The year that was - 2016.

In 2016 I made one wall hanging, 

and 2 cot quilts.

I have no idea why I have started a blue and orange theme - this was not intentional!

Then there were three table runners completed; 

a citrus coloured one, a Pineapple themed one, 

and there is not photo of the 3rd, oops!

I finished one single bed quilt - for Aussie Hero quilts.

I finished 3 large quilts of which 2 were old UFOs - Farmhouse Basket quilt and

- Scrappy Sprouts.  Which was also my leaders/enders and Rainbow Scrap challenge project.

 I ignored the rest of my UFOs to start and finish Autumn Star quilt in the same year!  My excuse is that it was a stash buster and cleaned out a large portion of my autumn toned quilts.

 Finally towards the end of the year I made two mini quilts (what only two?!),

sadly there is no photo of the second one :( 

Two dolls quilts (plus a mattress/pillow)

and two teddy bear sleeping bags were made and posted off, 

but again, I am missing a photo of the second sleeping bag. I am going to try and obtain pictures of the missing items - but 2 of the 3 items have been gifted, so no guarantees.

In 2016 I started a new job, had  IT problems (they seemed endless but been fixed now) and DH continued to travel regularly for work (despite advise his travel was to be reduced) and I started travelling for work!

So while I initially thought my overall output was down compared to 2015,  I am now just happy I got to finish anything!

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.

Piecing in Portland 5

Another UFO that has been sitting in a box waiting for attention.  Really all I did was sew four seams and this was a finished top!  But I had been deliberating about offsetting the rows.  In the end we decided the straight setting was perfect. 

This is a big quilt.  Too big (and white) to take out into the winter wind on the rocks.  And so big it drapes nicely over the bed, but not so great for photos. 

 I might have finished this quilt top and found yet another perfectly matching backing for my quilt!  

(I tell you Widebacks has a great range!)

BUT this one is going to sit awhile before I come to a decision about how to ask the long armer to quilt it...and find the money!

This neglected wall hanging got dragged to Portland.  I loved the pattern but didn't read it before hand and just assumed it was a little wallhanging.  But it is not.  So the temptation to make it bigger, eg lap size was great.

Vicki helped me with the maths to get the Raspberry flying geese to work.  I had cut them all out with the Go cutter, so I was sure they were correct.  But let me assure you I spent a lot of time unpicking and re sewing seams to get them to fit.  Obviously my original quarter inch seam in the first place was not true.  So after a fair bit of mucking around it all worked out just fine.

I am in love with this Raspberry shade of red.  

But this project is going back in its box for me to contemplate its future eg. does it get another border and if so is it flying geese?

Happy quilting Sue.

Zig zag baskets

Gotcha, well I hope I got this picture to work.  The photo has strange blue sections on it, but hopefully it works once posted onto blogger.  This is my contemplation for today.  Because I do like this setting, just got to work out how to fill in the ends though.  

There will be sewing today, just not sure it will be on this project ; )

Happy quilting, Sue.

Citrus Basket

Its SEW easy to procrastinate!

 This fabric basket (free pattern online http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/organization/diy-storage-projects)  is suppose to be a box/rectangle shape but I just used the interfacing I had in the cupboard and it wasn't heavy enough.

 But its a handy size to keep a few sewing things...even though it has a kitchen print liner!

 Ah just perfect for my pattern collection.  Oops there's another pattern I have never made...hmmm and I have been wanting a summer table runner...hmmm in citrus colours would be nice ;)

 More procrastinating...in the form of shopping.  This beautiful print was perfect for my log cabin backing, found at my local multinational outlet starting with S - the shop I love to whinge about.  But surprising I am fairly happy with the new local shop, there is a small section of quilting fabric, but it was neat, tidy, the bolts were colour sorted, there was a mix of reproductions and moderns, all easy to view AND this was $9.06 per metre...yep I was pleasantly surprised.  

So after all that faffing around, I sewed the blocks into vertical rows -which is a first for me!  I do have a photo of them in the zig zag layout, but blogger will only load half the photo - not sure what the problem is.  But my issue is making a decision AND doing the math to get the pieced border to fit.  Well probably if I am really honest with myself, the bigger issue is not making too many more citrus coloured projects from the border fabrics....cos I would hate to do the math and then run out of fabric...especially if I had made something else with it!

Right off to find my calculator, 

happy quilting, Sue.

Farm House Kitchen Basket top

I had been good and done lots of domestic jobs, so thought I could have some time out for sewing fun.  And as per usual the sewing has taken over and the jobs need doing again!

I found 3 more basket blocks.  Of course they needed unpicking and resewing.  My original seam allowance was a fraction too wide.  But also some of the pieces were cut a fraction too small.  Still I managed to get the blocks re sewn, but I was one short to make a row.  

 So I made a fourth block -  there were plenty of spare pieces cut already....mainly because I pre cut all the pieces as required by pattern, then decided to not follow the pattern!  To celebrate summer I thought I needed one citrus coloured block...especially as the appliqued fruit is cherries, applies, pears and plumbs, not a orange or lemon to be seen.

I would like to celebrate at this point, 

but adding an extra row comes with its own problems.

It means the appliqued blocks are no longer in the middle!  And more to the point it means my measurements are uneven on the sides and even on the top and bottom, so need to do the tricky maths to get the pieced border to fit :(

Yikes, this changing the pattern is a dangerous business!

How lucky am I - this is the third lot of gifted fabric I have received since moving to the country - this is a present from Elaine my friend from Adelaide.  These huge bundle of fabrics are shop samples pieces, that she brought somewhere in country SA at a patchwork shop.  I can see more beautiful cot quilts in my future!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Log cabin flimsy finish

Oops my bad!  

So sorry but I really did think that I had posted a photo of my finished Log Cabin (70" x 84").

Ta da!  Dang blast, there is a boo boo :(

Ah that's better.
Now I just have to buy some backing then its off to the long arm quilter for this top.

This is the reason that I forgot I had a flimsy finish to brag about....

Yep that's right - I am working on my Farm House Kitchen Basket quilt...again!
Lisa reminded me that I had taken this quilt away on our last two retreats....hmm that means its been on the WIP list for more then 2 years....does that make it a UFO?....perhaps I had better get to and finish it ASAP!
I have two more blocks to finish the sashing and neutral corners to put them on point, (one still needs a handle) and then I need to decided if I like this setting OR I want to go with the original setting, which was laid out with staggered vertical rows - so the neutral backgrounds make a zig zag.  But that requires me to make some half blocks :(
These blocks  are 17" finished, so in this setting and with the 9 patch border the finished quilt will be 80" x 80" .....hmm and its still summer and it was always going to be my summer bed quilt, if I can just finish it super quick!

Happy quilting Sue.