Long time no post

This however, does not mean that I have not been quilting.  Just busy.  This is a work in progress .... It's a (not very good) photo of a pinwheel quilt that I have been doing in class lately with Sue Ross.  I was determined to work in a more subdued palette.  And I nearly have!  Every now and again my natural tendency for brights sneaks in, but I am happy enough to have these flashes of colour to keep the quilt looking alive enough for me.  Despite not being so bright, I love the muddy aqua that I've used in this quilt.  Now I'l like a soft fine knit winter cardigan out of the same colour.

The other thing I have just finished is a little cot quilt for a friend's baby girl.  This is a sad quilt story ... I tried to quilt this on the machine in loopy patterns, but didn't notice until I was 3/4 through that the tension was out.  So out came the unpicker and I spent 3 nights undoing all my freeform quilting ... sigh ... After that it was going to be straight lines, which I am also happy with.  I hope my friend and her baby like it.  I found using a sharper needle really helped with the Anna Maria voiles, so I am a bit more of a fan than last time I used them.  Zoco, my gorgeous Somali wasn't allowed to lie on it ... only beside.

Not enough hours in the day

My paid job is pretty full on at the moment.  And for one reason or another my boys are calling on a lot of my time.  Last month it was serious "training" for the school swimming carnival.  And this it is extra time with the little guy helping him through what seems to be a tough time in his life.  And yet, I hanker after more time at the sewing machine.  Particularly after a machine quilting class at Material Obsession with the fabulous Kim, AND the start of Sue Ross workshops for the year.  I felt pretty pleased that I had been able to knock out a present for Son #1's teacher's new baby using some scraps and a lovely piece of linen.  I am hoping the linen won't be toooo scratchy on lovely new baby skin. 

This project also gave me the opportunity to practice a little  machine equiting although it's still baby steps at this stage.  And a WIP. A double wedding ring quilt I've been working on in class.  I love those little flowers, by my they are time consuming!

Liberated

I've been browsing a couple of Gewn Marston books lately but have been steadfast in my commitment that I needed to finish my many UFOs before launching into a new quilt.  HOWEVER, my dear friend and landscape gardener - who helped my make my garden what it is today - conventiently had a baby girl.  Great excuse for a new quilt.  And here it is. 

The fabric is a combination of Anna Maria voiles (which I found quite hard to sew with) some solids, some shot cottons and a piece of heavier cotton which came from Purl Soho on a trip to the US last year.  I love it and I hope little Lola will too. 

 

A fetish for Aqua

Aqua. I love always have.  When I was a kid, there were five of us ... four girls and to keep track of whose clothes were whose (especially smalls) we had to embroider a couple of stitches of our designated colour on all our clothes.  As the last of the tribe, the primary colours were all taken, so my colour was aqua.  My bath towel was aqua too I think.  Anyway, you'd think after that early childhood experience that I would hate it.  In fact, I am surprised how often it somehow emerges in the colour choice, so when I finally finished my colour wheel quilt and saw the backing/binding alongside a new "present for self" Christmas mug and my summer handbag, I had to smile.