Never work with animals

I was commissioned a fair while ago to make three horse quilts for three young girls. I finally finished the first one today.

I tried to get some 'arty' shots but these girls wouldn't co-operate.

These ones were slightly more helpful

Eliza was the most helpful!

I used the new DS Quilts Fabrics from Spotlight  Daisy Mae. These fabrics feel so lovely and soft and really good quality. Not too thin like some other Spotlight quilting fabric. 

I added some Kona Snow to break up the dark colours and just used a creamy cotton when I quilted either side of my stitch lines.  Just a simple bordered square rectangle for something different

I love the back (think I might make a front like that too!) 

My favorite block.

So, now I have finished one, the other two tops are done, just need backing, basting, quilting and binding. Phew, then on to the next lot!

Curious Nature

Last Friday my lovely Opa passed away. He had cancer and decided that he didn't want to go through harsh treatments to try and spend time with his family before he passed away.
He was a funny, cheeky, kind gentleman who was a true family leader. This year was to be his and Oma's 60th wedding anniversary.
We will miss him dearly but we are glad that he is now at peace.

On Saturday night I just all of a sudden had an urge to sew. To not think, just sew. I had received my order of Curious Nature by David Butler the day before. I thought that I really liked it when I saw it online, but when I opened my parcel, I didn't anymore. All grey and greeny and dark.
I thought about just leaving it there, but after a while I just knew what I had to do with it. Just cut it and sew and add a couple of bits.

This is what I came up with

I just cut up different sizes of fabric and pieced them on my design wall (yes, I have a design wall now - don't know how I went without! I'll show you later)

I love the red surprises that pop up. Those red gems are Groove Flowers from Long Live Vintage I think.
I was inspired to put them in from this lovely quilt. I think they add a bit of interest.

 Peek a Boo!!

I quilted it with little loopy swirls like the Spotted Owls are sitting on. It's fun and funky and different.

It was so liberating to put together. For the back I used a piece of Amy Butler Belle Full Bloom in Orange that I have been sitting on for years not knowing what to do with it (honestly? I didn't like it anymore either). It is perfect on the back of this quilt. And I went with Timeless Treasures Cross Hatch Charcoal for the binding (which I LOVE with the backing fabric)

 I can't wait to use the rest of my Parson Grey Curious Nature now! This is my favourite little quilt I've made and those 'pods' - every time I looked at them they reminded me of my Opa. Maybe he had a shirt made out of similar fabric?
RIP Opa xxxxx

A car and a quilt

Day 15 of March Photo a day

And I'm making  progress on the horsey quilt. I went with no sashing, just added a few white blocks. But I'm really feeling that it needs one more row. Even though it was to be a lap quilt, this one is saying to me that it wants to be single bed size. 

Clouds

Day 14 March photo a day with Fat Mum Slim

Catching up

So, I've dropped behind in the Fat Mum Slim photo a day challenge. BUT, I'm catching up now! 

Day 12 - A Fork

Day 13 - A Sign (this came in the mail yesterday with a letter from my local group. It's something that I've been thinking about for a fair while now. I think it was a sign and I've made the first move)

And here is something else I'm catching up on. I am ashamed to say that this is part of a commission I was asked to do quite some time ago now. Three horse quilts and a donkey baby quilt. The top of two are done, just need putting together and finishing. But I had no inspiration what so ever from the horse fabrics I found.
Until the other night when I was thinking about the DS fabrics I picked up at Spotlight the other day. I think they suit this horse print perfectly.

The quilts are for three young sisters (all horsey) and so I wanted them to be a bit girly, not lots of browns and depressing colours. There were no colour requests, just horsey! I've got nine more of these blocks to make, I'm not sure if I should add some white sashing to help lighten it or not. What do you think?

March photo a day

Someone I talked to today - Our house cow Mae

March photo a day

Day 9 - LOUD!

Photo a day - day 9 - RED

My RED foal - Nelson

Photo a day - day 8. window (and a finished quilt)

My view from the kitchen window this morning. The retic doing it's work.

And I finished this little quilt this morning. I actually finished the sewing of it last night, but washed and dried it this morning.

 I've been hoarding this David Walker fabric in my stash for about 3 years. I think it was one of the first quilting fabrics I purchased online. I can't even remember where it came from, it was that long ago. But I'm trying to clear some stash. Um, so I can make way for more actually! The solids were there too, and the red and yellow stripy fabric that I used for binding. 

It was pretty liberating making this. All I did was cut the fabrics, no measuring, just cut, and sew and see where it goes. I think it worked. I wasn't so sure until it was all finished mind you. I used some orange star flannel that I just happened to look down at the floor in Spotlight the other day and there it was. It was calling me I'm sure! It is so soft and snuggly. 
It's listed in my Madeit store.

Photo a day - day 7

something i wore.....many many many years ago - competition jodhpurs.

March photo a day (6)

5pm.....

After a tiresome hour unpicking some stippling that wasn't up to scratch, this was definitely what I needed at the end of the day!

March photo a day

a smile

Photo a day (2 days) + some Grannies!

Day 3 Neighborhood (not much!)

Day 4 - Bedside

I couldn't help myself! I was driving home yesterday and all of a sudden knew what to do with the FMF charm packs I have been hoarding! Granny Squares!
I'm sure you've seen this quilt and tutorial  made by the very talented Jolene of Blue Elephant Stitches.
Well, funnily enough, I have actually been trying to teach myself how to crochet from a book. I'm not succeeding. I had been inspired by an amazing granny square baby blanket I had seen at a local shop. I actually would have bought it but it wasn't for sale. So I stocked up on supplies and a "Learn crochet in a day" (yeah right) book. I just can't get it.
Solution - quilt them!

 
Four down, another 4 laid out, that makes eight. I'm thinking I either want 12 or 16. I'm not sure yet. Lucky they are so darn fun to make!  But I am sure that I am definitely keeping this one. I haven't made myself a quilt yet so it's about time!

Photo a day - day 2 Fruit

Amazingly,  there is still the odd Mulberry on my tree

Photo a day March

I'm going to try and take a photo a day, and fit in with the challenge set up over at Fat Mum Slim. See how I go!
01.03.12 Thursday - UP

hehe... I'm still UP at 10.46pm! Now its 10.55pm, that's pretty late for me!