Almost No Sew Weekend

Another busy week - Mum, my girls, Robyn and I went to see a local production of "Chicago" - really enjoyed it.  A couple of the performers were outstanding.

I've ended up with a lap-sized quilt of "Fresh" blocks made from the leftover "Kumari Holiday" fabrics.  ChaCha had a sleepover at Nanna's on Friday and I finished putting these blocks together after she went to sleep.

On Saturday afternoon my nephew was married - such a lovely ceremony in a beautiful spot on the South Coast.

Mum with her No 3 Grandson, the groom.

Out again yesterday morning to see Jenni's school performing at a local music family day and then dinner with friends last night so no time for sewing - maybe tonight.  Next weekend my other little sweetheart, Gulliver, is coming for a sleepover.

I Love Weekends

Another fabulous couple of days.  The weekend started on Friday night - dinner with the Schoolgirls.  Always lovely to spend time with Denise, Gail and Lynell - catch up on what's happening with their families, their latest travels etc.

Saturday was a big day out with Lynell, Robyn and Paula.  First stop was a couple of light shops in Punchbowl - bought some beautiful crystal lamp bases for the stained glass shades Lynell is making - then we headed off to the Lyric Theatre to see "The Bodyguard".  I've been a huge fan of Paulini since I first heard her sing at Schools Spectacular when she was 16 years old and her singing in "The Bodyguard" is just wow!  There aren't many people who could handle singing Whitney Houston songs (especially the number of songs in this show) and Paulini is absolutely sensational.

The finale/encore is just wonderful.  Everyone comes out of the theatre feeling so happy.

Next stop was a little walk around Walsh Bay, then delicious dinner at Hickson Street Kitchen before seeing "The Play that Goes Wrong" at the Roslyn Packer Theatre - totally hilarious farce/slapstick with such brilliant timing as well as loads of physical comedy.  Tears streaming down our faces and running mascara everywhere.

This sign was in the foyer of the Roslyn Packer Theatre

During the week I added the borders to Swoon

and Sunday morning I sewed up the backing

and made two pillowcases

The butterfly fabric is another piece of "Kumari Holiday" my friend Elizabeth sent to me - it wasn't used in the quilt top because I didn't want to cut into the butterflies.

There were lots off triangle off-cuts left from making Swoon and I've been sewing them into half-square triangles

and then making "Fresh" blocks (a Thimble Blossoms design).

The plan was to make a cushion to put on the bed but there were enough to make 6 blocks and there is plenty of fabric to make more - could end up with a lap quilt.

Yesterday afternoon Mum and I went to see "Viceroy's House" - a beautiful looking film telling the story of  the partition of India - something I knew very little about.  Mum knows lots about it, having lived through that time in UK.  The film is well worth seeing.  While we were at the movies, Elizabeth and Matt asked us up for roast dinner - not going to say no to that - a great end to a terrific weekend.

Two Quilt Tops

What a great weekend!

Last week was my birthday and I celebrated the day with lots of food!  Morning tea and lunch at work then delicious dinner at Elizabeth and Matt's with ChaCha, Jenni, Kurt and Mum.  On Saturday the whole family and dear friends Lynell and Darren came for lunch .  The little ones kept us entertained all day and were so much fun.

Saturday night I finished putting Pathways and Crossroads together - the colours are a bit stronger than showing in this night-time photo.

ChaCha stayed over and we had a fun Mothers' Day morning gardening with the new wheelbarrow Lynell and Darren put together, blowing bubbles, playing in the makeup drawer etc.  Lunch with Mum then it was time to take ChaCha home.

Sunday sewing time was spent sewing my Swoon blocks into a quilt top.  There is one more border to add and, when the extra backing fabric arrives, I'll send it away for quilting.

Dear Lynell is making me some stained glass lampshades for the bedroom - she is so clever - the  finishing touch for the room.  On Saturday, with Robyn and Paula, we are going to see "The Bodyguard" and then "The Play That Goes Wrong"  - on our way to Sydney we will be shopping for bases - maybe crystal.  Hope we find some.

