Noddy quilt

As I didn't do any quilting or sewing yesterday (what???!!), I am going to show one of my UFOs.

I have noticed that when I click on a UFO from my very large list and have a look at it (which is much easier than taking it down from its box and getting out the pieces), I get excited about it again. Putting each project away in its own box is convenient, but it also makes it easy to forget about them. The boxes are stored on top of tall bookcases, so I need to look up in order to see them. It's amazing how we mostly search at eye level, but I digress.

Noddy is a licensed product and image, so I am making this quilt purely for personal use.

This is Mr Wobble-Man.

I embroidered chain stitch on Big Ears' trousers to get the stripey effect.

Sly is a naughty goblin.

I can't think of this monkey's name at the moment, but she was very meddlesome, and naughty. Her tail was always getting into things while Noddy was driving.

The faces are not yet finished. I need to embroider some details on them.

I love the sky fabric I chose as a background, but it looks like the characters are floating in the air. I put Noddy onto a green hill - I want the background including the grass to look straight out of Toyland. I think it looks a lot better.
Unfortunately this means I need to unpick where I have sewn the feet on the other blocks. This is probably why the blocks were put away in a box.

I also plan to applique Mr. Plod, Tessie Bear, Mrs Skittle and Little Skittle... and one more. Comments please!!! Should it be Noddy in his car, a Golly, The Bumpy Dog or ?????

As the lawn bowls practise season has arrived I am unlikely to do much sewing at all on a Saturday now. I guess it will become Talk About UFO day or some-such every Sunday for a while.

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!!

Flabbergasted

I really am flabbergasted. Katie of And Sometimes I Quilt has nominated me for a blog award!!
Katie's blog is very laidback, and I love how her description of herself gives rise to the name of her blog. I have no idea how she found me. Isn't the internet wonderful???

Here are the rules of the Award:

1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.


2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.


3. Nominate 5 blogs.


4. Put links to the blogs.


5. Leave a message for your nominees.
   

Ok, so I have mentioned that I like reading quilter's blogs as they are inspiring. Here are my award nominations in no particular order:

Lucy's blog: Quilting With The Past (reading Lucy's blog inspired me to start my own).

Sharyn's blog: Kalama Quilts (I have been reading Sharyn's blog since I started blogging).

Tonya's blog: Lazy Gal Quilting (I want to be liberated too!! and I can't wait to make a fungly quilt).

Kristin's blog: Knit One Quilt Too (Fungly quilts are being made with tres cute fabrics! I love the green and red block close-up complete with basteing safety pin).

Kel's blog: Sweet Treats (Wow! You don't have to hold these goodies to drool over them. Kel posts recipes for her own creations too).

I have pieced half of the Handlebar Moustache quilt (am I really going to call it that? Help me out here....) and I have an idea for a border.

And.. I just thought of another quilt I finished this year and haven't posted a picture yet!! That's 3 finishes not yet on the list.... I won't miss posting any next year, I will put them up as soon as I finish them starting on the 1st of January!!

Burning thread

I have been finishing so many projects I have been burning through the thread!

The large cones hold 3000yds and the small one holds 500yds. It is much more economical to buy the cone. 6 times the thread for 3 1/2 times the price. I will be purchasing another cone or two!

I love how these blocks look close up.

I finished the final 6 blocks last night.

I arranged the 56 blocks on the white doona cover and experimented with colours for the sashing. Black, too dark and too cold. Brown, too light. Purple... perfect! I am going to try and put the top together for the weekend. It would be nice to meet Mum for lunch on Sunday and give her this quilt top. I am hoping she has finished quilting the 2007 mystery quilt!

I took a closeup of this block to show you this wonderful conversation print. It's a cricket playing billiards. I have had it for a few years now and I use it sparingly in projects. I think I put it in the vintage log cabin quilt too.

Conversation prints were used to make dresses and shirts. The best example of how they were really used is in the BBC's mini-series of "Pride and Prejudice" with Colin Frith. The "Jane Austen" dresses were often made in conversation prints or what we call "shirting prints" - and this series accurately reflects this. From a distance the girls' day dresses look completely white, but they do have prints on them.

P.S. Did you see my quilt on Quilter's Show and Tell? It's a great blog. They feature a new quilt each day. You can submit your quilt for show and tell too.

Handlebar

Here are the next four blocks, that makes fifty. So, I am past the 7 x 7 arrangement.

Do I want to go up to 8 x 8 and make 64 blocks, or will I go for 7 x 8 for 56 blocks, or 8 x 9 for 72 blocks?

I am going to try a 7 x 8 arrangement, add sashing and fiddle with a border. Hey! That's only 6 more blocks and I already have 2 entire blocks cut out and parts for another 4 blocks cut too....

I want to put more fabrics in the border in some way. I have got so many fabrics that would look splendid with the other Civil War repro beauties! Where did the word "splendid" come from?

Maybe a "moustache" name is wrong for this quilt... what about "Little Miss Splendid"?

Or maybe types of moustaches? I could call this quilt "Handlebar". When I say that out loud it reminds me of the German word "Vundebar!" (Is that how you spell it?).

Handlebars. Not a bad name. Gee! I must be tired. Lucky I'm not sewing right now.

And 8 makes 46

When does 8 make 46? 8 more blocks gives a total of 46!! I had already cut these out on Sunday, so they were easy to put together last night.


Andrea gave me some suggestions to name this quilt:

Vintage Chain
Scrappy Chain
Delighted Chain (‘cos the chain squares are light!)

and so did Rosie:
"Nicklandrea, instead of Nicklodeon? Or, something in the line of Easier Than It Looks, sort of theme? Because its looks harder than it looks, and it would look even better when put together".

I am still quite tickled when I think of "moustaches". Maybe I can call it "Mr. Somebody's Moustaches". Who could it be? or "Delighted Chain of Moustaches" to combine Rosie and Andrea's suggestions.

I hope so many consecutive posts on the progress of one quilt does not become boring to read, but I do love to see the progression of quilts on quilter's blogs. I like to see the stacks of fabric... cutting on the mat... seams under the machine. I haven't included any of those... Watching a quilt emerge from a progression of blocks can make you want to dig out a UFO and work on it! (Go baby go!!)

I needed some lighter and brighter blocks in the mix, so most of these are brighter. I have some more mustardy yellows ready to go. Now, where is my cutter? Or would that be a razor if this is still about moustaches?

Welcome Spring!!!

And a warm Spring welcome to you here at my blog today... VBG

Here are the blocks made for the no-name quilt so far. I moved the quilt from the bed and the white doona cover made quite a good backdrop.The orange and yellow fabrics really stand out. I noticed that although the fabrics I put together in earlier blocks contrast well, they don't necessarily look REALLY good together. I am now aiming to make sure the fabrics I choose for one block really shine.

Some lighter, brighter fabrics are definitely needed.

I made all of these blocks yesterday. It was rainy outside and when I went for a walk I got quite rained on. What a good excuse to be inside!!
























I also did lots of cooking over the weekend.

Ok, so that's 38 blocks. (I miscalculated yesterday).
I think I will need about another 40 blocks. Phew! I had better keep sorting out my fabrics.....