A new start (hopefully) I will try and keep this updated regularly.

Once again a long time between postings, I am really sorry.
I can't blame the fact that I have too much quilting because at the moment I haven't got any !!!

Yes I am still making and selling teddy bears and I just made my first rabbit in time for Easter,

 This is Cookie and is 15" in height with a lovely nature.

Bridget says "I Love You" she is a lovely mohair bear.

Edward also says "I Love You" and is in a lovely traditional plush.

If you want any information on any of my bears feel free to phone me o 03-9728-4070

I have also updated our website so just Google Make It Original -machine quilting and you'll find me on there.

Enough for now, I hope you all have a great Easter and keep well.

Eileen

"ABOUT TEDDIES" A bit of a change from Quilting.

Hi All,

As I said in my last blog quilting is slowing down.
I haven't stopped, quilts are coming in but not enough to keep me as busy as I was before.

However I don't like to have time on my hands and am still designing and making OOAK Artist Teddy Bears.
As I taught bear making in 1992 I am now using a lot of my specialised mohair and bear fabrics that I still have on hand.

So "MIO Bears by Make It Original" has been re-established and is doing quite well.

I have drawn up some new patterns as I love to see how each bear develops.

Bears have a mind of their own (as do some quilts), so you don't know exactly how they are going to turn out but usually quite successfully and are happy bears.

Here are some that I have made recently that are still on hand and a couple that have been adopted.

Professor Bumble.

Always on time as he has his watch.

                         Made from lovely Golden Wavy Mohair and German Glass eyes with eye whites.

He has suede pads and is $50.

Peter Bumble is the Professors son, you can see the resemblance !!! 

  He is so full after eating his "Hunny" that he is falling asleep.

The bumble bee on his paw doesn't worry him. He is also $50.SOLD

BREWSTER.    ADOPTED.

                     

Willow is cute made from a dense fur with mink tips.                         

 She has German glass eyes and eye whites and Ultrasuede pads.

You can see her little pink tongue. She is $45    SOLD

                                            Benjamin comes with his own quilt and has been in the family for a while,                                                  now ready to be adopted and step out on his own. He is $40                                                                                                                                                 

Oscar comes with his friend. 

                    He has a lovely soft dense coat, German black eyes with eye whites

. Has a very enquiring disposition. He costs $40.SOLD

Here is Claudette, wearing her favourite bows.

 She is made of lovely dense fur with dark mint tips.

 She has an open mouth so you can see her pink tongue.

 She has Ultrasuede paws and is $60. SOLD

harlotte is very young.

Made from a lovely dense white fur with German glass eyes, eye whites and Ultrsuede paws.

She has a lovely personality and costs $40. SOLD

Finally here is Joe the Apprentice Gardener.

 He only measures 4" but keeps himself very busy.

. Made from sculpted bristle mohair and has German brown glass eyes and eye whites.

 Comes with his wheelbarrow.  $30   SOLD

                   If you have any questions about the MIO family, such as size and availability etc. you can contact me on     mioquilt@iimetro.com.au  or phone on 03 9728 4070.

Hope you are all keeping well and active.

Eileen

BACK AGAIN AFTER A LONG BREAK

Hi All,

Sorry it's taken me such a long time to write this but I appear to have been busy ???

I have made a couple of new quilts I made two almost identical "I Spy" quilt for our 2 year old Great Grandson.

At the top is one of the quilts , only the quilt top. Below is Harvey with the finished quilt on his knee.
He loves it and can find all his favourite pictures. At the moment I think he's in love with racing cars.
He has one at home and the other is with his Nana, our daughter.

Apart from the quilts I have been making Teddy Bears as I have not had any quilting coming in.

Here are some of the bears.

ADOPTED

ADOPTED

                                                                  

ADOPTED

ADOPTED

STILL WAITING TO BE 

                                                                             ADOPTED

                                                                            "MISHKA"  $40

ADOPTED

They are all hand made and come with their own Birth Certificate.

The Panda Ching Lee has already been adopted and has happily moved in with a new family.

Well that's about all for now. I hope you are all having a great 2018.

Eileen

ONLY TOOK 10 YEARS TO FINISH

Finally my "Vintage Moments Quilt is off the machine.
I must admit that I still have to bind it ( I really don't enjoy binding ), and it does measure 90" x 90" which is a big quilt.
I started this at least 10 years ago with the Lemoyne Stars, all done by hand, but worth the effort.
Then I made the centre of the quilt, that sat on my design wall FOREVER !!!!
But I was still looking at it. The ladies in my class really made me look again so I decide that this year was the time to finish it.

