Another one finished

Yes, the little Linus quilt is done.  After much deliberation I went off to the local quilt shop where I go for my monthly group to find.....................  I couldn't get any of the fabrics in my head.  Hmmmmmm, so I went on a mission to find the right fabric that would compliment the quilt, and after auditioning what seemed like half the shop, well, about 20 anyways, the unanimous decision was......

this.   Like it?   Thank you everyone for your suggestions, isn't it ironic when you agonise over something then have to take the best available.  Actually I really like it, it tones well and contrasts nicely with the plainness of the majority of the fabrics.

Here is the full view.  The pale fabric looks better in these outside pics than last week.

These are the two leftover blocks to which I managed to add  another couple of small blocks and more of the pink patterned fabric  from the scraps.  You have a good view of the quilting in this shot, yes it's still my favourite just now.

Here is the full view.  I had a big piece of fabric left over from a quilt back, I love how the scraps liven up a boring background, especially as it is a child's quilt.

And of course, the obligatory posh pic!

I had a lovely time at my group on Saturday, there were only four of us, as one of our number was travelling home from France and another other two had other stuff going on preventing them from coming, but we had a very quilty giggle and they saw Bluebell in the flesh.  As did a couple of ladies who on holiday who happened to call in.   I had to give them the full history of course, and  I'm still not sure that the look on their faces meant the were mesmerised, or they were thinking 'is this person for real?'.

Apart from finishing my little Linus Quilt which will be returned in a few days, I have made 'some' progress on my circles quilt.  Must find a name for it but it's still evolving so I'm going to wait a bit.

I now have 16 blocks sort of finished, two more and I'm halfway through.  I say sort of, before joining them, which obviously I won't until they are all done, I will trim the background underneath the appliqué to reduce the bulk.  I do have another change in mind but as they come together I'm not sure and may leave it as is.  By the way do you like the new floor?  What you can see of it anyway, you wouldn't guess it's not wood would you?  It's called Moduleo. or something like that, I can't remember the spelling.  It's textured like wood too.

So that has been  my week, quite boring really, except, I did a Global Block Swap  which finished at the beginning of this year and one of the girls from Australia, Irene, is in the UK just now.   AND she drove halfway up the country and had an overnight stay, just to come and meet me for a few hours.  THEN, she drove all the way down south again, wasn't that lovely of her?  I am so flattered she would do all that just to meet me.  Irene is on her own in the UK too, although she is staying with relatives part of the time.  I would show you a pic of us together but I forgot to ask her if it is ok and don't like adding pics without checking first.

So, you almost saw me with my newly gown, well, half grown, hair.

Until next time

With smiles from

Kate

Linking up with

Let's Bee Social

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

TGIFF

Crazy Mom Quilts

Bluebell Woods Revealed

Welcome to Day 2 of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop.
Oh Yes!!!  Today is the day, the first view of Bluebell Woods, in all her glory.

Bluebell was made from Sherri Lynn Wood's book The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters using Score 1, Floating Squares.  She is 50.1/2 by 43.1/2inches, and quilted using the serpentine stitch, Bernina stitch 4 set to length 2, width 2.5.

Can you see the bluebells, in three different shades, for as you know bluebells come in many different colours.   The trees are arching over on the right, and the blue sky is overhead, peeping through at the top left corner.  The gentle rain is falling softly on Bluebell Woods, feeding and nurturing the rich soil.   Although I had originally intended to bind the quilt in green with a scattering of bluebells I didn't have enough left, therefor I extended the sky and the trees into the border and added only random bluebells on three sides.  However I am pleased with the effect this gives.

I didn't plan the size, I just made the blocks and Bluebell just seemed to take on a life of her own.  When it came to putting her together there was very little adjustment to be made.  One block was too small by 3 1/2 inches, so I fudged a bit extra which blended in quite well, in fact although I know which block I have trouble seeing the adjustment.  On another I added a small strip of background at the side.  I did use the rotary cutter on the edges for a very light trim where they were very wavy, and one block was slightly too tall and had just over an inch trimmed off the top.   Let's take a closer look.

