AHIQ #31 - the start of a utility quilt

Whilst many may not think of this quilt I'm making as

a utility quilt, if I go off some of the descriptions I've read I'm

thinking it is.

One I read:

'a functional quilt that usually contains a simple pattern'

another

'a quilt that was made to be used daily knowing

that someday it would be used up'

sadly I'm not sure where these came from originally but I had them written down

on my little studio notice board.

 My Anna Maria Horner fabrics arrived

and I had printed out a free pattern ( Rainbow Blur) from Free Spirit using

these Sweet  Dreams fabrics, two blocks, one just a large square the

other a mix of different sized squares.

The pattern called for the block size to be 18 and 1/2" - a little on the

large size for me, I just want this to be a cover up quilt for keeping us

warm in the winter months, not worried if it needs washing

every week, kids and cats welcome to use it!

I sized the block down to 15 and 1/2", four blocks across and

five down.

Looking at this now, had it been my own design and improv it

would have met the Scale Challenge - four different sized squares!

I'm still cutting the pieces and they're living in their own plastic bags

marked A through to X, 24 lovely fabrics and there will be enough left

to make something smaller afterwards.

As we're now into Autumn I was happy to see two of my early

flowering camellias blooming yesterday

this bottom one was a pure dark pink originally and now most of the blooms

are opening streaked here and there with white.

Back to my machine now to sew more strips for the Frog quilt

and sew more on Rainbow Blur - I think it may be quite

addictive!

Linking up now with 

Kaja and Ann

who host AHIQ

why not visit and see who's meeting the scale challenge

and who's on utility!

Maureen

Frog Frenzy, Fabric and a Four Legged Friend

Not a very productive week at all at my place!

I stitched one of the chinese coin panels for grandsons's quilt

Frog Frenzy, here's a quick photo - the blue background isn't showing
quite true,

and a close up which shows the frogs a little better.

I'm finding it difficult working with only a limited colour palette,

but it was his choice and that's the important part of the process.

Carrying on with fabric sorting I'm asking myself why

I bought the fabrics below, it must be all of 10 years ago and whilst

I do love the soft colour I don't think I could make a quilt with

them now. 

My idea of putting away a heap of strings on the cutting

table was rudely interrupted

Leila thought they'd make a comfy spot for a nap.

Here she is below, resting up after chasing her tape measure, tied in knots

the better for her to hang on to, trying to catch me running around the house with it,

one way to exercise.

So, as you can see hardly any sewing this week but

I'll still visit 

Linda  and Julie

who host

Sew,Stitch,Snap,SHARE

to see what goodies have been posted!

No sewing - just stashing

Decided it was time to tidy up a few 

containers of large fabric pieces over 1.5 metres and ended

up realising that I had far more than I thought!

I have two containers filled with older stash, like these below

then I have two more with Kaffe Collective fabrics -just one shown.

All this re-shuffling was to free up a basket for these

Tula Pink All Stars with her Pom Poms and Tent Stripe,

I already have a quilt marked out.

Below are her solids, if I've posted these before then apologies.

This overload of colour reminded me that I'd intended

to show you you a teapot my daughter gave me for my

birthday

I don't use it, I have it on the bench for eye candy!!

On the subject of colour I'm posting two flower photos,

one is of a favourite rose coming towards the end of flowering

the other is a flower of the palest kind

but with the most delicious Summer scent

which fills the air in the evening,

we know it here as

Queen of the Night.

Happy Quilting

Maureen

Found Treasures and one more for Mardi Gras

Reading posts on Sunday I was thrilled to see the this post below from

Cynthia

Quilting is more fun than Housework - Oh Scrap! Geese Migration

because I loved this pattern of hers a few years ago when
it was published in a magazine. This was one
I had to make and began it as a project for RSC 2015.
There were a few projects on the go and sadly the Geese Migration
fell off the radar, but seeing her photos again had me thinking!!
I hunted in my parts box and found these.

The blue one had to be quickly photographed just now, couldn't
find the original.

I'm going to hop into RSC 2018 and finish, hopefully,
with two blocks in each designated colour.

The only actual sewing today was another quarter log

which means I can now link up with
Julie and Linda at
sew, stitch, snap, SHARE
and see what treats are in store today.
Linking up Sunday with
Cynthia and Oh Scrap!

Maureen

A quilt for Sam

As if I didn't have enough projects to keep me busy

I realised that our youngest grandson will reach the

tender age of 5yrs at the end of April.

I made his older brother his 'grown-up' quilt for his 5th, so it was choosing fabric time.

Sam has very definite ideas on what he likes and doesn't like.

Pulling out my basket with colourful children's fabrics  he picked the one

I was secretly saving for myself!

His brother had picked a piece of fabric with lots of

colourful safari animals for his

quilt,  Sam said he would really like one just like Jacob's but

faced with the reality that I wasn't going to try and copy the other one

he accepted graciously!!

The particular plain colours he would like were red and black!!!

I bit of cajoling needed here I thought.

I found some Tula Pink ladybird fabric and persuaded him to

go with this and a selection of solids. Jacob helpfully

said that frogs would eat ladybirds, Sam was sold on the idea.

I thought we'd avoided black but no - so thinking quickly I pulled out a length of

black fabric with multi coloured dragonflies, told him they hover around ponds, 

frogs live there and they eat dragonflies. Yes, he thought that was good.

I now have to put these together, I'll add strips of the frog

fabric and  going with the idea of Chinese Coin strips

between the four feature panels. Keeping it simple.

I found an older piece of limey green fabric with brightly coloured

spiders so a few strips of that would work.

Last week a new book arrived in the mail box, I'd ordered this

two weeks ago after seeing it, I think, on Instagram.

Wonderful, wonderful book which is split into six sections, stay with me and I'll

just list them.

Impact of Quilts and Quiltmaking  on Health and

Health Care Outcomes.

The Art of Health Related Quiltmaking.

Individual Experiences of Health and Wellbeing through

Quiltmaking.

Public and Collective Quiltmaking for Health and Wellbeing.

Quilts in Healing Environments and Clinical Care.

I bought my copy,  it's an expensive buy, but your library

may be able to locate one. I reckon this is worth every cent!!

Back to Sam's quilt and more reading later this evening.

Maureen