Quiltathon

Nicky sent me a link to a interesting post and I decided that this is for me.  Every few years I seem to join something like this but never get too much finished.  So decided to get a list together for this and to my surprise/horror I have about 22 quilts that need to be quilted and bound.  Not sure how many I have in the making stage (not a great deal I'm thinking but then 22 was a shock).  So I'm on holidays at the moment and decided on a Quiltathon so that when I come home from work and too tired to go and sew I can sit and do the bindings.  Put one on yesterday and finished it today.  Threw another one on that dates back to the early 2000's and did that in a flash.  So have loaded another and it is started.

Some I would like to do custom work on but have to be realistic and decide if I want them finished or to hang in the cupboard for another 10 years of more.  If I don't finish them I should just give them away.  And it's a great feeling to have them finished.....I feel like I have permission to make something else....but not yet.  I'm really in the finishing mood so will keep going till that passes.

This one has been hanging around for years and years.  Finished binding it a few days ago.

 

Next one was a mystery quilt from the Fat Quarter Shop years ago....2009 I think (This is half the quilt).  Have started hand sewing the binding to it.  Quilted Baptist Fans on it - has to be one of my most favourite patterns.

 

 Nicky and I had a sewing day this week and I made the borders for this one.  Compared to the others this is a "New" quilt - only made about 2 or 3 years ago.  It's quilted and waiting to make the binding.

 

Eons ago I went to a teacher seminar with mary ellen, Kay England and an Australian teacher who for the life of me can't remember her name.  This was her class on colour.  Made in the early 2000's and I don't have binding for it.  Back in the days when I made a quilt and worried about the binding later.  Now I make the binding when I make the quilt.  So have no idea where I'll find something to bind this with.  And I just recently used that border fabric for a backing on the Fairy quilt $%*@

 

And on the maching at the moment is another fairly "new" (within the last 5 years) snowball.  Doing a panto I just purchased from Keryn Emmerson.  Bought a couple from her so thought I would try them out.

Finishing

Well, so pleased with my progress on finishing stuff.  Have finished 2 quilts and a bag - plus another one quilted today but not bound yet.  Binding is made and ready to be sewn to the quilt.  Will load another quilt tomorrow and hopefully get it done also.....not sure which one yet.

Finished spiky a few weeks ago and got the binding done but hadn't got around to taking photos.  So took a few photos of all the finished ones today.  Oh, it sure is a wonderful feeling.  I keep getting the urge to start a new quilt but come to my senses and get out an old project and finish it off.  I hang my quilts along with the backing and the wadding so they are all ready for quilting.  Looked in the cupboard and saw several and thought - hmm shouldn't take me long to get them done.  Then went looking for the binding for the one I quilted today and kept find more quilts.....so guess it will take me a BIT longer :-)


First off is spiky.....all Batiks and a tie-dye looking beautiful backing.

 

 

Next is my Amy Butler bag.  Wouldn't call it a great success.  My lining seems to be way, way to big for it.  And my pockets are all over the place.  Bag making is NOT my favourite thing to do.

 

The last is one of my designs and I'm pretty pleased with it.  Took me for ever to decide how to quilt the spotty area and the greys but once I decided it went pretty quick.

Christmas Stockings and Quilting

Recently my SIL asked me to make her some Christmas Stockings (and I have a feeling she asked me last Christmas but they didn't happen).  So last weekend I got into them and cut and pieced and also quited them.  This weekend I put them together so can get them in the post tomorrow.  They aren't world beaters but alas always in a hurry - and keep promising I will slow down and do things properly.

 

Today I finished quilting this one....waiting way, way too long to get finished.  Binding is cut and now just have to get it on the quilt.  Did some FMQ (Free Motion Quilting) in the greys.  Little messy in places but "it to do".  Or as Brenda says....Finished is better than Perfect.

The Urge To Quilt

I've been doing some surfing around Pinterest and found some wonderful sites from it.  I could never see the point of it before but suddenly it has hit home....for many years I have saved images of many and varied things I see on the net and so have them on different drives etc.  It suddenly hit me the other day that I could save them to Pinterest!  I know - I'm slow on the uptake many times.  So have been pinning a bit lately and found some great free motion quilting sites.............so now I have the bug.  It's been many a long year since I was excited about quilting and can't wait to get into it again.  Dragged out a practice piece which has been hidden in the cupboard for several years.  I had been testing out various threads for tension (which I had forgotten I had done anyway).  So will practice some today and then get into a quilt that has been waiting (patiently of course) for about 2 years I guess..........BUT in the spirit of the Finishing Frenzy I will finish off the Christmas Stockings I started for my SIL last weekend and then, and only then, will I load the quilt and start.  Thought I would load a few pics of the practice I did years ago....wish I would date things so I would know when I did stuff.

Slow Finishing Frenzy

Well the frenzy has certainly slowed.  Only prepared backing for a quilt Nicky tested for me plus got the borders on Red & White quilt.  Life just gets in the way at times.  As well it's been rather warm this week and by the time I get home from work I'm drained and just want to flop with the air con on.  Mind you I'm chomping at the bit to get into some sewing.  Bought a pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew  - and found the last one I bought from her which I haven't made yet. Couldn't find it but finally did so tonight so printed it out and may pull some fabrics for it tomorrow.

