Little Red Cardigan

A finish from quite a while ago, Easter actually, I had just simply forgotten all about sharing the finish.

A red cardigan, for my niece, for her birthday.  My sister chose the colour, so I knew it would be the right choice.

There were 3 different patterns of knitting throughout the body and sleeves; it didn't get boring because the stitches were changing regularly.

This photo below, shows off the bands and part of the main body.

This next photo shows the lovely rib detail around the yoke and shoulders.

An absolute delight to knit and it's a pattern I'll definitely make again.

Pattern:  Was in a magazine, designed by Sirdar.
Knitted:   Size 6-7 girls in 8ply merino magic by heirloom yarns.

Dresden Plates, Lace and Red

There's something very nice about Table Runners, especially those made with red!  Somehow a well set table can be transformed into a stunning table with the addition of nice runner.  Here are two for show'n'tell.

First - is made up of 4 Dresden Plates.  This is a pattern torn from a magazine, Creating Country Threads - Vol 11 No 12 and is called Beautifully Blush by Leanne Pitman

Each block was a delight to make and I am very pleased with the result.  Simply quilted in the ditch and around the plate center and petals with rayon thread.

And... I have to show you the fabric on the back - it's a map of Paris.

A perfect house-warming gift, along with a bottle of Chandon Champagne!


My second piece of show'n'tell was super easy to make and very effective.  Made completely from stash, including the lace, I was able to practice some fancy quilting in the outer strips.  This table runner was also from a pattern torn out of a magazine, (have no idea the name or issue - oops!) and was designed by Cheryl Filby.

A nice finish on the edges of the runner

 And, I can't resist showing off the backing where you can see the variegated thread from the quilting.

I love a beautifully set table - and seeing a nice centre piece such as runner, when you can't have fresh flowers is always satisfying.  :)

Daylesford

 Each project needs its own time to shine - even if it was started way back in 2007!  I do firmly believe that each project seems to know when it needs to be completed.  Daylesford is a case in point.  I showed a photo of this quilt, (not quilted) to a shop and they loved it and wanted to know when it could be delivered to hang on their wall for a while - so a finish it became!

I have named this quilt Daylesford, because I received a small gift of the star fabrics at the now defunct 6-12 group retreat in October 2006.  We were staying in Daylesford for the weekend and it was our first time away together.  It was the wonderful friendship of that group and the continuing life-long friendships with those girls which made it easy to choose the "friendship star" block.

Here's a block close up:

Corner detail - yes there are 2 different shades of sashing/border print.  There was not enough on the bolt of either colourway, so I used both as best as I could.

Then, in another shop, they wanted a sample to showcase some newer, more 'modern' fabrics. 

Daylesford is a quilt which is truly full of happy memories and I am very pleased that it is now completed after all this time to give love and joy.

On The Move....

Ready, set, go!  Choose your mode of transport and then you're on the move, to far away places and many adventures.

This quilt was finished and gifted way back in May, but I've only just gotten around to showing it off.

I was asked to make a quilt by a friend, who wanted a special gift for a new mum and baby.  Definitely a boy, (whose dad is a Bulldogs supporter - blue sashing, white blocks and red binding) the quilt needed to be fun and with the possibilities of adventure when his imagination gets into full swing. 

The whole quilt.

The pictures are from children's colouring pages, free on the internet from various sources.  I felt blessed when I googled images and so many free pictures were at my disposal.  I have to say a huge thank you to the people who put them up on the world wide web for the rest of us to use.

Airplane block detail

Certainly not my normal run of the mill things to applique, but, oh, so much fun to do!  I thoroughly enjoyed making this quilt and seeing the pictures come to life under my fingers.

Back of quilt.

I drew the circular quilting lines to add some movement to the quilt by tracing chalk circles around a dinner plate and then overlapping them.  I did not want the quilting to be dense, so as to keep it nice and soft for cuddles.

Simply just fun - it was nice to have a break away from my normal piecing projects.

An Afternoon with Jane Stickle

Back in February, there were some of us who got together to start our own individual Dear Jane quilt(s), at a pace of just four blocks per month.  Due to my lack of photo taking, plus some blocks to make, I've had a lovely day today catching up with some sewing.

My blocks do look a bit "out of shape", as I am yet to trim them to their correct size.

