Plotting and planning....

With one quilt finish under my belt for 2018, 

"Sanctuary" in its new home

and "Luna Park" being hand quilted in the 

evenings....

it is time to turn my attention to another WIP.

But first....

I had been wanting to make one of these 

strawberry blocks for a long time!

Isn't she pretty?

I gathered up all my Gridster blocks, and some 

orphan blocks too, that I thought would play nicely 

with one another!

I spent some time measuring them and transferring 

these measurements on graph paper!

(Yes, I know there are probably computer 

programmes that do it for you,

 but I'm old-fashioned 

when it comes to designing!)

So I am playing with possible layouts, 

There will definitely be some random sashing to 

be added.

And possibly some checkerboard 'filler' blocks too!

It is much easier moving these mini paper blocks 

around than crawling around the floor!

If anyone has any other ideas for me,

you know where I am,

plotting and planning!

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Sanctuary...

my first finish for 2018!

Once I had decided how I wanted to quilt this....

and knew I had the skill to achieve it,

                    there was no stopping me, 

          doing the bulk of the quilting on a 42C day!

I found a Jacquie Gering YouTube video online that 

gave me the confidence to go for it!

It's a wavy line created with my walking foot.

I made a 'matched' binding, following Debbie's 

tutorial here.

I made a label from a scrap of the backing, 

cutting out a window, turning back the edges and 

stitching in a plain piece of fabric.

Here's the texture on the back...

a vintage sheet, 

a sneaky contrast to the modern front.

It finishes at about 60" square....

and going to live with a dear friend who, I hope, will 

find much comfort from it.

Happy sewing!

SUZ

A love/hate relationship....

with Delilah!

I loved making Month 10- 

but Month 9, which arrived soon after my bike 

accident...

really had me despairing!

These are 6" blocks.  The curves are tight whether 

constructed by machine or hand!

So I improvised....

and made three each of my own versions!

This brings me to some plans for 2018.

1.  I will conquer my aversion to curves, with possibly a drunkard's path quilt.

2. I have a stash of black and white fabric that is begging to be made into a quilt.

In the meantime, I made this....

as a gift for my hand therapist!

3. And a large stash of Cotton and Steel fabric I want to make into a quilt.

But first, I need to finish this...

Do you have any quilty plans for 2018?

Happy sewing!

SUZ

2017 Wrap Up!

It's always fun to look back over a year to see 

what's been achieved.

Of my top five blog posts, "A Wild Ride" featured in 

two of them, as did my Jen Kingwell 'wrap-up'.

The scrap busting method I used to create this quilt 

was in the top 5-

 My first finish for 2017- "Stacks" - was #5...

Strangely, my most 'liked' quilt on Instagram,

 "Dream Catcher"...

didn't feature at all!

One thing I did notice, the readership of my blog has seriously fallen away this year, but comments have stayed much the same.

I made a collage of some of my favourite quilt 

finishes and WIPs....

with plenty to work on in 2018!

Thanks to Cheryl for hosting this link-up party!
Head across here to read more 'best of' blog posts.

Happy sewing!

SUZ

A mantle....

of Christmas stockings!

Well, I don't have a mantle to display my latest 

finishes,

but I decided that's a good collective noun for more 

than one Christmas stocking!

I wanted to make my grandson, Eli a Christmas 

stocking...

and under the advice of my friend Linda, I should 

make one for his Mum....

and Dad too!

The recipients, or at least Mum, like a fairly neutral 

colour palette...

hence the fabrics I chose.

There is a little more colour on the backs.

I found a stocking template on the Internet 

somewhere and worked out my own placement of 

the 2.5" squares.

I followed the tutorial from here to finish them off.

I've put aside the pattern and some of the same 

 fabric should a brother or sister come along one day.

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Any progress...

is good progress!

I am slowly getting strength back into my hand, 

Although it will be like this for another two weeks at least!

even if I only have two fingers and a thumb.

I've hand stitched, very slowly, two more 

"Clambake" shapes....

managed some machine sewing of this Summer 

blouse....

and I'm improvising Month #9 of Delilah....

appliqueing the circle rather than piecing it!

And if it all gets too much, 

I have these to keep me busy!

Happy days!

SUZ