My retro TV quilt

Because we're part of the Modern Quilt Guild, we can sign up to fabric challenges a few times a year. The latest one was a challenge using Michael Miller fabrics. The gray fabric inspired me to make a Jetsons quilt. So I decided to make a retro TV quilt, reminiscent of the snowy reception we often received in Alice Springs, complete with aerials and chunky buttons.

Here's the gray fabric that inspired me - Jetson's anyone?

More Jetsons.

And I one my quilt guild's prize for the best challenge quilt. So exciting! My first win.  I won 2 metres of fabric from polkadottea.

I finished my rain drops quilts for the twins a day before they were born! We took the quilts to meet Alexander and Luca last week. They're not identical, so that should help out - but they both look like their dad.

Twins two

 

Twins!

Today, I'm working on twin quilts for twin boys due soon.

I found a great picture on Pinterest and saved it in my baby ideas folder.

It uses just solids and this is my attempt to just use solids! Just can't do it!!

Modern medallion progress

The next border in modern medallion is called Plain Jane. I made a not so Plain Jane.

I brought in the lime green touch that I'd added to the New York beauty block.

Selvages!

The next project I'll be working on will be my next selvages quilt. I've decided to try grouping them by colour.

I went to my quilt group a couple of weekends ago. I didn't have any hand sewing to do, so I took along my bags and bags of selvages to sort. The others all helped me sort them into colour - so I have bags of red, yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, everything! I've also added a photo of my first selvage quilt - I'm still working out how to quilt it - so it's not finished yet.

 

Do love good detailing on a selvage!

A block from my first selvage quilt.

My first selvage quilt - now how to quilt it?

Eat, drink

I'm so thrilled with the Eat , drink table runner that I've made for my mum's long, long green dining table.

I didn't use a pattern, just launched into it, using improv piecing.

The fabric is special. I bought the green when I was at Trish's in Adelaide with mum two years ago. It's a huge fabric warehouse. And some of the low volumes in the piecing came from mum's stash - which she is progressively destashing.

Free motion quilting paisleys.

First word done.

 

Adding the binding.

Finished eat, drink.

Close up of the k.

Label - shaped like an apple.

 

We have lift off on the modern medallion!

I've joined the Modern Medallion quilt along.

There will be five or so borders. The first step is a medallion for the middle.

It's wonky and you draw your own take on a New York beauty.

I'm thrilled that I now have my four 12" quarters finished - the medallion.

 

I did have  crisis of confidence for a bit, seeing all the amazing colours and variations. But I thought I'd stick to my guns and go ahead with my original idea - orange, turquoise and black and white.

Some of the other versions that I'm loving have pink and green, grays, or lovely low volume prints with brights.

Here's some close ups. I'm trying a great lime green batik as a border.

 


Stay tuned for the next instalment!

Four in a row #modernmedallion

First step - some wonky NY beauties

Modern medallion quilt along

I've joined up @2littleaussiebirds modern medallion quilt along. I'm almost ready to do the reveal of the centre medallion. It's a New York beauty - quite delightfully wonky. For now, here's my fabric pull.

Tumut

We went to Elm Grove cottages this long weekend - just out of Tumut. 

I loved the green, the rustic, eco feel of it all. 

There were rivers. We kayaked. 

I let my boys head off on a kayak adventure. It was two hours. They took a phone so they could map their progress on GPS if they needed to. I took a photo of them as they headed off, then a very relieved photo when they found the bridge landmark we'd all agreed on. 

We explored caves for most of Sunday. (There's also a shot here of the skylight of the yurt we stayed in.) There were also thermal pools near the caves. 

The barbecue area was amazing. It had quirky art installations and was so well set up. It even had a home made fish basket for barbecuing fish.

This morning we headed off to explore the nearby river. I fell in three times and I've given my ring finger a spectacular, swollen bruise. It was such a good break and we feel refreshed to start the grind again!

Free motion quilting

Today I was very brave and tried free motion quilting for the second time. This time I did straight line quilting and I'm really happy with the result. 

I'm just not sure whether I should also quilt the circle of leaves. 

Then if I quilted the circle I'd also have to quilt the trunk  - I've been thinking with a wood grain. 

Birds

I got up at 5.30 this morning and I'm quilting before I start back at work for the year.

I think this is my favourite bird so far. I think I'm going to add a strip above their heads and embroider their names. This one is surely Ruby!!

Xmas finish - selvage quilt

I'm so proud that I pushed through and finished this selvage quilt this Christmas break. I've been working on it on-and-off for years - 4 or 5. I kept stopping because I'd have to build up a collection of selvages!

Then I built up such a big collection of selvages that I felt I could never stop - that I'd have to use all of them.

Anyway, I've now decided that I'll use my collection of selvages by practicing a variety of selvage techniques. I've been building up a collection of ideas on Pinterest.