 

The photo doesn't show the red very well.  Need to brush up on my photography skills.

More progress

Well got out another almost finished project to work on.  While looking at it the temptation to make it bigger was great..............then I remembered the famous words from Brenda "Finished is better that Perfect".  And my aim is to have a lot of "Perfect" quilts within the next few months - if not weeks!  But I have to tell you Brenda that I started Dear Jane many, many moons ago and afraid I don't think it will ever reach anywhere near perfect.  But back to my sewing today.  I discovered I had a part sewn on border (so obviously I didn't measure my border or the quilt) and it was too short.  So I did what any self-respecting quilter would do - I just made it fit.  Had to cut off more than shown in the photo otherwise the next seam line would be on top of that join.  This entire quilt quilt was made in that manner.  I made blocks and it it didn't fit the next one I simply cut it and made it fit.  So I trimmed the quilt and hey look it fits****  So finished putting on the borders and now have to get the backing ready.  Think I'll just prepare the backing and wadding today.  I'm in the mood to sew today so I had better take advantage and get another "unperfect" quilt closer to perfection.

Progress in Finishing Frenzy

Well got the quilting done on another little quilt.  My sewing group have made several quilts that will go to charity or people in need.  This was a little one but the quilting was rather intense so took a while.  The pattern is by Page Johnson and is called page-rainbow e2e.  Lovely pattern.

Also got my binding on Spiky and did some hand sewing on the Fairy quilt (which I should finish tonight).  So all in all it was a good weekend for progress on the finishing front!

Spiky progress

Woo Hoo Spiky (Stepping Stones) is on the machine and getting quilted.  Hope I get it done today as severe storms are predicted and the machine will definitely be off before they get here.  I'm on my third controller and they don't come cheap!

I'm using Spiral e2e by Nancy Haacke of Wasatch Quilting.  Love her designs.  So hopefully it will get quilted today and the binding sewn on ready to hand stitch.  Mind you I haven't finished the binding on the Fairy quilt yet and I do love to bind.  Been a bit slack this week with it.

Will have to go and see what's next on the list (not that's there is a written list yet, but I have written so many lists in the past I think it's time just to do and not have a written list that I can feel bad about later when I find it).

Finishing Frenzy continues

Got up early this morning to go to a fabric sale.  Got 4 lovely fabrics for backings.  So got home and all inspired to sew.  I have been procrastitating over this quilt since this time last year - and it really has been a year.  I got this panel and co-ordinates at last years Brisbane Quilt Show.  It was to be a Christmas present 2014.  Shame on me.  So put the panel up and hummed and harred - AGAIN.  Trying to decide what blocks to make to fill in the gaps.

  
So went with a small mauve border to start me off and hey Presto that was it.  I realised it didn't need any pieced blocks as that would have been too over the top.

Fairy Quilt

Found some purple fabric I just HAD TO HAVE (well I did around 18 years ago) so have my backing ready to prepare and then get it quilted.  Was going to do fairies but that would be too, too much so thinking just wavy lines or something similar, just very simple.

So feeling very chuffed.  Have even written up my whiteboard with projects to get finished (funny but I just keep finding more with each cupboard I open)

Borders done and Finishinng Frenzy

After my sewing yesterday I decided to keep it up today and get the Stepping Stones top to the quilting stage.  So  got my borders on it today.  It's not a finish but at least the top is finished.  I never consider it a finish till its quilted and bound, but at least I got in some sewing.  I'm so sick of opening a box or cupboard and finding half done quilts so  I can feel a finishing frenzy coming on.  Will find some backing for this one and then line up some projects.  Perhaps this red and white one which is waiting for me to decide how to do the borders.  Or this NYB which is so close.  Or this which also just needs borders.  So many choices!

Two in one day

This would have to be a record for me.....two post in one day - sometimes I'm flat out doing two post a year, but this is for Nicky who keeps telling me to post more.  But sometimes months go by and I have done nothing by way of quilting.  But today I had the urge to sew.  I was going to do some work on my Amy Butler bag but really just wanted to sit and sew.  There is something about sitting a the machine and sewing quilt blocks, seams, borders or anything.  Pedal to the metal?  Is that the saying?  So decided to sash my Stepping Stones quilt.  I started this September last year but put it on hold to make some quilts for family for Christmas.  Time marched on and I still haven't finished it so decided today I wanted to get some done on it.  Got the sashing done and side borders done.  Just need to do the top borders, then the final border which is a piano key style.

Stepping Stones

Never did get around to putting up photos of the Christmas quilts I made.....and ashamed to say there is one I still haven't finished, so really need to put on the priority list.

This one was for the man of the house so choose lots of animal prints and jungly types......I do love those prints.

This was for a two year old who is just mad on wheels......loves cars but the wheels just fascinate him.

This was for my lovely little niece.  Used Me &My Sister fabrics - just love their stuff it's so fresh and happy  The pattern was a free download from I can't remember where.  Will post a link when I remember.

Amy Butler Weekender Bag

Decided to make a bag.....and I hate making them, so wonder if this will get finished.  Inspired by Nicky when I saw hers which is just lovely. This is an Amy Butler bag, but did it as a quilt as you go project.  Still need to put it together so that may get done (or some) this weekend.

These are the bags Nicky made - the aqua one she kept for herself and gave the other one away.