Project to Finish :: Baby Quit from Samples

In 2018 I did a Christmas QAL over on UKQU and before the block patterns were ready to go out I had to ensure they were right.  That involved a lovely group of pattern testers who were invaluable but before the patterns even got to them I had to make samples to see which blocks I liked the most in real life.

I found three of these sample blocks last week in a bag with the accompanying fabric pieces.  I have no idea where this fabric came from but I had teamed it with Kona White and obviously had plans for a baby or child quilt.  Hmmm 3 blocks doesn't really make a quilt now does it?

I have an idea for how to finish this and actually started cutting right away!  And you see those strips at the front?  They are for the binding.  I am so proud of myself because that is usually the hurdle I fall at and so have decided to get the binding made before I have even finished the quilt in the hope that then I will attach it straight away!

Hopefully there will be good progress on this in the upcoming days ....

For the full list of Projects to Finish head on over here!

2020 - the year to get things finished!

I have a lot of projects on the go - are they still WIPs (works in progress) or are they UFOs (unfinished objects) and when does one become the other?!!  In recent years I have taken part in the Finish-Along but this year I think I am going to be accountable to myself (also I missed the deadline for Q1!).  As I go through my studio and find started projects I am going to list them to a page so at least they are documented and then I AM going make progress on them!!

The first one I found the other day was this jelly roll race quilt.  Several years ago my daughter asked for a black and white quilts with cats on.  I had never owned a jelly roll and when I saw one of blacks and silver I thought I would be able to quickly make up a quilt for her.  However, before the cats were appliqued on she had changed her mind!!

What to do with the resulting quilt?  I would not have used this fabric in this way if it hadn't been a quick quilt but I can't face unpicking it so I have decided to add a little more to the length and then get it quilted.  That can't take too long right?!

cut&alter Christmas 18 Quilt Along is live!!

I have been working on some secret sewing for the past couple of months and all can now be revealed ....

The timing is incredibly inopportune because, during one of the longest heatwaves that I can remember, I am launching a Christmas Quilt Along!!

The actual launch day was last Wednesday and you can read all about over here.

The pattern has been released in my UKQU shop - head on over to have a look!  

There is an early bird discount of 20% until the end of July, and any purchase in a UKQU shop until that time automatically gets entered into a giveaway for a copy of the latest EQ8.

To celebrate the launch of my first pattern over at UKQU, I am running a competition.  

For the chance to win a copy of the pattern, full access to the QAL and a fabric bundle from the Silent Night range by Makower, who kindly provided the fabric for this project, then head on over here.  

The competition runs until Wednesday 04 July 2018.

The full details can also be found at the tab at the top of the page - CHRISTMAS 18 QAL.

I would love it if you could join me and, of course, it doesn't have to be a Christmas Quilt it can be made in any fabric you choose.  I will have some examples shortly so stay tuned! x

The Weekend - 28/29 January

It felt strange heading off for a workshop on Saturday when the girls were home from school, but I had booked on it before they decided to go to school.  One of my local club members had made a Swan Confetti Quilt which hung in our show last July and the workshop was to make one.

 

It is still at this rather precarious stage but I hope to get it quilted one day this week.

A new ripple blanket was started on Thursday and so the evenings were spent enjoyably working on this.  The evening lighting has really not shown the colours correctly.

And some baking was done - these are kumara (sweet potato), bacon and onion muffins and they were delicious.  The chocolate cup cakes, baked by my eldest, were very tasty too!

And then there was some post.  Two blocks for my month as Queen Bee of Stash Bee Hive 8 - one from a Hive mate and one from a Hive Crasher!  I still a couple of blocks to receive and then piecing this top is top of my list.  These blocks make me so happy and I am going to love, love, love this quilt!

I also managed to spend some time on EQ7 but that's for later! All in all a good, if busy weekend, the downside being my youngest has been off school today with a temperature and sore throat.  Although it has been rather pleasant to sit snuggled up with her this afternoon watching a film! x

My Best of 2016

Having read other people's posts for My Best of 2016 hosted by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs, I thought I would take a few minutes and look back at my year (I also took the opportunity of getting some pages up to date at the same time).  One thing I started this year was a monthly review and I have really enjoyed looking back at the months. Sadly I stopped this from August but having just browsed through my posts this is something I would like reinstate for 2017.

However, now we are looking back .... in no particular order and with no particular scientific way of picking them I give you My Best of 2016 ....

PICK A LETTER, ANY LETTER!

I love this little quilt that I made for my Mum's 80th birthday.

I tried lots of new things on it and they all worked.

Best of all she loves it and has it hanging in her lounge!

ANZAC HEARTS

This gets on the list because it was my oldest WIP - over 6 years to finish but it has stood the test of time because I still love it.

Also it won a rosette at a show in May which made me rather happy!!

NEW QUILT BLOGGERS

This was such a wonderful group to be part of and I learnt so much about so many things!

I am hoping I fit the criteria to be able to join again in 2017 because I still have so much to learn.

CLOUD 9 NEW BLOCK BLOG HOP

My first ever block design for this Blog Hop.

I really enjoyed the process and would love to design more in 2017.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

This is definitely my favourite make of 2016, in fact it might be my favourite make to date!

