Tyger Ten: It’s done

Gosh, I do love Aretha.

By which I mean my new sewing machine. It’s been a while since I quilted a whole quilt top rather than constructed it by QAYG, so I was slightly dreading the process. However, what would in earlier times have been a solid three days of strenuous and frustrating quilting now took just one (and a rather easy one) day of sewing. Stitching down the binding is one of my favourite parts of the construction too, so the past few days have been rather pleasant!

So, the Tyger quilt is finished. I quilted it with straight lines in a chevron pattern, to echo the chevrons on the jerseys the teams (both regular and Indigenous) wear. I’ve bound it narrowly in the same dark charcoal I used in the blocks, and have left the central tiger motif un-quilted, just framed.

I wish I could have photographed it outside for more accurate and brilliant colour, but it gets dark early, the Husband isn’t home in time to hold it up in daylight, and it’s too soggy to put it on/over something since all the rain we’ve had. But it’s pretty brilliant anyway, so I’m not too upset about that.

I’m pleased with it. I hope my SIL will be too. If nothing else, it’ll keep her cosy whilst watching the footy games now that winter is drawing in Down Under.

And now, on to the next thing.

Ovarian Cancer: CYTL Blocks 20-24

A very exciting squishy this morning!

5 gorgeous new Can You Teal the Love blocks from my lovely friend Chippy, a.k.a. Vera of Life by a Compass, not a Clock. 

She’s new to the Ovarian Cancer quilt team, but is certainly making up for lost time.

I’m constantly amazed at how all the blocks I’m sent are so different and the fabrics so varied. Note that sadly the photography makes several of the fabrics look much too blue, despite my retouching efforts. It’ll look much better in natural daylight!

I love that she’s been a little adventurous and has included fabrics which are not totally ‘safe’ choices, but which work so very well to make the blocks, and ultimately the quilt, more interesting.

I also love that she’s worked with my beloved hexies to make the heart in this year’s theme. Look how fabulous those tiny darlings are!

Thank you, Chippy, love your work!

We now only 6 more blocks to go, and there’ll be enough to start the first layout, always my favourite part of assembling these quilts.

I just have to be patient (never my strong suit) and let the various postal services do their jobs….

And now, back to quilting something else altogether 😉

Ovarian Cancer: CYTL Blocks 16-19

Another squishy parcel in the mail!

These four lovelies are from Jean Swenson, who kindly offered to make three and then found a fourth block materialising (do you see what I did there?) out of the scraps on her work table. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?  Anyway, I’m delighted to have an extra!

So now we’re up to 19 blocks. Eleven to go. I still have blocks coming from Lynn and Gun and Sharon. Once they’re in, I’ll be able to start laying things out to see where the ‘gaps’ are in the overall effect, and can get cracking on making the ones I’ll still need.

I’m actually dying to get started, so exercising a little patience will be very good for my character.

But waiting is hard…

Ovarian Cancer: CYTL Blocks 11-15

And another batch!

Only one from me this time. Probably too much pink, but I wanted to do a really big heart and I got rather carried away with colour… So unlike me, eh? Yet another scrappy heart, and yes, I can tell you exactly what I used each fabric for, in the unlikely event you’re curious.

The other 4 were made by the lovely Robin, a regular Ovarian Cancer contributor, who has brought some much needed actual piecing to the table, rather than my appliqué frenzy!  I love those beautiful pale, gentle pinks, a great antidote to some of the rather strong colours I’ve, ahem, indulged myself with…

And now it’s time to stop, wait, and see what the mail brings me before I crack on with any more blocks. I may need to balance colour, fill gaps or add more of something or other. We’re halfway to the number we need now, so whatever happens, it won’t take long.

I love this bit. Opening mystery packages is fun!

Ovarian Cancer: CYTL Blocks 8-10

And here’s the next lot.

You saw Blocks 5, 6 and 7 for Can You Teal the Love in the latest ScrapHappy post, but today I’m returning to the partial use of new fabrics, specifically, some of the ones I was able to buy thanks to the Spotlight gift voucher donation.

It’s going to be important that there’s variety with these blocks. Some need to be dark, others light. Some colourful, some plainer to ‘rest’ the eye. Some will have a big hit of pink, others just a tiny dash. Quilts for this important cause need to be light-hearted and joyful, and playful, varied and colourful blocks is the way to go, in my mind.

So, I’m really looking forward to receiving the first of the several collaborative blocks which are on their way, so I can work to balance and create harmony with these creations from different sources.

I’m going to hold off making more blocks for a bit while I wait to see what arrives.

It’s all up to Australia Post, now!

 

Ovarian Cancer: Taking Flight

People can be extraordinarily generous.

Sue of From the Magpie’s Nest recently asked if I’d like a quilt top she’d made, for the benefit of Ovarian Cancer. It’s the most gorgeous thing!

As you can see, it’s predominantly teal, so perfect for the purpose, and that lovely dark orange flying geese border really makes it pop. She’s called it Taking Flight.

