Looking back

At this time of year I scroll back though my posts to remind myself that I really did get thingsdone this tear and to remind myself of happy times sewing with friends and the lovely work they do. I also realise I haven't worked through all of my Sisters pictures yet. So here is a bumper crop - I'm up to 132.

I may have seen this in a Keepsake catalogue??

Sewing ready for Christmas

First border partially pieced, last one ready to go.

The back pinned ready to sew

As well as going for walks and cooking and eating we watch loads of TV for the the final week of the year and I like to have plenty of hand sewing to hand. With this in view I've finally geared myself up to assemble, quilt and attach the borders to my 2014 bonnie quilt. Now the joins on the back have to be hand stitched down and I've now discovered not all the strips in the centre have been caught down either. So plenty there.
 But for family visiting that that is too big to take along so I've finished and attached the binding  on a small long term project and will take that with me to hand sew the binding.

Quilting detail

The hexagons were left over from my very first quilt made for my daughter between 1983 and 1985. I've paper pieced them in hugger mugger style intermittently over the years thinking I might then cut out a bag but I have machined it onto a backing, cut out the bit behind the hexagons to use for the binding and walking foot quilt it very simply.

All done

Before

After

After completing the final set of Bonnie blocks my next job was to remake the Pineapple blocks I wasn't happy with. The blue one was just a matter of unpicking the white corner triangles and replacing them with blue ones but I resewed the modern block so that the outer ring was all the same fabric but I'm not sure which of the two versions I like best.

First one

Remake

Strip Quilt like the one in TP's book

Like the one in TP's book

A variant

These have been made by Margaret based on one by Tula Pink in her book From the House of Tula Pink. I am going to make one too using a layer cake. And yes I have the book.

Quarter Square Triangles

Quarter square triangles are formed from squares cut twice diagonally into quarters, 4 from each square. The key number is 1.25. To make a 4" QST unit add 1.25 to the finished size and cut twice diagonally. The unfinished unit will  measure 4.5" to finish at 4". For a finished 3" unit you would cut 4,25" squares and for 5.5" finished unit 6,75" squares and so on.

1. Take two contrasting 5,25 squares and draw a
diagonal line on the wrong side of the
lighter one.

2, Place squares right sides together..

3. Sew quarter inch  away from both sides of
the drawn line and cut along the drawn line.

4. Press towards the darker fabric to form
two half square triangles.

5. Place two HST's right sides together, seams butted and dark triangle
on top of the light and vice versa .
6. Draw a diagonal line at right angles
to the seam.

7.Sew a quarter inch each side of the drawn line and cut along the drawn line to result in
two QST 4" (4.5" unfinished) units

8. Finished  nine patch block. You will need to start with 5  squares of
each of two contrasting fabrisc and you will have one unit left over which
you can use in the centre of another block.

Quilts for Christmas

Doctor Who meets Gypsy wife made by Maggie B for her daughter

 Maggie showed us these two at our Usual Suspects meeting.
Just great!

And this one for a grandson using Woolies and other soft fabrics

Sheila's Quilt

Sheila is a very talented and productive member of our U3A group and this is her version of a quilt made by Margaret which in turn was based on one by Tula Pink in the book Quilts from the House of Tula Pink. I like the dark squares which produce a woven effect.

Still sewing

I've completed our final Bonnies block for the year; the blue one I hand pieced diamonds  but this was machine pieced as half square triangles made using Thangles. I still want to remake the Pineapples though. . .
I also finished sewing some very long ago pink four patches and when I added this very pretty Ikea fabric they were transformed. I have enough of it for the backing.

Carpenter's wheel set by Trish

Quay Quilters' Night

No Show & Tell from me but plenty from everyone and mostly based on Group Workshops etc.

Mary I gave an impressive presentation on Convergence quilts based one  she
ade to honour her mother and which one the Hoffman challenge.

Mags's mat from last year's EPP workshop by Trish.

Christmas decoration from a workshop by Cilla.

Hanging by Karen.

Karen's apron ready for our next QQ show.

Runner

Student piece

Last year U3A members used different size novelty squares to make Linus blocks. Janet took up the idea and applied it to regular fabrics to make a quilt for her sister. This idea is fun!

Janet's quilt ready to give.

Nearing the finish line

A 99K model

I've been keeping my husband company in the living room and using my 1954 Singer bought in 1970 to sew the latest batch of Bonnie blocks, blue and Friedlander colourways. It makes a very gentle noise as I  turn the handle. I took it visiting yesterday as it doesn't need a flex.

Blue Patchwork Star

Blue Crusader's Cross

Modern Crusader's Cross

Patchwork Star

Another Patchwork Star

And from Sisters

 Here are three very graphic examples from the Sisters Quilt show earlier this year.

Square in a Square

A completed block

The fifth block is composed of nine 4" Square-in-a-Square units. The central square side is the hypoteneuse and has to be measured and the"line" on the ruler estimated. Making a template would solve the problem but here I have drawn nine 4" units on graph paper and cut them out, placed a square in the centre and added larger than needed to opposite corners, pressed and added another two and then trimmed with a quarter inch seam allowance all round.

Drawn foundations

Oversize HST's added to opposite size corners

The succeeding stages

Completed unit from the reverse

Completed units ready to piece