Making progress...

Can anyone tell me how all these bright reds, ultramarines and turquoises came to be living in my stash? I have no recollection of buying them, and I've certainly never made a red quilt!

Yet there they were, glowing enticingly, when I went to my Great Wall of Fabric looking for inspiration, and they're just perfect for this quilt's intended recipient (I hope!). If you look closely you might spot a couple of my precious Kaffe Fassett fabrics. I don't cut into these treasures for just anybody!

The top's almost complete. Watch this space...

I can’t help myself

Call me unimaginative.  Call me predictable.  Whenever anyone who means a great deal to me has a Significant Birthday just can’t think of  a more appropriate gift than a quilt.  

Nothing says “You’re special” as much as a warm, soft, handmade quilt, big enough to wrap yourself in.  Now, does it?

I’ve been slicing away for several days now, cutting strips for just such a quilt, and in case the intended recipient is reading this you’ll just have to be content with this sneak peek at the strips waiting to be stitched together.

Shhhh…..  Say no more!

This made me smile - I hope it brightens your day too!

This is just one of those heartwarming video clips that makes you smile! An elderly couple (he's 90 years old) give an impromptu recital on the piano in the lobby of the Mayo Clinic.

Enjoy!

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…

…to hop into bed with my laptop! (Do you take yours to bed too?) On a cold winter’s night I just love to snuggle down and catch up with all my friends’ blog posts that my Google Reader has been saving for me through the day.  How many blogs do you follow?  What a wonderful world of creativity there is in blogland!

Then I might pop on over to Facebook to see what Lynda, Lindi, Neroli, Bec, Kate, Susan (even that smart-alec cat!) and others have been up to.  That’s always good for a laugh. 

Finally, if I’m not too sleepy, I’ll drop in on the Facebook Scrabble board and make a few moves in the dozen or so slow-burning games I have on the go – ever hopeful that my rating might at last begin to rise rather than continue the current sad downward spiral.  Just call me Pollyanna!

Then it’s “Goodnight friends”…..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

[If you’d like to join in the fun of “It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…” pop over to ButtonsByLouLou where you’ll find the rules, as well as a list of all the bloggers who are playing.]

More variations on a theme

Quilt 3

A mere nod in the direction of The English Quilt here.

Appliqueed gum leaves and blossoms have replaced the hexagons, and cross-stitched blocks of colourful waratahs, boronias, wattle and Christmas bells make this quilt as Aussie as can be. Gorgeous!

Quilt 4

Delicate English roses everywhere you look on this one. For most of us this was a stashbusting exercise – I just wish I had some of these delectable fabrics lying around in my stash!

Quilt 5

Instead I delved into my ridiculously large collection of blues to create this scrappy little number. How I came to have so many blues is a complete mystery since everyone knows I’m totally besotted with the colour pink!

How can I stitch thee, let me count the ways…

Five of us have just come to the end of another quilt journey (if you don’t count the quilting itself – and who does?!). 

We all started with the same pattern, Terri Brander’s “The English Quilt” (Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 14 No 5 ) but once we’d applied our individual styles to this traditional medallion quilt the result was five very different – and very beautiful - variations on the theme.

I thought you might like to see the results. (with permission from the quiltmakers)

Quilt 1

Here the quilter has deliberately left plenty of space around the central medallion so she can have some fun with her machine quilting. I love the way (not having enough to use it lengthwise) she’s crosswise cut that vintage Robyn Pandolph stripe.

Quilt 2 That soft green perfectly sets off the clamshells, hexagons and bows in the centre square

[More in my next post.]

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…

… for some spare time! (You too?!?)

Helen had a generous giveaway on her blog – her clever patterns for these delectable “cupcake” pincushions and pretty doiley – and I was lucky enough to win.  Thank you so much, Helen!  I have to try those, especially since I’ve loved the doiley ever since I first saw it!

My friend Lynda also sent me three of her own beautiful patterns as a little “thank you”.  There’s a Bible cover, carpet bag and cushion, so clearly written and  cheery - and I’m itching to make these up too. 

Ah, one day soon……

[If you’d like to join in the fun of “It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…” pop over to ButtonsByLouLou where you’ll find the rules, as well as a list of all the bloggers who are playing.]