Mum's Quilt Top - Complete
It feels good to get something finished, even if it is just the top.
The plan for this week is to get this quilted and bound. I can't decide whether to take it in to work and long-arm it or just do some straight line quilting at home. I'm still too scared to free-motion on my machine at home.
Hexalong
I picked another odd colour combination to tackle this week. Kaffe Fassett is known as the master of colour... Sienna and magenta? Really Kaffe?
A touch of violet seemed to work well. It's never going to be my favourite block but it looks nice with the others. I don't know whether I'm doing something wrong, it takes me all evening to do one block. I'm sure it should be quicker than that.
I now have 7 star blocks;
two striped blocks;
and a lonely mini hexagon block
At this rate it's going to take me years to finish this up. This week I'm going to concentrate on striped blocks because I can do those much quicker. Hopefully I can get at least two made up this week.
I'm having a re-jig of my WIPs because I realised that I've been scaring myself by listing projects that I haven't even started. They non-starters are going in their own separate section so hopefully I will be less overwhelmed and more able to get something done.
Quilt for mum
A brand new range of fabrics, Melrose by Red Rooster Fabrics, came into the shop where I work and they would look just perfect in our living room. I quickly snapped some up with the aim of making a throw sized quilt for one of the sofas.
Our living room was predominately beige and mum decided to inject some colour into it by buying a dark plum sofa. Needless to say it now sticks out like a sore thumb so I'm hoping to calm it down a bit with a throw.
I decided on the Hidden Wells pattern I used with Rouenneries fabric previously. Its quick, effective and makes use of the contrasting fabrics quite well. I've sliced and sewed and sliced again and it's well on its way.
This picture shows the balance of fabrics in the top, although these blocks have been re-sliced now. Fingers crossed mum will be coming out of the hospital next week and I'm determined to have this quilt done by then.
Hexalong
I didn't complete any hexagons this week but I slowly basted all my spotty fabrics, a couple at a time in front of the TV.
I can now see which odd colour combinations I'm going to deal with first. I think the brown and magenta at the bottom and the maroon and green at the top right are top of the list to match up with solids.
Other projects
Strawberry Patch - Echo quilted 3 blocks, not much but at least it's progress
Neutral jelly roll bear paws - Still waiting to be quilted
Shabby Wedding Rings - No progress
Plan for the week
Finish off mum's Melrose quilt
Piece 8 wedding ring curvy bits
Complete at least one hexagon
I think that should be manageable - baby steps. Check in next week to see if I made it.
Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday.
My mum was hospitalised on Friday so, between work and running backwards and forwards to the hospital, I haven't had much time for sewing. I was determined to make some progress this week so here's the little I managed to do.
Hexalong
So far, I have been picking out my favourite spots and favourite solids to make the hexagons but I started to worry that I would be left with the yucky colours and no way to brighten them up. The new plan is to take the spots I'm not keen on and find some way to make me fall in love with them.
This was the first challenge. I really didn't like the diarrhoea coloured mustardy brown spots with the violet but, when paired with a brighter yellow, the whole thing looks a lot more palatable to me.
Double Wedding Ring
I pieced another couple of curves which makes enough curves to piece my first full ring. I also traced out the templates for the "melon" (the tutorials term, not mine - I've never seen a melon that shape!) and the centres using template plastic. Using my new templates I cut 4 melons and 1 centre.
That's when the panic set in. Should I piece them together or should I make all the curves and play around with them first. I have a fear of getting the balance of colours wrong. A paralysing fear.
I'm learning that my brain does not do scrappy, it craves order and symmetry. It's an engineering brain and scrappy is hurting it. I will not be defeated! I will, however, chicken out of sewing them together until I have them all pieced and can spend hours and hours rearranging them.
New projects
They're running a competition over at Missouri Star Quilt Company called the iron quilter. Take up to three charm packs and create anything you want. The finished quilts will be judged in January and the winner gets $150 to spend in the shop.
Can I resist the chance to win $150 of fabric loveliness? - nope. Do I have time to design a quilt, make a quilt and post it to America by December 31st? - Do I ****!
I guess I'll have to make time because I've ordered the charm packs so now it would be rude not to.
Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday. It's the one year anniversary of Lee's Linky party and to celebrate she's featuring the original linkers and a giveaway.
