WiP Wednesday

After making some progress on my orange, aqua and grey Hexy MF quilt (see below), I thought that I was completely justified in starting another EPP project.  Well it is getting warmer and there isn't an 'r' in the month, although we are enjoying a beautiful early summer with completely tolerable temperatures...if only that would last.

So here are my scrappy Tanuki blocks made from 2" squares and 2" diamonds. The idea comes from Jessica Alexandrakis'  fab book Quilting on the Go! The blocks will be made in to a panel approximately 18" wide (about the width above) and then pieced with neutral strips of fabric on either side.

I've also made some more progress with my orange, aqua and grey hexies.  It feels so good to be getting on with this project and with perhaps the end in sight.  All your cheerleading here and on IG have really helped me get on.

This quilt was part of Katy's Hexy MF QAL a couple of years ago. I tracked down the posts which you can find on the Fat Quarterly blog.

I made my own bias binding for the stalks and it was a little tricky to appliqué exactly where I wanted it.  The flowers and buds were also machine appliqued, using some leftover blocks from the main panel. So just the leaves now. These are proving slightly troublesome as you have to tuck the twiddly bit at both ends behind the leaf. I've tried both freezer paper leaves and EPP diamonds and I think I'm going to stick with the diamonds. These pictures show some of the leaves - I have a few more to make to balance up the border.

So almost one end finished and then the other end to do.

What are you working on this week?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.

Window to the Soul - A Quilt for Juliette

Back in 2011, I made my Marrakech Rose quilt and soon after it went to live in Paris with my friend Margot's young daughter.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when Margot contacted me to see whether I would make a quilt for her other daughter, Juliette - aged 13 1/2. Juliette had seen a free Amy Butler pattern and wanted it in exactly the same fabrics - her Organic Soul collection.

As this was an old line, it took a while to track down all the fabrics.  Many were on sale at Hawthorne Threads (score!) but it took a couple of Etsy sellers to finalise things - and the centre fabric was ridiciulously difficult to find.

While it wasted quite a bit of fabric, I love the fussy cut centre and first border.

The top took no time to whip up before I straight line quilted it in vertical 1" lines. That took a bit longer...

I took these shots before rushing to the courier - I wasn't trusting this baby to the Moroccan postal system!
The bright sun doesn't do these fabrics justice, as well as the shadow from the railing!

I really love this quilt - it was quite difficult to part with but knowing that it lives with its warmer sister in Paris makes me happy. As does knowing this is my third finish of 2014.

Quit Stats
Pattern: Amy Butler's free Window to the Soul pattern
Front fabric: Amy Butler's Organic Soul collection
Backing and Binding: Amy Butler's Organic Soul collection
Size: 68" x 72"
Batting: Dream Orient

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Yea! So happy to have made some progress on this UFO and to have finally appliqued my aqua, orange and grey hexy flower panel on to the grey Sketch backing fabric.

I machine appliqued the panel because sometimes you just have to get things done.

Now just to finish the border...

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced. which is being hosted this week by lovely Lucy!

Help Needed!

Okay, that was a bit of a lie...it's me that needs you.

This morning I basted my long forgotten Cameo Giant Star.  Don't even ask me when I made this quilt top but it's been languishing in a cupboard and today its number was called.

I pin basted it and then quickly decided that perhaps I should hand quilt it.  I make no bones of how I don't enjoy machine quilting and so I plan to hand quilt it using perle. I love seeing those colourful chunky stitches and I love hand quilting.

I'm not looking for help on technique but rather what colours you would suggest.  In the patterned sections, would you use a contrast thread or a similar tone? Would you quilt in straight lines across the quilt or in sections?

Whether you hand quilt or not, I would love to hear from you!

Fresh Sewing Day

It feels like I am slowly getting back in to the swing of blogging,blog reading and commenting. I've almost finished my first year as an EFL teacher and lesson planning is not occupying so much time, which means more sewing!


Okay so I'm not saying I became super productive or anything but:

• I finished my AMH Hand Drawn Garden plus quilt
• I made, yes made the Amy Butler Window to the Soul quilt in less than 2 weeks! (Full reveal soon)
• I made progress on my Tula Pink Modern City Sampler blocks
• I made a couple of blocks and received the last of my Stitch Tease Modern Maple blocks
• my mum offered to paint a pile of my quilts
• and most importantly, we celebrated Zaki's 6th birthday

Looking at this mosaic, it was a colourful month.

Linking up with Lynne's Fresh Sewing Day.