around the world blog hop

What a lovely surprise to get an email from Kathy in Boston asking if I'd like to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop! She writes over here @ http://kayakquilting.blogspot.co.nz/ I enjoy reading about her quilty adventures and her FMQ is lovely, pop on over for a little look! So here we go, here's a little bit about me...

1. What am I working on? 
Well, the next couple of weeks are a bit hectic for me so my priority just now is finishing up a few things. I have a couple of quilts that I want to gift for Xmas but they need quilting first. I struggle with FMQ so will opt for simple straight line quilting on both on them.
I am a bit of a multi-tasker I must admit, often juggling a few things all at once, so I also have a couple of other WiP's up on my design wall! I am doing two BOM's, Ginger Crush which uses lots of soft  muted colours and Classic meets Modern which finishes up next month. I have just started a new quilt using my lovely Liberties. But I've been held up with any further progress as I am waiting for more Kona cotton to arrive. And I have also got one quick piecing fun quilt that I'm making whenever I get a moment to sew. It's a version from Victoria Findlay Wolfe's 15 Minutes of Play book, creating made-fabric from scraps. I should tell you thou' if you do give this a go, it's a lot of fun and it's very addictive sewing!

2. How does my work differ from others of its gene?
Over the years, I think I have made what some would call quite an eclectic selection of quilts! I love making scrap quilts the most, I enjoy mixing up fabrics from different ranges, playing with the values and experimenting a bit. I have found from experience thou' that a scrappy quilt can sometimes get a bit out of control and sort of lose some of it's charm, but I've worked out a few ways to tame my results! {e.g. common background fabric, or using a multicoloured print as a focus, or using a limited colour palettte,or maybe repetition of an accent colour.}
I haven't, so far, made an "all solid" quilt. And I don't really enjoy using all white as a background, I much prefer mixing assorted creams, whites & greys together from my stash to get an interesting effect.  

My tastes have definitely changed a little over time, mainly due to all the inspiration that's out there in blogosphere! I feel I'm kinda moving away from the traditional to a sort of happy mixture somewhere inbetween the old & the new! I also belong to a little group of quilters called "Monday Modern." We meet each month and I have found this to be a great source of inspiration and a wonderful way to share & meet like minded quilters. 

   

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I love colour.. and fabric! And like many, I love to gift my quilts, to learn new techniques, and to have fun using up my stash. Years ago I didn't take photos of the progress I made with making any of my quilts or of my actual finished quilts, it was way too expensive! So for me now, blogging is such a great, easy way of documenting my quilting journey! And it's alot of fun, I've met lots of new quilty friends, and my photography & computer skills have increased heaps! (many thanx to Megan @ http://jaffaquilts.blogspot.co.nz/  for initial afterhours assistance!)  

scrapbox delight

 little cot quilt all layered up, pinned & all ready for me to quilt

retro flowers quilt, home machine quilted

mixing the old with the new!

gypsy wife quilt.. done!

4. How does my creating process work?
Again I guess like many, I start with either a colour scheme that appeals, or have a particular fabric that I want to use, or maybe a pattern I want to try out. But while I often may have some initial concept in mind, I always seem to end up changing things along the way... sound familiar? Luckily, I really enjoy the actual processes involved in making a quilt, you know, all that fun of choosing the fabrics, all that trial & error of what works & what doesn't, all that fudging your way thru' new techniques! I do get there in end and usually have a quilt I'm happy with, it just takes a bit of time, which is ok!

curved star hexagon quilt, a long term WiP

Thank you Kathy for tagging me and in turn, I am tagging Robyn who also belongs to the Monday Modern group too. She blogs over here @ http://www.robynie.com/blog/  I love her fresh approach, and you should see all those tiny bits of piecing in her Brain Waves quilt, it really is quite amazing! Pop on over and check it out on her post later on. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished Brain Waves quilt in-the-flesh at the quilt show this coming weekend... for those overseas, here in Auckland, NZ we have the huge Festival of Quilts happening, the annual show of the Auckland Quilt Guild. 

I am also tagging Juliet from http://www.thetartankiwi.com/ I love her unique paper piecing patterns (haven’t as yet got into paper piecing myself!) and her attention to detail is amazing, pop on over sometime to check it out!

Linking up this week with Let's Bee Social for the first time over at  Sew Fresh Quilts