Mystery of Motivation

Where does motivation come from?  I have been in a quilting slump for so long now.  Nothing seems to make me want to sew.  Last weekend I went to the sewing room with the intention of sewing for hours.  So after looking at ALL that fabric and the UFO's and some books and some patterns I closed it up and went back to the TV.  It was just all too hard.  Watched some You Tube quilting bits. 

This weekend I thought I had better get a  quilt quilted for a friend that I have had for ages.  Well the backing wasn't big enough.  In the process I found three charity quilts another friend that I had forgotten about so thought I had better do them.  Did one.  Feeling a little energised I got the next one out.....batting too short.  Number three was OK so did that.

Charity Quilt

 In the process of looking for batting scraps to extend the short batting I found one of mine.  Oh well maybe I should do that as it's sat there for so, so long now.  Took it to the sewing room to find thread for it.  BAM!!!!!!  I'm excited.  I want to quilt!  I want to sew!.

This was enough to get me excited.

So finished the charity quilt and loaded my Nine Patch immediately.  The Reproduction Nine Patches are from an internet swap years ago.  Quilt has just been waiting so long to be done.  So it's loaded and will start it tomorrow.  And the binding is sitting at the machine waiting.

So what is the Mystery of Motivation?  Was it the fabric?  The colours?  The memory of what I love?
I have no idea.  Just the sight of that quilt did it for me.  And I look back and see my last post was November 2017.  WOW again!

So wonder what I'll do next.  Perhaps I''ll finally finish my NYB?

Been waiting a long time

Do some sewing on this one?  I wont say finish....miles of work to do but it's all cut and ready to go.....well mostly....think I need some  more  centers.

Trail Mix

Well whatever I do will be just fine.  And I know I'll be trawling the blogs to soak up everyones   enthusiasm and excitement and motivation and progress.

Slowly, slowly Trail Mix

Not much progress on Trail Mix, but a little.  Hopefully the Christmas period will see a lot more.  Some of the diamonds cut, centre 9 patch blocks made.  Hard to find another background to go in the quilt so may go with just 2 fabrics otherwise it will never get done.

Oops Trail Mix

Sure wish I would read instructions properly.  Made 8 blocks for the border only to discover I had put some colours in the wrong place.  To tiny to unpick so now I have 8 totally useless blocks.  so just had to start again.....and remake the 9 patches because they were wrong too.  Grrrr......read and look properly next time

So have some of the 20 needed for the borders with colours in the right place.

Trail Mix progress

Haven't cut my diamonds or triangles yet.  Bought a diamond ruler but not the correct angle.  Damn!  Just putting together some of the blocks and have discovered my 9 patches are positioned wrong.  So have to make some more - at least there are only 9 of them.

Getting so much rain here, would have to be the most I've seen here...and more to come.

Trail Mix update

Motoring along with my Trail Mix.  Haven't cut  the diamonds or triangles yet but did get th 4 patches and 9 patches done.  Boy they are so tiny!!  Will start the half square triangles today, not sure how many of them but I can imagine there will be a few hundred.

Trail Mix by Edyta Sitar

Finished the first lot of sewn units today for my Trail Mix by Edyta Sitar - all 20 of them.  Just need to cut some diamonds and see how they mix together.  It's been a long time since I have sewn such small pieces so units take a long time to get done.  I hope they play together nicely.  I think the background is going to be the most important fabric in this one.  I tried to add lots of pink as that is the tone I want but will have to wait and see if it works.

 

Another year older....

Another year older....as the song goes.  Didn't get too much sewing over the Christmas break.  Had a house (and yard) full  of people and had the loveliest Christmas.  Have made a decision to forget about the bazillion things I want to do  and learn and just sew this year.  So unsubscribed from many newsletters and still  need to clean up my blog following.  So many wonderful blogs out there but just can't keep up.  Working full time really puts a dent in all that so this year I'm just going to concentrate on sewing.  I remember when I started quilting over 20 years ago I marked several books with quilts I wanted to make.  Never got around to doing too many of them as new books came along and I always found something else to sew or do.  So just going to sew as I fancy this year and maybe finish off some of that stuff.  So started a Delectable Mountain this week.  That was on my list all those years ago.

