little finishes

 Finally I have finished the last block from the free BOM by Dawn Heese from Linen Closet quilts.

Now I just have to trim them and decide on sashing.  Hmmm fabric choices, could take awhile!

I made a few of these small dresden plates in rainbow, when I discovered a pattern in Quilts and More (Summer 2016) magazine - which was for a pincushion.  The block is about 8" but I decided that one pin cushion was enough.  And instead of using linen for the background I used shot cotton in grey for a more modern look.  That lead to the more modern look quilting.

So finally a little wall hanging, perfect for a gift - which is why I have kept it under wraps until now!

Happy quilting Sue.

Merry Christmas

 Wishing you a 

 very Merry Christmas

with lots of love, laughter and time with family and friends, 

Sue.

Blue and orange friendship star cot quilt - finished!

Remember this cot quilt I made out of home made 2.5" strips from my stash?

 Well I finally got it quilted.  I used a variegated thread in blue/yellow and stippled it all over. I find stippling is the easiest free motion quilting pattern for me.  I have practised other patterns, but keep coming back to stipple because it generally melts into the background so you can focus on the colours and pattern.

I found a nice blue in my stash to bind it in.  I am all out of orange.  Pity it is definitely one of my new favourite colours!

The best bit is the snuggly flannel backing I found in my stash with diggers on it, and the colours even match! 

 Happy quilting Sue.

A Merry Dove

Back in September I brought a pattern called A Merry Dove , by "One day in May" designer Melissa Grant. 

 Melissa was at the spring sewing day run by A Quilters Harvest in Warracknabeal and showed me how to satin stitch.

 We got lots of free patterns in our goodie bags that day, of which I have finished none!  But figured this candle wrap (or potential gift with jar of lollies?) was needed by 25 December, otherwise it is redundant for rest of summer. 

 

So I set to and made it over a 24 hour period.  Not having a light box was the biggest fiddle.  There are lots of other things I should have been doing, but so what!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Two not quite finished finishes!

I finished the four stars from Kim Diehl's book "Simple Christmas Tidings"..

 

They are slightly addictive and I have more pieces cut out in different colours.  In the meantime the kids put up our Christmas tree, honesty there is not a spare branch on in it for another ornament!

I just need to add some perle cotton for hanging them...somewhere!





 

I finished this mini Dresden in reproduction fabrics some time ago.  Which I love on the linen.

I even hand quilted the top!



But I am not in love with the side join.  Hence it has not been on public display.  However recently I saw a pin cushion in this design with ruched sides.  So a new ruched side for this mini pillow/giant pincushion is on my "to do" list, after Christmas, while I am on holidays.

 Not in linen mind.  I have never heard of ruched linen.  But then again I have never ruched anything - gathered yes, but ruched no, so I am happy to be told different!

So there you go, two not quite finished projects!  I am running out of things to show you, must be time for a new project.  Oh that's right I am going on holidays soon....new projects started (not finished) are guaranteed!

Happy quilting Sue.



Log cabin from pre cut strips out of my stash

I am ashamed to admit there are no real progress photos of this quilt!  I needed a quick fix of mindless piecing and grabbed my box of  home made (using up stash) pre cut 2.5" strips.  I had a plan (e.g. pattern) for log cabins using red and green fabric with stars at the intersection of the blocks. I didn't give a lot of thought to contrast and therefore the original plan failed.  

 So I had to move to plan B, plain Jane log cabin blocks.  Well, first good friend Lisa came around and provided the motivation to make up a plan B!  Prior to that there was great temptation to stuff them in a corner and ignore them!  So first some unpicking.  And a bit of rethinking, but not too much!

 Some blocks are "red" and others "green", but in the end the mix works really well.  Mind you that blue/green strip sticks out more then you would think!  The blocks are suppose to be 12" finished but I had to trim them back a tad, so the flimsy comes in at 59" x 71". Not bad and I used up loads of scrap!

