Cat Quilt 2

I am doing a lot of stitching by hand on this quilt and trying out new technics, testing and experimenting a bit. This will be my own design and end up (hopefully) as a big wall hanging. I am adapting the metode of english paperpiecing on thin batting instead of paper. This stabilises the different fabrics: silk, linen, velvet and cottons that can be a bit flimsy. The patches is 6" and I am putting them together in 9 patches. The full quilt will probably be 16 * 12 of these 6".

This is one of my 4 butterflies that I've made so far. It is velvet with silk on linen. I am going to add emboidery and embellshment as step 3, after adding a backing. Have considered adding backing to every 9 patch, and then put them together as a grid maybe using safetyneedles. That way the quilt can transform; change size and organisation when I want to move it or add seasonal elements....

Lots of ideas, we'll see where it will go from here. So far I'm making the 6" patches enjoying the handsewing and feel of the different textures. I want this to be something I can bring along for my quilt meetings and so.

Also recieved a nice e-mail from Cheryl in Florida telling me my 4SQS quilt arrived safely and that she likes it ....

Cat quilt

Inspired by Spirith Cloth I have started a new quilt - Cat Quilt. I want to experiment a bit with different fabrics: linen, cotton, wool, and more. The colors and theme is desided by my two cats. So I have started washing and cutting up thrifted linen trousers, mens shirts and som fabric from my stash. I am planning to sew a lot by hand. For now I am using a metod of english paperpiecing without paper, cutting up batting to 6" squares. This is the first layout - and guess what, my cats kindly let me evaluate my color choises...

I am planning on piecing some blocks and test out different applique technics. Handpiecing can be very comforting and relaxing. At least thats what I am hoping for.

Snow White

This quilt is now called Snow White. I posted about it earlier and promised a picture of it when I had completed it. It is partly a backdrop for small quilts (My plan is to have at least 7 of them) and partly a design wall for thinking about the next step in a design prosess. Here is a pic of some of my scrappy cabins that might end up as a table cloth?

4SQS

This week I fininished my spring 4 season quilt, and sent it off to its new home. The backing is Aunt Grace Friends Around the World by Judith Rothermel. Very fitting name! So I wrapt it up using the selvage as a ribbon. This is the first time I have made a quilt for somebody I don't know and sent it off. Feels a bit strange. All I can do now is hope for a safe trip, and a warm welcome...
And of course - visiting the mailbox for the next weeks will be exiting. Is there a small quilt for me today?

Scrap swap

This week I got the envelope from Bea for the Scrap swap organised by Melly. I am a lucky woman! Beautifully wrapt she had put a lot of different fabric strips together for me.

Sorting them by color and adding a few of my own scraps I decided to start playing a bit with the log cabins. I cut the strips down to 1" and the center 2" and started sewing without any foundation.

Here is some Courthouse Steps:

Then some Log cabins:

All the blocks layered:

This was fun. Maybe the Courthouse Steps will end up as a little tabletop or I'll put all of them together as a log cabin sampler?? Hmm

Thank you, Bea and hope you'll have fun playing with the scraps I sent you.

Flea marked find

Some flowers in a pot outside - a mini garden in april. Love the feeling of spring that you get on a sunny day like today.

Yesterday I saw a sign saying flea marked, and desided to look inside. Looking through old and new clothes I filled a plastic bag and payed about $4.00. A few plaid shirts for cutting up, and then strips of white fabric found among old curtains. I have been wanting to make a white quilt for some time, to use as a backdrop for displaying smaller quilts. Wait and see - I'll show pictures to show you what I mean once the white quilt is done. Using my flea marked find and some small pieces of fabric that was laying around I could piece together both backing and top. The quilt is ca 24" wide, and tall... I basted it and started quilting.

Now, all I need is a binding. Can I use the white sateen that I found yesterday, or should I go for some sturdy cotton? Hmm... I'll see. Look forward to show a picture of this quilt an the wall displaying the quilt of the day, the week, or maybe something else.

Yellow tulips

These are all for you. For reading my blog, leaving a nice comment, and for sharing on your own blog, sharing ideas and the love of colors, fabrics, and what's on your heart. I hope you like them!

Brightest stars in Bonnieville?

What if? What if I try making maverick stars in blue and yellow? What if I try light on dark? What if I go more random with light and dark? I have been reading on an amazing blog, and now these two kind of innocent words stick in my mind - what if? Testing out and seing what happens. Its a way of learning what works and what does not. And then you get more ideas - what if .....

Here are my new storage solution for fabricscraps and more... Found the shelf and plastic boxes at IKEA. Really happy with these boxes, nice to see what is in them and a great way to store smaller patches, blocks, charm packs, jelly rolls and so on.

A quilt finished and a new one just started?

I have made my first 2 Maverick Stars from Bonnies tutorial. She has so many brilliant ideas and designs that she shares with everybody. She is so generous. I would love to make her mystery quilts, both the previous one, and the new she just started. And these sweet and whimsical stars are very inspiring. I have a few ideas of how to put them into quilts...

So, maybe these to 5" blocks make up a new start?

The quilt I just finished is the On a rainy day. I planned on sending it away for quilting, but ended up doing it myself. It is a little bit of a struggle but I'm happy with the result. Straight quilting and a diagonal step throughout the quilt.

Here is some kind og undercover operation going on. Is it the quilting inspector at work?

And another under cover operation - stash control? How soft can it be to take a nap on all those great fabrics?

Rolled up and ready for quilting ...

Detail of binding and backing.

I added two more rows to the quilt and now it is about 55" x 71". Finished and ready to be used on a rainy day....