Tuesday, December 22, 2009

New quilt: Red square

I have been on a sewing rampage, and managed to get another quilt top finished. This one (I'm calling it Red Square) is a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law. I'm halfway through quilting it and still hoping to get the binding sewn on before Friday... Nothing like a little last minute pressure!


Red Square

In between blocks for the Red Square quilt, I've been sewing the scraps together to make scrappy rectangles. As I love quilts with white sashing, I hope to make enough of these for an entire quilt... one day.

scrappy squares



I have nearly finished the triple blue irish chain quilt for my mother-in-law... a bit more binding left to sew down. Here is the latest photo, with border and binding sewn on (but not finished).

Close-up:
Blue irish chain

Front: (R just loves to walk on my quilts... much to my dismay!)

Blue triple irish chain

Backing:

back of blue triple irish chain



Finally, last month I made some more pinwheels for my scrappy pinwheel quilt. Slowly but surely, I am getting closer to my goal of 500 of these!

pinwheels

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

better late than never

It's been awhile, but while it appears I'm not really cut out for blogging, I've managed to make a few things since my last post in May.

I finished the black and white rail fence top (but still haven't managed to put it together...) and the Neptune quilt. Photos to come.

This little blanket was for my husband's cousin's baby boy.

I've just finished most of this quilt top. Rushing to get it finished in the next few weeks, as I'm planning ito give it to my mother-in-law for Christmas. Still need to put the border on...




Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Fabric, fabric and more fabric...

What a week for fabric! I finally received the fabric I'd ordered to my mom's house! A great big box full - she had managed to cram it all (including the entire Recess fat quarter set) in to a flat rate box and even managed to squeeze in some of my old baby books and a little t-shirt for little R! Thanks mom!!!

The same day I also received a package from another recent order, which had the third charm pack and fabric to finish the Neptune quilt. I felt a bit guilty seeing all of that fabric on my sewing table, but at the same time, I was in fabric heaven!

The Neptune fabrics - one more charm pack to finish off the quilt! The dark blue will be the binding, and the other fabric will be a border for the back.
Neptune fabrics

Some new fabrics! Most of it on sale...
new fabric

Very quirky Japanese fabric - on sale, how could I resist?
Japanese fabric

Recess fat quarter set - great bargain, another sale!
Recess

Aww... a cute vintage-looking tshirt for my little boy, from his train loving grandfather.
Shirt for the little guy

And finally, my baby books from my mom. She's even written little notes on the inside of when I got them and what I loved... Very special.
my baby books


Friday, May 1, 2009

Neptune quilt

Although I haven't finished the Japanese box baby quilt I've been working on, I've started another quilt. It is the first quilt I'm making for 'us'!

I decided we need a quilt for the couch, as winter is approaching. My husband argues we have enough blankets already, but in an unveiled attempt to find excuses to make quilts, I argue the blankets aren't good enough, and that we need quilts...

I ordered a couple of charm packs awhile ago when I was on my fabric buying spree (but had them shipped to my mom in America, along with the rest of my huge order... I am still waiting for her to send the rest of the mountain of fabric, as she worries about the high shipping prices to Australia!). I asked my husband for his choice, and he chose the Neptune as his favourite (while at the same time stressing how little he cares about fabric... what is it about men and their phobia of all things perceived to be 'girly'?).

As impulsive as ever, I was keen to start making a quilt right away so I headed to the local fabric store to get some creme to go with the Neptune squares. Ever since I saw "Crazy Mom Quilts" 'vintage kitchen quilt', (http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2009/03/vintage-kitchen-quilt.html) made entirely of half-square triangles, I was keen to do the same. I was so keen to make it NOW that when I discovered two of my local stores were both sold out of creme, I decided to use another colour. I found this very different blue / green, which actually matched the colour in Neptune perfectly.

I don't really love it, as it makes for a pretty dark quilt and I do sort of miss the contrast that creme or white provides, but I am sure it will grow on me. I think it's quite masculine, which is a nice change for me. I've managed to get 12 rows sewn together so far, but this has taken up ALL of my charm squares, so I've ordered another pack online, which should be just enough to finish this lap quilt. I also ordered some of the dark blue for the binding, and a bit of another fabric to provide a border around the back. I look forward to receiving my package in the mail and getting this finished before it gets much cooler!

Neptune quilt so far
Beginnings of the Neptune quilt

My new charm packs (minus the Neptune ones, which I used before I thought to take a photo!)
new charm packs

Thursday, April 30, 2009

My new sewing area!

Well, I am hoping that having a new, orderly sewing area will make me a more fastidious sewer (and blogger). I was thankful when I first got my original sewing area, which consisted of an old metal cabinet for my fabrics and a fold-up trestle table in a corner of our laundry room (before that it was the kitchen counter!). Unfortunately, I didn't think to take pictures before the 'transformation', but then again, it was always in such a state of mess, both from my sewing and the usual spill-over from the laundry area, that I would have been embarrassed to share such a photo anyway.

