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.

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!

Cutlery Bags

As we all know, there is never, ever any cutlery in work-place staff/lunch rooms.  It doesn't matter how many pieces of cutlery get purchased at the start of the year, it is guaranteed that within a few weeks, there is very little left - especially the forks.

So, for 2015 Christmas Gifts, I e-mailed my closest colleagues and asked then what their favourite colour was.  As you can see, there were a few purples.

I purchased some lovely coloured cutlery sets; and where I didn't have the quantity of chosen colour in cutlery from the set I matched the cutlery to fabric pattern colours.

All in all, there were 11 bags to make, each specific to its new owner.

The bonus of putting cutlery into bags is that it can be washed at the end of lunch and then stored in a desk drawer and stay clean, ready for the next day.

My colleagues loved their gifts.  We had such a beautiful morning in the office, swapping gifts, eating a very large morning tea and sharing our Christmas plans.  Going to work is very easy when you work with wonderful people.


PS:  I made one more set (not pictured) for my sister to keep at her work place.  She thought it was an excellent idea - just like my colleagues.

New Year, New Goals

So far so good.  2016 has started off with a wonderful holiday to the Adelaide Hills - a snatched week away while DH was off work for the 'silly season'.  Last night was a good reason to celebrate with some lovely wine and dinner as DH had some great news regarding his job.  It seems I can spend less time working and more time quilting - yeah hah! :) 

I only found one quilt shop while away at Bordertown (apparently there are two), which stocked some lovely William Morris fabrics; and the day after coming home, sewed my fabric up into a block roll, which I will use while embarking on my own 'Dear Jane' Quilt journey this year.

Sideways view of Block Roll and Needle Book
(not sure why photo is sideways....)

Opened out Block Roll

I also made a small needle-book from the unused fabric length.

Inside view of Needle Book

I am searching my sewing room for another pattern to make a small block carry around folder thingy-a-mi-jig to transport the hand-sewing blocks in, which will also be made out of this same fabric.

My two new starts for this year will be:

1.    Dear Jane Quilt (with Kilmore Quilters) - new fabric purchase.

2.    Seminole block [row] of the month at Morning Glory - use up stash.

My goal for 2016 year in all areas of my life is twofold - focus on what I have already started and allow serendipity to happen.  If my plans don't work out, then I will do my best to follow the alternate path and not get distressed.

Storm at Sea

Ta Daaaa!..... Storm At Sea!

Started 11 years ago, literally, this quilt has been waiting a very long time to have the quilting completed and the binding added.  I made this quilt over a period of 12 months from October 2004, preparing the backing, binding and wadding all at the same time.

During 2006, Storm At Sea was packed away for renovations, which were shortly followed by an overseas move.  It was as I sat through a north German winter, I began the quilting during 2007 and then my problems began.  I had not basted this quilt correctly and the bumpiness I was quilting over was a large bunch of fabric on the back.  What a mess! 

The thought of unpicking the mono-filament thread being used was just too much for me.  I put the quilt away while I pondered upon my predicament.  It was only later on after we had moved back to Australia that I pulled the quilt out again.  Nope, still didn't want to face the unpicking to remove the fabric lump on the back.  Put it away again. 

Fast forward to 2015 and an upcoming quilt show with my local quilt group - incentive, momentum and a need to stop my son from asking me when his quilt will be ready for him to use - he thinks it very unfair that his brother has had a quilt for (oops) 9 years and he hasn't - that I decided to bit the bullet and get it done. 

The results are here for all to see - my apologies that the photo was taken at night, but I was so excited to get this quilt finished that I didn't care about the lighting.

Turns out, procrastination had been my biggest issue -far bigger than the unpicking of the bunched up fabric.  I was able to complete the unpicking and quilting over the course of 1 very long day and then it was only the binding.  One week after making my decision to complete this quilt - it was "done done".

I guess the moral of the story is to deal with the problems as they arise, not let them sit and become bigger in my mind than what they really are.

I am super excited by this finish, as are the menfolk in my house who love it!

This is finish #7 of 12 planned for the year.

Pinwheeling....

My most recent finish!  It seems that hand-made items have their time to shine, each in turn.

When I pulled this one out of the box a couple of months ago, I felt very happy and calm with the project.  I had a feeling that the new Mum (baby not yet born) would like the quilt and guess what?  She sure did.  It was with great delight that she squealed and then jumped around with joy at receiving this gift - her grandmother (my aunt) and her great-grandmother (my grandmother) were also quilters, so she felt it was very special.

I originally posted about this particular quilt here, in April 2013.  

Front of quilt.

The gorgeous soft flannelette backing.

The idea/pattern for the large pinwheels is from the Moda Bakeshop website and makes great use of 5in charm squares.  I added on the borders to use up some leftover fabric pieces and to make the quilt a little larger to suit a cot and then a sleepy time quilt for when baby becomes a toddler.

For the quilting, I used a large swirl wave design over the pinwheels, ellipses in the narrow border and then swirls in the outer border.  

I have plans to make another one with 5in charm squares that are predominately pinks and already put aside.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing "pinwheeling" come to life.

This is finish #6 of 12 planned for the year.

Snappy So Happy

Snap Pop! was the name of the lovely, bright coloured charm square pack used in this quilt.  I was looking for something funky, modern and bright to make this girl quilt.

When I took the quilt outside for to photograph it, the dark, gloomy winter day seemed not so dull anymore.  It certainly brought a smile to my face when the colours seemed to simply pop against the winter hue.

Quilted with a lightly variegated pale yellow King Tut thread in a swirl design to contrast against the geometry of the squares, I then framed the quilt with a green binding to pull everything together,

Sometimes simplicity in patchwork patterns and quilt design just works.


This is quilt #5 of 12 planned for the year.

Little Travelling Jacket

Such a delight to knit - a cabled winter jacket for a little one.  Due to be born very soon, I have given this jacket to her expectant Mum, (who loves anything crafted by hand), in Mum's last week of work.

Given that I have sons and there are many nephews, it is very rare that I get to work such a pretty feminine design.  With just the right mix of cables and stocking stitch in 8ply wool, I knitted this jacket in a few short weeks.

Back of Jacket

Lovely and long, the jacket will keep her warm and snug as she moves around.  I wish I had a jacket like this one!

Front of Jacket

Pattern:  Little Vintage Sunday Coat from "Baby Book 5" by Sue Batley-Kyle.   pub. King Cole 2012

Knitted in:  Patons Totem 8ply.

Size:  To fit 12-18 months.

Oven-mitts & Pot-holders

Practical and useful.  Probably not a very exciting thing to post about, but I actually enjoyed making my newest set of oven mitts; and then a pot-holder from the left over fabric. 

Alas, they did not stay in my possession for long - these items are currently in residence at the shop where I teach some-times because Customers had been requesting such a class.

A very yellow photo of the oven mitts, because I forgot the flash!  Oooops.

 I have put insulbrite wadding in the mitts, with a layer of cotton wadding also to make them comfy and heat-proof.

And... a much better photo of the Pot-holder with the flash turned on!

No more burnt fingers now! :)