Table runner

I've been fortunate enough to get away to our holiday place for a few days. The weather (despite it still being Winter) has been glorious. Here's a view from my afternoon walk.

While I'm here, I'm doing some sewing of course, and I realised that its been years since I made a new table runner for home. I've made them as gifts for others, but of course home tends to come last. But I saw one on Pinterest that I thought I could figure out. Seems that when I made the small squares I got a little carried away and didn't check back to see that I should have created rectangles rather than larger squares. Never mind, I'm still happy with the result. 

Here's a closer up showing the wavy quilting I decided to do. I couldn't quite face just outlining the squares and I thought the organic lines would help to unify the whole. The splash of turquoise picks up one of the colours in the fabric for the centre of the larger squares and the small beige/mushroom ones. I picked up a metre on special last week, but the rest all comes from my stash. 

The backing is a soft beige with a leaf pattern also from my stash. 

Its nice to know that when I get home I can put this on the table - once I figure out just what to bind it with. Since I'm here till Monday I might get some more quilting done yet too. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Productive week

I think this is the most productive week I've had in quilting - ever as far as I recall. Two finishes, both of which had been tops hanging around for quite a while. I think it helps when I know where they're destined to go - to foster children, through a friend made at our quilting show back in May this year.

This string quilt was fun to put together several months ago and I enjoyed stipple quilting it today. Even though the strips are quite short (around 3½" long) its fun to see all the different fabrics that I've used over time. It took a while to put together, but I'm sure someone will find enjoyment in it and its better than just hanging around here. I'm sure I'll be on to another one before long - I can't bear to throw away even very small scraps.

Even though it's only a smallish quilt (43½" by 57½") by the time I got more than half way through I wanted to do something a little different, so I ended up doing some swirls in the blue squares

The backing is just a simple tree pattern which I think is quite cute. 

So that marks the end of my productive week, a beginning with one quilt here and now ending with this one as well. In addition to balloons and strings here that makes 3 quilts to pass over next week which makes me smile. 

It could be a little while before I have some more to complete, but I'm happy with those for now and I'm sure some child will be before long too. 

Quilt Stats:

Size: 43½" x 57½"

Wadding: Cotton/polyester blend

Thread: Embroidery variegated for top; Rasant for bobbin.  

Until next time,

Lynn

Quilting in progress

Our small craft group (around a dozen women who began a couple of years ago with pretty much NO sewing experience and are now making quilts) went to our State's annual Craft show and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beautiful quilts on show, as well as the various stalls, machine displays etc.

One of the workshops had someone speaking about free-motion quilting and giving some great tips. One that I took away was to put 2 small door wedges beneath my machine to tilt it to give better vision of what is beneath the needle. While she suggested putting the wedges at the back of the machine, I found it more helpful to put mine at the front as that helped with the arm of my machine being a little bulky. I love my Janome S3 for free-motion and the tilting just gives me that bit of extra vision.

So I'm working on this one:

While this photo shows the quilt more generally, the parts that I have quilted are the cross type shapes in the background/neutral fabric. 

This closer up of a couple shows more clearly what I'm doing - having fun once I've drawn around a template I made up. Its shadowing one half inch in from the 'in the ditch' sewn first of all. 

I'm doing various patterns - triangles, some ribbon candy, simple stipple etc in some of the half inch sections and leaving a couple vacant so that they stand out. 

I always take some time to figure out how or what to quilt on a quilt and this one has been waiting for a while as I considered various options. This one is a good mixture of manageable and fun to do. 

It's likely to be a gift for someone I know who is sadly in final stages of cancer. I hope that it brings some small comfort to her and her husband as they face life's journey. 

I intend to get it finished within the next week at most and mail it off. 

Then on to others that are waiting in the wings. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Sailing along

What a difference a couple of days can make. Having had a cold that left me lacking in energy, I didn't look after my 16 month old niece mid week as usual. That did give me a day where I was able to do some marking up of a quilt though. And then on the next day, I was able to quilt it! What fun. Waves everywhere, thanks to a small piece of templastic cut into a wave and my trusty wash out in water, marker.
This is a view of the back, but you can see the template here and the pen - very useful tools!

