Escape to the Capital

It seems my resolve to blog more regularly has already come seriously unstuck!

I was fortunate enough to be able to get away to the Canberra Quilt Show in early August and had every intention of a full report......it was the first night I had had away from home since my stint in hospital in September last year and was good for both body and spirit.

I was chauffered in style by a good quilting friend and whilst it was 9 degrees or less outside I was very comfortable in my heated leather seat - thank you very much......

The show was small but enjoyable (my first time there) and though I took photos I haven't asked for permission to share them here. I was also lucky enough to go to a meeting of the Canberra Quilters and picked up a few more good ideas....

Needless to say I slept like a log at my friend's sister's house - as I said earlier I was royally looked after. We woke to minus temps and fog!!! By the time we left the house the temperature had crawled up to about 2 degrees and the fog was beginning to lift. That hardly mattererd to me as we were on the way to my favourite Canberra destination 'Addicted to Fabric' (or A2F) ..... I actually went with a list of things I needed and managed to (mostly) stick to it.

The haul.........earmaked for various projects in the planing stage....and a couple of spares for the stash.....

I didn't buy much at the show itself (in anticipation of the A2F visit but did manage to pick up this pretty scrap bundle.....

.......which started off a whole new train of thought - a pretty, old-fashioned / modern double wedding ring or pickle dish quilt. This means a new collection. Rather than think in colour names I'm thinking milkshakes - strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, caramel, coffee and berry - a delicious palette.....do you see what I'm seeing?

In need of coffee we were next treated to a brief visit to the Arboretum - this will require an extended return visit sometime. The Bonsai house was an absolute joy........

Loved the colours and texture in the stone walls......

Etched hand rails on a viewing platform.....

Amazing sculpture - very clever......

By this stage the temperature had warmed up to about 10 degrees - but the sun was shining and there was no wind so it was quite a glorious day (for winter).

When I returned home I realised I had left my toiletries bag behind - doh! (to quote Homer Simpson). After my hostess had graciously posted it all back to me she discovered my travel shampoo bottle in the shower recess...... (double doh!)

Back at home there was a new determination to finish my 'Summer Quilt' (top) and it felt like considerable progress given that it had been underway for some time and that I had originally intended it to be on our bed last summer........(or was it the summer before??? )

The last three seams........

Finally together.......

Testing on the bed - it's big but dense quilting and washing will crinkle it up........

After that it was back on the road - but I think that's enough for now.....

Sue xxxx

Getting Back in the Saddle (aka the sewing chair)

Finally a bit of momentum on the sewing front - and it feels great!

The final four large blocks are done........

Proposed layout.....

I even remembered to check in black and white.........

Two smaller blocks done - and two more to go.......then I can put it all together!!!

Block for August meeting - just needs embroidery.....

Overdue block requiring satin stitch.........luckily the winner is not in a hurry to construct the quilt!!!

This pattern is from last year (arrowhead).......sampling it for a bed quilt.

First some chain piecing........

Then some 'un' chain piecing.........oops, got carried away!

Making more sense now.......

The redecorator continues to ply her magic - and keep us amused.......

And then there are the 'grand dogs'.....

That's all folks - nothing more to see here......

Hopefully back in the blogging chair, as well,

Sue xxxx

Promise

The promise of my 'Summer Quilt' - finally cut out - maybe we'll see it by next summer as this one has gone......

There are more squares than I need but any left over can go into pillow covers or cushions.......The blocks are 3.5", 6.5" and 9.5" (cut) and will be joined in random groupings making larger blocks (24" x 24"), then joined into columns to make a queen sized quilt.

For the moment this will be more of a side project for times when less concentration is required so I can still aim to do something every day - trying to boost productivity......

See how we go - along with everything else that's bubbling along. More soon,

Sue xxxx

Progress

I have finally given myself permission to start cutting into this pile of prettiness which has been washed and ironed and waited patiently for my 'Summer Quilt' to begin - yes, I have given it a name.....

I have gathered inspiration and information from a number of sources and will be interested to see how it all comes together. (My first really detailed, planned project - with room for change, of course.)

I am basing the pattern on a quilt from Kaffe Fasset's 'Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts' called 'Yellow Potpourri'. (pp31-35 if you have the book and are interested...) It's basically constructed in blocks of combined 9.5", 6.5" and 3.5" squares (unfinished size - so 3, 6 and 9 inch squares finished - good Fibonacci numbers.) I'm not planning a border but rather making 4 Quilt-as-you-go columns and joining them.....

The colour scheme is based on this fabric from designer Kate Spain. (The photo is not quite doing the colours justice).

 

 I collected fabrics using some of the principles outlined by Joen Wolfrom in her books (Visual Coloring and Colorplay) and using her 3-in-1 Color Tool. I'm hoping that by limiting my palette to five analogous colours (ranging from golden yellow to spring green on a colour wheel / colour tool) and a dash of one complementary (fuschia) that it will work. (It's starting to look like this...but a lot more cutting to come.Not sure if the apple green will stay.....)

I want the overall impression to be fresh but also slightly vintage in feel, if that makes sense, with a crinkly texture. (From Weekes Ringle and Bill Kerr - another inspiring pair - I've picked up (among other things) that if you pre-wash your cottton fabrics for the quilt top and backing but not the  cotton batting (100% cotton) once the quilt is washed and dried the shrinkage in the batting helps create this crinkly effect.

So that's the plan - let's see how it develops.

Meanwhile.......
Scrappy trip is half quilted - using monofilament thread on top and matching thread on the back and happy with progess here once tension issues sorted. (Regular needle changes help a lot, too. Who'd have thought it would matter so much...)

I've been using this as a practice piece for several quilting designs. The next step is a refresher visit to Angela Walter's Carftsy class - 'Machine Quilting Negative Space' because my next design challenge is swirls.....

Also, a couple of finishes....(do you know about binding clips??)

Table runner or piano stool cover.......

This was a quick project inspired by Victoria Gertenbach at the Silly Boodilly blogspot. She recently made a series of tablerunners made of ticking and also has a gallery of 'Work Quilts' which she states are  "Inspired by old, utilitarian, patched and stitched work quilts and consisting of various layers... background, machine quilting, hand quilting, reverse applique and/or applique patchwork."  She is also a weaver and I like the way she thinks and speaks. If you like an earthy, more rustic aesthetic do yourself a favour and spend some time browsing her Blog.

And last but not least for today...

'Oh Christmas Tree', recently finished, ready for Christmas well ahead of time (if you are on the gullible side) or not ready for last Christmas( if you know the true story....)

Note to self - Must improve photography.....

Thanks for stopping by,
Sue