Back in the quilting saddle.

Thank you for your emails asking how I have been, you have been missing my blog posts and Facebook posts. I did have a good reason for the break, truly I did!
 I have had a lovely restful holiday pottering around, enjoying the company of family and of course some creating.
I had my granddaughter to for a week, the first thing she wanted to do was make a quilt............Awesome I thought, what quiltmakin' granny wouldn't be over the moon about that!? Completely her design, she wanted it to be a rainbow quilt.

When the rainbow raggy quilt was finished, 9 little 'quilts' were also made for her Guinea Pigs. Not sure they will stay nice and won't be worth laundering, but she was so happy and content to just sew away creating from the stack of fabric and batting pieces I gave her. Time to empty a draw out just for bits and pieces for her sewing time at grannies house!
Several trips to the playground were made as well as a trip to the beach and out for lunch, but other than that she was happy and content to sew and play with the Lego. Pretty easy!

I did finish a quilt for myself, which I really enjoyed making. Quite different to what I usually make  myself but I like this pattern and when I quilted this quilt fell in love with the fabric!

The fabrics remind me of my childhood, roaming in the long grass, riding my horse and hearing what was and still is one of my favourite songs "Wildfire" by Micheal Martin Murphey.

So down to the facts about this quilt:

"Tick Tock" - from Alison Harris' book Growing Up Modern.
Wee Wander fabric by Sarah Jane and a ecru Moda Solid.
Matilda's Own Wool/Poly batting.
Cream flannel backing fabric - super soft and cuddly!!
Panto Pattern: " Amour".
Thread: Superior Thread Omni 'Almond'.
Flange binding.
Finished size: 65" x 85".

Side by side while my granddaughter sewed her Guinea Pig quilts I also made more Scrappy Crossroads blocks.

The title for the post is "back in the quilting saddle", which I am, back quilting for my lovely customers, the postie is visiting more and more, with quilt tops packaged up ready to have some 'frosting' applied. ("Frosting" - a fun whimsical way to describe quilting). I can only show you sneak peeks at this point as one quilt hasn't arrived home to it's maker and the other is being quilted. This one was made with such love and warmth I could feel the love coming out of the fibres! Once again the hearts are perfect.

This one is not going to be finished in a hurry, it is a fairly full on custom job, but will be stunning when finished. The maker of this quilt popped around with her teenage grandchildren to see the long arm machine in action on her quilt. I can report she is over the moon with what I have quilted so far.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you aren't melting in this heat we are experiencing!

season of cats .............and granddaughters...............

Rachel has been working away on making this fun cat quilt. The design is by John Simpkin called 'Folk Art Cats". (sorry no link, I could only find images)
It's like a calendar of cats............................

                This has to be Halloween, November..........a scary cat or a scaredy cat???

Not sure what month this one is? Rachel asked for simple custom quilting, stipple works well with these simple applique quilts.

     The borders and sashing got a treatment of triangles, stipple and some pattern meandering.

                                                        Thank you Rachel!

Yesterday morning while packing my granddaughters suitcase ready for her plane trip home (insert sad face here) I thought I better take a photo of her finished quilt, yes she did finish it! I think she is so clever for seven years old, she was determined to take her finished quilt home!

Not the best photo here, a bit dark and the light coming in from behind. But then I found a cat to help hold the quilt............................

Still not a great photo, but then who can resist that cute cat face! The other day after buying the cat ear head band I got asked to make a cat tail, so with many smiles at the airport my granddaughter stepped onto the plane as a cat!
Speaking of cats here is Simon worn out from all the love and cuddles from my granddaughter.

                        Thanks for stopping by, until next time enjoy all life has to offer!

quilting and a granny time!

          Hello friends and readers, thanks for taking the time to stop by for a look at my quilting.
                                     The first quilt to share is Pat's lovely Jelly Roll quilt.

Pat tells me this is from a book called Decadent Victorian quilt. I love the simplicity of this design. Pat chose an all over quilting design (edge to edge) called 'Featherme'.

I used Glide thread called Bark which is a nice rust/metallic colour. Pat says she bought this as a kit from Grandmothers Garden. Thank you Pat, enjoy your quilt.

Next are two cot panels which are exactly the same, that happen to be called: "Two by Two" from The Country Yard. 

They have the same batting, the same flannel backing and the same all over quilting design,( called 'Marmalade') so I loaded them both together!

Swirls and bubbles work well with fish and water........oh heck and Foxes and Zebra's too???

As you know I have my granddaughter staying, what a fabulous time we are having. I have her learning to sew, she is making her own raggy quilt.

She couldn't reach the foot peddle so a few modifications took place...........a pile of magazines, that still wasn't high enough, so I added some rolled up fabric. For hours she worked away happily quilting big "X" on each square, all the rows of squares have been joined, now all that is needed is the rows to be joined, then the chipping of the seams.

I am not sure if she will finish this quilt as I remind myself she is only seven.

My great nephew

This sweet little man was born two weeks ago at only 25weeks gestation. He was sooooo tiny, weighing only 850gms! My niece was very emotional when I went visit her, in shock & understandably worried.
I had a real urge to make this little fighter a small, soft warm quilt....................I looked through my fabric finding some warm flannels. I figured a raggy quilt would be the quickest & survive a thrashing in the washing machine.

Washed with lavender wool wash, then put in the dryer to soften up ready for use. This quilt is approximately 24" square.
My sister ( baby's nana ) said she held his little hand & from that moment he had captured her heart.

Love & best wishes to my new great nephew & my niece.

playtime, recharge time.............................

I must say it is nice to have a bit of time to work on some of my stuff. I still have plenty of quilts from customers, with more coming, but life, well a happy one is about balance right?
First are my Dresden Plates............................

grapefruit free to a good home!

This is a L O N G term project with no time line, just making for the pure pleasure! I love English paper piecing, I know there are many other methods, much quicker methods, eg; the wedge stitched on the machine, the glue stick etc, etc. But this is my choice of method as I find it very relaxing. I am unsure what fabric to use for the centre circles ???
Here is an earlier photo...............................

Also I have been working on a BOM for the shop

All I can say is yummy pattern, yummy fabrics!!!

I have washed a few quilts, weather permitting, it has been rain, sun, rain & heaps of humidity here in Northland!

'Grandad's shirts & " spool swap"



Now Christmas is over I can show you what I made my stitching friends for Christmas.

Tissue box covers using selvedges

Another year is nearly over & another about to begin, thank you to all my readers, the ones that comment & the ones that don't, thanks for all your support. A big thank you to all my new customers & repeat customers for your  trust & faith in me as your quilter!