My Blue Heaven No More - an update

I've been playing around with one half of the My Blue Heaven blocks, which once you take the stars out, looks like this.

It looks okay, but perhaps a little dull.

So I've been messing about with bits of fabric to see if I like anything more. Here I've just added some half square triangles.  Use your imagination quite a bit in the next few photos.

I don't mind that and it would look lovely with a big hand quilted wreath in the centre of each cream block, but I can't see I will have time to hand quilt much in the near future.

Although as the photo shows below, once I have more than a few it looks very nice.

I'm sorry for the blurry photos.  Can't seem to get the Ipad/Ipod system of photographing working well.

My aim is to piece the background square, not cut it from one fabric, as I think that would look better.

I then added a few blocks of the hourglasses to see what that looks like.

I don't mind that, and it would certainly be easy enough.

And then finally, I placed them on point.  I actually think I prefer this version, I like the way it makes a circle of sorts that you can see.  I'm not really sure how to make these units but I can work it out, I'm sure.

So what do you think?  Whilst the cream blocks would look lovely hand quilted, I think I know my own limitations and I already have four quilts lined up and basted, ready for hand quilting that I can't seem to get to.  So I think I will rule that out.

Anyway.  I shall mull on it.

My Blue Heaven...no longer

I've been sewing the My Blùe Heaven blocks and it has been looking very lovely.  But the stars weren't popping.  They weren't standing out enough.

We had our sewing group meet here last night and we were rearranging the blocks just for fun, and then this happened:

And I really liked it.  More than I like the two block version of My Blue Heaven.  Which is a bit of a thing really because that means I'll have to make twice as many star blocks and I won't use the other blocks.

They are sitting very patiently waiting for me to decide what to do.

They look lovely also though I'm thinking I should interspace them with something.  But I don't know.

I do this all the time, the quilts go where they want to go which is why I have so many of the stupid things.  I started making one quilt which has overnight divided into two.  I don't learn!

Hope you got to sew today.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

A Wander Around The Internet

Sometimes, I spend a few hours wandering around the internet, and I come across some really interesting websites.

One of my other hobbies (equally as time consuming and frustrating) is researching my family tree.  The internet is a wonderful tool for that, and I have found many fantastic and interesting things about my family – ranging from the truly Fabulous (a first fleeter convict – I am officially Aussie Royalty) to the to the truly Awful (a great aunt who died at 21 after contracting septicaemia following a termination – no privacy laws there, her coronial inquest is online for the world to see!).

Whilst going down the rabbit hole with my family research one day, I came across a wonderful site – http://spitalfieldslife.com/ (you could spend hours there!) and today’s post was particularly interesting.

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2015/02/03/textile-designs-at-rodney-archers-house/

sourced from here

sourced from here

sourced from here

So many things about this post appeal to me as a quilter, and equally more as a lover of all things old.  I urge you to go over there and have a sticky beak.  So many glorious colours and prints and that staircase?! Oh My Gosh. 

Here in Australia I think there are many of us just can’t imagine living in anything older than fifty years.  The old, old houses are not so available, often horrendously expensive, and when I say old even they are only one hundred years old or so.  To live in a house from the Edwardian or Victorian era, with their beautiful staircases, and doors, and floors – I’m so jealous. 

So I surf the internet and look at all these wonderful places to live and daydream.  It’s the best I can do really.  I have a lovely house that I am very grateful for, but oh, to live in one of these places?  Fabulous.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

My Blue Heaven

I stitched a couple more My Blue Heaven blocks.  I’ve kind of left Grand Illusion behind for a while but something about these colours said ‘Suzie, make this quilt RIGHT NOW.  And who am I to argue when the colours call you?

I’m enjoying the making very much, though try as I am to be accurate, I’m still having issues with my half square triangles.

 

Can you see what I mean above?  It’s not meeting at the point.  Am I being too picky?  Is that the best you guys get?  I mean, we all know that perfect quilter who makes the perfect points and unpicks it until she does, but I’m really not the unpicker type.  But should I be?

Here’s more of the same.  It’s only a half a breath out but it looks obvious.  Should I redo it?  I don’t know.

Half of them turn out beautifully, like this one.  The other half don’t.  I don’t do anything different, I’m sure of it. 

Anyway.  Just something I’ve been pondering.  Do I make each block perfect even if it means I have to unpick over and over?  Or do we reach a point where our skill level plateaus?  Kind of like hand writing?  Doesn’t matter how much I try and do it better, it ends up like this.  It’s not awful, dog’s breakfast stuff, but it’s not perfect either.  Where do I draw the line?  I do each block exactly as I’m ‘supposed to’, half work and half don’t.  What is that about?

Not really questions to be answered.  Just the stuff that goes around in my head.

Have a good one!

Suzie

A Finish for February!

I’m linking up with JulieK today, because I actually managed to finish something all the way to the binding!

This was a kit given to me a few years ago, and one night when I had nothing to do (or nothing I felt like doing!) I quickly whizzed it up.  It was the sort of the thing years ago that was very ‘in’, the trendy country look.  But as with many things, it’s not my cup of tea anymore and so I don’t know what I will do with it now it’s finished.  But it’s finished!

