Monday, 31 March 2025

end of summer scrap action

This coming weekend daylight saving ends, and it'll officially be the end of Summer😞with the clocks going back for Autumn. 
I'm working my way through Jolene's two books -a real treasure trove of scrap quilt ideas- in an attempt to use up my scraps, (see here for info about my 'quilt the book' project this year). I've had a bit of a wriggle on today to get my "March" quilt top finished. It's a simple two-block combo, mixing up my scrappy 16 patches with 3 colour sawtooth stars.











And here's all three little quilt tops for my "quilt the book" project so far ...



Looking at this pic, my default colour is definitely blue, all the blues LOL
Super happy with all this scrap action here chez Linda's!


Saturday, 29 March 2025

March update

I'm working on a few things at present. 











I'm continuing with my journey emptying my scrap baskets and am happy to say March's little scrappy quilt top #3 is well underway, (see here for info about my 'quilt the book' project this year).

Remember all those little leftover squares from an early ufo? I decided to piece some of them up into16-patch blocks, they are a great way to use up my small scraps. I went back to my stash & rummaged around for some special pieces too, brighter bits that I could use in small amounts to really elevate my quilt.

There's lots of ways to approach this, and I decided to try a two-block combo, mixing up my scrappy 16 patches with 3 colour sawtooth stars, (unfinished blocks size 81/2"). More to come soon!

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Bohemian: adjective, free-spirited, eclectic aesthetic, often featuring natural colours, unique patterns, and a mix of textures, visually striking - a bohemian quilt!

I've also made a little progress on my 'trip around the world' (variation) blocks, reworking the 'look' of the older, unloved ufo. I've added lots of colour and also managed to sneak a few more of those little muted squares in here & there too, they make the brights shine. 

I did (briefly) think about playing it safe and toning things down a bit, but I'm loving how it's all playing out now! It's a little modern, a little bohemian ...






five blocks done✅ four more to go





This pic pretty much sums up my favourite colour just now.
I'm finding that mustardy-gold, when used in small amounts, can really elevate the quilt

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And this last little project, well what can I say. 

'Boardwalk' quilt by Emma at Treehouse Textiles is vibrant & fun, the bright colours contrast with geometric cross blocks to create a fresh and sunny design - I loved the pattern the moment I saw it! (just trying to talk Glenys into making a block-a-month with me too). 




Anyone else fallen down a similar rabbit hole lately?
Happy weekending, Linda


Wednesday, 12 March 2025

mixing prints


This past week, I've continued to faff about with my bright 'trip around the world' blocks, reworking an earlier project that I didn't love. I was originally just going to make four blocks but ended up deciding to make nine instead. So, I've been playing with colour combos and slowly stitching a couple of blocks together. 

I'm mixing up all sorts of prints together, old & new, all in beautiful shades of pinks, green, orange, blue & lilac! 
I have a few ideas to help with the flow ... I'm aiming for two rounds to be the same colour, like for example, a light or softly muted blue combined with a bright blue. But of course, I break my own rules too and end up with something that's close, like maybe brown & peach or black & grey. 
I've also got two rounds of assorted pinks happening, a pink pathway if you like. And, there's a 2ndary pattern happening, all in a scrappy variety of mustardy golds & B&W stripe.

Oh, you may need to pop on your sunnies first ...










As you can probably see from my photos - I am splitting things up into (approx)16" asymmetrical blocks to assemble. But there was no easy way to join all those little squares up first, other than stitching one small square after another, and trying not to mess up the sequencing in the process!




Super happy working from my fabric stash in a way that is now beginning to feel cohesive and intentional
... one block at a time!




Saturday, 8 March 2025

Marjorie quilt












- party in the quilt back








And here's my 'Marjorie' quilt, another recently finished quilt that has now been gifted. I used a pattern from Jennifer @penelopehandmade. My colour concept was simple, I was (loosely) channeling a soft pastel "Bridgerton" vibe, with colours of soft blues, springtime pinks & peach, and lavender. All the colours seem to dance softly over & around the dutchman's puzzle blocks.

