The wind was blowing .....

It was rather windy today so not good shots of the finished bunting hanging on the fence or in the trees!

This was another WIP which I listed in Quarter 3 of the Finish-Along over at On the Windy Side.  The front triangles were cut from a large vintage serviette and the backing is vintage Laura Ashley.  When the sun comes out again it will look lovely hanging in the garden!

I went round and round in circles .....

 

 

The blocks started life in 2012 when I was over in the UK, on holiday from New Zealand.  I had recently done some circle blocks in The Anzac Bee, here and here, and loved how they turned out.  I duly packed what was done in my suitcase when I returned to NZ but never worked on it again!  Finally decided to pull it out of my rather large WIP pile and get it done.  It required 2 more blocks which I made and then pieced them altogether.  I have decided that this will be a charity quilt which will be donated to a baby/child/teen who is in hospital or in need in another way.  I loaded it on my frame for some more practice and worked a loop de loop pattern all other the top.  It was only when I took it off the frame that I realised I should have worked the pattern closer to the applique parts or even straight over them.  That's the problem when things take so long to finish - you change your mind several times in the process!

 

This is my second finish in the Finish-Along Q3.

More longarm quilting for Project Linus ...

Another quilt top that was collected from a local Project Linus co-ordinator.  I decided to do straight line quilting up and down and back and forth on alternate blocks.  Lots learnt whilst loading and quilting this piece - mainly that the size of the needle makes a HUGE difference!

First finish for FAL2015 - Q3

Cut in January ...

pieced in February ...

quilted and bound in July!

First quilt to be quilted on my new long arm machine ...

love the stippling ...

Pieced from samples given to me in a bag of bits from Freecycle ...

backed with vintage stripy bed sheet ....

for Project Linus .... hopefully to bring some warmth and comfort to a child in need. xx

Finish it up Friday

This wasn't what I hoped to be showing today but at least it's a finish!

My daughter decided a couple of months ago she would like to make another quilt.  She planned how it would look ...

and then we went into the studio to pick fabrics ...

Well, if only I could choose my fabric as quickly as she did!  She then made up the front with the applique hearts and joined the squares together into a nine patch.  I then said that I would help join it all together as it included the 'If it could be bumpy' binding!  The part had me thinking awhile until I saw some giant ric rac in the local sewing shop.  Great in theory but not so easy in practice.  Whilst it worked to my daughter's liking it's not something I would do again!  She is delighted with her work and my finishing and it took pride of place in her room yesterday - what more could a Mum ask for?!! x

I'm linking up to Finish it up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts

To Do .... Part 1

So many things happening at the moment:

1 . I signed up to the ATC Swap over at Very Berry and have now received my partner.  The theme this time is My Perfect .......  This will be the third swap I have taken art in and I love them.  Here is the ATC I received from my partner last time, the theme was Home Sweet Home:

and this is the one that I sent:

2.  I need to make some Home and/or Garden blocks for this year's Project Linus challenge at the Festival of Quilts.  I have only made house blocks once before for the first quilting bee I too part in but I loved them so here's to a few more.

3. I also stumbled onto the Quilts for Comfort website earlier this week and they also are on the lookout for blocks.  Their challenge is to make a storytelling quilt which will be used by a charity who go into children's oncology unit.  I have loads of ideas for this ...... but I especially love these illustrations from The Tickety Tale Teller and have always thought about using them for inspiration.

4.  There's more, I can't forget to crochet in amongst all the fabric activities.  Yarndale have recently launched their theme for this year's Creative Community Display - it's flowers.  All the donated flowers will be used for a wonderful cause at the end of the show and they are so quick and easy to hook up using up very little yarn that I hope to make a whole bouquet to donate!  These ones are currently gracing our fireplace, along with a Playmobil zoo I have just discovered!

5.  I have finally taken the plunge and decided to enter into a quilt show.  I have entered two categories for the Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate in September, a bed quilt and a large wall hanging.  The lady at the other end of the phone laughed rather a lot when I said I wanted to enter but had no details to write on the entry form, like absolutely no details ......  These entries are still very much in my head but have to come to fruition rather quickly now.  however, she kindly let me enter and there's nothing like a deadline to force you to make something.

