UFOs and other pretty things!

So while I am working on my little doll quilt for the swap I am also trying to get a few ufos off the pile. Some have sat there for a rather long time.

It's the hand quilting that gets me. I always think it's going to take forever but if I actually just got on with it I wouldn't have such a huge pile of unfinished quilts!

A perfect example is this quilt for my little friend Ruby.



Ruby is now two and the quilt was basted waaaaaay back when she was about 7 months old! We spent New Years with Ruby and her family so I decided to get stuck in and finish it off. It took me one week, a broken nail and a few holes in the finger! Not bad.

Mostly it was just lines but I added a few hearts and flowers.



and then some trees for the border.



And of course a little message.



We're both pretty happy!

But you know there's always more than one quilt on the go and I have since added another basted quilt to the pile so it is no lower - just a different colour!

Here's one that was for my brother and his family for Christmas - just finishing off some quilting and the binding.



And this one here is for my bed - finally one of my own!!



I have been collecting a heap of beautiful blue and green fabrics for the last few years starting with that gorgeous Liberty bird fabric. During the holidays I finally found time to jigsaw puzzle them all together. No real plan, just lots of big pieces to show of the patterns and I LOVE it!



It will be very simply quilted with lines using this lovely pale greeny blue Perle 8 thread.



But right now I'm finishing another one that has also languished on the pile for way too long. And I will challenge myself to get it done to show off in my next post because it is for Chloe and it is her 11th Birthday this week.

So enough chatting I'm off to do some quilting!

Lazy, lazy, lazy!!

Well I guess it is the holidays but really I have been a bit lazy with this poor neglected blog. And it's not as if I haven't done anything to post about!

I won't bombard you all with a million things. Just a few.........

Cathy and I taught another children's class at Amitie last week and these are the completed samples for the kids to work from.





This one is Chloe's.



And so is this!



I love the little crab!



If you go here you will see what the girls in our class made. It never fails to surprise me how clever and creative these kids are. They always have a very strong opinion about what they want and their choice of colour. They really did the most wonderful job.

Chloe has also had her machine out making another pin cushion for a special friend. She is still learning but getting more adventurous. I think we might try a simple skirt next.



And I have been doing some quilting of this quilt.



A year is nearly up and I still haven't finished but it's getting there.

And I have been working on Chloe's quilt.



I'm sort of making it up as I go along and keep changing my mind. I think I have finally decided on all the fabrics and borders etc. It will most likely become another Audrey & Maude pattern.

And last week I decided to have a go at another quilt I promised a friend a very long time ago.



I'm not sure I like the colours. The blocks are very large (see my foot) and I was going to sash it with cream. But I still think it is a little dark for my friend's taste. I will have a play with something else this week.

So that's it for today. I have other news to report but I shall leave that for another day this week!

Oh and last, but by no means least, I wish to send out a huge congratulations to my friend Kellie who not only appears in the latest issue of Australian Quilters Companion magazine but has also just opened a shop to sell patterns for all her lovely work. Good luck Kellie although I know you are going to be a huge success!

Project upon project upon project upon.....

I have finally found time to sit down and write a little. I have been madly working to get a special project done that has to be in the UK asap. It took off today and I can breathe a sigh of relief for at least a couple of days. I have several other really important projects on at the moment with fairly tight deadlines and some days it's a struggle to keep up. I'm glad to be able to tick one off the rather long list. And if I owe you an email or something in the mail - I apologise and promise you it's coming!!

Here's a little sneak peak at a small element of the special project but that's all for now!!



Squeezed in between everything else I finally found time to get stuck into Chloe's quilt. Can you believe I have only ever made one quilt for my children which was Daphne's cot quilt! I have the fabric and designs worked out for all three but of course to be fair, I have to start Chloe's first.

And I'm loving it so far.



And so is Chloe!



So once all the blocks are done I will work out what to put with them. Any ideas??

The other project I took away with me was my Mum's quilt. That has also been languishing in the pile. I had decided to have a hand quilting night each week but it hasn't eventuated.



I did about six blocks which isn't a lot but at least I have reacquainted myself with this lovely quilt and can try to do a little each week.

So have you seen this? A very special thank you to Angela and her lovely staff at Living Creatively - their support is endless and wonderful!!

And guess what!! I have had one of my little quilts accepted for a Lark Books book called Pretty Little Mini Quilts. I'm absolutely thrilled! Again the deadline is very soon so if you don't see much of me you'll know what I'm doing!

But this week sees me finishing two presents for two very special people who have been waiting and waiting and waiting. They have been tied up with the whole project for the UK thing but they'll be on their way this week, sweetened with some other goodies I promise!!

Which reminds me of something else I must get started on for Audrey and Maude! Sigh........ but I love it, really I do!!

I think I can, I think I can......

Actually I know I can, I definitely can!! I finally finished the train quilt!!!

Lochie, the lovely recipient of this quilt, is turning one tomorrow and I thought it was a fantastic deadline to work to. We had a yummy morning tea to celebrate today and I presented the quilt after finally finishing it last night.

I found this lovely Michael Miller 'I think I can' fabric not long before Lochie was born and thought it would be perfect for a vintagey style cot quilt for him.



After mucking around with ideas for ages I finally decided on a 'four patch square on point in a square' out of lots of fun prints and a nice not too cream quilter's muslin. Not sure what the technical terms are here and I'm sure there are proper quilting people out there going "what!!!" But I know what I mean.

I quilted it with two squares in the four patch and triangles in the triangles.



Then I fussy cut all the different versions of the train. I quilted this square in various ways and hated them all. Then my mum suggested I do a diamond and it was perfect. I really like that it follows the line of the square on point beside it.



Somewhere during the designing phase I decided I would quilt train tracks around the border to finish it. About five versions later I'm really glad I did.

Right down to the little engine - it's the Lopez Express of course!



Finished with a slightly wonky label that I like even more now the quilt is washed.





And folded up ready for wrapping.



I had even bought him a train card to match!



Happy 1st Birthday sweet little Lochie!