Shabby Wedding Rings
I have pieced 6 of the curved sections for my double wedding ring quilt.
The patternI am using is made up of 4 rings by 4 rings but I think I'm going to expand it so it's more bed sized. In total I need to piece 60 curves so I'm 10% there. That doesn't seem so bad.
Hexalong
I've made one more hexagon, using fussy cut flowers from a Faffe Fassett fabric.
It took me a couple of evenings but I'm very proud of it. So proud, I think I'm going to order some fat quarters of the floral in a couple of different colourways so I can do some more. I think these three would give a good balance:
Shabby Wedding Rings
Is there anything more satisfying than neat piles of freshly cut fabric?
These are the former Frosted Window Pane fabrics which are now going to be made into a Double Wedding Ring quilt. I adore these fabrics and can't wait to see what they look like.
I am a little extremely scared about actually starting to piece this top. Scrappy is a step out of my comfort zone and curves make me shake in my shoes.
Hexalong
I don't think I've touched my hexagons in over a month but Tonya over at Hillbilly Handiworks has started a new hexagon project and it's spurred me into action.
So I've cut a pile of new diamond papers and cracked open the handy-hexagon box. Time to tack some new fabrics.
Other Projects
Strawberry Patch - No progress. The lesson here is that if you tidy something away, you will forget about it all together. It's now back on my desk and making me feel guilty.
Here's a quick update before I hop into bed for a good night's sleep because it's my first day at Woolaballoo tomorrow!
Completed projects
I made these sweet little draw-string bags for my three nieces. They each have a little animal on the front that match the stuffed toys I made them along with their initials. They also have gorgeous floral linings but I forgot to photograph those - sorry!
Heffalump is all done and gorgeously, huggably cute. I think he's got a really smiley face.
I found some cotton yarn that was exactly the same colour as his ears. A quick plait and he has a beautiful tail.
Hexalong
Only a single lonely block this week but I think it's my favourite so far.
Something about that lime green and aqua together really makes me smile. It kind of reminds me of a sunny holiday somewhere.
Block swap
I went to my LQS this today for an afternoon of sewing with my mum. I did promise myself to stick to the sale rack but these Whimsy prints were calling out to me.
I decided on the Weathervane block (see yesterday's post for the other options) and set about making a test block.
Amazingly my maths was right first time so, when I came home, I had a marathon slicing session. I have all the pieces ready to go for the other blocks. Next step: draw diagonal lines on 168 squares - definitely a sitting in front of the telly job!
Other Projects
Strawberry Patch - Quilted around a couple more blocks. I've set myself the target of finishing all the echo quilting by the weekend so I can concentrate on the motifs.
There hasn't been much sewing going on this week but there has been some major decision making. Sewing first:
Tea cosies
Fishy Fish Fish mark 2 (really need to think of a better name) is almost done. I'm just finishing hand sewing the binding on the front.
There are a couple of differences from the first Fishy Fish Fish:
The scales are 1 1/2 times the size, which means it no longer takes 90+ scales to make him up. Definitely an improvement.
I fussy cut a large polka dot for his eye.
The lining is fitted inside and then a binding sewn around the bottom. The original version had the lining folded around the outside. The new version is much neater but was very fussy to do so I'm not sure which version to go for in the final pattern.
I've also started my monkey tea cosy and drawn up a new design for an elephant. This was a request from big sister who is absolutely elephant addicted.
Hexalong
Only two hexies this week; a blue and green spot and a magenta pink stripe.
Other projects
Neutral jelly roll bear paws - Still waiting to be basted and quilted (come back tomorrow for exciting news about this)
It's a hoot - Finally made a decision (I think) to make a friendship braid
Strawberry Patch - Slowly quilting around the blocks. Check the side bar for progress.
Frosted window panes - It's a mystery where that pattern has gone!
Antique quilt - No progress at all
Jill - a work in progress?
Pop back tomorrow to hear about some big decisions and some exciting news.
Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday?
I'm getting back to normal after the crazy 30th birthday and The Festival of Quilts. I had an job interview yesterday that I am very hopeful about so I'm treating myself to a couple of sewing days.
Strawberry Patch The top is all finished and it's in the process of being layered over the kitchen table. Need to think of a quilting plan now. I might try and do a nice motif in the centre squares of the anvils. It turned out well on my Verna quilt.
