Scarf marathon

I had so many nice comments on my ruffle scarves that I made a few more to give as gifts. I'm over knitting these now - time to move on to something else! They are quick and easy to knit but the "yarn" is not really pleasant to work with as you have to keep stretching it out to find the next loop in the mesh to knit into. So it feels like really slow going although they knit up quickly in under two hours even for a slow knitter like me.

I'm still working on clearing my sewing room of old quilt tops. Here is the latest that I have quilted - an old Bento Box quilt from whenever there was a mild craze for this pattern .... a couple of years ago I guess. I've quilted this one simply with straight(ish) lines 2" apart so it was quick and easy to quilt and only required marking on the borders. This quilt is about 180cm square.



I just need to find some binding fabric for it now. It's a cold and blustery day today so a good day to rummage through my stash to find the right fabric.

Catwalk dogs

I quilted another old quilt top made from pre-cuts yesterday. There seems to be an unlimited supply of these quick quilt tops in my sewing room!

I enlisted the pups' help to model my quilt and some ruffle scarves I knitted up the other day. They were not very enthusiastic or cooperative. (They thought we were going outside to eat bones so were a bit disappointed when I just wanted to take photos).

Still, they have mastered the moody, looking-into-the-distance-in-an-aloof-sort-of-way pose.

One and a bit

Another week of my annual leave is just flying by ..... I'm not sure where the days have gone. I certainly haven't managed to do all the things I planned to do this week! But I did get my tax done (and yippee, I may actually get a refund this year instead of having to pay more - although mainly because they have been billing me extra tax quarterly in advance this year, so I'll just be getting my own money back!) and spent a day cleaning out the vegetable garden and planting some seedlings.

I also finished another quilt. This was a simple quilt top I pieced a couple of years ago from Mill House Inn charm sqaures and a jelly roll. At the time, I hadn't purchased any yardage for borders or backing which is why it remained unfinished - as I had nothing in my stash that would do.

Luckily, a quick search of a few quilt shops online turned up the elusive fabric and I was able to finish this quilt.

I quilted this one quite sparingly ..... I am a bit over quilting ..... but I quite like the simplicity of it. This quilt is about 160 x 180 cm.

I also finished quilting this quilt top, made from a jelly roll quite recently, and plan to sew the binding on today if my raw fingertips will permit! The finger I use to push the needle through is all bloody and pulpy and the thumbnail I use to receive the incoming needle actually has a groove worn in it! I just can't use thimbles, although in more sensible moments I wrap elastoplast around my fingers like a boxer preparing for a fight before long bouts of hand sewing.

The bottom border looks a bit fluted in this pic although it looks ok when lying flat so I think it is just the way it hung on the line - the house is too dark and the ground outside too damp to photograph any other way. This quilt is about 160cm square. I think it really misses not having a narrow inner border but I couldn't find the right fabric for it so decided to do without.

Finally, I'd like to give a big thumbs up to The Fabric Patch and Stitcher's Cupboard. I ordered some fabrics to finish some quilts from each of these stores and the courier came 2 days later. Great service! I've bought lots from the Fabric Patch before but hadn't even been to the Stitcher's Cupboard's site before - it's great and has lots of Moda fabrics on sale at the moment. Postage was a little high, although I did buy lots of batting too so I guess my pacel was quite big and heavy. The service was so fast and the prices so good, I'll definitely be a return customer.

Quilt Finishes

It's been a while ..... even I was a bit taken aback when I realised my last post was more than six months ago - time just goes so quickly. My only excuses are work pressures, long hours and the fact that I haven't had any significant crafty finishes to post here in my quilty diary.

But all that has changed! I had a heap of annual leave accrued that our auditors were quite keen for me to take and I managed to get my main projects either finished or past the critical phases to a point where they could be overseen by someone else. So, I am on 7 weeks leave. Yes, 7! That will get my annual leave down to a respectable 12 weeks accrued.

I've already been off for 3 weeks. My, that has flown! I had to see to a few car repairs and have had a few days catching up with friends. I managed to spend a lovely day in Bowral catching up with some patchwork friends I haven't seen in ages.

Apart from that, I've been sewing! And more shockingly, finishing things!

First up is a quilt top that I pieced from a kit years and years ago and never got around to finishing. This one is big, about a queen bed topper size.

Before going on leave I stocked up on some goodies from Fat Quarter Shop, including a Papillon layer cake. After piecing the top and quilting, I decided to give it to my Mum for her birthday so had to take a hasty photo on a windy day:

The Papillon quilt is a good queen topper size too. I quilted this one a bit more laboriously - 1/4" lines on both sides of each seam, so it took me a little while to quilt but it looks great and I am so pleased with it - although the photo does not do it justice.

And my last finish is this little stitchery quilt I pieced a while ago.

