Camping

Ok, so these are kind-of strange photos to take while camping... but this is what the non-drinkers do while they are camping!!! We sew!

 I've made this entire hexagon made from 3 diamonds over the Easter weekend....

And here it is with some of its friends.... ahhh...

Such a convenient project to take away with you - only needs one little ziploc bag. If you've pre-cut your fabric you don't even need scissors....

Back and Forth

Ooh! the back was so big! It took quite a lot of fabric to cover this... it's about 2.5 metres x 2.3 metres. That's a large bed quilt.

I'm thinking my sister might like this quilt - she's not into floral or pretty or pink.... and she's used her last quilt for 6 years - loving it.

What do you think Mum? A new quilt for Libby?

So, that's the back of the Tumbling In Kashmir quilt, and all I can do is look ahead at the next quilt... ooh.... furnishing fabrics???? 

maybe....

Tumblin' on

I've taken these photos with the iphone - they're not quite as good in quality as some of the others I've put on here... but I'll make do (phones with cameras are just sooo convenient!!)

This is the completed quilt top - two edges are zig zagged.... It's absolutely huge! It took quite a bit of sewing.... ooh! the back is going to be a challenge!

Tumbling in Kashmir

These are super-sized tumbler blocks. I drew up a template a couple of years ago - yes - it was the end of 2010 (just checked back on the previous blog post!!)

Ok, so 3 years after I started to make the quilt, I've started sewing (it was pinned into rows - that's where all my pins were!!) and now joined 1/3 of the quilt top together. What a huge quilt it's going to be!!!

 

You just never know when you're going to put down a project that you may not pick up again for a couple of years... that's getting carried away with projects for you!

 

 

Jo's Little Women Club medallion quilt

Last night I sewed on the binding and hanging sleeve, and the label. Then I slept under it. Now it is a REAL quilt. LOL!! It is now hanging on the wall for a little while.

I am very happy to have a finish...

So now, it's time for a new list of 5...

1. Finish Rudy the reindeer (er.. I didn't mention I started this yet, did I?)

2. Finish applique and embellishment on Baltimore blocks

3. Finish cutting and putting together JLWC baskets quilt top

4. Finish machine stitchingDollhouse blocks

5. Piece 1950s quilt top.

I love vintage and repro

And so does Violette over at the blog Hand Quilting. She has interviewed various fabric designers such as Barbara Brackman, April Cornell, and Darlene Zimmerman. Sharon and Jason Yenter are still to come, and so is Gudrun Erla.

I feel like I am in love with Violette's blog - it takes my breath away!! LOL!!

Here are some photos of the stitchery patterns I am working on (The 1950s Collection). I have finished about 2/3 of the stitching on each one (none are completely finished - I was missing some thread colours).

Maybe I will have a finished block to show and tell this week!

Spring cleaning

Well, I have a lot to report and a little confession to make.

I bought more fabric last weekend than I revealed. I couldn't find it (only 2 days after purchase, I know), but I am in the middle of Spring cleaning, and perhaps you can understand how much it is needed.

2 fat quarters of the train fabric, and 1 fat quarter of Olivia (the little piggies) and 1 fat quarter of the green spot (it just glows).

Yesterday after cleaning and scrubbing and sorting (which becomes pretty mundane) I rewarded myself with some sewing.

I made these Christmas presents:

WARNING: (If you think these are for you, please forget you saw them here, because I am not making you something else just because it's no longer a surprise!!).

And I made this watermelon oven mitt from the Art To Heart book "Easy Does It For Summer".

The first watermelon I made was a bit wonky (I gave it to my MIL who doesn't sew at all - she will happily get gravy and all sorts of cookery on it). This is my second attempt.

My DH lovingly made me some shelves to go above my sewing machine table (oh, and he wants some of the stuff off the floor in there, so do I!!). He had to attach it to the wall. He said "If the shelves ever look like they are going to fall down, climb under the desk". Eep!! I know they will be heavy once I put all my stuff in them, but I usually have stuff under the desk too!

You know what the clean desk in the picture above means though, don't you?

Here is all the stuff that was on it before. It's all on my cutting board. I have a LOT of work to do today!!!

Last night I culled a few magazines. I have 13 to give to the Textiles department at my local secondary school (I cut some bits out of them), and 12 to sell at my local quilt group for $1 each. Let's get to work! It could be a long day!

And I still haven't tried out my felting machine!

Chained together

I have finished piecing the centre of the quilt. I guess you know what I mean when I say "the quilt", I have talked about it every day this week. VBG. It stretches over our king-sized bed without borders, but if we tried to sleep under it, let's just say only one of us would be warm.

The purple sashing looks fabulous (well, I am very happy with it). These photos just don't do it justice though. I have taken some close-ups for a better look.

Some of the prints give a lot of movement and direction to the quilt.

I have sooo many more reproduction fabrics I haven't used in this quilt.. yet!! Just wait for the borders.

I am still undecided on a name for the quilt. I quite like the name "Vintage Chain", but because I already have a quilt named "Vintage Log Cabin" I think I would like a variation on that theme.

Song titles are milling around my head:

Chain Of Fools, Afternoon Delight (who said something about Delighted Chain because it's light?), Unchain My Heart, Take These Chains From My Heart... ooh, that's not bad. "Take These Chains". Hey, what a good name for a wedding quilt!!! LOL!!

Reproduction fabric - Lucinda's Needle

Isn't this fabric delicious? Most of it is from a Jo Morton range called "Lucinda's Needle" - reproduction fabric... I have designed a quilt on Electric Quilt. I plan to start it next month while on a weekend retreat...but the more I look at it, the more I want to cut it right now!!!