As promised..

 A finish...

I began this back in October.

The fabric had been in my stash for way too long!

I initially thought to just make it a simple patchwork

These squares are cut at 3 and a half inches

but then came across this method for 

making pinwheel 

blocks..

by making a four patch first...

sewing around the outside edge of two 

blocks facing 

right side together and cutting them in 

four on the diagonal....

Then playing around with their 

placement.

Each block finishes at 5 and a half inches

I hand quilted it, with black Perle thread, 

while I was away in Bright...

So that was the name I've given it.

The batting is Vilene Cottonlite,  

a soft woven fabric similar to a loosely woven flannel 

fabric, perfect for summer quilts.

 And given how well it fits in with this filing cabinet...

It's certainly bright!

Lifetime quilt #128

Quilt #9 for 2020

Finished size 50" by 45"

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Catching Up

Time for a little catch-up!

These cute puppies have been in my stash for too long!

I saw what a friend had done with hers and just 

                        had to copy it!

It's not a big one, but I am sure it will make someone                                       smile!

And some stash enhancement!

I'm thinking of making a boxy top with the bottom 

one- an 'out-of-print' Kaffe Fassett.

One of the leftover panels has become a weebraw bag!

I decided to brush up on my embroidery skills, with 

this 

Christmas decoration.

And I have nearly finished the hand quilting my voile 

AMH Summer quilt....

 I'll need to get something to bind it with and then 

some photos....stay tuned!

Happy days!

SUZ

Where have I been?

 Now that we are out of lockdown and with that 

dreaded illness 

virtually eliminated from my beautiful country,

Taken on a recent walk, just 10km from the city of Melbourne!

life is back to covid-normal (masks inside, social 

distancing etc) and my days are full!

Finishing up a 42-year teaching career may have had 

something to do with it.

Some of the beautiful cards etc I received on my semi-retirement

And spending lots of time with my gorgeous grandsons 

is definitely another!

But I have been knitting,

sewing...

a dress for my sister-

the very versatile Eme dress from Stylearc!

Pretty fabric from Spotlight

And a starry quilt top (flimsy) for a friend....

And some planning for these beauties!

I'm thinking something with big and bold blocks!

Just maybe not all of them in the one quilt!

Any suggestions on a pattern???

I'll certainly have more time for all the fun things of life!

Happy days!

SUZ

Happy finishes!

 I have two finishes to share with you today!

Firstly, the Whittaker pinafore I made for my sister, 

Helen was gifted to her yesterday!

We had a lovely time together getting some photos!

The denim was heavier than I was expecting when I 

ordered it online and I was worried about how I would 

manage it!

However, my Juki powered through every multi-layer.

(I may need to make a pair of jeans now!)

The green topstitching is just perfect, isn't it?

Secondly is my "Halo" quilt, which I am calling

 "Double Donuts".

My Melbourne friends will know this refers to an 

impressive COVID figure.....

Today is the 16th day we Victorians have achieved zero 

new cases, zero deaths! 

And today, we have NO cases of COVID at all in our 

wonderful State!

 All that lockdown pain deserves a celebration quilt, 

don't you think?!

I hand quilted this over the course of about 6 weeks, 

powering through not one but more than two spools of 

thread- a Superior Threads reel of 12wt in Cerulean,

A WonderFil Eleganza reel of 8wt in a variegated aqua, 

and 

some of the other Superior Threads in Pansy.

We were lucky to find not one, but two bridges 

to throw it over. 

Neither of us was tall enough to hold it up without it 

trailing on the ground!

And a tree branch came in handy too!

The backing was bought before our first lockdown back 

in March, 

When Darn Cheap had all patchwork fabric for $5 a 

metre!

It really suits Helen's lounge room,

but, no, it came home with me!

Quilt #8 for 2020

Lifetime quilt #126

Finished size: 84" by 74"

My version of the "Halo" quilt

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Playing again!

 While I am hand quilting in the evening, 

in recent days I have been playing with these 

Anna Maria Horner voiles, 

which have been in my stash for way too long!

The floral on the left is for the backing

They deserve some attention, don't you think?

I thought you might like to see my process....

Initially, I thought I'd do a simple patchwork,

so started with four and a half-inch squares.

They sat on my cutting table for some time, while I 

pondered my decision.

Then I stumbled across Jenny Doan's quick method of 

making hourglass blocks!

They start with a four patch, then another....

placed right sides together,

stitched around the outside and cut diagonally into four.

Before I knew it I had 12,

then 36,

then a photo collage for the 90 I am aiming for.

I thought it was worth converting that into a black and 

white photo, 

to help with the placement of that rich turquoise!

Hopefully, by the end of the weekend, I will have the 

top together.

Then it will go into the TBHQ (To Be Hand Quilted) pile!

 Happy sewing!

SUZ

 

Two for one!

 I have two finishes to share today....

This one is pieced by my sister

And hand quilted, mainly by me.

I finished it with binding and a label!

The pattern is available from Treehouse Textiles.

Isn't it pretty?

And the Smorgasbord quilt is 'sort of finished'....

I had to delve deep into my meagre thread stash

to find enough of various colours.

No more pink or mauve!

Now that my sister has provided me with a reel of  

mauve,

I can finish it properly!

I had a bit of fun with this label too, finding this food 

fabric as a 'nod' to the quilt's name.

Happy sewing! 

SUZ