Pets On Quilts Show 2013

Cat On Quilt Category - Princess Suzi on Red and White Pinwheel Quilt

This is our entry for 2013 for the 'Cat on Quilt' Category in the Pets on Quilts Show 2013, hosted by LilyPad Quilting.  It is a picture of Princess Suzi looking cute and cuddly on the Red and White Pinwheel Quilt.  Yes, it is back from the show, and now it can be smothered in cat hair, just as all good quilts should be!

This competition journey has not been an easy one.  Earlier in the week, I faced an all out strike, by both cats.

Where has Suzi gone?

Then, once Suzi realised the Red and White Pinwheel was finally in circulation, I think she misread the brief - and did Pets Underneath Quilts.

Suzi under the quilt

Once enticed onto the top of the quilt, realising the importance of the photo - ie: to win fabric for owner, she spent over an hour cleaning herself in preparation.  The clock was ticking, but finally, we managed the photo at the top of the page, which is our official entry.



Suzi choosing fabric for Easy Street Mystery Quilt

A bit of background: Suzi is about 8 years old, and joined us from another home last year, and having never done any sewing in her life before, has become a keen quilter in a very short time. Her first major project was the Easy Street Mystery Quilt, and she particularly enjoys machine piecing.  She has also won fabric for her owner before. 

Sparky taking a rest from Quilt Inspecting

Not to be missed out, above is a snapshot of Sparky on one of his quilted cat mats.  He is about 17 years old, and was adopted from my sister.  He has always been keen on testing out the quilts, especially at the 'design floor' stage.  Dedicated to his work as a Quilt Inspector, he actually wore one of his eyes out earlier this year - talk about dedication!

 

Cats. Quilts. What is there not to like? Pop over to Lilypad Quilting to see lots of other cats, almost as cute as mine. Judging this weekend!

BEWARE: there may be some dogs there too.

 

 

Pets On Quilts? Pets Not On Quilts!

Cats not on quilts ....

I was away over the weekend, and my parting words to the cats as I left were "Don't forget it is Pets on Quilts Week, next week!"

I have returned in readiness to capture a prize winning photo only to find that the cats, Sparky and Suzi, are making a rare united protest, by both sitting in the same room, NOT sitting on any of the three quilted items that I have provided for their comfort and enjoyment.  No fear, as a team, we have until Saturday 17th August to submit our entry over at Lilypad Quilting, where you can find all the details of how to enter and all the lovely quilty prizes available.

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 67

Block 67 - Nearly Insane Quilt

Does anyone recognise this block?  This Nearly Insane block looks as if it should have a REAL name, not just a number.  As with all the blocks, I have done this one with English Paper Piecing, and because of the size and shapes of the pieces, it is an ideal candidate.  Just a reminder - EPP can be used for any shapes, not just Hexagons!


Block 67 - Nearly Insane Quilt , English Paper Piecing

This block only has 29 pieces.  They are all easy to handle sizes, and it goes together without a fuss.  In fact Draw 10, has been quite an easy ride so far, which is good, because I have been keen to get a move on with this project.  I need to do a few more blocks before I give you all a full update photo, but we are not too far off.

NUMBER OF PIECES: 29
DIFFICULTY: /10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 2" (50mm) x 2" (50 mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Triangle, 1 7/8" (36mm) x 1" (25 mm) x 1" (25mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
Check The Bias Apple Red #5495-11 Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater for Moda
"Lazy Daisy Red" by "Mama Said Sew" Collection by Sweetwater for Moda (M 5494 21)
"Quilter's Memory" Stof Quilter's Basics #4517-118

 

Joining up with Connie at Freemotion By the River!

 

 

Discount Vouchers - NEC Festival of Quilts 2013

Red and White Pinwheel Quilt - NEC Festival of Quilts 2013

I took a trip up to the NEC Festival of Quilts today, mainly to see my Red and White Pinwheel Quilt and all the other lovely quilts on display, but also to get my regular summer fabric fix.

If you still have plans to go before Sunday, I thought I would highlight some stands that have discount vouchers available, click on the links to download the vouchers!