Well, I said yes, of course. She’s even sent matching fabric to make the binding once I have it quilted. I’m more than happy to provide batting, backing and quilting, particularly as it kept the postage costs down to merely ridiculous instead of outrageous!

My quilting skills are nowhere near as advanced as her son James’, who’s a professional, but I’ll do a simple but respectable job and do justice to her lovely creation.

So the Trudy Crowley Foundation are receiving a double whammy this year, which I feel they totally deserve after the fundraising desert of the past couple of years.

Thank you, Sue. You’re a star, and I’m sending you a big teal hug! 

 

ScrapHappy May: Sorry, it’s rather teal…

Welcome once again to ScrapHappy Day!

It’s the day my friend Gun in Sweden and I host ScrapHappy, a day for showing something made from scraps.

This month’s scrappiness is looking distinctly teal. Mainly because I’ve been gobbling up my teal scraps to make blocks for the latest Ovarian Cancer quilt. There’s another block done, but I’m not showing it because it’s not totally scrappy, even if it is totally teal-y 😊  I’ll probably show it in a few days together with the next batch of blocks.

ScrapHappy is open to anyone using up scraps of anything – no new materials. It can be a quilt block, pincushion, bag or hat, socks or a sculpture. Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible. If your scrap collection is out of control and you’d like to turn them into something beautiful or useful instead of leaving them to collect dust in the cupboard, why not join us on the 15th of each month? Either email me at the address on my Contact Me page, or leave a comment below. You can also contact Gun via her blog to join. We welcome new members. You don’t have to worry about making a long term commitment or even join in every month, just let either of us know a day or so in advance if you’re new and you’ll have something to show, so we can add your link. Regular contributors will receive an email reminder three days before the event.

Here are the links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at).

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Bekki, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Bear, Carol,
Preeti, Edith, Debbierose and Viv

See you next time for more scrappy loveliness.

Ovarian Cancer: CYTL Blocks 1-3

Can You Teal the Love has kicked off.

I have 4 blocks on the way from contributors already, more promised, and have finally got under way with my own.

Block 1 is a scrappy 16-patch with appliquéd hearts; the teal fabrics are from previous quilts and the pinks are scraps given to me by the Husband’s Aunty Marion when she had her big pre-move to Melbourne clear out. They’re perfect!

Block 2 is a mixture. The heart is a scrap of the fabric I used to make a dress about 6 months ago. The frame and background fabrics are new, bought with the donated Spotlight gift card I mentioned in the previous Ovarian Cancer post.

Block 3 is entirely recycled. The scrappy log cabin background was made for the In the Arms of the Angels quilt but wasn’t used as other blocks simply worked better in that space. (To the maker: You know who you are and why I haven’t attributed it 💗).

However, I never throw anything away, especially when it’s as pretty as this and it’s teal, and this made a perfect background for the tiny pink heart, itself a scrap from a previous quilt.

That’s where I’m up to so far. Only 10% of the total 30 blocks needed, but given how quickly these came together and how many more ideas I have, it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to hit to total in a reasonable time frame.

Watch this space!

Tales of Chookonia #5: Finally!

Laying has begun!

The Girls have been studiously ignoring their tastefully appointed nesting boxes up till now. However, having provided them with an alternative out in the chook yard instead of inside the hen house (an Air B-egg-B, if you like), they have decided to finally take the hint. It’s nice and brown, and isn’t even as small as I’d expect a first egg to be.

This is almost certainly Ruth’s work. Currently, she’s the only one that looks ready to lay, although a couple of the others are nearly there. She’s large, her bum is very fluffy, her comb is larger than the others, and both comb and wattles are bright red. She’s also quite assertive about her place at the feeder and at rushing me when I come to the chook run, in case there’s some super-tasty snackage going.

Hopefully Elizabeth, Blanche, Peachy and Lacey follow suit soon.  Freshly-laid poached eggs on buttered toast: the food of the gods.

I must go and sort out some egg boxes…

Tyger Nine

The quilt top is together, finally.

In the end, it wasn’t too bad. A bit of easing here and there, some slightly wonky seam line-ups here and there, but it really doesn’t look too bad, considering I started off with a brand new quarter-inch foot that… wasn’t. Never take their word for it, ladies. Always measure. The foot has been relegated to the outer darkness and I’m using my standard foot with a handy bit of blue painter’s tape applied to it to show an exact scant quarter inch.

Today, I need to cut the backing and batting, and then I’ll enlist help from a friend to baste the whole thing, since it’ll go more easily with two sets of hands. I can do it myself using pool noodles to roll the three different layers on, but it’s so much faster if I don’t have to.

The backing is a nice stone-colour wideback with a white sorta-kinda paisley patter, and the binding will be the same charcoal/black fabric as I’ve used on the rest of the quilt.

After that, I have two 12 inch blocks in black & white which I plan to use to make a cushion cover to go with the quilt.

And then it will be done.