New blocks

I've been working on a new project during the last couple of weeks.  This is my first batch of basket blocks, its the cake  stand block and it is a quilt that I've always loved and wanted to make.  The quilt that has inspired my version is from a book by Roberta Horton called Scrap Quilts The Art of Making Do.  I've had the book for years and its a great source of inspiration. I love Roberta's quilts.  I was reminded a few weeks ago of this quilt by a discussion on Kathie of Inspired by Antique Quilts blog.here. Kathie had a picture of the cake stand quilt on her notice board the quilt is called Cake Crumbs by George Taylor. Since I was cutting up my old fabrics for scraps I decided to have a go at the block. 

I have been cutting the triangles for the block using my go cutter which has been working out really well.  I don't think my way of cutting the fabrics for the blocks has been any quicker than any other way but the accuracy is a lot better.  The inspiration quilt has an interesting mix of fabrics, a lot of pale pinks and washed out colours with some bold prints mixed in.  Some of the blocks are high contrast and a few are very low contrast.  I decided it would be perfect for using up some of my old florals that I've been hoarding for years.  So even though I think these blocks have been quite time consuming to make I have enjoyed the process of choosing the backgrounds and the baskets, its been like visiting with old friends. 

I've finished the first part of my applique border for my Jubilee Quilt.  I'm glad I didn't change the size of the letters or numbers I'm really pleased with how its turned out.  The challenge now is to decide what to do for the next side!

I had intended to make this border the bottom of the quilt but when I pinned it on I pinned it the wrong side round, so now its the top.  Good thing its not going to make any difference.

I hadn't realised that my border was a bit too long so my flower has ended up right on the edge, this really has been a learning experience.  I like to believe there's no such thing as a mistake in quilting just a design opportunity!

Happy Stitching,

Debra.

Slow Progress.

 Hi there, I have been making progress on a few of my projects.  I finally got my Scrappy Trips laid out.  I've made more blocks than I'll need but any extras will be great for the backing. 

On the weekend I finally got my sewing table sorted out so that I could start machine quilting a quilt.  This quilt has been basted for about 2 years.  I just couldn't decide how it needed to be quilted.  I think I've figured it out, diagonal lines and maybe double horizontal lines.  It's not the type of quilting I enjoy doing, I'd rather be doing free motion but I don't think it will suit this design.  If I ever get it finished I'll take a photo.  

As we all know the minute a quilt comes out so do the cats.  I'd only done one row of stitching when Ruby plonked herself in the middle of the quilt putting an end to any more quilting for the night.

I've been making slow progress on my Jubilee quilt.  I'm up to the applique border but its taken me ages to decide what I was doing with it.  I'm appliquing my initials on one side of the vase and the year will be on the other.  I'm not sure if the initials are too big.  I think I might have to shrink them down a bit.  Applique seemed like a good idea but it's taken me a very long time to get my ideas sorted out.

These photos were taken in the shade, it's been hot here again.  The colour is a bit washed out.  This is the longest summer ever, we've nearly had 1 month of Autumn and the heat just hasn't stopped.  We have some cooler weather forcast for the end of the week, I can't wait.

Happy Stitching

Debra.

Out and About

Hi there, last Sunday I went to see the Quilts in the Barn exhibition in Wonga Park with a couple of my patchwork friends.  Here is Susan, taking a photo of me taking a photo of her.  I won't show any more photos of the quilt show cause the Quilts in the Barn blog has photos of the whole exhibit.  I have been going to this exhibition for quite a few years, its always an enjoyable day out and Linda and her helpers put a lot of work into making it a great show.  

We went to The Patchwork Teahouse

 in Warburton next and had a really lovely lunch.  We had a really nice day even though we discovered our favourite antique/homewares shop had closed down.  

I haven't done a lot of work on my crochet hexagons lately but I think these blocks should be enough to finish it.  Then there is the border to think about.  Haven't decided what I'm going to do about that yet.  There's an awful lot of ends to sew in too.

Isn't this owl the cutest?  She had to come home with me last weekend, I had a memory lapse and forgot about downsizing and the fact my shelves are overcrowded already.  I have a nice collection of owls now, maybe they remind me of my night owl tendencies! 

We had a lovely spring day today, a perfect day to wash some quilts.  This one was an old Country Threads pattern I think.  I do remember that it was one of my first attempts at needle turn applique and I thought I'd never get the hearts finished.  The main fabrics are all early Robin Pandolph fabrics.  I was in love with all her early ranges and I still have most of them in my stash as I thought they were too special to cut.  Now they're practically vintage.

