Square Bright #1

Finished Size: 46"x38.5"

This was the first quilt that I have ever made, ever.

I have always wanted to do patchworking but have always felt that I didn't have the time or money. I then figured that I would never have the time or money and I should just do it.

So I went into a patchwork shop in Brighton and saw a quilt that is similar to this one and it went from there.

This quilt originally started out in Feb 05 as a lap quilt for my Nanna's 91st Birthday in June.

I then showed her the fabric in May and was told that the fabric was really bright and what was it? A table runner?

So that idea was laid to rest and I left it idling away. I then made arrangements to go to Melbourne in September to do a course and I knew that I wanted to see the lady that I used to live next door to. I always wanted to give her something to show her that I really appreciated everything that she did for me whilst I lived next door to her.

Then I realised that I had this quilt pretty much done. All I had to do was put backing on it. Couldn't be that hard right?

So I went to one of the quilt stores that I frequent quite a bit and was told that I should spread all three layers on the floor, pin it altogether and then quilt it it would be fine.

So I did that and then realised that I didn't know how to put the binding on it. So I went to the other quilt store that I go to a lot (and they actually have classes) and put myself down for a class.

Once I got to the class though, it turned out that I didn't spread the quilt tight enough and it was now lumpy and bubbly. Also the butterfly that I had appliqued (had no idea of what I was doing) on wasn't quite right so half of the first lesson was undoing the butterfly.

I then quilted the squares some more and thinking about it now I probably could've undone all the other quilting and started again, this time with it stretched tight. But as they say hindsight is always the best.

So it took me about three weeks of lessons and doing the homework outside of class to get it finished. When it was done it was lumpy where the fabric had poofed up and also wavy cause of not stretching it (again) and also I think when I was sewing on the binding I did it a bit tight.

When I gave it to her though she was so happy with it. She said that she would have to will it back to me when she went. She then asked if she could be buried with it when she died. I told her of course she could if she wanted to. She also said it was the best thing anyone had ever given her. I felt bad cause I think it is bodgy due to not stretching it right but she loves it.

I tried to point out all the things that were wrong and she wouldn't let me continue. She wouldn't hear of it and said that it doesn't matter what I think is wrong with it she thinks that it is perfect and doesn't want to hear of it any other way!!!

So that's the story of my first quilt.

Love k

Square Bright #2

Finished Size: 46"x38.5"

This is the second half of the quilt to Square Bright #1.

When I was making this quilt this second bit was to go on the bottom of the first bit but then I realised that it would be too big for a lap quilt and I was scared that if I did join it together my Nanna would trip over it so it became two.

I was then also planning on making it reversible but then figured it would be too hard to quilt together straight so it became two seperate quilts in their own entireity.

When I showed my Nanna the fabrics in May 05 she didn't like them at all and thought that they were much too bright.

So I finished off the other one and gave it to my Melbourne next door neighbour. See Square Bright #1 for the full story.

When I had finished Square Bright #1, I realised where I had gone wrong in making it as I was still new to the patchwork thing so I had my Grandma undo all of the sewing that I had done to finish the top of this quilt off and I started again. This one ended up much more straight and most of the corners met this time.

It also made finishing it off when quilting it much easier to do. It was also the first time that I did quilting on the border. I wanted to do something other than straight lines and found this leaf pattern in a stencil which turned out quite well.

So when my Nanna came over for Xmas Eve I was doing the show and tell that everyone expects and she then told me that it was beautiful.

I of course then got a bit annoyed at her and told her that she could have had it a lot sooner but she had previously told me that it was too bright and she didn't like it.

I then finished it in January soon after Xmas and gave it to her.



Soon after finishing it I left it out for an afternoon and came into the lounge room to see that it had gotten the Cat Seal of Approval from Fred.





She was and still is very worried that someone will steal it from her as she lives in a nursing home where things do go "missing" quite regularly. She told me the other night again that I should take it home as every time she has it out she gets a lot of attention. I told her that was the whole point and why I made it so bright.

Everytime she tells me this I tell her not to worry and if they are mean enough to steal it I will make her another one and and as long as she enjoys it that's all that matters.

Don't know if that helps her at all but I'm seriously not worried about it. I refuse to take it home on the off chance that some drop kick might steal it. As long as she is getting pleasure from it that's all that matters to me.

And this is my beautiful Nanna with her quilt.


Love k

Heaven Scent

I just can't help myself!!!

I bought this pattern at the last Midnight Madness on 7th April and since then it has been telling me to buy the material and make it.

So yesterday I went to Spotlight and bought $30 of material. I bought enough (I think) pink and beige for the whole thing and also got 5 different greens.

I'm going to change the colours a bit and have the green in the middle on the left a pink and the blue in the middle will become a purple, the yellows will stay where they are and the blue top left will become green.

I am also going to do the first blue border but then it will be finished. It makes it hard for me to finish them when they are bigger than a lap sized quilt.

16 April 2006

Then today I cut out enough material to do four squares which equals to one diamond in the pink. Man it is so much more fidly than what I thought it would be. I have finished sewing two together and half of another one. As the ones that I have finished are a bit skew if I think I'll have to trim them to 10.5".

Love k