It is a women's perogative to change her mind, or at least they say.  I was going to do the Curve it up QAL for my May challenge quilt and was very excited about it.  I started making one block and quickly gave up. It is a sampler quilt and as such each block is different and I quickly realised I was going to have to follow step by step intructions 12 times. I needed something easy after the 2,200 pieces that are in my Ring of fire quilt. More importantly I was sewing late at night and after a tipple or two so step by step was all too hard. Soooo, I checked out one of my favourite inspiration sources - the internet

I found a this pic by someone I follow on Instagram - Debpotteringabout. I don't know Deb but she seems to be a prolific crafter, mum and mature student. Talk about busy! I hope she doesn't mind me sharing a picture of her quilt block. Deb also blogs at www.deb-robertson.blogspot.com and has some lovely thought provoking posts and lots of crafty eye-candy. The quilt is called St Louis 16 patch. I was able to follow all the links back to where it all began and found great instructions on how to make this quilt by SKBurton designs.  

Eureka. I had my new project! I very excitedly began cutting straight away. The top was completed in 24 hours and quilted in even less. 'I love it when a plan comes together!' (Sorry, hubby has been watching 'A Team' recently). I used exclusively Denyse Schmidt fabrics I got on sale from Spotlight. 

The selvage gives this quilt it's name 'My DS'. I'd rather a quilt than a portable game thingy!

I quilted it using a hoarded backing fabric from my stash. It is made by Benartex and is printed with an all over quilting design in a swirly feathery pattern. 

The magic is the pattern is printed in water soluble ink so once it is quilted, you wash the quilt and the printing disappears leaving behind the stitched out pattern. It looks like it has been long arm quilted and if you miss the lines when quilting - no ones knows. 

Take care and try and do a little of what you love each day

Cheers
Jo

For a while now I have been following the Freshly Pieced blog and love getting email updates - I love Wednesday WIP. It is fun to see what crafty people are working on. So I am going to join in the fun. I am a technical numpty so I hope I can do my best to link up and share some comment love. 

Most of my WIP are projects in need of quilting so that is what I am slugging away at this month. My last post contained pictures of the Dancing Stars table runner I made my mum, which she loved by the way. So along with Dancing stars I have also been quilting my Groove quilt from January. It has been loads of fun using different free motion designs in each area.  I have caused the oil reminder light to come on at least twice this week which according to my manual means I have done 360,000 stitches! Here is some of the pictures of those many stitches, a lot of which has been inspired by the quilting of Angela Walters.

I have 2 show quilts to complete by end of the month. I have been busy, busy with both my entries. I had planned not to leave them to the last minute as it takes all the joy of sewing away but here I am feverishly joining myriads of little pieces together as the month speeds away. The pattern is Ring of Fire by Judy Martin from her book 'Scraps'.  At least the other entry is a wholecloth, so I have been able to jump straight into my favourite part - quilting.  Here is a few sneak peaks. I'll leave the full reveals until they are hanging at the show. 

A week ago my darling hubby took a trip to Ikea to help solve our lack of home storage issues. This meant moving my main storage unit from my sewing room to the boys play area. The result was a big mess in both rooms. A big family effort has resulted in a tidy house and happy me. It probably is the reason I am behind in my show quilts. However, great storage is secret to keeping a home tidy (well as tidy as you can with 2 little boys and their Dad) and a clean home keeps me motivated and free of guilt to sew. I love my re-organised sewing room. Any guesses how long it will stay tidy?

I have still managed to find time to peruse Pinterest and Instagram and have fallen in love with another pattern. Check this out! It is by Jen Kingwell (image from Amitie Textiles) and is called Steam Punk.  Gone Aussie Quilting has started a quilt-a-long, there is a group on Flickr set up. Might have to add it to my challenge list for 2013. Speaking of the challenge, somehow I need to start my May challenge quilt. 

Have fun, do a little of what you love and sort our your storage. It is so satisfying.

Cheers
Jo

After the massive Swoon I have decided to take things down a notch and make a smaller quilt for my April Challenge. I came across this pattern on Craftsy and then followed it back to Amy's Creative Side. Isn't it an awesome pattern? There is a Flickr group for this pattern too. There is so many lovely dancing star quilts to look at. I love the multiple coloured ones. I would like to make a larger version but since I have so many UFOs and FUFOs (Future Un-Finished Objects) already in mind I decided on a table runner (or wall hanging) for my mum. I had some red fabric in my stash and as the triangles in the stars are pieced from 2 1/2 " squares, I used leftovers from a black and white jellyroll. Bargain! - almost a no spend project...well I had to get batting. I also ran out of thread with only a small bit left to quilt and had a frustrating week long wait to finish it off. Why can't someone local sell Bottom Line thread by Superior Threads? 

