My hexagon blanket

 I recently took my crochet hexagon blanket outside to take a photo it was a bit challenging cause its not very big yet.  I started crocheting it at the end of winter last year and over summer forgot what I was doing so had a recap of the directions and have started crocheting again. I had a problem last winter with a very sore finger from too much crocheting so this year I'm trying to limit myself to an hour a day at most.  I find crocheting is very relaxing and I love playing with all the gorgeous colours.  The photo below is a bit washed out the colours are really bright.  Joining them as you go is such a great way of making the blanket.

 It hasn't just been crocheting going on here I have been sewing as well.  I've put the binding on my red stars quilt just the hand sewing to finish.  I've also made the binding for my Miss Rosie quilt that I had machine quilted a few months ago, can't wait to get the binding on that one.

I've made the 3 extra blocks for my Jubilee Quilt and joined them onto the quilt.  I just have to make my next border, I sort of know what I want to do just have to see if its going to work.  I'm thinking spiky pieced border, I'll make a test piece and see what it looks like.

No dog photo this post I took a photo of some of my Koalas instead.  I got the big one recently he's really fabulous, this is a collection I never intended to have but I can't resist them they are all different and very cute.  Just have to keep them away from Harry cause he'd love to play with them.

Bye for now.


Debra.

New Blocks

I've been doing a bit of everything lately.  I finally decided which block I wanted to make with my half square triangles. This is how many I've stitched together so far.  Since doing these blocks I've seen 2 more blocks that I'd like to make as well.  I'm sure I've got enough pieces cut to do all 3!  I've been using strips of my scrap fabrics and I've still got plenty of strips left to experiment with.

I bought the tumbler die this weekend and today I got to have a play with it.  Again I used strips from my scrap bin.  It is a lot of fun cutting the different shapes, I've got some other dies but I'll have to wait till I've got more time to try them.

I've finally finished the hand quilting on my red stars quilt.  Its not my best quilting but I'm glad its finished.  Just have to get the binding on.

I really do need to finish something, I've started way too many projects lately.  I spent quite a few hours on the weekend tidying my sewing room.  It seems to get out of control very quickly and then I find it very hard to work in.  I guess it doesn't help with so many projects on the go at once.  I've got my crochet out as well now that the weather has got colder its time to start back on it as well.

I've been working on more blocks for my jubilee quilt as well.  I stitched the 9 blocks that I've already made together, then decided I wanted to make 3 more.  I've ordered Gwen Marstons new book Liberated Medallions I'm hoping that might give me some inspiration for a pieced border.

I had Tracey and Susan over last night for some stitching, its always nice to get together and sew.
This is Traceys quilt that she finished sewing the binding on last night.  Its such an effective pattern and the Sherbet Pips fabric looks great. 

Happy Sewing

Debra.

Still Playing

Hi there,

I went to the Australian Quilt Convention with Tracey on Sunday.
We had a fun day its always a lovely day out and our autumn weather these last couple of weeks has been amazing I think it got to 30 degrees on Sunday!


The photo above is the latest block design I've been playing around with.  I really like this one.  I bought a Jo Morton book called Coming Home from The Quilted Crow at the Quilt Convention.  Its a really good book with lots of nice photos and lovely quilt projects to make.  One of the quilts in the book is called Somerset and it had this block done in browns and reds with cheddar alternate blocks.  It looks fabulous in the book and I'm trying to figure out if I did alternate blocks what colour I'd use.  What colour would you use?

Dougal came into my sewing room for a snooze, not one of his usual sleeping spots so I was very honoured.

I did my best to support some of the quilting shops that came to the convention.  If I could I would support them all of course.  I got a variety of fabrics as you can see.  I hadn't really planned on buying much fabric and definitely not the bright novelties but when I saw the cats I knew they had to come home with me and the elephants and the owls.....


I decided to cut more triangles with my Baby Go Cutter, I think I might have got carried away I haven't counted them but I have a very big pile.  When I stitch them together I might actually make some blocks!

Happy Stitching

Debra.

Playing with my Go Baby

Hi there, hope everyone has been enjoying the Easter break.  I've managed to do a bit of stitching in between home duties.  I'm quilting the last border of my red stars quilt.  Surely I'll get it finished by next weekend.  The Australian Quilt Convention is in Melbourne this week.  I've been going since it first started and it is my favourite quilt event.  I'm going with my friend Tracey on Sunday its always a great day out. 

A few weeks ago I purchased a Baby Go Cutter from one of my lqsThe Quilt Patch.  I'd been thinking about getting one for a while and The Quilt Patch had a demonstration one Saturday morning.  My main concern was how many dies I would be able to buy that were sizes that I use all the time.  I started with a die that has a 4 1/2" square, 2 1/2" square and two half square triangles that finish at 2 1/2" when stitched together.   I had to wait for a while to get the mat that went with the die but that was ok cause I have plenty to do.

Last week I decided it was time to play with the cutter.  I pulled out scrap strips that were the right size and went to work.  It was a lot of fun, I cut quite a lot of squares and heaps and heaps of half square triangles.  The block above was my first option I cut more triangles in other colours cause there was too much blue.  The triangles were really easy to sew together I'm hoping these will be more accurate than other methods I've tried.  Then I decided that design wasn't working so I tried a few more.... 

