Not the only tone it down - Bloggers' quilt festival

I'm sure I'm not the only one to enter an APQ tone it down quilt in the scrappy quilt category of Amy's creative side - bloggers' quilt festival


I finished this top ages ago, and it is such a pretty quilt.  Having been busy with crocheting tea cosies for the last six months, I finally got around to quilting this top and I'm pretty happy with the result.  Sadly, its now too hot to use it, so I'll have to wait for some cooler nights.

so pretty!

Detail of the quilting and the back

One block - I love that chook fabric

Coral Reef tea cosy is done

I've finally finished it.  Two people want it.  I'm planning on making a series of landscape cosies and this is the first one.

This is a picture heavy post, a bit similar to this cosy, which is very heavy for a cosy.

jellyfish

stuff

Sea urchin & sea snake

more sea snake & stuff

ray

hermit crab and starfish

octopus

from the top

I'm finally in the middle of quilting the tone it down quilt.  Maybe a couple more weeks to go.

Too many WIPs - Progress report

I became a finisher.
Now, I have returned to my earlier self and procrastinate.
I started to piece some drunkards path blocks - I want to make two lap quilts for a couple of friends, but I'm wavering on the layouts. Here are some possibilities. I might make them mirror images, one with the dark quarter circles and the other with the light. Any ideas?

Matchy matchy

Not matchy

The start of a mirror image
I need to commit to a couple of things, one of which is to finish stuff before I start anything else. Other current WIPs are:
Waiting to be basted and quilted

This one is boring - well it was but the photo has disappeared. Bad blogsy.  Put it back now!

Lovely tone it down

Long term project

Still working on this shawl

Owl tea cosy for my sister

APQ Tone it Down QAL - Flimsy finish

Hooray, it is done.  The top section really isn't darker than the bottom section.  I think this is just shadow from under the house.

APQ Tone it Down quilt blocks - DONE - tick

I finally became really industrious and decided to chain piece the last four blocks at once.  I should have done this from the beginning, apart from the first block.

It has been a mountain of sewing - I webbed the sub-units to make sure I didn't get them muddled - thanks Bonnie Hunter!

Here are the last four blocks.

And here they all are together.  Obviously my design wall is not high enough to fit them all on.  This isn't the final layout and I still have to make 27 more nine patches for the sashing, but its looking lovely.

It is such a pretty quilt.

The hexagons continue, although I am starting to get stabbing pains in my hand - I think from all the hand sewing.  I might have to slow down on those.

Once the Tone it Down quilt is finished, I'll have two quilt tops to baste and quilt and one still being made into a top.  I think I've already decided on the next one - curved piecing!

APQ Tone it Down quilt - blocks 15 and 16 - hooray!

Only four left to make!  I've started to put up some of the sashing that I originally cut up.

That blue sashing at the top right might have to go.

Even after I make the last four blocks, I've still go heaps of little nine patches to make - there's only one up so far, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I think this will be a very pretty quilt.  Not sure if I should give it away or keep it for myself.

Hexagons so far for my not GMFG really quilt.  These finish with one inch sides.

APQ tone it down blocks 13 & 14 WIP

I've snuck in a bit of sewing during the week and this WIP is for two blocks for the tone it down quilt, not for the quilt itself :-(

Block 13 has two seams left to sew. I knew this one would be problematic, as the fabric for the centre of the block is a bit light in value. I had to try and use low value fabrics that wouldn't compete with the main colour. I think it's turned out alright.

For block 14, all the little bits are sewn together, but there's still a fair bit of sewing to do. It's not ready to go on the design wall. I've also made and connected another 5 hexi flowers for my other quilt, but no photo of the new flowers yet.

 

Linking up to Lee at freshly pieced for WIP Wednesday. http://www.freshlypieced.com/2014/03/wip-wednesday-vintage-quilt-revival-at.html

 

APQ Tone it Down - blocks eleven and twelve

I had a big sewing session last night and this morning.  Blocks eleven and twelve are now done - It takes about four solid hours of sewing to complete two blocks - that is with most of the pieces already cut.

Blocks so far...

I've also completed a few more flowers for my hexi quilt.  I only make these on the train, down at the dog park and at night time if I watch a bit of telly.  These hexis have one inch sides, excluding the seam allowance, and I've been sewing them together with a running stitch.  This is more my style - lots of loud colour.

I'm still painting our little sitting room - it is bright yellow.  So, lots of things in progress.

TGIFF flimsy

I'm not sure if it counts as a finish, but the lap sized flimsy for my sister's husband is done.  Have to baste it and quilt it now.  Fred is still watching those kangaroos.

I've also started to sew together my unsuccessful low volume quilt that has no purpose.  Four seams left to sew and then I might get around to quilting it.

No progress on the APQ Tone it down QAL, as I need to finish these first.

I've crocheted another floor rug, but no pics here.

Now that I have nothing left to do on the train, I've started hand sewing another hexi quilt.  This time, I'm using 1 inch hexagons and creating single flowers which will butt up against each other.  There will be a few fussy cut flowers, but not too many to overwhelm the other flowers.

I'm not sure if this will become a queen size or double, but I plan for it to take a long time.

I hope I like this one when its done, as I don't really like the last few quilts I've worked on.  This one is more my style.

Linking up to TGIFF

APQ QAL Tone it down - blocks nine and ten!

Halfway there!  (excluding the sashing and nine patch cornerstones).

Blocks 8 and 9

Ten down and ten to go

APQ Tone it down QAL - Blocks seven and eight

Whew!  I've done blocks seven and eight now, as well as finished the flimsy for my sister's husband.

Here are blocks seven and eight - I'm not sure which is which, as I am piecing two at a time, to save a bit of time.  I'm linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday.  Check out everyone's WIPs!  http://www.freshlypieced.com/2014/02/wip-wednesday-semi-wordless.html

This one's a bit the same as some others

The circle is much more prominent that the cross on this one - never mind.

All eight blocks so far

Pictures of the flimsy will be in my next post.  I'm trying to find some 505 basting spray in Brisbane, but it seems rather difficult to do.  I might have to pin baste once again, as the stuff they sell at Spotlight simply doesn't work.