hexis everywhere {update}

I'm getting a nice collection of little hexi blocks up on the design wall
here's an update for January ...

Curious about what I'm making? you can see early details here

So head count for tonight, turns out I've now got 22 pieced hexis made,
yayee - a productive week

sifting through my little collection of doilies for block #13...

... oops, see the mistake? a spot of reverse sewing was called for here
- too much chatter and not enough concentrating

... ah, now that's much better

oh my goodness, I just did a little adding up
I think there's close on to 100 pieced hexis needed all together ...

... still, just keeping it real here
going at my own pace and I'll be back in a month's time with a few more

Linking up with Myra for 'finished or not Friday' here @ busyhandsquilts 

a bit more #56
more happy mail today ... a little vintage fabric treat for me

#outbackwife by @gertrudemade from material obsession

"This is a collection with beautiful stories woven into the fabrics, a piece of the past that is so now"

It was difficult to decide on what to order as I had no plans for these beautiful florals
 I ended up getting 2 x 1/2 metre pieces and 4 x 25cm strips
- am so enjoying looking at them

I wonder, what would you do with a little selection like this?

a parcel in the post

Some happy mail in the post today...

  ...  it's a new collection of quirky low volumes Blueberry Park  by Karen Lewis

They are hand screen printed fabrics, great stash basics, and I think they could prove useful

Perhaps in my hexagon quilt? 

I rather like the idea of my vintage doilies mixed up with these prints
... the simple and geometric designs add fresh contrast

Have a happy week too

queen of the may {a WiP}

It's Auckland anniversary weekend here in NZ, and luckily it's a lovely long weekend as I got totally distracted today. This was so not on my latest 'to do' list, but I just had to keep making these blocks.

Inspired by Kathy from materialobsession and her use of contemporary fabrics with traditional designs, I've been experimenting, mixing and matching bright fabrics from my scrap basket ...

I'm using a template set from way back, it was my favourite block from a Material Obsession BOM quilt that Glenys & I both made ...

I'm machine piecing these 'queen of the may' blocks. I started out tentatively mixing things up a la Kathy style and the more I made, the easier it got. So then I began to play more ... with more fun fussy cutting ... and more quirky fabric combos from my stash ...

A floral here, a spot there, and lots of prints on prints on prints everywhere ...

I noticed not too long ago that Wanda from exuberantcolor has also been playing with some happy colour too. She's making some vibrant blocks for her 'color works' quilt from Kathy's Mixing Quilt Elements book, follow the link for a little peek.

And what about the block backgrounds? I hear you ask. Well, after making up a few, I did start playing with options. Maybe a variety of neutral plaids, spots and stripes ...

Or maybe something quite different, like a yellow? Traditional cheddar quilts always seem to catch my eye. Using a yellow background on something, even though it’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before, has always appealed ...

or maybe even this :)

The jury is still out on this, but yes... totally distracted {again} today.

Oh, and I don't know about you, but my stash has always been low on green fabrics. Not sure why, I just don't actively buy green. However, not so long ago Glenys passed on a few Amy Butler 'greens' to me and I was able to put them to good use here ...

... is there a colour you tend to shy away from too?

Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here
and with Sandra for here for DrEAMi a new linky party this year
for sharing those 'I-gotta-SEW-this-and-sew-it-NOW' moments

back on track

One thought I had at the beginning of the year was to go through my little pile of quilt tops once in a while and see if I could change or add something extra, anything really that rekindled my interest enough to get the quilt back on track and finished. So this week I'm relooking at a WiP from May last year and having another play with this star quilt top.

Sometimes it is good to leave things, have a break, and then come back to it... it's all part of the design process, yes?

I used Victoria Findlay Wolfe's 'mostly manor' fabrics for this star quilt. After finally settling on a layout, once it was all together, it always felt just a bit too small to be very useful.
Relooking at it today, I suddenly decided to add a border in VFW gold & white fractured stripe and then a nice wide border of her gorgous yellow floral. And I'm much happier now, have a look...

I've been wanting to use that gold & white fractured stripe in something... wonder why it took me so long?

All back on track now and ready for basting & quilting

Linking up with Em here for 'moving it forward'

a lovely little finish

My auntbets quilt #2 is finished. Initially, I did some machine quilting to accentuate the horizontal lines and to stabilize the whole quilt. And then I spent some time in the evenings hand tying randomly with cream candlewicking yarn. It's ended up a very lovely, soft & cuddly quilt.
Thanks for stopping by, Linda

Linking up with Kelly here for 'needle and thread Thursday'

my friday favourites #9

Here's my pick for this weeks Friday favourites- it's bound to brighten up your day too

Love this colourful project in my latest Quilters Companion magazine

'pickled fish' by Chris Jurd...

Love baking with Olive
gingerbread men, and flowers and fish oh my...

Love all the recent yarnbombing action up in the village...

What are you loving this week?

stashbusting

Back from a lovely family break at Waihi Beach
Lots of holiday fun... walking, cafe coffees,
and splashing about with Olive & little Evie in the surf ... wonderful

No stash at the beach house and so once back home
{and all caught up with all the washing}
I was distracted totally from my 'to do' list, and began cutting shapes for a new quilt...

it's all about using my stash this year

- and channelling my inner Kathy with lots of prints on prints on prints

and you?
have you been distracted by anything in the new year too?

Linking up with Lorna for 'show & tell' here at sewfreshquilts