Star Drops

The only machine sewing done last week was sewing bindings onto quilts and they've been stitched down over the last few nights.

"Star Drops" is a very pretty quilt designed by The Pattern Basket.  I've used lots of FigTree and Co fabrics in this quilt and, except for some of the backing fabric, was very happy to make the quilt entirely from my stash.

Karen quilted this one with Filigree - a design I've quite a bit over the years.   Had enough "Strawberry Fields Revisited" fabric for the two borders and "Gypsy Rose" fabric for the binding.

The backing is "Sundrops" designed by Coriander Quilts.

The cot quilts are finally on their way to the new (and not-so-new) babies.  Finished this one a few months ago but it took me a while to get organised to put it in the post.

I love this hearts/clouds quilting design on cot quilts.

Mum has welcomed three great-grandbabies this year and there will be another born early next year.

Abel was born in May and is the happiest little fellow.  I used "Frolic" by Cluck Cluck Sew for his quilt

and asked Karen to use my favourite Clouds quilting.  The Peter Rabbit fabric was a lucky find on a rare trip to Spotlight.

Finn was born in September and is a very sweet little baby.  The body of the quilt is "Next Up" designed by Carried Away Quilting.

Very cute animal print for the backing (found on the same trip to Spotlight) and more Clouds quilting.

On Saturday I started the annual pack-away of nick-nacks, pictures etc so I could ready the house for Christmas decorating.  The little ones are coming to stay at the end of November and I want to have the tree up for them and Mum to decorate together.

Stitching with the girls on Saturday afternoon - it was lovely to just sit and chat (and knit) in the air conditioning.  Afterwards I spent some time in The Pink Room cutting out a few things for the little ones.  Will be nice to do some dressmaking for a change.

A new twirling dress for ChaCha

"Evita"

On 1 September 2017, Lynell, Robyn and I bought tickets to see Tina Arena starring in "Evita".  30 September 2018 we finally saw this magnificent show.  Tina is a superstar and it was a thrill to see her with the rest of the wonderful cast in the Opera House.

There wasn't heaps of sewing over the last couple of weeks - spent some time cutting out fabrics for "Hearts at Home", a log cabin quilt designed by Chelsi Stratton, with cute hearts at the centre of each block

and "Patchwork Sky", Thimble Blossoms design, mostly using Bonnie and Camille's "Vintage Holiday" fabrics.  Waiting on more fabrics to arrive next week to finish cutting out the rest of this quilt.

Met up with the stitching girls on Saturday afternoon - always fun to see what they're up to, and then had dinner with some dear friends.  This past weekend I worked on "Star Drops".

Yesterday the weather was too miserable to go outside, so now "Star Drops" blocks are all together.

Two borders have been added - the last borders will go on tonight and I'll take some more photos.

Next up will be some more baby boy quilts - Mum has requested two for newest great-grandbabies and Jenni's best friend had a baby boy on Friday.  So many baby boys being born lately.

Orange "Sugar Plums"

This quilt was cut out in June and put away for a couple of months.  The pattern was designed by Camille Roskelley, Thimble Blossoms, and I've used all fabrics from my stash to make it.

The quilting design is called "Pearl Swirls" and is really pretty - doesn't overwhelm the piecing.

I have three little quilts to bind over the next few nights -

"Checkerboard"

"Frolic"

Jacob's Ladder

These are all cot-sized and have been made in Me and My Sister fabrics.

Not sure what I'll be doing over the weekend - might make some more "Star Drops" blocks.

Cutting Out

Karen and I had a day out in Sydney on Thursday.  She brought over the little blue cot quilt and the House Irish Chain quilt.

We visited a couple of patchwork shops and I stocked up on backings and a background fabric for some quilts I have planned.  Some other fabric arrived in the post that day too and there was some shopping from Karen's cupboard.

I've cut out a few quilts, so have a crateful of sewing ready to go.

"Summertime" designed by Susan Ache in FigTree's "Coney Island" fabric - I've had this jelly roll for a long time.  Love the colours.

"Star Drops" designed by The Pattern Basket - very scrappy FigTree fabrics with a pretty star fabric for the background.

Another "Nine Patch Waltz" in FigTree's "Mill House Inn" fabric will be started soon - not cut out just yet.  A couple of friends will be making this one too.

My FigTree crate is about half full, so the stash is diminishing.

On Saturday, Mum, Michael, Gulli and I visited Rozelle Markets - Jenni and Kurt had a stall there selling handmade earrings and woollen weavings.  Jenni's been very busy over the last few months.  A beautiful, sunny winter's day to be outside.

Yesterday was a day at home cooking and sewing plus a visit from Elizabeth, Matt and ChaCha.  I added borders to the Handmade Irish Chain quilt.  Was a bit disappointed that the design isn't printed exactly on the straight grain of the fabric but it all worked out ok.

The backing is sewn together - it's a pretty cross-stitch design from the Handmade range.

Will be working on Scrappy Crossroads this week - I have a couple more blocks sewn together

and stitching down bindings on the blue cot quilt and house/Irish chain quilt.

This cutie is 36 today!