Blogger's Quilt Festival - Scrappy

Well I said I'd be back, and I am entering my second quilt into this year's fun and games.

If you missed it, I blogged my first, the Oakshott Carpenter's Star, here.

Today I am going to show my Stitch Tease Bee quilt that I finished up in the New Year.  And this is the complete opposite in every way.

I really should have taken some new, sunny shots, but I didn't think of that until I sat down this evening, sorry...

So this is my much loved, and currently living on the foot of our bed, Low Volume Scrap Vomit...

From the first versions of Katy Jones' modern classic quilt, I knew I wanted one, although I didn't want so much of the vomit, and wasn't too keen on the traditional black blocks, so this was my solution!

I love this quilt, and especially cherish that it was made by one of the fabulous Bees which I am fortunate enough to belong to, and it turned out way more amazing than I could have hoped for.  Thanks lovely ladies x

Low Volume Scrap Vomit Details:
70" x 70"
Top - 1225 x 2.5" scraps from the bins of the Stitch Tease Bee
Backing - IKEA Nummer print and Sew Stitchy scraps
Quilting - Diagonal straight lines in Aurifil 50wt 2021
Binding - Joel Dewberry Aqua Herringbone
Entering into the Scrappy category.

Thank you for (re)visiting me and my quilts: I'm hoping I will have some of the things currently residing on my To Do list t'done soon to show you - I'm sure I'll rustle something up for tomorrow ;)

Blogger's Quilt Festival - ROYGBIV

Today I am delighted, thrilled, nay relived to be able to add my (first) entry into this Spring's Blogger's Quilt Festival - Amy is an amazing hostess, and I have loved entering and hopping round the blogiverse since 2011, (wow, where does the time go!?).

So enough, let's get down to business.

I was the lucky recipient of a beautiful layercake of Oakshotts back in early Spring, and immediately decided that I wanted to make a one-block quilt.  It didn't take me long to settle on a Carpenter's Star, and I am so glad I did.

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you may have seen the top reveal a few weeks back...

I pieced the backing, basted, quilted and bound it all this week - just to be able to hand it over to my Dad today, to display when he has his Open Studio at the beginning of June.

Mission accomplished, albeit that it was in the washing machine this morning at 7am with a handful of colour catchers for an anxious half hour!

Here it is earlier, pre-wash...

I had to take lots of photos!

The washing definitely took a few inches off it, and crinkled it up a little, but there was no colour-run so a very content breakfast-time...

I am really happy with how this turned out, and know it will compliment the graphic bright shapes of my Dad's stained glass, which in my books is a great result!

Oakshott Carpenter's Star Details:
64" x 64" (post-wash)
Top - Oakshott Colourshott 30 x 10" squares plus 2
         Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Backing - IKEA print & Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Pieced & quilted - Aurifil 50wt 2021
Quilting - Horizontal straight lines in sets of 3 & 6
Binding - Moda Bella Solid - bleached white
Entering into the ROYGBIV category.

Thank you for stopping by; hopefully I will be entering a second quilt tomorrow, but you know how all my plans usually turn out!

All White On The Night...

Over halfway round by the time the snow-blindness hit last night...

So after a day of cleaning, tidying, sorting and note-making, here I go again!

Mother's Day Eponymous Reveal

Happy Mother's Day for all the mothers celebrating today.  I did very well in the pressie department, lots of handmade things, fudge and vouchers, lunch out and I am off work until Wednesday, so I am happy...

Monet Water Lilies before you ask x

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day with my mum, so that meant, um... handmade gifts, chocs, vouchers, lunch out... like mother like daughter!  But I also got to take a secret project and my finished Hadley quilt for a photo shoot in my parent's garden, so everyone was a winner!

So... ta dah!

This quilt has been a long time waiting to be finished; when the top was super speedy and with my concerted effort this week, I could have had it made on about 3 days if I had tried harder!

The colours are a little more vibrant than the end-of-day shots show.  You can just about pick out the straight-line quilting, I stitched corner to corner, then filled in each quarter with parallel chevrons about 1.5" apart.

It really is a rich and grown up looking quilt, and I think the orange binding gives it a little twist...

Thanks goes out again to the Dear Stella team for couriering me the collection after I suggested that they really should, seeing as they had named it after someone with the same name as me!

