Thursday 26 November 2015

My Swoon Quilt

6 of the nine blocks that make up the Swoon Quilt

This quilt started with me buying fat quarters and the Swoon pattern while in Toowoomba in September from the beautiful little but well stocked shop Precious Time. I couldn't resist it and couldn't wait to start it when I got home. Unfortunately when I visited I had limited time and hoped I would get back there before I departed to buy more fabric but unfortunately not. I purchased a couple of pieces of Persimmon from Basic Grey and thought the would be easy to match or find further pieces from the range. I had a image in my head of how I wanted it to turn out but struggled to find the fabrics that I wanted, even after going to the Brisbane Quilt Show. Never mind I had fun making it just the same. I think I will make another one - one day.  I can't say that I am in love with this one but will reserve full judgement until it is quilted!
I have just pieced a backing so this along with 5 others is ready for quilting.....



Fresh start .... Blue and White Norfolk Island Quilt


Medallion centre - the aqua fabric is 15 years old and from Dutch fabric shop Den Haan en Wagenmakers, looking perfectly at home with Amy Bulters not so old checkered spots fabric

I know I know, I am supposed to be finishing projects not starting new ones, oh well I did have a blue quilt on my list and this was to be using a huge lot of old blue fabrics that have been sitting in my cupboard for way too long. After finishing my mammoth hexie quilt (must think of a more suitable name), I found myself missing my hand work. I fiddled around with my "this goes with that" pieces (was going to make Kerry Dear's Candied Hexagons)  and made a few blocks but the colours weren't enthusing me - too many decisions - just wanted to sit and sew.

A few blocks from Candied Hexagaons 

 Anyway I have picked up Brigette Giblins Feathering the Nest book many times and dreamt that one day I would make one or more of the lovely quilts within. So above is progress of my centre medallion so far. I will have to buy some fabrics to complete this because although I have many blues I don't have big pieces for borders, but I will do my best to use what I have and I know I will have heaps of blues still left to make another quilt.

Norfolk Quilt




Have included a few pics from Brigette Giblin's book for inspiration.........love the way she uses her fabrics, they all sing so harmoniously together.

Stay tuned for more progress, this one is coming together pretty quickly considering they are 3/4 inch hexies.

Sunday 8 November 2015

Connections


This is about as excited as Roger gets........

It is a rainy day here today so no beautiful outdoor photos unfortunately but I have just finished pattern testing this colourful quilt pattern by Fresh Quilts and Roger my supervisor (the cat) has given it his seal of approval. Roger has to leave his mark (namely- cat hair) on all quilts made in this house.

So given that all normal procedures have been followed it is now time to put it on my blog.
  The background looks grey but is actually white, not the best photo taken in my lounge room. The pattern is not yet available to purchase online but I will let you know when it is.
Otherwise it you are dying to make this fun, quick and easy quilt you can contact Maggie (Fresh Quilts) through her blog.
Now what is next.....

Tuesday 3 November 2015

Reversible Table Runner - a Christmas Gift




















Found some strips of bali's batiks already sewn together whilst tidying my stash. An idea was born to make a table runner for a Christmas present for my South African/Aussie friend. Had to fossick for some more strips so I had enough to complete it. When it was time to quilt, I thought it would be nice if it was reversible and when I found the african traditional kanga fabric that I had bought a year ago in Tanzania I thought that would be perfect. I then echo quilted in silver thread on the bali side and black on the African side and bound in black solid. Hope she likes it..........

Monday 2 November 2015

My mammoth hexie quilt


Finally my hexie quilt is ready for the machine quilters, well it will be when I join the backing fabric. This quilt (has no name yet) has been on going for nearly 3 years (on and off). I pulled it out again in July when I started back on my creative journey. Since then I have designed and made the two borders. I thought it would never end. I did have a final border in mind to add but have now decided that it is finished.

I didn't have a pattern for this quilt, however the centre was inspired by Karen Cunningham's Anna Quilt.  The borders took some time to work out and to bring together harmoniously, but I got there. The background and duck egg blue fabric are William Morris designs - the rest are reproduction scraps from the stash. Looking forward to seeing this one back from the quilters.

I will bind it in a red and caramel stripe to bring the red out again. It is time to move on.....

Just one block

Today I got distracted.....computer played up all morning and just as I was about to call the technician it decided to work. Already distracted from what I had planned for the day and after cutting the foundation papers ready to put away for when I was ready to start Stepping Stones by Judy Niemeyer, I thought to myself I will just do one block and then put them away and get on to what I really should be working on. Yep you guessed it ......couldn't stop at one. Here are my first two blocks of Stepping Stones and my beautiful pile of batiks.  I look forward to getting back to this project soon. All my sewing group have made it so I can't let the team down.


Stepping Stones makes a start!