Mum's lounge is decorated in red and white and she has a supply of small quilts to use as a table runners. When Boy and Boog visit she needs to change them more often (my offspring are messy).  I made Mum cushions in this colour theme late last year as part of a cushion swop, the sewing members of my family did together. These are some of my favourite projects I have completed. The modern block is one block from Metropolitan quilt by Elizabeth Hartman. The other one uses a Victorian feather stencil and red thread to imitate redwork and an appliqued Eiffel Tower. 

Anyway, enough show and tell! Back to my April Challenge quilt. Did I mention the pattern is free? You can get it here. It is paper pieced and quite fun. This is it on my dining table. 

It seems a little wasteful cutting away excess fabric when you paper piece however I do believe you can get templates for this pattern or could cut triangles closer to size to minimize waste. Isn't funny how once you start quilting you worry about waste larger than 1'? When I used to make clothes, I would have huge pieces of fabric left over which I would just throw away without a second thought. Silly isn't it, especially when I was using left overs and stash fabric to start with. 

I used regular copy paper (80 gsm) as I couldn't find any cheap nasty 50/60gsm anywhere. It was hard to rip out, even with tiny stitches. I did rip open a few seams in my enthusiasm to get the paper out. I suppose I should have been a little more gentle. I also left the paper in until the quilt top was completed. It probably would have been easier to remove them as I went along. I added a border to the pattern so I have more quilting space and would more comfortably fit Mum's table. 

I used quilting inspired by Angela Walters work. I have both her books and have signed up to both her Craftsy classes. Her approach is fun and relaxed and although she works on a long arm quilting machine and I use my little Hewie (Bernina 440QE) I find it all very easy to translate. This quilting was fun. There was a few bits I am not sure I liked but I decided not to rip it out. I liked that I could try different free motion patterns in a small space. The zig zag lines were quilted with my walking foot. The rest was filled in using my free motion foot (Bernina BSR). I used Bottom Line Thread which is very fine and doesn't show up too much backtracking. I love this thread in the bobbin and on top. I need to loosen my top tension a little (down to 2-3) but have no issues other than that. I love the quilting part the best of the whole quilt-making process. I hope you like the pictures as I really enjoyed making this quilt. 

 Even though it is not perfect and there are some bits I would do differently if I made it again, I like the finished look. When you look at a quilt as a whole: missed points, messy quilting or other little mistakes don't matter. Quilts are just lovely and should be enjoyed. I hope my Mum likes it. 

 Have fun and try and do a little of what you love each day. 

Cheers
Jo

This year is just rushing by, so I guess it is time to update my planned challenge quilts for the rest of the year. I have made a few changes to the list I wrote earlier in the year (post here). I originally thought I'd do a Granny square quilt next month and although I really still want to make it, I also want to participate in a quilt-a-long while one is actually happening. I have made Scrappy Trip Around the World and Swoon which have been popular online although I didn't made mine until after their popularity had peaked online.

So (drum roll please!). My challenge for May will be to complete The Curve it up QAL. It is run by Jenny of Sew Kind of Wonderful and her sister Helen of HGMR Deco Quilting. This QAL uses the Quick Curve Ruler which I purchased ages ago and have only had a little play with. I am really looking forward to it. Though it will be a little bit of a push as I will be attempting all 12 blocks next month. Jenny also does the most gorgeous quilting on a long arm and posts eye candy on her other blog Jenny's Doodling Needle . I am hoping for a modern look for this sampler quilt and will use left overs fat quarters from Swoon and a few extras as needed. These pictures are from Jenny's blog, there are also some great pictures on the Flickr album for the QAL - check it out here. 

My June quilt will be another quilt-a-long. It is the Retro Rubies Quilt A Long hosted by Alyssa Lichner on her website Pile O'-Fabric. This one should be fun to quilt. I am really looking forward to participating in this QAL, I love the reading blog posts by Alyssa and hopefully will do this quilt justice. I have my pattern ready (In Modern Patchwork magazine 2013 digital edition). I am not sure on fabric choices just yet..sigh! Guess I'll have to go shopping. 

July will be my feather bed quilt by Anna Maria Horner. It looks a little tricky but as it is so gorgeous  I am willing to give it a go. I have been following Gnomeangel journey with this quilt on Instagram and now her blog. I think her finished quilt is lovely and so will give it ago despite the possible difficult path it may take. I have a lovely turquoise background fabric chosen, I just need to start collecting feather fabrics. Sign! I guess I'll have to go shopping. 