The Quilt Room - 10% discount voucher on purchases made on their stand
Antique Angel - VIP 10% Discount Voucher if you make your purchase before 11am in the morning
Creative Grids - £2.00 Cuttings Mats and £3.00 of Rotary Blades
Simply Solids - 10% off your purchase

Enjoy!

Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 63

Block 63 - Nearly Insane Quilt

I gained some unexpected sewing time the other day, and it meant I could get Block 63 of my Nearly Insane Quilt done in one single session.  That was a bonus, after the protracted  time recent blocks have taken.

For a bit of variety, here is a picture of the reverse of the block, with all the paper still in it.  As usual, you can see all the green basting thread, and that I label each piece of paper, so that I know what shapes belongs to which fabric.

Block 63 Reverse - English Paper Piecing

After my trip to The Sewing Studio in Redruth, it was going to be hard not to include my *new* red and white fabric, 'Red Packed Peppermints', into one of the next Nearly Insane blocks.  By their definition, novelty prints come in all shapes and sizes, and taste - there is pretty much something out there for everyone.  I don't have many, but when one comes along that I really like, I rarely pass it by.  I usually go for the food / fruit related ones.  Which novelty prints do you usually go for?

NUMBER OF PIECES: 37
DIFFICULTY: 2/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Square, 1/2" (12.5mm) x 1/2" (12.5mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Square 2" (49mm) x 2" (49mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS: 
"Days Gone By" Exclusively Quilters
"Christmas Past" (14547) by Polly Minick and Lauri Simpson for Moda
"Holiday Treats Red Packed Peppermints'"by Timeless Treasures

Joining Up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Whoop Whoop Friday!

Nearly Insane Edge Block 88 - Basket Block

Block 88 - Basket Block, Nearly Insane Quilt

You may remember that one of the first blocks that I did for my Nearly Insane Quilt was a whole Basket Block, Block 41.  That was an Apple Basket, this one is a Flower Basket, well, at least half of one. On that post, I showed you how I put it together, and how I made the bias strip for the handle. 

There is the other half of this block yet to do in the future, please remind me that I need to do the reverse of this one, as it will be on the opposite edge of the quilt ....

NUMBER OF PIECES:  19
DIFFICULTY: 4/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle, 5"  (126mm) x  3 1/2" (90mm) x 3 1/2" (90mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Triangle, 1"  (25mm) x  11/16" (18mm) x 11/16" (18mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS:
Somerset Shirtings c 1890 by Julie Hendrickson and Nancy Gere, Windham Fabrics # 35205
Memories (Hearts), Stof 
Red Sprig on Cream (Unidentified)

BIG FINISH - Red and White Pinwheel Quilt, Hand Pieced, Hand Quilted

Red and White Pinwheel Quilt - Hand Pieced, Hand Quilted

Well, here at Fabadashery it is not often you get to see a BIG FINISH like you will today.  Usually you have to satisfy yourself with the little 6 inch Nearly Insane blocks that I am working through.  But my efforts of recent weeks have paid off, and I have completed my Red and White Pinwheel Quilt, in spite of the little trauma of washing it. 


Completed - Red and White Pinwheel Patchwork Quilt

It is a single bed quilt, hand pieced and hand quilted. I devised the design myself, with the assistance of my Electric Quilt software, and inspiration from antique quilts on the internet.  I love the look of red and white quilts like this, and would have loved to have seen the American Folk Art Museum exhibition: Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts, but it was just too far away, but I have downloaded the App onto my iPAD, and now I have my very own.


Back - Red and White Pinwheel Quilt

The backing is a piece of red spotty Laura Ashley fabric which has been in my stash for years.  I started the quilting at the beginning of this year, and it was completed 26th July 2013, (having an exhibition deadline definitely helps to get this sort of thing done....)

I probably started making the little pinwheels at the end of 2009, as I remember it being my hand piecing project whilst we were building our house.  The top was complete by January 2011, and the sandwich put together ready for quilting.  Having known this quilt for so long, there are a few things I may have done differently, and it is by no means perfect, but it is a finished quilt!  Anyway, no sooner had I stitched the last few stitches, and the quilt had to be packaged away for delivery to the NEC for the Festival of Quilts.  There were a few disappointed cats in the house, as they have been waiting, and waiting to test it out, but that will have to wait.

