2 Finishes!

 I have been a busy girl. :)

These 2 quilts came back from the quilter (Ruth at Stitched and Bound Machine Quilting Service) towards the end of July, but I have only just launched into binding them this week. It has been so relaxing, sitting near the window in the Spring sun, stitching happily.


The first one finished is "Fandango"  ( 73" x 73" ) made from a Kate Spain Layer Cake.

I selected feature squares, cut some others in 2 and some into 4, then stitched the blocks as if they were the first round of log cabins, with one side being a half and quarter stitched together.
Ruth quilted this one with a lovely circular feather style, that makes this quilt lovely and snuggly.

Fandango

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The second one completed is "Nana's 1950s Kitchen"  ( 40" x 50" ) made using a selection of Henry Glass fabrics from the Knock Knock range. The blocks are log cabin blocks.

The fabrics instantly appealed, reminding me of my Grandmother's kitchen when I was a little girl. Each cupboard door was painted a different colour, the shelf above the fireplace had bright multicoloured canisters, the egg cups were bright colours, as were the anodised beakers, and the coffee percolator. Strong, bright, cheery colours! My favourite door was the turquoise one. :)

Nana's 1950s Kitchen

Ruth quilted this with a lovely simplistic flower in the same turquoise as the border and she found this cheery quilt backing to go with the whole look. :)

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I tried a new binding method for these quilts and found it really wonderful. Lovely crisp, mitred corners done on the machine! Linda, of Flourishing Palms has made a very clear tutorial, which you can find here. Give them a try next time you bind.

                       

Block 2 of Daisy Days

Tuesdaisy is finally finished, along with 2 pieced blocks. I'm really loving doing these stitcheries. Wednesdaisy is almost done and I received Thursdaisy the other day. :)

I love the little bits of detail Jenny includes. How cute are those little snails?

            

Daisy Days

First stitchery for the Daisy Days quilt finished and fabric selected! :D I am really enjoying this BOM (thank you Jenny Elefantz) and can hardly wait for the next one to arrive!

The fabric I am using is from Bonnie and Camille's 'Marmalade' collection. I have a jelly roll and some FQ so they will be just perfect. I will probably add a couple of 'outsiders' to the mix just to add a little more variety. Not sure exactly what yet. Will wait and see as it takes shape.

The stitchery is being done on a lovely cotton/linen blend fabric - beautiful to work with - and uses the usual 2 threads.

I'm going with an emphasis on the aqua blue. I'm thinking it will go well hanging in my sewing room (if I have enough wall space when I am finished lol)

So you want pics, I suppose? :) .............. ok......... but keep in mind that the stitching is not perfect (my hand still has some issues holding a needle and getting it to do what I want) ........

                      

Daisy Days BOM

photo copyright of Jenny Elefantz

I have just subscribed to Jenny Elefantz's Daisy Days Block of the Month. I am so looking forward to doing this one. I have watched the progress of it being developed and just knew it was for me.
Check out Jenny's blog and see what I am talking about, then if you like it, be tempted, too. :)
This is just one of the stitcheries I fell in love with:

photo copyright of Jenny Elefantz

Jenny is offering 3 ways to pay: Subscribe via paypal and get a block per month for 8 months (pdf) discounted price; buy the pdf  each month from her etsy store ; or buy a monthly paper pattern from her etsy store. Anyhoo, all that info is on her blog.

Jenny has also set up a blog for BOMers to subscribe to, with hints and tips and progress pics. There is a link button over there in the right hand column up the top if you want to check it out.

So go on, what are you waiting for? ;)

Cheers!


*Permission to use photos from Jenny's blog was obtained before use. :)

More Quilt Tops....

This is what else I have accomplished, so far, this month:



A bright sea creature quilt for the Grandchildren to use when staying...made from a panel with border added.

A little 24" square quilt top that a friend is going to quilt for the Blankets Of Love programme

 Made from stash except for last border.

Play quilt for Master M to drag into his Teepee and have Teddy Picnics on.

And February isn't over yet!

Cheers,

Birthdays, Quilt tops and Giveaways....

Five years ago, for my Sister's 50th birthday, I promised her a quilt. Fortunately, she knew there was a waiting list of promised quilts and it would be a while.....
She won't get it in time for her 55th this month, because I don't have enough hand control to do any quilting yet, but at least the top is now finished! :)

I don't  know how intense the colours appear on your screen, but on mine, they seem rather washed out. I used a Hoffman Bali (Batik) Pop in beautiful greens, lemon, purple and a bit of blue. The colours sing!
:(  It's hard to get accurate photos atm as it is overcast and raining outside, the artificial light alters the colours, and there is not enough natural light to get a decent photo. But you get the idea.
On the side borders, I have added some interlocking diamonds in purple and lemon, using my diamond Flip-la-K template.  This is the first time I have used it, and I love the effect, so I will definitely be using it again!

