Challenge set by Win, almost 103 years old!

Towards the middle of last year my dear Patchwork friend Win (103 years old in a month's time) set our Group a Challenge.  She had found a scarf pattern which used a 100gm ball of DK yarn.  She asked a friend to buy a ball of yarn for each of us in the Group and photocopy the simple pattern.

I was so busy sewing and lots of involvement with the family and knitting for a friend's baby that I'm afraid the Challenge was put to one side. However I recently started to knit the scarf and it is now completed.  It's really nice, one of those scarves that wrap around your neck and fill the gap between sweater and coat collar.  I've decided to gift it to Liz in NZ to use during the winter.
It was so interesting to see the pattern evolve as I knitted my way through the ball of variegated yarn.

I'll definitely make more of them, perhaps for gifts for friends.

Yesterday I made 4 more QAYG String blocks for Jan in Australia.  Now have 6 to send her soon.
I have chosen darker/stronger colours for these 6 blocks as I know Jan always needs blocks for men and boy's quilts. They measure 10.5" square.

Last quilting in NZ

Yesterday was my last Patchwork meeting in NZ for 2017.
I had a very productive day, using scraps to make 2 more drawstring bags for Jennie's stall:

Front

And back

Front

 

And back

 

I also made 3 more 10.5" QAYG String blocks for Jan at Sew many quilts too little time blog.

That makes a total of 9 blocks which I will mail to her when I go into town on Tuesday.

It's cheaper for me to send blocks to Jan in Australia from here in NZ than from the UK ( postage charge is quite prohibitive now).

Here they are, all 9 of them:

 

 

Hope Jan likes them.  I know she is busy using up QAYG blocks that have been gifted to her so perhaps these will mix in nicely with ones she is sewing up at present.

 

 

First quilt finish for 2016!

Wow, I feel as though I should hang the flags out................... I have finished my first quilt in 2016!
I have been making two baby quilts side by side, one in pink for a girl and one with blues, greens and oranges for a baby boy. Baby boy Josselin arrived a few days ago so the blue quilt has a home to go to, back in the UK.

Here it is:

 

The quilt top is made entirely from scraps, fabric leftover from a baby quilt I made last year for Max. 

The crumb blocks were also made from those scraps augmented with a few other scraps in the same colours which I thought added extra interest and variety.

 

I hand quilted in the ditch, very simply as I thought the quilt was 'busy' enough.

I bought the backing fabric at Spotlight, a cute elephant design ( I love elephants!), a soft silky feeling Japanese fabric. I know elephants don't really go with the On the Farm theme of the quilt, but I couldn't resist it and the colours were a perfect match for the colours in the quilt top.

I chose a lime and white striped fabric for the binding, again purchased at Spotlight.

Striped bindings are my favourite choice, somehow I think it gives the quilt a smart, finished look. And this lime and white is very crisp, like a Granny Smith's apple! 

 

Quilt details: Blocks 4.5" unfinished,

Alternate fabric block and crumb block.

Border cut at 3".

Measures 41" square

 

I have two more Quilt Groups to attend this week, the last for each Group before we go back to the UK.

 The MQC meets tomorrow and I will be making some more QAYG blocks for Jan in Australia.

I have got 9 prepared, backings cut to size and batting pinned on so all I have to do is sew on the strips - all ready too. I managed to find enough batting scraps to make 9 more blocks which, when trimmed, will finish at 10.5" square.  They will be mailed later in the week.

On Saturday it is the Vintage Quilters Group meeting when I will hand sew the binding on the pink baby girl quilt and hand embroider a label for Josselin's quilt.

 

Then no more sewing for me until I am back home in the UK.

Our family arrives on Sunday so we are all very excited. First visit for our SIL and beautiful granddaughter. Our daughter has been here once before, back in 2007!

 

But I will blog about the baby girl quilt once I've sewn the binding.  And that will make TWO finishes for 2016!

I don't seem to have done as much sewing as in other years but we have had a lot of visitors so lots of cooking and washing and changing bed linens!  But that's all good too. We love to see people here.

Scraps + Strips = QAYG blocks

I have followed Jan Macfadyen's blog for a few years.  She does the most amazing work making quilts for charity. At present she is concentrating on making quilts for a Woman's Refuge.  I am just amazed at the sheer quantity of quilts ( and crocheted blankets) that she produces. She also works shifts at a hospital so where she finds the time to juggle sewing, a job and a husband and family is incredible. And when does she sleep??????????

Jan receives donated tops as well as orphan blocks, QAYG string blocks, fabrics etc and turns them into completed quilts so quickly.  Do have a look at her blog where you can see her work.
sewmanyquiltstoolittletime.blogspot.com

I have made QAYG blocks for Jan a couple of times but promised to make some more once I was settled in NZ. I have looked through my small NZ stash and decided many of the scraps have hung around far too long.  So I cut them into strips of various widths, found all my bits of leftover batting and made some blocks to send to Jan. You can even piece the batting for these QAYG blocks ( she explains all this on her blog) so they are economical to make as well as putting those scraps to good use.

