Sew My Stash 2017

I have been consciously not buying fabric

'just because'...

You know, buying just because... its pretty!

And trying to use some of my stash for useful items.

I've made some drawstring bags....

from this tutorial,

Pattern testing for Ali, @ Very Berry Handmade

a tote bag pattern soon to be released....

And a pillowcase has been on my 'to-do' list for ages!

This one was made following a tutorial from here

Next time I will make it a little smaller,

but it's a great way to use up stash fabric!

Do you have stash busting 'makes', other than quilts 

or cushions?

I'd love some more ideas!

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Presenting "Luna Park"

Here is my latest quilt top finish!

I had been collecting ideas on Pinterest,

and this one, with angled blocks, seemed doable. 

More pictures of this beauty can be found here.

So while I was convalescing I drew up a basic 

pattern,

 using freezer paper to make a template.

It did take me some time to work out where all the 

bits needed to go,

working from my design floor,

but I got there in the end!

I'm thinking I will add a thin blue border to contain 

all those points and to frame it further...

And why did I call it Luna Park?

An IG commenter said this top reminded her of Luna 

Park here in Melbourne...

and guess what?

 It does!

Now to decide on how to quilt it?

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Delilah-Month Seven

Full sewing activity has resumed! 

So it was time to dive into my Delilah stash...

for fabric for the "Four-patch Star" blocks.....

I had such a great time, finding fabrics for fussy 

cutting!

It is such a wonderful block which, I think, needed a 

new name!

Thanks to a follower on IG,  

I'm calling this the Victoria Cross block!

 This is my "Love" version...hearts, (Cupid's) arrow, 

spots and bikes!

And my "Forest" version- foxes, toadstools and even 

a fence around the border!

And all four together!

I love how the block can look so different, depending 

on fabric placement-

the sign of a good design, I think!

Linking up with Julie and Linda!

Go check out Julie's lovely AMH quilt top...

and Linda's gorgeous Floribunda quilt top!

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Starting it over...

I got about as far as this...

with my New York Beauty bee quilt, 

when I decided I didn't like it!

I had previously played around with this layout,

Sorry, poor lighting!

but again, wasn't totally happy, I think because it 

was long and narrow.

So today I made another block....

to bring the total number to twenty-five!

And there is a little clue hiding here 

to where this is headed.

To check for balance I made a black and white 

photo too.

Oh, and it seems I have rotated it too!

I have moved a few blocks around and hope to make 

further progress on this soon.

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Orbiting Delilah!

I think these "Orbit" blocks were worth the time they 

took....

They seemed to take forever to complete!

Probably because my machine is in for a service, 

and I've had minor foot surgery,

I ended up hand stitching two to help pass the time!

Can you tell which ones were hand pieced and which 

ones were machined?

Here they are all together....

And to celebrate reaching the halfway point,

another group shot!

Happy sewing!

Well, maybe I'll be knitting instead.....

SUZ

Chuckies in Love

Or should that be "Chucky's in Love"?

Too late now, it's labeled and finished!

I loved everything about making this quilt...

 from planning which blocks to include, 

to choosing fabrics,

 to learning a variety of techniques in each 6" block,

the hand quilting...

even the photo shoot was fun! 

Thank you, Elizabeth, who encouraged and joined 

me on my Chuck Nohara journey!

That's Elizabeth's block up there on the left!

A shot of the "Lizzy House" backing...

and trying it out for size on Helen's bed!

Final statistics:

Quilt #88

Measures 65" X 73"

Hand/machine pieced and appliqued

Hand quilted with Eleganza #8 perle thread

Quilter's Dream Cotton Batting

Happy sewing!

SUZ