overlapping octagons

- planning & reshuffling things on the 'design floor'

- just captured the late afternoon sun

This week I've spent a bit of time working on my 'overlapping octagons' quilt {you may remember this WiP from back here}. I used mainly Amy Butler prints for the strip piecing and the corner squares, and I teamed them up with about six different neutrals.

But things have changed since I first began piecing this. And I ended up unpicking quite a bit to get the 'look' I wanted. The all-solid reds looked way too overpowering to me, so I added in different reds, including a red & white gingham - love the way the vintagey checks add so much extra appeal. And I also liked the way the reds and the blues played together, so I made sure there was quite a good scrappy selection of blue prints scattered throughout the quilt.
Some octagons are more obvious than others, loving this perfectly imperfect look. My finished quilt top measures approx 125cms x 175cms.

And on the +side, it fits the brief for both the uanduqal and the recent adhoc: improvquilts challenge too. Also linking up with Em for 'moving it forward' here at emsscrapbag and with Kelly for 'needle and thread Thursday' over here at myquiltinfatuation

it's binding time again

Two of my recent quilt makes have come back home

and I will be busy adding the bindings sometime over the Easter weekend.

My 'camomile' quilt was custom quilted and looks wonderful

Floral binding? yes please!

- backing closeup pic

And my 'moda love' quilt is quilted in an edge to edge lacy pattern called phoebe . . .

stripey binding? yes please!
- but which one?

My choices are a toss up between an Amy Butler stripey lookalike or a pretty Tilda cream stripe

- backing closeup pic

The magic of Leeanne's quilting has just made the whole quiltmaking process so much quicker!
And she's getting to know my quilting preferences really well. 

She has lots more pics of my latest two quilts over here on her ig feed

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here at quiltingismorefunthanhousework

Happy Easter everyone

little miss sawtooth quilt top

Here's a few progress photos from over the past week . . .

- on the design floor

 #5 Olivia

#1 Millie

#6 Ava

#2 Josephine

Quilt Stats: 'little miss sawtooth star' quilt top

I found that this quilt was a great way to use up some of my stash. I'm usually all about colour, lots of colour, but I must say I've so enjoyed this softer look featuring low volume fabrics. I used loads of low volumes, and you may notice that I've weaved just a little bit of more colour into my selections. 

And, I also tried to get a good scrappy assortment of medium prints, with the occasional darker/brighter one to help the colours 'pop' just a little more.

The Sawtooth Star (which goes way back to the 1860’s apparently) is a very versatile star, it can be made different just by simply changing up the centre. I've used 6 different sawtooth star blocks, and repeated a few favourites. These have been alternated with the background filler squares to give a total of 30 blocks, free pattern here by Melanie from southerncharmquilts.

My version is slightly different to the pattern - I made all my star points scrappy. In the pattern, the 8 points in each block are from the same fabric.

Finished top measures 60" × 72″  It feels so good to have made this quilt top all from my stash. 

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' over here at quiltingismorefunthanhousework, and with Kelly for 'needle and thread Thursday' here. And with Myra here at busyhandsquilts for 'finished {or not} friday'.

- until next time
Linda

EDIT: there seems to be a wee problem with gmail just now, 
and some of my replies aren't going through.
Thanks so much for all your interest & lovely comments.

still stuck on stars

I'm just a little bit stuck on making stars at present.

I'm using this free pattern here by Melanie from southerncharmquilts. It's one with lots of variety in the sawtooth stars, just by using a different star center (the 6.5″ middle part) you can completely change how the sawtooth star looks.
They are teamed up with lots & lots of scrappy low volume filler blocks. I'm loving this look more & more, a little bit of negative space which doesn’t crowd the star blocks and it seems to give a more modern feel.

I definitely want to make this a scrappy quilt, soft & pretty with little 'pops' of colour. So I had a little play today and came up with my colour palette and a few 'rules'. I've decided to make all my star points in a variety of scrappy fabrics in any one colour, with my centres in a contrasting colour. And I'm planning on using lots of different neutrals, some fabrics with slight colour, some cream, some whiteonwhite, etc.
Here's a few progress photos . . .

#1 Millie

#2 Josephine

super scrappy in peach

#3 Sadie

- my favourite so far

Hope all these come together as I've planned!

Linking up with Kelly for 'needle and thread Thursday' here at myquiltinfatuation
and with Wendy for this weeks 'peacock party' over here at wendysquiltsandmore

mixing it up

Well, after breaking up a fabric stack, 

I began searching through my scrappy baskets to find fabrics that would mix things up a bit

Lots of large florals and cheeky stripes.

Here's last weeks progress shots.

Loving all the little unexpected 'pops' of red in this
See back here for details about my inspiration & fabrics choices

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here

until next time

Linda