Inspiration from the Internet

One of my favourite pastimes is trawling the Internet for quilting ideas. I follow a lot of blogs where I get loads of ideas and they lead me to other blogs where I find lots of inspiration.  A while ago I found Angie's blog, Quilting on the Crescent, through the So Scrappy Rainbow Challenge blog.

Angie used 1.5" squares, all the same colour to create a 49 patch block, every square was a different fabric.  I squirrelled that idea away and then saw Cathy's Roman Stripe blocks ( based on a vintage quilt she spied on Etsy)  Those were turned into a fabulous quilt entitled Checkered Past.  I loved the idea of alternating 5 x 1.5" squares with calico strips.

That triggered a frenzy of cutting scraps, in some cases from a tiny scrap, to make a tin full of 1.5" squares.

So for the past two days I have snatched bits of spare time to churn out one blue 49 patch block, each fabric is different which was more difficult than I thought as although I thought I had lots of different squares cut I was surprised how many 49 actually is!  However, I have completed one Blue Block:

 

I also have a Green Block all laid out ready to sew.

 

Then I had a go at some Roman Stripe blocks, some I made Leader and Ender style between webbing the 49 patch block. Some blue, some green and one turquoise block.

 

 

A while ago I kitted out lots of Twinkler Blocks, again a super idea I learned on Cathy's Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting blog.  I had to cut some more small squares for the star points but have made all these, 18 blocks in all. Tomorrow I need to put all my Twinker Blocks together and see how many I actually have................... perhaps enough for a quilt?

 

Today's blocks:

 

I love using up scraps.  Thank you Angie and Cathy for your ideas!

 

Weekend windows of opportunity

This weekend is a Bank Holiday in the UK but when you are retired (as we are) it doesn't have the same significance.

We have never chosen to travel anywhere during Bank Holidays as we had no desire to be stuck in traffic jams. This weekend has been no exception!  For once the Bank Holiday has been blessed with beautiful sunny weather - they are normally a wash out! We have enjoyed the garden, eating some meals outside ( very few this summer) and I have done a bit of gardening.

On the sewing front I decided to sew for a little while early on Saturday morning and complete a few more Twinkler blocks which were kitted up ready to go.  I am linking these with So Scrappy RSC blog as they have neutral centres and star points. That counts, doesn't it?
I finished 8 before I ran out of 1.5" squares for the star points so  need to cut a few more as I still have lots of 8 x 2.5" squares pinned together ready to turn into blocks.

Baby Georgie made an appearance on Thursday evening so I have been busy embroidering the label for this quilt I made last year:

This is the label:

 

Ready to sew onto the quilt whilst I'm watching TV.

 

 

I also managed to pop over to see baby India and deliver my collection of hand made gifts. gorgeous baby, lovely family and today I received a beautiful photo of baby India lying on her Happy Cats quilt. That's why I make quilts!

 

 

More great quilts from the Festival of Quilts

Lots of photos of some of my favourite quilts at the recent Festival of Quilts.

And close up

 

And close up

 

The tiniest hexies imaginable - probably finished at 0.5"

 

My finger shows how small those hexies are!

 

I thought this quilt was very clever and beautifully executed. Called "Latinus Stupidii for Quilters" by Moira Neal, Cambridge.  It depicts shelves of plants created in various ways, all with invented Latin names. Each plant is made up of various quilting tools.

 

Close up of the rotary cutter flowers

Cactus using safety pins for the prickles

Collections of small quilts

Amazing New York Beauty quilt - all the points were perfect!

This one reminded me of strata and fault lines in Geology.

 

 

 

 

There was an exhibition of small quilts made by pairing quilters from three countries: The Netherlands, UK & Switzerland. Each pair sent four fabrics to their partner and the partner could add three more fabrics of their own.  The theme for the quilts was CLIMATE.

And the finished quilt.

 

And the finished Polar bear quilt.

 

This one was entitled 'Lost Paradise".