Here are the March Blocks:

And the April Blocks:

I had two blocks to make today... to make up the four allocated for the month.....

And... the May Blocks:

...of which I made all four today.

I am truly enjoying the process of making the Dear Jane blocks.  In two colours, the piecing shows up well, but, most importantly to me, the level of difficulty in the blocks varies and with no instructions in the book, there is some quiet contemplation while I decide the best way to make each block.

One block at a time, is a lovely link to slow movement and taking time to enjoy the process.

See my previous Dear Jane post here.

Spotty Bugs

Started in 2013 as part of an online mystery quilt along, Spotty Bugs had a rest until the right person/reason came along.  Just two weeks ago on this blog, I showed a photo of Spotty Bugs not quilted.  In the spirit of the Very Snuggly Quilts program, I decided to complete this quilt and donate it to a fund raiser for the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation (Melbourne) - Easter Family Fun Day - in memory of a beautiful little girl with amazing blue eyes.

I gave a choice of two quilt tops for the Easter Family Fun Day to the Donation Coordinator.  The Coordinator chose "Spotty Bugs" to be one of the Silent Auction items.

I put a striped binding on the quilt with a little 1/4in peeper strip to frame the quilt.

Pinwheel blocks, four patch blocks and square-in-a-square blocks work so well together when softened with a trailing hearts quilting design.

Pretty floral fabric for the backing.  The colours matched the front perfectly.

This quilt has finished up pretty and soft.  I have heard that the fund-raiser was a very successful event, raising funds and awareness in the local community for sick children.

Pattern:  Sundae Sherbet Mystery 2013 from Jeananne Quilts.
Finished Size:  92cm x 120cm  (36in x 47in)
Wadding:  60% Wool / 40% Cotton

Diamond Triangles

Diamond Triangles is a fun quilt.  Using up many pieces of fabric from designers
Kaffe Fasset and Phillip Jacobs, it was a joy to see the optical illusions of diamonds and triangles appearing throughout the quit top.

With colourful fabrics and simple straight line quilting, the design by somebody else was a chance to indulge my hobby when life was very busy.

I enjoy the brightness and bold colour of the Kaffe Fasset Collective fabrics.  I also wanted a quilt for me for winter or those cool nights, which would be "too flowery" for the males in my house.  With 60% Wool/40% Cotton wadding, it is sure to be warm.

I completed this quilt a few weeks ago, but it was snaffled up at a sit'n'sew day to become part of a display for Kaffe Fasset himself when he visited a local quilt shop (Mill Rose Quilting - Ballan).  Unfortunately I could not attend the lectures, but have had wonderful reports from others of how fantastic the weekend was.

Pattern:  Three Times Around by Valori Wells.

Finished Size:  145cm x 169cm

Baby Love - Snuggly Quilts

Last Saturday my local group got together and held a "Snuggly Quilt Making Day".  The purpose of the day is to make hugs of love for those babies, children and teens who have a severe illness which requires a long hospital stay or are terminal.  The quilts are for the parents and family members as much as they are for the kids.  While I was unable to stay for the day, I did take a collection of fabrics (passed on from K) which were dug into and pieces immediately used.

My own donation was quite small compared to the time and efforts of others - but I was pleased to be able to put together this pretty little quilt top, in time for the day.  At just 24in square - suitable for a newborn or premature baby.   

Made up from left overs of Spotty Bugs quilt top (below).

Sunday Sherbet Mystery Quilt - 20?? from Sunbonnet Sue Quilts.

Spotty Bugs is a quilt top, which I will complete and then donate.  At the time of writing this post, I am not sure yet if this quilt will be a silent auction fundraiser piece or go to the Snuggly Quilts Program.  Either way, it will go towards supporting the Royal Children's Hospital.

Dear Jane & Christmas

The first of my 'new starts' for this year - the wonderful "Dear Jane" quilt.  Finally, I am putting to good use, the book I purchased way back in 1997, as a birthday present to myself.  It has always been on my bucket list to do, I just didn't think it would take me 19 years to get started on it!  The youngest member of our Dear Jane group mentioned that my book was actually older than her as she wasn't born until 1998....

Late last year, those in my local quilt group, who were interested had a quick chat and it was decided that we would make 4 blocks per month (finish in 2020!).  

