Plum Crazy!

Hello Sunday Stasher's!

Have you just been showing off your latest new Fat Quarter bundle over at Molli Sparkles' place?

Not sure what to do with it yet?  Well let me help you!

Laura from Quokka Quilts has just released her first self published pattern that will show off those babies perfectly.

Feature prints, small patterns, they'll all get their moment in the limelight here ...

Laura made her version using V and Co's Simply Color

The smallest quilt size will swallow up 6 FQ's in a flash (no waste people!) and the largest will take care of 9 FQ's ... yes, you shouldda, couldda, wouldda bought the bigger bundle!

All the FQ's are cut the same way .. so if you're confident you can layer, measure (cross your fingers and toes) and cut ... job done!

In fact this pattern reminds me of a quote "Any fool can make something complicated.  It takes a genius to make it simple" - Woody Guthrie.  You'll know what I mean when you see Laura's cutting plan - genius!

To make this quilt I would use a Fat Quarter ... in each colour ... of Art Gallery Essentials, Girl About Town.  I like that these fabrics are technically blenders ... or understudies  ... and would have their moment to shine as the main act in this pattern.

Colours: Lime, Rose, Mint, Navy, Orange and Rouge

Laura is offering her pattern for 20% off this week!  Go here and enter the code Plum20 ... or leave me a comment and go in the running to win a free copy! 

I'll draw the winner on Wednesday, 8th October 2014 (Aussie time) ... so if you don't win then you can still take advantage of that discount!

***Entries now closed***

... and the winner is ...

#17

Congratulations Marly!  Your Kate Spain bundle would work beautifully with this pattern ... make sure you show Laura and myself when you're done - we'd love to see it :)

***Entries now closed***

Serena x

Bees, Swaps, Round Robins

I've just completed my first cycle in an online sewing Bee.  I was invited to join Threadbias Ausbee by Jo of Riddle and Whimsy and I'm glad I did.

Here is a round up of all the blocks I made in my first Bee:

April: Star Crossed block.  Tutorial found here.  

These blocks were a good exercise in using a scant 1/4" seam allowances.

May:  Bento Box blocks - info found here.  

We were asked for red, purple and blue fabric combinations in this quilt.  This was an unusual colour mix for me and I learned a lot about using tone to help them all play nicely.

June: Star Blocks ... I wrangled with purple here.

July: Was my turn to be Queen Bee.  I chose this butterfly block.

Didn't all of my Bee mates do a fantastic job?

I'm going to use these blocks to make a quilt for my daughter and I let her open the packages when they arrived in the post ... you should have heard her squeal with delight upon opening each package!  Bliss!

August: Mini Bow Tie blocks.  Info found here

These blocks were heaps of fun to make!

September: Improv Blocks found here

Yes ... well ... that was an interesting experience!

I had always stayed away from Bees sighting the usual fears ... skill level, time-poor, sewing to a schedule ... yarda, yarda, yarda ... silly really, as it's been a great way to try different blocks, colour combos and quilting genres.

So that was Ausbees ... thank you ladies ... it's been great sewing with you!

I'm going to try some swaps next.  I like the idea of receiving a finished item in the post, something I can hang or use straight away.  So I've signed up for the Little Quilts Swap via Instagram.  There are 200 (or so) of us sewing a mini quilt from the Little Quilts Book for a secret squirrel swap partner.

This is what I'm planning for my partner ...

Dreamin' Vintage by Art Gallery Fabrics

I might want to keep it for myself!  But, I'm almost certain that's not what a swap is about :)

And you know that I'm enjoying my Possum Magic Round Robin ... I'm working on Wendy's centre next ...

Next on the design mattress ... 

... yes, you noticed all that purple too? ... I may have to call a truce with purple for the sake of Possum Magic!

I'm interested to hear which form of online community sewing you enjoy most?  Bees, Swaps or Round Robins?

Serena x

Possum Magic - Round 2

Hello Possums!

You might remember that I have been busy making little granny squares for Sharon's Possum Magic quilt.

There were two main influences for choosing little (3.25" finished) grannies as the second border.

First, I was so impressed by the work that Sharon put into her centre.  There are some very small hexies in the middle of the Dresden and I wanted to reflect those in my border ... so some tiny piecing was in order!

Second,  Jo did such an awesome job on the first border - so much work, so many fabrics - I wanted to celebrate her border by giving it a little room (and bask in it's glory) ... white space was in order.

I didn't put any old white fabric in there though ... I made sure that the fabric had a bit of pizazz ... Michael Miller Mirror Ball Dot anyone? ... my grannies know how to party!

You can see here the method that I used to make these grannies.  They are so fun to make!

I'm bringing up the rear of the group again by finally finishing my border on Sharon's centre. 

Technically I'm a day late ... but ... as I pass this onto Carla next (and she's currently on holiday for another week) ... I'm going with "Hooray I finished a week early!"

