Finished - Folk Flower Quilt

 

I have finished my Folk Flowers Quilt and I love how it has turned out.

Originally started back in November 2019 at a workshop with Ann Maria Horner, I excitedly started making blocks, only to decide that 13 blocks was my limit because I couldn't get the appliqué to sit as smoothly as I would have liked.  Not wanting to waste the fabric or blocks, I decided to piece all the blocks together so I had a quilt top, (which I did earlier this year,) and then when I had it quilted I would donate it to my local hospice.

The backing was made from a Kona solid in a shade of blue,  and a Jennifer Paganelli floral, which was then packaged up with the top and sent to my friend Leeanne of Quilt Me Kiwi to work her magic.  All I asked for was "perhaps a swirly type floral design"  I couldn't be more happy with the design she picked, which is called Precious, and the fact that all the things I was unhappy about in the blocks have disappeared.

Now that I've bound it, it's really hard to give away, but I hope that it can give someone, whether a patient or supporting family member some comfort when its being used at the hospice.

Folk Flowers Quilt Top

 

Way back in November last year, I attended a workshop taken by Anna Maria Horner, where she taught us to make her Folk Flower block.  I made two in the work shop and over the following few weeks, I made another 11. While I loved the look of them, I wasn't happy with how my flowers wouldn't stay flat but tended to pucker when stitched, regardless of how many pins or how much starch I used.  Because of my dissatisfaction with this I stopped at 13 blocks in total, and subsequently put them away.

Fast forward a few months to another lockdown, and an indecisive  sewing mood, (really my inner voice nagging me to finish some of my quilting wips), I pulled out these blocks, trimmed them up, cut their setting pieces from assorted low volume fabrics, and subsequently joined them together.  Because the blocks were quite big, it only took me an afternoon, and I'm now wondering why it took me so long.

Voila, one quilt top approximately 50" square, ready to be sent away for quilting.  I have decided that this quilt will be my charity quilt for the year, so will be donating it to the Totara Hospice once I have finished it. I feel quite a sense of relief that I have finished one of my outstanding projects, and am now looking forward to sewing something new.

It's quite impossible to see all the different low volume fabrics used as the backround when it's hanging up, so the swirled top shows the different colours and prints quite nicely.

Stay safe, stay home, wear a mask, Kia kaha!

Finished - Carolina Chain Quilt

After I finished my making my Highlands Wrap Dress, I set myself a goal to completely finish this quilt before we went on holiday, and before I was allowed to start any other sewing project.  This meant, making a scrappy backing, frankensteining some batting, basting, quilting and attaching the binding.

Well, with a couple of solid stretches at the machine, and a night home alone, I did it.  I pieced the backing from some vintage sheets and a little bit of quilting  fabric.  Batting is a wool polyester blend.

I had forgotten how hard it is to actually machine quilt,  (I'm used to lightweight garment sewing)  my shoulders really felt the effort it took to manoeuvre it through my machine.  Basically it is a giant crosshatch design, quilted through the dark and low volume diagonals.  Admittedly my walking foot was not working properly and was more of a limping foot, so my quilting is possibly not up to my usual standard.

I bound it with a beautiful bright Kaffe Fassett fabric and then proceeded to hand tie it in the intersections where I didn't machine quilt it, using an amethyst toned variegated thread.

I am so pleased to have this knocked off my"WIP to do list", this has now been folded up ready to gift to my local hospice.

Things Here Lately

• I was so inspired with my Carolina Chain  quilt after my last post, that I ended up finishing the quilt over the next two days.  I added a charcoal shot cotton  border, which has taken it's size to approximately 51" square.

• While perusing the online fabrics at Drapers, I found a lovely double bordered fabric in the remnants area, as soon as I saw it I  was visualising it as my next Eva dress.  Again definitely more than 10 minutes a day sewing, but so worth it.  

• I have also been applying the "10 minutes a day" principle to other areas of my life too and I have found it is definitely making life a little bit easier and I am feeling that I am slowly accomplishing things on my to do list.  Currently it is rather long, we are getting the carpet replaced in all living areas and bedrooms in a couple of weeks.  There is a lot of stuff to be cleared out before we can rip the old carpet up.  Especially in the kids rooms.  Little and often is my motto at present.

• My poor garden is very dry at present. we have had a heatwave for the past couple of weeks, so there is not a lot of colour. I try to have plants that can survive with out being watered frequently over the summer months ( as we pay for water usage).  This mandevilla is providing a continuous splash of colour.  It wasn't doing to well as a climber in my garden, so I moved the pot, and it seems to be thriving as a potted shrub.  Look carefully for the wasp inside one of the flowers.

• I am very lucky, this little beach is probably only 500m walk from my house, sometimes I  remember to walk down there and enjoy seeing the sunset.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

Sew 10 Minutes

For the month of February, Nat from SewforLife_perth is running a challenge, called Sew 10 Minutes a day.  The idea being that with our busy lives, by sewing for 10 minutes a day, we will achieve things - slowly yes, but rather than projects sitting there waiting for a free day or the next weekend, or holiday, we attack them in bite size pieces.

Linda nudged me along to join up, and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to finish making blocks for my Carolina Chain quilt and get it to a finished quilt top stage and also a dress I would like to have for summer use.

Yesterday I rummaged around on my messy cutting table and found the three blocks I had cut out about a three weeks ago and sewed them up.  then realising I only needed to make another three before I can sew them altogether, I cut those out too.  This morning before I went to work I sewed them up.  Literally 10 - 15 minutes work.

Thirty six blocks are now  ready to  be sewn together,  so I figure one row a day for the next six days, then I'll get really industrious and sew all the rows together in one sitting.  That dress is really wanting to be sewn.

Tuesday

One of the benefits of not being called into work on a cold winter's day, is the chance to do a little blog hopping.  I found this recipe and decided to try it out.  Currently we are just waiting for the icing to set before we can sample it.

Not much is happening in my garden at present, however I am so pleased to see that I have Iceland Poppies beginning to flower, these are self sown seeds from two winters ago.  I love the splash of colour and their tissue paper like petals.  Also with a few flower is this lovely pink and white striped geranium.

Sewing for a charity quilt, paper pieced bra pattern from here.   A little more playing with scraps was done too.

Polaroid Blocks

After reading Diane's post about her blocks for Blake's Polaroid I-Spy Quilt, I decided to make a couple of blocks to send to Sharon for  it too.  Read more about it here - including a tutorial for the block if you wish to contribute to the quilt also. These are quick and easy to make and I am sure they will all be much appreciated.
Posting mine off to Australia tomorrow.