Can you see the rain now?  If we turn her over.......

You can see underneath the surface, the rich dark soil which feeds the woods, and look, there are lots of seeds scattered, ready for the summer flowers, (but there again it could be because I bought the fabric on sale :)

At this point I am supposed to evaluate my experience and results.
If I was to make this score again I would take more care in cutting the pieces, I was supposed to cut the squares in a size range, say 3 to 5 inches for one and 4 to 6 inches for another, in my enthusiasm to get on with it I forgot all about that and just cut whatever, as a result some of the squares were the same size so I didn't add as much background fabric between the squares as I would have.  This has resulted in somewhat less of a 'floating' of the squares I think.

Apparently I wasn't supposed to trim the blocks, only odd bits which stuck out and just follow the natural shape of the fabric edges, and I should have added background filler to even up all the blocks instead of trimming the top of one.  Well........ that wouldn't have worked with my wavy edges I think, and what's done is done in the trimming, but all in all I'm happy with my decisions to join the blocks as I did.  There is a discrepancy on the size, it is slightly longer on one side than the other, and wider at the bottom than the top, but that's ok too.

Did I enjoy the experience?  Too right, I loved making it, and I am looking forward to the next score. In fact I wasn't going to keep Bluebell, I was thinking about who I would give her to, but now, I have enjoyed her so much no way can I part with her, so she is mine forever.

But look again, for Bluebell Woods holds a secret known only to a few, do you know what it is?

On Friday The Final Chapter, The Secret of Bluebell Woods will be revealed.

But first, I have news of a giveaway.

As I said yesterday I have no sponsors or affiliates so my giveaway is at my own expense, so, as postage is expensive, and to make it world wide, I am giving away from my own stash.  18, 10inch squares  cut from my solids collection, and including 7 textured read as solids.  It's 18 because that is how many I have big enough to cut a 10 inch square.   Most of these are included in my circles quilt, in fact if you wanted to make it there is enough fabric for all the circles in the quilt, although there wouldn't be enough for the borders.

So, to enter my giveaway, just leave a comment about Bluebell Woods, or the 2016 New Bloggers Blog Hop.  For a second entry, leave a comment saying how you follow me.  The giveaway will remain open until midnight on Saturday.  I will announce the winner next Wednesday.  If you are a no reply blogger remember to check back to see if you have won, then email me your address.  You can find my email address on my About Me page.  I will hold your prize for one week, then re draw if I have not heard from you.
This givaway is now closed.  Thank you for participating.

Tomorrow I am so excited to be giving you news of my circles quilt, so please come back then.

Remember to visit the other new bloggers on the blog hop.  In Mis Bee Hivin' they are:

Emily @ The Darling Dogwood

Kate @ Smiles From Kate  (me)

Miranda @ I Have Purple Hair

Holly @ Lighthouse Lane Designs

I am so looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow,

With smiles from

Kate

Linking up with

Blossom Heart Quilts

Linky Tuesday
Quilt Story
Let's Bee Social

It's Finished.......

and at last I can show you my finished City Lights quilt, a gift for my husband on his birthday.

 Isn't it beautiful.  The binding was made from the scraps.

I love the colours and the fabrics.  In case this is your first visit the fabric used is Oakshott Lipari with Oakshott Colourshot charm centres in the 6 inch blocks.

I quilted it with stitch number 4 on my Bernina, stitch length 2, width 2.5.  I used Aurifil  50/2 grey thread no 2605.  It shows up slightly lighter than I expected but it was the darkest grey my local quilt shop had.

This is the first time I have made a pieced back.  It's not quite as bright in reality and the colour shades are a little off. I used Warm and Natural wadding.  What do you think of the quilting?   I love the texture it gives, and not a pucker in sight.   To be perfectly honest, it isn't as evenly spaced as you might think on the pics, but I don't care, I am so happy with the overall effect. 

