Ta-da!

Welcome to Melbourne Town.....

I stalled somewhat completing this piece....

It was barely 4" by 7" after all!

I auditioned the four arcs and didn't really like how

this one looked...

It seemed to get lost and look a bit mushy!

I'm much happier with the pink one!

So that's it...

I declare Melbourne Town ready for quilting!

It deserves hand quilting, I suppose?

Happy sewing,

SUZ

A Change of Pace...

Due to an enforced period at home I have found lots 

of different tasks to fill my time...

A "Lola" pouch...

This is Svetlana's wonderful pattern, found here...

I am planning on joining these hexies soon....

I have all but finished my "Melbourne Town"....

just working on these hexies,

the blue ones, not the pink.

 I've started a blouse...

 with the help of my new dressmaker's dummy.

Finally I am planning something...

with this pretty bundle of bought and gifted fabric.

No chance of me getting bored!

Happy days,

SUZ

Update...

on the construction of "Melbourne Town".

My embroideries are complete...

and I have my Dresden ready!

I decided to limit the palette for this one...

Using foundation piecing for accuracy...

but it was still tricky!

But it sure is pretty!

Sunrise?

And the 'rainbow' reminded me 

more of a sunset...

I appliqued this one, rather than hand piecing 

the narrow strips.

It is much more stable like this!

I just have the hexies to go...

Can you guess what colour I'm making them?

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Quilts I've made...

This photo, posted on IG...

prompted a friend to ask...

how many quilts have I made?

The answer (over 50) is over on a separate page 

at the top of this blog!

This is one of the oldest...

Happy days,

SUZ

Farming...

I have decided this section of "Melbourne Town",

is in the farming region!

This panel measures 16.5" square!

I think if I had started at this panel,

I would have stopped right here....

It would make an awesome mini!

Time to tackle this section....

with plenty of hand stitching of hexagons and 

dresdens to contemplate!

Happy days!

SUZ

Melbourne Town!

That is what I have decided to call 

the "My Small World" quilt.

I have had some fun this week personalising it...

with my own embroideries.

I find it easier with the little blocks 

when lots of seams meet,

to iron them open.

I make the small pinwheels by

cutting two 2" squares of each colour 

and drawing a diagonal line.

Stitch a scant 1/4" seam either side of the line, 

cut apart and press open.

Trim each to 1.5" each 

and construct the pinwheel!

To make the larger one I start with a 3" square...

I found this top triangular shape easier 

to foundation paper piece...

Draw a 2" square and mark the halfway point at the top

I followed Molly Flanders applique method for my 

clamshells...

To make this block, which uses the 'V' template,

I cut two 4" squares, cut them on the diagonal, 

sew opposite colours together and 

trim the final block to 4.5"

More pattern corrections can be found here

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Ta-da!

Just stopping by with a quick finish.....

front

ready for gifting this week!

and back

And panel three is done....

Forgive me if I don't pass any more hints 

at the moment, 

chopped off points...

oops, sideways!

Some of this nearly did my head in!

But I am officially half way- 

yippee!

Happy days!

SUZ

Notting Hill Terrace....

I recently had the pleasure of testing a pattern 

for Nadra, over at Ellis and Higgs

I really enjoyed both the making 

and the quilting of this mini....

adding roof tiles and leadlight windows,

and texture to the door and window frames!

Head over and check all the other versions,

with their embroidered flowers, button door handles 

and even a visiting bunny!

Happy days!

SUZ

Keeping it real....

Well, that was interesting, to say the least!

Your response has so encouraged me to continue 

blogging....

InstaGratification IG will take a back seat for now.

And in an effort to keep it real....

here's the mess I'm making ...

in the process of re-creating 

the "My Small World" quilt.

Scraps are perfect because there are some small 

pieces used...

this little pinwheel finishes at 2.5", including the 

seam allowance.

Rather than using some of the suggested templates, 

I am enjoying the challenge of calculating easier 

construction methods....

This is the stage I am at....

(Do you have your sunglasses ready?)

the first panel is complete!

Is anyone else out there making the "My Small 

World" quilt?

I'd love to share more of my shortcuts with you, if 

anyone is interested...

Happy sewing!

SUZ