Denim + Denyse Free Whirling Single Girl Quilt

Over the past few months I have been participating in the 2019 Free Wheeling Single Girl QAL, hosted by the pattern designer, Denyse Schmidt, The Next Stitch and Sewtopia. I couldn't decide between using my Denyse Schmidt scraps or my Carolyn Friedlander scraps, so I started two different versions.

I managed to finish the quilt top of my DS version in time for the end of the QAL and have recently turned it into a completed quilt.

For the backing and binding I found a few older DS prints in my stash that worked well with the denim I used for the background.

I quilted it with my walking foot in a design inspired by the sectioned curves from a bluprint class with Jacquie Gering and attached the binding using big stitches in a perle 8 thread.

I'm linking up with the 2019 Finish-along Q4 finishes link-up as this quilt was on my list of proposed Q4 finishes.

I now just need to give it a wash and it will be ready to gift to my new niece or nephew, who is due to arrive in the next fortnight!

Kat

Origami quilt

Earlier this week my quilty friend and pattern designer super star, Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts, released her lastest quilt pattern: Origami. I was lucky to be one of the quilt pattern testers and made a large bed version for my mum (the only person in my family I hadn't made a quilt for yet).

I used a mix of fat quarters and quarter metre prints from the Satsuki 2 Collection by Robert Kaufman to make my blocks. I love how the blocks are cleverly designed to look like a double-sided piece of origami paper. They also come together super fast.

The pattern also includes an optional paper-pieced crane block, which I placed right in the centre.

The quilting took forever but I am really pleased with how it turned out, and how well it suits the theme of the prints.

Head over to Alyce's blog to pick up the pattern and see what the other Origami pattern testers made.

I'm linking up with the 2019 Finish-along Q4 finishes link-up as this quilt was on my list of proposed Q4 finishes.

Kat

November One Monthly Goal

It's been a while since I joined in the Elm Street Quilts One Montly Goal, but I really need to get some things done and could use a little extra motivation :)

This month my goal is to quilt my baby Free Wheeling Single Girl quilt. I finished the top last month as part of a QAL and I'm keen to get it finished.

The first step will be to choose a backing. I was hoping to find something at IKEA (I love IKEA fabric for backing because it is 60" wide), but didn't have any luck there. I may have to piece together a scrappy backing (something I usually try to avoid), but at least it will match the scrappiness of the top.

Kat

2019 Finish-along - proposed quarter 4 finishes

Just a super quick post to link up my proposed finishes for quarter 4 of the 2019 finish-along. This quarter I'm keeping is more realistic and aiming to finish 9 projects.

Top left: My Little Miss Sawtooth QAL I'm participating in at the moment
Top middle: My CF version of the Free Wheeling Single Girl quit (another QAL I'm participating in)
Top right: My DS version of the FWSG
Middle left: My Kinship Fusion Samper quilt
Centre: A bright version of the Rainbow Popsicle quilt I'm testing for Jemima of Tied With a Ribbon
Middle right: A pastel version of the Rainbow Popsicle quilt
Bottom left: Origami quilt I'm testing for Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts
Bottom middle: Double star quilt - my bee project from last year
Bottom right: My Icecream Soda quilt

Kat

Alpine quilt

My last quilt finish from my list of proposed finishes for quarter three of the 2019 Finish-along is the Alpine quilt I made for my son's upcoming seventh birthday.

I chose the Alpine block as my block when I was queen bee for my quilting bee earlier this year. I asked for demin blues and dirty yellows (mustards) as my son's current favourite colours are indigo and gold.

My lovely bee mates made me twenty one blocks in total so I only had to make a few more to have a nicely sized quilt for an almost-seven year old.

I used the very last of my IKEA number fabric for the backing (I really wish they would bring it back) and quilted it with straight lines through the white sections.

Now that I've finished my 2019 bee quilt I'm keen to finish my 2018 bee quilts. You can expect to see them on my quarter 4 list in a few days :)

Kat

Demin ripples quilt

My Ripples quilt is one of my all-time favourite makes and so when Angie of Gnome Angel asked if I would test her updated Ripples pattern, I was thrilled to have an excuse to make another one.

This time around I thought I would try something different and use some up-cycled denim (from old pairs of jeans) with some pinks and yellows to make the 24" block.

The demin was a pain to work with but I was really pleased with how my test block turned out. I made three more and turned it into a small picnic blanket.

For the backing I used a heavier cotton print from IKEA that coordinated nicely with the blues. I thought the heaviness of it would make a better picnic blanket (warmer and more resistant to damage from being on the ground). It was also 60" wide and so avoided the need to piece the backing (a big win in my books).

I also experimented with the binding, using a metallic blue thread in a big running stitch to secure the binding.

It's already survived one trip to the beach so I have high hopes of it seeing lots of use.

I'm linking up with the quarter 3 finishes for the 2019 Finish-along, as this was on my list of proposed finishes for this quarter.

