Progress

I've worked hard:

(click on the photo to enlarge)

Half the blocks are quilted now, so only 32 to go!

I've made a lot of other things as well in the last week, but nothing I can show here. Birthday blocks, postcards for a swap, a little something for my mortal...

It's winter here now and very cold in the morning (in our unheated, unisolated Queenslander, made of wood), so when the boys watch television they use their quilts to stay warm:


:-)

Quilting the log cabin quilt

I have started quilting the log cabin quilt with a beautiful variegated (black and white) thread. The Lee Cleland book proved very useful; it has a pattern for a log cabin quilt that I really like and I am using that, though a bit different than it is done in the book. It's hard to see in the picture, but you can click on it to see a larger photo.

I've done 10 blocks so far, so only 54 to go - and the border. This will keep me busy for the next few weeks!



PS A few people asked what I had done to win the prize at iQuilt. Well, I was one of the first 10 persons to send them an email and tell them what I would do with the samples - make fiber postcards for friends overseas!

Prize

I've won a prize! A sample pack of Bulurru fabrics, in a contest at iQuilt. The pack arrived yesterday, containing 9 beautiful 8" x 8" fabric squares.



While waiting for the library book on quilting a log cabin quilt and for King Tut quilting thread from The Thread Studio, I have sewed some other things. Like a crazy block for the birthday list. I always thought crazy quilts were not my cup of tea, but I had a lot of fun making this block! It had to be done in black, white and red, and of course I have a lot of scraps in these colours now. I can't show the block here yet, but it turned out really nice, if I say so myself...

I also made the second part of the bag I am going to make from selvedge strips:



From the remaining strips I made some postcards:



If you would like to trade a postcard, please leave a comment or send me an email (click on View my complete profile for the address).

Finished the top

Today I bought fabric for the outer border and finished the top of the log cabin quilt. The binding will be black.

The quilt is sandwiched now, but before I start quilting I want to read the book Quilting makes the quilt by Lee Cleland, that Jenny recommended after I asked advice on the Scquilters mailinglist. It's in the library catalogue and I have asked for it - hope I will have it soon!
I had a look at the book in the quiltshop this morning; it looked good and extremely useful, but it was very expensive, so I'll just wait for the library copy. It's quite cheap when you buy it from Amazon actually, but then it will probably take just as long to arrive here.

Postcards and ATCs

Thanks for all the comments on the log cabin! As I can't get on with it until I have fabric for the outer border (hope to buy some tomorrow), I made some fabric postcards that I can't show here yet, as I haven't heard if they have reached their destinations.

I can show you a very beautiful postcard that I received this week, it's from Sue in Victoria:



And this one that I made for Corryna, using some beautiful paper that was wrapped around soap a friend brought me from Fiji:


















Here are the ATCs I received in the past few weeks. These are all 'chocolate' ATCs:



12
34
56

1 is from Fionie, 2 is my own, 3 is from Delwyn, 4 from Jenny, 5 from Julie and 6 from Lynn, all from Australia.

These ATCs are all made from 'Different fabrics' (ie, not cotton):



12
34
56

1 is from Pam, 2 from Liz, 3 from Maree, 4 from Sylvia, 5 from Glenys (all from Australia) and 6 is my own.

After a last postcard swap that I signed up for (5 cards, due in July), I think I will not do any more ATC or PC swaps for a while, as I really want to work on quilts in the next few months. The log cabin of course, the ATWI20Q challenge and the Brisbane map quilt that I started last week (will show some pics soon).

Did you see it?

Did you see the mistake in the log cabin quilt? Did you?
I didn't, until someone sent me an email and commented on the 'playful touch' on the quilt! And once I had seen it, I couldn't NOT see it anymore. Strange...
I know there are quilts that have deliberate mistakes, but I corrected this one - it wasn't deliberate after all.
And I sewed a red border on it:



Now I need to buy fabric for a black and white border, and then I'll sandwich and quilt it... Don't know yet how I will quilt it and would be very grateful if you have a suggestion!

ATWI20Q is up and running!

No, it's not a typo - our new online art quilt group, Around the world in 20 quilts, has started on its first challenge! Caity chose the theme: trees. I have lots of ideas, but it will have to wait for a bit - I really want to get on with the log cabin now and I have to make some fiber postcards asap!

I brought all my current projects to the retreat, but worked on only one - the log cabin. Made 28 blocks to complete the 64 I had planned and sewed them all together. Now it needs a small red border and a larger black and white one. Then I will sandwich and quilt it, although I don't know yet how...
I've fallen in love with it all over again and can't wait to get on with it!

Back from the retreat!