Red Letter Day

Quilts have been returning home from various parts of the east coast of Australia - I've had quilts at 3 different quilters and they're all back.  Two are with Mum to stitch down the binding, two are finished and I have two more to bind.

I've made "Red Letter Day" twice before and decided to make one using only red Bonnie and Camille fabrics after I had so many red fabrics left over from "Wish Upon a Star".

I added extra stars instead of the white square spaces where the blocks meet up and I also added chequerboard borders to make the quilt more bed-sized.

I loved this gift wrapping fabric - I've used it in pink and aqua on other quilts.

Also love the quilting done by my friend Jenny, AngelCake Quilting.  The cables, with the diamonds where they interlock, are lovely.

Working from home full-time commenced on Monday but it's a great temptation to slip next door to The Pink Room.

Two "Village" blocks - had to make a couple to see what they look like.

I've started another donation quilt.  The proprietor of Sweet Treasures in USA has been sharing instructions on Instagram for a mystery quilt.  The aim is for the finished quilt to be donated to a person or organisation in need.

I'll probably start another one in FigTree fabrics.

I bought a new pattern this week:  "Gypsy Girl" by Anka's Treasures.  Using up most of my FigTree "Chantilly" to make these blocks.  It's a very quick quilt to put together and I can see myself making more of this design.

I hope my friends are safe and well.  It's heartbreaking not visiting my children and grandchildren.  I've limited my visits to Mum and am grateful that her village isn't in total lockdown.  FaceTime is a blessing.

This is the backing for the It Takes a Village Dwell quilt - leftover strips from a variety of quilt backings.  The quilt has arrived in Queensland to be quilted by my Instagram friend, Julie, who was in the Dwell Swap with me.

Peta has asked me to make a special quilt - one of her best friends is having a baby in the next couple of weeks and Peta bought these beautiful Australian fabrics.  We've decided on the sage green for the setting triangles.

Once again I'm using "Bradley Street"because it shows off the fabrics.

This sensational May Gibbs linen/cotton fabric is for the backing and also to go in the blank squares in the photo above.

I've been making "Summer Nights" blocks.  These are blocks 1-20/49.

At this very unsettling time, Moda Fabrics has made a Miss Rosie Quilt Co pattern called "Village" available for anyone to download for free.  I wasn't going to join in but saw an IG friend making some lovely houses and thought I could go through all my older fabrics and cut out some house pieces.  As usual, I've cut out way too many, probably enough for two quilts, and I'll start sewing some together over the weekend.  There are so many fabric memories in those stacks.  These quilts will be donated to Keepsafe Quilts, who give them to women's refuges for the families to keep.

I have two quilts to pick up from AngelCake Quilting - Red Letter Day (love this new-to-me cable)

and Scrappy Trip Around the World

I will enjoy binding these two.

Quilt Tops

"Red Letter Day" quilt top is together and at the quilter waiting its turn to be quilted.  This is the second red/white quit top finished this year.  One more cut out to start in a little while.

Love this fabric for the backing.  I've used the pink and aqua in this design and had been saving the red for something special.

After "Red Letter Day" was done, I started making Ohio Stars for the Dresden Plate centres on "Plain and Fancy".  This is such a pretty quilt in the "Chantilly" fabric.

Pretty backing fabric.



One of my Instagram friends, Anne Boundy, designed a layout for some "Dwell" blocks she had received a couple of years ago.  Her blocks were centred around a "Swoon" block with "Fresh" stars in the corners (all blocks designed by Thimble Blossoms).  I added a scalloped border and this should be large enough to go on my bed. 

The backing for this quilt is going to be made of lots of edge strips saved from other quilt backings.  I'm sending this to Julie in Queensland to quilt - Julie was one of my swap partners.

The University is starting mid-semester break early so there will be virtually no undergraduates on campus from Monday.  Our office is all set up for working at home if necessary.  So far the family is all healthy.

New Start

"Scrappy Trip Around the World" quilt top was finished last week

and the backing was made.