Kat

Low volume plus quilt

My next finish from my list of proposed finishes for quarter 3 of the 2019 Finish along is my low volume plus quilt.

One of my goals for this year is to step outside of my comfort zone and experiment with different backgrounds and multicoloured prints. I started this project as a way of getting comfortable with colourful low volume prints that were a bit bolder than my preferred 'light grey on white' low volumes.

I wasn't sure about the first few blocks I made, thinking that the background was too busy. But as the quilt grew in size, it grew on me, and by the time I had made 64 blocks I was in love with it.

When I showed my husband my blocks up on the design wall to ask his opinion of the layout, his first reaction was that there was an overwhelming amount of pink. So for the back I decided to make four extra large (40" finished) plus blocks in some more manly colours.

It's now a family favourite with it's 'girl side' and 'boy side'.

My daughter is much better at posing for quilt photos than her twin brother. :)

I love the interest that the bolder prints add and have now got several more quilts using colourful low volumes on the go.

Kat

Double Dash quilt

Ooops - I just realised that I haven't blogged since the start of quarter 3, when I shared my list of proposed finishes for the 2019 Finish-along. The time has come to link up my finishes for the quarter, and I've got four quilt finishes to share.

The first is a Double Dash quilt that I made while testing the new pattern by Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts.

I used a layer cake a Tucker Prairie by One Canoe Two to make the 15" block version. It was the perfect use for the layer cake as there was very little fabric wasted.

I has initially planned on mixing up my quarter blocks, but when I put my blocks up on the design wall I wasn't loving it.

I tried rearranging the blocks into colour groups and I was in love.

I finished the quilt with a simple diagonal cross hatch and bound with a coordinating print. How awesome if that backing? It looks like a million flying geese.

It's now been gifted to special friend who was in need of some quilty hugs.

Kat

2019 Finish-along - Q3 proposed finishes

It's that time of year again - where I optimistically declare my intentions to finish all the WIPs and link some overly ambitious lists to the Finish-along linky :)

This quarter I've split them into two groups; the 'good chance of getting finished' WIPs and the 'not very likely to get finished' WIPs.

The first group includes some projects nearing completion and those that I have been actively working on recently.

Top left: Low volume plus quilt - this one is assembled and ready to baste
Top middle: Double dash quilt I'm testing for Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts
Top right: Freckles quilt - A project I started a long time ago
Middle left: Quilt block cook book sampler - I've made about 10 blocks and am thinking of making a smaller charity quilt
Centre: Shield maiden quilt - I quilt I started this year to get better at making curves
Middle right: Kinship fusion sampler - I'm trying to keep up with the 100 blocks in 100 days QAL and am on track so far
Bottom left: Alpine quilt - my bee project from this year
Bottom middle: Daydream quilt - my B&C bee project from last year
Bottom right: Double star quilt - my bee project from last year)

The next group are projects that I don't think I'm likely to finish, but want to list anyway (I like to keep my options open). They include some long term projects (e.g. EPP projects) and some boy quilts I'd like to make (for my boys and for the Very Snuggle Quilts program).

Top left: Ripples quilt made from upcylced denim
Top middle: Sunday morning quilt in pretty pinks that has been on my bucket list for a while
Top right: Broken Dishes quilt (pattern by Jen Kingwell) I'm making from scraps
Middle left: DS quilt - I've cut out a few hundred 3.5" squares of different Denyse Schmidt prints and am planning to make a quilt just like this one
Centre: Rose star quilt made from my stash of OOP Lizzy House
Middle right: Icecream Soda quilt (pattern by Tales of Cloth) I'm making from my DS scraps
Bottom left: A quilt from the book 'Growing Up Modern' using some robot fabric I've had in the stash for ages
Bottom middle: A space themed quilts using fabric and pattern by Cloud 9 Fabrics
Bottom right: Another quilt from the book 'Growing Up Modern' made in dinosaur prints

Last quarter I only finished three projects so I'm really hoping for a higher completion rate this quarter.

Kat

A new quilt for Harriet

My little ones are growing up too fast and have started to outgrow their cots. Bigger beds need bigger quilts so I've been busy working on a few toddler bed sized quilts.

For Harriet I made  a modified version of the Scrap Happy Rails quilt by Crazy Mom Quilts from her book No Scrap Left Behind. I upsized my blocks to 13.5" finished to get the finished size I wanted (41" wide, perfect for backing with a single WOF) and cut all my strips the same width so I could piece it more efficiently with strip sets.

I quilted it with a simple serpentine stitch with my walking foot and bound it with a B&W squiggly stripe. It was super fun and super easy to make. Plus, I think it's safe to say that she likes it.

I had enough strip-pieced sections leftover to make a second quilt, which I finished and dontated to the Very Snuggly Quilts Program. I'm linking up with the Q2 2019 Finish-along linky as this was one of my proposed finishes for this quarter.

