Works in Progress

Some months there are finishes, but this is not one of those months..... Doesn't mean I haven't been busy :)

I have started hand quilting Little Possum's Fairytale quilt:

Started the applique of holly leaves on the Christmas quilt. Still undecided whether I want to make 100 or so small suffolk puffs for the berries, or to just use buttons

I have finished cutting rectangles and white strips for the "Sparkling gemstones" quilt:

Observed that despite some stashbusting this past week, there is still a lot of stash left. Must get better at the Low-Fabric diet and use twice as much as I buy...

And on the subject of diets, here is what I have tried not to devour this week - the fund-raising chocolates...... Am I the only one who can hear their voices? "eat me, eat me".

Mmmmmm -

postbox delights

I'm breaking out in song today:

"I went to the postbox and what did I see? Lots and lots of fabrics just for me"

My eBay purchases came through with the fabrics I bought to make my stash-busting Kaffe Fassett quilt.... (yes, the irony of buying something for a stashbuster is not lost on me.. )

Sadly the flash made the colours look a little less bright and luscious than they are in real life.

next up is .... "Sand Castles" !

I am feeling incredibly productive these days, finishing off UFO's and WIP's at a good pace. There are butterflies fluttering all over my "Butterfly Garden" and there are holly leaves and berries "growing" on my Christmas quilt. I have booked my Japanese print quilt in for quilting with my friend Adri. She does amazing work, and offered to baste the rest of it for me ready for my handquilting while she was at it. On the assembly line by the sewing machine I have 626 rectangles waiting to be assembled into blocks for my "Sparkling Gemstones".... Woo hoo, I'm on fire!

Little Possum has moved to a new bed and wants a new quilt, one that properly represents her status as more "growed up" - (almost 8). We both fell in love with "Sand Castles" created by Becky. Becky is relatively new to quilting, but obviously has a great talent for it. Go visit her blog now, she is doing a great Giveaway.

Sparkling gemstones

398 down, 226 to go..........

It all started with this post on Kate Conklin's blog. I spotted the quilt made by Leanne of Mount Vincent Quilts and I immediately thought of all my Kaffe Fassett remnants. The name of the pattern is "Sparkling Gemstones" by Pam and Nicky Lintott and is found in their book "Jelly Roll Quilts"

Thankfully for me, because I am an impatient soul and couldn't wait until I buy the book, I found the pattern online.
Edit:  Unfortunately the link to the online pattern no longer works (presumably because it has been published) and so I have removed it. 

One thing that fascinates me about quilt patterns is how a different choice of fabrics - a change of prints or colourways, however subtle, will make a quilt of a completely different feel. While searching online for the pattern, I stumbled onto these blogposts featuring the Sparkling Gemstones quilt.

Gail of "Miss Nance's Life" made hers with a black sashing and it turned out very striking.

Karen of "Bunk's Blog" created a capuccino vision, very warm.
Which brings me back to my fabrics. As most of my remnants were of odd sizes and because I also wanted to fussy cut the bigger prints, I am going the long route in making this quilt.... I will be cutting a total of 624 rectangles for a queensized quilt.
As usual I have discovered a slight imbalance in my colours and will have to supplement my stash and scraps. Gotta love eBay........

Nine Ladies Dancing make 12

My longest standing UFO is the 12 Days of Christmas quilt designed by Tita Leach. I started it gulp> 5 years ago now. It has lingered for 2 years waiting for the dancing shoes. Last week I grabbed the bull by the horns the shoes by their ribbons, picked my fabrics and got stitching.

Now all the blocks are mostly done and I assembled them

There are still the embellishments to be done - beads and buttons. But..... I seem to have misplaced the ones I bought 5 years ago. There also the small matter of a border to be appliqued with holly leaves and (what seems like) a million suffolk puff holly berries. I am really not a fan of making suffolk puffs, but that's another story.

Anyway - Christmas is coming!

warm and fuzzy moment

The downside to working an evening shift is missing bedtime snuggles, but I tell my children that I always go in to kiss them good night when I get home.

This is what I found hanging on my Little Possum's bed:

No further comment necessary.. :)

"Gathered in"

Some time ago I bought a layer cake of Japanese prints. I have always loved Japanese prints for the crispness of the indigo, and for the fun patterns. Especially the owls. Love the owls.

Having purchased the layer cake, it then sat on my shelf for a long time while I was trying to find the right kind of pattern. You know the one? The one that inspires you and shouts "YES!!!" in your mind. I know you know what I'm talking about.

This time inspiration came from Kate Conklin whose blog I was led to by my friend and quilting buddy Lisa. Kate's pattern has since been published, and her quilt adorned the front page of the most recent issue of "Quilts Down Under"

The pattern is a 'stack and slash' which I had never tried before, but which I found fun and easy to do.

(Quilters must be the only people who can talk calmly about stacking and slashing without sounding slightly psychopathic)

I am quite pleased with the final result. The photo is a little too dark, and doesn't show up the variety of the prints, but you get the idea.

I'm trying to decide whether or no to add a border to the outside of it - possibly a narrow white one - which would make the quilt bedspread size. Or I could just quilt and bind it the way it is. It will be mostly handquilted with a sashiko thread either in a dark blue to match the indigo, or in a red to bring in the reds in some of the prints.... haven't decided.

woolly update

2 scarves and 4 beanies......

I had so much fun knitting it all but it was so quick to make, the fun didn't last nearly long enough. Might have to unravel and knit again. Or.... I could just go back to the shop and buy some more. Yep. That's what I'll do.

relaxation and decluttering - must be holiday time!

Little Possum spent all day in her jammies and the beanie I made her.

I found her playing with this road track. As soon as it became known that I am selling it on eBay it was immediately elevated to "Favourite toy in the whole world" ("how could you think of selling it?!").

It has seen more action today than in the last 2 years :) .

I'm still selling it....