I have been busting to use my kitchen table but my son has been using it to study for his exams.  He does have a desk in his bedroom which he can't use at the moment cause its covered in clothes etc.  What is it with teenage boys and messy bedrooms?  We have endless discussions about tidying his room, its like beating my head against a brick wall...

I've tried being patient but I keep thinking about all the things I can't do till I get my table back.  Today I decided to get out my fold up trestle table and take it outside to work on.

It was great, now that the weather is improving I might do this more often.  I wanted to work out the applique borders for my Jubilee quilt and the trestle table was perfect for this.  I couldn't pin my vines down until I drew out my applique shapes but at least I got a start on it.

Why couldn't I do this on my own sewing room table you might ask?  Cause it's covered in too much stuff!!!

Its time all us night owls were in bed.

Bye for now.

Debra. 

Scrappy Star Quilt

Not much sewing this week so I thought I'd show a couple of my collections.I love my pink depression glass collection.  The pink glass  isn't easy to find so its always exciting to get a new piece.

I wanted to change the quilt on my quilt hanger.   But first I had to remove everything off my sideboard and then dust.  Then rearrange and put away some of my things.  I keep telling myself I need to downsize but then I'll see something that I can't live without and my  collections end up a bit crowded.  It sure looks nice when its dusted. 


I love the scrappy reds and creams in this quilt.  Scrappy quilts are definitely my favourites.  Need to stop buying full fabric ranges cause quilts in one range aren't the quilts I like to make.....Need to stop buying fabric altogether.  One day.





I also can't resist a cruet set.  I'm partial to any cut glass or crystal and I've got a few of these now.  They remind me of having dinner at my Grandparents house when I was a young girl.  My Grandmother had a little dish with salt and a tiny little spoon to use with the salt, a very novel idea.  Then there was the dish of butter curls, haven't seen them for a long time.  Does anyone curl butter any more?

I have some of my seed beads stored in the little shakers.   Aren't they cute?

Some more progress on my crocheted hexagons.  I think I've got about 5 more rows to do.  It seems to have taken more time to make than my granny square rug.  Its still fun though.

I did get a start on my first applique border for my jubilee quilt.  Might manage a photo next time. 

Bye for now

Debra.

Cupcake Party

Hi there, I had a very enjoyable afternoon today.  Harry and I were invited by a friends daughter Emily to a cupcake party to raise money for the RSPCA.  

 It is the first time Harry has met another Spoodle,  after a wary introduction  they were soon running around playing and having a great time.   That's Harry on the left and Max on the right.  All four dogs had a great time running around playing.  It was very entertaining, they were all very cute to watch.

Max didn't want to share the water bowl with anyone else.  Isn't he adorable?  On the right are Bailey, a very handsome Cockerspaniel cross and Sparky, Emily's Pugalier.  Sparky sure lives up to her name, she's non stop run run run.

Here are the lovely cupcakes Emily made for afternoon tea.  I had a chocolate choc chip cupcake it was delicious.  I never met a choc chip I didn't like!

One of Emily's friends wins the award for most interesting pet, she brought along her six month old Ferret.  She was really quite cute, if a bit hard to photograph in her cage.  She couldn't come out of her cage cause Max got really scared when she first arrived and barked for about 15 minutes.

 At one stage Harry fell into the garden, he might have been pushed....

 Last night I finally got the last 2 sides of the inner border sewed on.  What do you think?  It's only taken me about 4 months to get this far with this border.

This morning I had a very exciting time.  I was checking out my facebook page and saw that Bonnie Hunter had her webcam on and was streaming live while she sewed.  I'm sure everyone is familiar with Bonnie and her Quiltville site.  She has only been streaming live for a week and I didn't know if I was ever going to see it. 

Yes, I am a total quilt nerd!!

I spent the rest of the morning watching Bonnie sew while I sewed along as well.  Luckily I had trimmed more of my string blocks last night so I stitched the white and black corners onto them.  Here they are on my design wall below.

The absolute highlight of my morning was when Bonnie had a break for a few minutes I sent her a comment on her Quiltville blog.  When she came back and stopped stitching for a few moments she read out and answered a few of the comments.  I was watching when she read my comment out!!  It was so cool and so amazing.  I'm in my sewing room in Melbourne Australia and she's in her sewing room in North Carolina America and she's reading out loud something I wrote minutes earlier.  The internet is awesome!!!

I just love her scrap quilts and her whole quilting philosophy.  She is incredibly generous with her ideas and has a lot of fabulous patterns you can use on her website.  I got her latest book in the mail last week and there are a few quilts calling my name.

Must go now, I think bed is calling my name.


Bye for now,

Debra.