Anna Maria Horner Scrap Fabric Neutral Feather No #3

Anna Maria Horner Neutral Scrap Fabric Feather

Here comes another Anna Maria Horner feather.  This one is made up from the scraps from my equilateral triangle quilt which I made last April with the Sassy Quilter  and is being modelled by Suzi the cat below.


Equilateral Triangle Quilt with Suzi the cat



The background fabric is  French General for MODA (#13529) which is a lovely natural linen colour.  I outlined the feather with stich in the ditch, outlined the shape again and then filled in the background with a free motion meander. 

Free Motion Meander quilting bachground

Not only is the feather made up from fabric scraps, but I also used some scraps of wadding for the middle.  Having made a few of these, I can tell you that they are quite addictive.  I just love how they come out so differently.

Nearly Insane Quilt - Update #4 March 2015



Removing English Paper Piecing templates

I expect some of you may be wondering what progress I am making with the Nearly Insane quilt.  As you can see here, I have had a go at removing the papers.  The tiny bits hidden under the seams have required the patience and precision of removing a splinter from a finger, but gradually progress is being made.  Suzi the cat knows it is going to be a long job, but is joining me for the long haul.


Suzi the cat offers moral support with the paper removal

Another dilemma that I have been dealing with is the border.  The original design has a zig zag border.  I don't think it is the most attractive edging, but in the spirit of keeping to the original I intend to put a zig zag border around my Nearly Insane quilt.  When I saw the Dear Jane exhibition in France, I noticed how the quilts without the original full scalloped border didn't look quite 'finished', and that has stuck with me.  Maybe I will do something different on my next Nearly Insane quilt ...

Nearly Insane Quilt - Solid Red Zig Zag Border

You may have noticed in some of my early 'reveals' that I showed the developing red zig zag border.  I had done almost one and half sides by the time the rest of the quilt was together, but when laid against it, it just looked TOO bold.


Nearly Insane Quilt - Red with White Zig Zag Border

So I started again, using some of my red with white fabrics for the zig zag.  Again, I had done nearly a side and it just looked wrong.  It looked TOO big.


Nearly Insane Quilt - Small Red with White Zig Zag Border

So having stitched over two sides of the border I then decided to actually read the instructions in the book and make the zig zag the smaller size that was suggested ....

We live. We learn.

I think is eligible for Slow Stitching Sunday ...

 

Pets On Quilts 2014

Suzi - A Pet on a Quilt

The GOOD news:
Pets on Quilts voting is OPEN. Voting is open for a week, starting Tuesday 12th August.

The BAD news:
Suzi and I just didn't make the deadline this year, so you can't vote for her, but here is a picture anyway.

More GOOD news:
Every Friday is Feline Friday over at Sarah Did It!
 

I'm a FABRIC GIVEAWAY Winner!

I won a GIVEAWAY! 

 

I am a blog Follower of  Sally T and Tommy at the Objects of Design and a few weeks ago they generously offered a giveaway of fabric and one of their 'kittens' as part of Tommy's 18th birthday celebrations.

Giveaway Prize - 18 FQs of Batik Fabric

Well, earlier this week a package arrived from the USA stacked full of lovely batik fabric, a kitten block, and a note from Tommy himself.  Look at those beautiful colours!


Cat Batik Fabric

Amongst the bundle was this kitten blue and orange batik fabric - how cute is this!

Kitten Quilt Block

My little kitten block is made in Kaffe Fassett fabrics and I have plans of using it as the start of a mini medallion quilt (or rather a mini medallion cat mat).  Let's hope the summer holidays allow me some time to get this done sooner rather than later.

Tommy

 All that is left to say is THANK YOU TOMMY!

 

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 44

Block 44 - Nearly Insane Quilt

In her book, Liz Lois admits that she had trouble with this one.  It has four small LeMoyne Star blocks in it, and I knew I had also had trouble with these shapes before.  However I think experience has paid off as for me, it came together first time, and wasn't too much trouble.  Here you can see the completed block resting on some rhubarb leaves!


