A big thankyou !

Just a quickie to say thankyou for all the lovely comments I've received so far. It's so encouraging to know that people are actually finding my page. My family think I'm getting addicted to blogging - don't know what give them that idea !!! Will try and get some more photos taken at the weekend of my older stuff ! Still got a lot to learn about blogging but having such fun so far ! Brilliant !

Tulip Tango !

I have had a week where my time is not my own - I'm sure you know how it is ! My dh is currently waiting to start a new job after his last employer ceased trading so is - unfortunately under my feet all the time. He keeps insisting I will miss him when he returns to work in the next week or so but I know differently- lol ! Anyway today was a free day and I needed to sew !!

Earlier this year I did a signature block swap on the Dear Jane list that I'm on. It was the first time I'd participated as I joined the list too late last year. It was great fun and the blocks I got back were amazing..It was like christmas and my birthday rolled into one when I received my pack of blocks. Anyway some of the ladies on the list made one block different from the others and that was called their " special siggie ". I was so excited when fondling my blocks to discover some-ones special block. The lady was from Oregon and she sent me something really lovely. She said she had searched for something that represented Oregon and the gift was 4 fat eigths and a pattern. All I needed was to add a background fabric.

I decided to use a black fabric with a tiny pink flower as it matched nicely with the hot pink and orange fabrics.

So after doing the bare minimum - and resolutely ignoring the dust I set to. I was determined to finish this today. I gave my family their evening meal early so I could get it quilted and bound. In fact they ate so early they'll be rooting through the cupboards anytime now for snacks but ha - I'm not bothered. All I have to do it slip stitch the binding on the back - I absolutely LOVE binding and I'm done. Just have to find an uncluttered place to put it !! Could be easier said than done..

Dear Jane 1930's fabrics

OK - I dug out the Dear Jane quilt top and here it is. I think I am borderly challenged as I seem to get stuck as to what to do with the tops when it comes to borders. I have loads of 1930's fabrics left but am dithering where to go from here. I think maybe an applique border would set this off a treat but to be honest I haven't done a lot of applique and this would be a lot of work.. I have done a bit of machine applique and quite enjoyed it but I really love the look of needle-turned work. I have a bit of 1930's plain fabric in blue and green left over from another quilt ( which is still awaiting quilting !! ). I am really tempted to do a vine and leafy border on this.

This is why I really don't need to start any new quilts yet - I have loads to be getting on with...

I also have several others in various stages of completion including a wheel of fortune quilt in really gorgeous colours, A twisted sister quilt in black, white and red that was supposed to be a Christmas present for a friend last year......I'm sure there's other stuff lurking about - Oh yes and a rail fence quilt with a nine-patch on point border. Now that will be lovely when it's finished ! Is that when or if ???

Dear Jane blocks

Here are the DJ blocks I have made so far for my second DJ quilt.. I dug out the 1930's DJ I was talking about in my other post but it is badly in need of pressing as it's been folded up for a while. Cannot be bothered getting out my iron now as I'm only just cooling down after a very hot busy day !! I know many people will consider me a killjoy but I hate summer !! I know - most people think I'm mad but I really cannot bear being hot....Roll on the dark nights and frosty mornings - thats my idea of good weather. I love autumn !!

The close-up of the single block is the one I finished about an hour ago...I was so pleased with it until I came to tick it off on my list. I am doing each "round" in a different fabric as you see in the other picture. You guessed it - it's not on my list... I bought the DJ software a couple of weeks ago and printed out some blocks for paper-piecing.. Must have printed out the wrong one for this colourway...It doesn't matter so much - I will just swap it for it's next door neighbour. Doubt anyone will notice but me anyway. This "round" has 24 blocks so I'm almost halfway there. Then will decide on next colour ! I think I'm enjoying working this way. On my last DJ I took so long picking a colour for each block trying to spread out the colours evenly it drove me crackers - lol !

Here also is a photo of one of the sisters choice quilts I've made using Bonnies pattern at Quiltville. I made this one to be raffled by our local cat rescue centre. I sent a photo to Bonnie and she published it on her site... I was chuffed - as we say round here. (delighted).

I'm a Stashbuster !

Just got confirmation that I've been accepted as a member of Stashbusters !! Thanks to Swooze - Sorry don't know how to do links yet ! Looking forward to getting to know everyone properly ! This is seriously addictive. While I'm on I'll post a picture of another of my little babies. This one is Kasper and he is such a little bundle of fluff. He will be 2 years old next month..

Dear Jane Quilt !

About April last year I bought the Dear Jane book and decided to dive right in. After a lot of thought I chose to do it in 1930's reproduction fabrics and then went on a buying spree to get as many different fabrics as I could. They were quite hard to find as we don't have a brilliant selection of these in our quilt shops. I bought some from ebay, had some shipped from USA, bought some at a show and a lovely lady on the Dear Jane list sent me some pieces she had gotten from a swap. I started off and although the pieces were small I really enjoyed making them. In between other projects I would go back to it. I always knew this was a long term project. After a while though I couldn't seem to muster up any enthusiasm for making any more blocks. It took me a while to realise that the reason I had stopped working on them was because deep down I was wishing I had chosen a different colour scheme. The blocks I had made were really pretty and fresh looking - I had seen pictures of DJ quilts made from similar fabrics and they were stunning. BUT I wasn't happy !!

I think I had made just over 6o blocks and so decided to cut my losses and not exactly abandon the quilt but to use the completed blocks to make a smaller quilt. I made hour glass blocks with some of the 30's fabrics and set them alternately with the DJ blocks. Thats as far as I've got. I need to get borders on it and that is one of the things I will try and get done soon. I will post a picture of it tomorrow .

And by the way - I have started my new DJ quilt. I have done 8 blocks so far.. I really wanted to do this one in a trip around the world setting as the original quilt does so thats what I'm doing. Each "round" will be in the same 2 fabrics - quite dark subtle colours. I like it so far !

Busy, busy -no quilting !!

Busy weekend but no quilting done. Will try to put that right this week. My nephew turned 18 years old at the weekend and my sister roped me in to make a huge birthday cake, prepare food and supervise at his party. It was good fun - I even had a sing at the karaoke - the fact that I cannot sing a note in tune did not deter me.....I could hardly refuse the request from the birthday boy to join him in a duet...It was a laugh !! I have also been dressmaking - not for myself. My sons school is having a historical day - namely the Tudor period and Iwas asked to make one of the teachers a Tudor costume...It's nearly done and I can't wait to get back to my quilting.

Now I love my sewing machines but like many quilters I like to have some hand work on the go. I have nearly finished this apple core quilt top - all pieced by hand. I would like to have it finished soon because I have a new project lined up.

I was trying to be good and get shut of a few quilting magazines which are breeding like mad and making my shelves buckle... However after only putting 3 in the "dispose of" pile with about 53 in the to" keep" pile my brain is working overtime with loads of ideas for potential new quilts. As I said previously I really want to finish some UFO's before i start anything else but the urge is overwhelming- lol.. I have promised myself that if I finish the apple core I will be allowed to start this next one... Its from Australian Patchwork and Quilting which is one of my favourite mags... This quilt is done by English paper piecing which I have dabbled with. I have a half ( or is it a quarter ) finished hexagon quilt somewhere that I completely lost interest with. Maybe someday it will get done.

Oops - just realised my toes are in one photo - lol !