MSBHBQAL linky doo dah

Almost done! Almost... The blog - famous Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt a Long!

So, we have the dogs mini quilt. She appears to 'dribble' when on the couch so I wanted something for her to lay on that could be removed for when a human body wanted to sit on the couch and not get covered in white/black depending on what you are wearing, hair. Molli's Grandma sent me these fabrics, can't remember why but I no complain, it seemed fitting they be used for the QAL and even more so as it was Molli's idea and G'ma Sparkles was visiting - Kismet!

I still have to finish the binding on but Miss Daisy has well and truly adopted this blanket as hers! I have a plan to put it on the floor and see if she will sleep on it there... there is a method to my madness...

I didn't want to have any scraps left over so went on a bit of a piecing journey and did a crazy paving accent to the back.

Then... I decided I liked the BHB pattern and having 2 friends who were both pregnant and having bucket loads of rainbow strips left from swaps I decided to put my own spin on the BHB. I love white on quilts, love white as a colour. I found some cute white on white dragon fly material at my LQS and bought what was left on the bolt, came home and strip cut, found the brightest in coloured strips and put my own spin on the block...

 This is quilt #1... Baby Anna Joan came into the world just 2 days ago so this will be bound in pink and gifted when we meet her, can't wait! She looks like a wise soul, she's been here before this baby! I am thrilled for her mum and dad, dad especially. I have watched him grow into a fine young man and am over the moon he is a daddy.

Using quilt lite as the batting this quilt doesn't need a lot of quilting. I used some King Tut variegated rainbow thread and did a stitch in the ditch around the squares and then a fancy stitch between the rows and around the edges (after the photo was taken). Now to trim and bind...

And this second baby quilt which is taken on it's side, woops but I don't have time to retake the photo! This one is a white dot on white and done the same way. This is for a rainbow baby due in about 10 weeks time. This bubba had older twin brothers who never took a breath when they were born full term. Over the moon my friend is expecting again and can't wait till her new bundle is here and can be given this. I chose not to put a white border around it (a slight stuff up with the batting cut - being resourceful) I will bind it in white instead I think. This is on the machine at the moment being fancied up.

Joining in with the linky uppy think on Molli's blog!

In overdrive! RBHBQ's here we come!

Most of my friends have finished their families, a bit sad when I have just started sewing quilts really... But I have 2 friends who are currently pregnant. D&M and A&C. This is a post with very mixed emotions so please bear that in mind when reading it.

I used to be D's boss in my last corporate job, then D used to mow our lawns. D married M a few years ago now and I am over the moon they are finally having a baby!

I went to college with C (8 years ago). Tragically 2 years ago she had stillborn twin boys Eli and Cody. Simply tragic that they both passed away. She was 9 months pregnant, a few days overdue actually. For what ever reason these beautiful bubba's weren't compatible with life and it has been a hard road for her and her husband since their birth. But we are delighted she is pregnant again, now 28 weeks and everything looks to be travelling nicely for her. I am sure this is the easy part for her, the hard part will be in 18-20 weeks time as the birth gets closer. I hope she doesn't leave the hospital empty handed again... This will be her rainbow baby... which got me thinking...

I am a sucker for quilts with a lot of white. Love them. I haven't seen Molli's flikr group with everyones WIPs' for his QAL and to be honest I didn't want to quash my idea before it had taken off. Amelia and I have signed up for a few swaps so we had to go to a LQS to choose the fabric. While I was there I looked for a white white on white fabric that would be suitable for a baby.

And then the creating began...

 Sashing ready to go...

 Sewing strips

First up - pink!

Next off the rank is red!

Next is blue, but the family needed feeding last night and I was very tired so I had to stop!

Still working out how much fabric I will need for one of these but so far it looks like I can do a block from one strip pair and one extra strip of sashing. This will mean I will have enough fabric for quilts for both baby's but they won't be gifted till these bubba's are home and in their cots.

Broken Herringbone & G'ma Sparkles FQ's

The lovely Molli has been hosting the webfamous MSBHQAL what a mouthful! I initially thought I would have time to join in but a kitchen reno, mother visiting, school Shakespeare and school holidays (and not in that order) have seen not a jot of anything much sewing related happening...

Until...

Last week, Amelia had a sleep over at a friends house and Stef had booked my car in for a service. At home, BY MYSELF for 5 hours, for the first time in SIX months, I had a go at the Herringbone...

Grandma Sparkles sent me some FQ's months ago, lovely fabrics but not really me being black, white and red. Lovely colours but not colours that feature in my wardrobe. I didn't want to give them away, especially as they were a gift to me! I knew I would find something to do with them... cue Daisy!

Daisy LOVES sleeping on the couch, I don't have a problem with that at all but I do have a problem with remembering to de-hair before guests come over and feel dreaful when they walk out with a bottom looking like a lamington a-la-Daisy...

*bing*! Lighbulb moment!!

Pretty happy with how it turned out! Then left with strips of the balance of the FQ's and the bits from the block I had an idea in my head, but it didn't quite work out exactly as I had pictured but, I am happy with it!

I then 'funked' up the back making a crazy block with the cut off's from the herring bone block!

This is a small, I wouldn't actually go  so far as to call it a quilt, let's downgrade it to a mat. It will be perfect for our ball of balck and white to curl up on and be easier to wash than the couch when she makes it up on it before I have wiped muddy (or worse) paws.

I have sewn the binding on it and will join and finish that today/tomorrow...

Then the brain went into overdrive...

Rainbow quilt

I thought I had done a post on this but it would appear not!

One of the groups I belong to on Facebook is a Rainbow Swapping group. I had never given rainbows much thought or consideration other than looking at them in the sky but they have found a place in my heart along with some very special friends from this group. This is the group I went away with the Stroud in January this year. A great bunch of girls and a guy who would bend over backwards for you. They send you random gifts, include chocolates and stuff in swaps when they come back, I love them!

So, one of my first swaps was a width of fabric or WOF rainbow, a bright 90% tone on tone swap. I was blown away by the colours of the roll returned! Not sure what I was going to do with it someone shared or I found somewhere clicking on blogs and Pinterest a link to a 'strip and flip baby quilt'. Looked easy enough and something certainly achievable in a quick space of time.

Armed with some white homespun I whipped up the top and took it to Stroud with me to get some help with the stripping and flipping.

Many months later I got around to basting and trying my hand at some FMQ and while it wasn't difficult and I have a long way to go to be as good as a lot of other people out there I am happy with the result. Quilted with a variegated rainbow KingTut thread left over from the leaves on this with a bright blue back and almost fluro yellow binding!
 

I tried to FMQ a pattern that was reflected in the fabric of the strip I was sewing on. I only sewed alternate rows as the batting was quilt lite and that doesn't need a lot of sewing. I might get brave and take some close up's of the stitches...

This now resides on the back of my chair and has been used almost every day. 20 years ago I never imagined I would have a quilt on the back of my chair let alone use it if I had one, how times have changed!