"Scrappy Trip" and "Wish Upon a Star" were delivered to Jenny (Angel Cake Quilting) on Thursday and I'm looking forward to seeing them quilted.  I'll be picking up "Wish Upon a Star" on the way home this evening.

I felt the need to work with a different colour scheme, so cut out a "Plain and Fancy" block (quilt designed by Coriander Quilts).  Was really happy with how the first block turned out.  I've been wondering what to make with the leftovers of my "Chantilly" fat quarter bundle and was able to buy some more of the coral fabric. 

Back to "Red Letter Day" tonight.

Had a very social weekend - Friday night went out for dinner then to the pictures to see the staged concert version of "Les Miserables" starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas (SO fabulous); littlest Sweetheart's first birthday party on Saturday with all the family and friends; Kathy Lette at IPAC on Saturday night; took Gulliver to a birthday party yesterday afternoon as his Mummy and Daddy were both working.

Quilt Top

Poor "Hide and Seek" has been languishing on the floor of The Pink Room for weeks.

A couple of rows were added last Monday and the floor is looking tidier.  I'll get back to it soon.

I have decided to make a red "Red Letter Day"  and ordered some more Bonnie & Camille reds along with some more Riley Blake Swiss Dots for the background.

Had to make one block. I'm adding extra little blocks in the corners to make small stars when the blocks are joined together.

"Wish Upon a Star" quilt top is together,

 the backing is made

and they are ready to take to the quilter tomorrow.  The rosebud fabric will also be used for the binding.

On Saturday I spent a fair while working on the layout for Scrappy Trip Around the World - thought I had it sorted until I found two blocks with the same aqua fabric next to each other.  Hopefully it's all good to go now - I want to start sewing these blocks together tonight.

Yesterday I went to the shops to buy some machine needles and also bought a new cutting mat - it's long overdue.

 

Over the weekend I also worked on the Dwell house blocks - 2 lots of 6 blocks are going to the other swap members

and these blocks are for my quilt:

Littlest Sweetheart turns 1 on Wednesday - what a quick year that has been!

More Sampler Blocks

More Bonnie and Camille Sampler blocks were made over the weekend:

"All Wrapped Up" designed by FigTree & Co

"Beach Day"

"Dashing" designed by Coriander Quilts

"Dashing" designed by Coriander Quilts

"Dwell"

"Lighthearted"

"Red Letter Day"

"Spools 2"

"Spools 2"

A new great-nephew was born on Friday - always lovely to welcome a sweet baby.

The Stitching Girls came over on Saturday afternoon - it's been a while since we've seen each other, so there was lots of catching up and Sunday was spent with family - a great weekend.

Thimble Blossoms

Camille Roskelley, Thimble Blossoms, is celebrating 10 years designing quilt patterns and fabrics.  The fabrics are designed in partnership with her mother, Bonnie Olaveson (Cotton Way).

I've been using Bonnie and Camille fabrics ever since their Bliss range was released and have made many of Camille's quilt designs - there is something about the fresh colours that I love.  I also love FigTree & Co fabrics and patterns and often make a Thimble Blossoms pattern with FigTree fabrics and vice versa.

In June 2014 Camille came to Australia to run some classes.  My friend Sarah and I were so fortunate to be able to attend one of the classes and meet Camille.  One of the big thrills of my quilting life.  Such a fan girl moment for both Sarah and me.

 

 

Red Letter Day

Noticed there are a couple of quilts I finished during 2014 that I have shown on my blog.

I finished "Red Letter Day", designed by Camille Roskelley of Thimbleblossoms, just in time to have it on my bed for Christmas.  Still have to make the label and will get to that soon - I have another autograph from Camille.

This quilt is a beautiful reminder of a wonderful class with Camille

and a fabulous weekend in Sydney with Sarah.

Someone started a "my favourite quilt of 2014" hashtag in Instagram.  I had four favourite quilts: "Red Letter Day"; "Scrappy Trip Around the World"; "Tone it Down" and "Spell it With Moda"