Avocado Salad

Not Zero, But Close

jaycadiram — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:02:57 +0000

It’s been a crazy-busy weekend as we continue to sort through our things and get rid of stuff we don’t need and/or can live without in preparation for moving/downsizing. No news yet on Body Corporate approval of Jack, which is the absolute last thing stopping us from saying the new penthouse is officially ‘ours’… That won’t be decided until this coming Wenesday. Fingers crossed!
All of which means that while I didn’t have a zero quilting weekend it certainly was nearly as good as: all I really got was done was unpicking Jack’s quilt top and putting it back together as per the machine quilting quilt-along instructions, and then basting it. Oh, and I also got my practice pad basted up and ready.
Now I just have to be patient until next weekend, when the next instalment of the quilt-along gets me started machine quilting! (My parents also arrive from overseas for a four-week holiday, so it’s going to be another eventful weekend!)

Jack Can’t Wait For The Quilt-Along

jaycadiram — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:54:07 +0000

I’ve really been excited about getting started on this quilt top and getting it ready for the machine quilting quilt-along.
When I bought the fabrics I chose the brightest colours and most fun patterns I could find, envisioning the resulting quilt top as being one “only a mother could love”.
I kept smiling to myself as I cut into each of the fabrics (despite watching the deeply disturbing ‘The Experiment’, the new Adrian Brody, Forrest Whittaker movie) and couldn’t help but enjoy myself as I handled these immensely cheerful fabrics. I was really surprised when I finished the quilt top (an hour and a half later) to find that it actually wasn’t as garish and eye-watering as I had thought it would be.

It’s also the perfect size for Jack, and it’s pretty obvious that while I may be excited about the next step in the quilt-along being posted sometime this weekend, Jack is very excited about the entire quilt-along being over and his new quilt finished. He’s such a softy.

Ready For A(nother) Quilt Along

jaycadiram — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:26:52 +0000

I’ve really been bitten by the machine quilting bug recently, and have been following the 365 Days Of Free Motion Quilting Filler Designs with much interest and have been looking forward to the A Few Scraps machine quilting quilt along kicking into gear.
The list of materials and instructions for the simple quilt top were released over the last few days and I went to Lincraft at lunch time today (which should explain why I was unable to find either topstitching or quilting machine needles, and had to settle for universal size 90/14 needles instead… Pathetic. I wish I had a better craft store in the area) and bought everything I need. I’ve decided that this quilt is going to be for Jack, since his old one is quite shredded and torn (he not only likes to get cozy with his quilts but also play tug-of-war with them), and so I bought the brightest fabrics I could find (I read an article a year or so ago that said that it is a fallacy that dogs can only see in black and white; dogs can actual see very pale, washed out versions of colours, which explains why Jack loves bright pink soft toys best).
I also bought some thin batting, some bent safety pins and some cotton thread (in another bright colour…. This is going to be one jazzy quilt!).

I was itching to cut into the fabric tonight and start sewing the top up but decided that, as the basting instructions won’t be posted until this weekend, there is no rush and I should keep at my Island Home Scrappy quilt top and get that finished first. I don’t actually have all that much left to do on it, so should have it finished by Thursday night.

Hexagon Hound

jaycadiram — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:13:48 +0000

I thought it about time I posted an update on my hexagon quilt.
I tend to make about 25-35 hexagons and then sew them all together, and then sew that unit to the whole. Initially I was adding each hexagon to the whole as I made them, but found that as the whole became bigger and bigger it was becoming harder and harder fir me to manipulate the whole and the hexagons as I sewed them together, meaning the process was taking longer and longer and becoming less fun and satisfying.
At times I’m amazed at how quickly it’s growing, and at others (like this afternoon when I laid it out on our bed) I feel quite daunted and wonder just how long it’s going to take me to get it to the size I want (I want the finished quilt to be at least 225cm by 210cm). At the moment I’m considering helping it along the way a bit, and breaking up the riot of colour, by adding borders every so often (40cm perhaps?) but haven’t made a conscious decision about that yet.
In meantime, a picture: rather than Jack on a quilt, this times it’s a quilt on Jack!

A Musical Interlude With Gene

jaycadiram — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:34:11 +0000

I had no idea Gene could not only quilt like a mad thing but also carry a mean tune with a great voice too! Check him out here, and check out his AccuQuilt GO! video elsewhere on his blog while you’re at it.

A Birthday Giveaway – quick, quick!

jaycadiram — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:16:51 +0000

Want to win some cool stuff? You better be quick! This contest is nearly over so get in with some speed!

Island Home Scrappy

jaycadiram — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 11:19:24 +0000

The last of my Australia Rolls jelly roll nine patches were sewn up and added to the pile this morning and, when we got home( from voting, shopping, looking at a new craft computer for me, going to the sale at Spotlight, and trawling around the car shops for a connector for our Avan) Mark helped me lay them all out with the snowball blocks. We played around with the arrangement of the blocks until we were happy with the placement and there they lie, on the rug downstairs, until I am ready to get sewing tomorrow. I have, however, finally come up with a more apt name for this quilt: my Island Home Scrappy. I’ve wanted an Australian quilt since I got my citizenship six years ago, and will finally have one very soon!

In the meantime I’m excited about my next project for which I bought all the fabric today. I’m a VIP member at Spotlight and got a coupon via email entitling me to $40 off when I spent $100 between last Thursday and this Sunday. I went crazy: three metres of two border fabrics and 33 fat quarters later I paid $70 at the register for $110 worth of material!

The pattern that I’ve fallen in love with is ‘Land of Lincoln’, from the new issue of American Patchwork & Quilting.

I had planned to make it in the same colourway as pictured in the magazine, as I love brown and blue together, but Mark vetoed that as he thinks brown and blue together will date quickly and look “old and drab”.

Far be it from me to argue with the other body who will be sleeping under the finished quilt, and I decided to go with golds, purples and greens instead. I’m not entirely sure that I will be making the central medallion as in the pattern, and am considering some appliquéd flowers and berries, but that is only a notion at this point.

I’ve got six nine patches left over and have decided that they will be the start of my attempt at making linen – sheets and pillowcases – for us once we’ve moved to the new apartment in October.

Getting over my fears

jaycadiram — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:57:59 +0000

I’ll say it loud and (not particularly) proud: I hate machine quilting my own quilts.
Ive been sewing for 14 years and making quilts for about ten, and in all that time I’ve never mastered, or even come close to mastering, quilting on my machine. Yes, I have finished quite a few quilts in the years I’ve been making quilts, but the majority of those were quilted in the ditch. There is only one quilt that I’ve made that I can truly say has been quilted ‘properly’, and that was a nightmare to do.
So it is with some excitement and trepidation that I am throwing my hat in for the A Few Scraps quilt along and giveaway… No excuses now!

Nine-Patch Update

jaycadiram — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:23:42 +0000

I’m exactly half way through sewing the nine-patch blocks for my Civil War Scrappy using the Australian Rolls by Nutex jelly roll that I bought a few weeks ago. I’m really pleased with the results so far, even the nine-patch made using the fluorescent print which we matched with a pure black and white to tone it down.
Can’t wait to get them all done and start playing with placement and putting the finished top together!

Pets on Quilts Voting

jaycadiram — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:45:29 +0000

I entered the picture I posted a few days ago of Jack lounging on my new jelly roll sampler quilt in the Pets On Quilts competition and am excited to announce that voting has begun! Please visit the site and consider voting for my gorgeous boy and my new quilt, and if you have a pet get snapping and quickly submit a photo of your furry (or feathered or scaled) friend and your latest quilt creation as submissions close soon!
Here is the link.