For my backing I used two vintage sheets from a local Hospice shop, which I cut into strips and inserted three leftover blocks. I think the back complements the front of the quilt nicely with those extra blocks tucked in there. Best of all, it's a little surprise when the quilt is turned over!
And I had it quilted in an e2e 'peeling good' panto by Leeanne @quiltmekiwi.
I chose an early Henry Glass stripe in purple for the binding, I think it works perfectly with these colours.


Happy weekending, Linda



Sunday, 23 February 2025

another finish


Between starting another small scrappy quilt and working on another ufo, 
I finished another quilt this weekend. 














- a party in the quilt back!








I loved making this 2nd version of the 'checkered garden' quilt. I used the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge, such a fun block to assemble. There's something so joyful about turning small pieces into a cohesive delightful quilt.

I used a colourful whimsical mix of fabrics, loosely channeling my inner vintage granny chic with a touch of modern. All from scraps & stash, add a little contrast from the darker teals & bright pink, et voilà!
Backing: I pulled out a small log cabin quilt top (see back here) in pink, brown & green leftovers, and then just started building around the log cabin center with my chunky strips to bring it up to size. Hm-m-m - this quilt has a real two-sided appeal thingy happening!
Quilting: Leeanne @quiltmekiwi added some quilting goodness, using an e2e cone flower panto.

I finally added the binding this weekend. I settled on a moody teal/green with a small floral print on it for my binding, 'Handkerchief Helga' by Nathalie Lete for AMH's Conservatory. 

Happy weekending, 
Linda

Thursday, 20 February 2025

current state of affairs



You never know what you are going to find when you rummage through the ufo cupboard! I first got the idea for another 'trip around the world' quilt when I dug out some small squares & part blocks that I'd made back in 2023. 
I had used a selection of fabrics in blues & pink along with some brown prints and a couple of ginghams (pics #2 #3 #4) but had put them away & promptly forgot about them!
 
Fast forward to now ... I was so disappointed when I relooked at them this week because initially the softly muted, vintage looking blocks had appealed. But I still didn't really like where it was going, as I tend to make more saturated looking quilts these days.  





 ... and the big question now was, what to do with all those little squares?


Sometimes stopping can be the undoing of a project, yes? I faffed around for a few days, scrolling ig & blogs. Like many, I'm always on the lookout for ways to use up my scrappy stash and am keen to try out different colour combos. I was inspired by a quilt (2017?) I saw by Cathy @cabbage quilts. And it was all the prompt I needed.

I decided I needed to start from the beginning again, using clearer brighter fun colours. So now I'm busy sorting out all my small squares, trying to work quickly, deciding which were in or out. And adding in few more golds, greens, oranges & purples. 
And it feels sew good to be doing something finally with some of this fabric! 


here's my first few "new" blocks on the design wall







Super happy with the current state of affairs.

Can't decide if I'll keep it small or keep going ...
because of course, while I have reused seven of the original "tired" sets of squares,
 I still have lots of other softly muted 2.5" squares to deal to too.
  (a problem for another day!) 

Linda

Thursday, 13 February 2025

a quilt in the garden

A finish for February. This quilt had been pieced into blocks last year, sashing added, and just before Christmas I sent it off to Leeanne for quilting. I finished the binding this morning and then took a few pics out in the garden. 










- love how this binding works well back & front




- party in the quilt back!







Le Moyne Star quilt
Inspired by tradition but reworked to look a bit modern.
A few quilt details: 

Fabrics: It was fun making these fussy cut blocks. I decided the Anna Maria peach/pink 'Cathedral' print would be my unifying element, and I used it for the sashing & borders. The peach was a little nod to the vintage inspiration quilt, it really makes for a sweet background. 
I also repeated a couple of other fabrics in different colourways, to help with a calmer & more cohesive look. 
Backing: I had one leftover block, so I used that as my starting point. Next, I added a pink & orange mishmash from my stash, strips & chunks set in an improv log cabin style until it all came up to size. 
Quilting: edge-to-edge 'coneflower' panto, it works so well with all those AM fabrics! The bulk caused by the piecing of the stars, added to the bulk of a pieced back, meant that this was going to be best handled by long arm quilting. Leeanne outdid herself on this one. 
Binding: Love how this AMtextiles 'checkers Saturday' sings! 
Quilt measurements: 60" x 48". 

* For more details re any of my quilts, simply head to the search bar at the top L) hand side of my blog, key in quilt name, hit search, et voila.