I have decided to completely change my colour selection for my Sylvias Bridal Sampler.  I was struggling with the pinks.  Thinking about it I'm not sure I have ever really used them much except for baby quilts.  Back to old favourites of blues and purples with a little green here and there to add a bit of interest.  Earlier on my blog I posted some photographs of 6 inch sampler blocks I made during my local group pattern swap and had made some in the above colours so am able to use some of them.  First four blocks are posted below and I will post more tomorrow hopefully.  I am having a bit of difficulty getting them up how I want them and want to watch My Kitchen Rules so will try again tomorrow evening to put up the rest that I have finished.

   

The above are B2 - Gulf Star, C1 - Contrary Husband
N3 - Clays Choice,  E1 - Nine Patch

This past week I have been busily making a baby quilt for my awaited grandchild.  Not knowing the sex it is a multi-coloured simple design in 1930s storybook fabrics.  I intend to now wait until baby arrives before adding borders and binding and backing, all dependent on gender.  I've also completed another 5 blocks for 'Sylvias Bridal Sampler'.  As I am using different backgrounds for these blocks I've decided to do them in their rows to enable me to mix up the fabrics and not have any the same too close together.  I haven't taken photos yet but will hopefully get them up later in the week.  It was so hot here yesterday (low 40s) that sewing was not an option as my sewing room is not cooled and faces north.  Instead of sewing I was able to draw up quite a few blocks in readiness for foundation piecing.  I am still searching for a suitable piece of red, white and blue to sash my blocks shown earlier on this blog, done with my local group.  I will keep searching!!!1

Somehow I have lost my slide show on my Flickr gadget.  Does anyone know how I can get it back.  The quilts are still on the Flickr site. 
For everyone who celebrates the festive season I wish you all a very merry christmas and safe and quilty 2010.

Here are my first six blocks for my Sylvias Bridal Sampler. As you can see I have decided to do it scrappy and similar colours to the front of the book, however I am using shades of aubergine instead of brown, lots of different background fabrics as I have lots of these.

This past year my quilting group exchanged 10inch charm squares as well as patterns each month. My original intention was to have the members fabric as the centre square surrounds of my ohio stars. Unfortunately this wasn't a success as a few of the fabrics did not blend with my own fabric of choice for the points. To overcome this I used some of them but others were used in nine patches which divided the stars. The result is left and I am quite pleased with the result. It never pays to have a definite plan in mind when exchanging fabric.

I have always admired clever quilting ladies 'Dear Jane' 'Dear Hannah' and 'Dutch Blue' quilts, knowing that I would not even attempt any of them.
However I have decided to undertake 'Sylvias Bridal Sampler' from the Elm Tree Books. I'm not sure whether it is the colours on the front cover of the book which captured my attention or just the challenge and it will certainly be a challenge to do some of the blocks. My decision about fabric has been very serious but have decided to go scrappy as really my true love of quilts is 'scrappy'. Perhaps you might like to come back in a month and see where my journey is taking me.

This is my 'Seattle Strets' Quilt. It the second one I have done and I love the technique. All credit must go to Lauria Beithan for posting this on the internet. Her instructions are excellent and you can find it via 'Stashbusters'. A really great way to use up left over strips of fabric. As you can see from the photographs uploaded today I am no photographer but I have been busy at the sewing machine. Now to get my sampler quilts finished. They along with the above will be given to our local Hostel. All residents get a quilt of their choice, so a few ladies are continually sewing to keep up the supply as we like to have at least 6 all the time so they have got a decent choice.

This is one of the quilts I have been busy sewing. It is for my granddaughter. She chose the fabrics from my stash but I had to buy the greens as it is not a colour I would choose to work with, especially not this bright lime green. She just loves it. It really makes it worth while when you see the pleasure the recipients get. This is also the first quilt I have freemotion quilted myself. Some spots won't pass the quilt police but who cares

These are the latest two of my own design in 6 inch blocks. I'm a bit sorry I haven't been doing them in cream backgrounds as I have decided to do Sylvias Bridal Sampler and I could have used these.

This is the latest one. Only one more to go but I will need to do some extras to make my quilt. I will get it done over the weekend hopefully.

Here is my latest block for my friendship group swap. I have been very slack with this blog lately. I have been busy sewing instead.

Another couple of my little 6 inch sampler blocks to add to my collection

I have finally uploaded my friendship blocks after borrowing a camera.

Unfortunately I put them on my design wall which is white so one has to imagine the

corners etc on the blocks

This block is called Little Boys Britches, look at the corners.

Some months we get two patterns for our friendship blocks

Another month has gone by. I haven't been slacking, I have been sewing my friendship swap blocks, finished another Seattle Streets Quilt for local hostel and pieced a very bright top for my granddaughter. As well as all this I have had a week in Western Australia, visiting my son. My very big problem at the moment is that my camera has finally died. Bills, bills and more bills mean that a new one will have to wait for a while so no pictures can be posted unless I can borrow my daughters for a while and get some photos up.
As a member of Stashbusters I am trying to make my quilts without purchasing too much fabric. Most of the time this is okay but for my granddaughters latest, she wanted lots of green and orange and as I'm definitely not a green person a trip to the stores was in order!!! I've decided to do it 'quilt as you go' so I don't have to wrestle with it on my machine.
I've been doing some reading of other quilters blogs and wow are there some very talented ladies out there, both with their sewing and their blogs.

Wow where does the time go. I have been busy though so haven't had time to post here, anyway I belong to the BWO, so it doesn't matter. I am off on a weekend retreat, nothing but sewing all weekend and no cooking, housework etc. Can't wait. I might just get my second 'Seattle Streets' quilt finished and be able to post a photo. Its been a really fun quilt, that's why I have made two.

Here are a few photos of quilts sent to Melinda.

I have just had word from Melinda that she is thrilled with the quilts we sent for the bushfire victims. I thought she would be as there was some lovely quilts.

Back to my own quilting now. I am currently doing 'Laurie Beithan's "Seattle Streets" design' which can be found via the Stashbusters website. It is great fun and even better I am getting to use up all my hand dyed fabrics. At present I am just doing the strips. When I have put together some blocks I'll put them up.

Its been a while since I have posted. All the bushfire quilts have gone off to Melinda and Pam in Alexandra, I'm sure they will be happy with them. I'm not sure of the exact number, I think about 18 plus 4 or 5 tops. For a small group I think we did pretty well.
I can now get down to catching up with my blocks for my friendship groups pattern and fabric swaps. I made a mistake in my calculations and haven't got quite enough fabric for the design I have decided on for the fabric swap. Have been able to get some more but is a much lighter dye lot. Presently I am trying to darken it with coffee dye which isn't too bad. I know I could change the whole design but truthfully I don't want to so will use a bit of creative license and use the coffee dyed fabric even though it is not strictly the same.
Our pattern this month is one called 'Little boys britches' and is it a difficult pattern to do my machine. I'm sure it was designed to do by hand. Not one I will be doing again.

And another, our group is made up of a wonderful bunch of ladies

And another.

Another lovely quilt made by one of the group members.

And some more wonderful ladies working hard

Here we all are last month with machines and fabric everywhere making quilts to send to Alexandra for distribution to bushfire victims.

Another great day with my friendship group yesterday. We had another group visit, which is always fun. Show and tell was inspiring. Most had their 'bushfire quilts' with them some finished some still being worked on but they looked great, I'm sure the people who receive them will be delighted. I didn't get photos yesterday but next month they will all be brought along finished so they can be bundled up to go to Alexandra at Easter so I will take photos then and post here. I also received another bag of FQs and some batting pieces yesterday so I had best get started on another.