Hunky Dory Spin

The last stitch went into the binding last night - 3 nights of tv watching to sew down the binding on this large quilt.  I love the fresh colours.  I used a pattern called Spin Cycle by Cluck Cluck Sew for the block design.

Hunky Dory Spin, 82-1/2" x 94-1/2" (209 cms x 240 cms)

The pink hexagon quilt is now on the frame ready for when I have some time over the next few days.

Yesterday was a lovely day:  birthday lunch for Jenni and Fathers' Day.

Elizabeth and Matt came down.  Still no wedding date but looking more like February as they leave in two weeks for their holiday in France.

This and That

More busy times here.  I loaded Hunky Dory Spin onto the frame early last week

and the quilting is now finished and it's time to add the binding.

The Pretty Maids quilt top, the little Baboushkas, is together and ready for basting.  Maybe on the weekend.

Tomorrow my friend, Barbara, and I are going to see The Beach Boys - I really hope it's a good concert and their voices are still there.  Last Friday's show, Tap Dogs, was sensational - loved every beat of it.

Fathers' Day on Sunday is also Jenni's 25th birthday, so the family is coming for lunch - looking forward to that.

A Day Out

Last Thursday Karen and I went for a drive to Penrith to collect her sewing machine.  Karen was kind enough to then drive us to Drummoyne so we could visit Material Obsession - an absolute feast for the eyes.  I was VERY restrained in my purchases.

Some large florals to store with my "Candied Hexagons" stash - I think one or two of those birds will look wonderful in the quilt as well as the large flowers.  And, when I saw the Dio de los Muertos fabric, I had to buy a metre of that to make something for Peta or I can give it to Jenni if she would like to make something.

So much to see in the shop and so much I could buy.

I spent a good part of yesterday in the sewing room and Hunky Dory Spin is together.

Hunky Dory Spin ~ 96" x 84"

I haven't made a quilt this large before.  It will be interesting to see how I go quilting this one on the frame.

Some Blocks

This week I've been working on my Hunky Dory Spin blocks.

Two more blocks to sew together then comes the part of quiltmaking I dislike the most - deciding which block goes where.

While reading some blogs I came across a quilt called "Love ... Mamie" on Melanie's blog.  It is a lovely 9 Patch quilt made using a method I hadn't come across before - it is all explained on this blog.  This morning I had a go at making the smaller nine patch block - it's a great way of making 2 x 3" nine patches out of 2 x 4-1/2" squares of fabric and works well for nine patches that are made using only 2 fabrics in the blocks but many different fabrics for the whole quilt (if you get what I mean).

Diann and I have been discussing out Sylvia's Bridal Sampler progress, or rather, lack of progress.  I think we've made one lonely block this year.  We've decided to make all the blocks from the book that do not require templates or foundation piecing and then we'll make a decision about whether we want to make any more or call it quits.  Some of these blocks have lots of tiny pieces of fabric.  Yesterday I made 3 blocks:

Arizona

Aunt Sukey's Choice

Barrister's Block - not at all happy with fabric choice or my piecing in this block.

John and I are going to a wedding on Saturday - I hope our lovely sunny weather stays around, although it disappeared for a while yesterday morning.

Cutting Out

I had some pieces of Hunky Dory fabric that I bought from Bec a while ago and I've been wondering what to make with them.  Saw the Spin Cycle pattern on Cluck Cluck Sew's blog, bought it and thought it would be just right then found some more Hunky Dory fabrics at Bella's Patchwork and I was all set.

Cut out a load of squares and triangles this moring

and made one block.  Think I'm going to really like these blocks when I get around to making some more.

I also dragged out my Not Quite Civil War blocks and made one more.

Hovering Hawks

I now have 37 blocks.  Don't think I'll make all of them - just a few more to fill one more row and that will do.

We went to Sydney yesterday and had lunch with Elizabeth and Matt at Una's in Darlinghurst - so much for the diet.  Great company and food.  Then we visited Michael and Peta and saw all of their wedding photos (1,623 of them!).  Bad news:  the jumper is way too big for Michael.  Good news:  Peta loves it (even though it swims on her) and wouldn't take it off.  So, I have more wool and will start another jumper for Michael.