Yesterday morning, Cameron asked me if I could make him a quilt today. Knowing that I had picked up an Aeroplane panel from the shop a week or so ago, I knew I'd be able to get a start on one.I took the kids to the quilt store yesterday to pick up the binding for the Spring Fling quilt, and while I was there I found a 'Map of the World' panel, and it was just slightly larger than the 'Plane' panel I already had. So, the extra panel came home with us, along with the binding and some striped fabric to use for the binding on the panels.The batting was pieced from some of my offcuts, the project pinned quickly, and I started quilting in the afternoon. I'm such a rebel, I used monofilament on top, and ohhh the horrors, I decided to try it in the bobbin too. There were no problems at all. I can't say that everyone will have the same experience, I'm sure different machines and different brands of thread will have different results, but I'm really happy I gave it a try. I just didn't want to distract from the pictures on either of the panels with thread trails everywhere. (In the picture I've just flipped the left of the quilt over so you can see the map on the other side.)We went out to an Indian restaurant with friends last night (which was really lovely), so I stopped quilting around half way through - but after we got home I could start again, and finished it up and attached the binding to the front. After breakfast this morning I hand sewed the binding down, and by the time Cam and Marty got home from their flying session, Cameron's Airplane/World Map quilt was all finished. So really, he almost got his quilt in a day ...
In the middle of adding the borders to my Spring Fling quilt, the angels came calling for my iron. It has gone to 'iron heaven'. I knew that things weren't good when I had it on the 'cotton' setting, and the base plate was cool enough to touch.
Marty has had a play with it and maybe fixed it, but we're thinking that for the sake of the cost of a new iron, we shouldn't risk burning the house down.
I shall persevere with the borders tonight, but I'll have to leave the pinning for tomorrow. The double wide back I purchased today is very wrinkly and will be a good initiation for the new iron. I'll get a new board cover at the same time - I've ummmm ... scorched the old one, and it has really seen better days.
Interesting news on the weather front - we're expecting a cool change on Wednesday next week. It will be a balmy 31c (88f). From tomorrow until Tuesday we're expecting temperatures between 38c and 40c (100f and 104f). We've already had 10 of these hot days in a row - this is really strange for March. I see lots of indoor stitching time in my future ... Be cool!
A photographer I am not. The colours in this picture look very washed out, but they're actually quite vibrant - you can see the colours a little better in the picture from the previous post.All the blocks are now assembled, and I just need to complete the top and add the borders. Also, the additional yellow dots need to be appliqued down, and they'll end up the same size as the yellow dots in the flowers.I am enjoying the simple piecing, and having fun with the bright colours - I'm usually a reproduction fabric kinda girl. I'll be indoors all day other than picking up the kids, so I should get the top finished by this evening.The weather forecast says we're going to have this same HOT weather until Wednesday next week. By tomorrow it will be the longest hot spell in March in recorded history. So, to have 16 days of it, well, that's just unimaginable! Today is forecast at 36c which is around 97f. It's just so hard to imagine all the snow on the other side of the world ... I'd gladly trade for a few days :-)
It's Autumn here, but my thoughts are with this new quilt. By the time this project hits the newsagents, it will be Springtime.I'm kind of wishing it were Spring, we're in the middle of a heatwave here - it's around 40c today (104f). Most of the past week has been over 35c (95f) and we're expected to have the same for nearly all next week. Lots of indoor activities are on the agenda, and most sporting activities the kids are involved in have been cancelled.But back to the quilt. I have only two more applique blocks to make, and I'm around a third of the way through the pieced blocks. I'm really loving the way it's all coming together. I'm unsure of the final border at this stage, but I know the quilt will have an inner yellow border. It's almost dinnertime, so I shall shuffle off. After dinner it's back to the piecing - I'm so motivated to see this one come together!
Today I was able to get a little of the applique done for the new quilt. If I'm a very good girl, I might get the second block finished tonight too.
The flowers aren't terribly complex, it's my plan to really jazz them up when it comes to quilting time. I love using rayon threads and adding lovely dimension and texture with them.
Tomorrow I'd really like to start working on the pieced blocks too, and then I'll be able to see if the quilt I have running around in my head will translate well to fabric.
I'm really far behind on my blog reading and I'm trying to catch up - so my commenting has been a little scarce. Don't give up on me though, this busy-ness will not be forever! x o x
Checking my 'to do' list the other day, I realised that I have a magazine deadline looming in four weeks time. Hmmmm ... must get onto that I thought, as I hadn't even started the quilt at all!
Tonight I put that to rights - I've cut out the applique shapes, and when I'm done here, I'll pin the pieces to the background fabric.
The quilt will be called 'Spring Fling'. It's mostly pieced, and will also have several needle-turn appliqued blocks, and other little applique bits and pieces. It'll all make sense as I go along.
I have a further two customer quilts to work on, but both of them are very much 'non urgent'. They can wait a little while I ease my mind working on the new project. I'll check back soon and let you know how it's all going ... x o x
I don't have anything interesting to share in a quilty sense. You know I've been quilting like a fool, but just nothing noteworthy.
But I do have a link to The Best Idea Ever! For those of you that have never seen Kairle's Blog (Happy Valley Quilter), you must stop on by. I love what she's doing with Pyrex dishes. I'm all inspired to get busy on my own.
I hope to be finished with my current crop of customer quilts tonight, and then tomorrow I can get busy on my Spring Fling quilt. Happy blog hopping!
It's late at night, but I just had to share. After we got home from Sharon and Jon's tonite, I was itching to get to some quilting.I've done the outline quilting for the faux applique blocks, meandered about in the main part of the quilt, and now I'm working around the border.I really love free-motion quilted feathers, and I'm really getting the hang of them now. Working around corners still gives me a few headaches, but with practice, I'm sure I'll grow confident with them too.
Yesterday morning, Cameron asked me if I could make him a quilt today. Knowing that I had picked up an Aeroplane panel from the shop a week or so ago, I knew I'd be able to get a start on one.