Find Round 1 Finishes here

High fives and air fist pumps ... Serena x

I'll see you over at Let's Bee Social and WIP Wednesday

September Bee Blocks - Improv

Our Threadbias Ausbees Queen Bee has very innocently asked for Improv blocks.

She would like brights (of one colour, can use several tones) on a low volume background.

12.5" blocks.

Simple right?  No rules is awesome right? ... ah, WRONG!!

So this is me ...

Drowning ...

... doing Improv ...

Fiddlesticks!

... let's all agree not to let that happen again ...

Serena x
(aka not a cool improv quilter)

Linking up a little late with WIP Wednesday and Let's Bee Social

Make Modern Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Make Modern Magazine Blog Hop!

This little quilter is quite chuffed to be rubbing (virtual) shoulders with the amazing designers featured and I have been soaking up inspiration from each and every page!

Here's a little preview of my quilt ... you can find all the pattern details, fabric requirements and a few tips on sewing 3D Pinwheels in Issue 1.

Look at all that scrap busting potential in those pinwheels!

Have you tried 3D Pinwheels before?  They are really not that scary ... 'Quilter's Promise' ... and they'll add a lot of extra dimension (obviously) to your quilts ... or pillows ... or ... (addiction disclaimer).

At the end of the day, we quilters just like to make things for the people we love and care about and my baby quilt pattern was designed to do just that ... 

To snuggle and comfort

... For a full preview of Issue One click here to be tempted ...

Front Cover - Issue One

... and once I've trapped you in my 3D Pinwheel honey pot ... click here to go and get yourself a copy ... or the next six!

I've enjoyed flicking through the pages so far and have quite a few projects dog-eared to make ... if you've already made something please let us know ... on IG you can hashtag #makemodern or if you prefer you can email the team ... they would love to hear from you and see your projects.

I hope you have enjoyed following the Blog Hop so far? ... Here's the schedule, just in case you've missed any, and I'll see you at Ms Midge's place in a few days!

1^st September                   Make Modern
3^rd September                   Kristy @ Quiet Play
5^th September                   Where Jane Creates
7^th September                   Gina @ Party of Eight: Our Story
9^th September                   Molli Sparkles
11^th September                 Juliet @ The Tartan Kiwi
13^th September                 cat&vee
15^th September                 Ruth @ Ben and Charly’s corner
17^th September                 Kelly @ Kelliotmagic
19^th September                 Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts
21^st September                 Serena @ Sew Giving
23^rd September                 Melissa @ Ms Midge
25^th September                 Anne @ Hudson Valley Quilts

Serena xx

Drift - A Finished Quilt

We are far away from it all here, but my goodness ... once you've come West ... well I won't go on about it, but what we lack in cheap post and affordable fabric, we most definitely gain in stunning gorges to the north, lush forests to the south and beautiful beaches spanning the entire coastline.

When I first saw the Drift fabric range it reminded me so much of my honeymoon ... watching the beautiful sunsets over the beaches in Broome ...Western Australia. 

The Art Gallery Fabric was a perfect match for Elizabeth Hartman's New Wave pattern and I couldn't be more pleased with how it turn out ... just quietly ...

I had some fun with the quilting ...

... trying patterns I had not attempted before.

I used hanky linen to separate the 'waves' and to bind the quilt.  The texture is something else.

it's going to be really hard to let this one go ... especially for Miss 4 ... she's loved this quilt right from the start.  

The only conciliation being that it's going to her favourite Aunt.

Our little Mermaid wants to keep this one ...

I now declare this quilt Sew Given.

Serena xx

Stats:
Size 46" x 50"
Fabric Front - Drift by Art Gallery Fabrics and Hanky Linen Birch supplied by Craftproject
Backing - Ikea fabric
Binding - Hanky Linen Birch
Quilting - Various Free Motion Quilting patterns done by me!

I'll be linking up with TGIFF,  Finish It Up Friday and Sew Cute Tuesday

On The Design Mattress - WIP

Today on the Design Wall Mattress are little Granny Squares.  They will be exactly 3.25" finished ... I was going for 3" but had a bit of a quilt maths fail ... but that's cool ... I can work with that.

I've used Katy's strip piecing method to make these - except I reduced the strips from 2.5" down to 1.25"

It's a super quick and super fun method and I highly recommend it!

So why the little Grannies?  Well ... I've finally committed myself to a border design for Sharon's Possum Magic quilt!

I'm going to add a bit of white space to quieten this one down a tad.  It's very busy, busy and I think it could do with a little air ... although I am using the Avant Garden line of fabric to make the grannies ... so it will still be rock'n'roll.

Little squares for little hexies

Round 2 is due in a matter of days so I better get my Zimmer Frame on!

Serena xx

I'll be linking up with WIP Wednesday and Let's Bee Social