Disappearing Pinwheel

So, this is my third zip loc baggie project, as part of my New Year's resolution and quest to empty the shelf of those projects.  Disappearing Pinwheel (pattern from Missouri Star).

I chose to use the fabrics I have on hand - a big piece of white and 10in squares from my dwindling collection of Kaffe Fasset fabrics.

I started this project in 2016 when my gorgeous friend R decided to show me how to make it.  She has since finished hers.

The blocks as I opened up the zip loc bag.  Some completed and some not.

I ended up with 12 blocks which measure 11.75in (11.25in finished).  A nice size of layout of 3x4 blocks.  But, when my fabrics were put close together, the result was terrible, so I added in sashing strips and cornerstones.  It took me quite a while to find something in my stash and then I spied this lovely Liberty stripe.  Perfect, or so I thought.

But, the stripe was not at all the right fabric - I swapped the Liberty stripe for a plain red.  The stripe was just too busy and there was no-where for the eye to rest.

With careful cutting and calculating, I was able to get all of the sashing strips cut from the left over white fabric - phew!  It was a very close call to get 31 of 1.5in x 11.75in sashing strips and no room at all for cutting errors.  I think the cutting gods were on my side that day!

The top half of the notebook page shows working out for the sashing strips and the bottom half of the page is working out for the backing fabrics.

Ready for basting before quilting.

A pieced backing made from leftover blocks and two odd pieces from my stash....

Finished off with a red binding, which was the only deliberate purchase for this quilt.

I quilted this quilt as a "Strippy Quilt" with a rose pattern down the blocks and in straight lines in the long sashing strips.  I have used this technique previously and I really like how it gives another dimension to the quilt top.  The quilting thread used was Wonderfil #50 weight variegated lime green Tutti Cotton on top and Gutermann #50 weight cotton in the bobbin.  This thread has turned out to be a bit of a favourite to quilt with. It is so smooth in the machine and, as luck would have it, I had just enough to complete the quilt.

My Friendship Star version of the Disappearing Pinwheel will be donated the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne via the Very Snuggly Quilts Program.

Pattern credit
** Disappearing Pinwheel Pattern can be found here on the Missouri Star website.

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

Hourglass Knitting

Way back in 2009, when we were living overseas, I made the simple hourglass quilt blocks from a charm square pack (by one of my favourite designers - Kaffe Fasset) and a piece of variegated batik fabric.  Then they languished as an UFO for four years simply because I couldn't think of what to do with them. 

Then, just a few weeks ago, in January 2014, inspiration struck!  It really was a lightning bolt moment for me.  What, I wondered would happen if I were to sew the blocks into three panels, could I make a bag from it?  Of course I could!

After the panels were assembled, I fused my three year old piece of lamifix to the sewn panels and made up the outer part of the bag.

I love how the light makes the jewel tones sparkle against the plainer batik.

Obviously, using all 40 hourglass blocks would have made a bag that was too large, so I lined the spares to make the internal pockets.  One small pocket for the tape measure and wool needles.  

A couple of pieces of elastic out of the drawer for keeping the extra needles which are sometimes required....

A second larger pocket for the pattern and my notebook

The lining, wadding, thread, elastic, bag feet and handles all came out of my stash.  This was truly a "stashbuster" project.  I also love that I was able to cross one project of my extensive list of UnFinished Objects.

Very happy :)

Sparkling Opals

The fabrics I have chosen for the Bloggers BOM which Jackie from Canton Village Quiltworks has organised, remind me of Opals.  Those beautiful stones have an inner fire which glows and I feel that the Kaffe Fasset/Phillip Jacobs fabrics I have chosen for my quilt blocks glow like opals.

It was mid-August when I stumbled across the project and just "had to do it".  I became so excited that I made all the 12 blocks below in one day - it was a long sewing Saturday, but really, what's a girl to do when it's pouring rain outside for hours on end?

** Block captions contain the name and blog name of each of the designers.

Block 1
(Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life)

Block 2
(Vicki Welsh - Field Trips in Fiber)

Block 3 - Split Star
(Stephanie Dunphy - Loft Creations)

Block 4
(Pat Sloan - The Voice of Quilting) 

 After making the first few blocks, I found that I really needed to reduce the number of fabrics I was using.  My blocks were not looking too good - think psychedelic pizza - so I re-made the blocks with fewer fabrics and darker value colours. Then I achieved what I call perfection - blocks that glow!

Block 5 - Sands of Time
(John Adams - Quilt Dad)

Block 6
(Amy Smart - Diary of Quilter)

Block 7 - Churn Dash
(Allison Harris - Cluck Cluck Sew)

Block 8 - Triangle Squares
(Amy Lobsiger - Mrs Schmenkmen Quilts)

Block 9 - Jewel Box
(Cathy Underhill - Cabbage Quilts)

Block 10
(Pam Vieira - Pam Kitty Morning)

 Block 11 - Split Ohio Star - not yet made.... :(

Block 12
(Amy Ellis - Amy's Creative Side)

Block 13 - Star in a Star
(Sarah Fielke - The Last Piece)

 I can't wait until the 25th October, when the final step will be revealed - will it be another block or layout?  Who knows.  Just like a mystery quilt, you don't know what each step will be until it is shown to you....

City Lights

Another UFO bites the dust! From 2006, this quilt top has been moved around my sewing room several times. Currently off being valued, it is my donation to my children's school for their Auction Night - I have to say, I am quite nervous about what the Quilt Valuers have to say and what the response will be on the Auction night.

My own design using a selection of Kaffe Fasset fabrics. A very simple but effective quilt with Colorburst fabric for the outer border and hidden stars. The design is reminiscent of a city skyline at night. Lots of lights against a dark sky, the winds of change combine with thoughts and dreams, swirling up into the darkness, towards the stars which are just out of reach, promising new tomorrows.Below, quilting detail in the border, don't look too closely - vbg.... :)

And, below, quilting detail of the main part of the back. Quilted by me, on my DSM with Raiman Variegated Rayon Machine Embroidery Thread. Unfortunately the flash blew out the colour a bit, but I think it shows the vibrance of the quilting and how interesting the back is.
Off to work on the next project now!