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