Making Progress #1 2019

I linked up an Instagram post with Patty at Elm Street Quilts’ (hmmm… our blogs have the same surname!) One Monthly Goal link-up. This is my progress on making an upscaled version of the centre of the Campfire Quilt (pattern by Suzy Quilts). It’s super quick which is just what I need to start the year off.

These are all the fabrics I’m using so there’s a few more rounds to go just yet.

On the slow sewing front, I’m making some decent progress with my Aerial Grove quilt. This was the only sewing I was doing over Christmas and New Year and being pretty hot at this time of year it was the perfect quiet time project. I’m enjoying the hand sewing a lot more than I thought I would at the beginning and have gotten into a rhythm now. The shapes are very forgiving, being kind of organic and having stretches of straightish edges. Since I’ve been back at work, I’ve been stitching a squircle a day so progress has slowed but I’m fine with that and I’m sure there’ll be a few more hot weekends before summer is over. I’ve sewn 3 strips which puts me well ahead of schedule.

As you may remember our Bee Inspired group has decided to change the way we do things this year and this month we’re making blocks for Emily’s charity quilt that she’s donating to her local chapter of Project Linus. 

We’re making ship blocks (and if you want to lend a hand see this post). These are mine. 

Happy sewing

Sue

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

Fireburst – A quilt top

I’ve been friends with Tish of Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland ever since the 2016 New Quilt Bloggers hop when we were in a group that critiqued the look of each other’s blogs. This was a while back and I take no credit for the made over look it has now. So I was never not going to join her first ever Mystery Quilt Along and it turned out to be a great one.

I did several fabric pulls before deciding I should do a scrappy background so that I could use what I had on hand and still end up with the larger size of 64” square. It’s my first ever time at doing a fully scrappy quilt like this and while I think there’s room for improvement I’m really chuffed with the way it turned out.

It’s a stroke of genius to time the parade of finished quilts with New Year’s Eve when fireworks are everywhere so head over to have a look and also to wish Tish a happy 40th!

You can find the instructions to make one of your own in two sizes here

It was a great pattern, Tish! Thanks for hosting this quilt- along.

Happy sewing everyone and happy new year.

Linking up to Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter and UFO Busting at Tish's Adventures in Wonderland

Best of 2018

Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is hosting the annual end of year round-up of best posts again. Here’s mine from 2018

1.     TOP POST -

There was one post from this year that stood out from the crowd in terms of page views with 10 times more visits than an average one - my Hold the Pickle block tutorial. This was supposed to be my year long project for last year and I somehow fell off the wagon on it. I better get back on and get it done.

2.     SECOND TOP POST

The second most popular post was as part of the blog hop for Cheryl’s and Paige’s great book Modern Plus Signs Quilts. I made a version of the Celestial Quilt for my parents and they love it!

3.     TOP INSTAGRAM

I thought I’d diverge from the blog to that other quilt community platform, Instagram, for my next two picks. Bearing in mind that hashtags rule over there, this firefly block was my most liked post over there. This is from the pattern by Pen and Paper Patterns and there was a quilt along for this one. Second most popular was a fabric pull for a not even started Free Wheeling Single Girl Quilt as part of a quilt along hosted by Sewtopia and The Next Stitch. They are planning on hosting another one this year so I’m already past the first stage and ready to have another try at it.

4.     THIRD TOP INSTAGRAM

Third top Instagram post was my Neighbourhood quilt top that I made for the Pantone Color of the Year Quilt challenge. Love this quilt even though purple wouldn’t be my first choice as a background colour for a quilt normally.

5.     FAVOURITE BEE BLOCK

I made two circle of geese quilt blocks this year, one for Stash Bee and the other for Bee Inspired. They’re both great and very different from each other and I’m picking them as my favourites for this year.

Thanks Cheryl for hosting this link-up and the prompt for this. Happy sewing everyone and enjoy the holiday season.