Pumpkin and black mini in progress

After months of making charity quilts I recently made a mini quilt from the Quilts and More magazine, which then inspired me to make another.  This pattern is called Nine Patch Checkerboard (22'x22") from the Jo Morton book Little Favourites.  The pattern in mini quilt books are not always true scaled down miniatures, but this one uses 1.5" squares, and that was sufficient challenge for me at the time!

I figured it would be "easy" because there were mainly squares v triangles...however trying to square up the block was a bit dicey.  I definitely need a new small ruler with more 1/8" lines marked all along the ruler.

I also struggled to find much variety in my black fabric.  In the end the final block uses two different scraps of black fabric, in order to get enough to make a block!  As some of the fabrics are quite colourful and busy I ended up ordering a larger piece of black from Elm Grove Patchwork for the borders.  I found that I have a substantial collection of pumpkin and cheddar fabrics, so really had fun auditioning the different prints for the tiny border.  

 

My birthday plant from last year has a new flower and a second one down closer to the base about to come out.  I think this is a peace lily, but no matter what it is, I just adore the colour of that flower!

 

Happy quilting Sue.

Beth’s baskets by Jo Morton

Are you bored yet?  For weeks now I have been finishing things, all in time for our exhibition!  This is another UFO that I dusted off to make our late May deadline. 

I started this pattern Beths Baskets from Jo Morton's book Jo's Little Favorites a long time ago.

I have in fact made the baskets twice, because the first attempt was awful.  I unpicked them all, remade them and they were still awful, so my cutting must have been off.  Sew I started from scratch!  Which explains the extended periods in the naughty corner for this wall hanging - time is a good healer ; )

I love the pink fabric in the setting triangles but it is a dirty pink bordering on coral and has been very hard to match.   I had  put a top/bottom border on in the brown stripe, which satisfied my need for symmetry, but made the quilt too heavy.  When I checked the pattern, Jo Morton had just used three vertical sashings.  But she had another chocolate floral print as cornerstones in the border, which looked lovely and balanced out the contrast.  

After several failed attempts to buy the perfect border fabric (and at half a yard each they were expensive mistakes) I decided to just use this one and stop wasting time and money.  Once I made that decision I didn't bother trying to find another fabric, as there is such a thing as too much pink and brown in your stash!

Deciding on binding was an easier chore.  I normally play it safe and use the border fabric for binding, but I had plenty of hot pink used in one of the baskets, which I think gave a nice contrast.  I used my quilting from the back trick again for the cables in the sashing- as much as I love Frixon pens for marking, I have the color come out of the fabric when I ironed the pen markings away.  So marking from the back seemed like a good solution.

I own a few quilting stencils, this is the first time I have really used this one in the outer border....it makes a great pattern that I am in love with.  Combined with some free motion quilted in the setting triangles, this would have to be the most quilting I have ever done on a mini, but I am super pleased with the outcome.

Happy quilting Sue.

Round up of my finishes for 2017

Finishes for 2017 = 10 quilts, 1 wall hanging, 9 mini quilts, 2 table runners and 2 bags!

 Red and white pieced Dresden (double bed)

Midwinter churn dash (double bed)

 Meet me in Barcelona (single bed)

 Scrappy red/green Log Cabin (single bed)

  Vivid Grid (single bed)

Snowball quilt

Photo quilt (commission)

 

I Spy kids quilt

 Cot quilt

Log cabin neonatal quilt

Wool wall hanging (Linen Closet design)

Star mini quilt (x 3)

Mini churn dash by Red Button Quilt Co.

Jo Morton mini (nine patch)

Jo Morton mini (framed toile)

Jo Morton mini (cabin corners)

Spools mini (Thimble Blossom pattern)

Mini rainbow repro Dresden

Spring table runner (Jacquelynne Steves pattern)

Applique table runner (Norma Whaley pattern)

Green sheep cot quilt

Makers tote bag

Sew Together bag

Finally a quilt finish, or two

I have finally finished the commissioned photo quilt I was working on.  

 Unfortunately some of the photos started to shatter from being folded, rolled or just plain handled, as I quilted it.  Such a pity.  The family did the photos, so I have no way of knowing which photo paper/fabric product was poor quality.  

As a thank you gift I received a quilt history book published by V&A Museum, which is fabulous, hours of interesting reading, which I have started. 

 I brought myself some MORE fabric - advertised on Instagram, shop is downsizing its reproduction fabric, which means if I dont buy it now, then it wont be around to buy when I want it....right?!

 Border sides are on.  Just contemplating the cornerstone fabric options, above is option 1

 This is option 2

And lastly, is option 3 - no cornerstones!  I think that looks a bit too heavy, but would value your opinion.

Happy quilting Sue.

Pretty in Pink

In March I made all the baskets for another Jo Morton mini quilt from her book "Jo's Little Favorites" and then sewed the top up.  I was contemplating fabric options for borders, all the time acknowledging that I wasnt happy.

So I started unpicking.  I unpicked all the basket blocks (checked my cutting was accurate) and re sewed them, pressing the seams open.  It made no difference.  I unpicked again and resewed with a finer thread.  By this stage my pieces were fraying and stretched.  They looked fine as blocks but as soon as I sewed the top together too many points were missing :(

I stuck it all in a box and left it to fester in the back of my brain.  Then a couple of weeks ago I was in need of a project for a days sewing with friends.  I didnt want to take hand piecing, so I grabbed one brown, one background and a bunch of different pinks and this pattern.

