Caturday Wisdom #109

Happiness is sleeping as inconveniently as possible. Ivy

 

Ivy is blissed out. The cats are very happy to have ALL the things from America to sniff, and mediumly happy to have Adrianne back from QuiltCon.

I kid, they've been exceptionally cuddly and I expect they're very glad to have her home since they've only had me for company for the last couple of weeks.

Happy weekend, hope you sleep as well as Ivy!

 

 

WIP Wednesday - More Marsala

So I thought it was time for a little update on my Marsala Medallion quilt.  I blogged about it here but I've used the same images in this post so if you're feeling lazy, you don't need to go back and read it again.

So, to recap, I'm making a quilt inspired by this lovely bunch of flowers from my mum, this is my fabric pull, and I'm making a medallion using traditional blocks and some of my own designs.

This is the first block.

This is the second block.

This is the third block.

And this is the block which will take centre stage in the middle of the medallion.  It's my own design and I'm really happy with how it's looking so far.  Now I just need to hand stitch down all the appliqué - this could take a while!

I am having way more fun with this quilt than I expected - to be honest I was a bit blah about Marsala to start with but these odd colours and fabric combinations make me happy.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.onthewindyside.co.nz/p/2015-pantone-quilt-challenge-marsala.html" title="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLVg9GeddQE_Ls9Hjc2hLzaqIgn_EYBk2DWYJJxUVdd2soNk8ZevJTlBVIaZ7dGfUSvTtrAd8DzkjYWS0frMkFqp2xpNIO45Z-OeeiSv0Kl1m7McU88o7ubMXznLx8kE_wHbro3ZoxON4/s1600/Marsala+button.png" alt="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I hope you're getting inspired and ready to work on your Marsala quilt too!

A Quilter's Pantry - a free block pattern

I'm sharing the task of setting the block of the month at my local quilt guild.  It's really good fun - I'm enjoying coming up with blocks that I think people will enjoy making, and seeing the results the next month.

This time round, I designed a simple jar block to let people use their novelty fabrics.  I know I can be a sucker for a novelty print but sometimes they're hard to use.

I've written this up as a free pattern and you can find it in my Craftsy store now.  If you use it to make something - let me know, I'd love to see it.

Caturday Wisdom #108

Always strive for peace...ful naps on the couch. Ralph

Ralph really does care about peace, sometimes. He cares less about it in the morning when he wants his biscuits immediately and will nip your feet and ankles until he gets them.

Caturdays have been a bit light on the Ivy pictures lately because the box obsession continues. I can't get any novel photos because she's in there All. The. Time.

She's always spent a lot of time in there during the day - see below when I tried (and failed) to catch her unawares, but now it's all night while Adrianne's away at QuiltCon. I don't let them sleep with me because the little devils come and sniff my face in the middle of the night and it gives me a heart attack.

I wonder if she'll change her tune in winter when the coldest room in the house is no longer the most desirable.

Cherry Christmas Quilt

Woohoo - I finally have a finished quilt to share with you!  I started this quilt all the way back in July 2013 (in this post) - can you believe it?

 

It's not even that this was a massively time consuming project - it just kept getting pushed aside in favour of other things.  I used Aneela Hooey's Cherry Christmas line, with a couple of other random fat quarters thrown in to make up the numbers, and the scrappy trip along design that went viral a couple of years ago.

 

I had this quilt thread basted by Sue Burnett, a local long-arm quilter.  Seriously, if you have access to a long-arm quilter, ask them about this.  After trying it myself, I don't think I'd baste a large quilt again and many of my friends are converts now too.  It's generally not very expensive and such a time and hassle saver.  I then quilted the quilt myself on my Juki (for those who are curious, I didn't use the frame - this quilt was a bit big for it unless I added the extension).  I love the simple loops design - it's the one I start off with when teaching free motion quilting and I like to show that it's something I actually use on my quilts as well.

 

I like hand stitching my bindings and I usually do so in the normal way - with a simple ladder stitch that's nearly invisible.  On this quilt, I decided to do something different and stitch the binding down with Aurifil 12 weight thread using a running stitch.  It's probably not quite as secure (and it certainly took a lot longer) but it's oh so cute.  I will put together a little video tutorial on how to do this when I get back from QuiltCon (and I'm sure I've seen someone else use this on their quilt but I have no idea who - if you know, let me know!).

So now I have a Christmas quilt!  It's hanging out on my couch even though it's nowhere near Christmas time.  Luckily, Ivy approves.

Anyone else working on something completely out-of-season?

This is the first item I've finished off my Q1 Finish-Along list.  I'm afraid my number of finishes for Q1 is going to be fairly unimpressive!  How is everyone else going?  

Selvedge pouch

So I couldn't really go to QuiltCon without making at least one thing to take with me.

I needed something to put all my class gear in, so I stitched some selvedges I saved onto a muslin background and then used the pieces to put together this pouch.  It's a variation on the noodle-head open wide pouch that I always use - I just didn't box the corners.

I quilted the panels onto regular batting, using Aurifil 28 weight thread on the top.  I love the way the heavier thread has resulted in really nice defined stitches.  I like making pouches this way because they feel soft and a bit more protective, but I don't have to much around with interfacing (which I kind of hate).

