W.I.P Wednesday

Where is the time going??? I'm off this weekend for a belated Christmas family get together. Its a 7+ hour car trip and as DH is coming off night shift I will be driving the distance. I'm thankful for DVD players and The Wiggles. I promise to upload some photos to my blog because the place we are heading to is beautiful.

Do you like my new toy? As I don't have a sewing room, I purchased a foldable table that I can use anywhere in the house. I mainly use my lounge room and dining room. I'm tired of moving my dining table into the lounge so its really nice to have something I can just pack up and put up whenever I want.

So before I head off on my next traveling adventure, I'm heading over to visit Lee at Freshly Pieced for W.I.P. Wednesday.

My biggest achievement this week was finishing off "Checkered Patches".

I am so happy to have this off my list and the family it went to are very happy with the quilt. One of my January goals is done and dusted.

I have also been quilting a floor mat or panel depending on how you look at it which was another January goal. I have been straight line quilting wherever I want to. I'm not sure about the quilting as it has been a trial but it doesn't look bad and its going to be for a little boy to play with on his floor. Photos to be posted when completed.

I haven't had much of a chance to work on the wedding quilt but I want to get it finished asap. I plan to sew some more tonight if I'm not too tired. I have another sick child yet again. Our family run with illness this summer has been awful. I seem to have caught what he has as well so I'm not the best.

I have managed to work on my colored hexagon quilt. I'm not willing to share at this time because its so close to a finished top that I want to show if off when I have it done. I've purchased some thread for the hand quilting. There are different colors and all the cotton is variegated. I can't wait to trial them out. I planning to quilt in circles. Backing is purchased and binding as well. I'm going with Kona. This project is traveling the distance to be finished.

My first new project for 2012. I discovered this one through my friend Michelle. Another EPP project. This project is being hosted by Selfsewn. The quilt looks amazing. I just couldn't resist. I'm planning to take this one away too to start putting some blocks together. My fabrics have been chosen. I will post more later.

Introducting Checkered Patches.

I am happy to announce that I finished off a quilt this week and crossed off one of my 2012 January goals. Number 2 to be exact.

I was spurred on by a birthday invitation to the older sibling's 3rd birthday on 7th January. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would once I set my mind to finish off the quilt. What a great way to start off the year. It has also felt good to be back on my machine. With my recent surgery (November) and recovery time, it felt like I had another Caesarean. I was directed not to do much and rest as much as possible. That's quite funny seeing that I have a 2 year old. Mummies would understand.

So here it is...Checkered Patches.

At the beginning of this quilt, I wasn't sure how the fabrics would work. I happened to ask the expecting Mother what colours she would like and she came back with orange. The look of horror on my face must have said something and it isn't a colour that I would usually pick or have readily in my stash of fabric. I actually love how this quilt has come together with the colours especially the orange. I would use orange again for another baby or child's quilt in the future.

It took one afternoon and a part of an evening to piece together the backing.

I used the leftover strip pieces from the blocks to piece together part of the backing to match with the quilt top. I couldn't resist the cute orange fabric with small white spots to go with it. It just went only with the expecting Mother's request for orange.

The following day I managed to quilt and bind the top. I used my walking foot to straight line diagonally down the white squares so that the finished quilted has a cross hatched pattern.

The coloured squares have just popped with the quilting. I used Signature cotton varigated orange thread for my quilting and loved how it turned out on the solid white fabric. 

Checkered Patches

Finished Quilt Size: 48" X 48"
Fabric:   

1. Doll dresses fabric range in orange, blue and yellow. 
2. White solid homespun for the background.  
3. Robert Kaufman spot fabric in orange for the binding.
4. RJR Fabric Back to Basics in orange with white spots for the backing.

Pattern: 36 Patch Quilt Along hosted by Crazy Mom Quilts. I didn't actually participate in the Quilt Along but loved the basic design of the pattern.

Quilting: Cross Hatched with straight line quilting

Made for: The birth of Master 'Fox Theo' born 30th November 2011. 
Completed: January 2012

W.I.P Wednesday #1 for 2012

I can't believe how quick time has flown by since Christmas and welcoming in the New Year. 

It's time again to catch up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and join her for another W.I.P Wednesday.

I thought that I would focus my efforts on my 2012 goals for January. I am really happy with my achievements so far.

1. I have been working on the wedding quilt for my sister in law. It is being made in flannels. The ironic thing is that we have been experiencing weather over 40 degrees. Not a good time to be working with flannel at all. So far I have completed 128 four patch units and 32 middle units for Block B. I have also sewn together 32 units for Block A. The quilt consists of two blocks. 

If everything goes well, I hope to have a finished quilt top before mid January. So far the piecing has gone quickly.

2. I managed to piece together backing, quilt and bind the checkered baby quilt. The last thing to finish off is to hand sew the binding down. I love this part of the process as it adds closure for me. 

3. I also managed to sew a couple of background hexagons to my coloured quilt using Kona solids. 

I plan to take this away with me on our belated family Christmas trip in January. I hope that I get to finish it off as I should have lots of time to sew in the evening. I can also sew in the car, so its great on long trips. Lots of basting time.

4. My new project for 2012. It going to be cushion covers. I want to get these sewn together before I go away as I plan to do some hand quilting on them. It's a present for a friend and her recent engagement.

