Another Flimsy

done!!

This one went together really quickly.  I did stuff up the layout a bit - that's what happens when you put the blocks aside for a week or so.  Whilst it doesn't look like the pattern I think it still looks good.

As you can see it is folded in half.  I am going to quilt straight lines in the middle of the pink bars going all the way across to the border and then do some straight lines around the border in a rectangle.  It will then be donated to a cali club for Mother's day.


I have also finished the flimsy for the Mystery Quilt I have been getting some mums at Cali to do.

I can't show you that as I don't know if any of them know of my blog.  It is nearly at an end anyway, so I guess I can reveal it in a week or two.  Maybe when I have actually quilted it?

It's a Mystery

Ooh ooh ooh, a mystery, aah aah ahh.

Oh stop singing!!

In case I haven't mentioned it before I am running a Mystery Quilt along with some friends.  There's only a couple of us doing it but I am having fun.  We started with a focus fabric - which is actually the outer most border and then use coordinating plains or near plains for the centre bits.

This is my focus fabric.  It's a Japanese styled print with greys, reds, oranges, browns and golds in it.

 

I decided to select 4 other prints and 4 plains as well as a motley print for the background - this is them all together.

 

I had the ladies cut and bag up their fabrics just to keep it a bit organised.

 

 

After the fourth set of instructions this is what we have..... a four patch four patch.

 

The fifth set gets us to make some half square triangles....

 

And then we have to add a triangle to the larger square we cut out....

So far so good.  I am trying to stay 1 step ahead of the others even though I know I could easily have it finished in a day.  As I do each step I take note how long it takes me and add that to the instructions.  These ladies are new to quilting/patchwork so I have made most of the steps really short - under 1 hour each.  The hardest part will be the final quilting of their quilts.

Mini Quilt and Table Runner

The Yahoo group I belong to had for it's monthly challenge a spool block with a heart pieced into the centre of it.  The block was to finish at 4.5", but I redid it to finish at 6" - a much easier size to make. 

Here's what I ended up with.

It only measures 9" square.  It has some simple quilting as I am not into fussy things.

But I got so inspired by the block I decided to make a small table runner.

This measure 9" by 31" - again simply quilted.

Now to get it on the dining table, with some flowers I think......

A couple of finishes

Last week I got stuck into the SQT Jan Challenge - a Bear Paw quilt.  I put the finishing touches on it on Jan 31 - phew just made it!

Not too sure I like it yet.  I used my scrap bags - the same fabrics with which I made the Single Girl quilt flimsy. 

I have also made the following using the same fabrics.  This one I like.

It's about 48" square and will have scrappy purple binding.  I even know how I am going to quilt it.  That's saying something for me as I usually have absolutely no idea on how things should be quilted.

Then this morning I made this....

It gets rid of my current stash of 2.5" strips.  Thank goodness as I was getting sick of the colours.  Apparently that happens when you use the same pile of fabrics again and again.

I still have to trim of the top edge.  It's about 65" x 48".  Not sure what will happen with it yet.  Maybe when I get around to quilting it I will put it up on facebook for sale - or donate to a cali club for a raffle.

Talking about quilting things - I have done a rough count of the flimsies I have hanging around and there's over 12 of them!!!  Time they were actually finished off don't you think?

Cali Mum's Quilting Bee and a dress

Last night I

put the finishing touches to my fourth lozenge for my Cali Mum's Quilt Bee quilt. 

Here it is.....

It looks wrong, but it's not - just the angle the photo was taken on.

Two days ago I cut out and made myself a dress for summer.

I really like it.  The best bit is that I drafted the pattern myself using my measurements and no other pattern.  Luckily I have made many a costume/outfit using commercial patterns and have had to make alterations to fit the recipient so I have a fair idea of garment piece structure.  I even have (somewhere stashed away) a 1950's clothing pattern making book.  This is an Enid Gilchrist book and you have to draw up the patterns yourself from the diagrams and measurements given.  I have made a couple of things from this when the kids were young.  I remember there was 1 coat that I made that everyone always commented on when the child wore it.

If you want to know how I did up the pattern for this you only have to ask and I will do a tutorial.

Single Girl and Swap Blocks

I have just finished putting together the blocks for my Small Quilt Talk Signature Swap Block Quilt.  You may remember these blocks I made....

and these.....

Well after waiting patiently for my set of swapped blocks to arrive I bought some extra fabric, made a few more blocks to fit my chosen layout, made a few more blocks because I can't count and ended up with this.....

You can't see the top row - it over hangs my queen size bed!  Once it has been quilted it will be bound with a nice brown.  I am going to send it off to be quilted.  This is something special and I don't want to ruin it with my dodgy quilting.  I'm thinking feathers in the plain borders and I will leave it up to the quilter as to what she does with the blocks themselves.

I am really happy with the way this flimsy turned out.


I also finished to the flimsy stage my Single Girl quilt.  Remember this.....

 

Well it has turned into this.....

 

 

Here's a close up...

 

 

It too is almost big enough for my bed so it will look good on a single bed.

 

Not sure on how to quilt this one.  I'm thinking concentric circles inside the rings and curvy diamonds everywhere else.  Probably by hand using a pearl thread and big stitches.  What do you think? 

 

 

 

Cali Mum's Quilting Bee #3

I have finally gotten around to finishing off my 3rd lozenge for my Cali Mum's Quilting Bee quilt.  Hubby and I spent 6 days doing nothing but listening to cows and sheep recently and I took some craft supplies with me.  One lot was to work some more on this quilt.

 

 

I have also cut out and sewn up 2 rounds for my 4th lozenge and am half way thru putting together the last round.  Won't be long before it's done also.

 

 

Another of the mum's asked about me making her daughter one of these quilts.  I told her she would not want to pay the price I would ask for it.  Whilst away I did some math.  To make one to fit a single bed - approx. 160 x 200 cm - if I charged $10 an hour for my time and passed on costs for fabric and wadding she would be up for around $2500!  To make the bigger one that I am doing the cost would be more like $3600.  I haven't told her yet - didn't get the chance when I saw her last.  As much as she loves her baby girl (the child's 7) I doubt very much that she would pay this much for a quilt even if it is entirely hand sewn.

 

Whilst away I also finished off a sock that has been on the needles for some time and I knitted it's friend.  Sadly though, 1 of them is either to big or too small.  I have to figure out which.  I was not thinking and managed to knit the second foot about 1.5 inches longer than the first one.  Oppsy!

 

I also worked some more on my Cross Stitch Dolls House bedroom carpet.  It's being worked on 32 count even weave linen with 1 strand.  when I first started it I needed a magnifying glass to see the fabric.  Now - since it's been so long - my eyes have altered and I can see it quite well so long as I don't wear my glasses.  I am short sighted after all.

 

 

In a week I am going to my first market in over 2 years to sell some hand made goodies.  I am taking along a couple of small quilts, all my cloth dolls and some bears.  Hopefully I make some money.

 

This lady is one of the items for sale.  She is designed to hang on the wall.  I will make her a friend wearing a cream dress with gold stars.  The friend will hold some bells on rope.

 

This little bunny will also be at the market...

As will this lady....

 

And this Owl...