New beginnings

I sit here, quite surprised that I am able to blog again! I thought that I would never be able to post anything again after Blogger changed, but here I am in 2021 at my writing desk. I sure hope I can show you some projects that I have started/in the middle of/or ended since over a year ago.

About six months ago I sat at my Quilters Quarters evening session and declared to the other quilters sitting at the table, "that's it, I'm not starting another project until I complete all my unfinished ones first!" So far, I have succeeded!!!

I started a new project (before my project vows took place!) back in March, whilst everyone was in lockdown in N.Z. and made a baby crib quilt. A first. This was made for a young lady at work and for her first baby, a boy named Finn.

This is the front, unfinished at the time, but the only photo I could find.

It has Winnie the Pooh characters on it.

I completed four other projects last year that I had "unfinished". First off the ramp was my 2019 Quilters Quarters challenge, my Christmas challenge (did not have to be of a Christmas theme). I decided upon a bed runner (my first time doing one). I love the colour teal and so it came alive. I sewed the top in 2019, but now completed. It is slightly wider than the width of a queen sized bed.

Another lap sized quilt was probably done in too much haste, because my composition was totally up the wop when I looked it again. I basically chose some fat quarters that I didn't really want to cut up and made a large squares with them. The overall effect was supposed to be more effective, but didn't turn at that way. I thought, sod it, I'll put it together and quilt it. Bella, my cat uses it for her bed now! It is called 'Twisting the night away' from a Pam & Nicky Lintott book, Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts.

See how ineffective the twists are...

My 2020 Quilters Quarters challenge I came across (we were given random quilting magazines to pick and sew an idea/quilt from) a quilt I had actually wanted to make, on my want to do list. So, it was with lots of gusto I began this challenge. I managed to finish the top before we had our Christmas dinner, but didn't get the final project completed till two days before the New Year. It is called 'Parterre' from a Splendid Quilts magazine

Completed rows

Selection for the final border

Border placement

My last project for 2020 was a wall hanging originally called 'Molly's Garden', but got changed to 'Flo's Garden' in honour of my mum. I had originally stopped sewing it cos I lost the desire in it when I had to do some puffs! I finished it up by sewing on some of Mum's buttons. I even gave her red lips and brown hair, just like Mum!

Happy stitiching :)

Working from home in lockdown

Who knew that this scenario could ever be played out? Perhaps some microbiologist sitting in their lab knew, but for the majority of us, life will never be the same.

Enough of the boring stuff, I know you're in there somewhere, stitching your little heart out and achieving greatness. I wonder even if some of you have set up Zoom accounts and catching up with your sewing groups that way?

I really have no projects finished, but as always I have many beautiful beginnings!

I finally completed my Stag nation top. All ready for it to be pinned to the batting and backing, but since I am going to get that professionally quilted I might leave that up to them!

I didn't quite finish my Quilters Quarters Christmas 2019 challenge. I finished the top of my first ever bed runner. The actual blocks turned out to be 3.5 inches small so had to put some calculations into my head and make the blocks bigger. I love the greens I have used and for the first time I incorporated grey into a quilt.

I made a start on my QQ Christchurch 2020 challenge at the annual Staveley retreat in February 2020. I was busy cutting 2" squares for a quilt called Parterre (Splendid Quilts). It's going to look delicious.

I just recently started a baby crib quilt for a lady at work. The 32" top is complete, with Winnie the Pooh characters catching the eye.

And then one of my QQ crew showed me details of a nine patch snow ball quilt she was going to make, and boy it looks super nice and I reckon that will be my next beginning, ha!

Still alive and patching...

Wanted to let you know I am still about and still patching. I have started so many projects over the last year, but not many, if any, finishes.

Here is one I started a long time ago.... It will eventually have a beautiful fabric to be stitched on and then hang above my bed, but in the meantime wanted to show you what I have been up to.

Painted table runner

My neighbour said, hey, you want to come over and paint some fabrics? Not one to say No to anything new I took up the challenge!

This was my first time painting fabric. We (Dianne, Karin and I) did a lot of experimenting with different items to use to paint our fabrics. At the end of the day I came away with a fresh outlook for fabric and how in one moment your attempt at painting one piece of fabric could be incorporated into an end result of something fabulous.

I must admit when I first started to paint on my 12" squares I was more "drawing" shapes rather than thinking about what I could use with the fabrics when they were completed. This fun activity was completed in the summer up Dianne's driveway. I sure hope we get to have a fun afternoon again!

Here are some of my firsts at this fun activity and what it became (thanks to the inspiring ideas from Dianne).

My 10 finished squares

Drawing shapes

Began layering colours

The end result and Bella

The Maze table runner - designed by Julie Weaver
from Quick & Easy Quilts (Quilter's World), Spring 2013

Delectable diamonds

I chose this pattern from Patchwork & Quilting (Vol.16,No.5) because I had a real pretty border in mind, 'Wild Rose' from Marti Michell. I had never done diamonds before and they were certainly a mission to cut out. Unfortunately I mis-read the instructions for the template and didn't allow for a 1/4 seam. I had to cut out my setting triangles again to allow for them to actually fit. This is first real flowery quilt I have made. Now I need to pick out a backing.

Longbourne: What to expect

Again, this is from 2016 when I went to a two day class, but the previous evening prior, Katrina Hadjimichael gave a talk about her quilts. Boy oh boy were there some beauties! If you don't like hexies, look away now! She talked about her series of quilts based on Pride and Prejudice. You can check out the complete collection on her blogspot.

Pemberley

Longbourne

Katrina showing her quilts

Longbourne: Hole punching

Back in August 2016 I went to a two day quilting course tutored by Katrina Hadjamichael. She has designed some gorgeous quilts based on Jane Austen and the houses out of Pride and Prejudice. This particular quilt I am putting together is Longbourne, where the five sisters lived.

The quilt is very busy and complicated. After the two day course I didn't touch it for about a year, but now I am back into it again and swimming along!

A friend gave me a tip of hole punching my templates so they can be easily removed when the time comes. So here are my hole punched hexagons!!