Pyjama bottom....

I had some Kona Coal in the cupboard that I'd purchased for a previous project and didn't use but I think it looks lovely against the shabby chic pyjama colours.

So for the back of my Pyjama Party quilt I've taken a big chunk of grey and using the left over fabrics from the top I've created a high contrast strip of coins framed in white. I'm just debating what colour thread to use for the quilting. I usually use a natural cream colour but I'm worried this will really stand out against the grey and spoil its lovely smooth grey appeal. And, if I use a grey in my bobbin, how will the strip look quilted over in grey? A bit of thread experimenting might be coming my way before anything else!

All that aside, I love the Kona Coal colour. It reminds me of the little grey pinnies that we used to wear over our woollen winter uniforms when I was in primary school. Mine was edged with blue bias binding...the same blue in this quilt. It's funny how you don't think of things for over 40 years and then a fabric colour or two reminds you and it all comes flooding back.

Now this quilt will end up sitting for a while. Apart from finishing an essay that I've spent all day on....I don't have any spare basting pins! They're all tied up with some other quilts ready to quilt at the 'factory'. So even if I wanted to start quilting this one....I can't! (However, I could just pop out tomorrow and buy some more!)

But the day didn't completely lack creative pursuits. I have managed to supervise some cooking creativity occuring in the house today. R had a go at Rainbow Cake. Looks good R!

And Joe is putting the second coat of colour on the hallway walls....there's a bit of swearing going on but it's slowly getting there! Our hall is angled, so it's virtually two rooms - two ceilings, six walls....oh don't even think about it!

Pyjama top...

I played around with the layout from the other night and made the 'Pyjama Party' quilt top more triangular and mixed the colour more evenly which gives it quite a vintage, shabby chic look. Which is exactly what I wanted. I've also added a white border since taking this photo to bring it to around 140cm x 127cm.
I learnt the hard way that when making half square triangle blocks that you really should trim them back after stitching. I didn't and this caused me no end of problems with aligning the rows. I think I've got away with it.....well to be honest, I told myself that the quilt was for me, so don't worry about a 'few' blocks being out of alignment...!! And, I'll probably stipple it so I don't have to worry about straight lines going wonky.
I always love looking at the 'wrong side' of quilt tops. They're so pretty against the light (although today is a little dull)!
And here is L as an Avatar after an afternoon visit to a local school fete. We're just trying to wash it off now! Bring on the make-up remover!

Pyjama Party....

I had a lovely pair of rose print cotton p.j.'s that I just loved and then the elastic went. I couldn't be bothered fixing the elastic...too hard in commercially bought p.j.'s but at the same time I couldn't bear to part with the lovely fabric.

So I took a leaf out of quilting ancestory and CUT them up!

The fabric is still in great condition and one leg yeilded around 12 6" squares!

I've teamed the squares with co-ordinating red, pink, blue and green and created a pile of gorgeous shabby chic-ish half square triangles.

I'm still playing with the layout as there are a few too many blobs of colour. But this little quilt is looking rather delightful. And don't worry friends. I won't foist my old jammies onto you, I'm keeping this one .....mind you....I have several other pairs of p.j.'s in rather nice prints on the go!

Currently on the floor....

I've spent some weeks working on this cartwheel block quilt.

It's quite girly and bright in hot pink, lime, dark green and orange.

Whilst the block itself is very easy to construct, it takes time with all the cutting and piecing.

To frame it I've chosen a 4 1/2" border of hot pink and white polka dot. Wide borders are a real trap though. You need to be very careful that your cutting is accurate otherwise you end up with floppy bits on the sides that are hard to smooth out.....which sort of happened to me but I managed to get it reasonably smooth. The proof will be in the quilting!

The back is a remnant that I forgot I had in the cupboard. It features bunches of pink roses and is rather pretty and is the perfect fabric for a backing. I was very lucky and managed to eek out a full back from the almost 2.8 metres that I had ....albeit pieced! I'll have to show that next time.

So in between text books and essays this weekend I'm hoping to get started on the quilting. Leaving it a few days will help me decide how to quilt it. Darning foot? Walking foot?

A finish....at last!

I've finished my sister's birthday quilt at long last....and what's more it's before she returns to Adelaide in a few days. The last stitches were snipped off last night at our weekly 'Sew and Sews' Thursday night catch up.

The quilt measures approximately 165cm square (65") and features Amy Butler Daisy Chain and Midwest Modern fabrics in greens and blues. The binding is a combination of Kaleidescope, Honeycombe and Wildflowers fabrics....all used in the top. I don't know the brand of the fabric used in the back but it is the most glorious shade of duck egg blue and sits beautifully between the green, blue and white.

The pattern is based on a disappearing 9 patch of 6" squares. After cutting the 9 patches, I didn't reassemble....so does that make it a 4 patch after all?

This quilt was easy to make but my proscrastination has impacted my love for it. Don't get me wrong....it's lovely and fresh.....I just don't love it. But that's a good thing when you have to give them away. So onto the next one.....maybe the one that's in my head based on the leftover blue backing....I'm thinking duck egg blue and chocolate and it might be for me....someday!

Liberated jam coaster.....

The exercise in liberated quilting continues!

This is a very mini quilt that is intended to be a jam coaster. I'm not sure if jam coasters are real items, I'll leave it to the recipient to decide.

Combined with a jar of fresh home made fig jam, it's a nice little (and quick) gift for a friend who's an absolute fig fan.
This mini coaster quilt measures 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" and is made out left over snippets in orange and lime. Gotta love that!

Liberated coasters....

I was inspired to try some liberated quilting since receiving Gwen Marston's Liberated Quiltmaking II for my birthday recently.

So whilst fiddling around with some Denyse Schmidt Katie Jump Rope left-overs I made a set of drink coasters.

4 1/2" mini quilts that are now a birthday gift.