 

So decided to do it in Reproductions.  Some good choices and some bad. 

 

Some cut wrong so they will go in the bin.  think I may sash it as I'm not sure I want to match all those seams!!!

 

I have been doing a little before I go to work and a little when I get home.  Set the alarm 15 minutes earlier last week and will increase that by 5 minutes each week and I should have more time before work to sew and get things done.

Have been playing in EQ to decide on borders.

 

 

 

Swoon finished and a new quilt

Seriously, I have no idea how time can slip away so quickly.  Three - THREE - months  I last posted.  Well probably that long since I did any sewing also.  Made myself go and sew yesterday.  It's a BOM from 2009 that I never got around to doing.  I mean can you believe that?  Well I got a couple of blocks done (three were done last time I did some sewing). But then I have been to Bali, had a couple bouts of sick and now back on deck. 

 

So that got  the juices going and I'm ready to sew.  I have bought many books of the years and just flick thru them but rarely make anything from them.  Today I decided to make something in reproductions.  Seems an age since I used those fabrics.  And I decided to make something from a book.  First book I picked up was Judy Martins Extraordinary Log Cabin Quilts and it took me all of 5 seconds to know which quilt I want to make.  This lady makes the most amazing quilts.  The whole book is filled with wonderful Extraordinary Quilts.  So all excited I went to the cupboard and right in front was this - purchased who knows when.

 

But I don't really have enough browns.  I want to make it brown and indigo and gold.  Hmm, just thought maybe I make the centres in brown and the logs can be indigo and gold.  Oww, maybe I do have enough fabric. But then will it be too much gold?   I'm going to make a small one as it will take too long for a queen and besides I don't have the fabric.  Just enough in this bundle for the smaller size.

Main Street Log Cabin

So now I need to go back and rethink it all.  Think I'll make some test blocks in some scrappy fabrics to see what I think.  That will give me a taste while I make up my mind.

Civil War Love Letters Quilt

After doing the little blocks for Circa 2016 I got the urge to used some reproduction fabrics again.  Haven't done much with those fabrics for a long while so dug out my Love Letters blocks from years ago.  Had printed out the foundation papers for a lot of blocks and found one half made.....so finished that and then did 2 more.  They do take extra time but  look good.  So I discovered I have 19 blocks now and a couple of strays that could be from Love Letters or could be from Civil War Diaries as I got both books at the same time.  So will make a block now and then and see where I end up.

A New Quilt

Well, try as I might I just can't resist starting a new quilt.  read on Temecula Quilt Company last week where they are starting a Circa 2016 quilt.  All scrappy and a mystery and in reproductions.  Well, I ask How Can You Resist.  Well, of course I can't so jumped in this morning and made the first lot of blocks.....Oh and so tiny.....but cute. As I was choosing fabric I discovered some lovely reproductions that I don't remember so it's rather tempting .......and I have just been visiting Barbara Brackmans site.

But I had better get off the computer and get some more binding done on some quilts.  I have the TV to myself this arvo so will put on a girly program and do more binding.....almost finished No 5.

Disappearing Pinwheels

Finished up the blocks for the Disappearing Pinwheel.....went really fast but now need to do the borders.  Made one different as I thought it was too dark for the quilt but it looks OK and can't be bothered unpicking....I think.

New Quilt

Watched Bonnie Hunter on The Quilt Show today.  That lady always motivates me, so now I'm ready to strip all those left over pieces into sewing size pieces.  Spent the afternoon watching old recordings of Bonnies's QuiltCam and sewing.  After getting the NYB together I decided to try Jenny Doan's split pinwheel........so being me I just can't make one block, so have 2 done, 4 more ready to sew together and lots of fabric to marry up.  Don't like the bias edges but it's so quick and a cool way to do a block.

A little bit of sewing

I started this blog as a reminder I've progress I make on my quilting............very little as of late. But today I realised that a swap Christine organised is due very soon so I thought I had better catch up before the day arrives. Isn't it just the best feeling being able to sit down and sew? As I was cutting up the strips for the last 9 patch blocks I began to think of other quilts to make........