Full details...
Fabric - Hadley collection - Dear Stella
Pattern - Gypsy Shawl - Jane Brocket - The Gentle Art of Quilt Making
Additional Backing - Klona Rose
Pre-wash 70" x 70"
Piecing - Aurifil 2021 50wt
Quilting - Aurifil 2430 50wt and a little Gutermann to finish.

And this is my last FAL finish this quarter, leaving me only my MATO, so that's a bonus on top of a lovely finish.

Tomorrow is an Inset Day, so we are hoping for some more family fun times, and I am aiming for a little Sizzix action too; you know I'm sure to report back what actually happens xxx

FAL freakout!

There's less that a week until April folks - FAL Q1 2014 is zooming up on us, which brings me two sets of angst.

Getting stuff finished, and then making sure I have something started to put on my Q2 list!  But we'll stick with the former for today.

I have two quilts left on my list, one of them is my Midnight At The Oasis, and that isn't going to be finished any time soon, but I am OK with that.

My Hadley quilt is another story.  The top was finished probably back in October, November time; I even cut the backing, but it has sat waiting for me to get the energy to even contemplate basting it, never-alone quilting it.  But today was the day.

Children safely dispatched to school; no strike action for me to re-organise my life around, thank goodness, and hubby left in bed poorly; I cracked on.

Binding was made, backing pieced and the whole thing basted, all in a couple of hours, then the quilting could begin...

I managed to use up a whole small spool of Aurifil, but before panic could set in, I found a super match in some old Gutermann, so I could get the quilting finished and binding on, all before I went back out to get the kids at 3pm...

The colours are a bit all over the place in those indoor photos, this outdoor shot is truer,

I have begun stitching down the binding already, but I feel like I am paying for my excess, so that's me done for the day.

Hopefully I will have this finished by the weekend - if the weather is fine I have a good photo op on Saturday, so that's my stitchy action sorted for the rest of the week xxx

Comfort Zone...

I have been in my comfort zone for the last couple of weeks; no work, lots of lovely food and snuggling indoors when the weather has being less than glorious.  OK, so we lost power for a while, worried about the food spoiling in the fridge and the garden looks a little worse for wear, but in the scale of things, we can't complain.

When I read Alison's post about her Christmas trip to Mexico City, I had to get involved.  Please go read and look at her daughter's video if you haven't already, perspective is everything.

So today I made the easiest quilt in the world.

It took me 3 hours.  I used fabrics that would otherwise languish in my stash; you know the ones in a layer cake that weren't as cool as the one on the top, the ones that looked different online and, lets be honest, the brown ones!  Fabrics which will still keep a child warm, a child who doesn't have a mother who spends all her disposable income on pretty things (she doesn't actually need), who most likely doesn't have a mother, full stop.

I used over half a Lush Uptown layer cake and a couple of Joel Dewberry prints to make up the numbers.  I found a fleece blanket that was purchased on a long forgotten whim, and so the simplest of quilts, 100% just laying around, became a cosy little quilt for a young lad to call his own.

It measures up at c.46" x 56", not huge, and although lightweight, the fleece makes it nice and cosy.  I pieced it with Aurifil 50wt 2021, using 5/8th" seams to give it a bit more resilience.  I did the right sides together, turn through and topstitch round the outside to seal it all closed thing, and tied each of the points to pull it all together and Bob's your uncle.

A quilt, totally from stash, 3 hours, no excuses!  I hope to make another to donate too, as I only skimmed the surface of the fabric mountain, so what about you?

I know there was some blogland discussion about the quality and workmanship of charity quilts a while back, and I can confidently say the colours may not be truly to my taste, but it is well made, (if I do say so myself), there was no fabric wastage, and it will wash and dry quickly and easily.  Most importantly it will do the job that it is intended to do, providing warmth, comfort and show a little love to a child with so little.

It is not meant to be a show-piece, a look what I can do quilt, but rather a look what you could do too quilt!

Maybe you have a quilt top that you have put to the bottom of the pile, blocks that have no reason or maybe whilst you are currently rooting through those WIPs to add to your FAL list, you may come across something that, amongst so many other things, you had forgotten about!  Oh don't get me wrong; you may be in the position to start something new and complicated with the latest prints, but I didn't want to let the moment pass, to get caught up in the school and work routine and leave it for another day.

