Finally Finished!!

After alot of playing around on the floor with these simple blocks, I am finally now happy with this quilt!!  
I discovered a few things...
Too many "X " blocks all together did not look good, in fact they look v. confusing & messy!!   So I added in the plain background blocks to calm it down a bit. 
Then I realised that there needed to be something that kinda tied them all together visually. So I added more of the grey solid where ever I could!!!! 
I also alternated pattern backgrounds with the  plain, apart from in two places!!
And, just for fun, I did one block with 2 crosses!!!
Done!

wedding bunting

I'm making some bunting for my daughter's wedding in January - easy job I thought!!!   and I had strict instructions to include "red" which was kinda difficult given that the bridal party was ivory & soft pinks.  We are going for an overall vintage look & I hunted everywhere for something that would work! 
I found this......."Sweetcakes" by Riley Blake ......with pink and red hearts!!!

Hope she likes it!!

Sunday Sewing

Inspiration comes from all sorts of places.....  from books like Freddy Moran & Gwen Marston's "Collaborate Again Quilt Designs".  Red Sticks is their version of  inserting narrow strips into blocks of fabric, and if you look closely you can see that the border is also made of the same but in v. low contrast.





....from other quilters. Our Monday Modern group made these blocks for  Megan a wee while ago, more of the same but slightly different.

.....and of course other blogs  http://www.filminthefridge.com/

I have been playing around with my latest little bundle of fabrics too!!! 

I added in a few extras from  my stash & the 8 1/2 " blocks came together v. quickly & v. easily. I am having fun combining different colours and the addition of solid fabrics is quite a nice change. 
I need to do lots more blocks to make it up to a reasonable size, so it's a work in progress. Nothing too tricky for over the Xmas season!!! 

Just got these lovely new fabrics from Patchwork Passion/ Onehunga. 
What to do next????

binding decisions!!

At our last Monday Modern group we touched briefly on bindings, and how did we all make that final decision.  Helen was all for a final impact statement, and I tend to agree with her!!    But, I guess, its personal peference and really depends on the overall look that you want for that oh -so- nearly completed quilt.
This quilt is one of two that Glenys & I each made.....I signed up for the Material Obsession Block of the Month, getting one block sent over each month from Australia.  When the package, we divided up the fabrics, supplementing our initial choices with fabric from our own stashes, and split the cost between us!!!  
So we now each have a quilt in varying stages of completion, and I have put off making the binding decsion for ages!   I am kinda tending towards a dusky blue ( I always go "blue" 'cos that's what I am comfortable with!!!) Something that will compliment, but, this time, certainly no "zing" !!!! 

Using low volume fabrics

In between shifts at work, I have been re reading my book "Sunday Morning Quilts" by Amanda Jean Nyberg & Cherly Arkison. You do need alot of scrap fabric to sort thru' & store for some of their quilt ideas but, with a passion for fabric,  i love any new ways to diminish my stash!!!!  
So, with a selection of low volume fabrics teamed up with a little bit of white, & along with a wee bit of "zing" , I think the overall effect is still v. soft & light!!!     If I didn't have to go to work tomorrow, I'd get this finished!!!!

Monday Modern catchup

I have our Monday Modern group next Monday and , as usual, I leave everything to the last minute!!
We are making Xmas stockings to give to Women's Refuge in Te Atatu, filled with little goodies.  So, I got cracking today & completed this stocking - and am quite pleased with it. (it's been ages since I've made anything "christmasy"!)  
I also got busy organising little fabric parcels & instructions as it's my turn for the group to make blocks for me!  I have chosen a kind of vintage "modern" block - using The 6G Quilt designed by Sarah Fielke.  It will have assorted blues for all the backgrounds, linked together with 2 1/2 " squares of assorted reds, and the stars are made out  my precious collection of Denise Schmidt and a couple of the new Liberty art fabrics thrown in.

Saturday sewing

Have discovered the world of blogging, thanx to my daughters help!!!!
Just need to now get busy sewing !

Raegans Quilt

Since I have set up this blog site for my mum I decided that the first post should be the one and only quilt that I have made! Enjoy blogging mum!! xxx