Zen and the Jelly Roll

When I was off over the Easter/ANZAC break, I found a packet of batik strips in the sewing room.  "Zen and the Jelly Roll" from Pam and Nicky Lintott's book "Jelly Roll Inspirations" was very quick to whip up and I'll definitely be making it again.

 

 

Karen quilted this one with Ginger Snaps - my mother's favourite biscuits.

Takes the Cake

"Takes the Cake" is another quilt designed by Camille Roskelley (Thimble Blossoms) and is made with Bonnie and Camille fabrics and Moda Crossweave in Black for the background.  Making this quilt has driven me nuts because the black fabric frayed so much and I've found threads all over the house.  The crossweave is beautiful to sew with and looks so fantastic in quilts and now the quilt is quilted and bound there will be no more fraying.

This is a very large quilt at 93-1/4" x 105-1/4" - the original design has 1-1/2" finished squares but I made mine at 2" finished.

The backing is a fun hexagon print

and Karen used Party Streamers for the quilting.

On Friday Karen posted a photo of Zen and the Jelly Roll on her frame ready to be quilted

 
and then brought it along all finished to stitching on Saturday.  The binding has been sewn on and I'm about halfway round stitching it down.

Today Karen posted a photo of the bonus Scrappy Log Cabin quilt all finished.

Last one to be bound for a while.  This is one was to be for the donation box but it's going to live with a friend in USA.  I have other quilts in the cupboard for donating plus the quilt I'm working on at the moment, Pathways and Crossroads.

Spent yesterday with my sweethearts unpacking some boxes.  I'm sure they'll be very happy in their new home.

Scrappy Trip Around the World

Long story:  for a while I've been wanting to make another Scrappy Trip Around the World using Bonnie K Hunter's great tutorial. Then I saw Allison's beautiful quilt with the alternate white rows - love at first sight.  I thought I could use my Bonnie and Camille white background fabrics in place of the white rows. Next up I came across Cindy Lammon's blogpost with the wonderful pressing instructions and black fabrics for the feature rows and Erin Jenson's beautiful version on Instagram. Most of the Bonnie and Camille white background fabrics are quite colourful and patterned. I realised I could use them with alternate rows of Moda Bella 97 with the black Bonnie and Camille Handmade fabrics as the feature. Such great inspiration and terrific instructions - the internet is a wonderful resource.

The quilt is pretty big at 96-1/2" square.  For the backing I had a lovely Bonnie and Camille "Vintage Picnic" fabric - love this fabric.  Added in a few leftover blocks.

Karen quilted it using Twisted Tatting pattern - it's a great all-over design.

Was so pleased to use up loads of these lovely Bonnie and Camille fabrics.

Snippets

As soon as the Bonnie Olaveson (Cotton Way) released the Snippets pattern, I knew I would make the quilt.  In 2015 I made a cot-sized quilt and in early 2016 Karen and I started cutting up our FigTree stashes and sourcing charm packs of the older ranges to each make the full-size quilt.

Karen finished hers a couple of weeks ago and mine was finished on Tuesday night.  It's a pretty large quilt at 87-1/2" x 96-3/4".  So happy with how it turned out and the Filigree quilting pattern Karen used looks great.  So worth the hours spent trimming the blocks.

 

 

I'm now collecting Bonnie and Camille squares to start another one later in the year.

Huge week for Elizabeth and Matt spent painting inside their new house and then the move yesterday.  ChaCha spent the day with me and her room was all ready when I took her home yesterday evening.

Binding

Karen's Ruby has been been running hot quilting some of my finished tops and now I have loads of binding to stitch down over the next little while.

 

 

The Kumari Holiday "Swoon" blocks are ready to sew into a top.

Was hoping to do this on the weekend but was distracted by lots of family activity - playtimes with the Sweethearts, sleepovers and, most exciting, Elizabeth and Matt's house purchase settled on Friday so there has been lots of painting etc to get ready for the big move later this week.