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Talking of Birthdays, my friend Melody over at thehouseonthesideofthehilll, is clebrating her birthday today. Happy Happy Birthday, Melody!
Generous person that she always is, Melody is having a giveaway! Pop on over and wish her a Happy Birthday and enter her giveaway. I'd suggest yoiu check her blog while there. She does awesome work, and has lots of interesting links as well. You might want to follow her, too. :)

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What else have I been doing?

I did find a dozen 2.5" jelly roll strips in dark blues the other day, so I decided to put them together a la 1600 quilt method....

This only measures about 30" square, so I will do something further with this. I'm just not sure what, yet. :) I may treat it as a piece of fabric and cut it up, or I may add borders.... For now, it can sit on my UFO trolley for later....

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Finally, while I was at the UFO trolley, I found 11 rows of 12 charm squares that I had sewn together a month ago, so I decided to join them last night, before going to bed.

This was made from 3 pcks of Moda's 3 Sisters Roman Holiday charm squares. I would like the quilt a little bigger, i think, so i will be on the hunt, now, for more fabric...either Roman Holiday, or something to blend, or a combination....i am open to creative suggestions! ;)

                                                    Cheers,

Swoon-along with Katy

I've just bought this pattern from The Fatquarter Shop and I am joining Katy at Imagingermonkey  in her Swoon-along. She has set up a Flickr group for us, to post pics of our blocks, and to discuss making the quilt. There are also going to be prizes!

Add caption

I'm not sure what fabrics I'll use yet, but I'll have fun deciding.

Tempted to join us?



Cheers,

Jelly Roll 1600 Quilt....

I have been watching with interest, as some bloggers have shared photos of their 1600 quilts, made with jelly rolls. Some I have loved, enough to try one for myself. I have a few jelly rolls, but most of them I have plans for, so I chose this Hoffman Bali Pop: Berry Bliss, and away I went. I must admit, it was fun!
(The colours are better in real life...I couldn't get the lighting right to photograph with my phone camera)

Finished piecing....well, supposedly.....



Side view got me thinking.........



Unpicked the top 7 rows and stitched them across the side



Different view.......

I have further plans for this quilt, but it involves a little stencilling and painting, so will have to wait until I have better use of my hands. :)

Cheers,

Progress on quilt....and a WINNER!

I expected this quilt top to take quite a while, but a couple of sleepless nights and a body that co-operated with me spending hours at the sewing machine has resulted in progress!

I have yet to add borders....I had to order fabric online and it probably won't get here until the end of the week....a chocolate narrow inner border, and a blue border from one of the prints in the range (Cherish Nature by Deb Strain for Moda).

I am calling it RENEWAL as that is the word I have chosen for 2012. Eggs and Butterflies = change and metamorphisis, bees for the network of supportive family and friends, the layout to represent 2 steps forward, one step backward still equals forward momentum....





"RENEWAL"

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 .....And now for the winner of my little giveaway...........

I have tried to capture the picture of the Random Number Generator to show you, but there doesn't seem to be any where to upload it and move it onto here, on my laptop, so you will have to take my word for it.....

The winner is comment number 5:  Joy  V, who said: "A great idea - last year I chose 'relax' - I felt I had to learn not to worry too much about all the little things, so 'relax' it was - I think I achieved part of it anyway. This year - I need to 'focus' - you can guess that I often wander off onto other things instead of what I'm doing. So Focus is my word for this year."

Joy, email your snail mail addy to me, and your goodies will be finding their way to you. :)

Thanks for playing, everyone. And welcome to the new followers. :)

Cheers,
Lindi

Machine Pieced Hexies

I have been doing quite bit of machine piecing lately...yes, still one-handed with the occasional co-operation of my right pointer finger....so thought I'd have a go at machine pieced hexagons, at least until I reached a point I couldn't manage.
I bought these 2 packs, precut, from Possum Blossom Patchwork. They are the Reunion pack from Sweetwater.....

So far, I have stitched them into rows, but have yet to try attaching the rows. I might have a play with the row arrangement, first.

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Don't forget my giveaway...see previous post.....I am drawing the winner tomorrow afternoon Australian Eastern Daylight Savings time.

Cheers,

Lindi

One handed sewing

You can't keep a quilter/patchworker down for long....

One of the things i have found most exasperating about my current condition, is that i have all the time in the world to sit and sew, plenty of hand stitching, but a right hand that is useless...can't do anything!

The other day, i just had to give it a go....on the sewing machine....

