Hexagon Flowers aka 'Matilda'

This past week, I pulled out my ongoing hexagon flowers project that I have been appliqueing to pieced backgrounds.  I knew I was close to being finished, but not really sure, so I laid out all of the blocks - 35 - to see where I was at.  I needed to piece one more flower (the blue dot), applique that one on and two others.  

I laid them out, decided on placement and stacked them ready for webbing.  On the block corners, I will applique a single green hexagon.

 

The hexagons were a gift from EJH back in 2022 when she was going through some of her stuff she didn't want anymore.  There were a few flowers already made, not many and I've been plodding away on them, in bursts over the past couple of years until a few days ago when I decided it really was time to get it to be ready for making into a flimsy.

I am quite excited by this project again.  My friend J dropped in while the quilt was out on the table and she gave her seal of approval. 

So I set myself to completing this little beauty and let me introduce you to... Matilda.. 

Not the best photos, being taken indoors on a bit of a dull day...  

I really love the backgrounds that I chose - a range from Emma Jean Jansen called Classics with the iconic Melbourne Trams, Kangaroos, Gum Leaves and a nod to our indigenous peoples.  (I can't remember the name of the symbol right now).

Quite a satisfying quilt top to finish.  For now, Matilda has been bundled up with her backing and binding until I can get her quilted.

I think I might even turn her into a quilt pattern - it's been a loooooong time since I've made a pattern - think pre-covid era....  hmmmm...  food for thought.

Little Big Stars

Pre-cut squares - A challenge?

Well, the challenge was issued on a Yahoo quilt group, and I have to admit I didn't think I'd take it up - Sewing with pre-cut squares, despite having 3 charm square packs, nicely tucked away in the cupboard with their sketches and extra fabrics.  "No, I must work on other things" I kept on saying to myself.

Fast forward a few days and I was home with two unwell sons.  I was in a bit of a funk and really couldn't seem to focus on anything.

So, I looked in the cupboard for some inspiration and one package of charm squares simply leapt into my hands.  They are so pretty, the picture I had stored with them looked so simple.  Nice, relaxing.... fun, pretty and bright... 

I had stored the charm pack, not only with a sketch with an idea of what to make, but the extra fabric for the stars was there too.

Well, now, a few days later, it's a quilted quilt.  Not huge, a beautiful little baby quilt with an interesting backing.  

A nice red binding to really make the stars pop and to tie everything together.

And the backing? - well, that became interesting too!

There were a couple of charm squares left over...  I drew 'splotches' onto vliesofix and then appliqued the splotches onto the backing for a bit of fun.

Then I sewed all of the left over 'stitch'n'flip' quarter square triangles into hourglass blocks and pieced a section for the back.  
  

Now, I have a fun backing and there are no left over fabric pieces.

Totally happy, despite having unhappy sons, my sewing was relaxing and they were happy because I was right there with them.  This is a definite "make again" pattern, very satisfying.

Dancing Queen......

You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen....  - remember that glorious song by ABBA?   The song was so stuck in my head while I was quilting this quilt - Dancing Nines by Bonnie Hunter.

Back in October 2016, Bonnie Hunter was booked to come to a local group and teach, however, her trip to Australia was cancelled, but she did graciously allow us to still make one of her patterns.  A very clever and super fast sewing member, M, of our group, made her own Dancing Nines quilt and then proceeded to host and guide us through the day.

I cut up all of my Batik scraps in blue/green, plus a jelly roll.  There were hundreds of squares to be cut up, including a few little pink/red/orange ones for interest.

I laid out each of my nine-patch blocks individually.  That was my personal choice because I wanted to use up the fabrics evenly.

Very addictive, once I had made one block, I just wanted to keep on making more and more....

 Eventually the time came to put them together into a quilt top.  The sashing fabric is a very soft pastel batik green with leaves on it.  Making the individual blocks and then putting them all together was an absolute joy.  A very quick, fun quilt to make - did I mention addictive blocks?

I cut out the border pieces while cutting for the main quilt top.  I love how the border surrounds the blocks to give a nice frame, and the little peep of burnt orange/red to separate the centre from the border.

The binding is the same fabric as the inner narrow border.  There is the most subtle of gold metallic print on it.

And the backing, a lovely, very indulgent purchase of blue/green batik....

 

This is the first really big quilt that I have quilted with my new sewing room set-up, and I think I am going to have to make some changes to stop the quilt from sliding off my sewing table, especially at the back.  It was very hard work to quilt the borders because the quilt kept on falling of the table.  My piano key quilting is very wonky... ho hum... 

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.

Small things

Small things, small finishes, use up some left overs and you get oven mitts!  I was looking to use up some small pieces of fabric and the strip sets to remove them out of my stash.  They kept on coming up to the top of the pile and every time I went into the shelving, they were front and centre.

I have had these two items finished for several weeks now, just needed to find some time to sit at the PC and blog.

The showy side of the oven mitts.

The oven mitts and the heat pad both use up leftover strips from a Bargello quilt which I made a few years ago.

Heat Pad 

Both items have insulbrite and cotton wadding - nice and protective from heat.  They are getting well used in my kitchen and don't burn my fingers like the worn out ones!