August will be my month for the Granny Squares Quilt I think. After the feathers I am hoping that I will be missing the simplicity of little squares. I think I will use stash fabrics for this one and may make it for Boog's bed in similar colours to my Scrappy Trip Around the World which will be on Boys bed. I think their twin beds should look so sweet if I ever get these completed.  

September will be another QAL - the Sew Mama Sew Modern Block of the Month. I have no idea how it will look as only one block has been released but I trust Alyssa. Hopefully can make some new friends by joining in this QAL while it is actually happening and I can find some new bloggy peeps to stalk online. 

I am going to keep my options open for October, November and December. Phew, where has this year gone! It seems I have almost quilted it away. There may be some new exciting QAL that may start up or even a new quilt that explodes in popularity on Pinterest and Instagram like Swoon and Scrappy. Something by Elizabeth Hartman or Denyse Schmidt? Any ideas? I am loving Round and Round by Thimble Blossoms (Camille Roskelley) of Swoon fame. 

So, it looks like there will be sewing, quilting and late nights for me for the rest of the year. My family and friends though should be warm though with 12 new quilts (at least) being created in 2013 .

Try and do a little bit of what you love each day

cheers
Jo

Swoon is quilted and bound. I must say she is rather a sweetie, and that is not just because she uses a lot of fabric from Sweetwater fabrics ranges (Make life Sweet, Mama Said Sew and Lucy's Crab Shack). There is also a sprinkling of Comma by Zen Chic and one or two others I can't remember or didn't have the right bit of selvage on my fat quarter. I feel like I am getting over my awkward adolescent quilting stage where I was too scared to mix and match fabrics from different collections or designers. Hey, I am maturing as a quilter and feeling more confident to make something just because I like it!

When I finishing piecing the top I pondered here what I might do for the quilting. I knew I wanted something all over for the quilting and to resist the urge to quilt something in each star block. I was after a flat modern texture to the quilting. After much deliberating and asking family for opinions, I decided on interlocking circles or wineglasses as it is sometimes called. It actually was quite easy and enjoyable. Despite the fact there are many, many wonky circles of various sizes and many intersections don't meet as they should; I like the effect. The worst part was drawing the grid up.  I got into a bit of a rhythm when quilting and completed it over 2 days. I think I will quilt this pattern again as I like it and it wasn't too hard to wrestle this 80 inch square beast under the arm of Hewie (my Bernina 440QE).

I love the backing fabric. it is Secret Garden by Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller. It is 100% cotton but has a lovely extra slippery smooth feel to it. It quilted up well (I have no tucks on the back). I used some lovely text print by Sweetwater for the binding. I have found a new favourite, this is the first time I have used text prints and will not be the last. Sweet Swoon now lives on my bed and I just needs a few throw cushions or new bed linens to completely make the room feel like brand new. My March challenge is completely done and I have completed the top of my April Challenge Quilt - reveal to come soon!

Hope you like the pictures. Try and do a little of what you love each day.

Cheers
Jo

March has been a reasonably successful month for my self imposed challenge. The quilts I have chosen for this challenge so far are ones that are popular on the online quilting community. I have lots of UFO's (Un-Finished Objects) and FUFO's (future UFOs or quilts on my to-do-list)- yet rather than add these to my challenge list, I am only doing the challenge with quilts that are popular online. You know the ones popping up on blogs, Flickr, Instagram and Pinterest. I love idea that if my quilts survive a century or two that a quilt historian of the future can look at it and say for example, "that is Swoon and it was popular 2012/13". or "that is Scrappy Trip Around the World and it was popular in early 2013". I like the fact I am being part of popular quilting culture and can add my efforts to Flickr albums etc. Speaking of Scrappy Trip Around the World - I am seeing little squares everywhere. Check out these magazine covers (I have digital subscriptions to them both these titles). These are both made slightly different to Bonnie Hunter and her method of as per the Quiltville webpage. They both have the lovely scrappy goodness appeal though. 

This quilt is so much fun and I think it has timeless appeal too. Both modern and traditional quilters have seemed to embrace it, so it is perfect for a hybrid quilter like me who loves both styles. It doesn't seem to matter what fabrics are chosen - it just works. Scrappy Trip Around the World has lots of different layouts that are possible just like log cabin from barn raising, streaks of lightening, sunshine and shadows to name a few. 

My mum and sister Lynda have also made it. Despite the fact they both had other projects on the go they couldn't resist it's charm. I think simple quilting suits this quilt so well. so it is great for beginners to piece and quilt themselves.  Both these are made with Batik fabrics and look so gorgeous. My sister who works at Sew Simple in Phillip (Canberra, Australia) is going to teach her version soon - check out Sew Simple Facebook page to find out where and when if you are interested in joining in the fun. 

