The Horsey Quilt is finished!

Last night my baby boy was asleep at 6:35pm! I started sewing at 6:37pm, and had a dream couple of hours at the already-set-up sewing machine! Woohoo!

First I started this QAYG table runner. As it was the first one, it took a bit of time to set up. I have the measurements now, and will be able to make more much faster. (More? You say. Of course! I have enough fabric for another three.)

Really, I think I need to take a leaf of out my friend Jo's book. She has been making Christmas gifts all year. I need to do the same. Maybe I can say one per month. Surely I don't need to give a hand made gift to more than 12 people?? Even for me, who loves to give hand made. Twelve should be more than enough.

Then I moved onto the couch for some hand sewing, and finished sewing the binding onto the Horsey quilt. Hooray!

I am really excited to finish it in time for Christmas.

It's reversible, so you get to see both sides, and the dog.

And here is a gorgeous pic of the 40th birthday doiley in its new home.What a lovely place for it! On a lamp! And now, who minds it if sits flat or not?

I hope you are having a simply wonderful day!

Sew much to show and tell

What a fab weekend we had at Magnetic Island. How wonderful to have uninterrupted sewing time!

Two frames were added to "My Love Horsies". The yellow chain extends beyond the blocks now, and is much more effective.

The Nature side of "My Love Horsies" was pieced. The blue frames allow the panel pieces to float. I am very happy with the way the fabrics have combined, even though they could have been a jumbled mess. I think the large pieces were the key.

It's not really the Reverse side, or the Back, as the quilt is designed to be double sided. Shelley can choose whether she wants the whimsical side or the Nature side up on her bed. I think she may have to wait a year or so before the quilt goes on her bed, as she was colouring in her sheets with texta colours last week. I am not so sure I want her to be colouring in a specially made quilt!

The holiday house at Magnetic Island.

This was the $5 optional project - chicken in a tutu. I've fused it on to stitch later. I think I'll use it as a cover for a project folder. The suprise theme for the weekend was chickens!

And an update on my Baby Quilt. 8 blocks completed. Next I need to start joining them, as I might only need some half blocks to obtain the desired size. I hope to have my Baby Quilt finished in the next 2 weeks, then finish the Swedish Baby Quilt for my sister. Her shower is about a month away.

Sewing with Su and the week ahead

It's time for a "Thursdays with Su" sewing day update!

Mum has definitely decided she is leaving on Monday, so I've put the brakes on the horsey quilt...

Here's the front of the quilt so far... I'm LOVING it! There's more to add on, and beautiful horse prints to make the back of the quilt. I need to be in the right mood to design a layout, and that will come.

Su and I enjoyed a lovely day of planning next projects and starting new ones... (What!!??? New projects??)

We are going on retreat to Magnetic Island in June for 3 nights, and at this stage I think I'll take the Double Wedding Ring for my sister (still to be cut out on the AccuQuilt), a small project we found to make an ironing mat that folds up into an iron carrybag, and I guess some handwork - perhaps it will be some handwork for my own baby quilt.

Today I pieced the background for the Swedish Baby Quilt for my sister, and made the 1/2inch vine around the outside. 

This is going to be a relatively small baby quilt.  I have other quilts she can use when the babe is bigger.

And I started some stitcheries from Bronwyn Hayes' book "Little Chicken Feather" that will be used in Nat and Cat's baby girl quilt (quilt required in only 6 weeks)!! Eek! So much to do!

The best thing is I feel so inspired reading others' blogs and sharing projects with Su. Feeling wonderful!!

This week is hand work week. The machine is going away, and it's time to applique the Swedish Baby Quilt, stitch the Baby Girl Quilt, and finish off crocheted blankies that are nearly done.

Inspiration come at me for my own baby quilt!!! Sometimes there is too much to choose from... I haven't even decided between bright or soft. *sigh*

Chances and Dreams

There's still a chance The Horsey Quilt will be made in time for Mum to quilt it before leaving on her holiday.

The remaining 6 pieced blocks have been stitched. They will not be joined next to each other like this, and so there should be a chain effect in the yellow.

The borders for the applique blocks have been cut out of the black strips in the batik jelly roll. And tomorrow I plan to sew, sew, sew to complete the front of the quilt.

Sewing with Su on Thursday, I plan to make the back of the double sided quilt. The final plan is not yet decided, as the size of the front is still unknown. I will use as much of the fabric I have, as long as it looks good. These are the last bits of the jelly roll, and I've cut some whimsical horse prints into strips as well.