I also used Bonnie Hunter's video to find out the best way to 'de-bone a shirt".  You can find this under the Tips & Techniques tab on her blog quiltville.blogspot.
I had one of my husband's shirts to cut up - perfectly good fabric except for a slightly worn collar. It took about 10 minutes to de-bone it into good sized pieces to use to back some of my QAYG String blocks.

Jan uses both 10.5" and 12.5" blocks so I made as many of each as I could with the fabric sizes I had.
I even pieced some of the backs of the blocks.

Here they are: 13x 10.5" blocks

 

And 6 x 12.5" blocks:

I know Jan has completely depleted her stash of blocks so I hope these will start her off on her next couple of Charity quilts. I will post them when I go into town tomorrow.

Getting through my list!

Last Saturday I made a list of Crafting Projects that need to be done.  I always find that making lists is very useful as it helps me make sense of all the random thoughts about projects which whirl round my head.

I have had another extremely busy week, concentrating on the garden and getting it ready for winter.  We have a lot of shrubs and large bushes in our garden and due to our rather wet summer they have all grown like crazy.  I spent a large part of three days pruning - actually a job I enjoy, although I do tend to get carried away and everything gets a very severe haircut! Had the day off gardening today but hope to get back to pruning tomorrow morning.

But I have also managed to work on "The List" too. 
First on The List was to Finish both Baby Quilt WIPs.
Last week I had put the walking foot on to my machine to machine quilt some lines on A Star is Born quilt so whilst the foot was still on I sewed the binding on to Noah's Ark, my other WIP Baby Quilt.  During that evening I hand sewed the binding on so, voila, my finished WIP!

Everything in this quilt is from stash, including the pieced backing (which I forgot to photograph).

I didn't have quite enough of the border fabric leftover for the binding so I added a few pieces of three different yellow fabrics.  They were in my leftover binding bag, so more scraps used up.

So my first Baby Quilt WIP is finished and waiting for the New Zealand baby to put in an appearance.

During the evenings whilst I've been watching TV and again at Patchwork Group this morning I have been hand stitching away at the other WIP, sewing around each star with a double row of Perle and sewing in the ditch around the centre square of each star.  It's coming along well and as hand quilting is something I enjoy, I've been enjoying the process very much.

I have partly done the Second item on my list as I have cut loads of strips from lots of scrap fabrics but I haven't got back to finishing the blocks of the String Quilt I am making.  This was because I decided to make 10 QAYG String blocks for Jan MacFadyan in Australia. This job really need the walking foot so, as that was already on my machine I moved them up the list.  Again I very much enjoy making these blocks and really had fun sewing them.

Here they are:

 

Jan does such great work making quilts for all sorts of good causes:  a lot she makes entirely herself but she also re-jigs quilt tops donated to her and uses 10.5" square QAYG blocks to make very bright and cheerful ( and warm!) String Quilts.  If you are interested in putting some of your scraps to good use, have a look at her blog: Sew Many Quilts- Too Little Time

The instructions for the QAYG blocks and photos of her finished QAYG quilts are on the blog.

I have got the parcel ready to post and tomorrow I'll take it to the Post Office.
Another item ticked off!

I want to machine quilt around the border on my Star Quilt and then I can change the foot  on my machine.  I find putting the walking foot on very difficult as it needs me to use my left hand - and I am right handed.  In addition the screw is very short and my fingers aren't as nimble as they once were. So once the walking foot is on I make the most of it and use it for as many projects as I can.

After my big string cutting session the other day I have plenty of strings to finish my String Quilt WIP and make the Spider web blocks for our Group Quilt. Plenty to keep me busy there!

And I need to start knitting the beanie and the shoulder bag.  Will look out the patterns, yarn and needles tomorrow.

This evening it's Rugby:  NZ v Namibia, so I will be watching TV and hand quilting too.
I am not a Rugby fan - I find the game so confusing as I don't understand the rules - but, much to my surprise,  I have very much enjoyed the games I watched over the weekend. As my other half will be watching I will too and work on my quilt at the same time.  I expect there are lots of crafters doing exactly the same, watching TV whilst working on their current project.

Go NZ - until I am watching England play!

Working on WIPs and making a list

I am working on two baby quilt WIPs.  Making good progress as I haven't had a lot of time for sewing this week. Visitors with two young children so we had to move a lot around in the house, get out the travel cot and folding bed etc. Now I am tackling the washing!

So, here are the quilts:

 

The one on the left is the Noah's Ark quilt, all trimmed and ready for the binding ( which is already made too)

 

The quilt on the right, with its bubble gum pink sashing is being hand quilted with Perle thread.

 

Here's one of the blocks I have quilted:

 

 

Noah's Ark is for a baby boy, expected any day now and A Star is Born is for a baby due in a month's time ( if it's a girl!).

 

I have been thinking of Craft Projects that need to be done:

 

1.  Finish both Baby Quilt WIPs

2.  Finish making the blocks for my String Quilt ( which means cutting a load more strings first)

3.  Make some QAYG String blocks I have promised for Jan (Sew Many Quilts Too Little Time)

4.  Make 2 Spider web Blocks for a Group Quilt

5.  Make a little drawstring bag for my Christmas Shoe Box appeal gift

6.  Knit a beanie and a little shoulder bag for the Christmas Shoe Box.

 

Hope to tick off the Noah's Ark quilt asap!

