2019 Planning Party

1.     FINISHING

It’s time to think about what we want to achieve in 2019, make plans and then change them again in February. With this in mind, even though I’ve got a mighty pile of finished quilt tops that I must quilt, and some tops that I started as part of quilt-alongs and didn’t finish I’m giving myself permission to flit about a little and join the odd quilt along that sparks my interest or drop everything to make a scathingly brilliant quilt idea. If I don’t I’m afraid I will get bogged down in the tedium of a must do list and lose my sewjo. Hopefully at the end of the year I’ll have finished a few quilts as well. This one is my Space-Time Continuum quilt top from 2017 and it must be on my couch by winter.

2.     THE LONG TERM PROJECT

This year my plan is to work on making an Aerial Grove quilt. I’m using the ever popular chambray and Liberty (in my case these are Liberty look-alikes “London Calling” fabrics from Robert Kaufman) combination. I bought a charm pack and some yardage of the prints plus a collection of chambrays and linen/cotton blends. This is a photo from a few weeks back now when I was editing the prints. I’m hoping to work on a strip at a time throughout the year. I’ve made a start on the hand applique and it’s slow but I think will be worth it in the end.

3.     PHOTOS

I’m always immensely inspired by good photography and ambitious to reach those sorts of professional looking levels. I want it to come naturally like some sort of innate talent that I don’t have to work on so I don’t have any particular plans as such for this, however, in order to give myself some variation in backgrounds I spent a little time one Sunday afternoon painting up some swathes of paper. A few years back I worked near the section that printed big map sheets so I was able to collect a few, actually, quite a few, spares. They looked useful and finally they are 😊. Also, since I already had the paint in a cupboard, essentially free!

4.     BEE INSPIRED

This year in Bee Inspired we’ve dumped the traditional bee format to give some new ideas a try - we’re doing charity quilt blocks, challenges and a sampler. Find our schedule and an invitation to join in here. I think it will be fun!

5.     TRAVEL FOR QUILTS

I’ve booked a room at Mum and Dad’s house and my flights and I’m heading to Adelaide in March for the Quilt and Craft Fair. This year they’re showing the best of Quiltcon so you know, yippee! I’m very much hoping to see some quilts from people I know.

I’m linking up to Yvonne’s Planning Party. She has organized some sponsors and prizes so here’s hoping.

Happy sewing

Sue

Kiss-cross Quilt Top

I’m not sure why this quilt top has been hanging around finished, photographed and not blogged about for so long. I sometimes think I’ll hold a finish, or semi-finish for a slow news month and I must’ve forgotten completely about it.

Excepting for now when I’m making my goals for 2019 and it comes up on my (long) list of quilts to be finished.

This quilt is made from a pattern from an Australian Handmade magazine issue and is designed by MsMidge. Her version can be seen here.

The pattern is designed for charm squares which suited me down to the ground and I teamed them with an indigo chambray background that I found locally.

The quilt top finishes at around 42 x 48 inches.

Happy sewing

Sue

Linking up to Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

November 2018 Bee Block Round-up

The bees have finished up for another year and in Stash Bee our final queen is Morgan (@cedacanthus). She asked for the Not Quite a Sawtooth Star in navy and yellow from Coriander Quilts. I really enjoyed making this block and I’m looking forward to seeing how the quilt comes together. You’ll notice that I raided my late spring garden for some of these photos. I kind of like the effect it gives.

October’s queen for Stash Bee was Velda (who I’m also in Bee Inspired with) at Freckled Fox Quiltery. Velda used a tutorial she came up with as part of a blog hop to make these houses in a sort of Halloween theme. I’ve used a pumpkin fabric but my cats in the attic are more crazy cat lady than scary black cats. I saw this Modern Fans quilt made using the same pumpkin fabric so I’m inspired. Maybe a Halloween cushion wouldn’t go astray.

The background fabric is Magic Castle Plans from Michael Miller fabrics and is one of the many many fabrics I have picked up at my local quilt store sales as it prepares for closing. The chain has now announced the closing dates for all but two of its stores and one of the remaining ones is my local. I’m pretty much shopped out now though and I desperately need to just sew it all up. Live in Australia or New Zealand? You can get the same bargains (50% off already discounted-for-Australia prices till Sunday followed no doubt by their next sale) at their on-line store. They have ridiculously poor photos but if you know any of the fabrics you might be able to pick some out that you fancy. Like castle plans.

Bee Inspired finished last month with Queen Kate from Smiles from Kate. She came up with a  tutorial for these simple blocks made using two 2 ½ inch strips. I had some batik jelly roll strips in my stash and they were just right for these blocks.

Signups are open for Stash Bee 2019 at the moment. I feel extraordinarily guilty about living so far away from the majority of bee participants any time I get a block that has been posted as a parcel instead of as a letter so I’m not signing up again. I highly recommend the experience if you’re on the fence about it.

We are all staying together again for a third year in Bee Inspired but we are shaking things up in 2019 and running activities rather than bees. This will work out better for some of us who have other commitments that take priority over bee blocks. We’re going to be sewing charity quilt blocks, making a mini sampler and running a couple of challenges. If you fancy playing along we’d be glad to have you and the schedule is here if you're curious. Follow the blog for further updates.

Happy sewing

Sue

Linking up to Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter