T.G.I.F.F. - Snap!

Today has been about catching up!  The Queen Bee for August in our QCA Bee #5 chose a Polaroid block.  Having never made one, I put it off thinking it was going to be tricky.  Wrong.  This little baby was whipped up in a couple of hours from start to finish.

I quite enjoy getting out ye old novelty prints, and getting my fussy cut on!  These are only 2.5" fussy cuts, which made the choice a little tricky with some of them.  The Queen also declared these blocks were to be for a boy's quilt - I think my block fits the specifications?

For the first time in forever, this block came to a perfect 12.5" without any trimming at all!  Unheard of!  I need to give it another iron, because I can now see that the edges of the polaroids aren't quite straight!

And a closer look at those cute little prints.  Some of these are proof of my change in fabric purchasing. I actually buy some fabrics for their fussy cut potential!

I'm linking up with T.G.I.F.F. being hosted over at Quokka Quilts!  You can too!

Fresh Sewing Day - August Round Up!

I think this is only the third time I've done a monthly round up, and I must say - it's really great to do!  I look back at all I've sewn and try to work out how on earth I did it????  But - I did!  August - Oh what a month.....

I had both of these quilt tops finished end of July, but received my SWOON back from the quilter and finished quilting and binding the CIRCA!  I'm still in love with both of them.  The Swoon sits happily on the end of my bed and the Circa is still for sale on my FB Page.

The PINK POSY cot quilt will be up for sale at The Handmade Library's Pretty In Pink Showcase on the 11th of September.  And the Wonky Star cot quilt will be hand delivered to my gorgeous BFF on Thursday - Ssshhhhhhh......

This darling T CUSHION was gifted to a very dear little seven year old.  The big One Direction fan was over the moon!

An iPad cover for my beloved - which was too small because of the hard case he has attached to it.  My first ever mug rug for the Mother In Law was received happily and August's Wombat Stew Queen Alyce will have the two Kimono blocks very soon!

I made a spur of the moment fabric purchase (Ummmm, hello - aren't all fabric purchases done that way?) and bought five yards of Ghastlies (as you do).  Ms Chelsea was thrilled with her dress and thankfully my customers were too!  I've just finished a second one today, and have another two orders to get through.

August was a frock kind of month!  These four were all for gifts.

And this darling Spring frock is for sale in the Spring Fling Showcase, which ends tomorrow night.  If it hasn't sold by then, I'll pop it up on my page.  I think Ms Chloe is quietly hoping it doesn't, so she can steal it!

Soooo, what did you get up to in August?  Are you as exhausted as I am?

I'm linking up (late) with Fresh Sewing Day - You can too!

T.G.I.F.F. - Wonky Star Cot Quilt

The Purple, Silver and Green quilt has been finished!  I shared with you on Wednesday that I had a few concerns about this one, but all concerns were squashed as this beauty came together.  I saw the intended recipient yesterday - who is due to give birth any day now - so it gave me a push (pardon the pun!) to finish it up.  I completed the quilt top yesterday, and managed to baste, quilt and bind it today!  Finishing up at 5pm.......right on cue for the rain to begin!  So without further ado, here it is - being photographed wonky style on the decking, out of the rain!

 

When deciding which pattern I would use, all I knew was that it had to be gender neutral, and I wanted to incorporate stars.  I went to my trusty Wombat Stew gals and asked for ideas (because my brain was mush and lacking any!), and the lovely Lara suggested the Reverse Hopscotch, which funnily enough is by the designer at V & Co!  I jumped at the idea and went ahead and bought the pattern HERE.  Unfortunately, although Vanessa has based the Reverse Hopscotch on this pattern, it took a bit of mathematics for me to figure it out!  Not only for making the blocks, but also for making the cot size version.  Remarkably - I did not fail!  It's basically a 9 patch block mixed with a wonky star block.  Easy peasy.

 

The fabrics are a custom bundle put together by Julie at The Intrepid Thread.  The request for green, purple and silver threw me a bit - but Julie made it work!  There are a few prints from the V & Co "Simply Style" range.  And lots of other gorgeous lines mixed in.

 

I think the stars would have stood out much more with a different colour to silver!

 

I used this gorgeous grey chevron print from Spotlight to back it.  Love it.

 

 

Very simple straight line quilting, echoing the inside of each star, and then on both sides of each 5" square.  I used Aurifil 50wt #2024 white for the stars and Aurifil 50wt #2605 silver/grey everywhere else.  I've also started lengthening my straight stitch to 3.0 when quilting, and am loving the look of it.  A couple of ladies at our quilt gathering on Sunday asked me why Aurifil was so special?  Well, I like how shiny and smooth it is.  The colour range is spectacular and best of all - my sewing machine LOVES it!  If you haven't tried it, you should.

And that's a wrap!  Would you believe that is quilt number 14 for 2013?  CRAZY!!!!!  I love this quilting thing......

I'm linking up with T.G.I.F.F. being hosted by Pippa's Patch - You can too!

W.I.P. Wednesday - Green, Purple and Silver

This W.I.P. Wednesday is brought to you by the colours Green, Purple and Silver!  It's also accompanied by some Doubt, Anxiety and a sprinkling of Trust.  I've thrown in some hope and Faith for good measure!

Doubt that the three colours would go together well.  Anxiety over my choice of design.  Trusting my instincts would be correct.  Hoping that when I've finished all the blocks it will look amazing, and faith that the recipient will love it!

