Craftsy BOM - January

I made it a news years resolution to continue to learn new quilting skills.


I have signed up to the BOM run through www.Craftsy.com


The first two blocks for January took me through slash and sew techniques.

Here are my offerings ... in only a couple of hours.

I have used fat quarters from the Grandmothers Flower Garden Range and white homespun which I had on hand.

I am still working on the Lantern Quilt and also pieced a strip from left overs, to go between the white and grey borders.  I have done one side, and it is looking good.  No pics as yet, but hopefully it will be finished soon.  It has added an extra 4 inches to each quilt side, and will sit nicely on our bed.

Progress

The Queen Size Lantern Quilt which I have been in the process of piecing is coming along nicely.

I have been blessed with some child free time these holiday's, and put it to good use.  I squared my blocks and added 2 inch white sashing to the blocks.  Borders are planned, which I am hoping will really push my skills.  Mitred corners, here I come!  Wish me luck.

I am thinking maybe three borders, first in white, the second pieced from scraps, and the third in the light grey from the middle of the lanterns.  I am still deciding on what to do with the backing.  The quilting ... well I have lots of great ideas, however don't really know if I have the skills to pull it off, on a quilt of this size. 

Away

I made a visit to the country to see my kids.  

I took all the necessary things on a trip away from home … rulers, mats, machine, fabric, quilt blocks and a few clothes and the tooth brush!  

As you can imagine, the children were ecstatic to see me after leaving a few days after Christmas.  I too, was pleased to see them.  Master 6 is growing every day, and I find that he taken to tennis!!  Playing outside against the wall with the racket and ball, with his sun glasses on, he is in heaven.  Unfortunately for him, Sunday was a miserable day, with wind and rain.  Staying inside was not his idea of fun.  However when allowed on the computer, he felt very grown up.  

 

 The gorgeous neighbor, Miss 13 who Miss 8, adores, came over and played! 

Miss 13 already has at least one quilt under her belt, a beautiful rail fence … which I have seen in the flesh!  

In fact after seeing some of my fabric on Saturday, she tried to get some charm packs from the local quilt shop, but of course being a Sunday, they were all closed.  

I could see she loved the packs of Just Wing It, by Moda, that I had with me, so asked if she would like one.  

The two girls then got to laying them out on the floor.  

I then cut some strips of white homespun and they got sewing.  

At this point it was time for Miss 13 to leave and go to dinner with her parents, at her nanna’s.  She took what she had done to show her nanna, who also happens to have a 

long arm quilting machine!!!!!!!  

I am informed that nanna, ‘loves the colours’, so will source some fabric on the bolt for her to put on a border.   

I also finished  sewing the blocks my mother’s quilt top.  I am done bar the borders.  

I am happy enough with the layout, and I think she will love it.  I love it, the aqua, salmon, and olive, black and cream combination.  I hope to have it finished and ready to quilt by the end of the week. 

'Roxy' was obviously missing me while away and has not left my side since I got home!!

Got to love a welcome home XX

What to do with a Layer Cake

That is the question I have found myself asking!!

I want to make a lovely throw for my mother.  She is often in the hospital having treatments of different sorts and thought it might be nice for her to have a quilt to take with her on these hiatus'.

I have a layer cake (several infact), but wanted to use the 'Sassy' layer cake from Sandy Gervais.  I love the coral, blue, greens, blacks and creams.

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I searched long and hard and just couldn't find what I was after.  When I was beginning to think I couldn't find what I was after, I stumbled across a tutorial by the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  It is super easy and will come together really quickly.

Just piecing the squares together for the second time, and then it will be ready to put a border around.  Not sure on the backing or the binding as yet.  I was thinking I would source a piece of fabric off the bolt for the backing.  Will see how it comes together.

A New Year ... Welcome 2012

So here we are another year over and 2012 here.  I am taking the view that this brings lots of opportunities and possibilities around every corner.  I have really enjoyed my first foray into the world of quilting and blogging.  I have met lots of inspirational men and women who have helped to keep me in awe of what you can do with a bit of fabric and some thread!!

A new quilt to share

Christmas has been and gone, and the New Year is almost here.  We have had a lovely time getting together as family and celebrating this special time of the year.  Miss 8 and Master 6 were particularly happy to see that Santa arrived and left some gifts under the tree.  I decided rather than doing the standard pavlova that I normally do, to make a Raspberry and Marcapone Trifle as a change.  It was divine.  Not sweet, yet deliciously smooth, creamy and with a lovely bite from the lemon rind, limoncello liquor and rasberry's.  Will definately make this again.

Delivered

So I can finally show off my EB Dolls Quilt which I made for Andrea.


The brief was to make a Dolls Quilt.  Andrea answered some questions about what she did and didn't like, colours and embellishments, then the rest was left up to me.  Being a secret swap, I stalked to get some ideas!!  I had already made a baby quilt with a Little Apples charm pack and really love this fabric.  What a bonus that the colours fitted and with the cute turtles, apples, trees and children playing ring-around-a-rosie, I knew I was on to a winner.  I drew up a couple of sketches then just set to work.  It came together really well and the circular freemotion quilting in the center, in teal ... really sets the whole quilt off. 


I am so glad it has been so well recieved.