Rainbow Log Cabin

I think I’ve posted this one before, but I took a photo of it with my fancy schmancy camera today as part of my aim to properly photograph all my quilts.

I’ve made two versions of this quilt.  The first one was just the inset (log cabin) part.  I knew nothing about quilting and followed the directions (in centimetres) using whatever fabrics I had on hand, which was mostly polycottons.  It was probably about 1992 when I began it.

I only ever finished the centre bit, having decided it was far too complicated to ever get involved in this whole quilting lark.  I quilted it up with a piece of fluffy, fat polyester wadding (believe me, it was as ghastly as it sounds) and promptly forgot I’d ever made such a monstrosity.

But I never forgot the quilt.  I adored that pattern and so after a few years, when I knew more about quilting, I remade it.  This time I only made it to the edge of the four borders.  That was probably about 1995.  I’d lost the pattern by then, having only a picture left and couldn’t work out the maths to make the quilt work.

Again, I put it away.

Once I retired from the quilt shop, I knew a lot more about quilting, and felt confident enough to have a go at my own maths.  And it went together really well.  I made it out to the current borders you can see.  It now measures 1.25 metres x 1.65 metres.

But that’s as far as I have got, and as far as I will go.  It’s so old that the fabrics were those deliciously light and flowery Concord cottons (only the real old timers will remember those) and they just don’t exist any more.  I haven’t enough left to make it any bigger, and I think this is an okay size anyway.

So now, I’ve pieced a back, taken a lovely photo of it, and shall put it away until such time as I am ready to quilt it. 

It remains one of my favourite quilts and has reignited in me a real need to do another log cabin quilt.  It’s been a very long time since I’ve done anything like that.

Maybe we can do a log cabin quilt along one day.  We’ll see.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

I'm back!

I seem to say that quite a bit.  I do try to blog daily, really I do but sometimes I do feel like the most boring woman on the face of the planet with absolutely nothing noteworthy to say.

But this week I have a good excuse - it's school holidays.  Fresh off the beach break, family visited for three days and I've barely had the computer on. 

So busy family time means no busy sewing time, much to my dismay.  I feel disconnected if I don't get to do some sewing at least every day.  And when I say sewing, I mean the whole spectrum of craft, plonked under the umbrella of 'sewing'.  Even if it's crochet.  Or knitting.  Or something.

(on an aside, at the local spotlight store I very nearly brought a 'do your own candle' kit.  Then I smacked myself around the head and got the hell out of there, because really - do I need to invest myself emotionally in another flipping craft?  I don't even like candles.)

I got a shipment from Judy Rothermal of www.schoolhousequilts.com (I'm sure I've mentioned my love of her stuff before) of her latest collection.  I've been wanting to use my Apple Core dye on the Go Cutter for ages now, so rather than put the fabric away for 'special', I thought Nope, bugger it.  I'll cut it up.  And this is what happened:

It's going together so well, the Go cutter works really well for this curved sort of project.

I do love this range.  I do love her fabrics, as much as I love Jo Morton.  As much as I love Nancy Halvorsen.  I'm an addict.  This is filled with lots of lovely bubblegum pinks and rich browns and it's yummy.

Also on my design wall is this:

The picture is a bit blurry.

 

I have wanted to do a pineapple quilt since I saw Bonnie over at www.Quiltville.com doing one.  I printed a few pages from my EQ programme and whilst the little people were playing so beautifully, came up with two blocks.  I think I can manage one a day in the 'downtime' we get but it's a pretty messy sort of job - I have strips of fabric EVERYWHERE!

 

And because I do actually like to talk to my husband for at least five minutes a day, I don't lock myself in my sewing room after he get home (which is always pretty late, he works long hours).  I prefer to do hand work in the television room with him.  This is the result:

 

 

How cute are they?  These are left over blocks from another quilt I made (it's always never ending) that didn't quite fit so I added a couple more and this is the start.  I've got about five more to applique so I'll stick them up on the wall when they are done.

So that's all I have to show you today.  I'm off to a flower show and market stall this morning with the little people so I may have some lovely photos to show you tomorrow, if I remember to bring the camera.

Have a good one!

Suzie

And more pastels....

Love, love LOVE this one.  It came from my favourite book 'P.S. I Love You' by Possibilities.  It was template done, and I didn't think I could make it, and I totally did!  Now it needs handquilting and I'll try to get to that sometime before I'm ninety.

But wait, there's more pastels....

Here's another pastel quilt...I admit that I did get new fabrics for this one but the scraps all went into that big bag full.

This one was made for my no. 2 little person.  Again it's a Chook Shed design.  Their patterns work so well for little people.  Her original design was a lot brighter, but I wanted cute and girly and fun and I think it totally worked, don't you?

S.