Quilts n more Spring 2017

This is the Spring 2017 edition of Quilts and More magazine.  It has been on my coffee table for at least six months and to be honest doesn't stay in the book case very long.  Hence I have ended up making a LOT of projects from this one edition, and many of them this year!

The main reason is the Vivid Grid pattern (page 46!) which has become a favorite pattern because; a) easily made with stash, scraps or jelly roll, b) only uses 2.5"stripes and squares" c) is not complicated pattern to layout or piece, hence quick to make.  

Sorry terrible photo taken at night, but this is a cot sized fourth version of Vivid Grid that I changed up slightly by adding sashing.   My first Vivid Grid was pretty and bright, using a combinatino of stash and scraps, in 2017 after I brought the magazine.  It was gifted to my husbands niece.

Second version was made using a jelly roll Collection for a Cause and finished in early 2018.  I took the quilt to  UK and gifted it to a friend Jim, who we visited on his family farm that year.   

Third version was made from stash using up red and blue and a scrap bag of yellow pieces I brought when on retreat in 2019 at Periwinkle Patchwork.  Can you see the millenium fabric in red (LH corner)...I have just used some of the last 2.5" squares in the fourth version, LOL!

Page 72 is Natures Guide and I have now made this quilt twice this year!! (at this point your allowed to think the pandemic has sent me crazy!)  This is version one (half size  pattern), and version two is very similar;  a different sashing fabric and quilted by me instead of a professional long armer.  I will blog about version two soon.

Page 86 is A Bit of History, a mini quilt by Ann Hermes using antique fabric.  My version is made using very bright reproduction scraps instead. I wanted to make something for me and another project from the magazine, plus I am a fan of Ann's patterns.  

Page 58 Top your Table: Spring table runner  was a project I finished in our spring 2017....which is fall in the northern hemisphere!  I love seasonal themed projects to decorate the house, but I think I only finished one other from this series....I need to rectify that!

So that still leaves a few projects unmade from this magazine, including a large and mini Shoo Fly and a gorgeous chocolate and pink log cabin that is not in the photo, but very tempting!  I have decided if I am going to go whole hog or not, LOL!  That might depend on how long this pandemic and my period of unemployment run for.  

Happy quilting, Sue.

Finishes x three

I think this is Vivid Grid # 3!  Top was made out of 2.5" stash fabrics, just pulled out the red, blue and yellow for blocks and beige background.  I was seriously short of yellow but a lucky find of yellow scrap bag at Periwinkle Patchwork solved that problem.  I enjoyed diagonal quilting this, quick, easy and looks great!

I have been on a quilting roll!  This charity quilt got made at camp in May from some already made eye spy four patches I found in my stash.  A fun musical print was used as sashing and a cheerful orange print that I purpose purchased to brighten this quilt up.

This Eye Spy quilt became very very blue, but I still like it!  I tried a white sashing and it just didn't work.  So I just went with blue.  It used more precut stash and a bunch of left over blue binding strips from past projects.

Hopefully it makes a sick child smile.

Happy quilting Sue.

Warrnambool 4 patch flimsy finishes

I finally got a border on this kids charity quilt.  Lots of colours would work, but I just felt Orange rarely gets centre stage and needed a chance to shine! ; )

The blue I brought to border this very blue quilt came from a quilt shop.  It felt stiff but I figured a good wash would fix that, so I washed it and it still felt like cardboard. :(  

I pieced all the Vivid Grid blocks into a top but decided this was a good size as is (using guidelines from Very Snuggly quilts) and the upper limit of size I like to quilt myself (approx 50 "square).  I am happy with this top, but dont love the cream background.  Wish I had thought to make a blue background with red and yellow crosses...next time! This is fast becoming a favorite pattern.

I have been making the backings for all three quilt tops (that I made on retreat), using a great fish print I brought from Spotlight when we were at Warrnambool - it was such a bargain I brought the rest of the bolt.  Because all three quilts just needed 10" extra added to the width of the fish fabric, I used the crunchy blue as the side strip on the back.  That got rid of it and I made a promise to myself to never buy fabric that feels remotely hard again!  

Happy quilting Sue.

Warrnambool Retreat

This is me packed up and ready to go at home...after I had a bit of a cull, to make sure Lisa and I both fitted in the car.  As it turns out, my stuff fitted in exactly half of the backseat and boot.  

We left for Warrnambool on Thursday morning and got there after lunch, after a lovely relaxing drive with a stop for coffee and cake, as you do when your on holidays!

 I was trying to blog on my phone so l could join in Chookys virtual sew along the same weekend :)  but it did NOT work!  Might be something to do with me needing new glasses, as my 0 birthday creeps up!  Or my lack of IT skills ; )

WARNING 3 New projects commenced!!

This top was one of two I kitted up before we went.  I found sufficient pre made four patches in my novelty stash, as well as cornerstones, I just had to cut the sashing.  Sashing was a new purchase from Spotlight while they had 40% off patchwork fabric.  I had taken some fabric for possible borders, but decided to wait and see if I liked something better at home.

I had also pre cut all the parts for these Vivid Grid blocks, from my pre cut 2.5" strip collection.  I had oodles of blue and red but not so much yellow.

Luckily when we went to visit Ann at Periwinkle Patchwork I found this bundle of joy...bargain scrap bag!  All pre cut 2.5" squares, perfect for adding to my blocks.

I got all the 10" blocks made, but not sewn together.  So when put together this should be 50 x 50" which is a decent size quilt for a kids charity quilt.

I made another Eye Spy top, from a different sized collection of four patches - all blue, with blue sashing from my stash.  This is also going to be a  kids charity quilt. once it has some borders.
There was some bag construction, some further retail therapy, lots of chat, coffee and time spent relaxing reading books and magazines brought to share. 

Happy Quilting Sue.