Baby Squares

When making a quilt from two and half inch squares, (as I'm currently doing) the appeal of 3 inch squares is quite strong it seems. Just that extra half inch - and the fact that a friend had gifted me some strips that size, called my name and I had to make some four patches. Beginning with the brightly coloured squares (second from the edge) I found colours that were either included or co-ordinated well. 

The centre went together quite quickly, then what to put on the border? I auditioned reds, blues, greens and then hit on this one that seems to work, perhaps because it links to the centre green. Since I'm also quilting another quilt that is a bit more intensive in the specific repeated pattern, the simplicity of the orange peel quilting and spineless feathers, which I really enjoy, made this a far easier and quicker finish. 

Here's a close up of some of the bright colours:

And I am so fortunate to have such wonderful friends who share their scraps, or pieces of backing they don't currently have a purpose for. Another friend gave me this cute sheeting that just seemed perfect for this baby/child quilt:

So I guess its on to the other works in progress now - amazing how much fun a small (this one's 45 inch square) quilt can be, very satisfying. I'll get the binding on and pass it on to my friend whose new baby grandson came three weeks early and has spent some time in intensive care.  

Until next time,

Lynn

Rainbow Squares

I'm sure I've said before that I can't bear to throw away the smallest pieces of fabric. As long as there's something left after a quarter inch seam on either side I think it's worth keeping and using. But they do tend to gather and take up room so it was time to put some of them together and make some blocks.
I tend to do about three at a time, so they take a while, but once I've got around 20 there seems to be some momentum that happens and I can't resist keeping going. So I put these together - 48 blocks in total. It should make a good single bed sized quilt:

 

I didn't have anyone around to hold it up for me, so had to make do with laying it down - it's a bit large to fit in it seems. It's fun seeing all those little pieces join together to make something larger, functional and full of memories of other quilts too. 

A little closer of just a few blocks. Those cornerstones are fun to select and see come together too. Just one more of blocks:

Now my dilemma is - what border to put on? I don't think it should be one of the colours in the quilt itself as that might make the particular colour pop out more than the rest. So I guess it's audition time. That could be a while though, as I'm quilting something for a friend first - photos of that next week I hope. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Scraps and coins

We all have scraps lurking somewhere - some in neatly organized piles, or bags, or baskets or boxes, others in strings or slyly skulking in corners wondering whether they will see the light or not.

I can't resist them so when I came across a pattern that looked like it would use up quite a few (see  Vicki's here) I knew I wanted to give it a go.

So 5" strips and some four patches later, joined by some 5" half square triangles and it began to take shape:

And once you get going its a little hard to stop. I thought I'd keep this going until it was close to a bed size. And today I managed to add the borders on so its a finished flimsy. 

The joy comes from also seeing fabric that has been used in many projects before, that have now found homes. Just keeping a small piece that gets to be included in something like this brings a smile to my face. 

And it seems that with coin strips, it doesn't really matter what goes next to what, with a neutral background to give the eye a place to rest, all is well. 

With all that colour going on though, I think a simple stipple may be what is required quilting wise. So we'll see how soon I can get some backing chosen and this quilt sandwiched together. 

Have a happy weekend, this one is a nice way to begin mine. 

Until next time,

Lynn 

Scraps and stash

I think my new approach in 2017 will be to follow the advice about being inspired by something and beginning it - read that somewhere on a quilting blog recently, can't remember where but it obviously struck a chord with me.
So I saw a quilt on Katy Quilts [https://katyquilts.net/2017/03/03] thanks Katy. While she mentioned a pattern from the Moda Bake Shop, I couldn't find that, so just worked out the sizes - not too challenging when you know it's a 2 and half inch strip start.
And I came up with this:

While I really enjoyed making the pattern, the bonus was that all the pieces came from my scrap box, or from my stash. I'm really trying to use up a lot more of what I have on hand and its such a good feeling when a piece you've had for several years (wow, have I really had that since 2011??) and to find just the right quilt to use it in.

So for the borders on the quilt, I auditioned several and then found both this deep brown Bali fabric that, along with an Autumn themed one that seemed to work and bring it all together.

I had fun including some pretty fabrics that surprised me by how they went together and 

how many 'neutrals' I had, that I hadn't seen before as a potential for that role in a quilt. So all in all I'm pretty happy with this flimsy and the next quest will be to check the stash again and see if I can locate a backing fabric.  Then will also be the challenge of how to quilt it. Part of me wants to do an all over, as this one is likely destined for our local hospice and an all over makes it softer and perhaps more suited to the undoubted number of machine washings it will get. But then look at all those intersections of neutrals - couldn't I have fun doing something interesting in there?

We'll see what wins. 

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

Scraps on the way

I do enjoy working with scraps. There's something satisfying about taking small pieces of fabric, that I suspect others may reject (and I can't bear to part with), making them into a block and then piecing the blocks together to make a whole quilt.

So I'm currently working on two of these, the first I created some of the blocks late last year, but dug them out (thinking they were all put together) only to discover that I must have come to one of those 'Now what do I do?' points and set it aside. It never ceases to amaze me how coming fresh to something just helps to bring a new perspective and whatever stuck point we were in can be overcome more easily. Anyway, I moved a couple of blocks from where I had sewn them in, added some of the many beige/brown blocks I had, and presto, here is a flimsy now ready for quilting.