So far......so good!

I'm linking up with W.I.P. Wednesday - You can too!

In Real Life

Yesterday was a big day for me.  I met quilters.  In real life.  Not through a computer screen.  True!

Some time last year, my dear friend Gemma directed me to a Facebook group called "Quilt Club Australia" aka QCA.  It has been through this group that I have had possibly 100's of my quilting questions answered.  Where I have been able to show others interested obsessed with quilting, my progress - no matter how shaky, how hilarious or how triumphant my progress may have been!  I have been cheered on, encouraged and enabled to stretch my learning and grow my ability.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every single day, being part of such a wonderful group of women and men!  And yesterday, 14 Melbourne members got together to chat, swap ideas, gain inspiration and gather knowledge.  And about an hour in to our gathering - we partook in Show and Tell.

It is with much pleasure and jaw-dropping delight that I share just SOME of the amazing quilts that were brought along......

Christine and her paper pieced dragon wall hanging.

Lisa and her Great Barrier Reef quilt - created around souvenir tea towels from her visit to the iconic Australia destination.

Jodie and her memory quilt - Jodie has only been quilting for four weeks!

Sue's amazing quilt!!!  

I loved this quilt by Carol (who is hiding behind it!).  The brilliant prints just pop with the black background.

Norma's block of the month quilt.  Lots of appliqué!

Judith's beautiful Cathedral Windows.

Ummmm......this would be me.  I think I was pointing out my dodgy appliqué on the back of my Bloom Bloom Pow quilt!  

And this lovely lady?  This is my MUM!  Meg is a prolific machine embroidery freak!
If you stick around, I will be doing a whole blog post, very soon, about my Mum and her quilts :)

Moira's gorgeous jelly roll quilt.  Love the V & Co range!

Shirley and one of her many Convergence quilts.

Sarina and one of her stunning, bright quilts!

And our hostest with the mostest - Sharryn.  Such a gorgeous Owl quilt!  Thanks so much for opening up your home to us Sharryn!

I could have put up all 50 odd photos I took from yesterday, but I would have been here for days!  As beautiful as the photos are, they really just do not capture how much love and devotion has been put in to each and every creation that was shared.

The best thing that came from yesterday?  Well, I now have real life quilty friends!  Don't get me wrong - I LOVE all of my online quilty friends!  In fact, there are a bunch out there who know more about me than you would believe.  But to actually sit with a group of women, and be able to touch and look at their quilts, and ask them questions was really great.  We also learnt more about one another, about our families and where we come from.  I guess we can now put a story to the face we see on the computer screen.

I gather you can tell it was a fabulous day?  Lots of laughs, ooh'ing and ahh'ing.  And exchanging of gifts.  I ensured my gift did not get taken from me in the hilarious "kris kringle".  Apparently licking the back of a charm pack and then rubbing it on your behind kind of puts others off wanting it??  Remember that one!

So tell me - do you gather with quilty friends?

Sunday Stash - In Pictures

I shared with you last week how I was spending some of my tax return.  Well, the UPS and postman both came to the party during the past week, and my stash got a ridiculous boost in numbers.  I'm now on a fabric fast.  For a long short time anyway....

The Intrepid Thread never fails to excite me! 

Some Sarah Jane deliciousness from Fabric.com

I finally bought some Ghastlies after months of procrastinating.

Nordika......yum yum.

Waterfront park......sigh.

Interesting colour combo for a cot quilt.

David Butler Parson Gray fabric for a boy's quilt.

Heather Ross......these prints are seriously divine.

Randomness.......two are for binding for quilts in the making, the fairy tales for my Chloe and I just like the bugs, pinwheels and zig-zags!

Soooooooo.........what do you think?  Did I spend my money wisely?

I'm linking up with Sunday Stash being hosted by Fabric Mutt this week - You can too!

T.G.I.F.F. - No seriously - Thank God This Week is Over!

Things have been awfully quiet here in my home this week.  My sewing machine has been sitting dormant, there have been no loose threads attacking everyone's clothing and nobody has stepped on a pin.  You see, I spent the first few days of the week either sitting in our local Emergency Department, or in a hospital ward wondering what on earth was going on with my insides!  To cut a long story short - I had a pretty impressive pain in my abdomen from last Friday, and when I finally went to the GP on Monday afternoon, she sent me off to see if it was appendicitis.  Hmmmm.......  Ultimately, after spending one night in the ED and another night on the ward - it turns out they really couldn't figure it out, and didn't want to go exploring.  Which suited me just fine!  We shall now refer to those couple of days as "forced rest".  On the plus side - I started The Hunger Games series of books, and had plenty of time to read!

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon, and I really needed to sew.  Nothing too big, just something to keep my hands busy.  So I got on to this month's Wombat Stew Bee Blocks.

The lovely Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts designed her own Kimono paper pieced blocks, and asked us to choose either the front or back.  I chose the front......

It came together sooooo quickly and was a wonderfully easy pattern to follow!  So...... I decided I'd also make a back.....

Another very quick pattern to whip up!

And that my friends, is all I sewed this week!  Well, I did just finish a dress tonight, but will save that for another day!

I'm linking up with T.G.I.F.F. being hosted by Sewing By Moonlight

AND

Paper Piecing Party at Quietplay