" Mottled Monet" - NINE PATCH PIZAZZ

This is one of the patterns taken from Judy Cisneros' book Nine Patch Pizazz.
Such a great opportunity to create a lovely quilt.
This was a challenge between my Aunt and our friend. We had one fabric the same (the green gingko batik) and that had to be used somewhere in the quilt. This worked well with the Japanese style fabrics.
Love the way this turned out and it was the first quilt I sent off to be professionally quilted.
The name is inspired by the name my Aunt gave her quilt.
Quilted by Sharon Vickridge Smith with a gingko all over pattern.

Farmers Wife Quilt

Got hold of this book last year. by Laurie Aaron Hird It's a collection of blocks to make the most wonderful quilt and you can use scraps if you wish. Here are some of my recent blocks. 

It's been nice to just sew lately. Little bit here and a little bit there :) 

Allietare Week 6 The Reveal Bonnie Hunter Mystery

So the reveal was upon us early here in Australia.

I was at a friend's house and away from my blocks. 

Decided to do sting centres not solid squares.

Below was the result.

Have loved doing this quilt. I have got better in my piecing. 

TO go back to the link up, click HERE.

Block 1 sewn together- I love it.

Block 2

It was this photo that has got me over 1000 likes on Facebook!

Some put together on the "design floor".

"The 1000 likes post"

BONNIE HUNTER: LEADERS AND ENDERS TUMALO TRAIL

So this is my current Leaders and Enders project since Patches and Pinwheels moved into construction mode.
Tumalo Trail which is in Bonnie Hunter's book Scraps and Shirttails II
I sewed a bunch of shorter strips together and cut them into 3 patches to sew together.
Almost done with these and will need to move onto the next element of the block, the half square triangles.
Even after P&P and this new one, not much of a dent in the strip stash... I persist!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/p/book-pre-orders.html
I even got a comment on my post from Bonnie which always makes my day.

BONNIE HUNTER: PATCHES AND PINWHEELS CONTINUED

Patches and Pinwheels ticking along quite nicely. Finally sewed all the half triangles together during the week and squared them up today ready to sew together to make the pinwheels.
Although this quilt won't be massive it will still be large (78" x 78") and it really hasn't dented the stash much at all. In any case, I'll love it.
Happy Quilting.

BONNIE HUNTER: PATCHES AND PINWHEELS

So you saw my box full of squares to be sewn in to twosies, four patches and then 16 patches..... well below are 85 x 16 patches.... not one has the same fabric repeated (but each 16 patch may share similar fabrics) and so now it is on to the pin wheels of which I also need 85.
All the fabrics are cut ready to go and I have done 5 complete pinwheels (just to work out the seams... which I have almost sorted out).
I love using all these scraps, though still not a huge dent in the stash.
Still have a tub full of fabrics to cut into strips.... but that gets boring especially after I just cut fabric for 85 pinwheels!
Happy Quilting

LEADERS AND ENDERS- BONNIE HUNTER

So the photo below is my box of twosies made from onesies to ultimately form the 16 patches required for Patches and Pinwheels, a free pattern offered by Bonnie Hunter on her blog.
Just scraps, done on a light/dark formation and as leaders and enders.
What is a leader and ender? You know the piece of fabric you use so your threads don't get all caught up, well straighten them up a bit and make a quilt instead, putting these thru before the blocks of your main project! I've got 1360 squares sewn in to 680 twosies there which will make 340 x 4 patches which will then become 85 x 16 patches.

CHALLENGE: SCRAP ORGANISING- BONNIE HUNTER

I was introduced to the world of Quiltville and Bonnie Hunter by my friend Lorraine. She said she read her blog every day and she had some good tips.

Good? They are just great. Bonnie Hunter to me is the quintessential quilter. Making quilting accessible for those who maybe don't have much money or need a bit of simple guidance.
One of my favourite posts of Bonnie's is that regarding her Scrap-Users System.
It really gives you a good system to tame those scraps of fabric left over from other quilts. The number 1 piece of information is- you pay the same amount per metre for the bits left over, so why not consider them as valuable as your yardage.
Honestly you would be surprised how many quilts you can make with your scraps.
If you tame them in to usable strips and squares, they are ready to use for your next project.
I have spent quite a bit of time taming scraps and some yardage in to usable strips and squares. Below you can see some of my handy work thanks to Bonnie's techniques.
If you aren't sure about what size to cut your strips (I pondered on this forever as I thought what if I cut it the wrong size?) then Bonnie has also a PDF which highlights which of her free patterns used what strips. Click here for this.
So click on the free patterns, pick some and then get cutting so your scraps are usable!
I'm a total convert now. I still have a tub of fabric to cut but am trying to get organised and finish some of those UFO's. I allocate 20-60 mins a night to sewing activities, so it may be cutting, binding, sewing. By doing that you get bits done, you will be surprised how much you can get done by setting a 20 min timer. So get out your scraps and start doing a little bit each day, they will be tamed in no time and you can use them rather than looking at them and saying" Ugh I have to iron and organise all of that."
You will then also have scraps ready for Bonnie's mystery quilt later in the year.

 1.5" , 2", 2.5" and 3.5" strips

2" squares for Patches and Pinwheels sewn in to twosies, light/dark.

Ready to be pressed and sewn in to 4 patches.