But last week my husband and I closed down our local company office (we both work for the same company). Due to budget cut-backs on a corporate level, we've been forced to move everything in the office into our home. Giving up a room in our house for work was not exactly our ideal, especially with a very vocal nine-month old crawling around the joint, but once we realised there was nothing we could do to change the accountants minds, we decided to look for the positives. Like... no commute to work. The ability to eat lunch together at home every day (well, when A is not on the road that is). Convenience of having everything close at hand...

One personal positive is that I was able to use some of the left over furniture we weren't able to get rid of from the office in my sewing area, which has made a huge difference to my sewing area! Goodbye old metal cupboard and trestle table... hello lovely big cutting / sewing table and cupboard!!! It looks so much nicer than it used to, and we have moved my sewing table out to the side (the old one used to be in the middle of the room, between the cupboard and the laundry area) which opens the whole area up. I love the 'new look', and really love the current order and neatness of the room! I just hope I can keep it this way, as it is certainly easier to go in and sew when I do get a break. (It used to be too overwhelming, as I'd have to dig out the sewing machine from beneath a mountain of clean clothes, towels, sheets, etc...). I look forward to using it more often! (And new resolution: keep it tidy

My new sewing room
Sewing room

I love all the light from the windows
DSC_0433


A glimpse of the fabric stashed in the cupboard
a few fabrics...

Goodbye metal cupboard and plastic table - ready to be banished to under the house for tool storage
DSC_1279

"Japanese Blocks" baby quilt

I honestly don't know how so many people are able not only to put numerous quilts together every month, but also manage to blog about them as well! I struggle to find time to work on quilts these days, much less make the time to take photos, write and post about them!

That said, I do love to see all the beautiful and creative projects out there in my favourite blogs, and I have loved the few lovely comments that I've received. I guess I'll never be a popular blog like so many that I follow, as I don't think I have the will power to keep posting regularly, but who knows, I may get better in the future...

Anyway, I am delighted that I've been able to make time lately to work on a few projects. This was partly inspired by my new and improved sewing area, which makes me want to sew more! I also have a list of quilts that need to be made - for friends having babies and for our own house as winter approaches (yes, even in Queensland we need quilts! or so i keep telling my husband....).

The first quilt in progress is my Japanese Blocks quilt that I'm making for friends of ours that are expecting a baby in July. I have had this fabric for over a year now, just waiting for a reason to put it all together (and like most fabrics I own, too scared to cut it!!) but decided it would make a perfect baby boy's quilt - especially since our friend spent a year living in Japan.

The blocks alternate with navy and cream linen borders around fussy cut squares. After several trips to the shops looking for a binding, I've finally decided to just go with a plain dark red, which I like more and more. I hope it will really set off the quilt once it's finished. I have finished all of the blocks, and now just need to finish squaring them off and put them together.

The finished blocks, on top of the red to be used for the binding.
Japanese blocks

Close-up of fish block

Japanese fish block

Close-up of swan block
Japanese swan block

First two rows laid out on my new sewing table. The finished quilt will be four blocks wide by five blocks long.
Japanese blocks

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Oops...

I've really neglected this blog, and have just realised it's been a full month since I last made a post... not that anyone probably cares, as I doubt there are too many people reading it!!! (If any??)
Anyway, the three of us have been really busy the past few weeks. A road trip two weeks ago to see my in-laws and down to Sydney last weekend for a cousin's wedding. Only the trip to the airport took a lot longer than we'd planned after I crashed my car into a gum tree a few kms down the road from our house. Oops...

Car crash - 3 April 09 (7)
Car crash - 3 April 09 (4)

Luckily, neither of us were hurt. Baby R only had a small mark on his shoulder from the shoulder strap of his carseat! Thank goodness for car seats, as I can't imagine what would have happened to him without it. I was in shock for awhile, and had a few bruises on my face (and since, two black eyes!) from the airbag. Our wonderful neighbours came to the rescue, as A was down in Sydney waiting for us and couldn't get home to help us. THey took us to the hospital and looked after us all day until we got another flight to meet up with the family.

I'm now pretty much stuck at home during the week, so hopefully will find more time to add to this blog! I've got more fabrics to show and have started another quilt finally, so will have some new posts soon. x

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

New fabric!

I have been very naughty this month, and went a bit crazy online... I am feeling pretty guilty about spending so much on fabric I don't really need (and not telling my husband) but must admit I was still excited when my first parcel arrived today!

Here is what I received:
From top to bottom: Robert Kaufman "On a Whim" and Alexander Henry "Spotted Owls", "2D Zoo", "Starling" and "Yui Kokeshi"

New fabrics!

I am obviously on an Alexander Henry streak at the moment! I bought some of the Yui Kokeshi last year on a trip to Melbourne, and just love this fabric. I was excited to find more online. My second favourite is the 'Starling' fabric - I LOVE these little birds!!! (However, I'm sure it is going to be one of those fabrics I'll be to scared to use...) I've seen a lot of the Zoo fabric in a few people's blogs and look forward to using it in a baby quilt myself.

