It's been a long time coming

Finally. At long last. My Civil War Sampler Quilt top is done!

After making a whole stack of Shoofly blocks to fill the gaps . . . I decided against using them. And went with a mix of creams from my stash for the blocks and sashings instead.

Don't get me wrong, they are lovely. In the picture, the top with the Shoofly blocks looks beautiful, full of sparkling colour.  I laid them out. Took them out. Put them back. Such indecision. But in real life it was just a bit too busy with all the blocks. Who knows, maybe they'll become  a whole other quilt altogether . . .

But the construction process was not without . . . challenges assistance!

Between tripping over Walter (who managed to move to exactly where I needed to stand every. single. time.) and constantly having to move Squeaker (who had a knack of laying on exactly the row of blocks I needed to stitch next), let's just say a whole new dimension was added to the process. This quilt was certainly a collaborative effort!

So all that's left to be done is to send this top off to the quilter. And then some binding. It's been a long time coming!


Pattern: Civil War Sampler Quilts
Designer: Barbara Brackman
Publication: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Nature's Confetti

I love. love. love. this time of year in my home town. Autumn. Glorious colours. Cold nights. Fresh mornings. Sunshiny days. The reminder that time passes. That things change. To appreciate now.

On a rare afternoon home from work in the daylight this week, this is the magic that I was greeted with. How beautiful. And fleeting. When the leaves are like this, a slight puff of breeze makes for a dazzling display of nature’s confetti! It doesn’t take long before the trees will be bare for another season. And Winter, in all her beautiful starkness, will be upon us. But for now I’m certainly enjoying the golden glow of Autumn.

And with such a fantastic display of colour outside, I thought a splash of colour inside was in order too!

It’s nice the way a couple of simple, colour-blocked cushions can change the feel of a room. Some simple quilting and large vintage buttons from the button jar. Big chunks of great fabrics . . . they’re like oversized jewels for the lounge room.

 

What colours, I wonder, are inspiring you at this time of year?

Civil War Shoofly Blocks

It seemed about time I did some stitching. And this poor Civil War quilt has been in progress for so long now, that I want to see it pieced and bound!

I've had the fabrics for these Shoofly blocks cut, just waiting for time, energy and inspiration to collide.

Finally, when all the stars were aligned, I stitched . . .

and I stitched . . .

and I stitched!

Now I have all the "filler" blocks done I need to give serious thought to the sashings between the blocks. I'm pretty sure I'm going to arrange all the blocks on point, which I've never done before!

Now to consider what colour for the sashings. And corner stones, too . . .

Decisions, decisions.


Pattern: Civil War Quilts
Designer: Barbara Brackman
Publication: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Sprocket Pillows

As soon as I discovered the tutorial for these Sprocket Pillows I just knew I had to make one . . . or maybe two!

I made the 16" version and I modified it a bit - I didn't use the side gusset, but rather just joined front and back for a flatter version.

These were a spur of the moment thing, and using only what I had on hand. I had leftovers from the Fat Jack quilt and linen left over from a table cloth I made for the backing. I re-purposed a couple of dis-used cushions for the filling. And a couple of over-sized vintage buttons from my big button jar to pinch them in at the centre (that's a big jar, not just big buttons!!).

I found it so satisfying to use up supplies that I already had. Don't get me wrong, I love the special-ness of something new, that's for sure. But to take some bits that are just waiting for a purpose . . . and then give them that purpose - that adds a little something extra for me.

What have you re-purposed lately?


Pattern: Sprocket Pillows
Designer: Cluck Cluck Sew
Publication: http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2011/03/tutorial-sprocket-pillows.html