Block 44 construction - Nearly Insane Quilt

Whilst I often remind you all that these blocks are just 6" square, it is always hard to get the perspective of the tiny pieces I am working on with my pictures via the internet.  Here are the bits and pieces from my travelling sewing bag, which may give you an indication of size.

Nearly Insane Quilt - Cat Assistance

I had the assistance of Suzi the cat when cutting out the pieces.  When she does get involved she is keen to get close to the action - usually the rotary cutting blade!

Nearly Insane Quilt - Cat Assistance

Check out this action shot - such is the fast paced world of patchwork and quilting!

NUMBER OF PIECES:  84
DIFFICULTY: 2/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle  11/16" (18mm) x 1/2" (13mm) x 1/2" (13mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Rectangle  2 1/2" (63mm) x 3/8" (10mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS:
Cream Heart Paisley # 14766-15, Midwinter Reds by Minick and Simpson, Moda
"Friendship" (Tonal Red) by Howard Marcus for MODA (Collections For a Cause) # 46130
Red Sprig on Cream (Unidentified)
Pearlescent dot (Unidentified)
Red pindot (Unidentified)
 

Spring Quilt Festival 2014 - Exeter Westpoint

'Brick Lane' Medallion Quilt by Village Fabrics

At the weekend I made a trip to Exeter to visit the Spring Quilt Festival at the Westpoint Showground.  It's a small show, but when you need a quick quilt fix it is the ideal tonic.

'Delft Floor Tiles' by Alice Webb

This blue quilt was a small hanging by Alice Webb.  It caught my eye as it reminded me of my on-point Nearly Insane quilt, and little projects that could emanate from it in the future.  I often have a small 3" block in my hand as I construct the full block and think how cute it is.


'Enchanted Garden' Quilt by Rhianon Taylor

Every time I go to a quilt show, I am usually at a certain stage in my quilting thoughts, and different things appeal to me amongst the exhibits. This time around it was quilting.  In terms of quilting on quilts, there was a lovely display of quilts by Rhianon Taylor, also blogging as the Nifty Stitcher. 


Detail - 'Enchanted Garden' Quilt by Rhianon Taylor

Just look at this amazing machine quilting. A full display of her work can bee seen on her blog, and no doubt it will be touring in future Grosvenor Exhibitions coming up throughout the year if you want to see it in the flesh.

'Baby Jane' Quilt by Sheila Lloyd

After my trip to Nantes last year to see the 150th Anniversary display of Dear Jane quilts, it was lovely to see another.  Sheila has pretty much stuck to the style and fabrics of the original Dear Jane quilt by Jane Stickle - it looked lovely.

Naturally I made a few purchases at the stalls.  I added a few fat quarters to my stash of neutrals from a charity stall, and bought the 'Little Black Dress 2' layer cake by BasicGrey.  The Japanese fabric was from a rummage bin - it has a striped design which I though had lot of potential ...

Cat Coaster - Giddy Sprite Designs

Also, whilst I was out and about at the weekend I also picked up this little cat coaster by Giddy Sprite.  Suzi the cat seems to have this expression on her face permanently at the moment - the birds outside are driving her to distraction!

 

International Quilt Day - Report

Suzi the cat on the Butterfly Quilt

This is how International Quilt Day started out here at Fabadashery.  Suzi the cat lay on top of the butterfly quilt, whilst I lay underneath it, browsing quilt blogs and online quilt shops on my iPad.  I had a good browse of  What's New at the Fat Quarter Shop, and enjoyed a thorough read of some of the blogs I follow.

International Quilt Day - The Quilt Show - Free for 24 hours!

