Palette Cleanser

 I may call my latest flimsy finish "Palette Cleanser"?

I rarely make a totally solid quilt and this felt like 

cleansing the palette of florals and prints! 

Or maybe I will call it "On Solid Ground",

for fairly obvious reasons.

I posted this photo (above) to Instagram, back at the 

start of June,

thinking I would make a very large quilt with 13 full 

blocks set on point,

with a number of half blocks to fill in the gaps.

Sadly, the making of these blocks was becoming a 

chore, 

so once I finished up the ninth block on Monday,

I decided it was done!

So all that needs to be decided is the backing and the 

quilting!

Can you believe I have NO OTHER WIPS to sew!?

I do have my botanical art to keep me busy.....

Maybe you have a favourite pattern that you'd like to 

see 'take' on?

I'd love to know!

Happy days!

SUZ

La Finestre- a finish!

I'm not sure I have much left to say about this quilt.

I started it back in August last year,

 about ten months ago.

It is the Dotty Mc Potty pattern by Irene Blanck 

at Focus On Quilts.

I made my own trailing vine-type border rather  

than the one in the pattern.

It was obvious that I was running out of low-volume

 background fabric so a dear blogging friend, 

Karen at Sunburnt Quilts came to my rescue.

I found a vintage sheet in my stash for the backing, 

bought for me, I think, by my sister!

Yesterday my husband and I drove to Daylesford to see 

a quilt show (the less said the better!)

Then onto Taradale to do some family history research 

at the cemetery.

The little town and its park were the perfect backdrop 

for my photos.

I machine-quilted some long stitching around the blocks

and sashing, 

before adding lots and lots of hand quilting.

It's probably one of my favourite quilts! 

It was a joy to make!

Quilt #4 for 2024

Lifetime quilt #156

62" by 70"

Happy sewing,

Suz

 

What was I thinking....

when I offered to consult on a commission quilt?

Yes, that's code for 'making the quilt myself'!

Ugh- old pyjama fabric, much of it some sort of worn, 

fine cotton,

With some t-shirt knit thrown in to induce more 

hair-tearing angst!

Have you ever thought about how long it takes to cut 

up PJs, 

iron it all, and cut up around the unusable pieces....

All before you could begin properly cutting and piecing?

Anyway, I won't continue b**ching, 

I'm just breathing a sigh of relief that 

it's finished and ready to be delivered or 

sent to the client.

At least the backing is pretty!

I'm wondering how they will feel when I tell them I've 

spent about 100 (Australian) dollars

on the plain solid fabric, backing fabric, binding fabric, 

thread, batting and fabric spray.

I am reminding myself I'm being paid for this,

but when I do the final calculation 

on the time spent on it, not including the electricity and

 'wear and tear of the machine and my body,

I will yet again say....

"What was I thinking?"

Back to "Happy sewing" now.....

PA PJ quilt

Quilt #3 for 2024

Lifetime Quilt #155

48" by 56"

SUZ

A Quick Recap....

 Three projects at different stages.

Firstly, I completed my Sille Slipover during the week....

(I think the use of the word 'vest' confuses some

 as what we know as a singlet is called a vest in Britain)

I knitted it slightly longer than the pattern suggests

because I like my lower back covered.

My "Violet Crumble" quilt is at the binding stage, 

which I will hand stitch to the back this week, 

while I'm on another short road trip.

I will get some glamour shots while I am away!

I am also planning my next quilt... 

an 'all solids' pattern by Tara Faughnan

See you next week!

SUZ

At last, a finish!

 

Gosh, it's been a long time between quilt finishes.

I have slowed down with my quilt-making.

I have another hobby, botanical watercolour painting,

 that often takes up some of my retirement hours.

I also have a bigger house to look after now that we live

 in regional Victora.

The garden is quite large and I like to help my husband

 maintain it.

A harvest of tomatoes

And now that Mr PnP has retired we are travelling more,

 if only a road trip here or there.

We also enjoy exploring all the little towns nearby,

as well as trips back to Melbourne to visit 

family and friends.

D'Arenberg Winery in McLaren Vale SA

How many quilts do I really need?

I don't have many new friends or ones that I know well

 enough to gift them to.

But this one was started on a whim and I love it!

Quilting on my Juki!

It is now called Patio Garden because I didn't find

 Checkered Garden, named by the creator, 

very inspiring!

I had the perfect backing in my stash.

I remember buying 4 or 5 metres of this last year

 from Darn Cheap 

for a very reasonable or 'cheap' price!

It is quilted in a simple grid design 

with a lovely aqua Aurifil thread, 

one of the reels I won in a giveaway a few years back! 

I think it will make a great baby quilt 

for bassinette or floor.

I took my quilt on a little trip to 

Lambley Nursery and 

Gardens.

And stopped in Clunes when I saw this old cart, 

the perfect backdrop I think!

I think my mojo is back because I have not one 

but two quilts in the planning stage!

Happy sewing!

Quilt finish #1 for 2024

Lifetime quilt #153

48" square

SUZ

A quick update

 I finished this quilt the other day.

It is now ready to be gifted to a special person

who has been a wonderful support in my life in the last 

18 months.

I kept the quilting simple because it is a modern design.

 Sophia's Quilt

Thanks to Dr David Laskey, my prosthodontist, for my new smile. 

You went above and beyond in your care of me.

Quilt No. 6 for 2023

Lifetime Quilt  No. 151

Happy days

SUZ

In The Sticks!

 I have a finish to share....

Just my 5th full-sized quilt for 2023.

I based this quilt on a few I had seen on Pinterest. 

It seems it was popular back in 2009 on 

"Film In the Fridge" blog

A tutorial for the blocks is here

 

I initially quilted in the centre of the white strips in a 

grid design,

and decided it wasn't enough.

So then I went back and did a random square spiral!

Still not finished....

I used perle thread in black to hand quilt each block!

I think it adds something extra to the final look.

So "In the Sticks" is done!

Yes, I think our friends believe we live "in the sticks" as 

described by Merriam-Webster:

"an area in the country that is far away from towns and cities"

so that is what I've named it.

The back is all made from stash!

Perhaps they think we live in this house?

Quilt #5-2023

Lifetime Quilt No.151

Happy sewing!

SUZ