Farmyard pinwheel cot quilt - done!

Here is the finished Farmyard pinwheel quilt.   Not the best shot for seeing the quilting, but I stitched in the ditch around all the blocks and border.  

Then I cut loose and free motion quilted spirals in the border and the centres of each pinwheel.  I cannot honestly say that this quilt turned out far better than I expected.  Adding the white sashing to the colourful busy prints was the best thing I ever did.

Those are my legs (weather has turned cool) I was short of a quilt hanger ....DH had been away for work....I had to step in and do it myself while Mr8 took the photo.  We picked up DH from the airport this weekend.  His two week work trip  turned into a 8 day hospital stay to be treated for pneumonia.  Thankfully he is feeling much better and making a full recovery.  

I have handed in my sewing machine for a service....it will be missing in action for a week :(  I have two more bindings to hand sew down, hopefully that will keep me amused...and DH can enjoy the sounds of peace and quiet in the house!

Happy quilting Sue.

Sewing = love

For St Valentines Day DH didn't buy me anything, but gifted me with a day of uninterrupted sewing at home,  bless him ; )  So I made lots of progress on my farmyard pinwheel blocks into a top.

To be fair to him he offered to take me out for dinner and a movie and my mother agreed to babysit.  But it was stinking hot and honesty I didn't fancy being jammed into a crowded movie theatre especially as nothing took my fancy.  So we had takeaway for dinner, so no dishes or cooking....bliss!  And that extra time after dinner was spent piecing rail fence borders and sewing them on my quilt top.  I am amazed at how the white homespun works with this busy quilt.  And it was cheap! And I used up most of the jelly roll, so very little left overs....and no panic because I ran out of fabric!!

My DH also went to rescue my original sewing desk which has been living on a veranda for the last ten years - it was too big to take with us when we moved and I guess I had forgotten about it....opss!  It doesn't offer the storage solution I need right now, but I am certainly considering getting Dad to cut a big hole in the top so I can drop my sewing machine in it - perfect for quilting!  It might need sanding and re varnishing first...lucky we have a big shed, might be awhile before I get to that!

Here is the progress on my cottage garden table runner (Kim Diehl pattern), minus a few leaves and berries.  I am happy with it...except I have stitched most of it at home..so much for leaving the hand work for Tuesday group!  Perhaps I can hand quilt it....yeah right!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Hubbys old jeans = my new handbag

I have been lusting after a bag made out of denim, after seeing one on Pinterest, but until I could find DH discarded "DIY around the house" jeans ...I had to wait.  But last week I finally got my hands on the jeans!

Because of the paint stains and threadbare knees I was unable to cut the pattern piece out on the fold.

Then I forgot to cut one piece in the reverse shape. So I ended up with a happy compromise of one quarter of the bag made from red shirting, which makes up for not having sufficient red shirting to make the bag lining.  This is my new handbag and I am loving it!

I followed the long path to finding the tutorial and pattern (free) that the pinner used over here at

http://verypurpleperson.com/2010/04/making-reversible-bag/ the Very Purple Person blog.

On Monday I managed to put the last stitches in the binding on this kids cot quilt.  I am very happy to mark this off my UFO list.  I like split 9 patch, but it didn't come close to using up all my novelty fabric scraps, so I can see I am going to have to make another I spy quilt soon.

And I have been making progress on another UFO.  I went from having 12 pinwheel blocks from my farm yard print jelly roll....

 ...to the correct total of 20.  Now I just need to unpick one block as it is wonky and find a suitable sashing.  I do have some chicken wire print fabric, but decided it was too busy.  I might have to hit the shops ; )

 My mini red baskets have stalled at five.  I need to buy some different reds in reproduction prints.  Hmm definitely need to hit the shops!

Our little orchard has been producing lots of fruit which has been interrupting my sewing time keeping me busy, so I was determined to pick the plums and give them all away.  We ran out of bird netting, so only half of the tree had any fruit on it.    I gave one bucket to the previous owners, as she wanted to stew some.

The other two buckets went to a patchworking friends mother...who was delighted to receive them and made me this delicious cake as a thank you...how nice is that :)

Happy quilting, Sue.

A new jelly roll = a new project

I had a big impulse moment last week that resulted in a new jelly roll - a farmyard themed one!  Not that I don't have a couple of lovely jelly rolls, waiting for inspiration in the cupboard already.  And more to the point, with all the cot quilts I have finished recently...I don't need more cot quilts!   So normally when I purchase on a whim it gets shoved in the cupboard.  But I actually found a pattern and started two blocks.

 I sat on them all week, as my paid job was extra busy (I am getting a new boss next week) and I worked extra hours.  I wasn't sure I liked the pattern.  But it is growing on me, even though it is super busy.  The blocks are 8", so I think with sashing in between, 12 blocks should be enough to make a decent sized quilt.

I like the way you get a snippet of a cow or tractor here and there.  The chicken wire print is the closest thing to a tone on tone, so it made for good pin wheel centres.  But my favorite is the cow hide print!  

Lastly but not least, I found some orphan blocks and decided I needed to do something with them.  I didn't intend on using this block as anything other then a practise piece.  It is a 13" square and just having the restrictions of different shapes, made it look like a good practise piece.  I am happy with the outcome.

I have had three classes in Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) over the decade and a half I have been a quilter.  However I rarely practised after taking a class, so quickly lost my confidence.  In reality I should call myself a Piecer, as that is my preferred technique.  But FMQ is definitely appealing to me more and more, so I am going to make a few more practise pieces.   I don't think big leaf vines on the border was the right combination to go such a small piece.  But I really like that pattern, and now I know its within my capabilities.  I am not so keen on the "pebbles" in the background of centre star, but they make it "pop" and that is what I was trying to achieve.  I might need glasses before I do any more fine work like that again!

 I am happy with the outcome and it will make a nice table centre, if I can find something to bind it with!  I am also keen to attempt a circular feather in the very centre, but need to do some homework on how to first.

Happy quilting, Sue SA.