Civil War Blocks and Impulse Buying

I couldn't help myself!  You know what it's like.  You have to call in to your LQS for some necessity, for me it was a new blade for my rotary cutter.  I had every intention of walking straight out the door after I'd paid for the blade, note that I paid before I had a quick "look" hoping to discourage any impulsive purchases!  Ha!  Of course I failed!  It's a set up!  All those gorgeous samples and fabrics displayed in such a way that makes you feel all warm inside, that creative hum starts and you just can't control it any longer you just have to buy that little kit or that fat quarter that just speaks to you!!  So I confess, I just had to have this little kit to make this utility apron designed by Renee Plains. Seriously, could you have resisted something so damn sweet?

Hey, and it's functional and I really do need a new apron for my bits and pieces when I'm machine quilting at my longarm!
I made a start on it as soon as I got home,  it will not languish on the shelf of good intentions.

I have also been lured by the lovely blocks displayed on Barbara Brackman's new site Civil War Quilts (see logo in my sidebar, click to go there) and have made the first and second blocks.  I accidentally cut double the number of pieces for the first block so made another.  Once I'd made two of the first block I thought I may as well make two of the second one.  I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of contrast between the red and brown fabrics in the pinwheel centres, ah, live and learn.

I also finally buckled and  bought a bundle of fat 1/8's of the Collection for a Cause Hope range( from LQS) which I've been going back to look at again and again online.  I've used one of the browns and one of the reds in these blocks.  There are some lovely teal blues and a caramel floral that I really like.  I don't know why I didn't take a photograph of them.  Tomorrow perhaps.

There are some great quilt-alongs and swaps starting in blogland. As well as the Civil War blocks, Lori from Humble Quilts has posted the first steps for her doll quilt, Midnight Stars.  I'm tempted to join in the fun with this little quilt too.

Christine from Once Upon a Quilt is running a doll quilt swap.  There is still time to join this one.  Christine posted some great photos she took when she was in the US of antique doll quilts, well worth a look.

I'd better get off the computer and get on with my utility apron seeing as I need a new one so badly ;-)

Happy stitching,

Bye for now,

Rowena   

A Few More Star Blocks

I managed to get some machine sewing done the other night, I made some progress on the star blocks for the quilt I'm currently working on.  I eventually put it all away when I began making mistakes because I was so tired!

I'm looking forward to putting this all together.  The fabrics are so lovely, they are from the French General range, Rural Jardin, plus a couple of pieces I've had in my stash for some time.  I managed to do a little more on the applique block, the large red bow.

I've also had some fun washing these red fabrics, man did they bleed red dye! More like hemorrhage red dye!!  I often make a quilt without prewashing but I plan on using a creamy/white shirting for the background so thought I'd better be safe rather than sorry.  I ended up washing the fabrics 3 times in hot water then I soaked them in a mix of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water then I used a product that is meant to release all excess dye.  The final rinsing after all that, ran clear, so hopefully I've dealt with the pesky red!  I will, however, be using some of those colour catches when the quilt has its first wash.

2011 is off and running,

Bye for now,

Rowena

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope 2011 is a great year for you all.  Christmas was hectic but wonderful to get the family together.  My Mum is really starting to feel better after heart surgery at the end of October.  I have been caring for her since she came home from hospital which was a full time job for the first month but she has slowly been picking up physically and psychologically and gradually reclaiming her independence.

I only have one picture of the progress I've made on the centre applique block from the quilt I've been working on.  I've made more star blocks but haven't taken a picture yet.  So here's where I'm up to .

Once upon a time I was not keen on applique but each project I do with hand applique I enjoy it more and more.  I really don't like to be without an applique project these days.  As I get closer to finishing this block I feel I should be looking for something new to take its place!  How's that for a change of heart!

Happy stitching,

Rowena 

Giveaway at Retro Mummy

Retro Mummy has such a fabulous giveaway!  There are 2 Fat Quarter Bundles with 20 fat quarters in each of this very pretty range to be won.

No time to add anything else to this post.

Bye for now and Merry Christmas,

Rowena

Turkey Reds

I have been inspired recently by all the red in quilts I've seen around blogland.  I particularly love the Double Irish Chain that Kathie over at Inspired By Antique Quilts has made.  I've decided I have to make one for myself so I ordered these wonderful Turkey Red fabrics from Ginger's Needleworks and Quilting.  I have ordered the shirting for the white in the quilt but as yet it hasn't arrived.

I also made a purchase at my LQS of some more Luna Notte yardage to use in a jelly roll quilt I have planned and another fat quarter of a brown fabric for a Jo Morton basket quilt/wall hanging.

I've made a little more progress on the centre block applique and the star blocks for the quilt I've begun to work on recently.  I've been using the needleturn method for this applique and I find it fairly slow compared to the freezer paper method I described a few posts ago (orange peel quilt).  I would have had to reverse the pattern for some of the pieces, I now wish I'd taken the time to do so.  

Here are some of the pretty blue fabrics I've cut for more star blocks which will join the red ones.

Whenever I make these stars I use the little pieces that I cut off the flying geese sections to make small HST.  I am collecting a growing pile of them from various projects but haven't decided what to do with them yet.  I  feel quite noble, waste not, want not and all that!

Sorry about the flash reflection but you get the idea of how many of these little suckers I now have!  Any ideas?

I have a customer's quilt on my frame ready to get quilted so I'd better bestir myself and get on with it!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and just about ready for Christmas.

Bye for now,

Rowena

Shelburne Calico Garden Giveaway

Sew Unique Creations is having a fabulous giveaway of a fat quarter bundle of this range of fabric. Check the post for 8th December 2010 and you can find out all about it. Good luck everyone! 

I've managed to get a little sewing done on my applique, not a lot, but it's something. I've also sewn two hexagon flowers for my Roebuck Quilt. I only have a couple more hexagon flowers to do and then I can get on with finishing the quilt.

Starting to get ready for Christmas, tree up, wreath on the front door and planning Christmas day lunch, writing shopping lists, on and on it goes!  I can't say I enjoy all the lead up to Christmas with the crowds at the shops and all the work but I do love Christmas day.  My youngest son is 10 and still believes in Santa Claus, which is lovely.  I think it's  because he is home-schooled, he hasn't been exposed to the cynical attitudes of older children at school.  I guess it won't last too many more years but we'll all enjoy it while it does.

Bye for now,

Rowena

Christmas Panel

I haven't done much sewing the past week or two.  I've been so busy caring for my Mum who is slowly improving after heart surgery but the medications they have her on are making her feel really ill, so she has needed round the clock care.  I also picked up the nastiest tonsillitis I've had in years.  I was so ,so sick, it was quite a shock to be so ill as I'm usually a very healthy person.  As a result of all this sickness not much sewing has been done  but I'm well now and have picked up my applique today.

As there has been little progress on my current projects I thought I'd post a picture of a Nancy Halvorsen Christmas panel I quilted when I had only had my longarm for a couple of months.

I chopped off some of the border quilting when I put the binding on, lack of experience not leaving space for the binding.  Thank goodness we keep on learning no matter how old we are!

Bye for now,

Rowena