Then the front, which reminds me of sail boats. Its wall hanging size and I plan to put it up in our holiday place which is near the ocean - so that's quite appropriate.

This is the front and I haven't quite finished the binding as you can see on the right hand side, but the shadows were coming in and so to get a daylight shot, I raced outside with it. 

This is a closer up of the quilting on the cream:

It was fun because I'd been quilting something else (hope to finish next week) that has more formal sections to it and this was just so free and easy. Its good to do something like that every now and again at least.

Our small quilting group (about a dozen of us) had fun at our local (city) craft fair. After walking up the half dozen aisles full of displays of fabric, notions, machines, new techniques etc and then viewing the 100+ quilts from the quilting association, we were exhausted. Some of the women were both inspired and excited, though, to have a go on a long arm machine. They cost about $10K (AUD) and so we will need to do some research to see whether, if we make community quilts, we can source a grant or fund-raise in some other way to purchase one in a year or so. It would certainly increase our quilt production to say nothing of the fun to be had along the way!

Meanwhile, we happily continue on our domestics. One last shot of my recent one, from indoors this time:

Size: 42" x 46"

Thread used: Bottom line for bobbin, Rasant for top

Now onto the next of my waiting in line quilts, so that I get that list down from around 10!

Until next time,

Lynn

Baby Blue

Sometimes I wonder how it is that I imagine I will achieve/cram a great deal into a short time. I planned to spend five days at our holiday place just on my own (plus my faithful dog companion). I thought I'd manage to do quite a bit of quilting, as well as walking along the beach. But what was I thinking when I packed 3 books, and at least 5 projects? At least this time I thought I'd brought my box of small bits of fabric, plus a basket and another couple of bags of scraps.

So I began one small project, but realised, no, I hadn't brought the piece of navy that I now needed to try as a border. So that one would have to wait - but that's why I brought all the other pieces of fabric, to either finish one of the projects (one that only needs to have its borders added, its a quit as you go; or the other that needs to be pinned up and quilted). But no, I felt like beginning another one. So fortunately, since its a baby quilt, I managed to get this one together - but really what was I thinking with the other projects and books - was I thinking I'd complete one each day?

This simple squares with the white sashing in between came together very quickly. I had bought a pack of scraps - they are so well co-ordinated by my local fabric shop, they are irresistible.  I added a couple of other fabrics I had - thanks to the box! Since its a baby quilt I thought a simple cross hatching and then some loops in the sashing would work well.

I'm happy with how it came together. The backing is a quieter pastel shade and I had just enough of the fabric I wanted to use, along with a co-ordinating green, to do the binding.

So I may not have achieved as much as I might have hoped, but it has been both relaxing and satisfying and the rest will just have to wait in line ......till next time.

Baby quilt size 41" square
Blocks 5" raw; sashing 2 3/4" raw

Lynn

Free-motion quilting

Well my September goals are still not progressed one iota, but perhaps by the end of the day they may move forward a smidgeon. Part of the reason is a beautiful quilt that I didn't do the blocks or assembly of - here below, the embroidery and assembly done by a friend.
She didn't want to do the quilting though, so I said I'd be happy to do a simple stitch in the ditch and then a loopy flower in the cornerstones and a kind of stretched figure 8 in the border.
So that's what I've been doing.

The quilt itself is just lovely - a graduation gift for her daughter. The buildings are local to Perth, Western Australia. My friend enjoys the embroidery (not really my thing on my machine) and so I was very pleased to help. 

I think the final product, once the binding is on, will be such a special graduation gift, one for her daughter to cherish over the years. So I feel quite chuffed to be a small part of it.  A little nerve wracking to begin the first stitches, since I've never done something (other than just a gift) for any one else like this before. I think she'll be happy with it though, so that's the main thing. 

Now speaking of main things, better get on with September goals!

