Short Attention Span

"Gelato" medallion quilt had come to a standstill after the half-square triangle blocks because I spent my sewing time recently working on "Aviatrix Medallion" and "Long Time Gone".

I would have started my next bright, Jen Kingwell quilt, "Gypsy Wife" but I'm waiting for some more fabrics to arrive to add to my Alison Glass and low volume stashes.  Decided to start making the 52 x 4" Sawtooth Stars for the final "Gelato" pieced border.

I needed a break from those little stars, so made a few larger Sawtooth Stars for "Checkerboards and Stars".  This time I'm using Bella Solid Porcelain (200) for the outer background - it's such lovely fabric.

The Figtree and Co text fabric from Farmhouse II looks very pretty against all the different colours for the alternate squares in the checkerboard.

I'm waiting for some fabric to arrive from Karen to use for the sashing stars.  This quilt is very enjoyable to make - a few different components to make before it all comes together.

I've been to the office a few days this week - not many people on campus.  I think this weekend will be quiet.

Village Quilt No 2

When I was cutting out fabrics for my first "Village" quilt, I cut out way too many pieces and had plenty to start another quilt without having to cut too many more.

Jenny also donated the quilting and batting for this quilt and this time she chose one of my favourite designs - "Rainbow Hearts".  It looks wonderful.

Mum stitched down the binding and I picked up the finished quilt, along with the two Kindness Project quilts, last weekend.  The "Village" quilt will also be going to Keepsafe Quilts along with a couple of other quilts I have in the cupboard.

"Long Time Gone" quilt top is now all done

and borders have been added.

The quilt will be delivered to the quilter (Jenny) tomorrow and I'll be excited for this one to be finished and hanging up in my home.

The Kindness Project

Terri Staats, who owns Sweet Treasures Quilts, in the US, ran a quilt-along in March/April using an original quilt pattern she had designed.  The idea of making the quilts was to give them away to someone who needed to be shown some kindness during this time.

I started one quilt in pink Bonnie and Camille fabrics

and then another in FigTree and Company fabrics:

My friend, Jenny from AngelCake Quilting generously offered to donate the quilting and batting for these quilts and I picked them up a couple of weeks ago. 

Jenny chose "Pretty Posies" for the Bonnie and Camille quilt

and "Just Leaves" for the FigTree quilt.

Mum stitched down the binding and these quilts will be sent to Keepsafe Quilts in a few days.

Had lunch with The Schoolgirls on Saturday - first time we've seen each other for months!  Was so lovely to go to a cafe with my friends.

Making Pineapples

Had such a fun weekend - Gulliver turned 5 on Friday and I spent much of the weekend with the family.  Took Mum to visit Gulli, Michael and Peta on Friday afternoon to give Gulli his presents and wish him happy birthday.

Michael and Peta's present for Gulli:

Gulli came to my place for the day on Saturday while his parents were at work.  He is such a great kid and goes at everything 100%.

On Sunday afternoon the family and Gulli's friends gathered at his place for another party. 

I've been making pineapples over the last few days.  The first 8 were finished on Saturday night

and the second lot of 8 finished last night.

All the main "Long Time Gone" blocks are now done.

First section sewn together.

There are a few chequerboard filler blocks to be made as some sections are put together.  Maybe I'll have a quilt top by the weekend.

A Visitor

Karen came to visit yesterday afternoon and brought some new fabrics for my FigTree collection.  This is the next quilt I'd like to start - my version is going to be scrappy and multi-coloured.  The taupe floral is for the inner border between the nine-patch stars, the spot is for the sashings between the star blocks and the text is for the background of the checkboard blocks.

Karen took 5 quilts home with her for quilting, including Aviatrix Medallion.  So happy with how this quilt turned out and am looking forward to seeing it finished.

The backing is from Spotlight.

Since finishing the Aviatrix Medallion quilt top, I've been making good progress on "Long Time Gone".

Flying Geese Blocks

60 Degree Blocks

The Quilt Top so far

The blank spaces in the quilt top are to be filled with Pineapple Blocks and Checkerboard Filler Blocks.  There are 16 Foundation Paper Pieced Pineapple Blocks to be made and I made a practice one out of Bonnie and Camille scraps

before making the first out of my Alison Glass fabrics.

Pineapple Block

Recently I've made some Pineapple Blocks using Marti Mitchell templates but, for me, the foundation-pieced blocks turned out much better.  Either way, they are fiddly to make but they look terrific.  These blocks are 5" finished and the strips are 1/2" wide finished.

Progress

No finished quilt tops this week but I have been making progress on some others.

The last pieced round of "Aviatrix Medallion" is ready to be sewn together and then added to the quilt top.

After this round of butterflies there is another border of background fabric and the quilt top is finished.  Karen is coming down to visit this week, so I'd love to have it finished to give her to take back to her place to quilt.

Some borders have been added to "Gelato".  Next border contains a bejillion Sawtooth Stars, so there will be some tv-watching and chain piecing soon.

Karen is bringing me some FigTree background fabrics then I can start my next FigTree quilt - "Checkerboard Stars" - my version will be scrappy and I hope what I have in mind works out.

For a change from making all those butterflies, I made the next set of blocks for my "Long Time Gone" quilt - Half Square Triangles.

I have three block sets to go - Flying Geese, 60 Degree Triangles and Pineapples, then the filler blocks and sashings to put the quilt top together.  I have a place in The Parlour to hang this quilt and am quite excited about finishing it.  I've pretty much decided to leave off the borders and just have a narrow light grey containment border around the outside edge (same fabric as will be used for the sashings and filler block backgrounds) or maybe no border at all and just grey binding.

Tomorrow I will be picking up some quilts from Jenny (AngelCake Quilting) - Jenny most generously donated the quilting on two of these quilts.  All three will be going to Keepsafe Quilts once the sub-contractor (Mum) has stitched down the bindings.

 

A couple of friends on Instagram were wondering how/where I store my finished quilts.  Some are kept in a cupboard in the grandchildren's bedroom - most of these quilts will be given away and occasionally some are sold.

The quilts I use on my bed are kept in The Parlour in a small bookcase my Dad built for me when I was around 8 or 9.  I currently have three quilts on my bed.

Quilts that are used on couches, the spare bed for visitors or to be hung on the quilt hanger, are kept in the family room.

Had a fun weekend - dinner with my trivia friends at Gail and Chris's home, followed by a game of trivia and then on Saturday little Sweetheart T came to stay overnight for the first time since social distancing came into our lives.  We had a fun time and I so enjoyed her company.  We had lunch with Mum before it was time for her to go home.

Gulliver's birthday is on Friday this week - can't believe he will be turning 5!  These three little people definitely have my heart.