To my surprise I managed to get all the blocks cut and sewn.  But I waited to put them together fearing a repeat of last time.  However the major difference was thread...I used a finer thread, pressed open my seams where possible, and the blocks turned out beautifully. 

I normally use Gutermann thread, as it does not shred, is affordable and most importantly (to me) I can buy it locally in the town I live in.  However I know that  on my Bernina I have to move my needle over one space, when using Gutermann, to ensure a accurate quarter inch seam.  But on the mini quilts this is not enough,

When I use  Aurifil 40 weight thread, I get a better accuracy and I don't have to move the needle....which is important, because as soon as I turn off my machine the needle re centres itself...and sure as eggs, the next time I sit down to sew I forget to reposition it! 

Now off to link up to Rainbow Scrappy Challenge as October is pink.  This project is not from scrap, but there are now eight basket blocks about to become scrap!

After all that I think I deserve some retail therapy to find the perfect border fabric ;)

Happy quilting Sue.

A new mini quilt

I thought I would cheat and show you the progress shots (to pad out this post), as I made this quilt.

 But the truth is, it was quick to make, hence I did show them on Instagram, but this little pretty is done and dusted now!

Besides the clarity in this shot is way better then the progress ones!

Another mini finish from my Jo Morton book "Jo's Little Favorites".  This pattern is called Cabin Corners and combines log cabin blocks with courthouse step blocks.  I don't remember making courthouse step blocks before, but they were fun. I have also never been a huge low volume fan, but I enjoyed the challenge here.

A "nearly at the end" progress shot, this is the quilt my Mum started at Patchwork camp a few weeks ago, 

and she has since finished all the blocks and sewn them up. I think she is planning on a thin cream border though on the edge, so really nearly a "flimsy finish".

The pattern was purchased at Periwinkle Patchwork, but the name of the pattern maker or pattern eludes me.

Happy quilting Sue.

Mini Finish

Pattern Bordered Toile by Jo Morton, from her book "Jo's Little Favorites",

Nice to have another finish.  This is the second quilt I have made from this book and there is a third in progress.  I think that says something about a book.  Or perhaps it speaks volumes about my attention span for miniatures this year, v large quilts!  

Frustrating to have a collection of finished mini's that are not hanging on the wall!  Need to find some time with hammer and hooks and get the collection hung!

Happy quilting Sue.

Quilty progress

Despite the distractions of school holidays, work trips and feeding orphan lambs (while the real farmers in my family were away on holidays)....

I have made some quilting progress on a couple of small projects.

This is my start on quilting the spring table runner from Quilts and More magazine.   

I followed the pattern for straight lined quilting in the centre, but my borders are plain instead of appliqued. 

So I was forced to decide on a pattern on my own.  This was the only quilting stencil that I own that fitted the width of the border.  The bonus with this stencil is with such gentle curves,  I can use my walking foot.  I ma very happy with the results.

 I am yet to decide how to quilt the border on my Jo Morton mini.

 Giving serious consideration to some micro quilting on this mini, but happy with central panel being cross hatched and stitch in the ditch for multiple borders for now.  I have to sit and think about this project for a while.  In the meantime I am quilting yet another table runner...I only seem to be able to focus on little projects at present :)

Happy quilting Sue.

A new project is born!

Oh go ahead, start a new project, they are only tiny little 4" blocks...it will be fun!

 Sew much fun I thought I would make one in scrappy colours and another in red/pink.

But then the second Marvelous mini Monday pattern from Temecula Quilt Co came out.  And it was way more difficult then a four patch!  We will see if I manage to keep up or not ;)

While I am confessing my "sins" this is another new project.  A table runner designed by Jacquelynne Steves for Spring from the Top your Table series running in Quilts and More magazine.  I normally avoid iron on applique, but for a table runner I figure I will get sick of after a few years, why not? 

It has gone into the pile of things to be pinned and quilted.. 

 

I started another mini from Jo Morton's book Jo's Little Favorites, this one is called Bordered Toile.  I really have to credit my friend Lisa with pointing out the beauty of this pattern to me. And then I found the perfect toile fabric at Quilters Harvest, so it was meant to be! There are quite a few more borders to go before I can call this a finish.  The bonus is that the left over 1" strips from the borders are going into my Marvelous Mini Monday blocks!

 

I have had a final THREE shopping trips to Quilters Harvest in Warracknabeal plus a phone order...or two!  They are closing at the end of this month and I will really really miss this shop.  But I don't have a picture of my last lot of purchases, because they were not really fabric orientated, mainly notions and a new ruler.  This fabric came from Somerset Patchwork in suburban Melbourne, purchased over the Queens birthday weekend.  Unfortunately this reproduction specialist shop is also closing - but will maintain an online presence.  I dont shop online...I do enough spending in the flesh, to venture online would send me broke!

This is the yardage I purchased in 15 minutes with the family waiting in the car.  This is the evidence your honor, the reason I do not dare shop online...guilty of buying reproduction fabric in yardage, not fat 1/8's!

Happy quilting Sue.