Quilt Tops

After the dressmaking finished I started piecing "Master Plan", a quilt designed by Carrie Nelson, Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  I've had this cut out for a good while.

Spent a couple of days piecing 113 flying geese blocks (456 units) and 225 four patch blocks.

This quilt top has to be sewn together in rows so they need to be laid out before sewing all the pieces into rows - my design sheet isn't big enough so I think I'll do it in sections.

I was soon tired of all the pressing and trimming so thought it might be time to sew together one of the stack of blocks into a quilt top.

First up was "Shine on Sampler" from Bonnie and Camille's "Quilt Bee" book.

The quilt top together:

I moved around some of the blocks in the lower right-hand section so that the colours and fabric designs were more mixed.

Backing and binding:

Next up from the pile of blocks was "Loveliness" designed by Corey Yoder, Coriander Quilts.

I was walking by the quilt in The Pink Room when I noticed that one of the hourglass blocks was out by 90 degrees - it's fixed now.

Backing - the binding will be scrappy Bonnie and Camille fabrics.

Before I tackle the next pile of blocks I'm starting "Joyful" - this was cut out last October.

I think this will be pretty.

Next blocks to sew into a quilt top will be "Floral Bouquet" - they are already set out on the design bed.

Backing for this arrived today so I hope to sew it up soon and pack it up with the other two to send to Karen to quilt.

Think I'm up-to-date now ...

Dinosaurs Quilts

I'm really pleased that both "Dinosaurs" Quilts are finished.  Loved making these.

Elizabeth Hartman designs are complicated to piece but the patterns are so well written with great colour/fabric directions, that the blocks go together very easily.

The kit I bought from The Next Stitch contained enough fabric to make both quilts in the pattern and I have enough left to make some mix and match dinosaurs if I add a bit more fabric to the mix.

I sent both quilts to Sarah at Patchworks Plus for quilting.  The large quilt's quilting design is "Squares 2b2".  This quilt is for my soon-to-be three year old grandson and Mum stitched down the binding.

The backing is also from The Next Stitch - a lovely Ruby Star Society wideback.

The smaller quilt before quilting.

Sarah quilted this one with "Square Buns".

I found the backing for this quilt at Spotlight.

These are my second and third Elizabeth Hartman quilts and I hope to make more in the future.

Hannah's Garden

Last year a dear friend asked me to piece "Hannah's Garden" for her - she's had the pattern and two starter kits for years but hasn't been well enough to make it.  The fabrics supplied were beautiful and we added a few more to the mix.  I love the limited colour palette.

Jenny from AngelCake Quilting quilted this with Elegant Feathers and my friend is thrilled to bits.

The backing is a very pretty Tilda fabric.

She wanted a stripe binding and she will stitch it down.

Dressmaking

Not much patchwork to finish off the old year or start the new year.  I felt more like making dresses.

A friend sent me two Tessutti patterns and I made one of them for her.  This is the "Milenda" dress in pretty coral and cream fabric my friend sent.

My friend was so happy to receive the dress - I didn't finish off the hem because she's quite short and thought it best for her to take it up.

Next up I made myself an "Eva" dress - another Tessutti pattern - from some fabric that Karen gave me before she moved away from the area.  This dress is so comfy to wear - the skirt is a lantern shape and all edges are finished off with self bias binding, including the hem.

This is a better photo of the colour.

I bought myself some beautiful linen/rayon at Lincraft on good special and made myself a "Milenda" dress.  Love the colour which shows up better in the first photo - it's more red than pink.

For the first time in over 40 years I didn't host Boxing Day leftovers dinner - we went to my friend's place and I enjoyed the change.  Had plenty of leftovers to take along and it was a lovely night.

New Year's Eve was a fun night with friends - we stayed overnight in a penthouse apartment in Wollongong, ordered take away Thai for dinner, played cards, watched two fireworks shows and drank some bubbles.  Breakfast outside at a local cafe on New Year's Day then home for a nap.

Gosh we've had some rain lately.

I've been lucky to spend time with the little ones, including Jenni, Kurt and Vinnie visiting for a few nights, and now back to work yesterday and we are, again, working from home.

Christmas Day

In December Jenni's good friend, a photographer, took some beautiful Christmas photographs of Jenni, Kurt and Vincent.

Gulli spent some time with me before Christmas while his Mum and Dad were at work.  Gulli loves to cook so was very keen to help with Christmas prep.

Potato Salad for the family Christmas Day

Triple Decker Choc Mint Rocky Road for gifts

Jenni and Kurt invited all the family to their home for Christmas Day.  Despite the heat, it was such a wonderful day.  A joy seeing everyone opening/loving their presents and just having a great time being together.

Life is good.

I received two beautiful hand-made Christmas gifts:  stained glass daisy from my dear friend who made my bedside lamps

 

and a new washing trolley beautifully decorated by Elizabeth.  She noticed the appalling state of my old trolley.  I'm not game to take it outside yet.

I think the house is telling me it's time to pack away Christmas.