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.

Traditional Tuesday - Pt 4

More gorgeous blocks from Jenifer Dick over at 42 Quilts Blog.  Take a peek, there is only eye candy in my book!

Block 30 - Square

Block 31 - City Streets

Block 31 is actually the second block from making Block 29, it is simply a reversal of the log cabin squares.  

Block 32 - Double Pinwheel

Block 33 - Illinois Road

Block 34 - Checkerboard Unskew (unequal 9 patch!)

Block 35 - Kansas Dugout

 Another block which is a bit ho hum by itself, but when repeated and rotated can make an amazing quilt.

Block 36 - 4H

4H - The 4 H's stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health.  There are 4H clubs in America.  They are not here in Australia, so I googled to find out what the significance of  4H is.  4H clubs sound like a great thing for youth to belong to with a focus on traditional values so often lacking in our modern world.

Block 37 - Birds in the Air

Block 38 - Contrary Wife

Block 39  - Dragon Fly

I'm a little behind with my stitching at on this particular project and I can't wait to start sewing the July and August blocks.

I just can't help myself...

... I see a blog hosting a free Block Of The Month (BOM) for yet another Sampler Quilt and what do I do?  Note all the blocks in my quilting book and go hunting for fabric - sheesh - like I need another project!

If you click on the Bloggers BOM button on the sidebar it will take you to Canton Village Quiltworks who are the hosts of the Bloggers BOM.

A fun BOM which started back in September 2011 and is running until October 2012 - so I figure it's not too late to start.  Jackie from Canton Village has asked other well know Quilters for their contributions, which means that each month there is a guest block designer.  Her only specification to the Designers is that they use the Kaffe Fasset Collective fabrics which she sent them.  And, from jumping around the relevant blogs of the Designers, the blocks look fantastic.  Finishing at 8in square, they are easy to make, all pieced and look really effective.

Do you think I should use my Kaffe Fasset and Phillip Jacobs collective too?

Oh, and the white fabric - that's a French General print which I love with the brights of the KP and PJ fabrics - I think that the white fabric really makes the other fabrics sing. 

The bonus of starting the Bloggers BOM is it will actually be a stash-busting project - I don't need to buy a thing to make the quilt including the thread, backing, borders, binding and batting.   Very exciting......

Traditional Tuesday - Pt 3

Some more blocks.  I am really enjoying the Traditional Tuesday Blog-a-long or perhaps it's my love of Sampler Quilts that has kept me motivated, whatever the inspiration, these blocks are a delight to make.  Simple and effective and a nice break from other more complicated projects.

Block 20 - Shoo Fly

Block 21 - Heart

A perfect block for Valentines Day, which was on a Tuesday!  The original heart block was pieced, but I want to have some applique elements scattered through my quilt, hence the applique hearts design.  Hmmm, still need to sew down 3 of the 4 hearts....

Block 22 - Jewel Box

Block 23 - Chinese Coins

 The Chinese Coins and the Log Cabin are my favourite blocks so far.  I adore the colour graduation in the skinny little strips and yes, I did foundation piece the 'coins' in the block.  

Block 24 - Spool

Block 25 - Pendants

 I can just see the Pendants repeated over and over again on a smaller scale to make an amazing quilt border.

Block 26 - Cross

Block 27 - Basket Weave

 Each week when Jenifer posts which block to make she also includes links to whole quilts made from the blocks so that you can see the block repeated, which of course then sets my mind off on a tangent!  The Basket Weave block (above) is a perfect example of a very plain block which when repeated and rotated can make an amazing quilt with secondary patterns. 

Block 28 - Modernistic Pansy

 The jury is out on this one (above).  I loved Jenifer's block but not mine.  I'll see how it looks when I piece the quilt top, might need to change it me thinks...

Block 29 - Crossed Square

Isn't it great when you can simply make something you love and someone else has done the thinking for you?  When this particular quilt is all put together it may have to be named "Relaxing on Tuesday"  ...smiles... 

 xxx Andrea

At least the Borders are made...

For a few weeks now, Rosie and I have been getting together once a week to sew, with the aim of working through our unfinished projects.  One of mine is huge, by that I mean size, this humongous quilt will finish close to 3m (10ft) square or just a little under that.  During 2009 and 2010, Project House 360 ran an online Block of the Month called Land of Liberty. 

I have had the blocks  for the centre made for about 2 years now and the triangle border made for about 1 year.  (My apologies for the dullness of the photos, the dark coloured floor has really dulled the fabrics.)

Triangle Inner Border - close up

This triangle border was an exercise in patience, but I am thrilled with it finished.  Against the rest of the quilt it looks great. 

Triangle Border - the whole thing

And now, here's the final border which I have been working on diligently for the past month on my weekly sewing day - I changed the final edge by adding in green triangles instead of having the 'scalloped' edge as the pattern instructed.