Until next time,

Lynn

Scrap Jar Quilting

Its been a little while since I posted, well, last month anyway. But I have been busy making a bag for a friend,

putting together some hexagon blocks that aren't my style (from my mother in law) but have come together Ok - I'll post once I've done some quilting on them.
But for today I'm pretty happy with the progress I'm making on my scrap jars quilt.

I knew the stars would stand out for themselves because of their colour, so I wanted to quilt in the negative spaces, but how to do that? I also tend to use my scrap quilts as a place to practice some free-motion quilting that I haven't done before, so here I thought I'd try match-stick quilting. 

I liked the corners of the block where the four colours came together and so thought I'd give that a go.  I'm pretty happy with the result, but not quite sure that the location I chose to do it was necessarily the best. In the other squares where the star points came together, the quilting I've done has tended to keep the four triangles apparent, rather than making it one whole square. Not sure that I'd do that next time either but I enjoyed doing the six 'finger' type arrangement. 

 

I've also done a little bit of quilting in the cream border between the blue ones. So now, on to complete those fingers and those match stick bits on the edge and then binding - hurrah. I'm enjoying this but as is often the case, there are others coming along that I'm keen to get to as well. But this is a great way to use up scraps and kind of put me in the mood for more 2 and half inch squares, crazy I know but they do look effective as a postage stamp - but that's for next time!

Until then, 

Linking up to my favourite blogs,

Lynn

Not quite eye spy

The eye spy quilts that I've seen have generally been made up of squares and each square has the 'eye spy' fabrics full of interesting things for children to find. There may be other eye spys out there, but I haven't come across them yet.
When I decided to put together some scraps of some children's type fabrics: care bears, elephants, fish and the like, I thought the tumbler shape might be fun.

So I gathered the bits and pieces together and then thought it might be good for the eye to have a place to rest as well as to spy. So I included some yellow/light tan tumblers as well. In the past when I have made tumbler quilts, I've often just outlined the tumbler shape with a straight stitch - usually looks fine but a bit boring for this one I thought. So I did a simple double wiggle line down the centre of the blocks. Simple, but does the task of quilting which is mainly to hold the three layers of the quilt together and then to enhance the quilt overall. Its not fancy, nor is it intended to be, but I think it works Ok for this quilt. 

 

Not sure where this one will find a home as yet, but its nice to have a fun bright quilt on hand ready to give away as needed. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Mug Rugs

I've had fun for a few hours playing with a small gift for some folk who've journeyed with me over several years and our association will take a different form in the future.  Mug rugs are a great way to say, 'Hey, you're special, but I don't want to overwhelm you with a quilt'. (At least that's my rendering).
So I had some scrap fabric that seemed spot on and I had fun with the different quilting and binding.

 

Rather than just make them the regular rectangle shape, I thought the tumbler added a smidgen of whimsy that I like - maybe a glass shape? Anyway I meet with my friends tomorrow when I plan to hand them out in a bunch and I may have to explain (they're non sewers) just what they are and what they're for - simplest explanation I can think of is 'fabric coasters', so I hope they get that. 

Sometimes just doing a small project, especially one that is for a gift just inspires me. And so, back to the quilts I have in progress - much larger quilting but still satisfying. 

Linking up to Quilt Story; Freshly Pieced and Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Bugs from 2015

I'm celebrating a finish, and one from last year's list, leaving only one to complete from 2015 (other than a couple I didn't quite get to add to that list, now they can just be part of 2016's ever growing number).

I'm calling it bugs as the non plain fabric has cute centipede type insects on it.

I had fun doing just a simple free-motion quilt flower on the plain fabrics - it's a baby quilt to be given away soon, so fancy stuff not really needed and I'm sure it will get lots of machine washing, so staying together is probably more important. 

I love it when a plan comes together and this quilt makes me smile as I look at fabrics I've had for a couple of years or more, but they just came in to suit this quilt. The 'alphabet' edging: 

is a border from a piece that I'm sure to use elsewhere and rather than just keeping it and using it as a whole I realised it fitted just right here. The border and binding also part of the stash for over a year. So, here's to a finish and on to the next one. 

linking up with Quilt Story and One Monthly Goal (Red Letter Quilts)

Until next time,

Lynn

Runners and Rugs

Its definitely that time of year, the time of making new Christmas runners, small gifts for people and the like.

