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.

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.

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.  

Quilters Harvest buying frenzy

 None of my usual retailing road trip friends were available for a quick shopping trip to Warracknabeal, but that was fine, as I had limited time to dally.  Off I headed to Quilters Harvest, a 45 minute drive away, to buy up at their sale.  While it is always nice to get a bargain, there was no celebrating, because no buyer for this lovely business :( means they are going to have to close the doors.  

 Toile, not normally high on my buying list, but my new book Jo's Little Favorites has a great mini pattern that uses a lovely red/cream fussy cut toile print.

 Ahh, all of these (except the toile) were just "because I love them too much to leave them in the shop"!  And without a doubt would kick myself if I had.  

 Yep not much excuse for buying these either.  Middle shirting and bottom print (a Kim Diehl),  I brought the rest of the bolt.  It was my plan to buy enough of one background to make a large Irish Chain, but alas there wasn't enough yardage.  Still they came home with me!

 Complete bargain (30 cm each of six prints) this roll of fabric, and l already had that bottom print in the other colour ways, so in the basket it went!

 More wool, baby measuring panel, neither of which I have a specific project in mind for.  Well I am going to make some Very Snuggle Quilts, but the panel may or may not work, as it is very narrow.    Oh but the red and white stripe, I did need that for last weeks binding of my mini spools.

 Progress shot of my completed Woolly Baskets wall hanging (by Dawn Heese of Linen Closet Designs).  The final border fabric was purchased in this same shopping trip.  So I guess there was a purpose to shopping frenzy after all!

I brought about four different fabrics, because I couldn't make up my mind, for a border print for this project.  But I cannot find the photo I took of them. Pink is not normally my thing, but trust me I brought a lot of pink on this trip.  

I ran out of shopping time, but as you can see I did try my best to help Del and Shirley out by reducing their stock.  Thanks for great customer service ladies, hope to see you "around the traps" in your retirement/new adventures.

Happy quilting Sue.

Patchwork Camp part 3

I had plans to make these 12" blocks a feI have had these blocks cut out for a long time.  I made up the dimensions myself to use up 6" novelty squares and some brights that were donated to me, but making sure there was minimal white. I never think white is a good colour for kids quilts.

 

This is not the ideal size, but OK for a baby quilt after I find some suitable border fabric.  The next one I make will be larger, but I use different colours for the churn dash part of the block.

This is a Thimble blossom Mini pattern called Spools.  I used a charm pack called Miss Kate (?) designed by Bonnie and Camille, same as the pattern. I have made one previously (and gifted it)  if you think it looks familiar. The pattern only uses a few charms, so I have been wanting to make one for myself, I want to quilt this soon, it is perfect for my sewing corner wall!

I got the extra Vivid Grid blocks made and I have sewn it all together!  So pleased with this top.  I have to admit that when I prepped for the extra blocks I didnt count.  So there are plenty of pieces cut ready to make more....but bit over them at present!  But I can see myself making more in the future.  I just need a break from brights!

These little 4" baskets are a Jo Morton pattern called Beth's baskets from her book Jo's Little Favorites.  These blocks are going to have to wait a while, as there are other things that need finishing first.  But I do have the fabric all picked ready to go.  

The last thing I did before I left Robe was to sash these little woolly basket blocks.  

Everyone agreed the pink was a winner, but the green I had picked for cornerstones was wrong. It was suggested red and thought fussy cutting the cornerstones was the go.  I was just in a frenzy to finish and did as I was told!  SEW glad I did!  

I assume there is another border to be added, but it is a free pattern from Dawn Heese, so will have to go online and check out finished ones.  Then again it might be fine as is, only a wall hanging so doesn't need to be larger.

SEW as you can see, camp was very productive and good fun.

Happy quilting Sue.

Sadie's Quilt - finished!

I started making this little quilt back at Christmas while I was on holidays.  The hold up has been the quilting. 

 Finally some inspiration struck and I quilted daisy's in the centres and SID the blocks.  On the edges

I made a geometric design, sort of half a four patch.

Sadie's quilt is by Jo Morton from her book, Jo's LIttle Favorites and the pattern finishes at 22 x 26" but I made half the blocks so my quilt is 13 x13".  The smaller the quilt the more I can fit on my wall!

Happy quilting Sue.

A Flimsy from Jo Morton's Little Favorites

Jo Morton's newest book was on my Christmas wish list and Santa delivered!  

This lovely little quilt, titled Sadie's quilt is 22.5 x 26" in the book.

I made a  smaller version (still 3" blocks) is 13.5 x 13.5" so it will fit on my wall of mini quilts.

I was surprised at the number of black fabrics I had in my stash to choose from.  Not to mention orange or cheddar fabrics.  Still it was hard to decide on which ones to use.  I ended up tea dying one of the black prints as it had a very stark white print that stood out.

Now I just have to pin and quilt it....the heat of summer is not conducive to quilting, but its only small, so wondering if this will be my first finish of year?

Happy quilting Sue.

Quilty gifts galore

I love little quilts, yet I do not own one of Jo Morton's patterns.  So when I saw that she had published a new book of mini quilts in 2016 I put it on my Christmas list and Santa delivered!  

One thing not on my list was a delightful Frivols tin, which good friend Vicki delivered.  These colours and pattern are right up my alley, so knows my taste too well!  Lisa was also lucky enough to receive one, in a totally different pattern, so we are hoping to sew them up together. 

Lisa gifted me this lovely pattern, which we will definitely make together.  Bags are always more fun made with company.  And this bag is full of great pockets, which means it takes longer, so always best to plan to do with good company, so hoping Vicki is also going to join in! 

 The antique sewing kit was from Vicki and I am looking forward to using them.  Not much sewing happened leading up to Christmas, but sneaking a bit in now we are home from visiting family!

DH always gives me a quilt calendar for Christmas, and this year I was excited to get the  That Patchwork Place version.  I love the front cover quilt, it needs to go on my 2017 wish list of quilts to make! 

Happy quilting Sue.