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

Once Upon A Time

It feels like something of a relief to say I'm almost finished this quilt. Almost at least means its likely to happen in the next couple of days, only binding to attach, the bulk of the quilting is done. While this has been a great project in many ways, I don't think its something I'm going to repeat in a hurry. There are a few photos of the quilt here, but I feel like celebrating!

The pattern is one from Kids Quilts (www.kidsquilts.com) a New Zealand based company that had a display at our Craft and Quilt show in 2015. At that time, three of us went in to buy the pattern together, then met regularly to encourage each other in our progress. Two of us hadn't done much at all in the way of applique, so that was a challenge for us. The sample was in pinks, but I had lemon, turquoise and greys in mind, so went with my own choice of colour palette. 

I put some of the blocks together in a timely way, keeping up with the others, but then seemed to fall in a bit of a hole (other quilts came along) and didn't get to piece this together or begin the quilting. Initially I thought I might complete it in November (we began in May 2015) when my niece was born, but that didn't happen. 

 

Then I sold my quilting machine, so felt I needed to wait until I bought another to even get to the flimsy stage. I did get it together though and hoped to quilt in April - that also came and went. I did, however, buy a new machine, a Brother that I'm very happy with, well mostly, but more of that in a moment. 

The final push to complete the quilt came with the realisation that the 2016 show was coming along, so 12 months and I hadn't finished my quilt! My two friends had done theirs, one residing on a guest bed for grandchildren and others to enjoy, the other sent interstate for a little girl to love and snuggle with. 

As the date of the show came closer (May 18) I continued to quilt and realised while I wouldn't quite make it, I was going to be very close. My new machine was proving to be wonderful, except the last little part of the needle threading process prior to using the automatic needle threader and perhaps the space wasn't quite as large as I'd hoped as I wrangled the quilt through the 'neck' of it.

 

Anyway, I went along to the show with a group of wonderful enthusiastic women, what fun! And I saw a Janome S3, a machine I'd had quite a thorough look at before I purchased my Brother (on which I got a great deal I have to say). And before I knew it, I had sat down, tried some free-motion quilting, oohed and aahed at the deal (included a hard cary case, a mannequin, dressmaking scissors, more bobbins than I know what to do with AND a fit for the purpose sewing table, as well as the Australian dollar price of $1299! What a deal!!)

So I now have another new machine. Am I crazy? Maybe I'll just be able to do even more patchwork and quilting? Maybe I'll sell the mannequin and hard case? Who knows, but I'm almost finished this quilt that had a lot to do with it in some ways, so I'm celebrating!

 

I think the elements of dragon, princesses, frogs and mushrooms are very cute. And I did enjoy the quilting. I think when I first saw it I was lulled along with the 2 and half inch squares, which I always like. The quilting looked pretty OK (it was fun) but I suspect I underestimated the applique process and assembling it all. Like most quilts though, once the hours are put in and the end product is there, you know it will likely last for a few years and so that makes it all worthwhile. 

My niece's first birthday is coming up in November, so I'm well and truly ready ahead of time!

Until next time,

Lynn

Two finishes

I am very pleased to be able to show a couple of finishes that are on my 2016 list. The first is a scrap quilt I began in early March, my cross string quilt. But here it is all quilted up!

The legs and hand belong to my 'man about the house' (thanks for the help). Its not that big as you can tell, but good for a lap size and since it is going to my local hospice, that will work out fine. I have a friend who works there and she delights in seeing the bright quilts on the bed bringing cheer where it's needed.  That makes the work more than worthwhile, as well as the sheer delight I get from making things from scrap - and from my stash. 

A close up of some of those loops I did on my domestic machine - my new Brother Innovis NV410.  I used a water soluble pen to draw a line, then measured 5" from the top of the loop to the next row. My new machine is just lovely - I can quilt and not have any tension issues.  The Superior Bottom Line thread is a dream. 

I also built what I call my quilting table, up around my machine using foam. I then wrapped it in fabric, taped it on the back with heavy duty tape and then also put a thick plastic over the top. Its a much cheaper, easier option than cutting a hole in my table to drop the machine and make everything level. It fits right up next to the extension part that came with the machine, but goes to the edge of my table and also in front of the machine so my quilt is all on one level, no drag. So I'm really happy with that too. The photo gives you a bit of an idea. 

And a final one of the backing with all that loopy goodness on it. 

My second finish is one I began in November 2015 and got the flimsy finished but with the weather here over summer being too hot to quilt a large (ish) heavy quilt, I only began the centre around January. But finally winter is here and so I've been having fun with the borders in particular. Here it is, 'What colour is Indigo?'