 It is a quilting stitch I had never used before, but will be trying again.   I was surprised at how long it took,  I was thinking straight lines, but wavy takes a lot longer and a lot more thread.   Quite nerve wracking on a special gift.  

This was the only outside pic I managed to get on a dull and drizzly day.  Like my weeds?

I did a proper posh staged one too hehe, can you tell I'm happy!

If you are interested there is a Lipari blog hop on right now.  This is the first post on May 5th.  My favourite so far is Crepuscular, you will love this one.  I can hardly wait to see the rest of the quilts.  

Would I use Oakshott Lipari again?   In a heartbeat, but it is so expensive it would have to be on sale or for something special.

This was my One Monthly Goal, at Red Letter Quilts.  

And Pink Doxies for Brave Quilters

And I am also linking up with 

Freemotion by the River   Blossom Heart Quilts,  Sew Fresh Quilts   My Quilt Infatuation,  

Celtic Thistle Stitches TGIFF,  Confessions of a Fabric Addict  Crazy Mom Quilts

Until next time

With smiles, from   

Kate

A Finish, good news and bad

Oh yes, in the net! My Sticks and Stones quilt is finished, and only 11 days late for Jen’s 100 Day Challenge. This was a UFO, which became a WIP and is now my fourth finish of the year.



The fabrics are about three years old and came from a range called Karavan from Westminster Fabrics.



I chose a solid for the binding which is almost a perfect match



I used one of the fabrics for the back.



It is quilted in the ditch which is fine for the wadding used, however, I do plant revisit this quilt in the next few weeks and use it to practice my FMQ. There are lots of small blocks to practice on, I thought if I coordinated it by, say doing ribbon candy on all the long skinny blocks, and maybe pebbles on all the small blocks it would work. Any thoughts?



The pattern is quite old by Black Cat Creations.

This is a very economical pattern, from one fat quarter you get enough pieces for one complete 10 inch block, 1 B block 10 x 6 inches, 1 C block 10 x 6 inches, and 1 D block 10 x 4 inches with next to no waste. These form the ‘stone' blocks, add a ‘stick’ of fabric 10 x 4 inches and you have three 10 inch (finished) blocks ( by stitching a B or a C to a D, or a stick.) Theoretically a baby size takes five fat quarters, four for stone blocks and one for sticks giving 12 blocks, I found it is improved with six fabrics for this size. The pattern does include borders too but I thought it would be too much with this choice of fabrics.



I did a posh photo too, He He!



The I remembered the matching cushions, which are just cushion fronts just now.



The elephants are bonded appliqué hand stitched.



The cushion fronts are in three colour ways.



I like the yellow one best.

The bad news? Well, I thought I would make a record of all the processes of using the binding tool I blogged about here. I took my time, and lots of pics, checking them on the camera as I took them. When I loaded the pics in to the computer……… they weren’t there????????

All I can think of is my CF card must have either been full, or, it wasn’t in fully. I could NOT believe it…….. I was on my hands and knees on the floor, getting the best light, with the camera around my neck holding the binding tool, taking pics with one hand......... 

SO disappointed…… it will be a while before I get another chance to use it I think. But it worked great, I will be using it for all of my binding now it is so good.

Look out for my next post, changing the width of your blog space, on Thursday.

Linking up with

Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts Lets Bee Social

Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

TGIFF hosted by Fiona at Celtic Thistle Stitches

Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts


Until next time
Smiles from
Kate

Finish Number 3 and progress update

Yes!  It’s finished, my group quilt for which I made two blocks, trimmed, fudged, and stitched the blocks together, sashed, layered, quilted and bound.  As I did so much of the work I am claiming at as a finish.  What do you think?

