Gentle blush – wip Wednesday

Posted in Quilt patterns, WIP Wednesday by wombatquilts

This week I have been trying to get a few projects finished, but keep getting distracted. My first distraction was this selection of fabric I pulled from my stash.

I have accumulated over the last couple of months a selection of apricot fabric, and I have been trying to find other fabrics to work with them. I wanted something modern and fun so I chose a blush pink and a pink/purple, and this is what I decided to do….

I love the colours but may re-think the block. The center where the pieces join is bulky and just a pain in the “you know what”.

The other distraction the last week has been hexagons. I have now made 52 hexie flowers and have been getting quite proficient at the process. My hexie travel kit has been living in handbag and I pull it out when ever I can. Geeky I know but it is working.

And the main thing that these activities have been distracting me from is finishing my pink and olive triangle quilt. It is all cut and waiting sewing. I have decided that today that is all I am going to do – no distractions, no new projects, no excuses.

Wish me luck…. I think I am going to need it.

27May2013

Paper Piecing Monday

Posted in Paper Piecing Monday, Quilt patterns by wombatquilts

Well after much thinking and pondering and trawling through my stash I have decided that my next Paper Piecing Monday Sampler quilt is going have a bit more variety in colour, and a bit more variety in patterns. To start this new sampler off I have chosen a fabulous FREE pattern from Julie at 627handworks.

This is the first of Julie’s series Block Rock’n paper piecing patterns. It is called Bowie and can be found here. All the patterns so far have been easy to follow and lots of fun. Bowie is 56 pieces and despite a couple of mis-steps on my behalf, was quick to make.

I am now off to enjoy the last of the long weekend with my hubby. The weather is miserable so a movie may be in order.

24May2013

An almost finished Friday

Posted in Quilts, Scrap quilts by wombatquilts

Last night I finally finished pulling all the paper off my floral crackers quilt. 80 blocks, 79 different floral fabrics and 1/2 a ton of paper later I have this beauty.

There was finally a break in the rain this morning, so I dashed out to take this photo. Not perfect conditions but I was glad for any sort of respite from the deluge.

Enough about the weather… back to quilting. The top is made using the traditional cracker quilt block. I paper piece this top but you can find links to making the pattern on my original post here.

I used as many bright multi-coloured floral fabrics as I could find and only accidentally doubled up on one fabric. There is a lot of Kaffe Fassett in this quilt along with Amy Butler and Denyse Schmidt.

I used random black and white fabric for the background of the pattern but if I was to make this quilt again I would probably go with a low volume fabric option with more colour in it. Don’t get me wrong, I like the black and white but I think in hindsight more colour in the background would have made a different type of quilt top.

This quilt already has a home to go to. I have till the middle of June to get it finished, so it can be presented to a graduating foster kid in the Portland area. Project Linus every year makes sure kids graduating from the foster system & high school have a quilt to take with them on the next stage of their life.

But for now I am off to clean up the paper mess I have made…. it is the curse of paper piecing!

I am linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for their finished Friday… I think a finished quilt top counts right!

22May2013

A very Pink wip Wednesday

Posted in Quilt patterns, WIP Wednesday by wombatquilts

This week I have been working my way through a friend’s copy of Tula Pink’s “100 Modern Quilt Blocks” . It has been a lot of fun.

I started by pulling some soft, pretty fabrics. It was the name, Tula Pink that made me want to go with this palette. I pulled soft pinks, reds and greys including a handful of solids.

Then I worked my way through some of the patterns I had flagged. One by one I selected the fabric, cut it, then sewed the block together. It was a slow, deliberate process and I loved every minute of it. I definitely do not have as much done as I would pre-cutting my fabric and working with just one pattern but this is a refreshing change of pace.

My work space is little more hectic as well, but I found a great use for my cookbook holder….

At the end of yesterday I had a nice little pile of blocks…

Here are some of my favorite so far, using the books numbering system to name them.

Block 72

Block 79

Block 96

Block 36

Block 12

Block 32

I have about 40 more blocks to go… this is another “on going project” that may take a while!

20May2013

Paper Piecing Monday – Tardis edition

Posted in Paper Piecing Monday by wombatquilts

After finally finishing my epic red/aqua compass star blocks, I was set to launch my latest “sampler” selection for Paper Piecing Monday. Then I found a silly pattern on-line and just had to do it.

I do not usually do novelty or “object” paper piecing but when I found a Tardis pattern on Fandom Stitches I just had to give it a try. The pattern is a little confusing (some of the colour coding is not quite right and some of the pieces are not quite big enough) but I stumbled around and made it work.

For those of you that do not know what the Tardis is Wikipedia states: The TARDIS^{[nb 1]}^[1] (/ˈtɑːdɪs/ (Time and Relative Dimension in Space)^{[nb 2]} is a time machine and spacecraft in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who and its associated spin-offs.

This block is 6 1/2 inches square and contains some of the smallest bits of fabric I have ever paper pieced with. I decided to make this block in a moment of insanity. It was the same insanity that said “use prints not solids”.

When I showed my husband he said “great, now you only have to make another 99”. I can confidently say that is not going to happen. My next Tardis related quilt adventure, when it happens, will be an adaptation of this strange plastic thing I made at a recent trip to a kids science museum.

I think it will make a great template for a quilt… using 4 inch squares and not tiny bits of fabric!