mixing prints

This past week, I've continued to faff about with my bright 'trip around the world' blocks, reworking an earlier project that I didn't love. I was originally just going to make four blocks but ended up deciding to make nine instead. So, I've been playing with colour combos and slowly stitching a couple of blocks together. 

I'm mixing up all sorts of prints together, old & new, all in beautiful shades of pinks, green, orange, blue & lilac! 

I have a few ideas to help with the flow ... I'm aiming for two rounds to be the same colour, like for example, a light or softly muted blue combined with a bright blue. But of course, I break my own rules too and end up with something that's close, like maybe brown & peach or black & grey. 

I've also got two rounds of pinks happening, a pink pathway if you like. And, there's a 2ndary pattern happening, all in golds & B&W stripe.

Oh, you may need to pop on your sunnies first ...

As you can probably see from my photos - I am splitting things up into (approx)16" asymmetrical blocks to assemble. But there was no easy way to join all those little squares up first, other than stitching one small square after another, and trying not to mess up the sequencing in the process!

Super happy working from my fabric stash in a way that is now beginning to feel cohesive and intentional.

Linda

Marjorie quilt

- party in the quilt back

And here's my 'Marjorie' quilt, another recently finished quilt that has now been gifted. I used a pattern from Jennifer @penelopehandmade. My colour concept was simple, I was (loosely) channeling a soft pastel "Bridgerton" vibe, with colours of soft blues, springtime pinks & peach, and lavender. All the colours seem to dance softly over & around the dutchman's puzzle blocks.

For my backing I used two vintage sheets from a local Hospice shop, which I cut into strips and inserted three leftover blocks. I think the back complements the front of the quilt nicely with those extra blocks tucked in there. Best of all, it's a little surprise when the quilt is turned over!
And I had it quilted in an e2e 'peeling good' panto by Leeanne @quiltmekiwi.
I chose an early Henry Glass stripe in purple for the binding, I think it works perfectly with these colours.

Happy weekending, Linda

another finish

Between starting another small scrappy quilt and working on another ufo, 

I finished another quilt this weekend. 

- a party in the quilt back!

I loved making this 2nd version of the 'checkered garden' quilt. I used the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge, such a fun block to assemble. There's something so joyful about turning small pieces into a cohesive delightful quilt.

I used a colourful whimsical mix of fabrics, loosely channeling my inner vintage granny chic with a touch of modern. All from scraps & stash, add a little contrast from the darker teals & bright pink, et voilà!
Backing: I pulled out a small log cabin quilt top (see back here) in pink, brown & green leftovers, and then just started building around the log cabin center with my chunky strips to bring it up to size. Hm-m-m - this quilt has a real two-sided appeal thingy happening!
Quilting: Leeanne @quiltmekiwi added some quilting goodness, using an e2e cone flower panto.

I finally added the binding this weekend. I settled on a moody teal/green with a small floral print on it for my binding, 'Handkerchief Helga' by Nathalie Lete for AMH's Conservatory. 

Happy weekending, 

Linda

current state of affairs

You never know what you are going to find when you rummage through the ufo cupboard! I first got the idea for another 'trip around the world' quilt when I dug out some small squares & part blocks that I'd made back in 2023. 

I had used a selection of fabrics in blues & pink along with some brown prints and a couple of ginghams (pics #2 #3 #4) but had put them away & promptly forgot about them!

 

Fast forward to now ... I was so disappointed when I relooked at them this week because initially the softly muted, vintage looking blocks had appealed. But I still didn't really like where it was going, as I tend to make more saturated looking quilts these days.  

 ... and the big question now was, what to do with all those little squares?

Sometimes stopping can be the undoing of a project, yes? I faffed around for a few days, scrolling ig & blogs. Like many, I'm always on the lookout for ways to use up my scrappy stash and am keen to try out different colour combos. I was inspired by a quilt (2017?) I saw by Cathy @cabbage quilts. And it was all the prompt I needed.

I decided I needed to start from the beginning again, using clearer brighter fun colours. So now I'm busy sorting out all my small squares, trying to work quickly, deciding which were in or out. And adding in few more golds, greens, oranges & purples. 

And it feels sew good to be doing something finally with some of this fabric! 

here's my first few "new" blocks on the design wall

Super happy with the current state of affairs.

Can't decide if I'll keep it small or keep going ...

because of course, while I have reused seven of the original "tired" sets of squares,

 I still have lots of other softly muted 2.5" squares to deal to too.

  (a problem for another day!) 

Linda

a quilt in the garden

A finish for February. This quilt had been pieced into blocks last year, sashing added, and just before Christmas I sent it off to Leeanne for quilting. I finished the binding this morning and then took a few pics out in the garden. 

- love how this binding works well back & front

- party in the quilt back!

Le Moyne Star quilt

Inspired by tradition but reworked to look a bit modern.

A few quilt details: 

Fabrics: It was fun making these fussy cut blocks. I decided the Anna Maria peach/pink 'Cathedral' print would be my unifying element, and I used it for the sashing & borders. The peach was a little nod to the vintage inspiration quilt, it really makes for a sweet background. 

I also repeated a couple of other fabrics in different colourways, to help with a calmer & more cohesive look. 

Backing: I had one leftover block, so I used that as my starting point. Next, I added a pink & orange mishmash from my stash, strips & chunks set in an improv log cabin style until it all came up to size. 

Quilting: edge-to-edge 'coneflower' panto, it works so well with all those AM fabrics! The bulk caused by the piecing of the stars, added to the bulk of a pieced back, meant that this was going to be best handled by long arm quilting. Leeanne outdid herself on this one. 

Binding: Love how this AMtextiles 'checkers Saturday' sings! 

Quilt measurements: 60" x 48". 

* For more details re any of my quilts, simply head to the search bar at the top L) hand side of my blog, key in quilt name, hit search, et voila. 

one punchy palette!

Loving the mix of *scrap sewing & this super punchy palette. It all ended up working well together
- the lights & brights, with cool and warm tones - a bit of everything really.
Joining up went fairly smoothly too, but I must confess - a few pins may not have survived the process (wink wink).

*Inspiration for this quilt & palette came from Jolene's new book 'scrap quilt diary'. I'm finding Jolene’s quilts so inspiring, and as everyone’s stash is so different, the results are very much unique. There may be more in my future. 
I used the 'vintage diamonds' quilt pattern @theowlhutch
My quilt measurements 66" x 52", a little smaller than the pattern.

vintage diamonds: update

I began joining up my *Vintage Diamonds in scrappy brights this week.

Here's a few a lot of progress photos, taken over a few days ...  

- working thru' my scraps & stash but not making much of a dent!

With my last batch of diamond units, I repeated several fabric combos to help towards achieving a scrappy, but balanced, look. I sewed my diamond units into long rows, and then finally, I slowly started joining my long diamond rows together - on the diagonal & carefully nesting my seams. 

I had hoped to get it all together, but it's way way too hot to sew anymore today. And that's ok, there's always tomorrow. Or the day after. 

Feeling just a wee bit excited about this (almost finished) quilt top ... more to come.

*Inspiration for this quilt came from Jolene's new book 'scrap quilt diary'

and I'm using the 'vintage diamonds' quilt pattern @theowlhutch