219 blocks later......

We finally have a completed quilt! I had actually finished the construction 3 weeks ago but wasn't happy with the size.........

It was too long for the width and just looked unbalanced

So I took it apart to widen it. As this is constructed with the quilt as you go method on point, the only way to make it wider was to add rows to the middle 

and add a couple more blocks plus extend the sashing to the previous adjoining row

so an extra 40 more baskets were appliqued, sandwiched & outlined quilted by hand before I got back to this stage of joining the 2 halves together again

This quilt is quite heavy & bulky so I rolled it up and used the ironing board for extra support & just unrolled a little section at a time to feed through the machine

The binding is now on & I can finally say the basket quilt is complete

It's a biggie 90" high x 105" wide - great for a big bed

I've really enjoyed making this one but am now glad to see the back of it!

(This quilt is for sale - email me for details at gtjsy at hotmail dot com)

Mini Quilts

11.5" x 13.5"
(This one is all crinkly as it's been washed)

As you all know I have always favored hand piecing, especially English paper piecing but I've recently challenged myself to love my machine more and have been making a few mini quilts. 

Thus I have learnt to make a 4.5" maple leaf block, half & quarter square triangles, log cabin piecing and setting triangles.........all by machine! (are you impressed?)

19" x 19"
Looking at this picture now it would have been better with colored logs all round 

These mini quilts are also great for practicing hand quilting & I've been having great fun playing around with border designs etc.

the back shows the quilting better

maple leaf in the corners

the next one waiting to be completed

I'm also still plugging away at the baskets, well, that is when Lucy allows me to get to my supplies.........

and when she does move, she monitors to ensure they are still being made properly!

Thanks to kind donations of lovely scraps from my friends Kim & Sandra, so far, not one fabric for the baskets has been repeated

Spoilt with lots of luscious reds 

beautiful blues

and pinks too!

I picked out a few of my favs, I love that pink one with the green leaves in the middle, thank you so much for these Sandra : )...................aren't quilting friends just great?

Baskets made with Kim's fabrics

I'm really on the home run with these now, only 16 more baskets to applique and add the sashing to make the last 4 rows, then all that needs to be done is the binding to complete the quilt. 

Until next time, happy quilting : )

Boxes & Baskets

My friend Sandra was telling me all about a workshop she would be attending with Bonnie Hunter using old shirts last week which reminded me I had quite few striped ones I had been collecting ready to use for the shirt stripe boxes quilt by Kaffe Fassett from his Passionate Patchwork book.

This inspired me to sort out what I had with some hindrance help from Lucy (she was getting ready to pounce in this 2nd photo!)

After much cutting, which was really easy with the Companion angle triangle ruler, a lot of  chain piecing took place.

Eventually quite a few shirt box squares were ready for the fun part of laying them out to form 18" blocks

1st block done

.........and a 2nd one added. This is going to be my ongoing machine project when I need a break from hand stitching to give my poor fingers a rest when they get sore (I just can't use thimbles)

BASKET PROGRESS

These little baskets are still being appliqued and 'quilted as you go'

The next batch ready to have sashings attached and made into rows

2 more rows ready to join to the main piece

This quilt is growing to be a bit of a big one, over the half way mark now......yeah!

Till next time, thanks for stopping by :)

Anyone for Cupcakes or How about some Strawberries?

 

Sometimes you just need a break from making big quilts which can take forever to complete, so it can be quite satisfying to create something small in a day..........like a pincushion or two.

 

As you can tell, I got just a little carried away! 

I had seen various cupcake pincushion styles out there, but wasn't happy with the designs so decided to come up with my own. These are now selling in the gift shop at the Wildlife park where I work so it was worth the effort :)

  

In the meantime, progress is being made with the basket quilt, sashings are going on the ready quilted blocks.........

A quilt is gradually coming to life........ have I mentioned that I love this Quilt as you Go method?

May have to change that dark blue circle though

back view

'till next time, happy stitching :)

Basket making

 

Whenever I finish a quilt I allow myself to start another on my wish list & this time it's the lovely baskets from the Blackbird designs book Where the Cold Wind Blows. I 've always wanted to make this & once I read about Jeanneke's method for prepping the baskets I was on my way........

I'm also going to make this one using the Quilt as you Go method & am hand quilting around each basket before I add the sashing to make up the rows.

Thinking of sticking to mainly blues, reds & pinks from my stash for this one, here's the progress so far.......