Blaize's Quilt

Every now and then I feel the need to do a scrap quilt. They have always been my favourites. This is the latest for a young friend of mine aged 15. Blaize had a nasty accident a month or so ago and broke his jaw. Hence his quilt is called "JAWS". It's a classic easy, fast and effective post and rail quilt. Each block has something red and something black in it. The rest is variable. I had to avoid florals of course so there are a lot of spots and stripes and geometrics in this one. I decided that a border was too conventional and a bit Nana-ish and simply added extra blocks to size it up for a lap quilt.  It measures 63" X 63" and so is  big enough to use on his bed.

Birthday Present for my Oldest Grandson

It's my oldest grandson's 8th birthday tomorrow (Valentine's Day) and I've made him a "Reading Cushion". Suzi found a tutorial for a cushion cover with a book pocket in it and thought it was a great gift idea. I have adapted it considerably but the basic design is the same as the original. It's a great idea for a child  who is hooked on reading. In the original pattern the pocket is on the front of the cushion but Sooz wanted a big initial on the front so I had to find a way of managing the back opening along with the pocket on the back. The cover is made from delectable grey linen with  black for contrast. The letter was big enough for me to machine applique on and I  stuck the black lettering on with Vliesofix. I put 4 black buttonholes and black buttons on the back opening. Needless to say the only cushion insert I had was too big so it's bulging a little but it's OK. THEN I realised I had forgotten  to put the handle on, hence the strip of fabric with two buttonholes which buttons the handle onto the back opening. Works a treat. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Japanese Style Runner

Ages ago my very talented sister-in-law, Helen (commonly known as Sis), gave me some machine made blocks which looked like sashiko. I liked them so much I thought I'd gussy them up in a table runner. This is the result. I love the dragonfly fabric with its pretty colours but didn't have quite enough for the four corner blocks. I did manage to find another dragonfly fabric though and used it in the small corner blocks.

Latest Baby Quilt

Here is my latest baby quilt made for one of Suzi's friends who will have wee laddie in December. It's made from Saffron Craig fabric and is all organic cotton. I have to say I enjoy doing non-traditional baby quilts like this one. It provided a huge challenge as most of the coordinated fabric set consisted of highly dominant patterns. Even the smaller flower prints seemed really dominant to me.

In the end I decided to make strips and join them all together. The strips would "tone down" or reduce the effects  some of the dominants like the huge spot and I included two solids, a medium grey and an ordinary unbleached calico. I put "dollops" of the solids in each strip. It worked for me and Suzi's friend loves it. The colours are a deep red-purple a lighter red-purple, grey, cream and  acid green. It's never difficult to do a baby quilt in bright colours or use coordinated baby fabrics but these more unusual fabrics designed by  a well-known Australian designer were a definite challenge. I think the border in the "fence post" type print work well.

Here are pictures of the front, the back and the label. .....and yes I was lazy enough to do the back in only two of the prints! TeeHee! I was tired of it by the time I got to the back. For the binding I simply strung all my "leftovers" and scraps together in 2 and a half inch strips. It's a favourite way of mine to do the binding.

For a Tiny Boy

This is my first effort for my new baby boy. Ok Ok I haven't posted for a while but life takes over sometimes! I'm hoping the girls from the Best Exotic Indigo Hotel will recognise this fabric! Yes it is indigo dyed and yes it is knit fabric.

Baby Quilt

I've been making this baby quilt for a fundraiser. I have lots of 4 inch squares from a fabric club I belong to. I chose bright pastels in orange blue and green and put on borders of green and orange. There are three stars done in raw-edge applique in one corner I'm hoping someone will like it enough to bid for it.

Multiplying like rabbits

I could have sworn I only made two of these!