Nine Patch Waltz

This "Nine Patch Waltz" quilt was a special request from a customer.  She has bought other quilts from me as gifts but this one is for her.  The binding was stitched down over the weekend and the quilt is now languishing in a courier warehouse awaiting delivery.

The quilt is king size, approximately 102" square.  I love this quilt pattern - the secondary circle pattern is wonderful.

She also requested some pillow shams for her European pillows.

Here we are ending week 8 of lockdown.  I can't believe how selfish and stupid people can be and how badly the roll-out of vaccines in our country has been handled.  This makes me both sad and extremely angry.

Another Story

One of the people I've been following on Instagram for quite a while has started designing quilts.  Her patterns are fun, easy to follow and give me a chance to dig into the stash.

"Another Story" is her first design and it's terrific for favourite fabrics - 3" hexagons and all machine sewn.  I'm now working on her second quilt pattern "Electrolite" and will also make her third "Blueberry Kisses".

The quilting design is called "Chantilly", not my favourite but it looks really nice on this quilt - lots of interesting shapes with the hexagons.  Quilted by Jenny of AngelCake Quilting.

"Sampler Spree" week 9 - black/grey.  Not much of these colours in my FigTree stash and there were two blocks I didn't make:  one because I left it off my list and the other I don't want to make.  I'll make the missing block this week.  One more colour to go and it will be time to put all these blocks together.

These sawtooth star blocks are for "Electrolite"- there are 56 in the quilt along with 42 nine patches all set on point and then there will be setting blocks.  I finished the sawtooth stars last night.  2021 seems to be the Year of the Sawtooth Star.

A couple of weeks ago I finished the "Nine Patch Waltz" quilt top and had 1-1/2 jelly rolls and some border fabric left over.  I had a look through some pattern books and decided to make "Twin Stars" from "Jelly Roll Quilts" book.

Used up the lighter jelly roll strips making the ric-rac border and the quilt is now with Jenny (AngelCake Quilting) - don't know when I will be able to pick it up in this current lockdown.

Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge Quilt

So enjoyed making a block each week for this quilt and, because I really wanted to set the blocks on point, I needed to find more blocks to make.  Quilters Cache is a great pattern resource.  The quilt has been made using up the last of many FigTree "Chantilly" fabrics - sorry to be running out of these as they're to pretty.

Jenny from AngelCake Quilting used Elegant Feathers on this quilt - a very pretty design that doesn't overwhelm the patchwork.

I bought another pretty FigTree fabric for the backing - FigTree yellows are lovely.

For the setting, I used Woodberry Way's design from her Chamomile quilt - the soft green Chantilly fabric suited this very well.

Week 8 of "Sampler Spree" - brown/tan - definitely my least favourite colourway but I do like the beige with the big florals.

For over 7 months I've been working very, very slowly on stitchery blocks for Vincent's cot quilt.  The quilt top is together and I'm awaiting the arrival of some batting so that I can quilt it.  Will be simple in the ditch quilting.

Running very late with this quilt - he moved into his cot last week.  Vinnie is such a cheeky boy, growing way too fast and I miss seeing him and his Mum and Dad as well as the rest of my family.

Rainbow Baby

Ever since I bought Bonnie and Camille's "Quilt Bee" book I've wanted to make Rainbow Baby.  It's such a pretty cot quilt and I love that it's very scrappy but still controlled.

I always love Rainbow Hearts quilting and it so suits this quilt - quilted by Jenny from AngelCake Quilting.

Pretty Bonnie and Camille "Vintage Holiday" fabric for the backing.

"Sugar Plums" is together and has been sent to Karen, Quilting on the Coast, for quilting.

This fabric was bought from a friend who was selling off most of her stash - a pretty backing for Sugar Plums.

Karen sent through a photo of the quilt after she'd finished.  I asked for "Bowtique" - another favourite for pretty quilts.

Week 7 of "Sampler Spree" - pink/coral/purple.  No FigTree purple in my stash.  The pinks and corals are my favourite.

Lunchtime Cutting Out

On the days that Gulli isn't here, I've been spending lunchtimes cutting out a couple of quilts.

The first one is "Electrolites" designed by Thimbles and Needles.  The blue fabric arrived earlier this week, so I was keen to make a couple of blocks as I wasn't 100% sure I would like it - very happy with the blue.

The blocks are set on point in the final layout so it appears all my flowers and stripes will be on the diagonal.

I also cut out some trackies for the little ones.  Jenni bought the bright bug fabric for Vincent and there was enough to make him a size 2 tracksuit and a little t-shirt for next summer.

Two European pillow-size shams to go with the Nine Patch Waltz quilt.

The backing arrived last week and I'm hoping to drop the quilt and pillow shams to the quilter in a couple of days.

Last week's "Sampler Spree" colour was Navy.  I have a very limited supply of FigTree navy and didn't want to have too many fabric repeats.

Month 8 "Shine On Sampler" blocks.

"Stripe Me Lucky" is together.  Michelle Mackillop has designed the best border - everything goes together like clockwork.

Close up of the orange-spot used for the background.

Made the final "Sugar Plums" block last night.  I'll add the final corner blocks when the layout is finalised so that there is more variety in the four patches these little squares make.

Latest lunchtime cutting out is "Twin Stars" using up jelly roll and strips leftover from "Nine Patch Waltz".  There is a lot of cutting when making this quilt from jelly roll strips - if I make it again I'll definitely not use a jelly roll.

Lockdown Week 4

Feels like we've regressed and are back in 2020, except this version of the virus is way more infectious.  The university was closed last week and it was nice to have a week off.  Gulli has been spending some time here and I've enjoyed his company while supervising his homeschooling.

The Riley Blake Block Challenge quilt top is together.  I'm really pleased with how this turned out.  The Challenge contained patterns for 16 blocks - I used 14 because I felt that two didn't suit the on point setting.   The rest of the block patterns came from The Quilters' Cache.

Love this pretty Ella and Ollie FigTree fabric that I bought for the backing.

Last week I sewed the last stitches in the huge "Nine Patch Waltz" quilt top.  Waiting for the backing to arrive then it can be quilted.  I'll be very pleased when this is finished and off to its new home.

I look forward to Thursday mornings to find out the colour for the "Sampler Spree" blocks.  Very happy to be keeping up and using lots of FigTree favourite pieces.  One advantage of working from home is being able to cut out at lunch time.

The main part of my second "Stripe Me Lucky" quilt top and the flying geese for the borders have been made for a few months.  Sewed the flying geese together over the weekend and made the corners last night.  I love this quilt - so bright and happy.   The background is white with a little orange spot.

A little while ago an Instagram friend was selling off her stash - I bought heaps, including a layer cake of "Just Another Walk in the Woods" - I've had a bit more than a metre of the all-over print of this fabric for ages and was so pleased to buy the layer cake.  I'm making Thimble Blossoms' "Sugar Plums" - one block per day.  This is turning out to be so pretty.

Our online trivia is back in full swing and was so enjoyable last night.  I'm very grateful that we live in an age of social media, especially FaceTime.