I'm also linking up with the Elm Street Quilts July OMG and sharing my goal for this month: to make a quilt for her twin brother Gregory's bed. At the moment I'm leaning towards using this Mixed Bag layer cake that has been in my stash for ages. I think the bright colours will be a good fit for a young boy.

Kat

June One Monthly Goal

It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks we will be halfway through the year. So far this year I have started waaaaay more quilts than I have finished, so my goal for this month is to finish at least one.

For my Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal June link-up I'm choosing my low volume plus quilt. I only have about half the blocks made so far, but I am having a sew day with friends tomorrow and another sew day towards the end of the month.

The plan is to get this quilt finished and photographed in front of the beautiful autumnal trees before they loose all of their leaves completely.

Kat

I-spy quilt

A couple of weeks ago my twin toddlers celebrated their second birthday. I wasn't able to get it finished for their actual birthday, but I managed to finish their birthday quilt in time for the party a few days later.

The quilt is made of 121 economy blocks with a fussy cut animal in the centre. I've been referring to it as the 'Animalia quilt', after one of my eldest son's favourite books.

This quilt is intended to be used as a picnic quilt or playmat so I used a double layer of batting (for extra softness and warmth) and a bright green Rhoda Ruth Wide for backing (to help hide grass stains). For the binding I used by go-to black and white stripe, hand-stitched in place with big stitches.

I've really enjoyed working on this project for the last few months and it definitely won't be my last I-spy quilt.

I'll be linking up to the 2019 Q2 Finish-along linky when it opens, as this project was one of my proposed finishes for this quarter.

Kat

Meadowland quilt

Just a quick post to link up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and share my finished Meadolwand quilt.

My goal for this month was to get this quilted and bound and I managed to get it done on the weekend, thanks to some basting assistance from my awesome husband.

I quilted it with my walking foot, adding a few diamonds to accentuate the centre of the blocks.

Unfortunately it has been wet and miserable in Melbourne so I haven't been able to get a good photo. Hopefully we'll get some better weather this coming weekend.

I'm also linking up with the 2019 Finish along as this was one of my proposed finishes for this quarter.

Kat

Quarter 2 proposed finishes

I'm linking up with the second quarter of the 2019 finish-along and sharing my round-up of WIPs I hope to finish this quarter. In the past I have posted very long lists, but this quarter I'm being a little more realistic and sharing 9:

• Top left is my double star quilt that I chose for my bee block for last year. I'm still waiting on one last pair of blocks, but hope to finish it soon after I receive them.
• Top middle is a low volume plus quilt that I started earlier this year. I'm about halfway there with 20 blocks already sewn and the fabric cut for a whole lot more.
• Top right is my Tula Pink Freckles WIP. This project has been on the backburner for several year, but this year I am determined to improve my curve-sewing skills.
• Middle left is my I-spy economy block quilt. I hope to finish this for my twin children's second birthday (next month) so it will probably be my next finish.
• In the middle is my Meadlowland quilt top. I'm hoping to get it finished and bound sometime this quarter.
• Middle right is my Lizzy House sampler quilt that I started a couple of weeks ago. I've only made 11 blocks (out of 100) so far but I am really enjoying fussy cutting some of my favourite prints
• Bottom left is a scrap quilt I started earlier this week. This project has been on my mind for a while and when my husband suggested that I make some slightly larger quilts for when the twins transition from cots to toddler beds, I thought this would be perfect.
• Bottom middle is my icecream soda EPP project. I'm over halfway through stitching the blocks and have another batch of shapes basted ready to go.
• Bottom right is a small picnic quilt that I am making that uses upcycled demin. 

As always, I would be happy to even finish half of these. Hopefully I can made some good progress over the Easter holdays.

Kat

A quilt for Baby

I've got one last-minute finish to share for Q1 of the 2019 finish-along - a mini quilt I made for my daughter's baby doll.

I've had these blocks floating around my sewing space for several years. They've made an appearance on several finish-along lists, including my list for this quarter.

I initially thought that they'd made a nice panel for a tote bag, but when we bought an IKEA doll's bed I thought that they'd be the perfect size for a doll quilt.

I also used the mini quilt as an opportunity to try a few new-to-me techniques; matchstick quilting and big stitch binding.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out and am glad to finally be able to cross this WIP off the list.

Kat

April One Monthly Goal

I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and sharing my goal for April. This month I hope to finish my Meadowland quilt top.

I've been working on this project for the last 6 weeks as part of the quilt-along organised by the pattern designer (Then Came June).

My fabric pull for this quilt is a mix of lots of different designers and prints, all from my stash. I love how fresh and summery it feels (especially as we are heading into the cooler months in Australia).

My favourite block so far is this one where I fussy cut some foxes from Tula Pink's Chipper collection.

I'm looking forward to getting this one finished and on the bed.

Kat