More Tops

Spent most of last week's sewing time making filler blocks for the B&C Sampler.  I really enjoyed working out all the maths so the blocks would fit together and there aren't too many filler strips that aren't blocks.

I'm very pleased with the overall outcome of the quilt top.

Borders were added

and the backing and binding have been made.

Some fabric parcels arrived last week and I was able to finish putting together the Smitten version of "Butterfly Patch".

I added a border to this one too.

Picked up "Summer Nights" from Karen last week - always love Orange Peel quilting - and now Mum is stitching down the binding.

Over the weekend I pulled out my "Seaglass" blocks and started sewing them together.  The little pieces of white fabric really add some sparkle.

The alternate blocks are Moda Essential Dots in teal on a cream background - a nice contrast to all the pretty FigTree fabrics.

There was also more wedding sewing and I'm hoping to spend next weekend with The Bride to finalise the top.  But, before then, we are hoping for some very exciting, happy news tomorrow.

B&C Quilts

"Summer Nights", the Bonnie and Camille Aussie Bee quilt, is all sewn together.

The backing has been made from larger pieces leftover from other quilt backings

and the quilt has been dropped off to Karen for quilting (hopefully before she goes away).

My two sweethearts and I visited the Bride and Groom on Saturday afternoon.  The Bride tried on her sample top and it's looking ok - needs a few tweaks but it's on the way.  We took the little ones to the park and they had a ball. 

Another procrastination quilt is underway - a sampler from all the duplicate Beehive blocks I've made.  Quilt a jigsaw puzzle to make them all fit together. 

2019 duplicate Bee blocks to add to the sampler quilt:

It's still very much a work in progress and I've made a few filler blocks.  This is an enjoyable challenge as long as it doesn't look like a dog's breakfast.

Fabrics to finish off the two butterfly quilts arrived yesterday - looking forward to working on those again soon.

Finally Started ...

I am the Queen of Procrastination.  Instead of starting what I should have been making over the last month or so, I have two "Butterfly Patch" quilts underway and last night I sewed some "Summer Nights" blocks into rows and then two rows together.  The star blocks were 2018's Aussie Bonnie and Camille Beehive contribution to my quilt - sadly not all the blocks turned up but I made extras so I would have a queen-sized quilt and one of the group members very kindly sent me a second block (such a lovely thing to do).

Once those two rows were together I got on with what I should be making - a top for the May Bride.  The beautiful, heavy, black satin is the underneath layer of a practice run and is ready to be sewn up tonight so The Bride can try it on over the weekend.  The blue bag contains the fabric for my wedding clothes.

As a reward for actually starting the wedding sewing (I'm good at rewarding myself), I sewed two more rows of "Summer Nights" blocks together.  The star blocks I've received from the girls are in the top three rows.

After the black top is together, I might sew the rest of these blocks together :)

Moda Love String Quilt

Last month, Moda fabrics hosted a quilt-along to make their Moda Love Quilt.  I'd recently seen a Moda Love Quilt made with scrappy log cabin blocks and thought it could work with string blocks.

I stitched down the scrappy binding over the last two days - spent them with Mum as she recovered from cataract surgery.

The quilt is 71" square.

I love the multi-coloured polka dot background fabric.  Karen used a new quilting design called "Pearl's Desire".

The "Smitten" fabric for the butterfly body arrived yesterday.  This version of the quilt will have a couple of borders added when some more of the aqua check fabric arrives - it's for a special present.

Waiting for some green The Good Life fabric so that I can finish off the other butterfly.

Looking forward to the weekend - spending time with my little sweethearts and the Schoolgirls.

Butterflies

I'm waiting for green fabric for the butterfly body and aqua check fabric for the outer border to arrive so I can complete "Butterfly Patch" in Bonnie and Camille's "Smitten" fabric.

So, I started another "Butterfly Patch" in Bonnie and Camille's "The Good Life fabric.  Once again I've needed to order more fabric as I've run out of the white I use in almost all of my quilts and I need a green for the butterfly body.  Such a great pattern for a quick quilt.

Karen quilted "Moda Love" over the weekend.

and scrappy binding has been sewn on ready to stitch down in the next while

along with the binding on "Seaglass" variation.

