Showing posts with label QAL. Show all posts

Saturday, 29 August 2020

What I Finished.... And What I'm Working On.

QAL By the Sea block four is Sun Block by designer Sherry Shish of Powered by Quilting. This block is a foundation paper piecing block, but as it it a large block and the pieces are big, I decided to do it the traditional piecing method. I don't mind paper piecing and have made some lovely projects using it - Mosaic Table Topper and My House is my Castle and even this little Ugly Sweater Coaster.

I went through my template box and found all but one of the templates needed, so made that one. I made my templates out of old cards.

I didn't have a lot of yellows as it is not a colour I use a lot. I was lucky my Auntie was clearing our her stash and I ended up with a few yellows. I chose these colours.

Cut the templates.

..and here are my first four blocks.

This week I finished the Christmas masks....

and while I had the Christmas fabric box out I thought I would make a Christmas Stocking for new granddaughter and send the face masks and stocking at the same time. This is the first part done.

I don't like waste, and keep all sorts of scraps, even small 'crumbs'. I used the scraps to make the stockings and also to make 6.5" squares that will eventually be sewn together to make a picnic quilt. It's too hot in Australia for lap or bed quilt at Christmas, but a picnic quilt to sit on at the beach or park would be perfect.

This week I also finished some bunting.

Link Up Parties:

Whoop Whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Wednesday-Wait-Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Offthe Wall Friday @ Creations … Quilts, Art … Whatever

Finished (or Not) Friday @Alycia Quilts

Saturday, 15 August 2020

Applique! When Did I Start Doing Applique ?

Applique, I have never really liked applique. Patchwork is what 'I do' - not applique. Why then am I working have two applique projects?

Well, Granny and Chick-Wheata was a kit I purchased many years ago as something I could hand sew while we travelled in our caravan. I did the preparation for the first block and off we went. I recall appliqueing the first piece at Genoa on the Victorian / New South Wales border, and didn't really like doing it. After that??? Now some years later, as I was scrolling Instagram, I came across Shutdown Stitchalong by the Next Stitch. With Victoria in lockdown again, the commitment is to hand applique a little each day, and try to make it a routine. So rather than start something new I pulled out my kit.

I couldn't find the first block that I think I finished so I started on the second block. Each block tells the story of Granny and her pet chicken Chick-Wheata. This block is the cat hiding from Chick-Wheata.

The week I started on the next block. Granny is old and needs help waking up in the morning, so Chick-Wheata knows how to wake her. The circles top left are a clock. Lots on embellishments on this one.

Last week I started QAL By the Sea, another project I found on Instagram. However this applique is done on the machine. Block 2 is Terry the Turtle by designer Jennifer from The Inquiring Quilter. Jennifer used batiks so I thought I would too. I don't have a lot but had enough variety to make this block.

First, after cutting all the pieces I thought this is going to be difficult - remember I'm not use to applique. Surprisingly it wasn't and I'm actually enjoying it. I played around with the threads .....

... and I'm not sure about the eyes. I went around a couple of times to make the eyes stand out. Can't decide if they need more emphasis.

This weeks linking parties:

Whoop whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Wednesday-Wait-Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Off the Wall Friday @ Creations... Quilts, Art... Whatever

Finished (or Not) Friday @Alycia Quilts

Clever Chamelon

Saturday, 8 August 2020

Oops! I Started Another Project!

I really didn't mean too, it just happened. 😄

I have a lot of projects that I'm working on, some on the machine and some by hand, yet at times I have 'nothing' to do! How can this be? This new one is an applique quilt along and I'm doing it on the machine.

This new QAL started last Tuesday with a new block is released each Tuesday. It is called QAL By the Sea and is from Partners in Design, a group of quilt pattern designers on FaceBook. Block one is designed by Bec from Pretty Piney.

I think it turned out very well. I cant wait for Tuesday and the next block.

While starting this new QAL, and looking around Pretty Piney, I came across this really clever 'trick' for making the pleated face masks. And I made it and it works a treat. The highlight of the week though was the birth of our grand-daughter number 5. She lives in England and we live in Australia, so it will be a few years until we get to meet this tiny precious baby. On a brighter side, I'll have time to finish her quilt.

I did finish a reversible bag for grand-daughter number 1. She loves sloths (at the moment - could change at any time) and after 12 months of looking for suitable sloth fabric - since her last birthday, I found some.