Bright Blessings for Jo

Created this baby quilt over a week of evenings and a weekend of sewing

 - an easy-peasy pattern called Tweet from a Spotlight promotional magazine.

It was a baby shower gift for my lovely workmate Jo Stanway, expecting her bundle 

of joy in November.  I had asked her when baby was due and what colours she would like me 

to make the quilt in (because she would know I would want to 

make a quilt) - so she was surprised, at the surprise shower last Tuesday

 afternoon, that I had made it so quickly.

The quilt measures 47.5" x 55.5" and has a mixture of bright solids, a gingham, 

a geometric, the dog paws print and the Dr Seuss ABC print.  

Jo and her husband 'Ces' don't know the baby's gender so brights cover both bases.

Jo always has dogs or puppies around her on the farm so I was thrilled to 

find the pawprint fabric at Kitz'n'Things in Invercargill.

The backing is a polka dot flannel, so cosy! 

And I just used a large all over stipple in a navy thread for the quilting.

And here is the mum-to-be! It has been a busy term at school so we decided 

to have the baby shower this week as a nice way to finish the term off! 

And it meant Jo was very surprised as she knew nothing about it happening!

And I love being able to share my work with like-minded crafters via Kelly's Needle and Thread Thursday - I hope the week has gone well for all of you! I've just got back from five days of wonderful tutorials at the NZ National Quilting Symposium in Christchurch.

 I felt very lucky to have learnt from quilting artists such as Lyric Kinard, Pat Archibald, Donna Ward, Judy Coates-Perez and Brenda Gael Smith - I was in a state of crafty-bliss for five days!
I have posted by projects at this link. 

Wedding Wishes Barn Star - Bloggers Quilt Festival entry

Returning to another favourite from earlier this year - a quilt for my lovely workmate Aleisha, who was married in March...and sharing it with this week's Bloggers' Quilt Festival...

I decided to do the Amy Gibson 'Triple Barn Star' pattern that I first used last year, as it is a lovely big lap quilt that can also easily be used over a bed, so Aleisha can use it wherever she likes.

Another workmate gave me some ideas on possible colours to use and I found this really cool range of teal and grey 'Pearl Essence by Maywood Studio' fabrics at Spotlight.They have gorgeous metallic prints in flowers and geometric designs.

I was decided to just quilt with straight lines, some in-the-ditch and others just as echo lines or detail lines. The quilt measures 71" square and I backed it with leftover yardage.

And here is the bride-to-be - wishing you and Kurt all the very very best for your big day and for many years of happiness in the future!

100% NZ for Ben - Bloggers' Quilt Festival entry

Returning to my most recent finish - this 100% NZ single bed quilt - sharing on the Blogger's Quilt Festival this week.

Time to make a quilt for the second of my cousin Kaylee's children...Ben didn't mind what colours it was; I had found the silver fern fabric last year and wanted to use it so I thought I'd do an NZ black/white/grey theme (and then found out he has just recently redecorated his room in grey, so it has all worked out well!) 

Measures 57" x 76" - nicely covers a queen bed (with no overhang).

Took me a while to gather together the right tones of black, grey/silver, and white; and then took just as long to work out the pattern - that took quite a bit of math I can tell you!

For the backing I used a world map panel, and some Kiwiana-themed fabric for colour, along with top and bottom panels of the silver fern fabric again.

Home is where the heart is (and NZ is where it will always be for me!)

I stuck to simple in-the-ditch quilting through the NZ/squares section,
and straight horizontal lines in the top and bottom panels. 

We are about to shift to a new place in the Edendale township (downsizing from the property we are on) so I wanted to get this finished this week as my last quilt here at 111 George Street and also so I can give it to Ben (who lives up in the Ida Valley) when Kaylee brings the kids down for the Kidzone Festival in Invercargill.

 I have loved having such a big living area that my sewing gear could sit easily in one end of the room - at the new house I will have a lovely north-facing spare room to act as my sewing space (and have already filled the double wardrobe with craft supplies...and that's before I even think about moving the tubs of fabric that are under the two spare beds at the moment!! Yikes, where will I fit it all?!)

And here is the young man himself, stoked with his new blanket: