Some NewFO finishes in February

Those of you who read my blog regularly, know that we have had a lot of rain this month. Then we had two sunny days and guess what happened yesterday; rain in the morning! Yesterday I started working in our 'jungle' garden early, to avoid the heat later in the day. I managed to do quite a lot, before it started raining.... Oh well, it is the rainy- and cyclone season, so what else to expect?! :)

 

All the rain means indoor activities; sewing. If you read my previous post, you know I have been working on some UFO's and even finished two.

I always get a bit bored working on UFO's... well, not exactly because they are UFO's, but I think the finishing process is a bit boring... I love to cut fabric and sew the small pieces together! The boring job has to be done to get a project done, doesn't it?! :)

 

I'm quite sure these bunnies have been playing hide and seek with me! It's soon Easter, so no doubt! :) I finished it (the binding) beginning of January. Then I was going to take photos of it, but as I can recall the weather wasn't the best for taking photos, so I put it away. Out of sight - out of mind. It reappeared when I had to move the finished quilt tops (UFO's), it was hiding under all the UFO's!

 

 

Aren't those bunnies cute?

 

 

Quilting; the squares are cross-hatched and I've done FMQ on the borders/stripes. The quilt is washed to get the lovely crinkled look.

 

 

The Easter / Spring table runner I started earlier this month, is finished.

 

 

Lots of fun doing the set-in pieces. The stems on the lilies were supposed to be fabric, instead I used ric-rac. Love how that turned out.

 

 

As you may have noticed already, I have done the quilting different this time. I have used patterns from The Electric Quilt Company's Quilting Design (printable stencils). It's the very first time I'm trying it and I love the result. What do you think?

This is the center piece.

 

 

The piece under the basket... a leaf pattern too.

The daffodils triangles are FMQ.

GOSH how wonky it looks! It doesn't look that bad in real! :0 I'm using a wide angle lense on my camera, which creates funny photos sometimes. :) If you take a look at the table runner, it looks like it is wider on the middle, doesn't it?  

 

 

... and a teapot cozy to match the table runner...

 

 

I still have some pieces of the daffodils fabric left, so there's a chance for a couple of mug rugs! :)

 

I worked on the pink baby quilt yesterday afternoon. The quilting is done and now it is ready for the binding. Not sure what I'm going to work on now... I will continue with the UFO's, but in between some NewFO's! :)  

 

 

 

Working on UFO's

I haven't really been in the 'UFO-mojo' this year, but finally - about one week ago - I decided to start thread basting one of the two 'Colorado Star' quilts. It was already pinned basted, so it was just to get started. I had two excuses for not to work on it earlier; I was busy with a couple of new projects and I wasn't in the mood to clean the table - lol. Last weekend cyclone 'Giovanna' paid us a visit so there was no chance I could do anything in the garden. 'Class 3' warning was issued too, which means 'don't go out if you don't have to'... More about 'Giovanna' here.

Yes, UFO's... CS quilt #1 is thread basted and ready to be quilted. I should get the thread by this or next week. I need backing for the second one and for the matching table topper, but I don't feel for shopping these days; too hot...

Sunday last 'Giovanna' gave us wind from all directions, so this is what I did the entire day; thread basting the 'Postage Stamp' quilt I did last year...  The top and backing were already done, just to sandwich it. Not the best photo, hope to have a better one when its finished. I have used 2.5 inch charms in yellow, green and brown and I really love how it turned out.

After I finished basting the PS quilt, I pulled out the Christmas/Winter UFO's too and thread basted 6 table mats and 5 table toppers/runners. All ready to be quilted! :)  

 

As you may remember from an earlier post, my childhood friend Johnny turns 50 this October, and I'm working on a sampler quilt as our gift. He knows about it - no secret! :) I haven't done as much as I intended to, because I have in mind the quilt should represent our childhood, which needs some deep thinking at times.... This block has been in the 'thinking-box' for some weeks, because I couldn't figure out how to add all the pieces together. When I started working on it some days ago; no problem at all... :) Not very happy about the two top corners - the 'clouds' is not horizontal - if you have noticed?! I had to do it like that, because that is what I had left of the fabric and it didn't work the other way... I believe it won't be that visible sewn into the quilt. The block is from EQ7 and measures 12 x 12 inch. 

I have a few more blocks for 'Johnny's Quilt' ready to be sewn and hopefully I'll do them over the weekend - if I don't get sidetracked - as usual! :)

 

 

Pause for thought.... What to do?

Before you start working on a project, do you plan it in detail?

That is something I have never been able to do, because I know there will always be changes. This time I want to make some cushions, but I don't know if they will end up cushions - or something else! :)

I purchased EQ6 a couple of years ago and this year I upgraded to EQ7. The truth is I haven't played around with EQ6/7 as much as I thought I would... I think it is about sitting down and concentrate learning the program, because it is a lot to learn. Or am I just lazy?!

Well, over the last days I've been playing in the 'block librairy' and this is one of the blocks I've chosen for cushions. 

The size of the block is 18 inch / 45cm square. The square in the middle is 8 inch / 20cm and it is here I am stuck... The original plan was to applique the poinsettia, but I don't think it will fit together with the fabrics I have chosen...

The fabric I have used have pine cones, pine needles and leaves in the colors of beige, green and red. The yellow is different, some swirls.

I haven't added all the pieces together yet... Here's one of the corners...

I thought of using one square of the yellow fabric, but since the square is 8 inch / 20 cm, it will be too big and won't look nice at all.. After some sips of coffee, the idea now is to add a block in the block, but what kind of block? A log cabin, a house, a star....?

Please! Any ideas?

And yes, he had to! :)) Those pieces of fabric were the only ones on the cutting mat - and he had to put his feet on them! This is something he is not allowed to do, but you know... when I turn my back to him.... :)

I'm finally working on a 50th anniversary quilt (to be finished next year) and here is the first block...

I haven't planned this quilt in detail either. The quilt is going to be a gift to my dear childhood friend Johnny. We have known each other for almost 45 years (Gosh! Are we getting old?!) and my idea is to make blocks that resembles our childhood and adult life...

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