21 and Houses!

This is 3 of 3 for the 21st birthday quilts.  Oh, so much fun!  What's not to love about houses that look like Melbourne's bathing boxes on the foreshore?  

Starting with a free pattern that was generously provided by Moda Fabrics when the pandemic started and we all had to be "locked down" in 2020, I found the most perfect use for what was a recently indulgent purchase of a 300 piece x 5in squares batik pack.  

I thought with the 5in pack that I would have had enough fabric to make all the huts, but it wasn't to be and so into my stash I went, which thankfully gave me enough to complete all of the houses with no repeats.

So much glorious colour!  After laying out the colours and deciding what to pair with which one, the cutting began.  And there was lots and lots of cutting.

First up, I made all of the beach hut fronts.   Contrasting doors so that you will know where to enter.

Then I made all of the rooves, some with chimneys so that you know the fire will be burning during the colder months.

After all of the chain piecing and lots of sewing, suddenly the houses seemed to come together as entire units.  Each and every one is so gorgeous!

Then they needed to laid out.  It took quite a while to lay them out and get a colour balance that I was happy with.  Yes, there was input from the rest of the family during this process.  

This is a very happy quilt.  I kept on thinking of family, fun times and being outdoors while making the houses, so hopefully those thoughts have been infused into the quilt.

For the backing, I put together 2 large pieces from stash, which as you can see from the bottom corner, was not quite enough - oh oops!  I had intended to put the label on that odd corner piece, but as you can see in the photo, I inadvertently put the label on the top of the quilt... oh dear.  I didn't realise until after I had gifted the quilt and was looking at the photos that I had done that.  L said it didn't bother him, so that's okay.   Phew!

For the quilting, I quilted in the ditch along all of the long seams and then I used a tumbling hearts pattern from 'quilting made easy' for rows of houses, to symbolize heart and home.  In the border, I made a proper frame with a cable design, like the twist on a rope to echo the beach hut theme.

I used a light pale blue/white variegated cotton thread from  'wonderfil' on the top and the back.

Ta da.... here is the finished quilt.  In the bright sunlight, the houses are positively glowing, just like a sunny day at the ocean when the sun is reflecting onto beach huts.

L is very compassionate about others.  He is very empathetic to those who are struggling and has found a career supporting those who are less fortunate and are struggling.  Here is what I wrote on his quilt label: 

Village of Houses.  Your world is all about community, family and everyone mixing in together.   These little fun beach huts represent the awesomeness of diversity when you allow the doors to be opened up to new ideas and adventures.  We wish you so much love, happiness and joy as you make your path through life. 

To be able to make and gift quilts to boys who have grown up with my own boys into wonderful young men is truly humbling.  

Finished Quilt Size:  69in x 79.5in
Gifted in Feb 2023

Pattern can be found here.

Succumbing to Serendipity

During this peculiar time when we are to be "self isolating" and practising "social distancing", some great quilt shops/companies are putting out fun things we can do while stuck at home.  What good quilter doesn't mind getting a fun pattern, which uses up stash scraps and makes something fun?

Moda Fabrics and Miss Rosie's Quilt Co have provided the pattern Village free online for Quilters  worldwide while there is a global pandemic going on.

This pattern makes good use of 5in squares, perfect for all of those batiks I have stashed away! 

The bundle of yummy batik 5in squares comes from an impulse buy in April 2019 at the Australiasian Quilt Convention.  They simply leapt into my hands as soon as my eyes saw them.  With 171 pieces in the pack, I then had to cut another 130 pieces out of others in my stash.  I had no idea that I had 130 bits of fabric which co-ordinate together!

The background is a Moda Bella Solid, which makes the house fabrics really pop.

Seems like I can start immediately!!  I think it's serendipity.  I've been looking at house quilt patterns for ages and this one seems to have fallen in my lap!

And..... here's the first part... the roof tops..... all cut, ready to chain piece.

Here they are, all ready to meet the walls....

Then came the cutting for the walls.... look at all of that glorious colour!

To be closely followed by assembled house fronts

The roofs met the walls...

Now they are turning into a "proper" village....

oohhh - love, love, love.

Entally Historic House

There's nothing quite like the feeling of something finished - and this cross stitch is one of those things.

The kit was given to me by my neighbour approximately 3 or 4 years ago after her mother passed away.

Entally House - Tasmania

I worked on this cross stitch a lot during last year but didn't finish it.

This year, while between houses and staying in temporary accommodation, I needed something to do in the evenings, so out it came.  Turns out, all I had to stitch was the tree!

One of my close friends and her husband are picture framers - so off it went, and this is how it came back...

I am absolutely thrilled - the framing is perfect.  My husband is the photographer while I am holding the picture and he has caught his own reflection... but I really wanted to show off how good it looks framed.  I'll have to scout around and try to find a better picture to replace this one with - but I was in a rush before gift wrapping it, and so it was quickly snapped, without thought.

The tale of Entally House cross-stitch, continued until I gave it to the neighbour mentioned above for her '0' birthday.  She actually had nothing to say when I first gave it to her.  My husband said she's pretty chuffed.  A gift with personal meaning, stitched and given with love.