Despite saying a month ago that I was done with my Scrappy. I got it out again this lovely long weekend. I have added other two rows to it as I want it to generously fit Boy's bed with plenty of cover over the sides and a pillow tuck. It is now 6x8 blocks (72" x 96").  I just have to quilt it ...Yay - I love to quilt!

Did any one else get the sewing machine out this weekend? I did loads of sewing with some of my favourite people - my mum and my sisters. I love that we all have the same addiction. 

Take care and try to do a little of what you love each day. 

Cheers Jo

Not sure how it happened it such a busy month - I have finished my Swoon top and still have 2 weeks left in the month. I have ordered some gorgeous backing fabrics and batting. I am planning to try and quilt it before the end of the month.

March is the best month so far on my self imposed challenge! 

I am not sure I love this quilt but hopefully once the quilting is done and the quilt is washed and all crinkly it will convince me that it is indeed swoon worthy.

I had a collection of nearly thirty fat quarters to choose from so I picked them as I went along which is a totally different approach than my normal plan-everything-out-before-I-even-cut-the-first-patch method. Most of the fabrics are by Sweetwater for Moda - from Lucy's Crab Shack, Make Life and the Mama Said Sew collections. I think there is also a few pieces from Comma by Zen Chic. I am quite proud of my growth in fabric selection. In the past I would make range quilts using only fabrics from the one collection. I was too scared to trust what I liked and so left the fabric choices up to the fabric designers. It is so much more fun using a bit of this and that and making selections as I went along. The grey background fabric is a nasty homespun from Spotlight (I hate that store - such unhappy staff and long waits). I would have loved some Kona cotton but lack of funds meant homespun and a frustrating trip to Spotlight it was. 

I made a few mistakes at the beginning. Once I read the instructions properly though the blocks went together quite quickly. They are huge blocks - 24 inches so only nine blocks makes a double/queen sized quilt. Now I need to decide how to quilt it. I know I want an all over design. This is another change from my usual modus operandi. Such big stars would have to be custom quilted with feathers and then the background filled with a tight filler to make the stars pop. I actually want this quilt to look flat and even in texture, if that makes any sense. I've seen a lot with baptist fans and although I want to try quilting them soon I don't want them for my Swoon. Hmmm - maybe for scrappy trip around the world. Here is some ideas I have been thinking about for swoon, heavily influenced by Elizabeth Hartman and Denyse Schmidt. I'd like to think my free motion quilting is better than my attempts on PSE with a graphic tablet.

I came across this pattern by Angela Walters on Pinterest recently. I absolutely love it but think it might be too difficult to do on my home domestic sewing machine. I think the long wavy lines might be easier on a long arm. Might try and come up with something similar for the small space under my machine. I love the texture and interest this would add without overwhelming the piecing. Hopefully I'll be blogging about my successful experiment with this style of quilting soon. 

In the meantime I shall eagerly wait the delivery of backing fabric and batting. It feels like a long time since I have quilted something. It is my favourite part of making a quilt. 

Take care and try and do a little of what you love each day

Cheers Jo

I am a mum and a wife, which means I am busy. Then add to that self imposed quilt challenges, helping out at Boy's school and sewing for quilt shows. Not to mention the problems I have losing time down the black hole that is Pinterest and Instagram. It is also a special month for me with the memorial of Christ's death coming up and the desire to do more with my faith and congregation. 

So what to do when you are busy? 
Start new projects of course. 

Quilting and crafting is my hobby, my passion and something I do for 'me time'. I like to go with whatever grabs me. So when I discover on Pinterest the free pattern for Anita's Arrowhead quilt by Anita Grossman Soloman I was excited and enthused and just had to make it. It is such a clever pattern and so quick and fun. I used a layer cake I have had sitting around waiting for just the right project - this was it. Have a go as  is sooo fun!

I love quilting, but I have found in the past some of the joy is lost when sewing to deadline.  A few years ago I entered a competition. It was the  AP&Q challenge and had the theme 'Remember'. I decided to make a quilt with the Taj Mahal on it as it has been a enduring remembrance of love lost for centuries.  Because I decided on something a little over my head I was running short on time and had to do some long days and late nights and really didn't enjoy the process. I still look at the Taj quilt and can't believe I attempted something so adventurous when I was such a novice. I honestly don't like this quilt though and wonder if it is because I didn't enjoy making it. 

