soft & scrappy log cabin

I'm on a "finish what you start" roll at present and am super happy to be finishing up my soft & scrappy log cabin today. This was a small in-between project that I started back in October 2019. Lots of log cabin 12" blocks, a simple design but always a favourite. It's a real mix of old & new fabrics, all in whispery light low volumes and pastels, all from the scrap basket.

I had it machine quilted in the 'bapist fan' edge to edge pattern by Leeanne from 'quilt me kiwi'. I chose 'apron Berta' Sunday in the Country by Nathalie Lete for Anna Maria's Conservatory collection for my binding, it seems to draw out the warm toasty colours really nicely as well as highlight those little "pops" of blue. 

The finished quilt measures 43" x 53", another small throw size. Linking up with Kelly for 'needle and thread Thursday' here and with Wendy over here for this weekends 'peacock party'. 

 

Until next time, Linda

little quilts

I decided I'd get in early this year and have a few quilts all ready & waiting for unexpected gifts. So, I sent four little quilt tops 'up north'  to Leeanne from quiltmekiwi for her to add some quilty texture. They arrived back home this week and I'm slowly adding the bindings on.

I know that some people aren't so into making little quilts, and that's fine, but I find working small is a great motivator. I can try out a new technique, a new idea, and it takes a lot of pressure off financially & timewise for me. Plus, I usually get a little quilt all totally finished! 

Here's a few photos of the quilt I finished today, another 'aunt bet's' quilt, I just love the whimsical scrappiness of this pattern! So simple and it seems to work well with any combination of fabrics! {this is my third version!} Follow the link if you are keen to see the original  Aunt Bet's Quilt, by Frankie and Ray. 

I used an early Amy Butler fabric for the binding, Hammock Stripe from her Gypsy Caravan collection. The backing is a wide backing supplied by Leeanne. And I had it quilted in the 'baptist fan' edge to edge pattern.
The finished quilt measures approximately 48" x 60", which is the perfect size for a smaller throw quilt. 

Linking up with Wendy for this weekend's 'peacock party' here and with Cyndy for 'oh scrap' over here.

and here are my other two earlier versions of 'aunt bet's' quilt . . .

Until next time, Linda

triangles in a square

Triangles in soft subtle whispers of colour -

a wildflower field in pinks & golds - all chosen to hang out together!

Super happy with this eight-at-a-time HSTs method!

Follow the link - over here - for a handy size chart 

- and up on the design wall 

I've made a start on making the 'scrappy triangle' quilt from new The Heritage Series quilts, a pattern by Penelope from Penelope Handmade. Love a simple and classic quilt like this one.

I'm using a selection of fat quarters - Wildflower Fields from Meander and Make a curated bundle  that looks like a unique fabric pull from my scrappy stash. 

FQ's are my favorite cut of fabric, and because I'm a scrappy quilter at heart, I’m in the habit of purchasing them more often than other cuts. I've added in a couple of other fabrics and an assortment of white low volumes from my stash to personalise my work. 

Until next time, Linda

from the sewing room

- so nice to have something pretty up on the design wall

 

- I'm thinking peachy-pink goes with just about everything

- there's a wee bundle of joy expected soon, 

hopefully I can get this quilted up & gifted in time!

There's an excellent post from Sarah on how to make these blocks here @confessions of a fabric addict

Shopping my stash 

- today's find 1/2 metre 'retro'  Daisy Pops Blue Single Border Print

- and the next quilt is ready to begin

Until next time, Linda

scrappy quarter cabins

 

For this quilt top I once again turned to my fabric stash. "Shopping my stash" makes me super happy, and being able to also repurpose most of those fabrics from my earlier project was very satisfying! I've popped in a few newer designer treats too.

The quilt design is so simple, lots of 8" quarter log cabin blocks. Lots of repetitive sewing, cut, sew, press and repeat. 

To me, it's as much about the fabrics as it is about the design with this project. I think these 32 little log cabins set on point, with the white "center" squares, gives it all a fresh modern look, as well as a sense of calm.  

Setting triangles are up next, what would you use I wonder?

Until next time, Linda

change of plan

Got a low-stress high-fun improvisational quilt in mind✔️

Got a selection of low volume squares ✔️ 

Got the fabric strips ✔️

I've had a change of plan this weekend. After struggling for days with my improv project I gave up! There seemed to be such a monumental leap between the inspiration quilt and my piece, so much so that achieving a cohesive look seemed to be slipping out of my hands with every move I made. 

I’m still #scrapbusting though, using the same fabrics but different, because we don't always get it right first time!

 

I’m making1/4 log cabin blocks inspired by @hezbez13 and @beccascrazyprojects using the 'scrappy quarter cabin' tutorial by @afewscraps {which you can find here}. 

Sticking to just the peachy pinks, plum, blues & toasty tans from my earlier attempt, I began making up these improv blocks.  

18 blocks done ✔️ 

Oh goodness, it feels great to be moving forward with something finally!

Linking this WiP with Cyndy for 'oh scrap' here

Until next time, Linda

improv 101

Hello hello. I've been so tempted to give improv another try again after seeing a few projects out there in the blogging world - in particular from Kaja from 'sewslowly' and Audrey from 'quiltyfolk'. It's something I really struggle with, but I still keep coming back for another go.

I started out with a hand pieced quilt block given to me by my daughter a few years ago which I've been keen to incorporate into a quilt top somewhere. If you look closely, you can see it's perfectly imperfect. The maker didn't fuss with the orientation of her stripe, she just let those triangles in the HST lay as they lay.
And while the background fabric is the same throughout the block, she must have run out of the orangery gingham as there's a small amount of spotty fabric substitute AND several pieces of the gingham have been joined carefully to make up some of the units.

Don't you just love the energy of a plaid, or a stripe, those directional prints which add to the charm and can make all the difference!  "Especially when they go a bit “off”. It’s not a look that everybody loves and I get that, but I love directional prints and how they can “make” something good into something extraordinary" Roberta Horton.

Anyway, after some faffing around, I settled on making my version of the make-do quilt pictured below, from Roderick Kiracofe's book 'Unconventional & Unexpected'. It's got a very scrappy, very utilitarian sort of look that has always appealed to me!

- from Roderick Kiracofe's book, "Unconventional & Unexpected" pg. 67 {see here}

I wasn't too sure just where to begin with this actually! I ran off a photocopy of the quilt pic and sectioned it off into long strips and studied it for a bit.  And then, eager to start, I pulled out a little fabric pile I had put aside some time ago and just jumped right in, beginning with the bottom right hand corner section with my vintage block.

But it's not as easy as one might think... the maths, getting the colours to flow from one row to the other, achieving that all important contrast in value. 

And, if you stop by here often you may also notice I'm using a few more solids and tone-on-tone fabrics than I usually do. Another thing I find tricky!

Hm-m-m- so not feeling the love at. all.

After the weekend of struggling with this, I had a conversation with Audrey, many thanks for your advice 👍. 

It's now looking more like how I imagined, after swopping out a few fabrics. I didn't want to completely replicate the original 1975 version, mine seems a bit more colour coordinated but it still has a few rogue surprise additions too! 

Each time I come into the sewing room though, I move a bit, add a bit, discard a bit - it's a little like doing a jigsaw puzzle! 

- checking the values out

At the moment I'm still deliberating between the light beige print 

{see pic below} or maybe a dark brown print for that long strip down the centre 

When you pop back next time {wink wink} you may find I've changed things around yet again,

but here's where I'm at today . . . 

. . . and there's still lots more coin & rectangle segments to come

Until next time, Linda