And that's not even taking into consideration that August is the month that starts a whole rollercoaster of birthdays which culminates in Christmas.  So along with the Finsh-Along, long arm quilting and general home edding I don't think you'll hear the words "I'm bored" out of my lips this summer holidays! x

A very exciting week .....

Last week I took delivery of a long arm quilting machine, and ex-demo HandiQuilter Avante HQ18 to be precise.  Oh my goodness - it is, in the words of daughter, EPIC!!!!  I fell in love with it last year at The Festival of Quilts at the NEC and ummmm and ahhhed for the longest time.  It's not cheap and it is big so there were lots of considerations.  After almost a year I took the plunge and it is everything I hoped it would be and I am sure more .... once I have had the time to practise, doodle, stitch, practice, doodle, stitch, repeat!

The space before - I even washed the floor

The machine fits its space soooo well

First fabric loaded and practiced on

I then loaded up the frame for the first time .........

and took a more structured approach to my practising

and then I was able to take it off the frame and see it in all its glory - front and back!!

I then thought I was ready to actually quilt a quilt!!  This fabric came as samples in a bag of material that I received from Freecyle.  They are not really my taste and my girls have grown past the cute teddy fabric stage.  However, all cut to size and pieced together they made a fine quilt top.  This will be donated to Project Linus and I am sure some younger child will love it.

And then I quilted, using a stipple pattern in an all over design.  Woohooo!!!!  I loved it.  I am totally taken with this long arm quilting malarkey.  Honestly it just fits.

Still have to hand stitch the binding down and then my first long armed quilt is finished.  That is such an exciting sentence for me to be able to write!

It's been in my studio for 7 days now and whilst I can't be down there every minute of the day, blame home educating our two girls for that, it is going to be a fantastic addition to the family and one I can't wait to get to know better.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday over at freshly pieced x

Finish-Along 2015 - Quarter 3

I have decided to take part in the Quarter 3 Finish-Along over at On the Windy Side.  I have lots of things that need to be finished so hopefully this will motivate me to get them done - and hopefully see lots of other people's projects getting finished too.  My unfinished projects contain quilts, cushions and crochet items.

So the list is as follows, in no particular order but just needing to get finished:

1 - This is relatively new and was pieced in a day at my first Project Linus day.  Still requires borders, quilting and binding

2 - Another charity quilt top needs quilting and binding - UPDATED - this is now done!  Take a look here ....

 3 - These blocks were started in 2012 when I was over here on holiday from New Zealand.  Not enough to do anything with so the plan is to make another 2 and join up into a small square quilt - UPDATED - this is now done!  Take a look here ....

4 - This is my oldest WIP and dates back to 2010!  It originated as part of my first ever Virtual Quilting Bee, The Anzac Bee, were I asked all my swap partner to make hearts.  I love it but never knew how to quilt it.  I am determined to now get this finished.

5 - For the last two years when my eldest daughters birthday has rolled around in September I've reached for the birthday bunting ...... only to remember that I left it in NZ!!  Still some work to do - all letters for birthday to be cut out, stitching around each letter and putting on the binding.  UPDATED - this is now done - take a look here

6 - I started this one year when I was on back here on holiday.  It travelled back to NZ just as hexagons and was sewn up over there.  Then travelled all the way back to UK to sit on my shelf!

7 - Triangles cut from vintage cloth to make bunting but never got finished last summer UPDATED - this is now done!  Take a look here

8 - I made up a pattern to use an old jean leg as an apron - got this far and never finished it.  It only needs a waist tie and neck strap.

9 - 6 1/2" squares cut from vintage floral sheets for a quick and easy picnic blanket ..... just not so quick!  I have another stack .... somewhere.  Hopefully I will come across them this quarter and get the whole quilt made.

10 - An upcycled denim bib - it looks done but the neck is just too small for any baby.  I drafted the pattern from a bib we had and need to make adjustment to paper pattern and unpick and redo physical bib.



And I think that's quite enough to be getting on with! x