So I’m linking up for Julie’s binding blitz, but I doubt I’ll able to do it again because I rarely get to the binding stage, only the flimsy.  Nonetheless I do enjoy being part of these link ups, so when I can join in, I do!

Hope your weekend was a quilty one, see you tomorrow!

Suzie

Some blogs I like to read

Have you been enjoying the Grow Your Quilt bloghop?  I sure have.  I've spent hours down the rabbit hole of quilting blogs, finding lots of new people to follow.

Today I thought I'd share some finds that I made, just in case you feel like some eye candy.

A blog I've followed for a while now is Sue Garman's.  You'll find it here:

http://suegarman.blogspot.ca/

and the most recent post has the most divine, amazing needleturned quilts that I could only dream of doing.  I'd post some pictures but I'd probably get into trouble so just pop over and have a look for yourself, it's totally worth it. A lot of the first lot of quilts are from Japanese quilters, who I think are some of the world's best quilters, their stuff is amazing!

A foreign blog I follow is:

http://supergoof-quilts.blogspot.fr/

Now I'm not sure where she is from, it's a blog that needs translation if you want to read what is on there, but honestly - the pictures are enough!  She uses the soft, muted colours that I adore and I wish, I wish I had more time to do the sort of quilting and stitching I see here.

Another blog I follow is:

http://sewnwildoaks.blogspot.com.au/

and her use of colours is right up my alley.

Finally another blog is this one:

http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com.au/

which has pages after pages of lovely, gorgeous quilts. I can only dream of making some of them.  There are also lots of tutorials there too.

Do you ever find you've spent all afternoon surfing the quilting blogs and not actually sewing anything yourself?  That's been my day. Though I have cut lots of squares for the My Blue Heaven quilt and it's looking pretty special really.  I'll try and sew some tomorrow and take a photo for you.

That's all for today, hope you have had a quilty one!

Suzie

My Blue Heaven Block Two

I'm blogging this on the iPad and it's not ideal... I do wonder how other techie people do it when they use fancy technology.

I had another free minute to make myself the alternate block of Bonnie Hunter's My Blue Heaven.  It turned out rather lovely.

Hopefully I will have more time to sew tomorrow.   A block or two a day will have this done in a flash!!

Ideas For Quilt Challenges

We are currently in the process of organising our bi annual quilt show, and one of the things that we have to decide upon is an idea for our quilt challenge.  I’m sure you know what I mean – a theme or an idea that each member has to design a quilt for, and they are displayed in the show in a particular area.

I got it into my head to make a list of ideas, and I’ve put so much effort into finding things on the internet just now, I thought it might be a great idea to share here.  So – here you are:  I apologise if I’ve nicked an idea from your quilting guild webpage, but I hope in the spirit of quilting it was there to share (as is this page too, of course – I’d be pleased for you to take any ideas you wish from it.  Thanks!)

Ideas for Quilt Guild Challenges

• Fat Quarter Challenge:

Members are given 4 fat quarters of identical fabric. Size limits are given, and the members have to create a project using the fat quarters. You could add extra fabric also.

• Improv Quilt Challenge:

Throw patterns out the window! Create a quilt without a plan – using improvisational piecing to create a modern masterpiece.

• Inspiration Challenge

Choose an image for inspiration. Design a quilt based on the image.

• Rose of Sharon

Everyone makes their own Rose of Sharon quilt block of a particular size. You could use the same fabric and make quilts of the finished results if you like.

• The Quilted Phrase

Members are given a phrase e.g. ‘kick the bucket, penny for your thoughts, a real hot potato’ etc. They have to make a wall hanging using the phrase as inspiration.

• Household Items Mystery

You are given a picture of a mystery household item. You need to make a quilt based on this item – as creatively as you wish.

• Two Colour Quilt Challenge.

Make a quilt/wall hanging/project using only two colours.

• Sunbonnet Vacation:

Most appropriately dressed Sun Bonnet Sue doing her "vacation thing’. Sunbonnet Sue's face must be hidden by her Bonnet.

• "The aMAZEing Quilt Challenge"

Design a quilt/hanging with a maze on it

• Wrapping Paper Challenge:

Using the design elements of that piece, challenge yourself to make a design based on it – reflecting the colour, the design, the season.

• Playing with a Full Deck

Participants are challenged to create a quilt that is your representation of a randomly drawn playing card.

• Theme Challenge - Journey

Participants are challenged to create a quilt that represents their interpretation of "journey" in fabric using any technique or combination of techniques they wish.

• A Scavenger Hunt

Include as many items from a list of 34 in their project.

• Fabric Challenge

Participants are given a fat quarter of fabric, selected by another participant. The challenge is to incorporate the fat quarter into a creation.

• “All Creatures Great and Small”

•  Quilt Magazine Challenge:

Everyone gets a quilting magazine. Open to page 38 and make a quilt inspired by something on that page.

• Light

Create a 12″ X 12″ item depicting your own interpretation of Light.

