time to enjoy the flowers

I haven’t gone through my scraps in forever, so a week or so ago I started with sorting out the scrap basket that sits under my sewing table. I was quite determined and only made three piles - keep, chuck, or pass onto my friend Glenys.
While sifting & sorting was a pleasant trip down memory lane, I did have ulterior motive for this sudden burst of tidying ... I was really pulling out all my leftover floral strips ... ones I couldn't part with ... and I ended up keeping a good mix from the last couple of years.

This week, those strips kept tempting me! So instead of sewing the July blocks for my 'positivities' BOM, I got very sidetracked. Again!

I'm making a 'Checkered Garden' quilt #2, a free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge. It's well written, fun & easy to follow. My first go with this pattern was made with all AMH fabrics (see back here for more details), and while I love it, I was keen to try out quite a different palette.

Using my focus fabric as a guide (a dark & moody AMH teal/green with a small floral print on it, perfect for bringing in some contrast), I started to select fabric strips in light - medium values in a variety of old & newer loved strips, loving the soft pastels - all from my newly-organised, colour-coded basket. 

Every block/garden cluster requires 5 fabrics. So, I decided that each block has a near-solid along with a print that complements for some harmony, a pale print/low volume to give some breathing space amongst my florals, and then whatever else I felt could work in nicely! It is scrappy ... but with purpose & intent.

It'll be made all from scraps, a colourful, whimsical mix - and that's what I love about it!

Time to enjoy all the flowers as I sew.

Linda

under the stars

Yes, I'm still seeing sewing stars! When I began making these wonky star blocks, I didn't have any plan. I tossed up for a bit, wondering about combining in other different blocks and/or playing with the overall quilt layout.  

And in the end, I just kept making more simple blocks until I had enough for a throw size quilt.

I've used lots of Liberty florals in both lawn & cotton, along with a few more favourite AGF & Tilda florals from my stash, and I also added a good dose of solids into the mix.  Super happy with the contrast of the itty-bitty florals with the solids. 

Enjoy my progress photos ...

Many thanks to Jolene @blueelephantstitches for the detailed (free) 'wonky star' tutorial. "It’s kind of a special star… it’s not quite a sawtooth star, it’s got just a sprinkle of organic freedom, and it twinkles."

Once all 30 blocks were completed, I spent some time faffing about with the layout. My plan this morning was to stitch them all together & finish the quilt top ...

so simple yet so pretty 

- like a scattering of summery flowers under the stars

⭐⭐⭐

Linda

favourite florals

Just for a change (wink wink) I'm using pretty colours and lots of florals. For this wonky star🌟 project I started out with a bunch of summery delicate florals in various medium shades from the makers stash. I’m adding in more favourite florals from my stash - more Liberties, AGF & Tilda - and I'm also trying to add a good dose of solids into the mix - a little out of my comfort zone but I'm liking it so far.

Jolene of @blueelephantstitches recently posted a sweet (free) pattern/tutorial, Star Hollow Quilt. She includes great tips for how wonky you want the stars to be, I’m on the less wonky team! (see back here where I first made wonky stars). 

It's a fun design for my scrappy mix of fabrics, enjoy the progress photos ...

Not 100% sure where this is going yet, 

but I'm enjoying sewing with all these sweet florals.

Linda

jacob's ladder front & back

I tend to start more than I finish! I enjoy the processes, going at my own pace and not stressing about finishing. Of course I do love a finished quilt, so now & then I save up and send a few quilts off to Leeanne the quilter ... and then I go on a binding spree.  Enjoy my latest *photos ...

Jacob's Ladder quilt details:

Pattern: totally inspired by Jolene from blueelephantstitches.com/. I loved her nine patch Jacob's Ladder quilt, but I reworked the math and used four patches to create my own version.

Fabrics:  I used a real mishmash, including a few favourite OOP fabrics, recent designer fabrics & a mix of background fabrics, all from my stash. I also had lots of fun playing with the value variations, so easy to change up & personalise the look of your quilt!

Backing: My backing for this one is a little wander down memory lane #throwbackthursday. I had a very old Jacob's Ladder quilt top in calico, blues & purples, which I made 21 years ago, and I decided to adapt it to fit #partyinthequiltback. 

