Finally got the last of the 12 blocks done for April.
I now have two weeks of cat sitting. This is the lovely Miles.
I was a bit distracted this morning because I was thinking about finishing my latest doll dress pattern ready for publishing. I lost a bit of time while my daughter was visiting so I was a bit behind with my schedule for the pattern.
The pattern needs to go out today with the newsletter so it will bug me until it is done. I also knew that if I didn't do the quilt block first I probably wouldn't get back to it. Hence the distraction and the annoying mistake I had to correct in the basket block.
I got the bottom corner the wrong way round and had to unpick it.
Another basket block today.
Yesterday I listened to a minimalist expert tell me that it is wrong to want things. Yeah right. Like that goes down well with a quilter. I did think I needed to make my work table a bit neater so I put the dolls behind my computer and divided the table so quilting things were on one side and doll dressmaking things were on the other side. It's much nicer now.
I don't think I will ever be a minimalist! But I do like to have my things neatly arranged most of the time.
Cheers,
Val
I was a bit tired this morning so I decided to just tackle one of these basket blocks. The little HST are made by sewing diagonally across the two pieces of fabric then cutting it many times. The seams are a pain. They seem to go every which way. So just one block today.
I have to do 3 more basket blocks, free motion stitch the appliqué block and then quilt it. I already have the next kit but I won't be starting that until I finish this one.
Cheers,
Val
Today I did my quilting later so my sewing wouldn't disturb my visitors.
I have done the second two tulip blocks in pinks.
Val
I am working on the Bunny Knoll blocks. Each month has its own book of instructions with full colour photo of the items you can make. There is a set of items for each month that feature the theme for the month. Bunny Knoll has:
I am really enjoying seeing this quilt progress. I like working in the morning first thing after I get up. It seems so easy to get things done. Once I catch up with the April blocks I want to start doing a bit of this quilt then a bit of the Garden quilt I have pulled out to complete.
This is the Down Wander Lane quilt I am working on.
Because the kits are for the 12 small quilts I will have to do the outer border in two colours with the border fabric from two kits. The same with the binding. Once I get all the 12" blocks together I will play with the borders.
Today I cut the rest of the fabric and sewed up one 9 patch block and the appliqué block background. I also got out the pieces for the rest of the 9 patch blocks ready for tomorrow.
Val
Today I started the April kit. I have a few weeks to get this one done before the next kit arrives.
Val
Today I finished the binding on the cushion cover and tried it over one of my lounge cushions. I plan to keep this cover and use it only on the bed with the quilt. I will have enough spare blocks and backing to make 2 more cushions. That will leave me 81 blocks at the end to make a 54" square quilt just from the 6" blocks. I only need 3 of the 12 from each kit for the big quilt.
I got out the fabric for the April kit and piled it in order ready to cut tomorrow.
Val
The major downside of doing the quilting on the individual blocks is that each block shrinks a bit rather than the whole quilt. I also seem to have been a bot careless sewing on the strip at the bottom and it is quite crooked. Along with a bit of shrinking this has left me with nearly 1/4" of batting showing. I will have to be careful sewing the blocks together to make sure I catch all the raw edges.
They are left over because I only need three of the 12 that I got with the mini quilt kit to use in the big quilt. I completed the backing with a zip and now I am ready to bind the edges.
Today I put the batting on the appliqué block and started the quilting.
I have been doing my quilts in sections like this for a while now. I sew manageable sections together then add the batting and do the quilting. I then sew the quilted section together to make the whole quilt. I add the backing and secure it in straight lines following main block seams. The back ends up with just lines on it rather than being included in the quilting process.
I just did the straight line quilting around the house, along the stems and some curvy lines on the grass.
I'm not doing any quilting on the small squares border. I just stitched 1/8" in from the seam.
Val
I love playing with my quilt in the morning first thing. This morning, however, I got up at first light and at outside with a cup of tea and watched the sun come up and listened to the birds getting busy.
Back inside I knew exactly what I was going to do with the quilt and had it set up from the night before.
I completed the raw edge appliqué stitching and added the final strip on the bottom of the block.
Val
Today I started the raw edge appliqué finishing with free motion edging.
It's a bit tricky to see. I am using a dark grey thread so it gives it some definition but is not the highlight of the block. I've done around the windows and door, the hat planter and the shamrock plant.
February Blocks
I bought the BOM for the individual small quilts for 2024 and have decided to collect up all the blocks and make the full size quilt.Today I completed 2 more blocks. The last shamrock block and the third disappearing 4 patch block.
Cheers,
Val
