Friday, May 25, 2018

Clementine Quilt a Long - Month #5 Pineapple's Puzzle

Hi Peeps!

It's the 25th of May so I'm here with your Clementine QAL block and this month it's the Pineapple's Puzzle...honestly I couldn't find any information about this block when I googled it but it's fabulous nonetheless.

This is how everything starts out isn't it....a pile of little scruffy blocks!


 Then with the magic of the rotary cutter and a spinning mat...neatness happens and the perfect alignment of blocks with no dog ears! Yay!


We all know it's a bit tedious and boring but it makes sewing life sew easy ( LOL) when it comes to piecing all these bits together and matching little points.


Fat Quarter Shop are running this QAL in support of St Jude Children's Research Hospital and for a small donation you can download these cute patterns and sew your own quilt, win win!


As always I start with the 12 1/2" block first, so when I come to the 20" block it comes together so quickly and without a wonky point in sight LOL


Winter likes to get involved whenever he can....sigh

There's only one more month to go and we'll be putting it all together, I can't wait!

Have a look at some of the other clever quilters sewing along and see some different fabric combos.


Talk soon Peeps xx


April of April Rosenthal (@amrosenthal)
Bonnie of Sunset Family Living (@sunsetfamilyliving)
Cara of That Crafty Cara (@thatcraftycara)
Carrie of Moda Cutting Table (@modafabrics)
Denise of Pieced Brain (@piecedbrain)
Elise of Elise and Emelie (@eliseandemelie)
Gina of Carpe Quiltin (@gina_tell_carpequiltin)
Heather of A Creative Pursuit (@acreativemama)
Hilary of By Hilary Jordan (@byhilaryjordan)
Jan of Cocoa Quilts (@cocoaquilts)
Jen of Heritage Threads (@heritage.threads)
Joanne of Quilts by Joanne (@turtlequilterjo)
Kairle of Kairle Oaks Handcrafted Goodness (@kairleoaks)
Kendra of Good Starter (@good_starter)
Kristen of 3 in the Nest (@threeinthenestraleigh)
Kristina of Center Street Quilts (@centerstreetquilts)
Leah of Ponderings from My Heart (@ponderingsfrommyheart)
Melanie of A Bit of Scrap Stuff (@mellierc)
Melissa of Happy Quilting (@happyquiltingmc)
Pat of Pat Sloan (@quilterpatsloan)
Pat B. of Life in the Scrapatch (@scrapatches)
Patty of Elm Street Quilts (@elmstreetquilts)
Rebecca of One Wee Bird (@oneweebird)
Sarah of 123 Quilt (@123quilt)
Seema of SSK Craft Shop (@sskcraftshop)
Sherri of A Quilting Life (@aquiltinglife)
Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts (@sondradavison)
Stephanie of Quilt 'n Party (@quiltnparty)
Tanya of Tanya Quilts in CO (@tanyaquiltsinco)
Teresa of Aurea's Kitchen (@aureaskitchen)
Vickie of Crocheting Vixen (@crochetingvixen)

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Plus and Minus Quilts - Times 3


Hi Peeps!

Sit down put your feet up or grab a cuppa there's 3 quilts so there are alot of photos!!

It's not often, if ever, that I make a quilt using the same pattern more than once, but I've made this quilt three times, and I absolutely don't think that will be it!

Pattern is Plus and Minus quilt by Emily Dennis from Quilty Love.

I have several of her patterns and they are easy to follow with lots of pictures and easy to follow instructions.


This colour combo was from a Fat Quarter Shop stash pack, this particular pack is no longer available but they have some others that are equally great....you get matching Aurifil thread with the coordinating Bella Solids...YAY!


I used Kona Cotton Snow for the background, and crosshatched all over....but my favourite part is the backing!



This Suzy Ultman print was beyond perfection when it came to matching the front colours I just wish I had enough to have them standing upright instead of laying down LOL


So backing is from the stash aaaand the binding.....win win...using it up!


This version uses a Cotton and Steel bundle by Alexia Abegg called Flowershop that when paired with a charcoal shot cotton makes a very funky little boys quilt.... I think




I even used another stash fabric for the backing, Filigree by Anna Maria Horner...still trying not to freak out that it's pretty much all used up........



And this is why I love this pattern so much...I've had this Dashwood fabric pile forrreevaaahh....along comes the Plus Minus magic and boom we have another quilt.....just what we need Mwahahaha


I also got to use a couple of other random fabrics and some recent purchases to round out the overall colour scheme for a decent sized lap quilt.


Excuse me while I high five myself for another hoarded fabric used in the backing....feels so good...but also freaks me out when it's actually goooone.
Love Cypress Paisley by Amy Butler


Binding is stash fabric by Jennifer Paganelli Maritza dot.....no idea how long I've had that??


OK you made it to the end! Well done!.......go get the pattern you'll use it over and over, I promise!


All three are listed in my Etsy Shop......seriously I can't keep them....can I ?

Talk soon Peeps xx

Ritzy Cracker Quilt - From The Cupboard of Shame

Hi Peeps!

I feel bad calling my secondary pile of WIPS the cupboard of shame but it kinda is. I used to sew downstairs in my garage and have all these awesome two door cupboards down there that used to house all sorts of fabric and WIPS and my scrap buckets.

Awesome because you could shut the doors and walk away LOL....now I'm upstairs in a bedroom my half done quilts are ALL around me!

Anywhooooo every now and then I go downstairs and see if there's a quilt top that could be repurposed as a backing for a current project.....and that's where this one came from.

The Ritzy Cracker Quilt is a Moda Bakeshop tutorial and one I started a loooong time ago with a MoMo Wonderland charm Square pack and a bright blue shot cotton.


