Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Progress progress progress!!!

Progress in the shed has just kept building throughout November, and it's been a good few weeks for ticking off tasks.  And sticking those stickers on!

I wanted to get the left hand panel of Nadia's quilt fully sewn, before starting on the right hand side (which is not quite as wide as the left).  It is quite a different process making this quilt which is almost entirely half square triangles and sewn in rows.  Each few more units sewn get added to the wall...


Yes!... onto the second side...


This side is going heaps faster...


Also on my list was finishing the FMQ on my "Theres a square in there" blocks.







After much swirling and circling... I achieved my goal and currently this is all folded back up waiting for enough free time to tackle the (enormous) background areas.

I even had a chance to piece a backing for Dylan's quilt!  It started with the left over length of the yellow print... and I found the colourful floral which has very similar colours to the quilt top.  Add in a few extra half yards of fabrics I've had for ages but they are never the right colour and a bit of a brick pattern and it is "just" big enough and they go together so well!  I have managed to keep all the lengths of fabric running in the same direction which must be a good thing.


The applique rocket block is one Dylan "helped" me to make in one of our crafting adventures when the kids were small.  Nadia's project was turned into a cushion and Dylan's one was set aside for later... then lost for several years and then set aside once more.  Not my greatest parenting moment 😕.  However, he is very pleased 🙌 it has reappeared onto his quilt although he won't be able to see it!

My last key goal was to get the My little piggy quilt top sew together after finishing the blanket stitch.  Level achieved!!  I have now started sewing 9 patch blocks to add as a border and think it will look really cute once I have finished all those seams!  Although I am seriously considering my sanity levels! 



So that's me for the last couple of weeks... what have you been up to?

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Hawthorn quilt... for Dylan. A finished top.

Last weekend my daughter organised a bunch of friends to come stay the night... with adventures planned for Saturday.  Nothing like a deadline to get a quilt top sewn together quick smart!  Because Dylan's quilt was laid out on the floor... in the sleep out... which was where the girls were going to camp out!

I managed to get all the blocks sewn by Thursday, and the three rows sewn into rows by Friday.  That was okay to move temporarily while the sleepover occurred... then Saturday and Sunday was finishing up the between rows sashing and getting it all sewn together into a finished top.





What really appeals to me about this quilt is that there is 6 colours.  Limited to my stash... I needed to be a bit creative.  None of my navy fabrics were large enough for the fabric requirements... these two prints were technically enough... but adding the solid navy just took the whole scheme up another level.


I was surprised how well this aqua solid matched the feature fabric.  Is it the same?  Probably not identical under forensic examination but certainly close enough for this quilter.


And you can see how these fabrics just worked with the overall scheme. 

Again... there wasn't enough stash of either of these greys but together they are so similar that they are almost interchangeable.  I decided to keep the same fabrics in the same blocks however.


And it all coming together.  In the end I treated the orange print, the feature graphic print and the fish print as one fabric grouping - "the accent pops".  The other categories were the light greys, the aqua solid, the navy's, the yellow print and the mid grey solid for the background.  Full disclosure, I did need to piece off cuts of the fat quarters used to make some of the units.



I love these large blocks - 24" and the modern setting and fabric placements.  However I am also keen to play with both the size (a half scale would make a cute baby quilt with 12" blocks) and have a play with a mixed low volume background and maybe some scrappy rainbow blocks.  Lots to play with and individualise.

I am currently auditioning possible backing fabric mixes... and wishing I kept a larger stock of wide backs in my stash (but also recognising that they would never be the right colour or size 😆)


Meanwhile I am moving onto the next item on my list!

Saturday, November 2, 2019

What' s on the board... Miss Ford?

A new month means a new list of goals.


The first four are the most important.

1. Getting the blocks quilted on this There's a Square in there quilt:


2. 3 blocks to blanket stitch on This Little Piggy then sew the blocks together ready for borders:


3. Sew up the last 6 rows on Nadias Bursting Star quilt to complete the left hand panel:


4. Finish up the rest of the blocks for Dylan's Hawthorn Quilt and sew together with sashing.


Of course, I have a lot more written down on my list but I'm never sure whether I'll get to those things or not.  We'll have to wait and see 😆