Outer Star Border - the whole thing

Outer Star Border - close up

And finally, here are the blocks so far - 1 block is missing because I made it completely the wrong size, I'll have to check my photocopying percentages because the block turned out 3in smaller than the rest, sheesh.  Also missing is where the stripes should have been from the original pattern, I am making many smaller stars to represent the millions of stars in the Australian sky under which I live to fill in the space.  Rosie commented that I like hard work, she says the stripes would have been simpler - she may well be right! LOL!  A self-imposed challenge is good for the soul I am sure... :)

The almost finished central panel

Unfortunately my design wall is not tall enough and the top blocks are flopping over, but you get the idea.  The stars in this centre panel are all made from a Fat 8 pack of Rocky Mountain II fabrics which I had for a couple of years before this pattern came up.  I did have to purpose buy the background and the borders.  My next purchase is for sashing and binding fabrics.  I have the backing and wadding already.  Nearly there.......


It's a great feeling when the end of the piecing is in sight.

Traditional Tuesday - pt 2

The 5th January seems almost like a lifetime ago, yet it's only been 6 months - that's when I last posted about Traditional Tuesday.  As I mentioned way back when last January, I have been following the very fun weekly blog sew-a-long which Jenifer Dick from 42 Quilts is posting each week. 


I am on track and up-to-date with making the blocks, just a little behind in posting pictures of them, so here we are, up to block 19.


Sit back, relax and enjoy what I think is some nice eye candy!  By the way - did I mention how much I am enjoying the making of these blocks?

Block 2 - Log Cabin

Block 9 - String Block

Block 11 - Bow Tie

 Block 12 - not yet made

Block 13 - 9 Patch

 Block 14 - not yet made

Block 15 - Double 4 Patch

Block 16 - Square-in-a-Square

Block 17 - Hour Glass

Block 18 - Flying Geese

Block 19 - Star

I am pretty happy with how my blocks are turning out.  I have selected a medallion applique centre for my quilt and will select a large flower from that applique to put onto blocks 7 and 14, instead of the "Holiday" themed ones so that the centre will tie in more to the blocks.  


Off to photograph the next set of blocks now.......

Fun Cardie

Sometimes I think it would be fun to be a little girl again - the clothes are so pretty...  ahhh... sigh...

I had a lot of fun knitting this particular little number.  Using a Sirdar pattern and Patons London 8ply variegated yarn with some fun changes in pattern along the way made this project irresistable to put down.  Although next time, I would knit the bands around the bottom in rib rather than garter stitch as it didn't want to sit flat.

Knitted at size 3-4yrs, it's perfect for an adorable little miss!

Front of Cardigan

Detail

More Detail



Back of Cardigan

This particular pattern is a definite knit again project.  Watch this space for one day when I find the perfect wool.

Guinea Flower

I love Australian Native Flowers, they seem to hide away until the weather conditions are perfect and then they surprise with gorgeous colour and intricate detail when you look at them in detail.

When I found out DHs aunty was turning 70, I decided to dig out a bookmark kit and stitch it for her.  She is a lover of Australian Natives and so this Guinea Flower design was perfect for her.  Did I mention that she is also an avid reader?

When finished, it was wrapped in gorgeous native flower paper and put inside a card from an Aussie artist, then posted.

Obviously she liked it as I received a lovely e-mail from her thanking me.

Cabled Ribs?

Not real ribs, but the ribbing on a jumper!  Variegated yarn makes a plain pattern very interesting and then, when used in a cable pattern, the intrigue for how it was knitted increases.  This jumper has been knitted from Creative Fibres pure wool (colour Spring) which was overdyed to give the glorious colour.  So soft to knit with using Patons Classics Pattern baby/toddler book.  Size 2 child.

The jumper

Detail of cabled band

When I was knitting the bands for this jumper, I kept on thinking of fariy floss on a sunny summer day with butterflies flitting to and fro - hopefully the little girl that this has been gifted to will be a fairy in her imaginary play.  :)

Spaced Out Alphabet

Have a go at a mystery quilt which a friend is running and just have fun!    Then you get what I think is a fantastic quilt - I so love it. 

I altered the oringal pattern slightly to make the quilt a bit larger and changed the borders to make it 3 for the extra frame efffect.  The red, orange and yellow squares are made up of flannel fabrics and the rest is cottons, so there is a textural element to this particular quilt.

Spaced Out Alphabet Quilt

In the detail photo below, you can see the little space ships flying around in the green fabric.  Some of them even have little friendly aliens waving at us.

I quilted Spaced Out Alphabet  on my domestic machine with interlocking circles, alien stars and stippling.

Now, this quilt just needs a child to drag it around the house and make 'cubbies' in the lounge-room, then to have happy dreams under it at night.

PS:  another one off the UFO list!