Sorry if this has been a bit of a hard-sell post, maybe I'm just hoping that the influence that compelled so many of you to go shopping yesterday will work just as well again today!

For more information, please leave a comment on Alison's update post, there is also the option to send her quilted blocks if you do not have the time to make a whole quilt, but as I have proven, in the time it usually takes me to fanny about selecting fabrics for one block, I managed a quilt xxx

All kinds of good...

Yesterday I got the 'OK' to rant and rave about the full collection of Dear Stella's Hadley.  It is beautiful; the official photos are so much better at showing off the colours than I'll ever achieve on this grey old day.

I had already cut into some of the fabrics; I was lucky enough to be sent yardage of all the prints a couple of weeks ago, but I got on with cutting the rest and started sewing last night.  I will go into the whys and wherefores of the pattern I chose when it is finished and I present the grand reveal; this morning I finished the top!

To say I am thrilled to bits with how it is looking so far, is an understatement.  The rainy-day backlit photo does it no justice whatsoever, but I wanted to give you a peek at the loveliness to come because I am just so happy with it.

In making the quilt top, rulers were hurt though! 

Fortunately the lovely old-lady sewing shop in the village came to the rescue - I picked up a new Sewline 12.5" square for £17, which is not only a total bargain, but meant it was in my hands instantly; no postal delay, unlike the bloody stuffing!

What I did receive through the mail instead were Cindy's blocks for my LV Stitch Tease Scrap Vomit...

Lovely, fresh from the envelope, creases n' all, oops, sorry!

I also nipped out in the rain and delivered the bunting to my friend's new house and received the grand tour; it's a beautiful place.

And and and...

... I may have made a hotel reservation already!

When there aren't enough words...

... it's best just to sew...

... and make a beautiful Oakshott quilt.
xxx

Brit Bee - Round Three

Brit Bee is moving into a 3rd year, and we are doing it a little differently this time around, and I am so excited!

As you know, this is the undisputed best bee in the world ever, I have 2 precious quilts to show so far, and I am in no doubt that this will be another amazing round...

This month we are all choosing our colour schemes, and making a starter star block each, all of us, yes, at the same time!

I was tempted to go with a simple star, but it only seemed right to go with a constellation star as per my first ever Bee request; scaled down to a regular 12" finished block with 3" borders; this is what I came up with...

I thought this year I would go for a more muted, monochromatic look, greys, navy and aqua.  It's a bit different for me, but at the same time, very me!

No pinks or oranges for a change, too loud!  The scrap bag I got from Eclectic Maker a few weeks ago pretty much supplied all my prints for the star, paired with some Sketch in Mist.  Oh, and some Liberty, of course, for the hidden star.

So keep 'em peeled for what the others are making this month, and also check out our newest member Di, who pretty much joined by osmosis, so it was best we made it official. xxx

3 months and counting!

Yep, I am going to say it, 3 months time, it'll be Christmas Eve.  I am planning on being snuggled up under my Cherry Christmas quilt by now and that, is as far as my Christmas plans will probably get until the middle of December, when it will be all-out panic!

So I finished the binding on Sunday evening, and it was just so nice sitting under it that I think I would like to use fluffy fleece on all my quilts from now on!

I did light touch quilting in a matching teal Aurifil 40wt, and echoed the edges of the coloured blocks, twice.  This is more than enough to hold the fleece in place, and I bound it in a selection of scrappy leftovers - it is Christmas after all!

The pictures really don't do it justice; fleece is a nightmare to photograph, and I was busy hopping around the grass as a billion daddy-long-legs were flying around my legs!

I haven't washed it - there doesn't seem much point, as I didn't spray baste, yep, I found a dusty box of quilting pins, and with no batting, I am guessing it would just end up with it looking like it needs a good press.

Unlike regular quilting, I started at one edge rather than the middle, having pinned one half of the quilt only; after the first pass with my walking foot, I smoothed out the fleece again and re-pinned, working this way from one side to the other - it worked perfectly, no puckers or baggy bits to report, and took about an hour.

The original blanket had a stitched folded edge, so there was no fluff until I was ready to bind, and even then it wasn't too bad.  I did zig-zag the edges before putting on the binding though.  I machined it to the fleece side and then hand-finished on the top side.

