Catch up

Been ages, hasn't it? I haven't done as much sewing as I'd like but it's been that kind of year. I have many projects 'in progress' including painting Little Lady's toybox with only the final coat of gloss to go on the lid (don't even ask how long it has taken to get that far), making pyjamas and embroidered easter egg bags for both my monkeys, the summer quilts which still need backs (hopefully they'll be finished by next summer), the candied hexagon quilt which I chip away at each time I go to a Sit and Sew Evening for the Melbourne Modern Quilt Guild, my hexagon cathedral window pillow cover (really need to finish this one off), and the crocheted rug which I think still needs a final border.

The only things I've managed to finish are things that were for other people. I've been doing a bit of volunteer sewing work for Little Lady's Kindergarten including designing and completing 6 custom fit double-sided sound deadening table covers for use at the Kinder, and also donating a number of small embroidered easter egg bags that I made specifically for the Easter fundraiser which helped pay for a duck hatching program at the Kinder which all the kids just loved. I've also made a few more easy-release craft aprons for a client similar to this, and my favourite is a wonderful baby quilt and matching block by request from my dear friend, Leah, which I just have to show here.

The front featured a puppy dog, robot and tow truck with trapunto detail and a hand embroidered Name & Birthdate panel.

The robot may be familiar to some as its from Kellie Wulfsohn of Don't Look Now's "Robot Riot" quilt.

I wanted the back to also have some detail and loved the "Modern Pickle Relish" design by Modern Quilt Relish which I adjusted slightly to suit a square quilt shape.

I quilted it with a medium density meandering loop pattern over the coloured sections using a blue variegated rayon thread, and used a tighter meandering loop and star pattern in the white border and white background areas of the applique shapes with a white rayon thread.

The block has lots of textured ribbon tabs around it's borders and I loved the idea of making it more interactive so included a dinosaur with a crinkly spiky spine and a felt kite with ribbon tail for bubs to play with.

It's projects like these that remind me how much I love quilting.