Close-up of Starling:
Starling fabric

More scrappy pinwheel blocks

Yesterday was a sewing day, and I managed to get a stack of blocks done for my scrappy pinwheel quilt. To be honest, I am so over pinwheels - having made more than 200 of these (I have lost track of how many are completed... must do a count soon.) I am really bored with making them. That said, I'm still trying to finish this queen size quilt as planned... (But doubt I will ever make another pinwheel after this quilt!!!)

Here is a stack of blocks, in a variety of stages of readiness - half blocks, quarter blocks and initial patterned and white blocks ready to sew and cut.
block stacks



Chain piecing the squares.
chain piecing blocks


I hate pinning anything, and try to avoid it whenever possible. However, I do pin the half blocks together to make sure I get my points right in the middle of the pinwheel. I just stick a pin straight through the points of both sides like this:
lining up points 1

lining up points 2

I've found it useful to remove the storage tray on my machine when sewing the half-blocks together. This allows me to sew right up to the vertical pin, keeping the pin nice and straight, and pull it out at the last minute.
sewing block


Pile of corners cut from the halfsquare triangles - for some reason, I don't throw these away and I have been saving these in a jar...
corners

jar of corners



And finally - yesterday's 32 blocks!
pinwheel blocks

close-up:
Close-up of pinwheels

Friday, March 6, 2009

Finished quilt

I managed to take some photos of my finished quilt yesterday, and have been trying to learn how to upload them through Flickr. Not as straightforward as I thought it would be!!! But I've finally managed to figure it out.

Here is the front of the quilt
quilt front

A close-up of the front
close-up of quilt

The back
quilt back

The binding - I love this turquoise with the red border
quilt binding


And finally, a picture of my baby R, 7 months old, posing on Krystal's quilt for me.
R on Krystal's quilt

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Killing time...

Wow - It is just toooo easy to waste time looking at blogs!! I am really enjoying reading so many of the crafty / quilty blogs out there, but today I came across one for the first time that has caused me to waste more time than usual! Check out this blog, full of great quilts and beautiful quilting. I am really impressed with her work! (Though I don't know 'her' name...?!?)
http://emptybobbins.wordpress.com

In other news, I've finished Krystal's quilt! I do still have to put the label on, but the binding is now completed. Hope to get a 'finished' photo on soon....

Friday, February 27, 2009

Almost finished...

I've been trying to finish Krystal's quilt this week, and I have actually surprised myself with my progress!!! As I've said before, I love to piece quilts, but hate to finish them. (Hmm.... kinda like the rest of the unfinished projects in my life! I think I see a trend...)

I was determined that I would finish this one off before I started a new one, as I am somewhat embarrassed that this was supposed to be a Christmas present and it is still not finished!! I finally started putting it together on Tuesday. I tried using quilt basting spray for the first time, instead of safety pins. I am now a convert! I found it sooo much easier to use and much less frustrating. I had no problems sticking it all together (though I have yet to give the wood floor a much-needed mop, as there is the messy issue of overspray...) and was able to get straight onto the machine to start the quilting. I used my walking foot, and quilted it in straight lines around the squares. I have yet to try stippling - I did just get a free-motion needle thing, and really want to give it a go, but this quilt was so symetric, I wanted to keep it that way. I used white thread on the top and red on the back, and I really like how it turned out.
Here are pics of the back and front:

I really couldn't believe my progress - by the end of the day I had finished all of the quilting! I had expected this part to drag on, as I normally don't have the patience / concentration to stick with it, but it just flew. I think I must be improving??

By the end of the night, I even had the binding sewn on! (Although I wasn't really thinking by that point, and cut the binding strips too thick - only realised it when I was 3/4 of the way through sewing it on, so I decided just to go with it... The binding is really wide on the back, but I don't actually mind it now!) I have finished one of the sides, three more to go and then another finished quilt!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Great giveaway!

As much as I wish I was the only one entering this giveaway, I'm sharing this link to get another chance to win it myself! (Selfish, I know....) I absolutely covet this Japanese charm pack that Kerri is giving away on her blog "Lovely little handmades". She has a lot of cute stuff on her blog - check it out!

http://lovelylittlehandmades.blogspot.com/

Monday, February 23, 2009

It's back!

The sewing machine is back and running better than ever. So nice to have a light again, and to no longer hear 'clunk clunk clunk' whenever i sew.

Today I managed to finish a few pinwheel blocks for the scrappy quilt (two of each of these). Only 200 or so more to go...
I also started putting together a quilt I made for one of my best friends for Christmas... I thought I could get it quilted on our holidays, but didn't even come close. I love finishing quilt tops, but hate putting them together!!! It is a simple quilt - the front is a mix of squares with white sashing and a red butterfly border - but I really like it. Another one I'd like to keep....!On the back porchI love the back - more of the butterfly fabric with a white border.
Close-up of the back -
Close-ups of a few squares - the top left one is my favourite.