Just Green

The current Aotearoa Quilters' colour challenge is Green.  This time I've only created one 12x12" mini quilt.  The previous colour challenges were Red, Blue and Purple.

It is a wholecloth quilt with matchstick quilting in a variegated thread.  

I did stitch around the letters in a clear thread, each letter has an extra layer of batting.

 




The green quilts are on display at the Christchurch Quilters show 1-4 October. At the Whangamata Patchwork exhibition during Labour weekend and then at the Auckland Festival of Quilts 6-8 November.

All are for sale at $125 each.

Sampling

I've been practicing my freemotion quilting.  Previously when I've created practice/sample pieces they tended to be on scrappy fabric/batting or larger pieces.  

I've been looking for an efficient way to have a quick reference to refer to when deciding what designs to use on a quilt.  Often I find that I've used a quilting design then forgotten about it or can't quite remember what it looked like or how I did it.  

On Candy Glendening's website she shows how she created a freemotion quilting sampler book, with small quilt samples loosely bound together.  This is perfect for what I want to achieve.  

Here is my bundle so far ...

 














Candy used metal eyelets - my eyelet installing ability failed me so I resorted to using the eyelet stitch on my machine.  The size of the samples is ~9 1/2" square - the same size as one of my rulers.
 
Individual samples ...

 

On each sample I've recorded the type of thread, bobbin thread, needle, batting used and anything else useful.

 

As well as patterns I'm trying different needle types with a variety of threads.  I'm also interested in creating textures so will explore different battings and combinations.

Knit One, Paint One, Repeat

My quilt 'Knit One, Paint One, Repeat' has been hanging at Nancy's Stitch Studio for a few weeks now.  It is mostly the same as 'Knit One, Paint One (see here) except the colour is less blue and slightly lighter to fit the colour scheme for their new shop.

Kint One, Paint One, Repeat

In March I posted about my initial progress with the quilt (see here).  

A couple of detail pictures ...

finished quilting

back view

It takes a bit of getting used to seeing the quilt when I enter the shop.  A nice feeling and now to remember to enjoy seeing it as it is and not thinking about what I could have done differently or better. 

Planning - just a bit over rated

When I start a new project I try to allow plenty of time ... however sometimes things made at the last minute turn out the best.   

Yesterday my daughter went to an 'Adventure Time' themed birthday party.  While she has watched this show it really isn't one I've taken much notice of, well not the characters anyway.

She was going to go as Fionna, wearing a plainish blue tshirt, skort and I thought that was it.  She then decided at ~12pm (party at 2.30pm) that she needed a hat like Finn wears.  

So after a few Google searches we were off ...  while acrylic felt would probably have been the best, I only had a few strips of white polyester batting, the dense variety not the boofy type.  Sewed these together to get two pieces long enough to cover her face/head, then sewed them into a tube.  Then stitched across the top creating ears at either end.  Finally cutting out an oval shape for the face.

There was a bit of a fit issue as the pony tail out the back was creating an odd bit of drag.  Her suggestion was to cut a flap instead of a full circle - excellent idea and worked well.  

It was easy working with batting - just cut wherever, no need to finish off seams or edges.  Not sure about the comfort level for the wearer, luckily the day wasn't too hot.