Rainbow Scrap Challenge Star Quilt finished!

A collection of scraps, sewn together into blocks each month in nominated Rainbow Scrap Challenge colours - whats not to love about this beauty!

Yeah another finish in time for our exhibition at the end of May! 

This quilt measures 56 x 56" and is made up of 8" star blocks.  I cut up my accumulated scraps using my Go Cutter 2.5" square and half square triangle dies.  This is one of the blocks that I made with that combination of pieces.  Because you can get a triangle out of most scraps, I have ended up with a LOT of these star blocks.

This year I havent sewn a single new block for RSC, which makes me sad.  However I did make this top in January, during the heat of summer and it has been waiting to be quilted ever since.

In the end I gave it to my long arm quilting friend Vicki Jenkin because I knew I was running out of time to quilt it myself.  And I was very aware that lots of the intersections were very lumpy from so many seams...sorry Vicki!

So while I have been finishing minis quilts and sewing hanging sleeves ready for our show, Vicki has finished this quilt for me, using a much loved all over pattern called Asti (like the bubbly wine I guess!) in a turquoise thread, which just makes the fun rainbow of colours come alive. I am really pleased with this quilt!

Happy quilting Sue.

Temecula Quilt Co sampler

Temecula Quilt Company ran a free sew along for a mini quilt sampler in June 2017. I started the sew along with blocks from scraps, in a variety of colours and a second version in pinks and reds.

By October 2017 all the red and pink blocks were completed and sewn together with sashing.  Which clearly I didn't like and changed to add cornerstones!

Then on camp in April 2019 I found the completed flimsy and started quilting it.

Quilting the sampler was easy as I just did in the ditch, but when your up close and personal all the mistakes hit you in the eye.  I just kept going.....finished is far preferable then to adding another UFO to the collection!

So finally a finish for this old UFO and  it was in time for our exhibition.  Now to hunt down the multi coloured blocks and see where they are at!

Happy quilting Sue.

Antique mini quilt, pattern by Ann Hermes

After a lot of searching on my blog I found a single  image of this mini quilt, which I apparently started in March 2017.  I don't know how long it took to put the border on, but I am sure that it was the border that was the reason it spent two years in the naughty corner!

I like things to be symmetrical and I just had to accept this was not going to happen with these tiny pieces.  The important thing is the quilt is  now completed (after pulling the house apart to find a matching scrap of blue for the binding) and I am happy!  Because it is blue and white all is forgiven :).  This mini will appear on my lounge room wall after our exhibition in late May....something else will have to come down, but its time for a change!

Pattern by Ann Hermes based on an antique quilt, published in American  Patchwork and Quilting magazine February 2011, finished size 17" x 17".

Happy quilting Sue.  

Broken dishes done

It was easy to quilt in the ditch around the half square triangles but knowing what to quilt in the border was entirely a different matter!

Then once a decision had been made there was the issue of being able to see the quilting pattern I had drawn.  I tried various markers I had and none worked on this dark red :(  Might also have something to do with me needing new glasses?

So I quilted it from the back!  I had already stitched around the border, so I could easily determine the space I had available.  Because the only suitable able stencil was a little too narrow for the border, I filled it out with some echo quilting.  Then put folded squares of homespun on two corners for hanging pockets and a third (with folded side stitched down this time) on a third to form the label.  Done!  The backing was a lovely quilters homespun purchased while I was on camp.  I have never used homespun as a backing before, but definitely going to do it for all my wall hangings in the future.  

Happy quilting Sue.

Sewing in Dunkeld part 4

When I arrived at camp (not having been last year) there was a bit of chat about "I hope the lady with "down the rabbit hole quilt" is back!  And she was...with the stunning quilt and on a mission to attach the binding.  I think this is a Sarah Fielkes pattern.  I think I will be forever remembered as a quilter who sewed her instructions to her bag!

Which is what happens when your tired and sewing after a glass of wine!  However the bag did get finished ;)

Just magnificent!

