Jan 29, 2011

doll quilt swap sneak peek

Today I've been working on my doll quilt swap item.  Finishing the cutting and starting the assembly.  I even fussy cut the pieces - which I usually don't do/ don't like doing.  I'm quite enjoying the colours of the piece too, colours I normally don't work in when making things for myself.


A few more hints - it involved a special ruler (which is now minus a few chunks due to my skill with the rotary cutter) and has something to do with dinnerware!


Jan 28, 2011

mini quilt gift for teacher

It's a slightly sad day today as little Guy is spending his last day with this daycare mother before heading off to Junior Kindy on Monday.


I wanted to make a little something for Karin to hang on the wall in her play room.



This mini quilt is the result and I even machine crazy quilted it, my first real attempt since taking the machine quilting course last year.

Jan 25, 2011

what do you see? quilt completed


I've just finished binding the what do you see? quilt.


I had added white sashing between the blocks you've previously seen, the backing is an old Amy Butler as is the binding.  All from the stash (love it!).  I even went to my local quilt shop and Spotlight yesterday and only bought a ruler!


Jan 23, 2011

what do you see? quilt

I'm making a quilt for another young victim of the Queensland floods. My Mum's co worker's grandchild (and family) lost everything in the flood so Mum asked me to make a quilt for the grandchild.  

I found some 'Brown Bear' by Eric Carle fabric in my stash and composed my design from there.  Each block has the words 'what do you see?' on it so my design is loosely based on an eye-spy quilt.  This was a great excuse to use up lots of novelty prints and scraps from my stash.  


Aside from the wadding this quilt has come completely from my stash, including the backing.  This made me feel good!  Very frugal.


I've added white sashing between the blocks and am now in the process of pinning.

 

Jan 21, 2011

english paper piecing hexagon quilt - quilting completed


I completed quilting my english paper piecing hexagon quilt the other day and I'm THRILLED with the results.  I'm so glad I decided to do it myself.  I'm even loving the really crinkly feel which usually doesn't appeal to me.  Here are a few gratuitous shots of my quilt blowing in the breeze.  The lawn has been mowed and the sun is out so time to head outside for some show and tell!


This is my favourite fabric in the quilt.


Closely followed by these.

 





 Here is the backing fabric.  It's small scale leaves which I think is in keeping with the spots and stripes in green and blue theme without being overt.  





Now need to start auditioning binding fabric.



I also completed quilting the quilt I've made for my nephew Ezra.  This was the first kit quilt I've made and I'm quite pleased with the results.  


Especially the backing which was taken from my stash and compliments the quilt really well.

Jan 18, 2011

english paper piecing hexagon quilt - basting and quilting

As we were sitting at home the other day waiting for the flood waters to arrive (not to our house but to the city) I decided it was the perfect opportunity to baste my hexagon quilt.  I had been tossing up having it professionally quilted but I was feeling confident enough and had decided upon a design.




The Guys were most amused as I crawled around on the kitchen floor, taping fabric to the floor.  I've realised that my kitchen floor which currently still has vinyl on it (rather than polished wood as with the rest of the house) is the perfect place to baste quilts.  I can masking tape it to the floor and jab the pins in without worrying about damaging the floor boards.


Although I felt I'd basted really well, there was still some 'drag' during the quilting.  I only had one small pucker appear which I was able to remove easily with just a little unpicking.
Hopefully I should have the bulk of the quilting finished today.  I can't sit for long periods at the machine to quilt as my shoulders tense terribly and it's so hot here especially with a big quilt sitting in your lap!

Finally, this is a little quilt I made up yesterday for my nephew Ezra.  His Mum & Dad lost most of their belongings in the flood so I thought a cute quilt might cheer them up a bit.  They are doing ok, the house was a rental, and they have been overwhelmed with donations of furniture etc.

Jan 11, 2011

Queensland Flood Appeal

Hello Everyone,
As you are probably all aware from various news sources Queensland is currently enduring record rainfall and now damaging floods.  Yesterday in the town of Toowoomba west of Brisbane a huge wall of water swept through the main street of the town at 1pm, killing 9 people that they know of so far.  Cars, trucks, massive water tanks, everything was swept up in the path of this 'inland tsunami'.  In the coming days the Brisbane and Bremer rivers are expected to reach record highs and innundate much of Brisbane and Ipswich.

The generous craft community have banded together and are in the process of organising a massive auction of crafty goods, to take place next week, with funds raised to go to the Flood Appeal to help the victims.

How can you help?  Please spread the word about the auctions and please bid on the items next week if you can.  Click on the button below to find out more. Alternatively many of the major banks are accepting donations.

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Jan 6, 2011

work in progress

I've had this WIP hanging around for ages.  Now that the piecing is finished I'm a bit more 'in' to it but I was starting to hate this project.  Does that ever happen to you?  Anyway I started this ages ago as a gift for someone (her birthday has now been and gone and still no finished project!) and have finally completed the top and now just have to finish it off.


I won't disclose exactly what it is or who it's for but here are a few pics anyway.


I spent ages yesterday arranging the pieces trying to get no 2 like backing pieces together and the coloured hexagons to be evenly spaced.  Couldn't do it!  Should have probably laid it out before I stitched the hexagons to the backing squares, my best friend even had a go and wound up more frustrated than I did.  Anyway the layout isn't great but it still looks effective. 

Jan 5, 2011

doll quilt swap sign up

Well I've put my energy into action and signed up for my first ever doll quilt swap hosted by Chrstine at Once Upon a Quilt.

Christine is the awesome teacher I had last year for the machine quilting course I did.

Sign up open til January 20th so pop on over - the more the merrier!

Jan 3, 2011

a new year

I"m entering the new year with a pep in my step unlike any I can remember.  I'm inspired and invigorated to try things and create things and experience things like never before.  I have made two resolutions, which I'm keeping to myself, because it is up to me to keep them. 

Although I have an ever growing list rolling through my head of all the crafty things I want to do this year, I won't bore you with the minutae.  Here is a taste of what I want to do:

1.  I want to learn new things and try new things - take another quilting course (I did a machine quilting course last year but am keen to try a sampler/ beginner piecing course).  Try some new blocks such as the spiderweb and the dresden plate.

2.  I want to get my sewing room and my stash really well organised - this has been started however have to wait another week or so for my cabinet to arrive.

3.  I want to create some more things for my home, cushions, maybe a wall quilt, a runner for the foot of my bed etc etc.



I could go on an on but I feel you may drop off to sleep, some of it is just not that interesting!  :)  I think my renewed vigour is mostly due to the generosity of my husband.  A couple of months ago we made the decision that I would stop working.  My husband understands my desire to create and my wish to make it something more than just a hobby.  But even as a hobby he gives me the space and time I need to pursue it - thank you hon.
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