Squarosaurs quilt

This small twin bed quilt (or super large lap quilt) is a finish from the Easter holidays, and will be winging its way across the Tasman to become the new bed quilt in Brisbane for the son of one of my former pupils that I still keep in touch with!

His mum Leah requested something with animals or Pooh Bear, but nothing in my stash took my fancy (or I didn't have enough to make a twin quilt with it) - I found these cute dinosaurs at Spotlight and matched them up with some coordinating prints and solids.

The pattern is 'Scattered Squares' and is a free layer cake pattern on the Moda website, designed by Melanie from the A Bit of Scrap Stuff blog.

This version measures 47.5" x 56.5" - it was originally a bit too wide for my 5ft longarm frame, and I really wanted to quilt it on there, so I halved the blocks on each side and the ends and used a couple of those cut-offs for the backing.

I used ruler work to quilt straight line borders in the square-in-square blocks, and free motioned large stipple in the plain squares.

The binding is a sage green stripe.

We move house at the end of May and I am looking forward to having quite a few new quilt-photo locations in my backyard at the new house!

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!

Time Flies! Caity is 21!

Wow! I cannot believe twenty years has gone by since we first met Caity Kenny as a cute little one year old when she and her parents returned to NZ and her mum Kath began teaching at my school; she has grown into a lovely young lady with her whole future ahead of her!

Halfmoon Bay (Oban township) - Rakiura National Park/Stewart Island, NZ

Last weekend we travelled over to Stewart Island to help Caity celebrate her 21st; of course, I had to make a quilt for the occasion - luckily, she LOVED it.

I made it in under two weeks (thankfully had school holidays to give me time). The pattern is Moda Love (layer cake size) - it finished at 72" square. The pattern is super easy to sew together (I think working out the colour layout took longer than sewing it LOL!)

I had the perfect layer cake in my stash of Riley Blake Designs 'Flora and Fauna' by Amanda Herring, just waiting to be used for the right person and the right quilt. It has such pretty colours and a nice mix of florals and prints - aren't the deer cute?

For the batting I used a white flannel as the backing is a lovely grey minky - super soft and snuggly! And the binding is a cute dotty print.

The quilting is just simple stitch-in-the-ditch, with half inch echo lines, along all the seam lines; holds it all together nicely without being too dense and stiff.

We all had a wonderful time on the island - it is a unique and special part of New Zealand. 

Bri and I stayed the night in Horseshoe Bay:

Sharing my latest finish with my fellow-crafters 

via Kelly's Needle and Thread Thursday linky party  

and also with Cheryl's Favourite Finish linky at Meadow Mist Designs

- kai ora tatou!

Sundrops for Sue

I began making this large lap quilt (59"square) last year, not sure who would end up with it, but knowing I would figure it out eventually; I got it to the binding stage in January...

...then, with the passing of my Uncle Alister this March, I knew straight away 

that this would become a gift for his wife, Aunty Sue. 

I spent a LOT of time at their house as a child - it was pretty much a second home - 

so I wanted to give her something special.

The prints are from a layer cake of 'Sundrops' by  Corey Yoder for Moda. 

The prints are a mixture of florals and polka dots in a range of corals, greys, lemons and greens.

This is a 'sister' quilt to the auction quilt I made last year.

The pattern is 'Cake Slices' by Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs.

I quilted a mixture of ribbons, echo diagonals, and straight lines.

The binding is a gorgeous coral fabric, with the backing being pieced from 

a white/grey eyelashes print and a soft green words print.

Aunty Sue was really thrilled - it went straight onto her bed!

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

Have a lovely Easter!

Slices of Spring

This is a double-bed or queen-sized quilt that I have made from part of a layer cake of Sundrops by Corey Yoder for Moda, such a pretty range of colours and prints.

The quilt measures 72"square - at 180cm wide it was just a bit of a stretch for Kieran to hold the corners out flat (even though he is now six foot tall himself! Needed another adult but Brian is away today playing bowls for Southland...)

I used a pattern called 'Cake Slices' by Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs - I had won two free patterns from joining in with an online linky party (I think that's what it was?) and have managed to make two quilts from the one layer cake (will share the second quilt when it is finished.)

The backing is made from two coral-based prints ( I especially love the glasses print) 

and the binding is a gorgeous lime green.

I had made the top in the school holidays in Sept-Oct but wasn't sure how to quilt it.

Then I saw this video by Christa Watson showing how to FMQ her 'cursive Ls' 

and knew they would be great for the sashing.

For the blocks I created a six/seven petalled flower that echoes out to the edge of each block.

This quilt is destined for the auction at the Southland Bowls Charity Tournament next weekend that Brian has been invited to take part in. This quilt was also one of my 2018 Finish Along fourth quarter goals.

Linking up with Myra's Finish or Not Friday linky party - and Amanda Jean's Finish It Up Friday linky party - kia ora to everyone!

Here are some southern spring shots to finish with...