Green Coffee Cobblestones

My Fifth finish for the year – this was from my completed tops/backings/bindings pile.  I had completed the quilt top and prepared the backing and binding back in 2023.  This was originally an UFO from 2007/8 era and made with swapped 'cobblestone' blocks.

At the time I decided to embark on this plan, I had made a cutting and sewing error.  The error that I had made in cutting the blocks into quarters and adding the narrow sashing strip/cornerstone always seemed to so big in my mind; but in 2023 when I pulled it out to tackle it, the error wasn't that big at all.  In fact, after a few minutes of careful thinking and looking at my mistake, I was able come up with a plan to repair the error quite easily and then went on to complete the quilt top, prepare the backing and make a binding.  

And then it sat as a lovely bundle for another 2 years, until February this year when DH saw me starting to quilt it.  He loved it because it is his mother's favourite colours and he immediately asked me if he could have this quilt for his mother's 85th birthday gift on March 10th.

In the two photos above, I was trying to show the quilting.  I used a variegated yellow/taupe on the top and a burnt orange on the back - both 50wt cotton threads.  I am so happy with how my DSM quilting turned out on this one.  A very happy finish indeed.

I had been hoping for a photo of my mother-in-law with the quilt, which has caused my delay in sharing this finish, but sadly, that has not happened.  However, I can report with delight that she loves the quilt and is very happy.  (I was unable to make it to her birthday lunch).  DH is also very happy because they had a wonderful day together.

The quilt back.

A few days after the birthday celebrations, MIL wrote me a beautiful text message, saying thank-you.  She was also very happy that her 3 sons and 5 out of 6 grandchildren could be there with her to celebrate her milestone.  They were able to take her out of the nursing home and into the bush [forest] for a proper birthday picnic lunch.

The quilt label - written by DH.

I don't normally share the quilt labels, but this was so special and heartfelt by DH, that I felt I needed to share.

The completed quilt.

 

Details:

Green Coffee Cobblestones

Size:       46in x 52in 

Quilted:  by me on my DSM

Yardage: 6m or 6.6yds total

Pattern:   is my own design.

Green Ocean Waves

 Half square triangles.  A "bazillion" of them, or so it seemed at the time.  Over the years, I had been cutting up left over pieces of green from my quilt making into 3.5in squares and then turning them into half square triangles (hsts).

Counting the hsts.

The white fabric was a reject from another project, where it appeared to be "too white" but worked perfectly in this project.  After making and trimming to size all of the hsts, I then had to find pieces of green to make up the bigger plain squares.

Selecting the fabrics for the plain squares.

In an Ocean Waves quilt there are 3 block types:  A, B and C.  It's all about the directions of the triangles in the blocks.  So row 1 is A, C, A, C and then row 2 is C, B, C, B and so-on until the whole quilt top is laid out.

Laying out the quilt top.

I pieced all the A blocks first, then the B and finally the C.  That was fine.  The tricky bit was the layout and keeping the triangles going the 'correct' way with the block placement.  It did play tricks with my eyes and thankfully I pieced the top at a Retreat, so there many opinions in the room!  I found it interesting by the divide of opinion in the room.  It was like or dislike!  Having so much green was quite polarising for some.

Then came the pressing before quilting.  All those seams!  I pressed a bit, took a break, pressed a bit more.

I quilted Green Ocean Waves with a wave design and used a khaki coloured thread which blended beautifully with both the white and the green  

More green for the backing, with the meandering line and dots, I really liked how it set off  and complimented the colours on the front.

The first whole quilt photo was taken indoors and it glows.

And.... here is the whole quilt photo, taken outdoors in the late afternoon dappled sunlight.  Awesome!

I gifted this quilt to my 15yr old nephew K for Christmas 2020.  As soon as unwrapped the gift, he wrapped himself up in it, then opened it up and spread it across the couch, covering up his Nana and Dad at the same time.  He was very, very happy.  Being a teenager, I wasn't quite sure how the quilt would be received.

The next morning, he asked me a whole lot of questions about how I made the quilt, did I cut out all the triangles individually, how did I put it together for quilting......  My Sister (his Mum) said to me later that he had been complaining about all the "blankies" being too small to cover him while watching tv or lounging around and he had been asking for a bigger one.  She was happy too.  

I am happy.  The response from K was far better than I could have imagined.