I shared the half done top on Instagram and said I still felt ho hum about it....but as usual my quilty peeps shared the love and spurred me on to finish it, and of course now I love it!


Sometimes all it takes is a little outside perspective and a break from staring at the same thing, or fabric for too long to get a new love or eye for a project.


The blue background makes a great change from my low volume and white/snow choices and with the turquoise quilting it's now the star.


The close up to show the quilting also highlights some of my fave fabric combos...purple ,cerise, lime and turquoise...gotta be a quilt design somewhere in my stash that will suit that combo??


The Purple Freebird binding had been in my stash for years...literally and was the perfect complimentary binding, very serendipitous!



I added a few more blocks than the pattern required and added a couple of Alison Glass and C&S prints in Cerise and the olive green...seriously those two design talents go with everything!!


One last pic......Once again I think this will end up in the Etsy shop as I have no particular recipient in mind at this stage......but that is why I opened it, to find every quilt a home!


Talk soon Peeps xx

Friday, May 11, 2018

Vintage Nine Patch - Almost Was A WIP

Hi Peeps!

Not sure how this is going to go since I’m posting to blogger from my phone and we all know what a tech spaz I am LOL......get ready for photo overload !!

This started out as a simple pattern test for Fat Quarter Shop as part of their Classic & Vintage Series...details are in this post.

Aaaaand then it morphed into this!!


It has truly been a labour of love, simply because of the hours it's taken to piece and then to quilt!


But the texture is amazing


I'm so pleased that this hasn't ended up in the WIP pile and it's a quilt just for me!









I also got to use up all my red/pink scraps the box is almost empty...yay!! and I also used up a half yard of some Joel Dewberry Herringbone that I'd had for ages....so a real stash buster.


I'm not sorry not sorry for all the pictures but I'm really thrilled I persevered with this when I was actually quite sick of looking at it LOL

Linking up with Amanda and Myra

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Candy Floss Drunks - Curving Away

Hi Peeps!

This was not the post I was intending tonight but this quilt has just about driven me mad trying to photograph it and as such I've taken a squillion photos and have to empty my phone.

So look out here they come.....I won't torture you with all of them LOL

I introduce Candy Floss Drunks!

And as you'll soon see it's the most chameleon like quilt when it comes to colour.

In the flesh it's really crisp and gorgeous but do you think I can get one photo that conveys that??


According to Instagram, the date keeper of all WIP's and beginnings, this quilt was born in early November 2016....sheeesh!


Initially it was a few fat quarters of mostly Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mabley and then I just added a few others from my stash and some other designers and whipped out my 6 1/2" drunkards path template....so quick to cut...and voila!!


The photo below is the truest likeness to real life I think....anywhoo the 6 1/2" template is a great beginners size for attempting your first Drunkards Path, plenty of wiggle room and easy to square up.


I sent this out to be quilted by Sandra and although it's difficult to tell she chose a gorgeous Turquoise thread to quilt a floral/swirl panto...it's divine as per usual.


I added this photo so you could at least see the fantastic texture the quilting creates.


The backing was created from a left over block and some left over vintage sheet....no waste here!


One of those quilts where I actually like the back almost as much as the front!


It's not a huge quilt at 42" x 54 I'd call it a cot quilt but I'm really quite fond of it's fun style.


And a candy stripe pink and white binding for the win, I'll be adding this to my Etsy Shop soon as it's not made for anyone in particular and I'm not hoarding all the quilts anymore! 


Last one I promise!


Talk soon Peeps xx

Friday, May 4, 2018

Duckface People - A Pattern Test for Latifah Saafir

Hi Peeps!

As you know one of my things these days seems to be pattern testing LOL

It started out as an exercise for myself and my concentration skills...which can be why I quite often screw up the cutting and/or measuring LOL...but it's turned out to be so FUN!

I'm testing all sorts of patterns that I would definitely admire but not necessarily do and this one for Latifah Saafir does fall into this category!......I did a little squeal when she emailed me, cause she's like awesome and stuff and I'm a fangirl of her work!

I've had the 8" Clammy ruler for a while now and watched her tutorial video like 5 times but am still nervous to start.....

Anywho onto the Duckface People Quilt....LOVE IT!



My little helper insists on making the edges straight...which is actually really great, the pics of her holding it up were a little wonky though...I just need her to grow a little taller...which will make her almost up to my chest!!


Latifah's pattern is a dream to work with, there are several people included and as an added bonus a full alphabet and number layout. Each person has it's own table with the number of units required in each colour and a small pic of the person so you don't have to flick between pages to check.


For a visual learner like me....who doesn't like to read the words??.. this is the perfect pattern style, straight to the making!!

The cross stitch units finish up at 2" but with her technique they are straight forward to do


This wee sweetie is called Madeleine and I modeled her on my wee sweetie. 
 Latifah mentioned in her correspondence to me that she hopes people realize that all the people can be customized to suit your own tastes...it didn't occur to me not to LOL

I made the baby quilt version so I could get the complete quilt finished in the quick turn around time required and Sandra, my longarmer chose a gorgeous girly all over panto that shows up beautifully in the white negative space.



I used a long hoarded Art Gallery print from Curiosities for the backing and teamed it with and         B &W spot, I did have to purchase some white cotton batting as I was worried that my usual cream cotton batting would show through.....good choice.


Michael Miller skinny stripe for the binding and she's done.


Couple more pics to show off the quillting!


The pattern is at the printers as we speak so keep an eye out for the release.

Talk soon peeps xx

Linking with the girls Amanda Jean and Myra