March is Yellow

Yellow is the colour for March in the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge.  I haven't had a very productive month of yellow and we only have a few more days left of March!

I only made nine leaves.  I must say that I like yellow but struggled to find a sufficient number of scraps so I had to resort to cutting up some stash - not that it is a bad thing!  

Lisa pointed out to me that she has been adding the bottom row of background squares to her leaves as she goes.  So I spent a lot of time leader and ending a row of background squares to previously made leaves.

I did use rather a lot of yellow in this project (AFL Hawthorn football quilt for DS 8 yr old)....but it was brought especially....so didn't make a dent in the stash at all :(  Please excuse the wonky photo DS 6 yr old was more interested in watching cartoons then happy snaps!

In my reproduction stash I had two chrome yellows.  The April 2015 Quilt Mania magazine featured a reproduction mini quilt pattern (Framed Nine-Patch Doll Quilt by Ann Hermes) based on the antique pillow/cushion cases the author collects....it seemed sensible to start a new project at the time...in the effort to use more yellow!  

I am not sure if the instructions got lost in translation or I lost the plot (they include inches and centimeters in the pattern), but the measurements were a bit off and I struggled with this pattern.  Mum told me she didn't like my colour choice for the border...I thought brown was "safe" after following their colour choices of poison green, chrome yellow and hot pink...the border was suppose to be red!

We had in a mini beach holiday.  Warm enough to get sunburned during the day and cold enough to affect DH chest at night...nobody expect it to be 2C overnight on the coast!  Luckily my friend was able to loan us a heater to use in the caravan and we were toasty warm.
The kids are now on school holidays, so I am hoping to get lots of machine quilting done to finish off some of these quilt tops.
 Happy quilting, Sue.

Tigers live in India

Do you remember the fabrics that my friend gifted me, which included a panel of animals - I made it into a top a few weeks ago.

So here it is all quilted with a stipple all over.  I could not decide on a name for it....I thought they were all African animals, but the kids tell me that tigers live in India not Africa!

Obviously watching all those David Attenborough documentaries, they have learned something!

When you make a big twister quilt you end up with approximately 4" square scraps from the centre blocks and triangular shapes from the border.  All on the bias.  

Waste not, want not...especially as I also had the two squares that were not quite 10" left over.  I popped them through the Go Cutter, using my 3.5" triangle die.  I started sewing half square triangles and stopped when I ran out! Very pleased to get two quilts out of this fat eighth bundle....oh and yardage of white homespun and pink polka dots for borders....and specially purchased pink flannel for the backing!
Oops better get back to using up the stash!
Happy quilting, Sue.

Pretty pink cot quilt

When I was in Geelong a few weekends ago I brought some pretty fabrics...I need to make a baby girl cot quilt.

And because the shop had Emma Jansen's range of  fabrics, I brought a few more fat quarters - hopefully they match in with what I already have.

I then undid the pretty fat eighth bundle I bought - so I could cut each fat eight into 2 x ten" squares.  That was good in theory, except that one fabric which was a smidge too narrow.  Which meant my quilt had to be one row short, all because the shop owner RIPS instead of cuts the fabric :(  

Sorry I know I shouldn't use bad language, but the R word makes me mad.

Sewed on a white border and then brought out the Twister ruler.

On went the pink on pink spot fabric I bought at the same shop....yep it was ripped.  Clearly I was so enamoured with the contents of the store  I didn't hear her doing that!  It was a clandestine shopping trip - I was suppose to be JUST dropping off my sewing machine for a service ;)

New baby cot quilt top done!

I do think I have to confess to a new crush on white homespun with pretty and clear colours.  I will be buying more very soon : )

Happy quilting Sue

Table runner love

I sent a sample of the too short binding to my old local quilt shop....of course she didn't have it anymore.  So I went to my new local quilt shop and brought some fabric!!  Mind you they were shocked that I would unpick all that binding...wanted me to make it scrappy!?  No way it was easier to do new and put the old binding in the 2.5" strip bin.