 

This quilt was made by 35 people showing the names of women killed by their partners or ex partners.  Very graphic and thought provoking:

And a close up

 

Finally two entries in the Quilt Creations category:

 

 

My camera started playing up at this point and I took some on my mobile phone.  I haven't downloaded those yet. Perhaps another post as some of those include photos of some of the winning quilts from each competition category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neutral string blocks

I'm linking with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 17 on the SoScrappy blog.
I follow the blog each week, enjoying the marvellous blocks people make from their abundant scraps.

I haven't been sewing along with each month's chosen colour but I did make some blue String blocks last month as that was the colour choice for July and I am building up a stack of 5" String blocks which eventually will be sewn into a quilt top.


This month's colour is Neutral and I never have many neutral scraps but I knew I had a few (not many variations though) but I managed to make 10 blocks this afternoon.  I already had 6 neutral blocks so with today's haul I will have enough to make 4 neutral coloured diamond blocks for the quilt.

Here they are:

 

I now have 96 finished blocks.  I need more yellow, orange and purple ones, all colours I don't have many scraps for.

Two more little gifts

I haven't made a Taggy for ages but just finished a little one for India made from 2 different
flannels and pretty ribbons:

 

 

I also made a drawstring bag for her Mummy which I thought might be useful for Amy to keep together her essentials like mobile phone, car and house keys etc which she can pop into her Baby Bag when she goes out with India. I'm always amazed at how much 'stuff' Mums carry around with a new baby so the little drawstring bag might eliminate the need for a handbag as well as the Baby Bag!

 

 

My collection of handmade gifts for the new baby are now collected together ready to wrap:

 

 

Crochet baby blanket finished

In an attempt to keep scraps down to a minimum by using them up I decided to make a striped crochet baby blanket.  I had almost a whole ball of grey left over from the striped baby cardigan I knitted recently and a friend gave me leftover balls of navy, red and white yarn. As I was about to pop them in the cupboard I had a change of plan:  why not crochet a baby blanket?

All made up as I went along.  I think I made a 100 chain before starting the double row of dc, using the four colours in turn and repeating the pattern of navy, grey, red, white.
The white ran out first but I managed to find an excellent match in my bag of yarn leftovers so then continued until the red came to an end. By this time the blanket was almost a square of a useful size and I had enough navy to crochet a border all the way round the blanket.

It finished at 29.5" x 31.5".  Not a perfect square but near enough to 'look' square until I measured it.

Another part of my gift for Amy's baby who was born a little early on Thursday. A baby girl, called India Reyna, such a pretty name. Can't wait to hand over all my gifts whenever that might be.

A close up:

 

The colours aren't completely true to their real colour.  The navy isn't as black as in the photo and the red is proper pillar box red not the rather orange shade of red it appears here.

 

I'm pleased with the blanket, soft and colourful, and drapes beautifully.  Just right to tuck around a baby in the pushchair or car seat. Hope Amy agrees.

Festival of Quilts 2017

I spent two full, busy days last Thursday and Friday at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, Birmingham.

As always there were wonderful Competition quilts, such amazing work on display. I marvelled at the artistic skills as well as the sewing skills of the quilt makers.
I had a problem with my camera so didn't take as many pictures as usual but I will share some with you now:

 

 

Two photos of a very intricately pieced quilt. Great colours, all swirling around the quilt.

I loved this Pineapple quilt.

 

Again, wonderful piecing. I loved how the corners connected into striped squares.

 

 

The following photos were of a quilt called Some Memories, each block depicted a holiday , each one a different scene, country, year the holiday was taken.

 

This is Opua in New Zealand

 

 Another NZ scene, this time with kayaks and, like the previous one, edged with Maori patterned fabrics.

 

Interesting to see this quilt as we had NZ friends with us, and they loved spotting the NZ holiday blocks

 

Again lots of small piecing.

 

 

 

Lots more photos to share, but off to friends for a meal.  Will come back tomorrow with more pictures.