Longtime Friend lap quilt

 

'Long-time Friend' is a 48.5"sq lap quilt, created as an 80th gift for a very dear family friend, Jean Neilson (who has not seemed to age at all in the last twenty years so it seems strange to think of her as having reached this milestone).

The weather was not great for photos (and my handy helper wasn't available for holding it up anyway) so I had to take some indoor photos before I wrapped it up to take to the celebration.

I used a layer cake and the four-at-once method for making half-square triangles (layer two squares RST, sew around the outside edges then cut in half diagonally in both directions).  Super quick! 

Then I simply had to arrange them in whatever layout I chose...I went with making a diamond pattern...

The layer cake was purchased earlier this year and features the Maureen Cracknell 'Homebody' range - beautiful deep navy, tans and peaches.

I quilted with curvy lines in each direction like a wonky checkerboard.

For the backing I used a cream fabric from my stash which has printed gold birds all over it.

Linking up with Kelly's Needle and Thread Thursday - kia ora, everyone!

Mix and Match

I created Mix and Match out of the leftovers from my Starlings of Summer quilt, 

made with a set of Art Gallery 'Imprint' fat quarters that had been in my stash for a few years.

When making Starlings, there are a lot of cut-off triangles, so I decided that I would randomly piece them together to make some improv blocks (rather than stuff them into the scrap boxes for 'later').

It was so satisfying to have a second quilt made so quickly; it measures 29" square.

At the moment I have it hanging on my sewing room wall; not sure what I will do with it.

For the quilting I used some random zig-zag lines, inspired by walking foot designs 

in Jacquie Gering's 'Walk' book.

The backing is a grey/white flannel.

'Kia ora' to all my visitors via Kelly's Needle and Thread Thursday linky party! 

Have a lovely Easter!

Starlings of Summer

My intention was that I wasn't going to make anything new in January and that I would just complete some UFOs and WIPs. Ha, ha, dreaming! (Anything to avoid doing school work...)
Actually, I decided to make a large lap quilt for my lovely, young workmate, Emma Diack,
to mark the occasion of her marriage to Phillip (Harvey) Norman.

I could not resist the challenge of trying out this pattern and trying to win 

a fat quarter bundle in the process and so I have made this Starling lap quilt 

after seeing a Fat Quarter Shop quiltalong on Instagram.
(AND, good news...I DID win a bundle, so excited!)

The pattern is called the Starling Quilt (can you see the birds in it?) and it is great for fat quarters - 

I used a bundle of Art Gallery Fabrics 'Imprint' collection that I have had in my stash for a couple of years and added some new yardage of the light grey print and the blue-black print.

Size: 52.5" square

For the backing I used two aqua prints from my stash (yay for stashbusting!) and I made a scrappy binding from leftovers of the fat quarters.

The pattern is super easy to follow and I had the top made and basted in one day, with a simple all over curved line pattern of quilting done with the walking foot (inspired by Jacquie Gering) 

all done the next day.

When making the starling blocks there were a lot of half triangle cut-offs that I decided to 

sew up with other scrappy leftovers from the fat quarters to make another quilt...

usually I would stuff them in a scrap bin until I 'get round to it' so I am feeling quite proud 

of myself for using them (and it is looking really cool - will reveal when finished!)

Hello to all my crafty visitors from Kelly's Needle and Thread Thursday linky party
and from Myra's Finished or Not Friday linky party - nice to 'see' you all!