Jennie's Threads

Another month gone. February seemed to last a long time this year (I know that's a stupid comment). I've worke on a lot of projects that aren't quite finished yet, I finished a few bits and pieces, pulled myself out of my comfort zone a couple of times and signed up for way more quilt-alongs than I'm going to have time for. And a Bee. So here are my finishes: There are a few Farmer's Wife blocks (I think I've done more than just these); Fergie the froggy , a couple of Swoon blocks, my entry for the Tangerine Tango Challenge which I've called Nine Pins , my finished Melrose Quilt , whoch I gave to Linda for her birthday, a small embroidery for my Mum for her birthday, a few FMQ feathers , my mini Swoon top is finished, and a pinwheel block that I'm teaching to a few beginners. I signed up to New York Beauty Quilt Alon g, the Granny Squares Quilt Along at Old Red Barn Co (if you have a few minutes check out the photos in the Flickr group - I'm lo

Back in January I finished piecing the front of the Melrose quilt . It's called that, because that's the name of the fabric line from Red Rooster fabrics. The pattern is the free one that came with the range. On Friday I finally layered up the quilt. Yesterday I quilted it. I had planned on wavy lines, like on my Christmas quilt , but a comment Kim made about free motion quilting not being too difficult and looking lovely kept nagging me. So I had a go. I did random circles and swirls in the gaps between the main blocks. The quilting is quite tight, so that the panels with the large print really pop. I then did straight lines round those panels and all the way round the edge. Although the lighting on this photo isn't great, it does show the quilting. The quilting isn't perfect, but I'm really chuffed with how good it is for a first real attempt on a quilt top. So free motion quilting was the first of my firsts. Here's a bigger shot of the back - Look at Charli

I am so sad to see the end of January - I have had a fantastic month with my sewing and I really hope this continues into February. Here are some of the things I've been working on: Although we are on a break from the Farmer's Wife , I've made five blocks - two I had cut out before Christmas, one replacement (two still to do), one monster block that I had totally abandoned in July and I still don't like) and a 6" version of Swoon. As mentioned, I gave in to the communal swooning by joining the Swoon Along - it's up to 765 members. I've made 3 in the original 24" size, three in the 12" size, which I love, and my mini 6" Swoon. I signed up for the Chasing Chevrons quilt along before Christmas and finally made a start in January. I finished this quilt top last week and I have decided to back it with flannel and no wadding. I also signed up for the Oh My Stars Quilt-along before Christmas. I got the fabric for this project as a Christmas present

Lots of yummy fabric to report on today. As I seem to have developed a little bit of a thing for quilt-alongs.... I need some fabric to go with them: Earlier this week I signed up for the Swoon quilt-along . I haven't signed up to anything since. I decided to make this quilt for me using the Happy Mochi Yum Yum fabric that I got for Christmas - this fabric is just so summery, I love it. By chance I had bought exactly 18 fat quarters - it was meant to be. So today I needed to get background fabric. I didn't want white or cream, so I was thinking navy. This is what I've ended up with. Not quite navy. The red is less orangy in real life. I am now ready to start this project at the weekend. I've been reading all of the posts on the Flickr group and I'm now quite nervous about the cutting - I can't replace this fabric if I mess up. Here are the fabrics paired up as they will be in the blocks: What else have I signed up for? The Oh My Stars Quilt Along .

Yesterday I finally made a start on my latest new project for 2011 - the Oh My Stars Quilt . I'm using Moda's Dogwood Trail fabric and I'm making mostly the basic star block. I've made one pinwheel block and I really like it, so I think there'll be some more of them. Of the 111 blocks I need for the quilt I have made four 12inch blocks, four 4" blocks and one 8" block. 101 to go! As I said in my last post, when justifying my joining another quilt-along, I have finished a quilt top this year. Linda - if you're reading this, please stop now! This is the Melrose fabric from Red Rooster. The quilt went together really quickly but I had a lot of bother getting the grey points on the individual blocks to line up - no matter how many pins I put in they kepyt slipping - any tips? I was getting fed up of attaching borders after the third one, but I think it was well worth it in the end. I'll get the batting and backing later this week, and I think I'll

I have been very enthusiastic today. Not only is this my second post of the day, but it is only the 2nd January and I have already started three new projects in 2012. I know, I know - you're supposed to finish a project before you start new ones - I wish I had the self control to only have a few projects on the go at once. But I don't. And it is not one of this year's resolutions. So my first new project is one that I first blogged about in December, here . It is Quilt Aid . This is 12 blocks, each designed by an Australian designer and sold as kits (the fabric is Ruby from Moda). I got involved because my local quilt shop, the Fat Quarters , is the only UK shop stocking the kits and because they are really pretty. I got four of the twelve blocks as Christmas presents, and it's my birthday soon, so I'm hoping for a few more! Although I need to buy them all fairly soon, I'm going to work on them as a block of the month. For January I have picked the

I have spent this morning playing with the Chasing Chevron's Quilt-along from That Girl... That Quilt. I signed up for it when it was first announced, but I knew I couldn't start it till the new year. It is now the new year, and yesterday I cut all of my fabric and started stitching: I've decided to use fat eighths and fat sixteenths that I bought on my summer holiday in Sidmouth. Most of the fabrics are Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics but are from different ranges.... I think they go together. I was really worried I wouldn't have enough fabric. I have enough for two quilts... I cut all the patterned fabric and the background fabric I needed to make the 240 (yes 240) half square triangles. Using the fantastic tutorial that is part of the quilt-along I'm making four HST at once and using starch for the first time! The background fabric is Cat's Meow from Benartex. I have completed 15 blocks and I am so pleased with how they look (the stripey fabric had been wo