Like last year, The Quilt Show was celebrating International Quilt Day by offering access to their quilty shows for free for 24 hours.  It was great seeing quilters in action.  I knew many of the names, like Gwen Marston and Jenny Beyer and it wasn't too long until I was adding their books to my Wish List on Amazon. I also spent a lot of time watching the longarm quilt episodes ...

Nearly Insane Quilt blocks

With my Nearly Insane blocks needing to be done, I felt I could justify a bit of multi-tasking, by watching the TV and keeping up with my English paper piecing, and over the day I managed three blocks, which I will tell you about in due course.

Suzi busy supervising in the workroom

We had such a great time, Suzi says "Why can't it be International Quilt Day, every day?"

Check out all the other crazy quilty cats every Friday at Sarah Did It!

Red and White Quilts - Sew Cal Gal Quilt Show

Red and White Pinwheel Quilt, July 2013

Over at Sew Cal Gal, they are hosting a  "Year of Red and White Quilt Challenges".  Red and white quilts?  Here? On this blog? For once, it looks like Fabadashery has lucked out!


Red and White Pinwheel Quilt

Starting off with a Quilt Show of Quilts Made Prior to 2014, I am offering up my Red and White Pinwheel Quilt. Regular readers will be familiar with it.  It was a BIG FINISH for me last summer and it was displayed in the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham.  The design was my own, inspired by antique quilts.  I did draw up the design in Electric Quilt for reference, but mainly I just muddled along.  The reverse is a red and white spotted Laura Ashley fabric, which had been lingering in my stash for many years.

Red and White Pinwheel Quilt

The quilt was hand stitched using the English paper piecing method, and hand quilted. Red is probably my favourite colour.  Red also has a tendency to bleed - but see how vibrant the red stands out against the white - it is all thanks to the Colour Catcher.

Suzi the cat under the Red and White Pinwheel Quilt

Meanwhile, I have been working on my Red and White Nearly Insane Quilt (which is due a 1 Year Anniversary reveal soon ...).  I hope I will be joining up with Sew Cal Gal again later the year.

Day 12 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Output - 12 Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

I was meant to post this yesterday, but I had a window of time which was either going to be sewing or blogging.  Sewing won (as it should), and it meant that Nearly Insane Block 74 got completed.  So in all, after 12 days of sewing, we have a Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt top, twelve and a half Nearly Insane Quilt cornerstones (which was the aim of the exercise), two Nearly Insane blocks and two Nearly Insane Edge / Corner blocks, plus some of the chevron border.  You will also see that I found the missing edge block.

Makower Advent Calendar Quilt

Also not to forget the quilted Advent Calendar that was finished (but now packed away in the attic for next year).


Dresden Plate Pin Cushion tops

I also mentioned that I had been making some presents that I would reveal.  I actually forgot to take a picture of them before I wrapped them up, but do have this picture of them part way through.  I made two pin cushions in a similar style to my Grandmother's Flower Garden pin cushion, only they were smaller and had a Dresden plate pattern on the top, using some prints from the Primitive Gatherings range. 

This evening, Suzi has been catching up on reading all the lovely comments you have made about our Celtic Solstice Mystery quilt. She is has really enjoyed it and is ready for the next one!

With all that excitement over we are back to the regular red and white theme of this blog, with no other immediate projects in mind.  I am happy to say that my Nearly Insane endeavours have inspired some of you, and Anna has written to say she plans to start one soon, having received the book for Christmas.  We all look forward to seeing it soon!
 

Day 11 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt scraps

In the aftermath of completing my Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt top , I have started to tidy up.  Here are the scraps that I have collected over the past six weeks as we prepared each block.  I am thinking of making some small strip blocks and putting them together for another cat mat, similar to the one I did last year after completing the Easy Street Mystery quilt.