I love that the design in my head came out into the real world just as I imagined it.

I was also really excited to find that I won a Best Piecing rosette at a show in November.

Today we are starting to take down the decorations and I will then be able to look to next year.  I would love to join Yvonne's #2017PlanningParty but I need some quiet time to get my head into gear and really think about what I want to do in 2017.  We have big changes coming up on our family front which I have still to get my head around!!

OMG - October

Quick in and out today stating my OMG for linking up to Heidi at Red Letter Quilts:

My goal for October is to quilt and bind this feather quilt for my daughter ....

This has not been quilt I have really enjoyed working on but I hope I fall back in love with it during the quilting.  I have to wait for the backing, my daughter was very specific with the backing she would like and it's not even in the country yet, but as soon as it arrives I am going for it!!

A week of finishes - Day 6 :: Heart Quilt

Earlier this year people from a FB group I belong to and people from IG sent me heart blocks which were to be made into a quilt for Project Linus.  It's only taken 9 months but one quilt is now made ....

If anyone is reading and they don't see their heart(s) don't worry they are safe and will be well used!

It's funny how the blocks can sit there for so long and then I pieced the top in one night and quilted it the following afternoon.  It's also on my 2016 Finish Along Quarter 3 list - 6th finish (Number 6 on the list) - which motivated me this week because the quarter finishes tomorrow!!  Where has September gone?

I now have a good pile of quilts to sew the Project Linus labels on to which will keep me busy one evening. x

A week of finishes - Day 4 :: Project Linus (again!!)

So this Project Linus quilt is bought to you by my daughter!  

I took a Home Ed group for sewing earlier in the year (you can see some of the other quilts here and here) and this was the last one to be finished off ....

I was especially happy with this one because this daughter is very rarely in the studio or sewing.  Her reason being .... "But Mum you do it so well and so quickly!!""

I haven't done any swirly quilting for a while and I realised again how much I love it.  Many thanks to the people who commented on my recent post and  told me that the quilting motif on it was called a paisley design (rather than my description whirly pearls!).

And the girl herself, who is usually so camera shy.  I was astonished when she let me take a photo of her and then astonished again when she said I could put it on here.

This is my 4th finish from my 2016 Finish Along Quarter 3 list (Number 16 on the list).  I am obviously not going to finish all 25 but I am on track to have a few more finished before the month's out!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Should I Stay or Should I Go - Autumn 2016

I have only just become aware that Amy from Amy's Creative Side runs a Bloggers' Quilt Festival, which is currently in its 8th year.  I have decided to enter into it this year and look forward to checking out all the other entries over the next couple of weeks.

My first entry is in the Original Designs Category and is Should I Stay or Should I Go, which was made in May this year as an entry into the Quilts UK theme category, Where The Heart Is.  I designed the Union Jack flag and the New Zealand flag as a representation that my heart lies in two countries.  If you want to know more about the process and final outcome then pop over to my post here.

The Union Jack was designed as a faithful rendition of the 3:5 ratio flag that is flown on land.  It was made using a variety of red and blues from my stash, with the white stripes being Kona Cotton White.

The New Zealand flag incorporates the Union Jack at a 1/4 scale along with 4 paper pieced outlined stars.  This was the first time I had made a paper piecing template and paper pieced something so small.  Luckily back in March New Zealand voted to keep this flag in their referendum so it is still current!

This currently hangs in my studio and I still love seeing it every day.  Let me know if you are going to enter so that I can pop over and visit. x

My second entry is in the Mini Quilt Category and you can see it here.

Big Jack Little Jack

Another Union Jack is finished for today's link up at Finish It up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts.

This is going to go in the top left hand corner of the New Zealand flag and so is quarter of the size of the first flag block I made.

This is made up of 1 1/2" squares and will finish at 25" x 12 1/2".

Lots of people asked for a pattern after I finished the first flag and so, whilst making this one up, I wrote one.  That's now finished aswell and is winging its way to pattern testers today!  It has been such an exciting time but just before I posted them off today I had a huge bout of nerves.  And I do mean HUGE ..... I actually felt really sick and couldn't catch my breath properly!!  What was that all about?  It's a quilt pattern for goodness sake!!

So I have two weeks left  to get the rest of the New Zealand flag finished and to combine both flags into a cohesive quilt.  Wish me luck!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Last Wednesday I showed you the start of a new project, which has now been named Should I Stay or Should I Go?  I spent the majority of Thursday working on the pattern and trying different methods of getting the same result.  I posted a 'finish' on Friday as the fact I had two patterns for the two different quadrants that were reproducible.

So progress since then amounts to .... a lot of work but only one photo!!!

These blocks need to be trimmed and will square up to 12 1/2" by 20 1/2" and be bordered on two sides by 2" white, which is cut and waiting to be sewn on.  The next step is to cut 111 2 1/2" squares in the red materials and get piecing!

My husband left for New Zealand on Sunday so the weekend was spent with him and then the last couple of days have been spent finding a new rhythm to our days ...... Tomorrow morning is planned as child free studio time so I am hoping to have this flag close to finished - then I just have the NZ flag to tackle!

I am linking up to Let's Bee Social again this week over at Sew Fresh Quilts. x