• Ugly Fabric Quilt:

Make something using a piece of an ugly fabric.

• Quilt That Tells A Story
• Hand Died Fabric

Each participant is given six hand died fabrics ranging from light to dark.

• Birth Stone/Flower

Use colours of your birth month flower and birthstone. Feature the flower somehow.

• Christmas stocking challenge.

Everyone gets the same basic pattern so they are all the same size but up to you how to make the stocking. Stockings could be donated to a charity afterwards.

• Christmas Carol

Use a given set of charm squares in whatever you want to create, as long as it depicts a Christmas Carol.

• Song Title

Make a small piece that represented a song.

• Door Challenge:

Design a wall hanging featuring a door. Call the challenge "Making a Grand Entrance."

• Crayon Colours:

Dump a bunch of crayons in a shopping bag and have each member draw out 2 or 3 crayons. Their challenge has to be made with these colours and maybe you can allow them to add one more fabric of their choice.

• Flag Challenge

Pick a flag from a country of your choice. Use those colours in that quilt, and also feature something that represents that country e.g. UK Flag – Red White Blue – Royalty.

• Magazine Challenge

Design a project using a page from a non quilting related magazine or book as your inspiration

• Letters

Use your three initials. One initial is the colour, one is the pattern/block, the third is the quilting motif. EG. Betty Ann Smith would be Blue, Aunt Sukey’s Choice, Stipple

• Cluedo!!

Each person chooses three cards from a standard "Clue" game. They then have to represent those three 'clues' somehow in their quilt. The people (Professor Plum, Ms. Scarlet etc) could be easy as they can represent the color (but they don't have to), the rooms and weapons will be the tricky part.

The Rope ... could be a rope quilting motif, or a couched thread as an embellishment

Lead Pipe ... something grey, something long and thin

Conservatory ... use floral fabric, applique flowers and vines

Example: Mrs Peacock in the Dining Room with the Revolver could be Peacock feathers forming a Dresden Plate (dining room), quilted in concentric circles (revolver).

So there you have it. A million ideas!  Hope you find some of them helpful!

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Back to our regularly scheduled programme...

Hi there!

If you’re here from the Grow Your Blog party, welcome!

I’m Suzie, and I’ve been showing off some of the quilts I like to make.  You may like to click on this post:

http://sillygoosequilts.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/grow-your-blog-january-25th.html

where I formally introduced myself, and showed off a few of my thirties print quilts. 

If you would like to enter my giveaway (prize yet unknown!) please comment on that post, and on February 15th I will pick a winner!

************************

So I hope you enjoyed the last few days of my show and tell.  I am in the process (very, very slowly!) of photographing and labeling all of my quilts, so there will be many more to show you in the future.  I'm trying to get into a routine in everything, my blogging, my quilting, my cleaning (that's the boring bit).  I hope to have more to show you over the next few weeks.

You may recall over the last few posts I have been showing you my Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt designed by Bonnie Hunter.  To be honest, I wasn't a fan and I still remain not a fan.  It's just not my cup of tea, but I've finangled it a little and it's more to my taste now.  When I can fight my way to my design board, I will show you how it's going.  It's far from finished but it's on its way.

Although this particular Bonnie quilt is not to my liking, I've long remained a very avid fan of her work.  I was so over the brights of Grand Illusion the other day I just wanted to stitch something mellow, so I chose her My Blue Heaven quilt.  I was going to make it from the Scrap fabric boxes rather than anything else, but I didn't have enough blues that would do, and I couldn't very well make a My Green Heaven quilt, could I? (I know I could really but I liked the blue...)

So I decided to use my small stash of Civil War fabrics.  I'm telling a fib here.  The stash is immense.  I've pulled all the blues that I have and slowly but surely, I have made a couple of blocks to start.

I have a very strong feeling it's going to be AMAZING.  I totally don't want to finish Grand Illusion anymore, I want to work on this one.  But I won't, I'll be good.

Hope your day is going well, and your thoughts are quilty ones!

Grow Your Blog Day Three

Hi there!

If you’re here from the Grow Your Blog party, welcome!

I’m Suzie, and I’ve been showing off some of the quilts I like to make.  You may like to click on this post:

http://sillygoosequilts.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/grow-your-blog-january-25th.html

where I formally introduced myself, and showed off a few of my thirties print quilts. 

If you would like to enter my giveaway (prize yet unknown!) please comment on that post, and on February 15th I will pick a winner!

So yesterday and the day before I showed you some of my reproduction quilts, both in Civil War fabrics and in thirties prints.  I also love scrappy quilts, and so I thought I would show you some of them.!

That’ll do, pig. 

Oh there are so many more.. I have made so many quilt tops over the years, I don’t know what I’ll ever do with them.  I suspect that I’m not the only one who has that problem.  But I won’t overload you with too many pictures today.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my show and tell.  I have my children back to school tomorrow (yay me!) and I plan to enjoy a long, leisurely cup of coffee while I return the favour and go through all the blogs I can to make new friends.

So thanks again, and I’ll see you soon!

Suzie