Its pretty windy here today, so I needed a couple of props to help keep it still while I tried to take a shot. Since you can't see the small pieces close up, here are a couple of my favourites: 

This has the deer in the centre which is from a quilt I made for my eldest son a year or two ago. See what I mean about not being able to throw small pieces away?

And then there's this one which has a piece of Christmas fabric that I must have used at some time - maybe in a runner or a gift for someone, I can't quite recall. But it makes me smile to see this little star: 

There are other little pieces of owl eyes, a small piece of music fabric and so on. Since my scrap quilts often go to the local hospice where one of my friends works, I like to think that maybe there's something that will recall a pleasant memory from life for those who may find it difficult to know what to say - either patients, family or carers. Sometimes a quilt or other item can just help to start a conversation. 

The second scrap quilt is a string cross that I need to add a final border to and then quilt, so I'll wait until the quilting is done to share that one.  Happy sewing!

Lynn

Boxy or Square Stars

I'm definitely on the scrap band wagon, sorting my scraps and then creating something that inspires me to use them, or even to be bold and cut into some fat quarters I've had in my stash for years! Its such a good feeling and as blocks come together I don't even feel slightly, (well Ok then, maybe just slightly) bad about cutting into them, but I know now I'll just use them to make something else.

So this is what I'm currently working on, Boxy stars (thanks to Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville free patterns). The blocks are made from 2½" strips and come together so easily and quickly. 

Pieces required: 

• Three 2½" background (cream/white) pieces
• For the corner pieces, one 2½" square and one 4½" piece, (so a total 7" strip, it was handy to remind myself of that as I was collecting the fabrics)
• The longest piece for the 'star arm' is 6½", the other arm, 4½" (so a total 11" strip).

The stars require four smaller blocks as below:

1. To a background 2½"piece, add one of the darker/corner pieces, 2½".
2. Keeping the background square on the left of the 2 sewn pieces, attach the  4½" darker/corner piece below.

1. Again keeping the background piece on your left, attach the short (4½") piece of the star arm. 
2. Attach the longer (6½") piece of the star arm to the top to complete the quarter of the whole block. 
3. To create the star points, mark the remaining background squares in whatever way you usually do (draw a diagonal line, or if you prefer a slightly lazier method like me, just press them in half). 
4. Place these on opposite corners of the block and either cut away the excess, (or save it for another project with 2 inch half square triangles).

I tended to keep my stars to one colour family - whether yellow, gold, orange or a rusty peach. The corners I used greens, navy or browns. 

I'm also doing a quilt as you go method, so here is one block given a little quilting, outlining the star and then doing some cross hatching in the background areas. 

I used a cream coloured thread, I guess I could have used a darker one to make it stand out a little more, something to bear in mind for next time.  I need to work on the sashing, then it will all come together well I hope. 

A fun way to use up some of those scraps!

Until next time, 

Lynn

 

Flimsy almost finish

It's Autumn here in Australia, not that you'd guess from today's temperature - it's still 30 degrees Celsius at 4:30pm! While I know that for many people you might really appreciate such warm sun, when it's been pretty warm since before Christmas, I'm well and truly ready for more low 20 degree temperatures.

But it does mean that staying in the air-conditioning sewing gets things moving along if not completed. So I've been busy on the string X scrap top and the flimsy is almost finished.

I say almost as I'm deciding whether to just put a narrow cream border around the whole thing (like the sashing strips) and then a final bluish border, or whether to just bind? Suggestions welcome! I took it onto the grass to try to get a shot there but as you can see from the top, the wind wasn't playing nicely. I even had the corners pinned. So we moved to the brick paving. A bit boring, but it stayed put. 

It does wash out the blues rather though, doesn't it? In typical scrap quilt fashion, I wasn't sure whether I had sufficient plain blue to complete all the 'squares' that are created when the string blocks come together. Fortunately I laid it out first and could see I would be just a few short - and had some similar value blue fleck on hand. So this is absolutely all from the stash. It does feel good to use up some scraps and have a joyful result. 

I may be ready to break into some new solid fat quarters I have for my next project, but scrap quilts are rather addictive so who knows? 

It is fun when you see things just come together like the small triangles of mostly primary colours: 

And while my seams are not always 100% matching, they're pretty close and certainly enough for me. This quilt may be destined for our local hospice where I've given a few quilts already. There is enough brightness there to bring some cheer and maybe some talking points too. 

Until next time,

Lynn

String X quilt

Hi there,

What to do with all the scraps is just the perennial question once you have made even a small number of quilts. I keep trying various patterns, from small squares, to tumblers, and the latest is one I came across in various places (Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville pages are very helpful) but here is how I've begun my string cross quilt.

Take an assortment of 3 ½" strips of various widths from around 1"-2½"; some 1" strips of white and some 5" squares of a contrasting colour. I used blue, but really whatever colour you prefer to go with your strips, whether it's grey, white, or a bright yellow etc. your personal preference.

