Happy New Year

2015 is on us, and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I spent a week in the country, and while I'm happy to be home, I'm not so happy that it's going to be 40C today!

Last year was a bit of a quiet one in the quilting front for me, I just couldn't seem to find the time. Hopefully better luck this year!

First off was a wedding quilt for my lovely friend Bec.

Then another wedding quilt, this time for my friend Stacy who loves in San Francisco. I carried this quilt all the way from Melbourne via New York City, Boston and Chicago!

I used leftover Daydream scraps to make this massive Fresh quilt.

Then dug into Miss Kate to make Cherrio.

I also made a little Moda Love with April Showers.

And started, but haven't yet finished, my Night Sky quilt using Paradiso.

Daydreaming

Just in time for spring, I've got this beauty finished. There's still enough chilly weather to enjoy snuggling under it before summer is upon us.

Pattern: Fresh from Simply Retro by Camille Roskelley.
Fabric: Daydream by Kate Spain
Backing: Birds and Frogs from Ikea
Size: 96" square

Quilt Tops and Queensland

I finally got the Fresh quilt top assembled last night; it's only taken a few months. No full photo yet as it's too windy outside to lay it on the front lawn.

Off to Queensland for the weekend, I'm definitely looking forward to thawing out for a few days. This week has certainly been chilly!

Sick-Day Sewing

The upside to being sent home from work: sewing time. Finally getting these blocks together and I'm really happy with how they're looking.

10 down, six to go. And yes, the dogs are locked up to prevent any additional muddy paw prints...

Keeping On

I am still here, and I am still sewing. This quilt is massive! And taking a bit longer than I anticipated. I think I only have four blocks to go...

I've removed some yellow and replaced it with pink and greens, I'm much happier with it now. Though of course there's plenty of yellow in the photo above...

Fresh Progress

Just a little progress update, to prove I am spending time at my sewing machine. I've finished 24 of the 64 'units' for this quilt and it's already massive! Quilting it will be a little daunting...

Keeping Fresh

After a month away from the sewing machine, it's good to be able to get back into the swing of things. Blocks for Fresh are coming along nicely as I work on four sub-units at a time. 

This is going to be one epic quilt when it's done. So much so that I'll have to specially order batting that's big enough!

Daydream by Kate Spain for Moda

After a few hiccups, the rest of Daydream by Kate Spain has finally arrived in the shop.

Alongside the pre-cuts, we now have a range of by-the-metre fabrics and mini fat quarter bundles.

Take a look over here.

Daydream Quilting

With Daydream yardage delayed in the warehouse, I've had to think on my feet and order some yardage from the US to get this finished in time. Borders went on Wednesday night, and I ducked down to mum's today to get it basted; my lounge room floor just isn't big enough.

I'm using the Ikea number print fabric as it's wide enough for this quilt (which is 88" square). I've heard a rumour they are discontinuing it, too...



She's now in the machine. I have a deadline!

A Fresh Daydream

So, with several hundred 5" squares cut out, I've started assembling the first blocks. I've been eyeing off this quilt for ages, from Camille's Simply Retro.

Called Fresh, it's a large 96" square. 

 Each block is made up of four smaller blocks of nine squares each; some very simple HSTs.

 

When the four blocks are assembled it will look something like this:

 

My plan is to make all the sub-blocks then shuffle until I'm happy with the balance of colour in each block.

Daydream Two

I've been wanting to make a quilt from the leftover Daydream FQB I've got, the remains from the gift quilt I've been working on. But just hadn't found the right pattern.

Until now. The cutting has begun!

Kate Spain's Daydream

I love that feeling when you come home and there is a Moda delivery on the doorstep. Excitement to crack open the box and see what goodness is hiding inside.


This time it's the pre-cuts for Kate Spain's Daydream. I love this range! So bright and yet just a little vintage.
 

Yardage should be available in a week or so.

(Pictures courtesy of Kate Spain)

The Almost Daydream

So close!

I'm just waiting for yardage to arrive now so I can get the borders on.

Then it's time to quilt!

Beach Time

It's been a bit hectic lately, with work and a couple of big markets coming up. But the Mister and I managed to sneak away to the beach for a weekend. Time out was just what we both needed, and the dogs absolutely loved it too.

Very sad to see the damage at Portsea Beach, but still a great place to swim.

There was a lot of this happening; nothing better than whiling away the weekend on a swing, watching the world to by.

There's a little sewing happening but not as much as I'd like. But I do absolutely love these blocks.

The First Daydream

The Australia Day long weekend, a busy one as the boyfriend is moving house and his mum is visiting from overseas. But there's always time for sewing. I've pieced the first three Daydream blocks, and I am totally in love with this quilt.

Simple piecing and large pieces are a winner, and the colours are divine. Luckily there is enlightened fabric leftover to make a quilt for myself.

Daydreaming

Last year I stashed away a fat quarter bundle of Daydream, knowing I wanted to make a queen-sized quite, but just not sure what the perfect pattern was.

But I knew it the moment I saw it, and have been busily cutting lots of squares and rectangles.

I love the colours in this range, and some of the prints are just a little bit retro.

Not quite so exciting cutting 128 white squares however...

More Star Blossoms

It's nice to be back at the sewing machine after a month away, but I needed a quick glance at the pattern to refresh my memory. Then I was straight back in!

I've knocked over 11 of the 20 blocks so far; at about an hour each this certainly isn't a quick quilt but I love each and every block as it comes together.

I've also managed to get my hands on a FQB of Kate Spain's Daydream; its such a vibrant range! I have a very important quilt to make and this is the chosen fabric.  I've also picked a pattern from Camille's Simply Retro, but there will be more about that later...