Kaleidoscope

The binding on "Kaleidoscope" was stitched down last week.  This quilt pattern is from Emma Mary Designs and I loved it as soon as I saw it on Instagram.   The fabulous backing is a fine cotton and so lovely - would make a beautiful top.

There are 200 different floral fabrics in the quilt top.

Jenny, AngelCake Quilting stitched Bauhaus Baby on Kaleidoscope - it's a lovely design against all the triangle points.

Karen, Quilting on the Coast, will be visiting this week and is bring my Hourglass a Day quilt

along with a fat quarter bundle and bolt of new Bonnie and Camille fabrics - "Sunday Stroll" - I have plans for these fabrics.

Handmade with Love

Another Thimble Blossoms quilt I've made for the second time - lovely big blocks that show off the pretty Bonnie and Camille fabrics.  This is a great design to make with any style of fabrics and it still looks Christmassy but not too over-the-top.

Love the Rainbow Hearts quilting by Karen (Quilting on the Coast).

"Kaleidoscope" is ready to be picked up from AngelCake Quilting - it's looking great.  "Strawberry Social" and "Pineapple Party" are also quilted so there will be some binding happening over the next week or so.

Last week's Sewcialites block is Delight designed by Me and My Sister.  No 30 coming up this weekend then there will be 6 more to go.  I'll be sad to finish making these blocks - I've enjoyed the whole sew-along.

Caught up on Month Six of the "Shine On" Sampler.

Over the last couple of weeks I've been sewing "Stripe Me Lucky" blocks and they were all sewn together on the weekend.

Flying Geese blocks are needed for the borders and these are now made and I'll add them in a little while.

Last week I made a tiny start on H's "Dinosaurs" quilt - ferns and cycads.

I've joined a sew-along - "Another Story" designed by Thimbles and Needles starting on Instagram mid-May.  The blocks are 3" hexagrams.  I bought the cute umbrella fabric for the backing and I had enough "Kaleidoscope" background left to use in "Another Story".  Hoping that I will have no fabric repeats in the hexagons.  I've arranged to swap some hexies with another couple of ladies also making this quilt.

Jenni and Kurt's wedding anniversary yesterday - hard to believe that wonderful day was two years ago and that their little sweetheart is 2 months old already.

Exciting weekend coming up - trip to the theatre in Sydney on Saturday then Mothers' Day and birthday celebrations on Sunday.

What a Huge Weekend

The stacks of hourglass blocks are growing - another 11 or so days and they will be done.  Then I'll start making a nine patch block each day and put the quilt top together.  It's going to be very colourful.

Sewed the last of the Kaleidoscope blocks together last week - waiting for backing to arrive then it can be quilted.  200 different floral fabrics in this quilt.

All the main Nine Patch Waltz blocks are made and have been "snowballed".  I've been waiting for a special Bloc Loc ruler to arrive to make the points that go into the second lot of nine patch blocks and it arrived yesterday, so I'll start those blocks soon.

Last week the new, heavy, solid back door was hung.  Big change from the other door that was there for 30+ years.

Philip built the new front gate on Saturday - looks wonderful.  He had heaps of help from my grandchildren who were there for the day.  Lots of running around keeping up with the 2 year old :)

Last week's Sewcialite block is called "Zest" designed by Brigitte Heitland.

I made little sweetheart a Busy Book for his second birthday.   First saw this on Instagram and then found the instructions on the Bernina website.

Saturday and Sunday nights were long - Jenni was having her baby.  I spent a good part of Saturday night cutting out two Christmas quilts (Handmade with Love and Vintage Holiday 2).  The peppermints are from Handmade with Love.

Sewing

Over the last few weeks I've tried to make a "Flower Girl" block each night in FigTree and Company's "Catalina" fabric and now the quilt top is together.  I think I'd like to make "Flower Girl 2" one day - smaller flower blocks mixed in with nine patch blocks.

This "Aloha Girl" fabrics works well for the backing along with the "Catalina" gingham for the binding.

Working away on the Bernina Busy Book for H's second birthday on Friday.  I won't have all the pages finished in time but there will be a few pages ready and the others can be added as they're done.

The second "Kaleidoscope" quadrant is finished.

Sewcialites block "Unity" designed by Lissa Alexander

Last week I made myself a floaty, summery dress.  The lovely cotton sateen fabric is from Nerida Hansen and so is the pattern.

For months I've been waiting for the "Stitchery Sampler" kit designed by FigTree & Company and it finally turned up last week.  The fabrics are lovely and I'm looking forward to starting this quilt later in the year.

Jenni and Kurt's baby is due in five days - feeling very bit excited/impatient to meet this little one.

Family Weekend

Last Friday was Jenni's last day at school - she and Kurt now have around two weeks to wait to meet their little one.  I'm looking forward to spending tomorrow with Jenni.

The Double Hourglass quilt top is together.

Close up of the borders

Backing Fabric

Last night I completed one segment of "Kaleidoscope".  Three more to go.  I've ordered a beautiful large floral with aqua background for the backing.

Had a busy Saturday with T&G over for the day, my brother came over to do some work on the verandah, one of his sons turned up with his two little boys, Mum came and then another of Philip's sons visited.  T stayed over and we enjoyed movie night watching "Big Hero 6" for the umpteenth time :)  Sunday was Philip's birthday so we had cake on Saturday afternoon and the little ones loved helping him blow out the candles on his cake.

Sunday afternoon I made some cot sheets (while watching the tennis).  Very sweet cotton fabric from Spotlight.

Baby Shower

On the hottest day of this year (so far), our family and friends gathered for a picnic to celebrate the imminent arrival of Jenni and Kurt's baby.  I didn't take one photo.  Thankfully, one of Jenni's friends took a photo of her with some of her friends.

I finished a few knitted pieces for the baby over the last couple of weeks.  This little cardy is a new-to-me pattern and is fun to knit - it's in one piece and the shaping is very clever.

Had to make just one pink cardy (just in case).

Jenni has been nesting and setting up the nursery.

For Christmas I had intended to make little H a busy book but the veranda renovations took up too much of my sewing time.  I made a start on the weekend and hope to have a few pages finished for his 2nd birthday at the end of February.

I had to bring out the old girl to make the grass - the machine I use these days didn't come with a tacking foot and the shanks are different sizes so the foot wouldn't fit on the newer machine.

The second half of "Kaleidoscope" sewing is done.

I've put these blocks aside for a couple of weeks before I tackle the layout.

In the big box of destash fabrics that arrived from my friend in USA, was a bag of 2-1/2" Figtree squares.  I thought there would be enough to make a "Niner" quilt, designed by Thimble Blossoms.

A few blocks:

All 108 blocks - these were quick to put together over a few nights.

 

Plenty of squares leftover for something else.

Sewcialites Block 16 -  "Friendship" designed by Carrie Nelson

Sewcialites Block 17 - "Peace" designed by Anne Sutton