tired of these checkered garden blocks yet?

Like a few quilters recently, I've caught the 'checkered garden' bug well and truly!

Loved making these, such a fun block to assemble ...

This is my 'Checkered Garden' quilt #2, using the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge. Definitely channeling my vintage granny chic with modern twist vibe here! I selected blending fabrics in light - medium values, a variety of old & new prints, in peachy pinks, rosy pinks, primrose yellow, green, & teal/aqua. Added in a little contrast from the darker teals & bright pink, et voilà!

Until next time, Linda

teddy bear repair

A few weeks ago, I sent my 70yr old, one-eyed Teddy Bear off to the Doll's Hospital 

for some repairs & restuffing.

Here's a 'before' collage ...

He survived his big adventure at the hospital and came home much happier ...

He's had a general spruce-up, his much-loved fur has a golden shine, his paw pads have been replaced,

he's plumper and, he has a new voice box too.

Until next time, Linda

checkered garden #2: update

In-between everything, I've been slowly making more blocks for my 'Checkered Garden' quilt #2, using the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge.

 
While my focus fabric is a dark & moody AMH teal/green with a small floral print on it, most of my other fabrics are definitely 'softer'. I'm selecting blending fabric strips in light - medium values, a variety of old & new prints, in peachy pinks, rosy pinks, primrose yellow, green, & teal/aqua. Add a little contrast from that dark teal, et voilà!

Here's a few progress photos from the design wall ...

- my favourite block so far,

a mix of Tula Pink stripe, Liberty, pink solid, Tanya Whelan spot & ?AMH

12 blocks✅

Not too sure yet how many more to make, maybe 16? maybe 20?

All depends on how many more nice combos I can come up with, I guess.

Hm - m - m - these last couple of projects 

look like I've been loosely channeling my inner 'vintage granny chic with a touch of modern' 

(is that even a thing?)

Anyways, best of all, the magic was all right here, all in my stash, all along!

Linda

P.S. #lovebeingagranny

seeing stars in Tilda pt2

It’s one happy creative mess here in my sewing room this weekend! As many now realise, I’m one of those quilters who gets easily sidetracked ... I can be cheerfully sewing away, and then suddenly I drop everything and start pulling fabrics for another project! I think I’ve had at least 3 distractions since starting this one! Can anyone else relate?

(wink wink) In my defense, I do write lots of stuff down to try & keep track of things, gotta love a good tick list!

Oh, and here is my finished quilt top, Sawtooth Stars in Tilda. Happy to get this little number all ticked off my list, it's now in the 'to be quilted' pile. 

I do love how the past & present lines of Tilda fabrics can mix & match so seamlessly. I decided to add the solid blue border, it helps to contain the softness of all the florals. And adds a splash of final colour. 

Here's a few photos ...

Super happy with how it's all looking very smooshed up together

and - as some have commented - how a few of the stars softly fade into the background.

until next time,

Linda

seeing stars in Tilda

Ideas for new quilts have been popping in & out of my mind while I've been caught up sewing my BOM 'positivities' blocks. Time for a new scrap quilt, I think. 

And I'm planning on using (mainly) fabric I have here - I love that thrifting aspect. I'd recently spotted a delightful idea over in IG to showcase my peacock fabric, see here @tara_899 love her fussy cutting skillz - it was all I needed to get motivated and pull out my little Tilda collection. 

My Tilda basket has been slowly growing over the past few years, FQ's & small 25" strip pieces that I've cut into for other things, but I haven't used them all together in anything yet. The difficult part was finding a pattern that would showcase the big illustrations as well as all the tiny details.

After a bit of faffing around, I'm now busy making 10" 'sawtooth star' blocks.

Have a peek ...

- star of the show!

- some of my older prints & the more recent brighter Chic Escape with Daisyfield blenders

I'm up to 9/20 blocks. 

I've been able to mix & match so many of my Tilda stash,

and it's all looking very flowery & smooshed up together, super happy! 

Linda

shine on!

Over the year I've been making the 'Positivities' sampler BOM quilt created by Rachel @stitchedincolor. It's modern, it's original, it's like an upbeat explosion of colour & shape! 

When I started out on this BOM, I was going to try and work with mainly solids, but those pretty prints kept on sneaking in! I've used a constant minty-green solid as my background and have pulled other fabrics month by month depending on what caught my eye, hoping repetition creates some harmony!

Super happy with this solids & print combo, the florals & the design elements seem to work well amongst all that soft green. 

After faffing around last month, I'm now all up-to-date. First up for the August installment was the Big Sun block, well, half-a-block actually! The positivity here is simple - let yourself shine ...

- checking my colours

******

The other patchwork group was 'collaboration'. Yayeee, no more FPP! It was three easy, traditionally pieced sections, formed with simple squares and rectangles, along the lines of a 'granny square' block. So satisfying to fill in a few more empty spaces with another couple of groups of positive patchwork!

******

Yesterday I lay things all out on the spare bed, checking my colours & (fingers crossed) hoping things would actually fit together okay! 

You will notice that there are a few spaces still. I'm looking forward to September's group, "aptly named 'space' - the least showy elements", fillers that will fade into the background but are equally important, I think. 

Back on track now AND ...

we are nearly there... 

Linda

my monthly dose of patchwork + positivity!

Over the year I've been making the Positivities* sampler BOM quilt created by Rachel @stitchedincolor.  It's modern, it's original, it's like an upbeat explosion of colour & shape!

I was a bit late to start working on my 'star web' FPP blocks for July, and now here we are into August and I'm still sewing 4-point stars. 

It's been slow progress, with some unpicking, and I can't say I enjoyed ripping out all those little paper pieces ... but it's so worth the effort, don’t you think? And, once I figured out the sequencing, things went A. Lot smoother. 

- one down!

There are still a few gaps, waiting now for August's blocks plus a couple of filler-type clusters, but I love how this project is coming together.  That minty green background fabric is hard to capture in a photo, but it's working well with all the brights. 

I am trying to be thoughtful with my choices - very mindful now of being at that stage of repeating rather than introducing new fabrics - but not being too precious about it. 

My biggest relief was that all my small components went together sew smoothly into one whole section! 

******

I actually signed up for the accelerated BOM (I know, I know), so I also received the instructions for the larger 'vision' blocks. 

I must admit, by the time I'd finished all 12 + 7 half 'star web' blocks, inspiration was majorly lacking, so I was guided by Rachel's suggestions for my larger blocks.  A nice easy sew to finish off July's installment. 

It's all looking very busy up on the design wall

And now that the August installment has turned up in my inbox, I may as well keep on keeping on! 

Linda

* In case you were wondering about the title of this quilt along, 'positivities' ... Rachel has assigned meaning to the patchwork groups as we work our way through the year. Every group connects with a theme for keeping a positive and grounded perspective as you navigate life’s challenges.
Yep, it's a feel-good kinda quilt!