One thing leads to another.....

Of course it does...never truer words spoken. But, I can't help thinking about how this statement currently relates to my quilting.
For me 2012 was a year of gifting and donating quilts along with some minor efforts at craft markets. And here I am at the beginning of 2013 with a commission list that is pleasantly surprising. I am delighted that my obsession with fabric and the craft I use for my escape is now desired by some and that they're serious about their own 'Little Sew and Sew's' production. (My husband is thrilled that some of the fabric is moving from the shrine otherwise known as the 'stash'!).
Thank you, one and all. I am really quite chuffed that you actually asked me to create your bespoke quilt and have given me the greatest excuse ever to sit behind the machine!
In the meantime, I'll share with you a little project I've been crafting for one of a number of babies I have on my horizon. This quilt top is based on the modern log cabin quilt from the front cover of the book of the same name by Susan Beal. Mine is a modified version based on 2.5" to make a 12" block and is cot sized (48x60). I also switched it up a little more by creating 1/2 blocks to go on the second and fourth rows....I tell you, it never rains, it pours!

Looking back on 2012....

I don't want to say too much about 2012....for me, it was fairly topsy-turvy....like quitting my job of 10 years only to be re-employed 6 weeks later. Don't ask but as Kylie Minogue says, "better the devil you know....".
In the meantime, 2012 was fabulously creative and over-the-top stitchy. I made lots of quilts of varying sizes and styles. I subtracted from the WIP pile only to add at the other end (does that = EVEN?). I participated in two guerrilla markets, the first tragic, the second a veritable bonanza with my little birdies flying off the branches. I donated numerous quilts that left me with more than 'warm fuzzies' not only knowing that  the quilts would go to homes that loved them but that the funds generated would go towards R's soon to depart music department's trip to Ireland. I've used lots of fabric and batting scraps but that bucket is just not diminishing. A big highlight is that I have been approached for consignment quilts and bespoke. And I've spent lots of quality time with my lovely Sew & Sew's friends and plan to continue catching up for fabric fondling and a good laugh each week. So right now.....2013 is shaping up to be full of fabric....just as I like it!

1. Nicey Jane Quilt, 2. Floral Bouquet Quilt featuring Bliss, 3. Floral Bouquet Quilt featuring Bliss, 4. Made in Cherry Finished Quilt, 5. Made in Cherry Back, 6. Confetti front, 7. Butterflies quilt, 8. Confetti back, 9. The Gosling Baby Quilt, 10. Small geometric quilt, 11. Geometric quilt, 12. Granny Square quilt, 13. Scrappy patchwork picnic quilt, 14. Scrappy patchwork picnic quilt, 15. Granny back, 16. Ruby Plus Quilt, 17. Granny Square Quilt, 18. Granny Square Quilt, 19. Granny Square Quilt Back, 20. Zesty Quilt, 21. Zesty Binding, 22. Baby Quilt Non Gender Specific, 23. Granny Square Quilt, 24. Dolly quilts on the line, 25. Garden Party, 26. Scandi Birdies off to market, 27. My space at market, 28. Japanese X and + Blocks

Party in the garden...

I have been in love with Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party fabric for an age. First there was this quilt that I couldn't stop staring at and then this one by Megan of Lucy & Norman fame. I loved the boldness of the Garden Party prints and the vibrancy of the saturated colours. And from each of these quilt's points of view, the BIG patchwork choices. I started collecting my fabric years ago...the range was well and truly finished by the time I discovered it and then in typical style it lay folded in my cupboard. Occasionally I would bring it out and worship its brightness and then argue with myself as to what I was going to do with it.
Then back in September I decided that the best course of action was to use it to make a quilt for my sister for Christmas. How clever and organised was I?
I cut the fabric into the biggest squares I could out of my mostly fat 1/4 collection. I then joined them into giant sized 9 patches and sliced them up to create a quilt top of very large disappearing 9 patches. And there it sat, pushed to the end of the line due to all the other sewing activity that surfaced. Then as Christmas rolled around I talked myself out of finishing it until I couldn't decide what to buy her as an alternative. So with 4 days to go I made a dash for Spotlight with my VIP 15% discount card for backing, binding and pins (due to the fact that all of my basting pins are currently sitting in other quilts ready for quilting but that's another story!).
Quilters will know how the rest of this story goes, moving all the lounge furniture to baste....not easy with a thumping big Christmas tree in the way!.....quilt through the night so you can hardly move the next day after the wrestling of  the 'anaconda' through the machine and to top it off......hand sewing on binding throughout a 35 degree day! But having said all that....we do it because we love it and we love an appreciative reaction even more! Merry Christmas!

Selling out....

