Scrap Bag

This is a new quilt for a friend of mine who lives in Sweden. She has just had a baby boy and I have been deciding what kind of quilt to make. Then I remembered a lovely UFO sitting at the back of the cupboard. I am sure Mum and I started this quilt at least 4 years ago, then just lost interest. What naughty girls we are. Anyway i pulled it out tonight, made 4 sawtooth stars and then sewed the borders on. Ta da……. finished.

I was always going to make this quilt into a bed quilt but got stuck after the last border. It is so busy and bright I just didn’t know what to do. I think a baby quilt is the answer – no more borders to make, no more decisions to be made. I like it.

My Mum and I promised my sister a quilt for her 30th birthday, mmmmm she is now 35. Opps. Thats the thing with owing a shop, you are always sewing new samples, or desiging new quilt patterns. Family stuff always seems to come a very distant 2nd.  I pieced this quilt for her using the pattern “What a bunch of Squares” from Denyse Schmidt’s book, “Quilt”. I made it using a cream solid and Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern range.

Yesterday whilst watching the Olympics I decided to baste and machine quilt this rather large quilt. 8 hours later and with very sore shoulders and back, I was finished. I really like the simplicity of this quilt and I think I would like one for myself too!

I don’t know if i have mentioned quilts of love before, they are small quilts which are given to parents of babies that are stillborn, or have died for some reason. The parents are very grateful for these quilts, as it helps with the grieving process by giving them something tangible that is part of the memory of their baby. You can read more about them on the Ballaarat Quilters web site.

At our last retreat we were asked to bring orphan blocks. (Blocks that we have used to test patterns, or made too many, or decided we didn’t like the fabrics used etc… basically blocks that we no longer want.) These were then put on the floor and everyone had a look and took what they liked. They are to be used to make quilts of love. I got the backround blocks for this quilt from the retreat. Kirsty has used them to test a block. I then did some applique and lots of hand quilting and I really like the finished product.

Suzanne Lyle, the designer of “Memories of Japan”, the quilt I wrote about a couple of posts ago, has made another quilt. This time using our Kaffe Fassett Fat 1/8th packs. It shows just how fantastic this design is that it will work with any fabrics so successfully.

One of our talented quilt group members, Suzanne Lyle, designed this wonderful quilt. After much encouragement from the patchwork group she has released it as a pattern. It is such a simple, yet stunning design that showcases the fabrics beautifully.

Memories of Japan

I have made some packs up of the little crosses quilt using exactly the same fabrics that I used in the original. That never usually happens, we will always sell out of one or two of them before I get the quilt finished. So it is very exciting.

I also had some good news. The quilt that I made for my cousin’s partner Jacqui was very welll received! Phewff. You can see picture of it here and here.

Over the weekend I finished quilting and binding three quilts. What a wonderful feeling to get them done.
One is the little crosses quilt I made for the shop.

The second is a present for my friend’s third baby, Noah. Please note I usually give these quilts a week or two after they are born. mmmm Noah turns one very soon…

The third is for my cousins partner, she asked me for a quilt at Christmas and it has taken me much longer than I thought. I love making quilts but when you are commissioned to make one it is always my worry whether they will actually like it. Fingers crossed!

I had an absolutely lovely weekend away with my quilt group, with lots and lots of sewing. The first quilt I finshed was my friendship quilt. We have 26 people involved in the friendship blocks and the block I picked was Bears Paws. I changed the block a little by adding the extra red squares in the block. I am making this one to eventually be in my bedroom which of course I will have to re decorate!

The second quilt I made was a new shop version of little crosses. I made a smaller version for the birth of a friend’s baby and have been meaning to make one that I will make a pattern and pack for. Keep tuned for both of these quilt as we will make them into patterns.

My sister took this lovely photo of my two nieces having a chat sitting on the quilt I made for Olivia. Olivia is on the left and Sophie, who is obviously telling a really good story is on the right. Just too cute!

I had to take a photo of this quilt made by one of our lovely customers Dot. It is the I Spy quilt designed once again by Trish Harper of Design House Quilts.