If you are heading off to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham 8th-11th August 2013, you can see my quilt among the Traditional Quilts section, No:660.  I can't wait to see it there!

  

Statistics
Dimensions: 150cm x 190cm (approx)
Piecing Method: English Paper Piecing. Hand Pieced
Quilting Method: Hand Quilted
Dates: 2009 – July 2013

Joining up with Sarah, Crazy Mom and Feline Friday today!


Nearly Insane Quilt - Draw 10

Draw 9 Nearly Insane Quilt Blocks

Here are the latest Nearly Insane quilt bocks which I have already shown you, which were part of Draw 9.  I am near finishing the edge block and then I am ready for the next ones, so it is time to make the next Draw!  It takes a bit of time to choose the fabrics for each block, cut them out and get them ready for 'found moments'.


Random Nearly Insane Block Draw 10

So, here they are                    37 - 63 - 67 - 96

Still none of those *really* Insane blocks, if fact these look pretty painless at first glance. 
I have spent a bit of time working on some ideas for Block 37, do you have a favourite from Option 1, 2 and 3?



Machine Embroidered Quilt Labels

As you have probably gathered by now, I tend to do mainly hand stitching, and like to maintain that integrity throughout the project, by hand piecing and hand quilting.  However, when it comes to doing my quilt labels, I like to use my embroidery machine.



Husqvarna Designer 1 Embroidery Machine

In the past I have done a lot of creative machine embroidery, and have the sewing machines and threads to prove it!  Therefore I like to take the opportunity to use my embroidery machine to make my quilt labels.  With the completion of my Red and White Pinwheel quilt, I had the opportunity to blow the dust of this machine and reacquaint myself with the software, to make a little label for my finished quilt.  Watching these machines is mesmerising, and it never ceases to seduce me.  For this label, I didn't even have to put the pedal on, I just used the Start / Stop button!

Stitching Quilt Labels in the Embroidery Hoop

I have got into the habit of doing my quilt label stitching in the same colour as my background fabric, like I did on my Single Irish Chain Quilt, and again, I have gone for white on white for this quilt.  I think it is important to put a label on, and I would rather have a stitched label than a handwritten label, but I don't like them to shout too loudly from the quilt.  If you can even see it, I have just put my name, date, and location on the label, with a little stitched diamond border around it. Subtle.

We all like to do things differently - how do you like to mark you quilts?



Nearly Insane Quilt - Block 9

Block 9 - Nearly Insane Quilt

Somehow with all the hand quilting going on, I have managed to complete Block 9 of the Nearly Insane Quilt.  In fact it was finished off on the journey whilst delivering the quilt for the NEC Festival of Quilts Exhibition.
 
It was not too difficult a block, though I did have to concentrate to get the red stripe (Redwork Rendevous) all going in the same direction. Also I keep sewing the HSTs in the wrong direction.  If you have ever done pinwheels, I expect you may have come across the same problem.  In your head you think, this block is so simple, how can it go wrong?  Then you start sewing, and some pinwheels are turning in an opposite direction to the rest.....


Block 9 - Nearly Insane Quilt

Also, there is a subtle Cherry fabric theme in this block.  The "Days Gone By" fabric is a cherry pattern and some of the cream scraps I have used have a white cherry print on them too - probably hard to see via the internet, but they are there.  There is a bit of the Mama Said Sew range in there too - if you pop over to the Fat Quarter Shop today, they have the range on sale.
Linking up with Freemotion By the River

NUMBER OF PIECES: 
DIFFICULTY: 4/10
SMALLEST PIECE: Triangle,3/4" (18mm) x 1/2" (13mm) x 1/2" (13mm)
LARGEST PIECE: Rectangle, 2 1/2" (64mm) x 3/4" (19mm)
TECHNIQUE: English Paper Piecing (EPP)
FABRICS:
"Somerset Shirtings" c 1890 by Julie Hendrickson and Nancy Gere, Windham Fabrics # 35205
"Days Gone By" for Exclusively Quilters
"Redwork Rendevous" by Alex Anderson for P&B Textiles
"Cream Zig Zag Stripe", Mama Said Sew, Sweetwater for Moda
Cream scraps