Sewing in the Rain

What else can one possibly do when it's raining hard and long!  After a few necessary chores the sewing room is the one place that is dry and comforting so that's where I've spent the last couple of my weekday weekends - sometimes I work actual weekends - so I have managed to complete and start a few things.

My first completion was a long time in coming.  I made this quilt top a few years ago and then it sat forlorn until I got it longarm quilted recently.   I just couldn't decide what style of quilting it really needed, hence the delay, and then a bit longer......

I sort of knew what I wanted on the border, but the blocks themselves had me stumped, so I left it to my longarmer to come up with something. 

I was inspired when I saw the blocks of a quilt on the cover of a book by Pat Speth and Charlene Thode.    At the time I didn't have the book so had no idea what size the blocks were, so I made them 6"x 6" (they are actually 8"x 8" in the book).  I also decided to add a 1/2" sashing between the blocks.

After the longarm quilting was done I searched high and low for some more of the blue border fabric, which I knew I must have more of,  for the binding, but had no luck in locating.  It was obvious that the quilt knew what it wanted and it definitely wasn't a blue binding LOL!!!! 

I then had to locate some more of the brown - used in the four outer cornerstones  (from an old line by Barbara Brackman, 'Twelve Oaks') luckily Quiltsmith in Sydney had some http://quiltsmith.com.au/ so the quilt could finally get finished.  What a long drawn out process this was, at the end of the day I really love the brown binding as it frames the quilt better than I had expected it would.   (Quilts aren't silly!!!!)

I eventually bought Pat and Charlene's book!  It's a 1999 publication)

There are some great quilt designs in here, and all good for using up lots of scraps.

Here are a few close-ups of this stubborn little quilt!  Finished size 27 1/2" x 34".

Helen at my LQS Rainbow Patchwork thought feather wreaths would be appropriate as I had already asked for feathers for the border.   I'm just so happy this is finished and will hang it somewhere where I can see it everyday!

I decided to do another of Barbara Brackman's projects.  This year she started the Dixie Diary BOM's.
http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html I figured that a block a month would not be too taxing, but then the decision of what fabric to use..... would it be scrappy or would I use a more limited palette.  After much procrastination I though I'd go with a limited palette. 

I fell in love with her new line 'Metropolitan Fair'.

The whole range is just too gorgeous, it was a hard decision, but I decided on the pinks/greys/blues.

Yesterday as the rain was pelting down I made the first two blocks - January & February.
#1 Her Flag Flying

Barbara has given cutting instructions and quilt layouts for 8"x 8" or 12'x 12" blocks.  This time I'll do the 12" blocks.   This first block looks a little bare, it'll have an applique star in the centre and the pale fabric is for the border of each of the blocks, (not sewn on yet).
#2 Checkered Allegiances

It's a bit weird working with such large pieces and large blocks, I'm so used to working with teeny tiny pieces, but I'm reasonably pleased with how they look!  Working big allows the bigger prints to really show themselves off!!!  Looking forward to next months' block which is not too far away!

I'm also slowly working my way through some handquilting.  It's a Kathy Tracy small sampler quilt.

Here is little sneak peak of one of the blocks, you can still see the fabric chalk markings here which will wash off when it's all done.

Now this is the size I'm used to working with, the blocks are all 4"x 4".  If you love working small then Kathy has an online Yahoo group.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smallquilttalk/ .  

Hope you all have a great weekend - the sun is shining this Saturday morning and I'm off to work this afternoon!  Thanks for dropping by and a big thankyou to all those who left comments on my last post, it was lovely to hear from you all after my several months absence!!  You made my day!!!

Take it easy,
Merilyn