Starstruck Again Finished

Haven't I been a neglectful blogger? There just haven't been enough hours in a day to pay proper attention to my computer. I have been busy in the sewing room though - I have quilted four entire quilts this past week - and one of those quilts I bound and finished also.

And this is it - my Starstruck Again quilt. I folded the corner down so you can see the fun backing fabric. The one with the ducks that I mentioned last week. I had to add a little to it, and thought that the heritage green fabric went well with the colours in the back.

Over the weekend I hope to photograph the quilt nicely, and adapt the pattern to the new colours so I can have it available in the shop.

Hope you're all having a great week - I've been blog hopping when I can - just lurking I guess :-)

Thread

A little while back I mentioned a thread that I'm really enjoying quilting with right now.

Showing a picture of the thread is the best thing I can do for you, as there is nothing at all on the spools mentioning a name or a brand. I wouldn't use it for piecing, as it's not made from cotton, but for decorative quilting, I'm loving it.

And the price is amazing ... at 99c for 1000 metres!

Taken 'aback'!

Tonight I pinned the 'Starstruck Again' quilt. On the back, just for fun, I'm using a fabric given to me by my wonderful friend Linda.

A quilt I slept under at her beach house had this fabric also as a back, and when I told her I thought it was cute, she declared that she didn't care for it much and promptly hid the remainder of it in our luggage. She was thrilled to evict it from her stash. So, it's kinda a jokey fabric for us both ...

Marty wandered in just as I was getting ready to layer the quilt, and being the 'shoot from the hip' kinda guy he is stated that he 'likes the back better than the front'.

How does that song go? Things that make you go hmmmmmm ...

And it was busy!

My goodness! Isn't this arrangement an assault on the eyes!

But you know what? I still quite like it. And by the time there is a whole quilt's worth of scraps used up, surely there will be a sizeable dent in my 2" scraps box. Be sure to look closely - some of those fabrics are OLD.

This may just become another of those leader and ender projects that bullies it's way into being a 'main' project. Let's see if it can hold my interest.

New Leaders and Enders

Today I have been machine quilting, and doing various chores ALL day. I finally finished all the things I wanted/needed to do at 11pm, and because I just didn't feel like sleeping yet, I got busy organising a new leader and ender project. Holly thought she'd help too :-)

A little while back I had started these random nine patches using repro fabrics and 2" squares. I had no idea where they were going, and tonight I decided I'd frame a couple, to see if that's what direction the project will take.

Kinda cute I think - let's see if I can make any kind of dent in my 2" strips. I have high hopes :-)

Weekend Away

Did you notice things were a little quiet around here?

On Saturday we all set off with another family for a trip up to Yalpara station. We got back late last night, and my goodness we were tired. We had many late nights, plenty of fun, and due to a little rain, we got very dirty!

One of the days was spent 4WD'ing to neighbouring Minburra station, and the guys and the kids did a little caving. You can see Amy, Camo and Matt in the picture.

Pet and I don't like being underground, so we stayed above. After all, someone needed to tend the fire, drink wine, eat cheese and crackers, and read magazines. All very civilised really.

A good time was had by all. But you know what? Last night I was so relieved to be back in my own bed.

Relaxing

Marty and his sentinels. I wonder what was so interesting outside?

Piecing - Scrappy Style

Yay for school holidays! More time on my hands = piecing on my own projects. While watching the men's final at Wimbledon the other night, I made up more green/cream nine patches. I had made 81, but decided I'd like 100. So, you see the results in the basket. I'm no closer to deciding what fabric I'll use for setting squares. I'll stew over that for a little longer.

Today and yesterday I pieced away mindlessly. Do you remember this top I made a little while back? Well, I finally finished the pieced border. I made up 44 nine patches, and a couple of little extra bits, stitched them all together, and the wonderfully scrappy border is the result. Ohhh, and I also moved two of the larger squares - there were two red/pink squares placed closely together, and I decided I just couldn't live with it. I should have known that would be the case.

Here's a close up of one of the corners. I love the result. It's very busy - and definitely a stash buster ... if only it reduced the stash a little more visibily. There will be many more scrap quilts in my future.

I'll have to get busy with some quilting tonight - much as I'd love to continue piecing, work beckons for now.

Yes!

I am SO excited to finally have this top finished, and I just love how it looks.

Even though it's the same pattern as my original Starstruck quilt, it's amazing how different it looks with the blue triangles rather than the original red ones.

I'd love to get right into the quilting, but first I'm going to busy myself cleaning the sewing room - it really needs a good vacuum, and I should cut up some of the scraps that need to go into the boxes - they can build up so fast.

In other news - later in the year Marty and I and our friends Kath and Andrew are planning to travel to Hong Kong. Yesterday Kath and I found a great deal - tickets are reserved, and tomorrow money will change hands. So exciting - it's really happening! We can't wait :-)

Starstruck Again ... or not!

In my 'big scheme' of quilts, this one is taking FOREVER to put together. The middle has been assembled, but I had to put it aside for various reasons.

I've just taken it out to attach the pieced border, and discovered that I have neglected to make four of the quarter blocks that go in the corners. So, tonite I'll make up some more blocks, and if I'm really good, I'll be able to attach the border.

Or, you'll be reading about it again in a couple of weeks :-)

Today was the last day of the school term for the kids - and because I don't work in school holidays, the kids and I have two weeks off! I have great plans of getting things done, and my Mum is taking the kids for a mini-break to the beach too. I'm very excited to have lots of free days to spend with the tiny people.