There are 7 different methods in this quilt, it started with hand piecing, it has over 250 half square triangles in the borders as well as the ones on the Feathered Star in the centre.
I always said that if I was to make a Feathered Star this would be the one.
It has paper piecing, machine piecing, hand applique, bias strip piecing plus as I said hand piecing.
Not to mention the pieced borders etc, etc.
A real challenge. Once started for the second time it didn't take long to come together.
I won't say it was easy, but it was worth all the effort.

What really made me finish it was the night I was sitting looking at my huge quilting machine and thinking "I won't have this machine forever" !!!
Not that I am considering stopping quilting, I am doing more custom quilts than ever and always edge to edge, I like the way the quilt really comes to life after it has been quilted. I love seeing my customers face light up when they see the finished product.
After all that here are a few photos of "VINTAGE MOMENTS".

I hope you like the finished result

I am pleased with it, now for the binding !!!

Enjoy your patchwork everyone.

Eileen 

BACK DOING CUSTOM QUILTING

Hi all,
Happy to say that I am now back to doing custom quilting as well as our happy favourite "Edge to Edge".

Yes it has been a while but my shoulder has improved enough to go back to what I had to give up all that time ago.

Here is a picture of my first custom quilting job after all that time.

It is called "Bullerswood" made with William Morris reproduction fabrics. Yes it did take a while to quilt, a lot longer than "edge to edge" and needed a lot more experience and patience.

However it is now finished and waiting to be collected. I am more than happy with the result.

I think that's enough for today as this is my second job on the computer. My first was to update our webpage. Here is a link if you would like to know more about us.Make It Original Studio.

This year has flown by much too quickly, we'll soon be talking about Christmas, after all it is only just around the corner.

So happy quilting to all of you.

Eileen

FINALLY BACK AGAIN

Sorry as usual it has take me so long to get back to my blog. I suddenly realised how long when our new great grandson is now just about 9 months old. The last time I wrote he was only 4 months, how time flies.
Am still enjoying the de-stash site and finding lots of things in my store room and around the house that I had forgotten about and no longer use.
I am still enjoying quilting by machine and I took a photo of the latest one so here it is.

I was really pleased with the pattern on this one as it really enhances the quilt top.

As it doesn't get picked up until tomorrow I am waiting for her reaction when she sees it, I'm positive she will be happy.

Our helicopter flying grandson is now married and living in USA, however he is returning in November to be ready for the fire season here. So it will be nice to see him and I feel a lot better when I know he's looking after all of us in the Dandenongs and surrounding areas and helping our great firefighters.

My class ladies are getting on well and some are now designing their own quilts which is fabulous. I love to see their confidence build from week to week.

Well that's about it for today, so hope you all keep well and happy.

Enjoy your patchwork and quilting.

Eileen

Back again, lots of news

Finally got back to writing as I have been very busy de-stashing.

Pleased to tell you that we have sold a lot of our antique quilts and tops, all have gone to good homes where they will be appreciated and looked after. So that makes me happy.

Also a ton of books, which is very gratifying, I have learnt a lot of lessons from the books that I am now selling, so it is good that other patchworkers and quilters can do the same.

All of the books are in as new condition except that my name and phone number is in the front, which doesn't appear to worry any of the purchasers.
I do believe in looking after books they are after all, a mine of information.

I have made new friends on the de-stash site, one lives just around the corner from me, literally !!!
We didn't know each other existed.

I feel that I have made a life long friend in the wilds of Queensland. We are so much alike it is jaw dropping. Of course she is younger than I am, but really, who isn't.
Age does not form a barrier in friendships it actually enhances them.

Our new great grandson, now 5 months old is in Paris and has visited Harrods in London. He looks fabulous. I am glad that he will have many photos to look at as he gets old enough to do so. He certainly won't remember it, except perhaps as the place he first learnt to finally roll from his back to his front.

 Learnt a new move here in front of the Eiffel Tower.

 Watching the soldiers on parade

The smallest jetsetter

Well that's about it for this time, as usual I hope to get back faster next time I write this blog.

 

Happy sewing everyone.

 

Eileen