stars, and pinwheels, and chains oh my!

reverse sewing done ✅

make more blocks ✅

join 20 blocks together and get this quilt top up off the design floor ✅ and ✅ 

It wasn't such a big task, not really ...

... but it was a little bit of a balancing act though, getting my colours & values right. 

This all started out as an idea using a scrappy mix of 12" sawtooth stars in pastels. I faffed around for a few days wondering about setting plans, borders or not. I checked out pinterest & IG, and got side tracked {as you do} seeing stars everywhere ... 

So, inspired by the idea of a two block quilt 🠝, I did the maths and added in a few 'pinwheel' blocks too, hoping a secondary pattern would emerge. 

I was quite intentional about the value of the sawtooth star fabrics as I also wanted that chain pattern with the medium-dark pinks happening too. So some blocks are definitely high contrast, but not nearly all, resulting in a subtly broken chain.

Anyways, fast forward and here's a few progress photos of where I ended up ...

- There’s so much to be learnt by stepping back, 

photographing your quilt, and checking it out in b&w.

Have a great weekend, Linda

fabulous fusion of fun fabrics

Hello hello. As most of you know, I'm a scrappy quilter at heart. Lots of my quilts are a real mix of fabrics, old & new - be they Liberty, Kaffe, AMH, etc - and my 'tickety boo' quilt is certainly another happy, scrappy delight. 

{wink wink} I'm a pattern follower not a pattern maker, and I enjoy putting my own individual spin on a pattern to personalise it, to make it just a bit more unique.
And this pattern by rachaeldaisy plants the seed for ideas and is, as she says, “an easy-going, friendly quilt designed to make you smile😊 It’s all about saying “It’ll be fine” or “Everything will be Tickety-Boo!”.

I've used lots of Jennifer Paganelli prints, and added Kaffe spots into the mix as well ... it's such a fabulous fusion of fun fabrics, both back & front!
Loads of lovely ric-rac in a variety of sizes and colours add an extra textural delight, a little spark of something different. The ric-rac idea is full of nostalgic references too, conjuring up memories of those pretty party dresses, picnics and long hot summer days. And, a little bonus, it also makes machine sewing those blocks with curves a breeze.

 

And for the back … I find a scrappy quilt is the perfect time to have a little fun when choosing your backing fabric(s). Late last year I pieced a pile of classic 5" squares together, and, as luck would have it, all that one-patch action worked out perfectly for a backing ...

Since the quilt is already so striking, I requested that Leeanne from quiltmekiwi keep the custom machine quilting simple, no need for the quilting to compete for attention this time! 

As an extra touch, in contrast to the overall minimal quilting, Leeanne chose the denser fleur-de-lis design for the curved fan shapes, springing them right back into focus ... 

For binding I chose a multi coloured Kaffe stripe, it seemed to work well with both sides ... 

And the finished quilt makes me smile each time I look at it 

😊😊😊

The finished quilt measures 53" x 58″.

I have a long list of unfinished projects, so it feels good to be able to cross this one off the list now. 

Linking up with Kelly for NNT here

with Alycia for 'finished or not Friday'  over here

and with Wendy for this weekend 'peacock party' here

Until next time, Linda

some unpicking required!

Well this project has certainly been a work-in-progress, evolving each time I step into the sewing room. I started out making 12" sawtooth blocks, then I threw in a couple of pinwheel blocks, and then I stood back and took a few photos.

I'm loving this combination of the two blocks and am having fun playing with colour, value and pattern scale. But after thinking about things for a while, I made the decision to keep all my pinwheel blocks in the one colour, as I really love how the darker pink bits almost form a chain in this quilt.

So yes, definitely some unpicking required this weekend, but that's okay. Here's a few progress photos of my 'stars & pinwheels' quilt top down on the 'design floor'...

- spot the difference!

* click to enlarge pics

Yesss... things are progressing well now... can't wait to stitch up a few more blocks!

Happy sewing, Linda

I need more pastel in my life!

Yes, time to tame all that colour! I'm switching gears today and adding a little more pastel into my life. I'm going with a vintage inspired whisper palette in pink, mustard & blues, with little accents of raspberry. I've got a soft mix of prints sorted out, including some of my small collection of Karen Lewis fabrics, along with a Liberty, AMH & an early Outback Wife print, all teamed up with a healthy dose of low volumes. I love it when the fabric kicks off the story! 

I started out making 12" 'sawtooth star' blocks, they are The. Perfect simple block setting to show off these prints & colours really well. 

Super happy with the soft pink and mustard combo... what colour combos make you smile? 

 Still undecided about the overall plan here, but having fun faffing around ...

Linda

log cabin love

I recently made two log cabin quilts, similar but different. Both are modern renditions of a favourite of mine, the good old log cabin block, and both are made in similar fabrics & colour palette. And I'm sure you will agree, the simple construction of the log cabin block allows the prints & colours to really shine! 

And, keen to not end up with a backlog of finished quilt tops, I sent them both over to Leeanne from quiltmekiwi for some machine quilting.
For a change, I asked that both quilts have a more patterned panto to add another layer to the eclectic, busy patchwork ... dense quilting for a perfect more-is-more result... have a closer look ...

First up, Courthouse Steps
Loving all the colour blocking & fabric play happening with this quilt, totally inspired by Lorena over here or here. I'm super excited about all the fabric play happening over here on Leah's feed too, equally inspiring.

Beautifully quilted in an E2E pretty star pattern called 'compass rose' for the ultimate texture and wool/polyester batting for that soft, cuddly drape. Backing: Shell Cotton Sateen Ruby Star Society. Binding: a black & white stripe 'cos I do love a two coloured stripe to finish with AND, I think it works nicely with the B&W spot in the center squares. Finished quilt measures 55" x 55".

- close up of the quilting

Scrappy Log Cabin
This is another value oriented scrappy log cabin quilt, and I’m super happy with the contrast of the multi-coloured prints vs the plains. This square layout has ended up with four darker prints-on-point squares,all nicely framed with a scrappy selection of lighter fabrics.
It's very much along the lines of a PDF quilt pattern I recently purchased from Annabel 'picnic in the park' and further inspired by an amazing rendition by Rachel from stitchedincolor.

 
Quilted in an E2E 'ikat' pattern. Backing: leftover wide backing floral, "optimistic" by AMH. Binding: I'm using a red tone-on-tone fabric, something that I thought would tie in nicely with my red centre squares and works gently without being too much of a harsh jump between the lights & darks. Finished quilt measures 55" x 55".

I think one of the many special things about quilting is how much inspiration is shared.

And I love how many of us start in the same spot but end up somewhere completely different. 

Here's where I ended up - one idea, two quilts, and double the fun! 

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here

and with Kelly for NNT over here

and for this weekend's 'peacock party' with Wendy here

Thanks for stopping by, Linda