Another project I took on this month was making a quilted bag from scraps and up-cycled jeans. I have mentioned before how I love making bags and this blog states I love to quilt. I love combining the two. I made this while I was helping my niece make herself a new school bag for college over the weekend. The bag shape is a simple rectangle and I added scraps of fabrics using a similar method to Elizabeth Hartman on her tutorial for The Quilted Weekender Bag. It is lined and has internal pockets (one zippered). I probably will sell this bag. Maybe on Etsy or more likely in the sales room at Canberra quilting show later this or at a craft market if I get enough things made to have a stall.  I might try and make a few more as I really enjoy the process 

Right! I am going to get my Swoon quilt started, I am so excited. Can't promise I won't get distracted before it is finished though. Keep busy and try and do a little of what you love each day

Jo

My Scrappy-trip-around the world is done! Well the top anyway. This was my self -imposed challenge for February and was just about completed on time, if this year had been a leap year I'd have made it.

I can't wait to see this all crinkly from washing and drying. It already has a timeless look I think. I think that appeal will be enhanced by quilting and binding, I am thinking of simple quilting, perhaps a grid through the diagonal of blocks. 

This is super fun and easy to make. It also highly addictive. My mum and my sister have also made this pattern after seeing how easy it is. The pattern is a traditional one but Bonnie Hunter has come up with a quick way to make the blocks, check it out here. I think this is my favourite quilt ever! Big statement I know, I just love it. I have a stash of fabrics that I call 'dirty murkies'. When I started quilting I loved reproduction fabrics and hence have loads of dusty blues, browns, deep reds and creams. I literally just cut a 2 1/2" strip of each fat quarter and tried not to over think the placement of colours. 

I have since grown really interested in modern quilts and have struggled to use my stash. This was a great project to use my 'dirty murkies' with a few surprises thrown in. I think the quilt actually has a lot of light and colour because and the few creams and yellows. Normally I don't really like yellow. In fact it is probably the only colour I would have run screaming away from. Now I am converted and have even purchased a few fat quarters of yellow to make this stash more attractive. I love that there is navy, blue, cream, yellow, mustard, brown, various reds, white, black, purple, mauve, orange, green and a lovely snot coloured fabric and yet it looks great together. That is of course in my humble opinion. Check out some of the colours. This project has helped me fall back in love with my stash. 

Here is a couple more pictures of the completed top flapping in the wind. It's been a little gusty here lately so it was quite a challenge to take these photos. I think this quilt will grace my oldest son's bed. I hope it will look like it could be a family heirloom. You know, something put together from scraps and bits and pieces, made by candle light etc.  I always wanted to discover such a family treasure existed. Alas, not yet!.  I was tempted to make it for my bed as I love it so, but Boy had been told it was for him and besides I do have something else planned for me  - Swoon!. If only I can decide on my fabrics. Sigh!

Try and do a little of what you love each day. 

Jo

Help! I just got my Sydney Quilt Show 2013 entry form. I need to have my entry in by 8 March! 

I haven't even decided what I want to enter this year. Fortunately the quilt/s don't have to be completed - I have until the 1 May for that. I do need photos and finished dimension though, so I am guessing a blank picture with 'to be announced' on it doesn't quite cut it. I have numerous UFO's and guess that is a good place to start. All of these quilts have either been started or fabric purchased...Just which one to pick?

But wait that's not all ........I also have (sorry no pics)
7. Log cabin - left over fabrics from a quilt I made my mom-in-law while she was battling cancer.
8. Clam shells - not likely as it is hand stitched - maybe 2016!
9. Flying geese - only sashing to be done
10. Anita's arrowhead - top finished - but not for the show
 

I love quilts shows - all that gorgeous eye candy and inspiration. It was a quilt show 4 years ago that started my addiction. It is such a big thrill to see your own quilt hanging among hundreds of others. My oldest son was so proud of my quilt last year, he stood by it for ages to tell quilt show visitors in was his mummy's. Too cute!

I am still elated that I won some prizes last year mostly with ' Big Red'. I still look at that quilt and am surprised how well it turned out. I am honestly not sure I can make something like that again, I'm afraid 'Big Red' may have been a one off. Saying that I do want to try and enter something special again this year.

I have to quilt January's Groove and finish at least 17 more scrappy trip along blocks for February's quilt for my self imposed 2013 quilt challenge. I need to finish the above UFO's as well as make bags, cushions and quilts to sell. I also have an ever growing collection of Craftsy classes to watch (good thing I have these classes forever to watch at my leisure). Somehow I have to manage life, the house, work and being a mummy and wife with all this stitching. Errr. Did I mention I will probably get my Canberra Quilters exhibition form soon?  A person doesn't need sleep right?

Try and do a little of what you love each day. 

Jo