Monday 28 March 2011

Just Plain Nuts - Month 1

Now, because I forgot to post the first month of my Just Plain Nuts blocks, here is the first installment - after the second - oops. I am not sure what made Liz Lois design these blocks and print her book, but I sure am glad she did. I am having a ball!
Here is block #1 - easy does it to begin;
And block #2... A bit of spray starch and the use of templates, nice and rewarding.
And block 3 - too cute for words...
And, block #4
Then, to top that off, I have decided that my quilt will be a medallion style, so here is my central medallion, the pattern is from Perfect Precision Piecing by Claudia Clark Myers. Spray starch and foundation piecing were my friends making this block. I have enough segments made for another compass block or to make four corner setting blocks, depending on how I want my final quilt to look.

I can see that Just Plain Nuts is going to be a very exciting journey for me and hopefully for the other ladies who are undertaking this quilt adventure with me.

Until next time, happy piecing!

Andrea

Monday 21 March 2011

Just Plain Nuts (JPN) - Month 2

Doesn't that block above just look awesome? Well, I think so, can I say that about my own work without sounding to full of my own self importance? It is block #30 from the book Just Plain Nuts by Liz Lois of Nearly Insane (the Salinda Rupp Quilt) fame. I am posting the preview of the block for the ladies who have joined me in another "Insane" journey. After uploading the photos I realised that I had forgotten to crop them, but for now I am going to ignore that as the PC/internet has been so slow today.

Enjoy the eye candy! Below is block #29. I am not quite sure about the orange triangles, I may need to change that colour. I will put it aside for now and look at it again when it is time to make the blocks for next month. Maybe some time will put a perspective view on the block.
Below is block #6. A little brag here, I made the whole thing, including all the little triangles around the outside with no foundation. All conventional piecing. It took a long time, but I am very happy with the result. A challenge to myself to see how small I could really piece without foundations. Below is Block #7. Another one made without foundations, but you can see the little pinwheel in the centre is a little off in one corner. I will fix that. I had thought it was OK, but in the photos it really stands out. I might to need to adjust the seam with a little handstitch rather than putting it back under the machine.

I'll post the blocks from Month 1 shortly.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Celtic Rose Table Runner - UFO #50

Here it is, my very first UFO finish of 2011 - yep, it's #50 on my UFO list.

Celtic Rose is the name of the pattern which I used - from Australian Patchwork and Quilting (Vol 14 No 8).

I used Australian Native Flower prints and put some insulbrite wadding into the quilt sandwich, so hot pots can go straight from the oven onto the table and none of those ugly white burn splotches will appear on the timber table top.

Now, I'm not sure what happened to my photo, but for some reason it just wanted to upload sideways, even though it wasn't that way in the file. Who knows, just a little gremlin inside the PC laughing at me I think.

The photo below shows the quilting from the back. I just love how dark back fabrics, with very light colour quilting thread makes the quilting come to life and gives the quilt a whole new facet.
A project which I started in 2005, is now done, gifted and being used. Perfect!