This clamshell quilt was only a few rows when she arrived and was finished in the weekend.  Cut out using templates (my pet dislike) it was all machine pieced.  I was in awe at the speed and the thought of the dent this quilt could put in my scrap collection.  

Now I have been cured of my fear of sewing curves, I might aim to tackle this quilt ....on the proviso  I can get a Go clamshell die to make the cutting easy!

Happy quilting Sue.

Sewing in Dunkeld part 3

This quilt story and owners name, I have forgotten but I love string quilts so wanted to include it!

Julie brought this completed quilt for show and tell, she had made it as part of a medallion challenge.

This is Ann from Periwinkle Patchwork!  She made this bag over the weekend.  The top of the bag has a wire frame so that it opens nice and wide.  Just love the fabric Ann chose.

Ann made this table runner using the Quick Curve Ruler.  

A small quilting project for the weekend.

These tiny blue and aqua hexies were of course hand stitched, but destine to be a table topper, not a quilt.  A  project, not something to be rushed, but slowly savoured.

Happy quilting Sue

Sewing in Dunkeld part 2

Anne also made this quilt, which I am sure is called Periwinkle block.  But this is not Ann who owns Periwinkle Patchwork!

I think this is Yvonnes quilt but my memory is not reliable!  However I am 100% sure she made the top that weekend.

More lovely quilt tops - this one is all the old world romantic florals.

Baby quilt that was made over the weekend. 

Bedford Mystery quilt - some South Australians will recognize this quilt, as was a fundraising kit, but was extended by her own personal stash/scraps.

And a beautiful octopus crochet for premie babies to grasp instead of pulling out their tubes.

Happy quilting Sue.

Sewing in Dunkeld part 1

Dunkeld is a small town on the southern side of the Grampians National Park in Western Victoria.

 I stayed in a school camp in the National Park, a short drive north of the town for the weekend.  The camp was organised by my friend and patchwork shop owner Ann.  The company, food and views were magnificent.

I worked on a number of projects including this very old UFO - Temecula Mini Monday sampler that was supposed to have a border, but had been in the sin bin so long I forgot that and just went ahead and quilted it.

My roomie Annette machine appliqued the start of this beautiful quilt.  I didn't know anyone at camp apart from Ann and her mother Barb.  It is so nice to make new friends!

Donna and I sat next to each other and she worked on this great hunting/4WD quilt for her son.  Correction she made the top in the weekend!  The four little stitcheries were all 4 wheel drive utes - which I thought were great, because I assumed it was impossible to find male themed stitcheries!

At this point I have to confess to forgetting  details, which annoys the heck out of me - especially when I had been given the back story on some of these tops!  This is Anne's quilt top  - and it was made with reproduction fabrics.  But I don't remember if this last quilts is Anne's or her friend Helens.  

It is always nice to see other peoples work....and then find out they have been quilting longer then you! LOL! These last two quilts intimidate the heck out of me and I endlessly admire those brave and skilled enough to master them.

Happy quilting Sue.

French General Frivol

Moda Frivols tin #5;  Atelier is the pattern and the fabrics are  Petite prints Deux - French General.

I pieced this little quilt (33 x 30") while I was on camp in March.  I then came home and quilted it very simply while I was in the mood for quilting.  It was great to get a quick finish on something that had been sitting in my sewing room (in its lovely tin) for too long.  

I love growing African Violets, they are the perfect house plant for a "fair weather gardener" like me - someone who likes minimal effort gardening.  I subscribe to having house plants to clean the air and add some living colour, but keeping them alive has been a challenge!  My success is down to the pots, Decor brand, which have a reservoir of water underneath and the plant sucks up the moisture as it does in nature, through its roots.  The bonus is that African violets don't mind a period of dry, so if I forget to top up the water it doesn't seem to stress the plant, but more importantly I cannot overwater them.

Happy quilting Sue.