No border required, I am done with this top!  It might be pushing my luck, but hoping for a suitable backing in my stash!

Next: I made up these little stars, rotary cut (with a freezer paper template) and machine stitched.  The next step is backing, stuffing and a button is sewed in the center, hiding all imperfections ; )

I am hoping these can serve as cute Christmas Tree decorations - the pattern is from Kim Diehl's new book "Simple Christmas Tidings".  

Happy quilting Sue.

Autumn Stars Quilt finish!

The desire to reduce my stash of an overwhelming amount of brown fabric, resulted in a frenzy of piecing back in April this year.  

This is the only in progress shot I have, because the top went together so quickly.  The only hold up was finding the right border fabric!

  Quilted in an all over leaf pattern by Vicki Jenkin.  Sorry I must start writing down the names of the quilting patterns she uses, because I did spend a lot of time choosing this one!

There isn't enough room inside my house to take photos of this quilt, as it turned out so large!  Besides it deserved a follow up outdoor shot, now the garden is in spring mode!
Two finishes in two weeks, folks.  But it is all coming to an end, as I have not and will not have much sewing time of late due to work and personal commitments, especially as the silly season is basically upon us.
Rest assured I will be looking towards more finishes, but just planning them for 2017 ; )

Happy quilting Sue.

Farmhouse Kitchen Basket Quilt finish!

I have finished the Farmhouse Kitchen Baskets Quilt!  

There is considerable deviation from the original pattern, but that is no reflection on the original designer Ann Horton. I found this pattern in magazines that a friend was clearing out of her sewing room, it was published in USA magazine Quilters Newsletter over three editions in 2008.  

The original design included a nine patch border and the basket blocks were off set, but while I loved both of these design elements in the end the quilt was big enough  and I didn't have enough of the fabrics to make the border - I started making the nine patches, but it just was not working - I didn't have enough of the right colours.  

I started this quilt back in 2012 when I was the mother of a 4 and 6 year old, trying to work part time and we lived in Adelaide.  So much as changed since then!  This quilt has been on more quilt retreats then I care to mention!  I unpicked numerous blocks (more then I care to admit) when I realized that some were way too small.  Unpicking triangles results in stretched pieces, so I ended up remaking some blocks.  

 I enjoyed piecing the baskets.  But loved appliqueing the fruit.  I have a thing about fruit themed patchwork, so making a full size quilt with fruit on it makes my heart sing!

 I cannot remember ever using black in a full size quilt, or orange! So it was a joy to enjoy using both colours in this quilt.

  I really love the bright clear fabrics  and adore the patterned background prints.  Don't get me wrong, I am still a reproduction girl at heart, but there will be more fun in the future, using the leftover backgrounds in another quilt!

And rick rack...who doesn't love rick rack for a basket handle?!  But once again this is the first time I have used it in a quilt.

First time I have also used a pale backing - but so perfect for this quilt.  Plus it enabled me to use a red binding, which looked perfect on the front and back.  

Lots of firsts in this quilt.  Lots I love.
My local long-arm quilter and friend Vicki Jenkin has quilted an overall design (sorry forgot the pattern name) and used cotton wadding - which I really love. She did a great job and was spot on picking out the pattern for me - its more involved then a stipple, but just melts into the background so the blocks can shine. 

The only thing left to do is wash this quilt.  I will wait until the weather is warmer, but I will not be giving it away, until I have washed it with multiple Colour Catchers and hope that the red is not going to run....fingers crossed!

Happy quilting Sue.

Orange and blue friendship star cot quilt - flimsy finish

Another flimsy finish....only cot sized but I am still really pleased with it.  

Pleased because the blocks haven't languished in a corner for six months.  

But super pleased because I used up almost all of the left over strips to make a piano key border. And then found the perfect fabric in my stash to make the side borders.

I always feel pleased with myself when I make a quilt completely out of my stash!  And I even found in my deep dark stash enough novelty flannel left over from another quilt for the backing....its got diggers and trucks on it...so perfect for a little boy : )

Happy quilting Sue.

