Machine Quilting,CW Blocks and a Pile of Nine Patches

I feel as though I've really accomplished some things this week.  Firstly I finished a customer's quilt.  Jinkers, this quilt was a LONG story.  I was so stumped as to how to quilt this.  I came up with a plan which required a new ruler, I ordered it online and waited for the post.  When it arrived I did a sample/test piece and decided it wasn't right for the quilt after all.  Back to square one!  I played around with some ideas and was satisfied with my quilting plan and then I pulled a muscle in my shoulder, held up again!  I eventually finished this quilt and I'm so glad, it's for the loveliest lady who never picks up her quilts without giving me fresh eggs from her chickens or her homemade jam, always a pleasure to quilt for her.  So here a a couple of pics, I definitely need to improve my skills with photographing quilts!!

I've also finished the quilting on one of my own quilts.  It's a Fig Tree pattern called Jelly Roses.  I used fabrics from 2 jelly rolls, one was a Fig Tree range called Fig and Plum and the other was Garden Party by Blackbird Designs.  The blocks went together really well, I tried some machine applique on a couple of the leaves and stems but decided to stick with hand applique.  I am always delighted to have a quilt ready to put the binding on and so close to being ready to use!  Feathers, meandering and some swirls on the flowers.  I used Warm and Natural cotton batting and Superior's King Tut cotton thread in an unbleached natural colour, I think it's called Papyrus.

Here are the two CW quilt-along blocks I've recently completed and a picture of my blocks so far( they're laid out on my bumpy duvet on my bed so excuse the wonky appearance).

Lastly, I've made about 30 nine patch blocks and have quite a few more cut ready to piece.  I bought a fat eighth bundle of a range called Reflections from an Era Past some months ago with a nine patch quilt in mind.  The setting square fabric is from the Garden Party range by Blackbird Designs and the shirtings are from Jo Morton's Attic Shirtings range.  The blocks are laid out on the Garden Party fabric on my bed, I'm liking the warmth of the colours and the blocks on point.

It's been great sewing weather, cold for our Autumn.  I've been very happy to be indoors in front of my machines either quilting or piecing.  I plan to be doing some more nine patches tomorrow and I'm also putting a quilt on my frame to quilt for one of my sons.  It's a really simple design using a jelly roll of Japanese Indigoes, I posted a picture of it on 25th March 2011. 

Take care and happy stitching,

Rowena