Charm pack quilts for Linus

 Like I said many many times, i have an inherent weakness for charm packs!!! so I made them a feature of my last finish along list. for finish no 7 i simply wanted one charm pack quilt, but hey i got 3!!!

I had two charm packs of the same fabric line bought from a destash so I put them together using my clearly perfect angles which i had put on my sewing machine for the hunters star quilt. I simply made a bazillion hsts then started laying them out from the center outwards. I didnt have enough to do one final round so i used those hsts to make a second smaller quilt for Linus. Bonus!!!

I mentioned that i have been meeting up with a chum at Kaleidoscope fabrics I do want to support them so try to buy something every time we go, they have a great sale table and often have meters at greatly reduced prices. I bought some of this big blousy floral, perfect for backing!! poor scoobs he doesnt look too happy there does he!!! I think it was getting a bit nippy at that point.

I said I got three quilts! well the third one was a leader and ender project, I simply took another charm pack and sewed the blocks together, bonus extra linus quilt!!!

It was a bit cold for me too taking all the pictures 😀

Janet Clare mini charm pack quilt

 I have a great weakness for charm packs, it could be worse though! I love seeing Janet Clare at the festival of quilts she always has stunning booths. She also always has bowls full of her lovely charm packs, just waaaaaaay to tempting!

This charm pack of Freya ad friends has been kicking about the sewing room for years so i decided it was time to go on a finish along list. I have been having great fun meeting up with a chum at Kaleidoscope fabrics which is sort of half way between us both. I bought some lovely child friendly bunny and racoon fabric from there on a recent visit so that was used as borders and backing. Here we have a cute little quilt for Linus.

Poor Scoobs, he looks a bit miserable there doesnt he! 

this was finish no 8 from my finish along Q4 2020 list

Hunters star quilt

 OK I had meant to squeak these in yesterday but the day ran away with me then there was gin and cava and port .... then it all got a bit blurry!!! I dont normally drink at hogmanay, but hey this year has been diffrent, very very different!

Right so there was my usual end of year flurry of finishes, and yes i know i put these in the furtle post but they need a separate post of their own, dont ask why they just do!

So lets start with the hunters star one! This was finish number 6 on my Q4 finish along list.

I was so lucky in 2020 to win a gorgeous FQ bundles from Morris textiles, lovely Leisa shipped them all the way from America! how lovely was that!

I waited until i found exactly the right pattern for it, that came in the form of the shining stars pattern from Lynne Goldsworthy from todays quilter. I didnt have enough fabric for the churn dash border but just enough for the center hunters star.

I literally had trimmings left, there was one section where i had to sew two smaller bits of fabric together to make a bit big enough .... i love doing that though, using up all the fabric, scraps scare me, i dont like them very much, weird but thats just me.

My poor poor scoobs, was perishing in the cold doing his usual sterling husbands holding quilts action!

This will go to Project Linus.

Mini makes

I love Arabesque scissors patterns and the mini makes series she did this year has just been fabulous, quick and easy makes using up long hoarded beautiful scraps of fabric! I had it on my Q2 and Q3 and Q4 list to make these!This was finish number 4 on the Q4 list. I first made the little pouch, using up some neptune and the maiden fabric, love love love those fishies!

Then it all lay dormant for a while, other things took over but i picked it up again when she put our the travelers sewing book pattern, I wanted to make something for a friend i had drawn in a swap, i totally read the rules wrong and thought it was no extras ..... it was exactly the opposite, I felt dreadful! She was fine about it but i felt bad. I didnt just want to send something for the sake of it so i thought i would make her the travellers sewing book.

Again using up neptune and the maiden fabric, how awesome are these!

Inside i put two pins and two needles into the needle case, these are both bought from the hidden needle shop in Kyoto, another highlight of 2020. I know she will like it becuase she is that sort of person who will love everything.

Isabel shawl

 Well this is full of so many memories, I bought this wool ‘merino singles’ by uschitata at the last indie burgh craft crawl. So many happy memories there, I was looking for a pattern to use up the single skein I had and the Isabel shawl seemed perfect. I have made three shawls now, they are useful for teams meetings if i dont have a glam top but need to posh up a bit (how very 2020 ....) this was finish no 4 on my q4 finish along list.

I really enjoyed doing it but there were a few oops! I messed up the pattern quite a few times which needed ripping out, then my circular needles unscrewed and about 50 stitches slipped off ..... I’m really pleased with it, just what I need for teams meetings

Hole punch ribbon quilt

what a fab class, I love a PapperSaxSten class and even thought this one was on line and not in person I still adored it. Jenny is such a generous and dedicated teacher, she spends every minute of the class looking after her students. I have wanted to do this class with her for ages. I did consider doing it 121 which would be lovely but for me part of the joy of a class is seeing everyone else and what they do. as luck would have it my shoulder was borked the weekend of the class and i didnt get a chance to do any at the time. as soon as shoulder was better i got on it! I had swithered about colours and fabrics for ages but ended up going for shweshwe fabrics. So bright and joyous, I only had half meters max of most of them so had to be a bit creative with how I used them. I did two strips and knew i had to do two more. I was right!!!!

The rythm and need to concentrate fully was a godsend, this was during a particularly challenging time at work and during the virus, all of this was such a good distraction!.

I tried a few different layouts on IG, I think they all work on a different level.

the one above was a favourite but the lovely Mary from my work suggested the layut below and i think it works better.

I put the red border on becuase thats all i had enough fabric of, but Jenny suggested pieced colour border and it does work better, many thanks to the African fabric company for their quick dispatch and delivery!!

Sigh, the things you have to do to get a half way decent shot! riskng life and limb ...

Quilting was a challenge, up against the clock (want to enter to quilt con ...) only have my domestic machine and poor quilting skillz ...

FAL Q4

 Oh I know I know, we are not doing the FAL on blogs anymore and the FAL has paused on IG for this year but will come back next year! But hey, indulge me I am finding myself increasingly more and more like Sheldon cooper, there was an episode when Amy tried to cure him of his compulsion to complete things, Im with Sheldon on this!

Anyhoo, I have things on my list and i need some way to tie them up! so here goes.

No 1 - Garden Trellis

No 2 - Dear Jane

No 3 - Ishbel shawl

No 4 - mini makes (ignore the 5 thats from a previous list!)

No 5 - hole punch ribbon quilt

No 6 - hunters star

I have the pattern for this from todays quilter, Im still unsure as to what fabric i will use so lets leave that for now!

No 7 - Charm pack for linus

No 8 - Mini charm pack for linus

No 9 - Michael Powell x stitch

No 10 - spruced up quilt

this is one I made last year but want to make some more for the SAL