Modern Marsala - a guest post for SewMamaSew

Hello lovelies.  You know that since Anne and I announced the 2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala, I've been having fun starting on a Marsala Medallion quilt, and I've seen some awesome quilts underway on instagram (check out the tag #pantonequilt2015).

Anyway, today I am over at SewMamaSew with a round up of some modern Marsala fabrics, with a range of prints and solids from a variety of manufacturers.  Pop over and check out all the details.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.onthewindyside.co.nz/p/2015-pantone-quilt-challenge-marsala.html" title="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLVg9GeddQE_Ls9Hjc2hLzaqIgn_EYBk2DWYJJxUVdd2soNk8ZevJTlBVIaZ7dGfUSvTtrAd8DzkjYWS0frMkFqp2xpNIO45Z-OeeiSv0Kl1m7McU88o7ubMXznLx8kE_wHbro3ZoxON4/s1600/Marsala+button.png" alt="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

You can share our button at any time, and find all the details about the challenge under the 2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge tab here or at Play Crafts

Caturday Wisdom #107

Sharing is important. For everyone else. Mojo

I'm told this photo is misleading - apparently Mojo barely touched tiny Gypsy, who was the one terrorising all the cats of the house. 

Hopefully Mojo can recover from the embarrassment of being chased around by such a tiny and adorable creature...

Happy weekend!

Stonestead Outdoor Quilt Festival

This weekend I managed to head out to the annual quilt festival held at Stonestead (about 40 minutes north of Wellington).  At this time of year the weather is usually lovely so it's a great day in the sun.  I thought I'd share a few of the quilts on display - my group of quilting friends put in a good effort with lots having at least one quilt on show.

 

Stop, Drop and Swoon - Anne Read (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Colourfall by Lee Natrass

 

Antique Sampler Quilt by Judith Bell (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Black, White and Red by Wanda Borowicz (Quilted by Trish Barry)

 

Laurence's Stars by Annette Pawson

 

"Arizona" Quilt by Alice Kreyder

 

Meadow Brick Quilt by Alice Kreyder

 

Goose and Gander: The Caravan Quilts by Margaret Davidson

 

Vintage Dreams by Helen Malanchak (Quilted by Sue Burnett and Helen Malanchak)

 

Fair and Square by Anne Cate (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Kaleidoscope by Anne Cate (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Wonky Woollen Crosses by Bridget Macfarlane

 

Without a Cause by Anne Read (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Rainbow Explosion by Lyndy Young (Quilted by Sue Burnett)

 

Loud and Proud by Lee Natrass

Snug as a Bug by Annette Benge

I hope you enjoyed those - they were of course just a small portion of the quilts on display.

I'm leaving for QuiltCon today which is very exciting (I'm spending a few days beforehand in San Francisco).  If you're going as well, I hope to see you there.  If not, fear not, because I've scheduled a few posts in advance to keep everything running smoothly here (and my sister Jenny is still on board, looking after Ivy and Ralph and putting together the Caturday posts as usual).  I'll definitely be telling you all about it when I get back (and I'll be sharing my adventures as they happen on instagram as @adrianneonthewindyside).

Caturday Wisdom #106

Anything you can do I can do better. Ralph

This is Ralph feeling verrryy relaxed a couple of weekends ago. I think I'm Ralph's favourite chair as I'm the most likely to pick a spot and stay there for a while. Adrianne is always stitching or cutting or ironing, far too much activity for the likes of Ralph.

It's a long weekend in New Zealand, we are enjoying it very much.

WIP Wednesday - Marsala edition

I was inspired by a few people who jumped at last week's announcement of the 2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala and started their entries, to start my own Marsala quilt.  Last year, just after Marsala was announced as the 2015 Pantone Colour of the Year, my mum sent me this lovely bunch of flowers to celebrate a promotion at work (oh yeah, I got a promotion at work, yay).  I was very impressed with how on trend these Marsala coloured roses were, and also how well these unexpected colours work together.

I've used my Marsala pull from last year, and added in some intense blue/purples, some burnt oranges and a smattering of slightly browner fabrics as well.  

I have a general plan, which is to use a combination of traditional blocks and my own designs, in a medallion setting.  I'm going to let this quilt develop as I make it though - that's often the most fun.

This is the first block, and I'm really happy with how it has come out.  I don't think this quilt will be particularly modern, which kind of worried me at first, but now I've decided I don't care.  I'm excited about making it, and I think that's the most important thing about a quilt.  I'm aiming to have a quilt top finished by the entry deadline (although of course, as organiser, I won't be entering my quilt).

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.onthewindyside.co.nz/p/2015-pantone-quilt-challenge-marsala.html" title="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLVg9GeddQE_Ls9Hjc2hLzaqIgn_EYBk2DWYJJxUVdd2soNk8ZevJTlBVIaZ7dGfUSvTtrAd8DzkjYWS0frMkFqp2xpNIO45Z-OeeiSv0Kl1m7McU88o7ubMXznLx8kE_wHbro3ZoxON4/s1600/Marsala+button.png" alt="2015 Pantone Quilt Challenge: Marsala" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

So, anyone else getting started on their Marsala quilts?  We are sharing on instagram using the hashtag #pantonequilt2015.  A quick tip for tagging your photos on instagram - if you find the hashtag you want to use, and click on it, when you go to tag your photo it will auto-complete.  Much less chance of getting the spelling wrong that way!

I'll be linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced: