My first jelly roll

Some of my students asked if we could make a jelly roll quilt, so I decided I needed to buy a jelly roll to make a sample.  So far, I've felt no need to have one - why do I want carefully coordinated fabrics chosen by someone else, when I have a huge stash of my own and can learn more about colour by selecting for myself?  Add to which, the nicest ones are not at all cheap, so they were easy to admire and avoid!  Anyway, I went off to my local quilt shop and found that all the nicest jelly rolls were £32 and £38 - rather steep prices I thought.  So I turned to good old ebay and bought this Moda jelly roll for £28 including postage.  Much more acceptable!

 

It's called Independence Trail and is in all my favourite reproduction colours of pinky red, slate blue and taupe.

 

I can't wait to open it but am being good, and waiting till I've finished another UFO.  How long do you think I can resist it?!

First finish of the year!

My Canuk Swap is now a completed quilt!  (I bet Jane and Chris can't say that!)  It's a bit of a cheat as a finish really, as it only needed quilting and binding, but at least it's done.  Not really my colours, but I think it's worked out well, considering the variety of blocks and sizes.  So far I haven't sent any quilts to Ann Hill for her attempt to cover the whole of a rugby pitch in Glasgow with quilts.  After the event they will be auctioned or given to old people.  I think this would be a good one for this worthy cause.  If you haven't sent a quilt yet, look here for the details.

 

 

So now I have permission to start another quilt, and as I need a sample for a 'Magic Tile' class I'm teaching this year, I thought that should be next.  Here is my fabric selection.  Hot stuff!

 

 

And here is my progress.  I'm wondering if there isn't enough contrast between my fabrics, but I'll keep going and maybe when the border's added it'll calm it down a bit!

 

Although I've made this design before, it was a long time ago, and I've already had to undo it twice!  Concentration is definitely needed!

New Year Resolutions

I know I'm a bit late for New Year Resolutions, but better late than never!  We have had a costume rehearsal for the panto today, and I have moved buttons on two pairs of trousers, taken up Fran's hem and made a little pouch for Peter's acorn (and no, that isn't a euphemism!) so feel as if I can now get my mind back to quilting!  Last year I really enjoyed and benefited from Judy Laquidera's UFO Challenge, so thought I would organise one this year for myself.  My challenge is that I'm showing some UFOs, and I'm not allowed to start a new project until a UFO has been finished.  Very scary, as having quilts to finish doesn't usually stop me from starting something new.  Leap before you look is usually my motto.  So here are my UFOs for this year.

  

The first is this scrappy medallion.  Only needs layering and quilting.

Next is my Orca Bay.  This needs a narrow black border and then a wider border of either red or blue. Then quilting, of course.  

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Scrappy nine-patch has to be assembled (it's still in two halves!).

This Reproduction Pinwheel was on last year's list.  It needs layering and quilting.

Made-fabric Stars from 15 minutes play which need bordering etc.

This was a set of Delectable Montains blocks which were made for a border but didn't fit the bill.  I've put them together but haven't a clue where I'm going from here!  Any suggestions gratefully received!

I thought I'd challenge myself with these blocks from 'The Quilted Garden' and use a dark background.  I loved making the blocks, and think they've worked out well, but there are 9 of them and I haven't any ideas on what to make from them.

Some Kim Diehl applique blocks which I used as a holiday project.  Love them and especially love the colours.

My Piecemakers Mystery Quilt 'Home and Garden'.  It's quilt as you go, so should be easy to make up once I've had all the instructions.

Another Bonnie Hunter UFO - Easy Street.  Needs a border, probably narrow purple then wider turquoise.

My Canuk Swap is quilted so will probaby be my first finish.  (I love adding things to a list which have either been completed or nearly - so they're quick to tick off!)

And finally Granny Squares.  These are quite addictive and great for using up scraps.  

So that makes 12 UFOs which can be tackled this year, and the rule is UFO, then new quilt, then UFO, then new quilt.  Hope I do as well as last year!  

Snow, crocodiles and quilting

 It has snowed here in the UK and it's all anyone can talk about!  We don't really get much snow - well, not in significant amounts or for very long - so things have pretty much ground to a halt.  Not much going on in my road.

Not much going on in the garden.

The lady next door isn't pottering in her garden either.  So what's a girl to do?

Quilting of course!  But this isn't quite what I had in mind!  It's the front paws of the crocodile for 'Peter Pan', and there is DS helpfully holding them up.  They look a bit weird, but once they have been painted they will look pretty authentic - we hope!

So while the croc has been on the dining room table, I haven't been able to layer up any of the UFOs I need to finish, so I've been playing with the scraps from my 1.5" box.  I never tire of log cabin.  Which looks better - dark,

or light?

Please help me choose!

Mystery object

Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

                                                                              Is it human?

No, it's a crocodile!

Yes, it's panto time again, and this year's offering is 'Peter Pan'.  Hence the crawling crocodile being made by Ds with a little help from yours truly.  So far, so good!

Review of 2012

It's the beginning of the year, and I was thinking about resolutions and stuff.  Last year I joined Judy's UFO Challenge where I chose 12 UFOs and resolved to finish one each month.  I did very well on that, only failing on two - Orca Bay, which turned from a box-of-bits into a top-waiting-for-a-border-decision, and a pinwheel quilt which didn't even see the light of day!  Still ten completed UFOs is quite an achievement, especially since some of them had been around for quite a while!  That made a total of 24 quilts made in the year - not counting Linus quilts finished off in whatever way!   Here is the final finish, my Sampler Challenge Quilt, made from Lynne Edwards' designs scaled down to 8' finished. 

I love it and it will be on our bed as soon as the Christmas quilts go away.  Here is a close up of the border where you can just see my quilting of meander and leaf.  Very suitable, I thought.

 

 

And here is the first quilt of 2013, the first few blocks of Easy Street by Bonnie Hunter.  This quilt is looking stunning - typical of Bonnie's designs!

 

So what is in store for this year?  I think I need to nominate some more UFOs, since that worked well for me last year.  I'll just see if there are any left in the drawer!