Be Back Soon

I haven't posted on here for a couple of years, which is most remiss of me. However, when I'm not working or parenting, I have been very busy making quilts.

Again they are mostly baby quilts, but I have a lot of 'other' quilt tops, prepared but not sandwiched or quilted yet. Three could do with being done for the Christmas beds.

I've also just started a local group, and am designing a beginner's sampler quilt course.

In the meantime, here is an applique baby quilt that I made last year. The pattern is Wiggle Flowers from Sweet and Simple Baby Quilts by Mary Hickey (published by That Patchwork Place).

Silent in 2012

I can't quite believe that the whole of 2012 went past without me blogging about my quilts! However, I did make one or two, so I thought I should record them for posterity.

This one was commissioned by a relative for her first grandchild:

This one was made for a colleague's first baby, and it is my first quilt to move permanently to India!

I made this New Zealand-themed quilt for a friend's new baby. Both parents are from New Zealand, but live in London. I used some of the fabrics from an earlier NZ-themed quilt that were still in my stash, but I didn't have nearly enough. I put an appeal on the British Quilt List and several fantastic people (all complete strangers) helped me out! After much head scratching I based the complicated pattern on the 'rules' explained in Nine Patch Pizzazz, because my friend sent me a picture of a rug covered in multi-coloured squares as their inspiration! She also sent me the fantastic owl fabric on the back...

The last 2012 quilt was made for a cousin whose FOURTH baby was born in early autumn. London 2012 was big news, and they live in the south east, so guess what the theme is! Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry to post the finished article, that I forgot to photograph it, and the parents are WAY too busy to take one at the moment, but that's ok!

Lily's Quilts: Christmas Gifts for Quilters 7 (+ mahusive giveaway)

Lily's Quilts: Christmas Gifts for Quilters 7 (+ mahusive giveaway)

Autumn's back again...

Time for a little update I guess, as so many of my quilts haven't been 'shown' here yet...

Here we have Luke's quilt, made earlier this year, Caleb's quilt,sent to New Zealand a few months ago, and Lizzie's quilt, which now lives in Bristol.
I had great fun making all these quilts, as usual, but my fabric stash does not seem to have got any smaller!

Another bit of catching up...

I wasn't able to upload more photos the other day, so time for another go. I've had a marvellous weekend of sewing, raking through my extensive fabric collection, and reorganising some of it. I've got four or five baby quilts actively on the go, and a number of other patchwork tops which need to be finished off in due course. I love sewing baby quilts though....
Below is a picture of my 'best ever quilt', just for Sheila...

Right - back to a crop of baby quilts.

This is Freya's quilt, for my cousins' baby in Australia. She was more of a toddler by the time she got it last year. The design is mostly from a purchased pattern, but of course I didn't stick to it.

And this one was for Freya's Mummy and Daddy - a wallhanging with Australian fabrics, as a very late wedding present. The formula for this pattern came from the book Nine Patch Pizzazz.

Google doesn't let me upload very quickly, so that's all for now!

Happy sewing everyone!

I'm rather behind...

I'm horribly behind with blog posting, something which me stepdaughter likes to remind me about... Hey ho. sorry folks. I blame Pinterest where I keep finding lots of ways of wasting time while I marvel at the taste, creativity and imaginations of people all over the world.

I also blame knitting - it is so much easier to sit watching TV while knitting rather than clear the kitchen table for every meal. However, there are some projects which have been finished. Mostly for babies - I just love making baby quilts.


Back of Lizzie's quilt (2010)



Right side of Lizzie's quilt (2010)

Above is the front and back of a quilt for baby Lizzie. I don't often use panel fabric - I have had a half metre length with these panels of mother and baby animals for several years without really knowing how to use it. However, I pulled out all my bright fabrics with spots, stripes and hearts and started playing. I still have 4 more (different) panels left from this fabric, so I may just make another of these.

For some reason, blogger isn't letting me add any more pictures, so further catching up will have to wait, sadly.

Let's hope that June's weather for North East Scotland is a substantial improvement on May. Happy Sewing everyone!

Applique Samples

I have a quilt in progress, that is nearly finished, but I would like to post a complete story about that one. So, in the meantime, here is the selection of applique samples that I have in my collection of UFOs.

What we have here is evidence that I am not overwhelmed with joy at my own applique skills. I love the look of applique, but when it comes to myself I prefer quicker results from rotary cutting and chain piecing. The sunbonnet sue was made from a kit that I got as a free gift with an internet fabric order. Even with something so simple I can't avoid tweaking - I added the heart and the zig zag border from other project leftovers. This is a fused Sunbonnet - I must confess that I generally do applique with fusible web!

I will also acknowledge SewKalico's observations that these are samples or tests rather than UFOs. I do have a proper applique UFO - which I shall look out and photograph for you all on another occasion.

The fused suns (and single moon) are adapted from a pattern in a Lynne Edwards book on using up scraps. I'm not sure what I am doing with them yet - so far, there is the making of three seperate quilts, given the different feel of the fabrics used. The one on point may well acquire some sashing.

The needle-turned examples are 'OK', but I must confess, that though I started the teddy bears for a cousinly baby quilt, I don't think this method is hard-wearing enough, so I don't know what to do about them, some of the fabrics are quite thin and/or pre-loved. The stars are much nicer (to my eyes!). These came from a pack of die cut yellow stars, of which I have many more, so I could use these altogether for a big quilt, or I could use them in batches with other blocks for a sampler effect. I could do with a few more red background fabrics if I am going to make a bigger quilt of lots of stars.

Not much time for sewing this week, just chain-pieced some 2.5x3.5 inch rectangles into a brick layout border for the latest baby quilt (of which more next week) - I had my PhD viva on Wednesday so I was preparing for that. Not too bad - a few corrections, but I was awarded my PhD, so I am now (at least informally) Dr Pangbourne. Huw had his second ever school concert, in which he played a prince puppet in the Lonely Goatherd song. He was very good, but rather serious looking! Tonight my beloved and I are getting dressed up in evening dress and going to a dinner dance. So, a lovely week.