More Bow Ties

The Bow Ties quilt top is completed.  Very happy.  The backing and binding fabrics are currently in the wash and shortly I'll be cutting the wadding.

My apologies for the angle of the quilt in the photo, I was having a very hard time with the wind, which had been absent until I wanted to take my photos - sheesh...

These 4in blocks are so incredibly addictive to make.  Try to stop at just one or two, it is impossible.  I found myself going through my 5in squares to try as many colour and print possibilities as I could.  Each tie was "wow" when I completed the block.

I have a good idea of how I want to quilt this quilt, so once again I am keen to strike while the iron is hot and keep the momentum going. Note to self - write down the quilting ideas before they get forgotten!

Bow Ties - an intro

A few years ago, when I was working in the 'rat race', catching public transport and wearing suits - I would always look at mens ties.  Especially their Bow Ties.  I love Bow Ties.  Somehow the wearing of a Bow Tie allowed a man's personality to show through, even though it was being constrained by holiding down a serious responsible role as a Stockbroker, Banker or Engineer.  The bow ties worn by these men were often very flamboyant, against the dark grey/black/pinstriping of their suits.  It is these city men who inspired me to make a Bow Tie quilt.

Of the 327 blocks I have made so far, I pulled a random sample of 16 out of the box so that I could play around with the layout.

Layout 1 - Straight Set

Layout 2 - Octagonal Centres

 

Layout 3 - Interesting...

Of course there are many more layout options with the blocks on point and/or sashing in between them.  I have an idea of where I want to head with this quilt - so I'm off to lay out all of the blocks to see if my idea will work.  I'm quitely confident that it will.

And.... if there are blocks that I don't like in the quilt, I can make more.  There are another 200+ fabric squares in the box from when I was collecting interesting "tie" fabrics.  The ones I don't use will end up on the back of the quilt so they won't be wasted.  The extra fabric squares will probably end up as part of the backing too.

Miniature Pinwheels

Hello!  I have to say I was a bit taken aback when I looked at my last blog post to realize that a month had simply passed by!  

Right, now moving along, away from the mysteries of time disappearing, here is my latest finish - a miniature quilt.  The pinwheels are made from waste triangles when doing a 'stitch-n-flip' on a different quilt and the border fabric is also left over from the other quilt.  

Whole Quilt - 26in x 36in

Finished off with simple quilting in the pinwheels, trailing vine leaves in the border and a red binding, I am pretty happy with the results.

Close up - 2in finished pinwheels

Currently hanging on my design wall, it will also end up as perfect runner for my coffee table.

Oz Comfort Quilts

http://ozcomfortquilts.blogspot.com/

Jan MacFadyen is an amazing person. She is living near a flood zone, but if you click on her blog - above, you will realise that she is all about helping others whose homes have been flooded. 2 years ago, Jan and others (names I don't know), made, collected and distributed many quilts to Bushfire victims/survivors. This year she is using her extreme selflessness, with some help from others to co-ordinate a massive quilt drive to provide for those in both the Queensland and Victorian floods.

My photos here are the small donation I was able to make to Jan for her charity quilting:

A pile of 11in squares, ready for QAYG string quilts...A pile of cotton fabrics, washed and ready to be chopped up into strings for Quilts...

Then,into the box, complete with 22m of pre-made binding, ready for Jan to use.

Here is the message which Jan sent to me after receiving the box which I sent her for the Flood Victims:
We were very lucky not to be flooded this time and I really feel for the poor people in the Swan Hill area. The anxiety and worry about whether or not you will have flood water through your home is very stressful.
Many thanks for the lovely large box of fabric, binding and wadding squares. It will all be put to good use ASAP.
If you keep an eye on my blogs you should see some of them made into quilts very soon.
Thanks for all your help with this very large project.
Hugs Jan Mac

Jan - I am very happy to help in any way I can and I urge everyone out there to do their thing for Charity Quilting - a small donation of fabric, money, wadding, cotton thread or even quilt blocks and quilts along with help to distribute them can make such a big difference to one or many people.

Scraps & Threads in Life

I can't believe that it's been almost 2 weeks since my last post. Where did the time go? Well it has mostly been spent creatively, which is a good reason to have a huge grin on my face! I have my machine back from the shop, without the broken needle in the workings, so I have completed some swap blocks and now I am quilting a large quilt on it. Every now and again I have to remember to come up for air!! I promise that there will be photos when it's all done :)

A few events have taken place recently, which have reinforced the fact that quilting, scrap-booking, knitting, or whichever hobby you choose, can be quite a good anchor and calming balance when things get too hectic. I have spent some time in the last 2 days with girlfriends, scrap-booking. Just like a quilting group, we drink coffee, talk and make something beautiful at the same time, which we hope will be loved and treasured for future generations. It is the cotton threads, scraps of paper and fabric, a connection to another person in a similar situation and the wonderful friendships that make our lives what they are.

Check out the little blocks in the photo below - how cute are they? They will be 3in (7.5cm) finished. The "positive" blocks are from an online swap and the "negative" blocks I made when making my swap blocks. I am not sure what layout or type of quilt to make with them yet, so if you have a suggestion, please leave a comment - I'd like to know what you think!


Thanks for stopping by! Andrea