Quilting: I chose the tried-and-true 'baptist fan' an E2E panto by Leeanne from quiltmekiwi, perfect for my old/new jacob's ladder quilt. 

Binding: I opted for a pretty itty bitty floral to capture all the warm colours, 'Tuesday' by Alison Glass. 

Quilt measurements: 49" x 65"

* pics taken in full sunlight, 

not complaining though as it's a beautiful winter's day

 - perfect for celebrating matariki this long weekend.

🌟🌟🌟

halfway!

It's June already, and we've reached the halfway point in 'Positivities' BOM quilt. It's a yearlong modern sampler quilt created by Rachel at @stitchedincolor. Loving how the edges blur from area to area, and how the stars, squares & curves reappear throughout the quilt, with everything all floating on a consistent background colour.

This month we’re doing some assembly, it’s fun to see things start to come together ...

Rachel's pattern is well written & she has a great eye for design 

We still have quite a few more parts to make before I can put everything together

- super happy so far with all my shifting shades of green 💚

a cuddle quilt

 

4 Patch Chain quilt

Pattern: I reworked a pile of small ufo blocks into a double four patch pattern

Fabrics: I enjoyed mixing up all the different fabrics for this one, old & new Tilda, Liberty, Kaffe, AMH, along with a little gingham to achieve a real vintage floral look. Loving all these pinks & purples 🩷💜

Backing: I found a delightful pair of vintage sheets at a local hospice shop recently, perfect for backing this quilt

Quilting: Machine quilted by Leeanne from quiltmekiwi  in E2E 'new growth' a loose leaf & vine panto 

Binding: I used a fun print 'postage due' by AMH, it captures all the colours beautifully. 

Quilt measurements: 49" x 57" 

This little cuddle quilt has now gone to Hospice, hopefully it'll brighten someone's day.

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here

until next time, Linda

stars upon stars quilt

My 'stars upon stars' quilt is back from some longarm quilting treatment. Leeanne from quiltmekiwi sprinkled a bit of fairy magic to help me get this quilt over the finish line. She suggested 'peeling good', a delightful E2E panto, with an overall look similar to the orange peel with its interlocking rings/flower petals.

🧚

...  and the binding is on 💕

#partyinthequiltback

'Stars upon stars' was my favourite quilt from Jolene's new book "a year of quilts". Using stars are a great design element, they are incredibly versatile with those strong diagonal lines. The colour play options really are endless. And, I think Jolene was very clever in the designing of this quilt👍

For my version, I used a scrappy mix of dark prints in caramel, rose, coral, orange & browns. The nine patch blocks are mainly in a selection of lights & mediums in peach, pink, light browns & cream, all creating a soft but interesting (= busy) background effect.

I found a 16 patch St Louis quilt top in the wardrobe that I used as my backing. It was made up in a scrappy selection of pinks & peach with a little splash of blue, very vintage looking to my mind and looked so pretty teamed up with my stars. 

I sliced things up a bit and added a few asymmetrical pieces to get it to a suitable size.

For the binding I used 'plaited' from AMH's fibs & fable collection. It's a fancy stripe and the pretty raspberry/pink colours work in so well with both the front & back of my quilt. Quilt measurements: 64" x 82"

until next time,

Linda

checkered garden

I don't usually like to sew a quilt exclusively with only one line of fabrics. But I couldn't resist the little challenge of making my 'checkered garden' in all Anna Maria Horner fabrics ... what's not to love.

As I made more blocks, I discovered different ways to combine these AMH fabrics. Loving all the little connections between all her fabrics, the repetition of tones & shades, shapes & shadows. 

I figured contrast was the key and I included all-that-I-have of her “lighter” fabrics to work as a soft compliment to all the other showstopper fabrics! 

All these floral prints sing together, it's like a party in the garden!

 'garden party' quilt top stats:

Pattern: Checkered Garden Quilt from Ashley @filminthefridge It was well written, easy to follow and FREE!

Fabric: a little bit of my entire AMH stash 

Cutting: 2 1/2” strips and the occasional 2 1/2" square selection when using up the very last of my fabric

... and it's finished!

except of course for the backing, and the quilting, etc.

Linda