Another finish

Well, finally finished another quilt. When I got back from the Sydney Show I was very motivated and after unpacking I loaded a quilt and started quilting. Took me a while as life things just get in the way all the time. But finished binding it last night. A machine quilter had shown her quilt on a list I'm part of and I just loved the look of it - so had to make one (as you do). The quilting isn't going to win any awards but at least it's another quilt finished. It has been a very long time since I have done much quilting. Too many other things get in the way and I'm getting very frustrated about that. I bought Kim Brunner's book and DVD a while back and have been itching to have a go at these feathers.....not perfect so no close ups of the quilting. I love how it's turned out. I'm pretty rusty but will keep practicing.

Jo Morton Quilt

Finally finished my Jo Morton quilt. I bought the book and the background fabric at the Sydney Quilt Show last year. Well, this years show os on again in just over two weeks. I remember when I got the book I said I wanted to make every quilt in the book. Hmmm, twelve months later and I have just finished the first......this could take longer than imagined.

I like to take photos of the "Before" and "After" quilt. I'm always amazed at how different the quilt is after quilting.
And this is it all washed and wrinkled....but that doesn't show up in this photo.

I'm Crazy....(as Patsy says)

How come I feel the need to be in everything? Christine is hosting a Nine Patch Swap in Civil War fabrics so I just had to join. Got one lot finished this week and strips cut for the next few. Now, I could have spent that time FINISHING one of the multitude of UFO's, but no - I start another. Oh well, guess that's what I bought fabric for.........

Reproduction Hourglass

I have finally got the blocks together for the Old Chains quilt. Have been sewing bits here and bits there. Amazing what can get done in little bites. Now to decide on a border. Had a play in EQ and came up with 4 variations of one theme.

Reproduction Hourglass

Option 1 Border

Option 2 Border

Option 3 Border

Option 4 Border

I think I prefer Options 3 and 4 and I think I like option 3 the best, I think it gives the quilt movement. I think 1 and 2 are a bit ordinary and don't do much for the quilt

Stashbusting Week 16

Well, once again I fell off the wagon. And it wasn't even my fault. Got an email from a "Friend" (I'm using this term very loosely here after my blowout) telling me of a great sale on of Civil War fabrics. So I thought I would have a quick look as I did need some backing for my current quilt. Well (gulp) I just couldn't leave it there. Such a bargain at $5.00 a metre!

So now my ins have exceeded my outs. I REALLY will have to do some serious quilting in the next few weeks to amend that. Oh, but it's such nice fabric............and who can resist a bargain.

Fabric added this week: 48 mt/yds
Fabric added this year: 146.3 mt/yd

Fabric used this week: Nil
Fabric used this year: 120.4 mt/yd

New Quilt

I sure wish I could concentrate long enough on one quilt to finish it. Sat down to watch an episode of Simply Quilts while I ate my lunch the other day. A lady was teaching a class on Reproduction Quilts and was showing some of her Antique Quilts. Oh, that looks nice I thought. I'll draw up a block in EQ. Then had a better thought - why not make up ONE block and keep it on the design wall to remind me.

So I made the one block. Looks OK. Pretty quick to make too. So now I have 30 blocks cut out. Why do I have this compulsion to keep starting quilts? I bet I'm the only quilter in the world to do this. :-)

And it looks dull!!!!! The photo below looks better than it does in real life. So hope it improves as I add more fabrics in. I think the background fabrics of some blocks are too boring. I think the busier backgrounds look better and add more interest to the quilt. So may end up with more than 30 blocks

A little sewing and Borders

Well, home from the weekend away and had the urge to do some sewing. While looking thru some boxes the other day for sewing to take to our Night Group I came across this quilt I had made some time back. Wasn't very fussed on the result as I thought it looked pretty plain even though the repo fabrics are just beautiful.

But I hate giving up on a quilt and so put some borders on. Put a narrow 1 1/4 inch inner border on and it immediately looked better.

Then the outer border and hey presto it looks 100%.
It's just amazing how borders can change a quilt so much.

So have made the binding and will prepare the backing tomorrow and it can go into the cupboard of The Great Unquilted.