Top Done

The using up blue and yellow quilt top is complete and along with wadding and backing was handed to Maggie for quilting when we met at Lower Hardres. This is a definite indulgence as it's a giveaway/sale project  and it would have been straightforward to quilt but I would like to get on with other things.

I had planned 3 blocks by 4 but decided to stop at 9. I added the extra cut out HSTs to make a border bringing it up to 60" square.

First white frame border added

Ironed and ready to go with final pieced border

Although white backgrounds are ubiquitous I am not a fan and avoid them mostly and I don't seem to collect blues. I got rid of a pile at the stash sale.

Motley doings

 I had a go at Pippa's blocks but made them much too big.

At Quay Delia showed a "Fiddle" quilt made for an elderly relative suffering from Alzheimers.

Fiddle quilt to keep fidgety hands busy.

And Hilary had made this cobblestones quilt.

Hilary's Cobblestones

   

Pippa had gone on to make a variation of her block technique, hugely graphic.

I have completed nine blue and yellow blocks and have decided to stop there instead of making twelve as originally planned.  I shall leader/ender remaining triangles to use in the border.

And I managed to collect some fabric for a stash sale stall at Oast, all disposed of cheaply. 

At Quay Quilters Pippa showed this quilt and demonstrated the clever piecing method.

More clever piecing, this time in a two strip mix up class with Valerie Nesbit. Mine is bottom right using Malaysian batiks from my time there in 1999-2000.

Here is Mary I. with novelty print quilt for her great nephew.

 

Onwards but not exactly upwards

Baby Playtime

I had squares leftover from my disappearing ninepatch of which I'm still sewing the binding so made a simple baby quilt. I had just the right size and pattern of flannel for the back The quilting in both directions wasn't the best idea. Just vertical would have been better.

37 x 41"

Close up

Flannel backing

Stash attack

I bought a pretty blue and yellow + green collection from a friend's stash sale and thought about adding them to my own but as usual decided to "use them up" (this is why I never get to my precious fabrics) and chose to make Sister's Choice blocks and though I planned to end up with 2.5" units and 12.5" blocks,   I absentmindedlyended up with 3" units and 15" blocks because I was using a 3.5" ruler but that's all to the good. 

Any way I cut strips and loads of 3.5" squares and triangle units the latter with an easy angle ruler so I could use the same size strip. I also added in more fabrics.

Fabric pull

Fabrics on Clothes Horse

Units laid out. I started each block layout with the triangle units first.

I laid out each fabric on a board and then used the "web" method to join the units and then the rows. However I cut the rows apart before joining them as then I can chain piece two pairs and also avoid those distorting bits of thread inbetween.

A "web"

Completed block

And more blocks:

I might join them quilt as you go.

More Show & Tell and a Twist

 

DNP Quilt made by Pat as requested by a family member.

Absolutely beutiful quilt by Mandy Munroe @mandymunroemm

Liz made this from swapped fabric as part of 
a group challenge.

Amazing "cheater cloth" beautifully
hand quilted by Jacquie

Gill's quilts made as a thank to a hospice.

Quilting design on Kerry's quilt which I'll try
for my letterbox quilt. Third try lucky?

twist

I used my circles to make these quilting
templates.

This is my cackhanded version
of "Terry's" twist a rechnique to
avoid lengths of binding 
twisting when you wind them.
Check out Terry Rowland's binding
Youtube around just short of 12
minutes in.

Oast Quilters' Show & Tell

 Kerry told us how a former teacher had told her students to only use a single line of fabric in their work otherwise impending disaster would ensue! (Who WAS this!!) Kerry's work takes another path  and I'm pleased to say none of the quilts in our Show & Tell conformed to this safe and somewhat boring approach.

However I do sew with several people who do take this approach and their work is always very nice and sometimes depending on the collection used impressive. My outcomes are more hit and miss but I continue to trust in the magic of patchwork.

Barbara has been finishing her tops
and this was a cenrepiece now rounded off.

Beautiful work by Barbara, a consummate needlewoman. Check out the tiny hexagons with the wedding rings and subtle basket colours.

Pictures of charity pieces by Canterbury 
Quilts. Above the right hand one is by
Marianne and they completed the donated flannel top which would make a wonderful wheelchair
blanket.

Jolly quilt by Chris

A "Norah" quilt by Fiona.

Oast Quilters

Magnificent quilt pieced and long arm quilted by Kerry

 Kerry Keeble came to speak at Oast yesterday. There was a good turnout and a very friendly atmosphere and we enjoyed Kerry's talk and the lovely colours and fabrics in her quilts.

She will teach aspects of fussy cutting at the workshop tomorrow.

 As a postscript I had my bag body all done for our Bonnies meet on Friday, missing Trish.