Hexalong
I picked out the shot cottons I wanted to use to go with my dots and I mixed in a couple of Amy Butler solids that I had in my stash because there were no greens. I think this is a good balance now.
I'm enjoying matching the colours to the spots and so far I've made 3 spotty hexagons. They take me hours because I only seem to be able to do tiny little stitches. When I try larger ones they just go wonky!
At the Festival of Quilts I got tempted by these stripes and bought half a yard of each to make some different hexagons to break up the stars.
I made one up to see if I could manage to match the stripes and I think it turned out really well
When I was rooting around in the tool box the other day I found a clamp and decided that this would be a great place to store my hexagons. Keeps my desk clear and gives me a bit of eye candy when I'm working at my computer.
It's a hoot - After seeing some of the lovely quilts Rita at Red Pepper Quilts has been making with this line I think I'm just going to jump in rather than dithering.
Tea cosies - I've drafted a larger template for the fish scales so Fishy Fish Fish mark II is on his way. I have also bought monkey fabric so watch out for his face soon.
Frosted window panes - It's a mystery where that pattern has gone!
Antique quilt - Found the silk, does that count as starting?
Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday?
I am back in the hotel after a heavy day of shopping at The Festival of Quilts. Note to self: when you're going to be on your feet shopping for 7 hours, don't go to the bookshop first!
I very stupidly forgot to take my camera so settled for shopping today, quilt ogling tomorrow. Here's a run down of my splurges tactical purchases.
For the hex-a-long I decided on shot cottons instead of solids to frame my spots. I thought they would give the quilt a little bit more interest. I got both of these fat-eighth stacks from Oakshott Fabrics and have just spent a fun half hour in the hotel bar matching up fabrics to spots. I guess that doesn't happen often because the waiter moseyed on over to ask what I was doing (I wonder what he'll think when I start basting my diamonds!).
I also fell in love with this large scale floral by Kaffe Fassett. I thought I could fussy cut the large flowers for the odd non-pieced hexie. They will probably have other flowers poking in the edges but I'll see how it works. I bought a half yard which should give me about 8 big flowers. This beauty came from Doughty's.
I didn't plan on buying it but mum was inspired after getting her book signed by Kaffe himself and spent 45 mins picking 21 different prints for a quilt. I had to buy at least one. It would be rude not to!
For non-hex-a-long quilting I bought this book:
Seriously! There really are 5500 quilt blocks in there. Do I just start at number 1 and keep going?
I promise I'll have my camera tomorrow so you can see some of the beautiful quilts in the exhibition, including the hysterical winner of the group quilt section which has a lot of meerkats.
My English paper pieces are all packed up ready to get on the train to The Festival of Quilts. Hopefully I will be buying some solids using the 10% discount voucher I just printed off over at Lilys Quilts so I can start putting these together into hexagons.
I sashed my Strawberry patch quilt.
There is a 4" border of the background fabric to go on still but I've noticed a bit of a boo boo. The background fabric is so pale that it is hard to tell the difference between the front and the back.
This square in the corner of the anvil is actually pieced in upside down. That's the wrong side of the fabric on the top. I'm going to have to do some tactical unpicking to swap it round.
I have a new challenge. A friend of my mother's has this heirloom quilt. It's entirely hand-quilted on silk with a pale mint colour on the top and a mustard colour on the back. It was given to her by the best friend of her mother and is at least 70 years old.
You may be able to make out some spots of discolouration in the centre of the quilt. Her husband left a pen on it and the ink leaked all over. When she tried to clean it off she's lost some of the colour. There are also some patches of wear where the batting is showing through.
It's been a busy weekend. My friends came from all over the country to celebrate my turning 30 and we had a fantastic night (I'm in the middle hugging my big sister).
Unfortunately, while we were out partying the country went mad. There are riots all over London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. I feel a little strange sitting in my little room sewing away while buildings are being burnt, shops are being looted and the police are fighting battles in the street. Not sure what else to do though so sewing it is!
I've been working on basting my spotty diamonds. The good thing about hand sewing these is that I can do it while watching the news and they're so pretty they make me feel a little bit more light hearted. I also found a use for all the empty Ferrero Rocher boxes.
They're as snug as a bug in a rug. I hope things calm down soon. I have a lot of friends in London and I can't sleep for worry.
Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday. 