Looking at that blue and white fluffy cloud sky you wouldn't think it was winter here would you? Nice how we picked a sunny spot and didn't realise the pool was there to enhance the blues! This one is for the man himself, who asked the question about the colour Indigo. This was my reply, based on a Moda Indigo charm pack. I added in a few more blues and beiges for the border of squares and I'm pleased with how the white with its blue swirls really helps it all hang together. Speaking of the swirls, here's a close up:

They make me smile when I see them. I haven't tried them that small or close before and I'm happy with the result.

And the backing, I like that too - and it does show the quilting off too. Best of all its lovely to snuggle under and my man is happy with it - only three days after his birthday, win all round. 

Until next time,

Lynn

Downton QAYG

I hadn't ever attempted a Quilt As You Go (QAYG) before and since that is the method that a friend and I are using for a sampler quilt we're teaching a group of complete novices to patchwork and quilting, I thought I'd better give it a go. This is the final result, but I thought I'd also mention some of the aspects I discovered doing this method. And this post has a few photos, just so you know.

I found the process of creating the blocks themselves and then quilting them, to be a very easy one. It was lovely to just be putting a 12" square underneath the needle rather than sometimes wrangling a much larger beast around the table. I did just a simple star in the centre, and also echoed the block shape towards the edge. Doing the crosshatching in the background areas was SO easy to maneuver around.

The process of putting on the sashings was OK too, although I don't remember ever being stabbed so much by pins as I seemed to during this stage of the process.

Then I added a final border because the quilt seemed to need something added to it, with cornerstones to link with the backing.

 

So here is one of the backing, which makes me smile: 

And a close up of that fabric that I was pretty pleased to find in my local go to fabric shop:

And finally, I did some very simple arches that linked with the cross hatching where they met. I wondered about doing some pebbles in the centre arch, but by the time I'd added the two-colour/accent binding I felt done with this quilt. 

  

I may have to wait for the dust to settle before I decide whether I'd do another QAYG. There are certainly some pluses, but I know I have another top just waiting to be sandwiched and it won't take me the time that this one seemed to! And adding that final border meant that I did still have quite a bit to wriggle around the machine and table as I did those arches. 

Still, I'm happy with the result overall. Not sure if this one is destined for my neighbour (she's been our neighbour for about 17 years and a lovely one at that, but best find out if she's a 'Downton' fan first!) or elsewhere. 

Until next time, 

Lynn

Thread Catchers

Having been inspired by Kate [smiles from Kate] with her thread catcher, thought I'd give one a go. The first was for me, with some fabric I've had for a while and seemed appropriate with its pins:

I decided to leave the corners inside the catcher, so that I could pop things like a thimble, scissors, unpicker etc inside it.  I also used some buttons I've had for a while, sea themed - hence my pelican here. What fun! This one is from a 12" square, then I thought I'd try the slightly smaller sized, 10" for a friend: 

I also tried the French seams [thanks to Connie Kresin at Freemotion by the River] on two sides, while leaving a couple of the corners inside. 

I think my friend will enjoy her smaller catcher, and it matches a mug rug I made a while back. When I placed the two catchers side by side though, I think the 12" is a little easier to just toss the threads into and take the things out of the corners. Great satisfaction in small projects. 

Now, back to my list! It seems to have at least 4 quilts on it - how did that happen?

Until next time,

Lynn

April Goal

While I have completed a couple of things during Feb and March, I'm really hoping to move one particular project along this month, a quilt top I almost completed last August.

A couple of friends and I went to a local quilt show in May 2015 and bought a pattern for an appliqued quilt. One friend went with the kit that accompanied the pattern, the other friend went with her own choices, also mostly pink based. I was keen to try this lemon/turquoise/green combination. We were able to get together and encourage each other along.
This is the top so far:

In terms of completing the top to a flimsy, there's not much left to do, just completing those pieced sashings and then borders. Sounds quite easy when I say it like that, so I'm not quite sure why I have left it alone until now, it may be something about Christmas and New Year coming along with other projects. That and the thought of quilting it!

I now have a new machine though, a Brother NV410 which I'm just getting to know, so this month seems like a good time to get this one sandwiched and quilted. 

Maybe my lack of a deadline also contributes to not having completed this - it is destined for my niece's 1st birthday, which is not until November - hence my delay. 

But I'm linking up with One Monthly Goal with the hope that it might help my accountability too. 

So we'll see how I go.

Until next time,

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