Inspired, I've been dragging out old unfinished quilt tops and working out what I need to finish them. I was lucky enough to find some quilt shops online still stocking some Moda fabric ranges from years ago so was able to find appropriate borders, binding and backing fabric for some of them so watch this space for more finished quilts. I wonder if I can average one a week for my leave?

Happy 2012

I've spent this morning preserving some produce. Despite the coolish summer so far, and probably as a result of the heavy rain, everything has just been so productive except for the tomatoes which are yearning for some heat. I have been eating spinach and leek pie, zucchini slice, eggplant bake, miscellaneous quiches etc constantly for weeks! And still can't get rid of everything in the garden!

This morning I preserved some zucchini strips in olive oil and pickled some beetroot. To do the former, I degorged the zucchini overnight in salt and cold water, then drained and pressed out the excess water. I brushed the strips with olive oil and grilled. Then tossed them in some cider vinegar, lemon thyme and garlic, packed into jars and topped with olive oil. These will good for antipasto, pizza toppings, pasta sauces etc throughout the zucchini-less months.

This is my favourite project of late ..... a cute little bag made from Ruby charm squares a Secret Santa gave me.

These fabrics are just so fun and lively. I used some ribbon that came on one of my Christmas presents for the drawstring, but I think I'll look in my stash for an appropriate fabric to make some more dainty ones.

I've also put together a small lap quilt made from 80 charm squares and a couple of other fabrics. The fabrics are from the Bittersweet range, a lovely autumny collection. I love the way they appear so radiant and jewel-like when set off by a neutral background.

I'm handquilting this one, and not doing a very good job of it. I'm not using a frame, but even though my stitches are sometimes a bit too taut and the fabric isn't quite flat, I really like the antique, puckered look this is giving it.

First UFO finish for 2011

I've finished my first UFO for 2011! It is just a small lap quilt, an experiment in some foundation pieced string blocks I made a few months ago. The quilt was pieced, and quilted (although rather badly!) so today all I had to do was make and sew on some binding. 

I also added a few buttons at the intersections of some of the blocks to give it a bit of interest.

So that's one down ..... and I don't even want to know how many to go!

The sun is shining

My friend Anne popped around yesterday and gave me these lovely blooms, that started opening up overnight:



And yesterday, I finished off this old log cabin quilt I pieced years and years ago. My quilting is a bit dodgy. But that's okay, because it goes with the dodgy piecing! I was quilting through the centre of each row and the rows were of varying widths, the borders a bit fluted and well, it's not a very good quilt. No wonder I never quilted it before.



But I think the quilting hides a few of its flaws.

Did I mention I am on annual leave for a couple weeks? I had so much leave accrued they have been harrassing me for months to take some, but I have been too busy. Work finally quietened down enough for me to oblige. So I have no excuse not to finish more projects, which is my aim. Today, though, the rain has finally cleared so I am going to do some gardening.

Christmassy star quilt

I pulled an old quilt top from the embarrassingly large pile of unfinished objects today and finished quilting it and sewing on the binding. This one is quite small - about 120cm square - so it was quick to finish off.

I can't remember when I made this quilt top but I do remember it started as a rough sketch on some graph paper which is how I like to design things.

Finishing stuff

I think one of my goals for this year is going to be to try to finish old projects laying about the place .... and there are so many of them. Whenever I'm hunting for something I come across another one. So my other goal is to clean up my sewing room, and the first step is to finish a few abandoned projects.

This is one of them, a small log cabin quilt. The borders don't really go but I've also given myself a few rules about finishing things without buying new fabrics, so my new mantras are "near enough is good enough", and "whatever it takes to finish it".



I spent yesterday sewing binding onto both of these quilts, plus another big quilt even though I haven't finished quilting that one. I think it is quilted enough for the batting not to shrink any further. I started hand quilting it a couple years ago and then abandoned it. I'd like to finish it though, there is just so much quilting to do .... and my fingers hurt from sewing on three bindings. I even have a blister!

I found this great site with some free stitchery patterns a few weeks ago and printed off a few that really appealed to me but so far have only completed one (above) which I antiqued with some Parisian essence.

Note: Thanks Tanya of Tanya's Prim Thyme Designs for correcting me. The above is actually one of her patterns, available for free here: http://www.patternmart.com/pattern/9045/Free+Prim+Crow+Stitchery+Pattern

It is Australia Day todayhere and everyone will be off to celebrations. The biggest thing around here is at Parramatta Park which is where some of my family and friends will be today. I don't plan on going if I can help it, Spice is a bit down today and won't let me out of her sight. She's eating, so I don't think she's sick, but I think she may have hurt herself somewhere as she is sad and she was whimpering a little last night and wanting to be cuddled all night. I can't find any injuries, so maybe she just pulled a muscle on our walk yesterday afternoon. I hope it is just that. There is nothing sadder than a puppy who has lost her wag.