Then, we had a visit today from very good friends that are having their baby girl in about 7 weeks... and I am thinking I might make the Lucky Ducky quilt for them. (I know! That was going to be for my baby!!)

And still yet, I am dreaming about the Swedish inspired quilt for my sisters baby. ("What Swedish baby quilt is that?" I can read your mind!)

I recently subscribed to a magazine Sandra showed me when I visited her last January. "Simply Vintage" by the makers of "Quiltmania". Ohhhhh... the projects are so gorgeous!

I found this naive folkish applique in my first copy, and thought it would be lovely for my sister!

Then I started to think about her tastes and experiences, and I know I really need to put some of her Swedish lifestyle into it, and some music... And so I will keep the pieced background idea, and the outer bias vines, then find some Swedish folkish motifs to applique, and mix in some music stuff.

I thought I might use these:

 These are leftover fabrics from the Colour Me Happy quilt and some batiks from the Horsey Quilt's jelly roll. Not a bit of pink in sight (sister hates pink), but fun and bright for a baby of any gender. All I need to buy at this stage is 40cm of cream background, and something to cut on the bias for the vines.

My mind must be going a million miles an hour with so many projects to plan, and still, there is my own baby quilt to make! I have another 20 or so weeks to work it out.... hopefully I will have decided by then!

Frantically busy happy

Oh my! It's been a frantic couple of days. The borders are on Colour Me Happy... and I think it's delightful!

It takes 5 days by post for the quilt top to reach Mum interstate. I think this will be the only one I will be able send before she leaves home in 11 days. Else I only have 3 days to finish both sides of the horsey quilt, and they are not even cut out yet, and I will be away for 2 of those days. I found this delicious batik wideback, and have machine stitched the label on, so that it is quilted right through.

And so, reluctantly, I have decided that the children will have their quilts (including the monster quilt) when we move into the new home, which should be just before Christmas.

Two pieced blocks for the horsey quilt - I've been able to use the leftover backing above in the centre of these blocks. I like it very much!

Ahhhhh. I feel a weight off my shoulders, and much more enjoyment to come from my sewing.

Tomorrow I hand sew the binding onto Pink Bananas, and give it away the following day.



What's next?
1. Cutting and piecing the front of the horsey quilt, then the back
2. Cutting out a Double Wedding Ring using my friend's accuquilt Go! (oh so exciting!) for my sister's belated wedding present
3. Make a baby quilt for my sister
4. Make travel change mats: one for my sister, one for me
5. Work on the Lucky Ducky baby quilt for my baby
6. Add binding to any quilts Mum is bringing up for me that she has quilted
7. Cot bumpers for my baby's cot
8. More baby sewing for my baby (nesting, nesting, nesting)
9. Sew a tee-pee cubby for the children as a gift from the baby
10. Finish the crocheted blankets.
11. Work on UFOs Mum will bring up for me

I'm excited!

Horsing around

The centre blocks of Colour Me Happy are assembled. Tomorrow I will be at a friend's house to cut my way into a fabric frenzy once again. Borders are to be measured and cut.

Its turned out to be a really good size. It covers the centre of the queen bed, and with borders will hang down. I think I have enough fabric to make pillow cases which would be nice. Note to self: check if the pillows are standard size on their bed.

 And I've finally figured out how to cut out and put together the front of the horsey quilt.

 Here are the next 3 blocks giving a total of 8 blocks, which is all I need, interspersed with pieced blocks.

 I've started another block and will turn it into a pillow case.

Tomorrow, I cut pieces for the blocks. Oh my! I've got to get these quilts to Mum pretty fast!!

Whimsical, fun and bright - horsies!

I've been going like the clappers on the double sided horsey quilt in the hope that I can finish it and post it to Mum for quilting before she travels 3,000km to visit me... Otherwise it will be a few months before Mum is home again and can quilt it.

We shall see what I can do... in the last few days I found some horse colouring pictures on the internet and have traced out a few and turned them into blocks. I bought these gorgeous Gutermann Sulky variegated threads to stitch the horses on, but after cutting them out I can see with vivid Kaffe fabrics the outlines will need more definition.

 I have chosen colours to give a whimsical fun air, bright and lavish.

 This is for one side of the horsey quilt.

 I've now stitched 5 horse blocks. I am not sure what size I will trim them to yet. I will wait and see how many I make.

 The black free machine applique has certainly helped to define the outlines of the horses.

 I have another 7 horse pictures. Let's see how many more I can cut out, fuse and stitch on in the next few days.

I am feeling excited!