Earlier this year, Clare and I participated in a twilight guerrilla craft market. We'd spent a few months whipping up baby quilts and getting ourselves organised. Our strategy was that baby quilts were quicker to produce and cheaper to sell. We were excited and our little spot looked lovely on the banks of a row boat lake in the parklands.
But guerrilla markets are based on the 'pop up' theory and rely on very fast word of mouth to drive the buyers. Sadly, the evening timeslot was an experiment and the people just didn't arrive. And this was further compounded with Adelaide's Mad March of events, so there was just too much competition for everyone's dollar and time. So after 2 hours of just one sale to Clare we packed up and spent our float money at the artists bar at the Fringe Festival.
Over the months some of my quilts had been given away for fundraisers or given to friends and family in need of a quick baby present. But most of the stock remained.
Then Clare was invited back to the next market but this time there was no secret location and lots of effort was put in by the organisers to promote the affair. I loved the idea because the location was right at the end of my street!
Clare and I decided to use the opportunity to quit the stock we had but I supplemented mine with these little Scandinavian birdies by Syko.

I spent two weeks rifling through the scrap bin determined to use only scraps of fabric and stuffing and ribbon from the stash. I ended up with 48 little birdies and as many butterflies in my stomach, worried we'd be rejected like the last market.

But I needn't have worried....(that's hindsight for you!). Those little birdies flew off the branches and all but two of my quilts remain. Clare did alright too with all of her quilts selling on the day. Admittedly we put very reasonable prices on them and were prepared to drop them a little further to secure a sale but all round, we're happy.

What did we learn? Timing is good. Pre-Christmas and buyers are looking for gifts. So this is the one to participate in. Promotion is good. Little is good. Small things go well. Bundling is very good. Offer a price for 1 and then a discounted price for four. Buyers love value for money! I did this with my birds and every sale was a batch of four.
So where am I at now? Well I anticipated that I'd have some birds left over for the kids friend's Christmas gifts....but I don't. So I'm back in the scrap bin and at the machine to turn out a few more. 'Tis the season!

Birdies....

Little bird decorations made for a forthcoming market....and maybe some gifting for friends and teachers!
Lovely inspiration here and how to link here.

A farewell....

I'm often asked why I don't have a cleaner. My response is always the same.
"I don't have a cleaner....because I have a speech therapist."
At the age of two, our son was diagnosed with a severe language disorder. Now 11 years old, his diagnoses has subsequently been altered to 'mild-moderate autism'. Never-the-less, and whatever the label, his struggle with language is ongoing and impacts day-to-day through his interaction with and understanding of the world. His need for speech therapy and supported learning is currently on-going without too much of a glimmer on the horizon of that changing in the short term. Let's just say, we're a 'speechie's' sure thing.
We've been very lucky that L's school allows a consulting speech therapist to work with him (and the numerous other boys!) during the school day. From my point of view, that saves one more 'run around mum job'. The other plus is the stability that that brings. His first 'in-school' therapist worked with him from reception through to grade 3 until her work load became too great and she had to expand her consultancy (or build a massive extension to her home...one or the other!). She handed the reigns over to her assistant and she has worked with L for the past two years. But she's leaving. She's young and decided to follow her dreams interstate. Wednesday is her last day, and whilst I've told L it's his last speech session for the year ("yay!" was the response), I haven't told him it's a big goodbye.

So at the very least a little gift is in order. I've made a notebook cover out of scraps and used the quilt as you go method to use up some batting bits. I'll get L to draw one of his very special little illustrations in the front.

X-ing and +-ing....

I've been in love with the Japanese x and + quilts, inspired by Setsuko Inagawa floating around the blogasphere of late. Most recently Ara Jane's of 'You know what I love?' and this one by Leila from 'Where the Orchids Grow' which has been on my pinterest board for an age.
For a great tutorial on how to lay out and piece the block go to Amy Gunson's badskirt site for a good explanation of the block construction. But....be warned, the sizes quoted aren't quite right. Now Amy was the first to admit in her tutorial that the blocks she designed were loose and about having fun so I'm not pointing an accuracy finger at all. It's just that when I decided to use scraps for my quilt and realised I had an abundance of 2 1/2" squares and strips, I thought that I'd prefer to use them as a whole rather than cut them down to Amy's measurement of 2". When I tried to enlarge her units for her 7.5"/8" block, the square 3.5" piece didn't come out at a 'regular' size, in fact it was something like 4.32"! The pure fact that I couldn't work out what that could possibly look like on an inch ruler called for a halt in cutting proceedings!
Then I found this post by Occasional Piece-Quilt who'd discovered the same calculation problem but had worked it out based on 2 1/2" units using a quilt block computer program....salvation!
So I've worked with her measurements:
Centre cross = 1 x 6.5"x2.5", 2 x 2 1/2" square
Edges of the cross = 4 x 2.5" square
Background triangles = 8 x 2.5" square
Branches of the x = 4 x 4.5" square
These measurements yield a 10" block which is a great size.
I've spent the last few days on these blocks. I had an initial oops and should have re-read Amy's tutorial where she specifically explains the mixing of colours for the 'branches of the x'. I didn't do this for the first three and matched mine. I swore, abandoned ship and slept on it, deciding after another look not to pull them apart.

I'm so glad I didn't pull them apart because in the mix of the now scrappier blocks, it's hard to tell which ones they are. I find it hard to contrast my fabrics and scrappy is just as hard for me but as I'm working through these blocks and the fabric choices are diminishing, I'm getting better...and as Amy suggested....having fun!