Change of Plans

I came across a pattern called 'School Days Charm Quilt" and thought it would work well to use up a load of Bonnie and Camille charm squares I had in my stash. Made one block on Wednesday night to try out the pattern.

Started sewing up the rest of the blocks on Thursday

and had a completed quilt top by very late Friday night.  Really enjoyed sewing with some larger fabric pieces.

I've bought the pretty bow fabric for the backing and hope it will arrive in the next week or so.

The border fabric is probably my most favourite Bonnie and Camille fabric ever.  It's from their "Vintage Modern" range and I bought all the fabric on the bolt when Sarah and I went to Quiltsmith in Sydney for a class with Camille in 2014.  I have a bit less than a metre left now.

My weekend plans changed so I had some extra sewing time - thought I should try to finish up the "100% Charming" quilt top.

This is the finished quilt top as per pattern.

Borders were added (to use up more fabric) - the quilt will fit better on a bed now.

Yesterday I starting making "Sugar Plums".  I love having a few quilts cut out and ready to sew when I feel like a change.  I'm thinking of making this quilt in "The Good Life" as well.

Dropped my Bernina and embroidery machines off for a service yesterday

so have been using the Pfaff - gosh this machine sews fast.  I bought it at the end of 2011 to use on my quilting frame and it's hardly been used.

Apple Pie

In May I bought a newly-released pattern - "Apple Pie" by FigTree & Co.  I'm a big fan of Joanna Figueroa's patterns and fabrics and was pleased to find I could make the charm square version of this quilt with only having to buy fabric for the backing.

Karen quilted it with "Featheration" and it looks wonderful.

Karen was also able to provide the backing fabric.

I have the layer cake version of this quilt cut out in Bonnie and Camille's "Vintage Picnic" fabric, which will make a completely different looking quilt.

Saggy Baggy Elephant

Around 10 years ago I made a quilt using a "Pokey Little Puppy" cloth-book panel for a dear friend to give to her newborn great-niece.  At the same time I bought a couple of "Saggy Baggy Elephant" cloth-book panels to keep to make a quilt for my friend when she became a Nanna.  Her first grandchild will be born in just over two months

The quilt has been finished for over a month:

but I needed to write on the label (it's always the final, little jobs that hold me up).  This page of the book made a perfect quilt label.

I was able to see my friend over the weekend and give her the quilt.

A few more "Long Time Gone" blocks have been made - I love the colours in these fabrics.  they are so saturated.  Working with such small pieces is a challenge but very enjoyable and satisfying when it all works out.

I have been making the blocks in the order they appear in the pattern book but there are a couple I will leave till the end because they will use up a lot of leftover small pieces.

More "100% Charming" blocks have been made too - these are great for chain piecing.  Many more have been made since the photo was taken and I hope to put the quilt top together over the weekend.

Scrappy Crossroads

Quite a few months ago I started collecting mini charm packs and cutting 2-1/2" squares from my Bonnie and Camille stash to make a "Scrappy Crossroads" quilt.  I've previously made a couple of quilts with a similar Goodnight Irene block but I love the multi-coloured look of these scrappy blocks.

I made a test block and then put it all away for a good while.

The blocks were made over the a couple of weeks, Karen did the quilting and I picked it up on Friday.  Finished stitching down the binding last night.

I love "orange peel" quilting and it works so well with this quilt design, and the border fabric.

On Wednesday night I cut into my "Vintage Picnic" layer cake - I've been saving this for a while and decided to use it to make the larger version of "Apple Pie", with Ruby Ice for the chain blocks.

Drew lines on the Ruby Ice for the half-square-triangles at lunchtime yesterday

and made two blocks last night - think I'm going to like how this will turn out (when I eventually get back to it).

Elizabeth, Matt and ChaCha gave me this gorgeous bundle of fabric for my birthday a couple of months ago.

The bundle was added to the Alison Glass fabrics I have left over from Jenni's "Tessellation" quilt for "Long Time Gone", a quilt designed by Australian Wonder-Woman Jen Kingwell.  Made the first block last night - thrilled to bits with the beautiful colours and very keen to make some more blocks.

"Handmade" Double Irish Chain Quilt

This has been one of the quickest quilts I've made recently - from an idea I had in mid-June

to putting the final stitches in the binding last night.

It is made of  Bonnie and Camille's "Handmade" range of fabrics with Moda Bella Solid Ruby Ice for the chains and 97 for the background.  Especially love the pretty cross-stitch backing fabric.

 The quilting design is "Rainbow Hearts", a favourite at the moment.

House Irish Chain Quilt

Lately I've had a thing for making Irish Chain quilts.  It all started when I decided I wanted to make a quilt with house blocks to use up some of the red/blue/tan fabrics I've had in my stash for quite a long time.  By the time I finish the fourth quilt early next year I will be done with Irish Chains for a while.

The house block was designed by Camille Roskelley (Thimble Blossoms) for her "Winterville" quilt and the chain block was designed by Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  When making the blocks I realised that I would need two more cream fabrics and they were the only fabrics I bought for the quilt top - was pretty pleased about that.

Finished stitching the binding down last night.  I bought the Pat Sloan fabric for the backing from Karen.

Karen quilted "Apple Pie" over the weekend - will pick it up this evening.  It's looking so pretty.

An on-line news site had a great article about the shop where Peta works:  https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/art-and-design/article/redfern-terrace-where-film-industry-shops

A bit tired today after a big weekend.  On Saturday Lynell, Elizabeth, Tania and I went to the Opera House to see "Funny Girl" The Musical in Concert - it was so fabulously great!

And yesterday the family was in Bronte for Gulliver's third birthday party (except Jenni and Kurt who are on holidays in Hobart) - such a spectacular winter's day at the park and Gulli had the best time with his cousins and friends.

I made some blocks for "100% Charming" designed by Jedi Craft Girl.  Over the last few weeks I've been cutting charm squares the scrap fabrics to add to leftover squares from "Scrappy Crossroads" and charm square packs.  I know I'll really like this one - who wouldn't love a quilt designed by a Jedi?

The REALLY BIG news of the weekend:  my darling Jenni's sweetheart Kurt proposed and she said yes.

We are all thrilled to bits and tickled pink.