Starlight

 "Starlight" is a lovely Thimble Blossoms design.  I've made this quilt using a FigTree "Fruit Cocktail" jelly roll to give it a scrappy look and "Figs and Shirtings" for the star points and border.

An older FigTree fabric, "Somerset", for the backing.

I love a rainbow quilt and Thimble Blossoms' "Hello Sunshine" is a great pattern to use up stash and create a rainbow.

Once again I asked Karen to use "Orange Peel" - it always looks great.

Recent Sewing

"Hello Sunshine" was cut out a few months ago and the top is mostly together.  I've been making one block per day and now need to add the borders (plain white).

All the blocks have been sewn for "Rainbow Connection"

and "Sweet Escape".

I cut out another "Jelly Girl" quilt - this one is scrappy in Figtree and Co fabrics

This quilt will be a birthday present for a dear friend later in the year.

"Jelly Girl" is on the way back from Karen

along with "Starlight".

I'm still sewing nine patches for the Tiny Nine Patch quilt and should start sewing some of those finished blocks in to quilt tops but I feel like starting something new.

Current Sewing

I have a few quilts on the go at the moment.

Hopscotch designed by Thimble Blossoms

I visited a local quilt show in September and bought a pretty jelly roll.  No idea who the designer is.  Added a few of my stash fabrics.

Jelly Girl designed by Fig Tree & Co

I've used loads of fabrics from my Fig Tree stash for this.  It's a fun quilt to make.

Starlight designed by Thimble Blossoms

This quilt is also made from my Fig Tree stash.  Another fun design.

Also some dressmaking happening.

We've had so much wind and rain over the last couple of months.

  

One afternoon in November, I heard a huge crack and this is what I found - a big branch had fallen from one of the gum trees in my yard.  Fortunately it didn't land on the house.

I lodged an application with the Council requesting permission to remove the trees.  The inspector came and advised I could remove one but not the tree closest to the house. 

He also said in the letter of approval that there was no evidence of disease, pests etc in the tree when I pointed out this area on a branch overhanging the roof. 

Thursday before Christmas, this is what happened.  That very branch cracked at the mal-formed joint and landed on the roof.

I was very fortunate that the local tree-loppers dropped everything and came to remove the branch the next day - again, no damage.

Now I think I'm finally up-to-date.

Starlight

Sarah quilted Starlight and sent it back with Cheerio.  Starlight was started in March this year and I finished stitching down the binding last night.  I love the "Hello Darling" fabric range by Bonnie and Camille, and loved using it for this big quilt (85" x 101.5").

The quilting is an all-over large wave design which is a nice contrast to the points.

Had a great weekend - fantastic basketball game on Friday night and lunch on Saturday with The Schoolgirls at Sublime Point.  Such a shame the weather was dull as the view from the cafe is spectacular.

Lynell and I picked up ChaCha on the way home from lunch.  ChaCha came for a sleepover on Saturday night - lots of fun with my sweetheart.

Was able to spend yesterday afternoon sewing and finished putting Hopscotch together (another quilt using "Hello Darling" - this has been slow-going because of bias edges and lots of points to meet up - I'm really happy with how it looks but now wish I'd made it queen-size - it will fit a single bed.

Borders have been added to Spool Sampler and I hope to add borders to Swell tonight so I can take the three quilt tops to Karen for quilting sometime soon.

The carpet in the two back bedrooms was laid this morning.  It will be so nice to have the house back to its normal state of chaos, four months after the "rain event".

Sewing up Backings

I hope to deliver Scrappy Churndash to Karen on Saturday and maybe Starlight will also be ready, so last night I sewed up the backings.  I love the big pink floral fabric.

 

I've been spending a few days at a friend's place and had some time for knitting and crocheting, as well as watching some dvd's.  The little crimson cardigan (8 ply) for ChaCha is finished

and the crochet pieces for a jacket are ready to be sewn up along with some knitted overalls that have been finished for a few weeks.  I love working with 12 ply - knits/crochets up very quickly.

On Sunday afternoon Elizabeth and I went to see "Xanadu" at the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point.  What a fabulous show - singing, choreography, costumes, everything was spot on and so entertaining.

The bedroom reno is looking wonderful - painting is as finished as it can be for now

until the floor is polished.  With a bit of luck that will happen on Friday afternoon (if not, then July because he's so busy) and then the skirting boards will be finished off and the wardrobe will be built.  Pretty exciting.

Finished Quilt Top

Tuesday night I finished sewing the Scrappy Churndash blocks together - this will be a fairly large quilt.  Really happy with how it's turned out, especially as I was able to use up loads of scrappy Bonnie and Camille pieces.  I think it's an original design but I'm sure someone else has thought of making Churndash blocks like this before.

Last night I sewed some Starlight blocks into rows.  Think I'm going to love this quilt made in these pretty Bonnie and Camille "Hello Darling" fabrics.  I hope to finish making the rows tonight then I'll be having a few days away from the machine but I'll have my knitting and crochet with me.

Star Wars "Modalove"

There were a few squares and pieces of fabric left over from the I Spy Star Wars quilt - enough to make a large Modalove block and add borders.  This is a great design that can be made into any size block from a mini-quilt to a full-size quilt depending on the size of the squares.  Sarah did the quilting on this and I stitched down the binding last night while watching tv.  Two more quilts to bind then I'll be up-to-date for a while.

 

A little bit of machine sewing yesterday afternoon - a few Starlight half hexagons. I'm going to drive myself nuts trying to have no two fabrics the same in a whole hexagon.  Think I'll have to give up on that.

Big weekend minding ChaCha for two nights - lots of fun time spent with both babies, my children and a visit with Mum.

Last week I delivered a cot quilt to a friend for her grandson due later this month.  The mother-to-be was very specific about where each fabric should be placed.  Karen quilted this one straight away for me too.

Fiddler on the Roof

My all-time favourite musical theatre/opera performer is Anthony Warlow.  Last year when the new production of "Fiddler on the Roof" was announced I bought tickets for Mum, Elizabeth, Jenni and me.  I was pretty excited by the time Saturday afternoon came around and we were finally going to see the show.  He was fabulous - such an incredible voice, wonderful stage presence and great sense of humour.

I've cut out another quilt from my Hello Darling f/q bundle - Hopscotch, a Thimble Blossoms design (surprise, surprise).  The bundle is now almost gone.

Lots of points to line up in this quilt - not my favourite thing to do but the effect is great with the 6-pointed star being made when they align.

More points to line up with Starlight - most of the triangles for the half-hexagons are made.  I think this one will be really pretty with the pink star points.

A couple of weeks ago I finished binding the two Text Me quilts that Karen quilted.

I have a couple more quilts to finish off then they will be sent off for donation.

Second-last 'Downton Abbey' tonight - a shame this wonderful show is coming to an end.