Pictured here are the first 4 blocks.  I have decided upon a two colour quilt, but chose a tone-on-tone for my main colour so that the blocks won't look 'flat'.  I have some pieces of liberty fabrics which I have been collecting over time to add in as mini cornerstones or block pieces if necessary.


Now, for a little dose of Christmas - back in August 2015, I stumbled across the pattern Pop of Poinsettia from the website allpeoplequilt.com.  There was no hesitation about downloading and starting this project, I just had to make it, and, of course it was going to be ready for Christmas 2015, wasn't it?  Nope, not even close.

 

I put the last stitch in the binding on the 25th Feb, so at least it's ready for next Christmas, nice and early.  I had mentioned to my husband that I would give it as a present next Christmas, but he said no, he would like it on our table and that we should keep it.  For someone who has very little to say about my quilting, I think perhaps I should listen :) 

Chester Criswell - blocks 6 - 10

Here is my next installment for Chester Criswell.  

Recently when I was taking stock, I was surprised by how many blocks I had actually finished and how many I still need want to make.  After block 10, I lost my consistency for a while and have completed other blocks at random (more on that in a future post). 

I have several blocks prepared, ready to go, but while the weather is nice outside, I am not doing handwork as much.

Block 6 appeared 3 times - two blocks were only one colour.

Block 7 - appeared twice.  This is the only block where I finished both blocks in one week - those leafy curves sewed sew so smoothly

Block 8 - appeared twice.  I was more motivated by the single colour block than the two colour one.  The red that I chose for the second block was much harder to turn under for the wavy edges on the flowers, so it took a lot longer to stitch.  I just love the single colour block 8.

Block 9 is an interesting one.  On the original quilt, the top and bottom had a different shape than the sides.  after reading through Sharon's musings on why it is so, I decided to cut mine out with the central parts of the four sides the same.  I love the balanced look of this block.

Block 10 - appeared twice.

PS:  I did complete block 13, the huge central medallion, 1 year ago - click here to see it.

Chester Criswell - Blocks 1 to 5

In the spirit of the revisiting of the Chester Criswell quilt (see CCCQ blog button on right) and the fact that I am very slow at applique, I have decided to do a few blog posts over the next couple of months of the blocks I have completed so far.

I did not start Chester Criswell at the beginning.  Approximately 2.5 years ago, while nursing broken ribs and unable to sit at my sewing machine; desperate for something to do; I stumbled across the Chester Criswell blog, some 6 months after the first blocks were published. 

12in blocks, large pieces, simple colour choices and an enjoyable afternoon reading the quilt story, I was wanting to know more.

Block 1

I went to my stash, pulled out some red and green half metre pieces, a large piece of Quilter's Muslin, my silk threads, and thought I can do this!  It didn't take long to realise that perhaps I might need some help to find an applique method which would suit me.  Who knew there were so many ways to hand applique?

Block 2 - appeared twice in the original quilt.

My Chester Criswell Quilt journey started with Block 3.  It really is the hand applique project where I managed to grasp the finer points, and, with the help of a one-on-one lesson from an expert at our now defunct 6-12 group, I had an "aha" moment where all the skills I had been taught previously came together and made sense.  Once I had that revelation, I was on fire.  I started to love watching the leaves, flowers and other shapes come to life under my fingers.

Block 3 - appeared 3 times in the original quilt.

While making the blocks, I have been trying as much as possible to use the same number of reds/greens and orientate the blocks the same way as the original quilt, as best I can from the whole quilt photo.

Block 4

Block 5 (this was not my favourite to applique, but I was very pleased when it was finished.)

The original Chester Criswell Quilt does live here in Australia. Sharon, who owns the quilt, has been able to trace her family history back to the USA along with the family stories which have been woven through time.

Chester Criswell Quilt information and patterns are available from here.

Hexagon Runner

Simple, fun and easy.  A delightful little runner which I made on a rainy afternoon a few months ago.

Designed by the ladies at Patchworks Unlimited, this particular project came as a pattern with small pieces of oriental fabrics to make the hexagons.  I used a tone-on-tone fabric with gum leaves printed on it for the background, backing and binding; and then used pellon for the wadding.

I stitched around the hexagons with gold metallic thread for a luxurious touch.  

This was a very calm and peaceful project to make.  It now resides on my bookcase with a fabric dragon and snake for company.