I had hoped I might have whipped up a quilt top over the break and have something interesting to show you.  Instead I have spent too much time trying to decide what block to make and ended up not making any!  I like the hearts but wasn't sure how to set them in a quilt. There were a few other designs as well but I think I might make a quilt that I've already made before that I really like. 

Here is Harry modeling the quilt for me.  I made this one quite a few years ago it has been well loved and is one of my favourites.  It was a fun block to make and I really like the pattern it makes.  It was one of the first quilts I machine quilted, I stitched in the ditch and was pleased with the result for a first try.

I am aiming to get back to my string pieced stars for my Jubilee Quilt.  Its possible I've been avoiding piecing the rest of the blocks together cause I worried about them so much.  I'll try to get back to them soon.

Have a great week


Debra.

Hi there,
thought I'd show you a friendship braid quilt I made a couple of years ago.  I used strips of some of my favourite fabrics.  I wanted a lot of red fabrics and creamy yellow neutrals to go with the border which was a lovely moda floral, I really like the dark purple accent border.

This week I have done a little bit more quilting on my red stars quilt.  I haven't managed an hour a day like I was hoping but I'm getting there. 

I have managed to finish appliquing the first border of my Flowering Vines quilt!  I think its about 6 years ago that I started this quilt so I'll be very pleased to get it finished.  With school holidays and Easter coming up I should be able to get quite a bit of stitching done.  I'll be looking forward to that.

Hope you have a good week,

Debra.

Meet Miss Daisy

 Here's Miss Daisy she looks fairly harmless doesn't she?  Looks can be deceiving.  Daisy refuses to use our cat door and if she thinks you want to put her outside she runs and hides.  A couple of weeks ago when I was reorganising my sewing room I took all the wire baskets of fabric out of my wardrobe.  I had them sitting around the house waiting to be sorted.   I replaced two sets of the drawers so I had to transfer and re-sort the baskets of fabric.  About 11pm on the Saturday night I was happily sorting fabric, I brought in 2 baskets that had been sitting on bathroom floor and discovered some of the fabric was wet!!  You guessed it Miss Daisy had peed on my fabric!!  What to do??

I decided I had no choice but to wash the fabric right away in the washing machine.  I don't prewash anymore so wasn't sure what would happen.  There were fat quarters, meterage and a jelly roll.  I put the jelly roll in a lingerie bag added washing powder and lots of vinegar for disinfectant and crossed my fingers.  I got my 2 big clothes horses out, it was a very warm night but weather was forcast to change so I hung it all on the clothes horses and it was dry by morning.  It took a few hours to iron it all but it all came out perfectly and didn't smell.  What a relief.

I did finally get all the fabric back in the baskets, I could have done without the washing emergency.  My fabric is sorted much better and my room is arranged so that at least I can sew at my sewing table.

On Sunday I spent a lovely peaceful afternoon appliquing and watching free episodes of The Quilt Show online.  I read on The Pursuit of Quilts blog they were celebrating International Quilt Day by letting you watch any episodes of their 9 series for free!  I really enjoyed it and learnt quite a few useful hints and techniques.  I've nearly finished one of the borders of my Piece O Cake quilt.  I recently ordered the Superior Thread bobbins for applique from Becky at Piece O Cake it is the best thread I have ever used for applique.  I've tried other cottons and I've used silk but this thread is an absolute pleasure to use.  It doesn't knot or twist like the others I'm very impressed.  Thanks to my friend Susan for recommending it and ordering from Piece O Cake they were very helpful too.

Thats it for now must get back to my applique.

Debra.

5 Stars finished!!

Hi there,

Its the middle of a long weekend here in Melbourne.  I had dreams of doing lots of sewing today, I didn't get to do any.  I did however nearly finish reorganising my sewing room and finding homes for my excess stuff.  What a relief.  I still can't find my Material Obsessions 1st book and it is really driving me mad.  It was one of the reasons for my tidy up I was hoping I'd find it somewhere.  I know it has to be in the house somewhere but for the life of me I don't know where.  I've looked everywhere, doesn't that kind of thing just drive you crazy?

Its been two weeks since I last posted, it took me a long time to get around to photographing my string pieced stars.  I used spray starch to press the last 3 blocks and I think that worked a lot better.  I feel as though I haven't done much but I have mostly been working on these blocks.  I've string pieced all the diamonds for the stars  now I just have to sew them together. 

I'm not happy with some of the points on my stars,  I'm in danger of losing some of them.  I'm hoping a lot of my quilts imperfections can be quilted out!  I'm thinking 9 blocks might be enough for the centre.  I think 70" is the limit for my quilt hanger.  So 9 blocks with sashing?  I'm not sure what do you think?  I've cut the borders 8" so I have enough room for some applique.  I think deciding what to do about sashing and what type/colour it should be will take me a while to figure out.

I've cut enough bright strings to do another 1 or 2 quilts.  I'd like to try one where the blocks are square next, I've had enough of set in seams.  The photo above is some of the blocks for my spider web quilt before I stitched them together.  I finished that top with a piano key border and I will take it to get machine quilted professionally when I can afford it.  I haven't found a backing for it yet either.  The spider web blocks were made from my stash of strings.  My box of strings looks just as full as when I started too. I have many more string quilts in my future, they are such fun to make.

I better get going now, I'm going to see a movie with my mum tomorrow and if I don't get to bed I'll be falling asleep during the movie.

Bye for now,

Debra.