Aussie Hero Quilts

This is the quilt I sent this week to a Australian Defence force member serving overseas.

  It felt good to finish another Aussie Hero quilt and have it posted off.  However I did decide that I would have a go at making some blocks, for my next effort.  The Australiana themed fabric I have purchased this year, finally went to good use.  I made two of each of the eight fabrics, as, you can see the bottom left corner the pattern repeat makes it look like a different block, but is the same fabric.  I was trying to line up fabric so I didn't cut heads off kangaroos etc, but it didn't always work out, as some of the prints were a tad large.

 I also posted these blocks this week.  This applique didn't use much fabric up, so I have a plan for the remaining Australian fabric - to make my next Aussie Hero quilt a whole lot more patriotic.

Last but not least this is one of the last cot panels I brought in January at Hettie's Patch sale.  I have quilted it simply, just follow outlines, and didn't over quilt.  A lovely boys quilt, all ready to be gifted to an expectant friend.

Happy quilting, Sue SA.

Progress on new and old projects

Last weekend I got a lot of sewing time, this weekend has not been so successful.  I dragged out my scrappy four patches, which I was putting together on point.  I sewed the last row on and some narrow borders, this quilt is destine for Aussie Heroes, for a serving member of our defence forces.  I am hoping that it is only wavy because of the way it is hanging, not because of all the triangles I used to piece it, fingers crossed!

This quilt was a great learning exercise as I had a photo of a quilt in this layout from a magazine (years old) and I just winged it.  However if if has lots of whoops in it, I wont be happy when I come to quilt it!  I will have to wait until it stops raining before I can get outside and spray baste.  I also used up some of the 2.5" squares in the pre cut scrap box - that is always a bonus, but I do have another project planned for the rest!

This the last of the Maisy cot panels I brought in January.  I am wondering if I might add a border on this one and make it a bit larger?  I think there is enough of the red fabric, but I am tempted to use yellow?  We will see, it is 43 x 30 " currently so it all depends on how much fabric is in the stash.  But I do plan on buying minky for the backing.  Minky is so nice, soft and cuddly - I am not sure that I will ever view flannel with the same affection again, after being introduced to minky!

 I used minky as backing on this cot quilt (44 x44") because minky is 150cm/59" wide, as opposed to the 115cm /45 " quilting fabric....I was being lazy and didn't want to piece in a extra strip!  No,  really  I did want to try minky and this was a good opportunity.  I thought it would be harder to quilt, but it wasn't, I think I spray basted it a bit too well and I did have to push it through the machine in a couple of spots.  I have been lazy and not finished hand sewing the binding on this quilt, but will this weekend.  I have come down with a cold and my youngest son has a very croaky voice, so I think that apart from the uninviting weather outside,  I will be happy to do some mindless hand sewing in front of the TV this weekend, while I wait this cold out.  Apologies for the last photo - inside shots are necessary today!  Happy quilting Sue SA.