I've completed one table runner that was just a panel, but I had great fun free-motion quilting the 60 small blocks it had with various patterns - from simple outlining, to stippling and lines like Christmas lights. And it is one that is finished, so that's a good thing!

I've also nearly completed (just binding to add) on a couple of mug rugs for a couple of friends of mine. I also explored the flange or piping addition to the binding on the first one. I didn't realise how easy it was [thanks to instructions from Aunt Marti http://www.52quilts.com/search/label/Tutorials]

That will be a help when it comes to quilting and binding my other table runner. 

This one was a quilt along that I joined in - hoping to have it done by Dec 4 but that didn't happen! Maybe early next week I'll get it finished then. 

Hope your Christmas plans are coming together. I still haven't put up the tree, but also hope that will be achieved over the weekend.

Until next time, 

Linking up with Quilt Story; Freshly Pieced Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Lynn

Happy Houses

I began making some of these cute little houses a couple of months ago. I said at the time how addictive they are. Well I have paused for the moment, and done the quilting on them too. I was keen to do the Baptist fan pattern I had seen on Bonnie Hunter's quilt so I explored how others had done the pattern free-motion quilting.

I saw one where a very specific ruler had been used, but not having one of those, thought I'd improvise. They say 'necessity is the mother of invention', well I figured a dinner plate, slightly smaller dinner plate, bread and butter plate and dessert bowl were probably the right sizes for the fans I wanted to create. So I just drew around them with a dissolvable pen and set to quilting. I don't have a long arm, just my Janome 1600P QC - it only does straight sewing, not even zig zag. 

The result may not be perfect, but I'm pretty happy with it. And the people to whom I gave it today were also quite thrilled to receive it - so win, win!

Our weather has been quite wild 'down under' so I was fortunate to grab a couple of shots before the rain came down very heavily and the wind really picked up. This is the reverse which may not be wonderfully clear, but you get the idea. 

So as I continue to make progress on my list, I'm down to 9 now, 2 of which are sandwiched, one even begun quilting, 2 tops are completed so I guess that makes it 5 still needing some piecing to complete. Variety is good and certainly keeps me busy. 

Until next time, 

Lynn

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

Tumbling Elephants finished

HI there,

What a good feeling to complete a project. I began this quilt earlier this month and it's finished before the month's end - that is good.

I had intended to try some free-motion quilting scrolls or similar, but having begun, it didn't seem to be working. So the handy unpicker came into use and I went with the usual straight lines. No matter, it seems to have turned out Ok. Thanks to others who commented as I was auditioning border fabric too, that came together in a way I'm very happy with. Rather than self-binding I went with the black to pick up the first border and that unites it well too. 

It's funny how once something is in place and we're happy with it it just looks right and we wonder why we were uncertain - perhaps that's just the novelty before something is familiar. 

Enough philosophy, my elephant fabric is now all used up and happily so. 

This will go to another friend who I discovered recently is partial to elephants.

Until next time,

Lynn

I'm linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday [My Quilt Infatuation] and Confessions of a Fabric Addict. 

About Me

Living in Western Australia (one of the most remote parts of the planet, or at least Perth city is one of the most remote cities – but remote from where I ask?) I was born in Engand but came to W.A. as a child.

I’m a creative patchworker, typically have too many projects on the go, but delight in both piecing and free-motion quilting. I made my first quilt in 2000 after taking a starter class from a shop (that no longer exists). I’ve continued to be self taught, usually doing one quilt with hand quilting per year. The others are usually machine pieced and quilted. I’m approaching my first 100 quilts – from doll size through to queen size.

I’m in the second half century of life, still with my life long partner, have 2 adult sons living on the other side of the world (ie one in Europe and one soon to be Canada).

My other mainstay is a small white furry companion/shadow, a Jack Russell cross, who when she’s not squeaking in delighted anticipation of a walk simply dozes on her bed and watches every move I make!