Circle of Friends made for Paula, 50 x 40 inches, quilted with concentric circles, half inch quilting in the borders.  The backing was chosen by the group as it is one of Paula’s favourite colours and it was also used in the borders.  It is 567 Hearts, The Henley Studio Makower UK.  Jan from the group made a lovely matching label, which reads: 

For Paula

Made with Love

By the “Special Smarties”

2016

xxx

We were originally two groups, the ‘Smarties’ and the ‘Special Needs’ but as numbers dwindled we joined together as the ‘Special Smarties”

And this is where I spent the morning hand stitching the binding, and some of the, what seemed like hundreds, of threads to be buried. If I'd finished it yesterday I would have taken the pics earlier when it was bright but now it's cloudy.

I thought it might be fun to make a list of my WIP and UFO, too.  In my book a WIP is something you are working on now and a UFO is something which has been temporarily abandoned, temporarily as in not worked on for up to X many years but something you mean to finish one day.

Work in Progress

Sticks and Stones - needs quilting

Little House in the Woods (log cabin) — needs layered and quilting

City Lights - needs layered and quilting

Ugly Christmas Sweaters - needs almost everything done barely started

Elephant and I - Cut out, needs the background strips stitched together and paper piecing finished

Several mug rugs and coasters in various stages of completion

UFO’s

Wedding ring quilt, some of the rings are made but needs a LOT of work.  I don’t like the background fabric and as I’m making it by hand it takes forever.

Lanterns Quilt - the blocks are in various stages of completion.  I was seduced by a layer cake, I am now luke warm about it and dislike the other fabrics included.

Baltimore - I think it was a case of too much hand appliqué and going through an iffy stage in my quilting journey.  

I am sure there are more, as I am changing and reorganising my sewing room they will be unearthed named and shamed, or discarded.

To everyone who asked after Indi she is down to five tablets a day from tomorrow and is improving, much more like her old self.  She is due to see the neurologist in a few days for blood tests.  I’ll let you know how she gets on.

Ella has been cut, I forgot how small she is without all the hair.  I think she likes it as she thinks she’s a puppy again.

Linking up with Freemotion by the River,  Lets Bee Social, Needle and Thread Thursday, TGIFF (Celtic Stitches), Confessions of a Fabric Addict,  and Crazy mom quilts

Until next time

Smiles from

Kate 

Edit  Just to let you know Blogger changed my settings turning me into a no reply blogger.  Sorry if you have tried to contact me in the past, it has now been changed.

My second finish of the year AND number two on my 100 Day Challenge list!

After two, well ok, nearer four years, since I started it but only a year, or so, since it was layered to quilt I am so happy to say it is finished.  Yes, it is the one I was FM quilting last week, and that was the reason it has been waiting so long. However, since I joined in with Jen in her 100 day challenge and made my resolution for the year to ‘just do it’ I am motoring.  So without any further procrastination here it is……….

All the appliqué was done by hand with 2 strands of DMC stranded cotton.

My only regret is I used pigma pen for the faces instead of embroidery.

As you can tell I was so desperate to share I haven't finished off all the loose threads yet (job for tonight).   I don’t suppose I’ll win any prizes for my quilting but it’s sure an improvement on my first attempts and getting better all the time.  But you know what? I did it myself, AND, it’s a lot cheaper than sending it out to the quilter.

Looks good on my favourite sewing chair in my sunny window.   Not so sunny today though.

In case you are interested the quilt pattern is called Sugar and Spice from Australian Patchwork and Quilting Vol. 8 No. 5 and was from The Chook Shed.

Now I have only one challenge left, a quilt called sticks and stones which has been hanging around for a couple of years.  I'll tell you how I'm getting on with that one next week.

Until then

Smiles from

Kate

Linking up with Jen, Quilter in the Closet, Connie at Freemotion by the River, Lorna, Sew Fresh Quilts,  Crazy Mom Quilts. and Can I get a Whoop Whoop and Fret Not Yourself and Free Motion Mavericks