So now I have depressed you about the 91 shopping days until Christmas, I'm going to skedaddle out of here quick smart, night night xxx

Keep calm..

... and sew on.

Despite the best efforts of the builders next door to drive me out of my mind own home for the day; pneumatic drilling, 30 seconds on, 5 seconds off, from 9am to 2.30pm, 5 meters from my conservatory door; I gritted my teeth, (and swore loudly when they couldn't hear me), and stitched up my Cherry Christmas quilt top.

I used Sarah Fielke's Ups and Downs block pattern from Hand Quilted With Love.  I had charm packs, so I simply used the 5" squares, plus my yardage to make the HSTs...

It measures up at 54.5" x 68", which will be a very useful sofa-sized quilt come the festive period...

 I just have to ponder the backing.

I was thinking some minky or fleece, but am a bit worried about quilting that, so maybe flannel may be the solution?  I have plenty of time eh. 

Famous last words!

A Big Finish!

My Stitch Tease v.1 quilt is finished!!

I have blogged about this quilt and the super Bee, oh, just a few times, you can check out these posts if you haven't been along for the journey, here, here and here.

So with a FAL goal of the end of the week, and an inherent dislike of unfinished business, I started eagerly finishing this up a week or so ago.

I never took a photo of the batting, but if I tell you it is made of 8 irregular pieces and I splashed out and bought some of that (amazing) batting tape, to make up a piece big enough for this 60" x 80" quilt, you can imagine how it looks inside!

Katy joined all 8 Bee strips into the finished top, and I added the siggy blocks into a white strip on the backing of a Kate Spain print which I have had stashed away, awaiting its moment for a year or 2!

I love how it has turned out; dense, a-little-bit-wobbly, line quilting in 50wt Aurifil (5006) in a light turquoise colour, some Lotta Jansdotta for binding and it has all come together perfectly...

It has washed up all soft and has a surprisingly wonderful drape considering the size, number of seams and all that quilting.

It is a heavy quilt, and the largest I have finished, and having spent all those hours quilting, I feel like I know every single piece of fabric in it.  Considering that only Katy was able to compare her strip to any of the others in real life, it is so cohesive, the Stitch Tease ladies really did me proud!  Thank you, thank you all again.

And now we are into year 2, and I know exactly what I will be asking for in September; all I am saying is, don't use up all your low volume fabrics my friends, I have designs on them!

Da da daaaaah!

There's nothing like a visit to my parents' and a potential pretty photo shoot to get me to put the pedal to the metal and get things done.

My Marcelle Medallion has been a long time coming since the top was completed, very out of character, but I wanted the quilting and backing to be perfect.  I think I sussed it.  I love this quilt...

OK, I took loads of photos, and here they are!!

The Full Details:

Pattern - Marcelle Medallion from Liberty Love by Alexia Marcelle Abegg
Top - mix of Liberty and other high & low prints, mostly from here, here, here and here
Back - IKEA print plus Liberty and low volume charms
Binding - Tula Pink - Prince Charming Fern, in Indigo
Pieced & Quilted - Aurifil 50wt 2021
Spiral quilting from the centre out
Finished size c. 57" square

You don't need to hear me rave on and on, but I have to say this is the quilt I am most proud of; that I didn't rush for the sake of a finish (and a FAL tick), and that has cemented my love for Liberty completely! 

Siblings Together June Bee Block

Unless you sew under a rock, you will know all about the Siblings Together charity, and you probably know that Lynne recently set up the first Siblings Together Bee, of which I am a proud member.  This in turn has lead to the creation of spin off Bees, all making quilts for this brilliant cause.

Lynne has secured such an amazing bunch of sponsors for our Bee to whom we all owe so much, and this morning I finished off my contributions to the first, June quilt.

      

            

      

Lynne sent us all some PB&J by Basic Grey, and blogged the full instructions right down to which way to press the seams; and there were a lot of seams, but they result in a great mega-block...

I would have added a picture of Lynne's Touchdraw representation of the whole quilt top, because it is going to look great, but I haven't worked out how new Flickr expects me to do this!

It's not my month until next April, so I have plenty of time to think up what I want the ladies to make, and I am going to enjoy all the other Bee blocks in the meantime.