Sew the 3 ½" pieces together to form a long strip 10½"

You can see in the photo above that I've also laid out a 1" white strip to either side of one of the strips. Attach a strip like this to each/all of the 10½ strips you're going to use. 

Once the white strips are attached on either side, cut a triangle off each of the corners. 

I used a normal ruler, put the 45 degree line along the edge of my white strip, there's a corner that is 1½" from the side and from the top of the ruler, (this corner touches the edge of the white fabric of the block) on mine there are small black dashes that show where those two 1 ½" lines intersect and create the cutting angle. A diagonal line runs from the white strip down to the 3" mark of the 3 ½" strips. you can see the 3" mark touches that edge. Cut along that diagonal edge of the ruler. Thankfully photos should clarify the instructions above.

Once you've done that, your 5" squares come into play. These are cross cut so that you have two triangles which you attach to either side of the white strips. 

Once the triangles are attached, square up the block to 7½". Finally place the blocks in an arrangement that is pleasing to you and join them together. As you can see below I'm only just putting some of my blocks together, but I enjoy seeing the progress. It also gives me a bit of inspiration in joining all those little 3 ½" strips together!

I've got a ways to go, but this is the next project, or one of them, that I'm currently working on. 

Until next time, 

Lynn

Diminishing List

I don't think I could actually envisage the day when I managed to sandwich this quilt, but it came today. I put this top together a loooong time ago, at least a couple of years, perhaps more. And it languished while other quilts came and went. I think it's mostly because this was one I thought I might keep for me - so it kept going to the bottom of the WIPs.

It made up of 2 1/2" squares and is based on one by Debbie Guihot in a copy of 'Australian Patchwork and Quilting' magazine, but I can't find a date on the copy I have. I am looking forward to quilting it with feathers in the cream areas and probably just straight lines in the darker square areas. As I sandwiched and pinned it on my floor this morning, see how the darker areas are really about the same ratio as the cream? Well, what are the odds of me stabbing myself with a pin and bleeding on the darker bits? You guessed it, no, the blood dripped on the cream area down towards the bottom. Fortunately I was able to wet and wipe it out with my magic bar of soap - thank goodness for that. It is now all sandwiched with close to 100 safety pins in it and ready for quilting. 

This is quilt number 2 on my list of what is a diminishing list of 4 now, with my Indigo quilt almost ready to be sandwiched, my log cabin pieces cut and ready for putting together, and then just that 'bug' quilt that I'm not sure what to do with in terms of borders. Might need to post a photo and see if there are any suggestions to help me along.  

Until next time,

Lynn

Linking with Quilt Story

I really enjoy making scrap quilts. There's something about using the small pieces left over from a quilt to create something more, something bright, colourful and creative that just makes me smile. So as I completed the binding on this last quilt I had a wonderful sense of satisfaction.

It also brought me great pleasure to know that my list of works in progress is now down to five - and that means I can add others (eventually!). Technically I didn't finish it in October, since today is November first, but it mostly feels like it was done in October which means that I've done six of my WIPs in six months, plus a couple of extra quilts which I'm pretty happy about. 

As you can see from the photo, my 'helper' was in on the action, but only as long as she could look through the gate and make sure we didn't have any unexpected visitors coming along - she's nosy that way!

The scraps for the quilt were from a bit of a 30s collection from a quilt I made back in March (eventually given to a couple with their new born son) and so I continued the blue as a contrast that seemed to work well. As I see it completed now with the thinner blue on the final border, I kind of wished I had made the inner ones a little narrower, but anyway now it's done. 

I had fun quilting a simple loop and then daisy pattern that I'd seen somewhere on Pintrest - though that one was done in a square whereas mine I did more as an all over - though it's free-motion quilted on my Janome PC Q1600. I also learned the valuable lesson of oil - how essential it is to smooth sewing. You'd think I'd know that by now, but I guess when you're quilting and preoccupied it doesn't cross your (or my) mind until you suddenly realise it doesn't sound quite like its purring any more. 

The backing was again from my stash (hurrah!) with a cream border attached to each side of some blue and cream paisley type fabric. Seems to work well. 

So now, I continue to work with my five, yes 5 quilts on the go. I just won't mention anything else that may be lurking somewhere just waiting its turn as well - there just could be some that haven't even made it onto the list yet! 

Until next time, 

Lynn

I'm linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Slow Stitching Sunday (Kathysquilts.blogspot.com.au)

HI there,

A good way to end the week, handing over a finished scrap quilt to my friend who works at our local hospice. 'Squared away' is the third quilt I've passed to her. She nurses at the hospice and she tells me she enjoys seeing the splashes of colour on the end of the bed and knowing I made it - how nice is that?

I enjoy using up scraps and it helps me explore new things, like being random rather than so regulated and more free-motion quilting too. So I think it's a win win all round as I find a home for another quilt.

Now, on to my pile of 3 flimsies ready for quilting, just some wadding to add and then the sandwiching (is that really a word?)

Maybe I'll get another one crossed off the list next week so I can start yet another project!

Until next time,

Lynn

I'm linking up to Confessions of a Fabric Addict