Seeing that its only the 4th January. Not a bad start to the year.

Part one

I finished the backing today for the checkered baby quilt. I really like how it turn out.

Now to baste and quilt. That will be my task for tomorrow.

I'm on task to completing my January goals.

2012...Here I come

It's officially New Year's Eve. So I will be spending my time looking after my sick little boy and working on completing the flannel quilt top for my sister in law and her fiance. Here are some sneak peaks.

I plan to move my dining table into my lounge room and sew the night away whilst my husband watches some much deserved TV.

Here are some more photos to end off my 2011 year.

Hexagon Diamond #29

Ferris Wheel templates that I won from a blog. It was a belated birthday gift. I was very surprised to win them. I can't wait to play with them. I need to practice my hand piecing first. Meredithe at Pomegranate and Chintz designed this set of templates. She is a very talented lady. Go and check out her blog and her inspirations. Maybe Meredithe will help me play when I catch up with her for one of the Midday to Midnight Sewing sessions in 2012.

I caught up with my special friend Michelle and her mum Heather this week before my little man became ill. I love her purpose built sewing room. I'm just a bit jealous. I managed to finish off the quilt top for my Grandpa. It will be a belated Christmas gift. Now to get it to the LAQ.

Here was the original finished quilt top.

Here is the finished top with added borders to fit his bed better. I plan to bind the quilt in the brown.

I happened to get some fabric for Christmas from Santa for being such a good girl. I received 6 Prince Charming Charm Packs from Tula Pink. I think I have a idea of what I can do with this fabric. I have Kona Ash that I can add to it.

So now for the 2012 Goals

My biggest goal for the year is to attack my stash. I purchased too much beautiful fabric in 2011 and I need to use some of it up. If I need to add I will endeavor to purchase only backgrounds/solids that I need for individual projects. Stash first...purchase second.

I would also like to try some designing patterns and playing around with my EQ7 in 2012. I designed my sister in law's wedding quilt using the program and would like to keep going. But I also have ideas floating around in my head all the time. I need to get them down on paper. 

I think that I would like to set my set some goals once a month. So I will start with January. When we get to the end of the month I will re evaluate and set some goals for February and so on..

1. Finish off the Wedding quilt top so that I can get it to a Long Arm Quilter.
 
2. Quilt the checkered baby quilt. That means that I have to piece the backing before that starts.

3. Join up with Lee at Freshly Pieced every Wednesday if possible for 2012.

4. Finish Hannah's Quilt.

5. Finish Will's Floor panel.

6. Work on some hexagons. I need to give my self permission to do some hand stitching. I can pick these up and put them down whenever I can.

7. Try and blog at least twice a week.

8. Write down a list of my WIP's and projects that I want to complete.

9. Plan my little girl's number "5" birthday party.

10.. Set my goals for February.

I think that I'm going to be busy. Welcome to my 2012. Happy New Year Everyone!!

Hexagon Diamond 28

I'm playing around with my birthday present. I got the new IPhone 4S from my family.

So I thought I would show off my next hexagon diamond. 

In the end I've gone back to my computer as it didn't work out for me as well.

Celebrations

This week has been about celebrations. There were of course some minor downers as well.

Monday was the last day of Open Playgroup for my son and daughter.

Santa came to visit. Just to say, my kids are very stranger danger when it comes to Santa. My little boy wouldn't go anywhere near him and to top it off he has an aversion to any sort of wrapping paper. He hates getting presents. Yes that's right, he hates to receive and unwrap presents. It takes him ages to even look at a new present when we unwrap them.

My minor downer for the week, my new scar wasn't healing the right way and the Doctor had to re cut and restitch it back together again. Not impressed really.

Tuesday I celebrated my birthday. I received some lovely gifts and I have to wait for my new IPhone 4s as there were none in stock. This is what I received. 

Measuring Cups

I also was able to catch up with my girlfriend Michelle and her Mum, Heather. I basted some more of my Ahhh hexies. I was also taken out to dinner. So the whole birthday was not too bad but I was sore from Monday.

Wednesday was another trip to the Doctor to check my new stitches.

Thursday was the last day of Rostered Playgroup for my little girl. She loves Playgroup and starts Pre School next year. This is her second year and she will miss it. She was so excited to tell Santa her Christmas request. REAL Fairy wings and REAL Pixie Dust so she can really FLY. If anyone has ideas about some Pixie Dust that doesn't involve glitter I would be very interested.

I finished off my Kris Kringle for the Murray Mallee Quilters Christmas Party. Sorry I forgot to take a photo of the finished gift but here is one of part of the present. I brought a new mug and Christmas cake to go with it. Can you guess what it is??

On Saturday I attended the Christmas Party. It was for lunch and I had a great time. Here is a photo of my Kris Kringle present and the door prize I received. My little girl has eaten my chocolates.

In amongst my trips to the Doctor, parties and celebrations, I did manage some more hexagon diamonds. I had lots of sitting and waiting at the Doctor surgery so I had lots of time to stitch with no interruptions. Here they are.

Hexagon Diamond 25

Hexagon Diamond 26

Hexagon Diamond 27

Now that my birthday is over, its time to decorate for Christmas. Tree is up waiting for presents to be wrapped.