ANZAC DAY - Lest we Forget

It is a miserable day out there.  Cold and wet, the rain occasionally hits the window - Is there sleet in it as well?
I am sitting here in my front room,  the wood fire is burning with it's mesmerising flame and warmth.

I found myself thinking "What an awful day for the ANZAC Day march!" and then my thoughts have wandered to the reason for this memorial day.  97 years ago battalions of soldiers landed on the wrong beach and the ANZAC legend was born.  They fought through the winter, lived and died in the pouring rain.  No warm fire - Yet an eternal Flame burns for each and every one of them.
Across Australia and New Zealand and where ever our troops are stationed we remember this day.  Lest we Forget.

Today my thoughts are especially with the Aussie Heroes who are serving overseas and at home.  The ones that will be receiving  the parcels we posted off as part of the Aussie Hero Quilt Program.  And also, especially of the owner of this hat.  God Bless you all and keep you safe until you are once again Home.

Paper Piecing using Freezer Paper

Recently, I was asked how Paper Piecing using Freezer Paper was done and I thought instead of replying to just one person I would attempt a tutorial...

so here goes!

To make it easier, I am going to be using the same pattern as my Friend. 

It is Carol Doak's Belize Star - you can find the pattern here: www.caroldoak.com/pdfs/BelizeDirections.pdf

Trace or copy your pattern onto the matt side of the Freezer Paper. Then FOLD or SCORE along the lines of your pattern to make folding easier.

If you feel adventurous, just draw ONE copy of the pattern and stack 4 squares of freezer Paper on top of each other (secure with a couple of staples so they don't move) and machine sew along the lines with an un-threaded needle. 

Choose your Fabric (Finally I have a project for those Fat Quarters I got with the Magazine Subscription)

Place your first fabric onto the shiny side of the Freezer Paper (wrong side to glossy side) and lightly iron in place. 

 Sharply crease along the drawn line and fold back.

Place your ruler along the creased edge and cut off the excess - leaving a 1/4" seam.

Fold the pattern back along the crease or perforation and position the second piece of fabric on top of the first fabric - right sides together.

Stitch along the crease line – do not stitch the paper.  You now have a beautiful neat 1/4" seam.

Continue with Fold, Trim, Sew, Press until you come to the end of the seams. 

Every scored (or perforated) line is a seam line.

Press the fabric flat onto the Freezer Paper each time you add a piece to the block. 

This will keep the block flat and when you are done.....

 .....– simply peel off the freezer paper!   No paper to pull your stitches or bits to get stuck in your seams!

AND... It makes it very easy to UN-sew should you make a mistake.

And here it is... 

One Finished (rather neat - if I do say so myself) Belize Star Block..... 

Now, what should I do with it???

What's news.......

I have been a bit distracted lately with a whole heap of things happening on the "Home Front".
Easter has come and gone - with us attending 2 very different Church Services.  A modern Pantomime style remembrance on Good Friday in a renovated  'Warehouse Church' where DS#1 attends, and to the other extreme a very formal Celebration with my parents on Easter Sunday, at one of Melbourne's oldest Churches in the City .

At the same time I have been helping DS#1 get ready for a 3 week trip overseas with a Music performance group.
I will be glad when he is back and he only left Wednesday night!

And... also been busy making a quilt for my Challenge Group.  This month the challenge was to make a quilt with a WORD on it - and quilt labels didn't count ;-)
Having 'come on board' with the Aussie Hero Quilts program for the Guy's and Gal's overseas (see link to their Blog on my sidebar).  I decided to make my challenge piece the recommended size for a Hero Quilt.  It was almost finished when we got an email asking for any "Quilts with a VERY Aussie theme" for an extra special  recipient.  So, my quilt is one of the first 3 that are going to very special unknown members of our Armed Forces who have been injured and are in Hospital.


The design is based on an enlarged version of Helen Godden's  'Four in the Raw' tutorial featured in Australian Quilters Companion No 46 (Dec 2010)

Matthew 28:6

He is not here......

He is Risen!

Hallelujah... 

God sent His Son, They called Him Jesus,

He came to die, heal and forgive

He lived and died, to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove, My Saviour Lives!

Because HE lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives - all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds my future

and life is worth the living, just BECAUSE HE LIVES!

Hymn by Bill & Gloria Gaither