Wednesday 7 February 2018

Making Progress #1



I have made a start and finished the flimsy for my Regatta Quilt Along project. The QAL is being held by Roseanne over at Home Sewn By Us. This is a Quilt Along with a start date but no set finish so you can pick it up whenever you like. I need a seaside inspired cushion for my front lounge room and this is the perfect design (front lounge sounds very formal but it functions more as a casual neat (rarely used) study slash storage room than lounge since it has only one over-sized lounge chair in it, a desk and lots of shelves). I downsized the pattern by making the strips only 1 inch wide finished and reducing the number. I love the stripe variation this pattern gives. The free pattern is by Block M Quilts and is available here.


Modern Plus Sign Quilts book, co-authored by Paige from Quilted Blooms and Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs is out NOW(!!!) and I can show you a smidge of what I’m working on for an upcoming blog hop. Yep, it’s got plus sign blocks in it. I love them! And if you do too, you should definitely check the book out.


I have made another two Hold the Pickle Quilt blocks. 


I’ve had a bit of interest in these blocks and I’m in the process of writing a tutorial. I’ll be posting that next week.


I’ve included a photo of the pattern for my latest knitting project to avoid confusion ;-). So far the shaping (I think it’s the rabbit’s stomach) is looking very suspect and I think by the time I come to knit the head and nose area it should be hilarious. I’ll keep you updated. My aim is to finish this by Easter which should be very do-able even for someone who knits as little as I do. The pattern is available for free here and uses DK yarn.


And finally. I have a product recommendation for you if you come across fabric that bleeds. This stuff, Retayne, really works. I had some dark purple good quality well-known brand solid that was bleeding like a haemophiliac (yes, I’m a confirmed pre-washer). I was thinking I was never going to be able to use it until I came across this product – it really works wonders! In Australia I bought it from Punch with Judy. You can buy it from a lot of on-line stores but you can’t post it internationally, well not to Australia anyway. Perhaps it’s explosive.

Happy sewing
Sue


14 comments:

  1. These are great projects and they are coming along nicely. I can’t wait to see the plus quilts from Cheryl and Paige! Retainer does work and oddly enough Dawn, which may be hard to get in Australia too.

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  2. Oooh, I love the Hold the Pickle blocks; I can see making these with my scrap stash. I'm looking forward to seeing the tutorial.

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  3. Put me on the list of people who cannot wait to see the tutorial for how you are building the Hold the Pickle Block.

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  4. I love that you are using the Regatta as a cushion. Looking forward to the Pickle block too.

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  5. Downsizing Regatta for a pillow is a fantastic idea; great colors. I look forward to seeing what your plus blocks evolved to become. :)

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  6. I was going to ask about the "hold the pickle' block...can't wait for the tutorial! I love the soft colors in your Regatta variation. SO pretty.

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  7. I love everything you are working on.

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  8. Love the idea of making the Regatta quilt smaller to fit a cushion! The cushion will be gorgeous! Love the blocks you're working on--great fabric selections! Thanks for linking up to Wednesday Wait Loss!

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  9. Wow you sure do have a lot going on! Those hold the pickle block are cute, and I love the Regatta quilt; it's on my gotta-make list. Brilliant to make it into a cushion! I've heard good stuff on that Retayne too. Your knitting paragraph made me giggle...I've been having a fit knitting a lace scarf but I've finally figured out wth SSK means and am on my second repeat of a 16-row pattern, ha!

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  10. You are busy with a lot of projects. The blocks are all looking great.
    Good luck with your bunny knitting. maybe he has just eaten too many choc eggs?
    Thanks for the tip re colour running.

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  11. I absolutely love the 4 patch spiked block.

    I testify that Retayne is a wonderful product for blenders. I always keep some on hand. I was in Synthrapol first to release the dyes then in Retayne To set them.

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  12. I’m looking forward to your Hold the Pickle tutorial, great for a scrap quilt and I love it. Clever to downsize Regatta for a cushion, it’s looking great. Thank you for the bunny link, I downloaded the pattern, I’ve never wrapped a stitch though, may need some help on that one :-)

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  13. Hi Sue,
    What a clever idea to downsize the strips and make a cushion. I look forward to seeing it complete and in your front lounge room.
    ~smile~ Roseanne

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  14. I really like all of your blocks, the plus signs and the hold the pickle blocks both look great!

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