My foot couldnt feel the pedal, so i set the machine real slow.... i took 2 packs of moda charm squares...Cherish Nature.... and with my left hand only, taking forever, i put 2 squares together...not perfectly, but ok.... and stitched a not too bad seam. I only lasted 10 minutes before my legs were aching, but HEY! I SEWED!
 It might end up being the wonkiest quilt ever, but i have a feeling it will be a cherished favourite. :)


Since then, i have done a little whenever i have felt up to it, and i now have 42 2patches sewn. :) I chose the Cherish nature charm packs because i had 2 packs of them. last night i realised how appropriate they are... an even mix of dark, light and medium tones to represent good days, bad days and average days; some squares have butterflies = change/metamorphisis; some have pretyt birds eggs = new beginnings/new life; and a few squares with bees = my caring friends helping me through this. :)


i can't manage to get the seams lined up to make 4 patch blocks, so i am getting my daughter to cut a charm pack of moda plain cream squares into 2. i will add a rectangle to each 2 patch then join 2 units brick wall style. this will represent my 2 steps forward one step back = forward momentum saying. :)

   :)

Oh Cherry Oh.....

A couple of months ago, I purchased a Moda "Oh Cherry Oh" Honey Bun (1.5" strips) with no idea what I was going to do with it.
This week, I started playing with it. What fun that was! :) Initially, I had white sashing in mind, but I have already made a top in bright colours with white, and this one will be used by small children, so white wasn't really a good idea. This lovely aqua was sitting in my stash, so out it came.

It is only 41" square, but it will be lovely for the littles to rest on or under. Later, it will enjoy lots of Teddy Bear and Doll picnics. :)
I'm going to bind it in red, once it is quilted.

What crafty goodness have you been up to this week?

Stitching

In the last few weeks, I have been managing to find some time to do some hand sewing. One project I am working on, is this one by Ella and Skysie:

I have slowly been finishing each of these pre-printed stitcheries. 6 are now finished and I only have 3 to go.
This is what I have done so far:

The stitcheries on the pattern are mainly in pink, brown and green, to match the colours used in the borders. I haven't decided what fabric to use for the borders, but there will probably be more colour, so I am doing these in the colours that appeal to me. The original also uses colour pencils to in-fill sections. I haven't decided whether to do that or not, as yet. If I do, it will only be small areas.
I also have to decide if this will be a wall hanging (not much wall space left in our house! lol) or a lap quilt.

What have you been working on as a longer term project?

One quilt ready to go

I have been very slack with my blogging! I keep making vows to get back to it, but I always fall by the wayside. I have to admit, Facebook is probably my biggest diversion, but I am also busy between sewing, minding my Grandson (who is now 15 months old!) and spending time with my Darling Hubby who is now semi-retired and finally pursuing his dreams of writing books (more on that later).
I guess it is time to do a few updates. :)

These will not be in chronological order... lol


First up, is this cute Raggy Shaggy quilt I made for my little Granddaughter (who will be 7 months in a week's time - how quickly time flies when little ones are around!). She is outgrowing the little quilt I made her for a pram quilt when she was born. She lives in Tassie, so there is still time for her to use it. :) It is made with lovely snuggly flannel fabrics I bought in Tassie last February, with some pink and choclate I had in my stash. Despite the sore palms from all that snipping, I love it and intend doing more like this. I have bought a pair of spring loaded snips since, though! lol

Another UFO Finished

Second UFO finished for the year! All I had to do to this one was bind it.
I bought the quilt top about 3 years ago, on ebay, and had it quilted 2 years ago with an allover rose pattern. I wonder why it has taken so long to bind it?

It is actually square, but the breeze made it a little difficult to photograph properly.

MarieMadelineStudio Giveaway

mariemadelinestudio is having a giveaway! This gorgeous quilt is the prize. Di and I would both love to win this, but we are sharing the opportunity with you! :)

Go and enter and please tell them I sent you!

Hugs,

Quilt Top and a Bag

In the last few days, I have actually been doing some sewing.

This is a quilt top I made using "Sugar Snap" (by Melissa Averinos for Free Spirit Fabrics) plus a few plains, a pink stripe and a deeper green. They were all FQs that I cut into 3" strips, sewed together randomly to form great long lengths, then chopped random lengths, sewed together again, chooped again, sewed, then chopped into 72" lengths. (Get it?)

I then sewed the strips together, and this is the end result. I might call it "Sweet Chop" ;)

This is the topper draped over a chair,

and this is a closer view of it, so you can see the fabrics.

I also made a bag for Mum. I will be seeing her later this week to give it to her. It has a main section, and an outside pocket. The back is the same brown + print that the pocket is made from, and the actual front of the main compartment is pieced using Fairy Frost fabrics. The little detail on the front is my own invention. The bag needed something to draw the eye from one area to the other. Besides, I like adding my own little personal touches to a pattern. :)

I have also been finishing off a UFO quilt. Just a little more hand stitching to go!

Y