I am very happy with this table runner AND it used fabric out of my stash....well except for the binding! 

This is what I brought, green for binding, red below it (already cut) for binding my log cabin, yellow for another Hawthorn footy quilt and reproduction reds for wee basket wall hanging.

  

Here is the red binding machine stitched on the log cabin.  I don't like it :(

We spent ages picking out just the right red...but it wasn't a reproduction....and it has roses on it...shock horror - I don't like florals!  I really don't know what I was thinking buying it!! 

Here's something I do like... my very old UFO is now my finished hexagon reproduction table runner!

It just needed a little hand quilting...for the last couple of years....I know I don't usually hand quilt, but it deserved it...but also why it has been in the UFO bin for so long!

Happy quilting, Sue SA.

Go the mighty Hawks

I hadn't made a Aussie Hero Quilt for a long time (busy buying, selling, moving house!) but now I am settled and the kids are back at school I decided it was time to get back to work!

When the request list came out, one chap nominated his preferred theme as the AFL (Australian Football League)  team, Hawthorn Hawks.

I have only made one laundry bag before and I struggled with it.  But this one was whipped up in no time.  In hindsight I wish I had used gold on top, but I will remember for next time.  

 I made the quilt top in an afternoon...not hard to sew big strips together!  The words were quick too.  But it was a bit boring!

 My patchwork group have purchased a Brother Scan and Cut.  It was put to work....not by me, but Barbara kindly operated it for me.  I must say it does impressive work but for a little machine it was very complicated to use.  I have since satin stitched the design down, so it will survive a trip or six through a commercial washing machine.  

Because I hadn't planned this quilt in advance to have a logo, it got appliqued on sideways like the words.  A bit of simple quilting and I was done!

.Mr 8 has put in a request for one.  DH's comment was "Wow"...that is the nicest thing he has ever said about any of my quilts!  Did I mention I live in a house with three Hawthorn supporters?  That is the real reason we had to move back to Victoria....Mr 6 was talking about changing alliances and supporting an Adelaide based footy team...DH was not having it!!
Happy quilting, Sue.

Farmyard pinwheel cot quilt - done!

Here is the finished Farmyard pinwheel quilt.   Not the best shot for seeing the quilting, but I stitched in the ditch around all the blocks and border.  

Then I cut loose and free motion quilted spirals in the border and the centres of each pinwheel.  I cannot honestly say that this quilt turned out far better than I expected.  Adding the white sashing to the colourful busy prints was the best thing I ever did.

Those are my legs (weather has turned cool) I was short of a quilt hanger ....DH had been away for work....I had to step in and do it myself while Mr8 took the photo.  We picked up DH from the airport this weekend.  His two week work trip  turned into a 8 day hospital stay to be treated for pneumonia.  Thankfully he is feeling much better and making a full recovery.  

I have handed in my sewing machine for a service....it will be missing in action for a week :(  I have two more bindings to hand sew down, hopefully that will keep me amused...and DH can enjoy the sounds of peace and quiet in the house!

Happy quilting Sue.

Pink scraps

The Rainbow Scrappy Challenge colour for February was PINK!  

I had sufficient pre cut scraps to make 2 scrappy nine patch blocks and 11 leaf blocks.  Unfortunately all my leaf blocks face the same way....in March I will have to make sure I make more right facing leaf blocks...ugh this thinking when sewing does my head in!

I was definitely not in the mood for thinking when sewing yesterday, so I made four bodies (they need two sides) for my scrap chook pot holders.  This is the best pattern I have for using crumbs.  I love string blocks but don't like crumb blocks for some reason.  However I love these pot holders, they make great practical gifts.  I used a combination of pink and purple, as my pink palette is lacking.  However I did remedy that by buying some pink (with a thin stripe) yardage on sale....which is intended for a "girly" eye spy quilt.  I always end up making boy eye spy quilts...just want to even up the numbers!

Happy quilting Sue