Some Eye Candy in Pink

I had a day off work yesterday with a throat infection (although I am sure they would have loved me to be at work, seeing as though I was quiet for a change!) so spent a little time sewing in front of a DVD. I made the little sitchery on the weekend and decided to make a little hand quilted bag out of it. This is the front. Still have to do the back.

I bought another of Toni's gorgeous quilts and was thrilled to receive it in the mail today. Her work is just so beautiful I don't know how she can stand to give them away!

Toni is the absolutely master of blanket stitch - it is all by hand but so perfect and even.

The quilting pattern is so cute, with little butterflies flitting about. And I just love the embroidery on this border (above).

I posted off my washcloth swap pressie last week and Carol has received it. She has a lovely blog, with lots of nice projects on it.

Finished binding

I must be mad in this heat, but I finally finished putting my binding on my disappearing nine patch quilt. So I may be a day late to include this for my January finished projects, but at least I can say I completed a project the first day in February.

I'm not a great quilter, so there isn't much to be said about the quilting really. A few straight lines. I did start meandering in the border but then lost interest and got sick of trying to get my machine's tension right so the stitches were neat on the back. There is still a little of the meandering there, I still need to unpick it. Regardless, I declare this project finished.

Singapore Sling

And here is the second gorgeous Red Boot Quilt Co quilt I was lucky enough to buy. This one is embellished with self covered buttons and exquisite quilting.

And here is the quilting, what a great pattern:

These quilts are so beautiful, I'm certainly not sharing them. They're all mine! I'm definitely not going to let any clumsy, messy puppies near them. Oh, no, here comes Sugar:

Get off! Get off! No! Don't SIT on it!

And don't make yourself comfortable!

For crying out loud, now Spice is joining her Sister! It is MINE I tell you!

Never mind, I managed to coax them away with a bone and reclaimed my quilt. You can also purchase this pattern from Toni's Etsy Store and view some of her other amazing patterns.

Maude's Medallion

This has got to be my favourite Red Boot Quilt Co pattern. I have the pattern myself but just haven't found the right fabrics to make it yet and now I don't have to because I have the most beautiful original!!

Here is a detail from the applique centre, such beautiful work and gorgeous fabric choices:

And here is a detail of the lovely quilting:

And one more pic for good luck:

You can buy this pattern from Toni's Etsy store for a bargain price (and see her much better photo of this gorgeous quilt). And I can thoroughly recommend her patterns - they're clear and concise with lots of diagrams and pictures, and well-tested so you know your quilt is going to turn out right!

Finished at Long Last

Lyle will be thrilled that I finally finished his quilt, he has been harrassing me for ever about it! I couldn't get a good photo of it as it is windy outside and dark inside, but I want to give it to him tomorrow, so this is it.

Blue Pineapples

I made this quilt top ages ago from a free pattern at Quiltville. It's a bit bigger than what I enjoy quilting - I hate quilting anything bigger than small lap size and this is almost single size. So I have been putting off finishing it. But I have an ambition to clear my cupboard of half finished projects so I finally quilted this one. In the ditch for the blocks and a big chunky stipple on the outer order.

Strawberry Lemonade Quilt

I spent yesterday quilting my Strawberry Lemonade quilt. I didn't do the best job but it is nice to have another one finished.

I've stocked up on batting so I am hoping to get to some quilt tops which have been sitting in the cupboard for months if not years over, over the next few weeks.

Strawberry Lemonade Lap Quilt

I've been playing with some charm squares and a jelly roll from the Strawberry Lemonade range to make this simple lap quilt. These fabrics are so bright and cheerful! I made a BIG mistake in one of my blocks but to fix it would have required a LOT of unpicking which drives me insane, so I decided to keep going and hope it isn't too noticeable. Well, it is noticeable (but I tried to hide it in this pic - it is the centre block at the top, one of the middle triangles is the wrong way around). So I'll have to keep this quilt myself. The fabrics made me think of summer picnics so it might become my new picnic rug.

Lyn's Quilt

I made this simple quilt from a Jelly Roll. I am addicted to Jelly Rolls at the moment. I was intially reluctant to use them at all, thinking the fabric strips were just too narrow to be anything but limiting, but I have been having fun inventing lots of simple designs to use them with. In fact, I have two more simple quilts in progress, made with Jelly Rolls.

I gave this lap quilt to a friend who has moved quite a few hours drive away, for her birthday last year.

Jeremy's quilt

I pieced the top of this quilt sometime last year from a great easy design on the Quiltville website. I made it using an array of scraps, but the Quiltville website gives lots of different colour ideas. You can also place the "mountains" in a number of different ways to achieve different effects.

After lots of whining from my partner J, ("when are you going to make me a quilt?!") I finally finished this one a couple of months ago and it is now his in-front-of-the-TV-snuggle-rug.

Charm Square Quilt

This photo only shows the quilt top, although this quilt is now finished. A nice, lap sized quilt made of two packs of charm squares. How easy this was to put together, but I think it ended up being quite pretty.