Another UFO bites the dust (well, nearly)

I was looking at my list of UFOs the other day, and while the UFO Challenge has helped me deal with quite a few, there are still some on the list.  My Orca Bay is waiting for a border decision, and a top I made ages ago (ages as in years, not months!) is waiting to be wadded up, plus my Challenge Sampler was still waiting to have the quilting finished.  I pulled my finger out, and not only got the quilting done, but have now attached the borders!

 

 

Here it is hanging on my wardrobe.  Everyone else who took this challenge finished their quilt some time ago, but then they didn't choose to make all their blocks smaller and do four of each! 

 

Here is the back - a gorgeous reproduction pillar print I picked up in a sale.  Ideal!  I'm keen to quilt the borders and finish this quilt, as I want to use it on our bed, but I haven't got any thread the right colour.  I'm not sure I can fit in a trip to the quilt shop this close to Christmas - but then, maybe I can!

Canuk swap

It didn't take me long to make the components for 'Easy Street' this week - more flying geese, this time with turquoise skies - and join them together.  Some clever people have already speculated on possible layouts, but a) I'm a past failure at that and b) it rather spoils the surprise.

 

 

So there was time to get my Canuk swap together.  (For those who don't know, Canuk is another word for Canadian.  You learn something every day!)  

 

I have used a soft green as a border round the central medallion and to bulk out the blocks which were too small.  I also added an extra block to make the length.  I'm satisfied with the result.  It's not anything wonderful (and in a perfect world I would have put the two blocks with burgundy fabric in them on opposite sides, but hey ho!) but with a narrow pink border and then a wider one of the soft green, I think it'll do.

Up to date -then onwards and upwards

Bonnie Hunter was right, 'Easy Street' is not as difficult as the last two mysteries, and the numbers seem a bit more manageable too - so far!  The next part was a shaded four-patch, and this time, instead of the interminable triangles, I decided to use this method.  You cut the black and white fabric into rectangles, not squares and then cut to give two half nine-patches.  I can't remember the measurements, but leave a comment if you would like them.

 

 

Here are the completed blocks, and looking very good too.

 

So, while I waited for the next part, I had to do something, right?  I dug out my Canuk Swap.  this was a swap with some Canadian quilters which didn't really go as planned.  The idea was to make a central block, and then for each participant to make blocks of the same total area, but not the same dimensions.  One of those 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' things, which didn't work out in practice.  here is my central block, with the one set of flying geese blocks which were any use.  

 

Then I had four each of these blocks,

 

three each of these,

 

and two of these.  Really helpful!  After my success with being uo to date with 'Easy Street', I decided

 to make something of these random elements, to deal with yet another PIG!

 

Bonnie has now posted the next set of instructions, so I'll get on with those before I reveal my solution!

Geese and a PIG

It didn't take long to finish all the flying geese for 'Easy Street', as I'm only making half the number Bonnie suggests.  I used the rulers she suggests, which mean cutting triangles and sewing them together instead of the (more wasteful) method with squares.  I don't know why I practise economy, when I really need to get using my stash!  But, just as a leopard can't change its spots, a scrappy quilter can't bear to waste fabric!  I'm very satisfied with what I've done so far.  Now on to the PIG.

 

 

 A friend of mine gave me a PIG (Project In Grocerybag) ie. a partly finished quilt in a carrier bag with all the templates and pieces to finish it!  It was really for Linus, as she said she started it years and years ago, and knew she would never finish it.  I accepted it with thanks (as ever) but when I looked in the bag, I realised that not only was it a bit dark for Project Linus, but also, it was made of Laura Ashley and Sanderson scraps (along with other lovely fabrics) which must surely have held lots of memories for Sue.  So I contacted her and offered to finish it for her if she wanted.  She took a little persuading, but finally admitted that she would love it to be finished, but couldn't ask!

 

Here it is - nearly finished, but just needing a bit of sewing of hexagons on the edge and a few extra ones inserting on the corners.  I quickly zig-zagged the hexagons on, layered and quilted it in the ditch.  (Not all the ditches, just enough to hold it together!)

 

And here it is in all its glory!  I put a scrappy binding on it, and it looks gorgeous!  The colour choices show a flair for colour, and I'm sure that Sue will be very pleased at the result.  Is this a case of making a silk quilt out of a PIG's ear?!

Purple

All the four patches are now done and filed away, so now it's on to the flying geese!  Purple flying geese.  So now it's a choice: shall I go with blue-purple,

 

 

or red-purple?  The Kaffe Fasset print is so amenable, it goes with either!

 

I think I'll follow Bonnie's excellent example and go with both!  I've chosen the mid-dark range so it'll have plenty of impact. 

 

Now to get my rulers out and fiddle with triangles!

Thanks, Bonnie

I've been in the 'quilting doldrums' lately (as could probably be infered from my lack of blogging!)  Not that I haven't been busy, here I am delivering Linus quilts to Rosemary who works with children with life-limiting conditions.  This was a request from a little girl who's three and a half, is frightened of being in her own bed at night and loves 'Hello Kitty'.  Rosemary is hoping that the quilt will encourage her to stay put at night (and so are her parents!)

 

I've also made quite a few Linus quilts, and here is a granny squares one I'm currently making.  I'm just going to sash it with white and put a blue border.  I think it'll look gorgeous for a baby.  But then, Nik kindly alerted me to the fact that Bonnie Hunter has started her new mystery quilt - Easy Street.  How did I miss that?!

 

Lucky for me that I have an extensive stash, and a few minutes rummaging produced enough grey fabric and black on white fabric to make a start.

 

29 four-patches already done, so only 163 to go!  That'll pull me out of the doldrums!