30's Playtime (Moda) & Quilters Basics (Stof)

Whilst very little actual sewing has happened, I have been busy preparing some Nearly Insane blocks.  It seems quite a while since I had a day on my Electric Quilt software, planning, designing and cutting out.  Since then, a few more red and white fabrics have slipped into my stash.  I have seen this red flowery fabric from the Chloe's Closet 30's Playtime range by Moda, as part of Jelly Rolls and Charm Packs, and I finally found it at Cowslips Workshops as yardage.  As a latecomer to the Nearly Insane party, the random draws will ensure that this fabric gets mixed up nicely with the previous blocks.  The other fine red stripe is a Stof Quilters Basic.

1/4 inch seam allowances - even on the smallest of pieces

BTW, I have also had a query asking how big my seam allowances are on some of the smaller pieces.  I hope this picture illustrates that they still need a 1/4 inch seam, even though the seams are more than the fabric that will be visible.  Once I have covered the template, I usually trim off any excess dog ears.

I have also spent a bit of time catching up on everyone else's blogs.  Lots of quilters have reviewed their quilting year, and set up plans for 2014.  My plan is to just keep going and fit in as much stitching as I possibly can. BUT Oh dear...  I found some eye candy.  At the Fabric and Flowers blog I saw a lovely medallion quilt, Midnight at the Oasis, a Jen Kingwell pattern published in the July / August 2013 Quiltmania magazine.  I have seen it before, but I decided that I really fancy doing this one. 


Suzi taking a well earned rest after the Celtic Solstice marathon

And here is today's photo of Suzi.  She hasn't done any sewing either, but she is at least sitting on a quilt.

Day 10 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Machine piecing the Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt

Day 10 of the Fabadashery sewing extravaganza has been focussed on the Celtic Solstice Mystery quilt again.  Following the directions from Part 6, the top is together, and some of the borders are on.  The good news is that it is now just one piece, and my shoe box is empty.

Suzi was invaluable at making sure I had all the 4-patch's heading in the same direction. With all that under control, my BIG REVEAL should be available soon.

I also had to take a trip to the dentist, so my portable sewing bag came with me, and this Nearly Insane block is now ready to be put together.  It is also time to starting cutting the fabric for the next few blocks, else I will have no hand piecing to sew over the next few weeks.  Only  few days left of the 12 Days of Sewing at Fabadashery!
 

Day 9 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt 2013 - Block Layout

As I said yesterday, a lot of my sewing time at the moment is being taken up with Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt.  Whilst I took a bit of a break from sewing today, I still managed to layout the blocks on the floor, and start to put them together.  It is happening quite quickly, but still a way to go.  At least you get to see a bit of a REVEAL of the final look.


Nearly Insane Quilt - English Paper Piecing

Whilst out and about today, I managed to prepare some of my English paper piecing templates for the next Nearly Insane block. All this was done whilst travelling in the car, and am pleased with the progress on this.  Over Christmas, this project has kept a steady pace, but as always, you wish it was going quicker.

Suzi hasn't much time for sewing today as the weather outside is wild and windy.  There are so many noises and sudden movements going on that she has found a spot to keep an eye on developments. See other busy cats at Feline Friday at Sarah Did It!

Day 8 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Suzi the cat helps out with Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt

 Well, there was no Nearly Insane work done today - it was part 6 of Celtic Solstice 2013 Mystery Quilt ALL DAY.


Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt - Block 1

This set of blocks went together quite easily


Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt - Block 2

These ones were a bit more tricky, as it was tricky getting the orange square to line up.  They are all done ready to put together, and then to think about the borders.

Day 7 - Twelve Days of Sewing at Fabadashery

Cornerstones and Corner block, Nearly Insane Quilt

Well, I have done four more cornerstones, and a half cornerstone, which I think means I have completed the twelve I intended to do in total.  I have also done one of the four corner blocks for the Nearly Insane quilt.  

Suzi the Cat on her cat mat

Most of it was done waiting for Bonnie Hunter to reveal the next part of the Celtic Solstice 2013 Mystery Quilt, which she did at midnight in the USA.  But we were all sound a sleep ...