go method is very easy and great for using up scraps, and can be done by a group who are also busy drinking tea and having a good chat...

Run out of thread?

Recently I was all set up to do a paid sewing job when my sewing machine decided it didn't like the cheap thread I was using.  I had been given it for the job along with 4 cones of overlocker thread.  I didn't want to spend time fiddling with tensions on my machine and I didn't want to have to make a car trip to go and get some better quality thread.  And then my eyes set upon my overlocker.  I had been given 4 brand new 5000 metre cones of white thread.  I hadn't run out of thread, I had 20,000 metres of it!
I was using these for seams with the overlocker so why not the sewing machine?  This thread was good quality.  But how to get it off the cones and onto something that could be used on the sewing machine?  I could wind it onto some spare bobbins, but how?  I needed a telescopic thread stand, so the thread would wind evenly.  The overlocker came to the rescue again.  I placed it back to back with the sewing machine, and leaving the cones where they were, threaded one of them through the sewing machine's thread guides and wound lots of bobbins. 

To sew, I used one bobbin on the top and one on the bottom.  Problem solved.

Friday's meeting

This week we were a small group of three - Louise was crocheting some more on her lovely blanket, Michelle brought her finished jacket and PJ's and was working on a needle case like the one she made at Christmas, and Anne brought her finished French General cobblestones quilt and had dug out her Japanese quilt as you go circles to add on some more.

Saturday's meeting

This week we were again zooming along with projects. Michelle was continuing with her hand piecing, Louise had a lovely ball of variegated wool, from a visit to The Bendigo Woollen Mill on her recent road trip, that she crocheted flowers with, and Anne was getting to the end of the borders of her "Northern Lights" quilt using Tilda fabrics and pattern from Norway (since finished). Karyn came for a chat after a long meeting at work.

We also enjoyed a sponge cake for afternoon tea!