Irish Chain Quilts

Looks like I've had a thing for Irish Chain quilts this year!

"Apple Pie" Charm Square Quilt

"Handmade" Double Irish Chain Quilt

"House" Irish Chain Quilt

"Apple Pie" Layer Cake Quilt

One more chain quilt will be finished early next year.  I chose "Summer Nights" designed by Bonnie Olaveson for the Aussie Bonnie & Camille Swap.  In December I will receive 11 of the star blocks from the other members.  I've made all the chain blocks

and extra star blocks to make the quilt a bit bigger.

This is going to be a lovely colourful quilt.

House Irish Chain Quilt

Lately I've had a thing for making Irish Chain quilts.  It all started when I decided I wanted to make a quilt with house blocks to use up some of the red/blue/tan fabrics I've had in my stash for quite a long time.  By the time I finish the fourth quilt early next year I will be done with Irish Chains for a while.

The house block was designed by Camille Roskelley (Thimble Blossoms) for her "Winterville" quilt and the chain block was designed by Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  When making the blocks I realised that I would need two more cream fabrics and they were the only fabrics I bought for the quilt top - was pretty pleased about that.

Finished stitching the binding down last night.  I bought the Pat Sloan fabric for the backing from Karen.

Karen quilted "Apple Pie" over the weekend - will pick it up this evening.  It's looking so pretty.

An on-line news site had a great article about the shop where Peta works:  https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/art-and-design/article/redfern-terrace-where-film-industry-shops

A bit tired today after a big weekend.  On Saturday Lynell, Elizabeth, Tania and I went to the Opera House to see "Funny Girl" The Musical in Concert - it was so fabulously great!

And yesterday the family was in Bronte for Gulliver's third birthday party (except Jenni and Kurt who are on holidays in Hobart) - such a spectacular winter's day at the park and Gulli had the best time with his cousins and friends.

I made some blocks for "100% Charming" designed by Jedi Craft Girl.  Over the last few weeks I've been cutting charm squares the scrap fabrics to add to leftover squares from "Scrappy Crossroads" and charm square packs.  I know I'll really like this one - who wouldn't love a quilt designed by a Jedi?

The REALLY BIG news of the weekend:  my darling Jenni's sweetheart Kurt proposed and she said yes.

We are all thrilled to bits and tickled pink.

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!

Irish Chain Quilts

Today my little Sweetheart is 3!  Such a glorious ride being his Nanna.

Posted off the block for June to Sarah last week in our B&C Beehive

and made a few blocks for the next few months (not ready to tackle July's block just yet and also waiting for some fabric to arrive).

August - "Fireworks"

September - "Fireworks"

October - "Swoon Sixteen"

November - "Sugar Plum"

It will be my turn to receive blocks in December - the star blocks from Bonnie Olaveson's "Summer Nights" quilt.  There are Irish Chain blocks to go between the stars and some have been made over the last few days -13 more to do.  These go together very quickly.

Saturday was a big day with Michael, Peta and Gulli moving to a new flat (and the movers not showing up till the next day).  Mum is always in the thick of any action:

While driving home on Saturday night I had an idea for another Irish Chain quilt using up some "Handmade" fabric in my Bonnie and Camille stash.  Of course I needed to buy more of the beautiful floral Handmade fabric from Karen because I decided to make the quilt larger.

The little blue cot quilt is together using the pinwheels made a couple of weeks ago:

and so is the House/Irish Chain quilt top:

These were dropped off to Karen last night for quilting when we had stitching and I picked up a special quilt to be bound and given away in the next few weeks.

Seaglass

One of my favourite quilters in Susan Ache (yardgrl60 on Instagram).  Susan has such a lovely, fresh style when putting colours together and she uses mostly FigTree and Company fabrics.  "Starting with Strips" is a book filled with quilts designed by Susan and "Seaglass" is the first quilt I've made from the book.

I had some lovely "Miss Scarlet" fabric (designed by Minick and Simpson) to use for the background and could use loads of FigTree fabrics for the strips.

The backing is from FigTree & Co's "Coney Island" range - I really like this green.

 

All the chain blocks have been made for my house quilt.  The plan was to use only stash fabrics for this quilt but I had to change those two darker chain blocks - they stood out too much.

I bought two background fabrics from Karen, moved a few blocks and think the layout is better, although probably not yet final.

What a big weekend!  Dinner with The Schoolgirls on Friday night at an Indian restaurant - such delicious food.  Boy we laughed - mainly about our times at school athletics and swimming carnivals (only one of us is really sporty).  Saturday afternoon was fun with the Stitching Girls and then saw "Solo:  A Star Wars Story" on Saturday night - loved it.  I really enjoy these back-story movies.  Yesterday Mum and I went to Sydney to spend time with Jenni and Kurt (mum baked an apple pie and Jenni baked an Oreo Layer Cake) and then headed over to Michael and Peta's to stay with Gulli while they went to see "Solo".

Houses

Lots of construction work happened in The Pink room this week.  All the houses are built for my House/Irish Chain quilt.

I think I'm happy with the layout.

Scrappy Irish Chain blocks are now underway and then the quilt top can be put together.

The binding on "Seaglass" quilt has been stitched down

and also on the cushion.

Busy weekend coming up - lots of socialising which is always fun.