Impulse shopping and Wooly Basket progress

In order to continue stitching this block from my Woolly Baskets I needed another skein of brown thread.

That lead to the purchase of this magazine....with the oh so tempting scrappy pencil quilt on the front cover!

Which was quickly followed by a trip down the sale isle to see what bargins were lurking on the shelves.... 

This was just too cute to leave behind but I dont need any more cot quilt panels!

Yet two came home with me.....it was an expensive trip for one skein of thread!

But it resulted in some stitching progress...

 Blocks six - finished!

 Block 9 - finished!

I have started prepping the two outstanding blocks (1 and 12).  Spring is proving to be wet, windy and winter like, with occasional days of sunshine.  So I  am trying to get this finished, while warm wool is still on my mind!

Happy quilting Sue.

Stitching at Quilters Harvest

I have been stalking my next Kim Diehl book online and decided I would go for her new book, Simple Christmas Tidings.  But wanted to support my local quilt shop...so I asked Quilters Harvest to put a copy aside for me.  No point in getting this book FOR Christmas, I need it now, to make stuff!

It is full of good projects, but I cannot get distracted yet, I have to finish some of the things I started with Quilters Harvest Spring Sewing day!

 A day out with Lisa, meeting up with friends (new and old) at Quilters Harvest in Warracknabeal, is just what I needed!  The spring sewing day started out with a small gift, a lovely coffee mug, which I used all day!

 There was the usual goodie bag full of new patterns, all very stitchery focused.  I started off with this pattern, by Melissa Grant of One Day in May.  Can you see the tiny orange flower....it is double sided fused - totally raw edge, only held down by a few embroidery stitches in the center.

I did not think to take a hoop, but it didnt matter.  Melissa showed us how to make the tiny blue dots, and the orange flowers.  This is the embroidery for the needle book in the pattern.  I really need a stitchery roll, which is also in the pattern, but going to try and finish the needle book first!

This project (sorry no photo of finished item) is by Lisa Cantlay of Fig n Berry Creations and is going to be pin cushion and sewing pouch. There was lots of satin stitch in this project so I had a lesson on that from the tutor.  I have never mastered satin stitch, so was thrilled to finally get my skill set up to speed there.  And she showed me out to do colonial knots - I could never follow the diagrams in books, and stuck to french knots.  But I am true convert to the colonial knot now!

And then there was some shopping, one of Melissa Grants patterns, and two by Petals and Patches designer Leanne Knell that spoke to me!  Especially Tilly the turtle!

And the final bit of shopping was the linen here, which I need for my stash, no immediate use, just had used up what I had brought a few months ago.

Last but not least, my first gift for the day was this cute little needle book, all in repro fabrics from Mandy.  Very cute and very appropriate for the day!  I tucked all my threads in it carefully before we left, so I can continue my stitching....I did manage to finish some of last years projects, so my aim is to get these two done...probably over summer when its too hot to quilt. 

Happy quilting Sue.

Bright and Breezy Windmills

 My friend Lisa had given me two English quilting magazines after she had finished reading them, assuring me they "were right up my alley" and indeed one of the patterns spoke to me instantly!

This pattern was from Pam and Nicky Lintott and called Bright and Breezy Windmills.  It was published in "Todays Quilter" issue 2.

There is nothing revolutionary about this design.  It just happens that I am trying to whittle down the collection of 2.5" strips I have in my stash.  Well that is what I did to most of my unwanted stash, I cut it up into 2.5" strips!  And as a follower of Bonnie Hunter I have been using them up gradually, when the urge strikes me to piece.

So I grabbed all the blue and orange stripes.  Then cut up a yellow piece of fabric and the background.  I thought that I would make a "trial" quilt before I embarked on this pattern in a big way.  And these blocks will make a enough for a smallish cot quilt top.  I just need to piece them together and add a couple of borders.  Not bad for a few hours of fun in the sewing room.

Happy quilting Sue.