Easy Street

This was a big quilt and a lot of fabric!  Easy Street has been a wonderful journey of stretching myself with the use of colours.  I wouldn't normally make a quilt in this combination, but for some reason when Bonnie Hunter first shared her mystery quilt from 2012, I knew way back then that I needed to make it.

As luck would have it, I had all of the necessary fabrics in my stash, except for the green, which was purpose bought for this quilt.  

Block Set 1

The black on white prints, I had most of them left over from other quilts, and my friend Jo provided me with some extras from her stash to make sure I had enough.  

Block Set 2

There are many parts to the Easy Street Quilt and there is an absolute mountain load of cutting to be done, but each part was well stepped out and so it was easy to cut and then chain sew parts together.  One step at a time makes it super easy and not at all daunting.

Corner Setting Triangles

Even the side and corner setting triangles had lots of piecing in them.

Side Setting Triangles

I didn't start straight away on this quilt when the clues were first posted.  I collected all of the clues as they were issued because I liked the colours she was using and then when the final reveal was shown on the Quiltville blog, I fell in love with it.  I really liked the symmetry and movement in the quilt.

So much piecing in the blocks!

For the quilting, I simply quilted in the ditch along each seam line.  The patchwork was so busy that I chose keep the quilting minimal.  I quilted a cable pattern on the final border.

Backing onto front peak.

I chose a black/dark grey tone-on-tone stripe for the border and the same green as in the quilt for the binding.

The whole quilt with all of the wonderful movement showing.

 A wonderful quilt to make and one I would consider making again because I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This quilt was completed in December 2020 gifted to my nephew for Christmas 2020.

Another Green Vest!

More Green!!!!  Yes, my Mother-In-Law chose green for a second time!  I suppose when you are a Gardener and Naturalist that is to be expected. 🌴  Back in late January, she and I went shopping at the Bendigo Woolen Mills and came away with a pattern and this gorgeous 12ply yarn.  We had gone there to purchase a ready knit cardigan...

We saw a vest hanging on the wall as a shop sample and she immediately fell in love with the style.  I thought - BINGO - Christmas sorted, but to her I gave a vague "oh, I'll get it done and give it to you sometime."  I already had her upcoming 80th birthday  knitting gift and cake all planned.

Front button and neck detail.

There were some nice little details around the neck and arm holes when you increase and decrease the stitches to make the shape.  Also, the bit I really loved about the pattern was the knitting of the "moss rib" bands around the base and up the centre front all in one piece with the body.

Front of Jacket

While it looks fairly non-descript against my brick wall, it is an absolutely perfect fit on her.  Neither of us could believe it fit so well when she tried it on.

Back of Jacket.

Judging by her reaction, I think it will get quite a lot of wear.  My Mother-In-Law is happy!!!

Pattern:  Bendigo Woolen Mills PT8341

Wool:  Bendigo Woolen Mills Classic in 12ply

Specky Stars

The local quilt group I belong to near my home had a visiting Tutor for a day.  The lady who came run this workshop is a very clever teacher and comes up with amazing ideas. 

New fabric, new project and day of sewing with girlfriends - I was in!

I chose an 'ocean' coloured batik jelly roll and a very dark blue/black mottled batik for my background.

The blocks are assembled log cabin style.  It took a bit of thinking to figure out the construction because you made the blocks like you can see in the photo...... 

I frist blogged about Specky Stars in February when I wrote about the mistake I made and had to unpick the same piece 48 times!

...... and it's not until you lay them out that you can understand how it all goes together.

All laid out.

Once I got it all laid out, it was easy sewing.  The blocks went together like a dream.  The backing fabric was called "karneval" and has some fabulous swirls in the pattern.  The greens in the swirls are the same colours as in the blocks, even though it is predominately blue.

Backing chosen.

Then it was onto the quilting.  I used a very dark grey, not quite black thread for the quilting.  Meandering with the odd spiral and swirl for extra effect.

For the binding, I chose an emerald green which matches the brighter greens in the quilt top.  

I got the hand-sewing on the binding finished quickly.  I have to admit to getting a bit dis-illusioned with this quilt during the construction of it, but once I got it all laid out and the quilt top completed, my desire to get it finished quickly kicked in because it turned out much better than I originally thought it would.

A great not quite single bed, but bit larger than lap quilt size of 54in x 70in.  Perfect for when feeling a bit chilly.

I'm super pleased with how the backing turned out.  The added strips left over from the batik jelly roll just provide some calmness to a very busy fabric.

And.... Ta Da...... here is the finished quilt!

Specky Stars has been claimed by my 16yr old son.