Busy, busy weekend cleaning out kitchen cupboards then helping a friend pack for her big move to Sydney today.  Last basketball home game of the season on Saturday night - a disappointing end to the season - but dinner beforehand was nice.

More kitchen cupboard cleaning on Sunday then stitching with the girls in the afternoon.  Only the recipe books to go through now.

New Start

Last year while making Bonnie and Camille beehive blocks, I decided to make a second block each month so that I would have a sampler quilt at the end of the year.  I forgot to make the extra "Sugar Plums" block, so it's now done.

And I had some half-square triangles and hourglass blocks left over from last year's "Snippets" quilt, so these have been sewn together to add to the Sampler pile.

More "Smitten" fabric is on the way and I've been waiting for it to start a new quilt - my patience ran out, I started "Butterfly Patch" anyway with what I already have.  This quilt will come together pretty quickly as the blocks are all 6" finished.  I'm using "Vintage Holiday" silver dot on white fabric for the Sawtooth Star block stars and will probably use a piece of "Vintage Picnic" white dot on green for the body of the butterfly.

Next Up

"Next Up" cot quilt was finished late last week.  This is a design from Carried Away Quilting and has been made using a mini charm pack of "Later Alligator" by Sandy Gervais and other fabrics from my stash.  The quilt will be going to its new home shortly.

This is the second "Next Up" quilt I've made - I'd like to make one in pinks if one of my friends has a little girl grandbaby.

Karen used a cloudy star quilting pattern - another favourite for baby quilts.

Karen has also quilted my "Seaglass" Variation quilt - have to make the binding for this one.  Not sure if I'll use the Snowman Gathering cream fabric, a brown FigTree or make it scrappy.  I love Orange Peel quilting and will be using it a lot this year.

Little Sweetheart's 4th birthday party was great fun - she had a ball with her cousins and little friends.  Elizabeth made the birthday cake - pretty spectacular and a big hit.

Today is her first day at pre-school.  It's all happening!

On Saturday night I had a go at making another pineapple block - this is the second pink one I made and it is ok.  This will be the April block to send off for the B&C beehive.

March's block is "Flower Girl" and we were each asked to use fabrics from one fabric range - I chose "Vintage Holiday".

I wanted to get ahead with the beehive blocks with Elizabeth's baby due in less than 6 weeks and Jenni and Kurt's wedding in 3 months.  May is my turn this year, so that will give me another month's grace.

Basketball is on tonight - second-last home game for the season.  I don't hold out much hope for the Hawks to reach the finals this year.

Patchwork Sky

One of last year's Aussie B&C Beehive members chose "Patchwork Sky" for her quilt and we were asked to make one of each block in the quilt.

After making these blocks and two for my sampler quilt, I thought I'd enjoy making the whole quilt.  Was able to use up lots of scraps as well as mini-charm packs and fat quarters.

I started stitching down the binding at Mum's on Sunday night.  Reached the last corner and finished stitching it down on Wednesday night.

The quilt is very pretty with all the aqua fabrics and the limited colour range in the chain blocks.

Karen quilted "Filigree" pattern - this is a design I request a lot because it doesn't overpower the piecing in the quilt top.  I love this backing fabric - have always loved bows and this aqua is so pretty.

I used the sweet white dot fabric from "The Good Life" for the background in this quilt instead of plain white. 

This year's April B&C Beehive block is from Camille Roskelley's "Dwell" quilt in her book "Simply Retro".  Jodie has asked for a 6" filler block to be added to the house and I thought I'd have a go at a pineapple block with my new Marti Michelle pineapple block templates.  I managed to make the centre a bit skew-wiff - am hoping my second attempt will be better, or I'll be making a churn dash or some other simpler block for Jodie :)

Stitched down the binding on the "Next Up" cot quilt last night.  Cot quilts are a great way to try out a new pattern and are always a lovely gift for a friend's new baby/grandbaby.

No 1 Little Sweetheart's 4th birthday today!  She is so entertaining and such wonderful company.  Nothing more precious than the "I love you more" she says when I tuck her in to bed.