 

Off to do some more Perle hand quilting.  Leaving re-jigging the house until tomorrow!

 

.

 

QAYG String Quilt finished

So pleased to finish my QAYG String Quilt today.
I sat in the garden enjoying our beautifully hot sunny day hand sewing the binding and embroidering the label.  Now all ready to post tomorrow!

I loved making the QAYG blocks, using lots of scraps of "Boy type" fabrics, including some scraps I have been given recently.  I also needed to augment them by cutting strips from fat quarters and yardage from my stash.  It's amazing how much fabric you use making strip blocks.
I used a variety of blue fabrics for the back of the blocks, including some novelty prints.  All of these appeared in the strips too.

A great variety of fabrics, so lots and lots of I Spy opportunities from elephants to insects, and space ships to bird houses!  Even some penguins and pukeko (swamp hens) from New Zealand.

 

Can you see the pukeko, bottom left?  The bright blue birds with red beak and legs? They are almost as bright a blue in real life!

 

 

 

 

And here's what it looks like on the back.  I used a lemon Kona Cotton to join the QAYG blocks, hand sewing the joining strips on the back.

 

 

 

Two more close ups to show some of the many different fabrics used in this quilt.

 

 

And the finished quilt, 63" inches square.  Very heavy as my husband will testify, as he held it up for me to photograph!

 

 

 

I have to say I found joining the blocks quite hard.  Joining the blocks into rows was OK but joining the long rows together was a challenge.  The weight of the quilt was unwieldy and dragged the 1/4" seam line off so many times. A lot of unpicking was done.

 

However I am pleased with the result and can't wait to see how this quilt is received by the 3 year old boy who will have it.  I only know of this little chap through his Mum's blog that I follow so hope they will both enjoy playing I Spy and that he will love being warm and cosy in the winter.

QAYG blocks for Australia

Well, I find it amazing that it is almost a month since I last blogged and that we are now in March!
I have definitely felt that Spring was on its way the past few days: it is getting noticeably lighter in the mornings and not becoming dark anywhere near as early, the birds are singing and the woodpecker has spent a long time pecking away at our lawn - a whole hour the other afternoon!  So, I am feeling lighter too. I really dislike the dark winter months and have to say I am not too keen on snow.  Good to look at from the window, to admire how pretty the trees look, and I enjoy snow scenes on Christmas cards but then reality sets in and I just think it's a nuisance.

So, what have I been doing on the sewing front?  Continuing hand quilting another cot quilt, a top I made a year ago when I was indoors a great deal during my chemotherapy.  I am hoping this will be suitable for one of the twins  expected in New Zealand next month.  Have an idea for the second quilt but not started yet! I think the twins are both expected to be boys so I am using strong colours.

Then I rediscovered Jan MacFadyen's blog. An amazing lady who makes quilts, crocheted blankets, hats etc for charity. How she finds the time and energy to create so many in such a short time is simply incredible. 
Check out her blog: Oz Comfort Quilts  where the posts are solely about her Charity Quilts, both ones she has made herself and blocks, quilts and other handmade items sent as donatations to her cause.
Jan's other blog is Sew Many Quilts - Too Little Time, very aptly named! Somehow she also makes time to sew for herself!
Both well worth a look, you will be blown away at what she achieves. Perhaps she never sleeps?

One of the quilts she makes over and over again is a QAYG String block which she sashes together into a fairly quick quilt. I used her method a couple of years ago when I made a String Quilt to send to the Christchurch earthquake quilts appeal. I found the instructions for the sashing a bit puzzling, but did it eventually and the finished quilt was good.

As I had a lot of strings left over from other projects and lots of small pieces of batting I decided to make 20 String blocks for Jan.  She relies a lot on donations: blocks of any kind, fabric, batting, backing, sashing, yarn etc.  I really enjoyed making them - I LOVE string blocks and get a kick out of 'making something out of nothing'.  I pieced batting, stitching bits together with a zigzag stitch on the machine so I used up lots of odds and ends which made my large plastic box for batting bits look a little less full.  All good.

Here are some photos of my finished blocks.  They are so bright and cheerful, lots to look at too as so many colours and fabric styles are used.

Last two photos show Close ups of some of the blocks.  They are even brighter than these photos show.

Whilst I was hunting around in my sewing room for more scraps of fabric I found 7 orphan blocks.
I cannot remember when or why I made them and know I won't use them myself.  I emailed Jan and asked if they would be useful to her and she said Yes, so these Pinwheel blocks went into the parcel along with the 20 QAYG blocks.

Again my photo doesn't do them justice, the fabrics are brighter than this.

Also, as always I have been stitching tiny scarps of fabric into Crumb blocks and, as a result of the trimmings from my QAYG blocks I have a HUGE stack of bits for 100s more Crumb blocks. I have a coule of ideas for more quilts using these, just need to find some time.

Hope you are having a great  time sewing.
Do let me know if you make some blocks for Jan.