Maverick Stars quilt top completed.

This was finished a few days ago but no time to post as we have been away at two very wet car rallies this weekend. After being promised a lovely summer by the weather people July has been a very wet month particularly the weekends. There have been record sales of camping equipment this year with the credit crunch but after the last couple of weeks I suspect some of it has ended up in the wheelie bin or at the charity shop!
Anyway, back to the quilt! I finished it with a random border which I always wanted to try plus its a great way to use up leftover scraps. Also I think using the three fabrics in the border help to finish the quilt off properly and balance the different fabrics.

Here are closer views of a corner.

The plan now is to use this top as a practise piece for machine quilting - I want to try some different techniques and experiment with echo quilting.
Over the weekend I have done some stitchery for a birthday block and a Noah's Ark block which I hope to be able to show soon.

Two more Black & White Log Cabin Blocks.

I am pleased to report that I have two new log cabin blocks from the Birthday Block Swap. The first is from Libby who lives in Buffalo NY.

This second one is from Sue who isn't a member of the Block Swap but who kindly said that I couldn't just have 11 blocks so she made me this one! Thanks Sue!

Sue is a friend from blogland who has now become a 'real' friend. I read on her blog that she had just moved to Yorkshire and wanted to join an embroidery/patchwork group. I invited her to visit ours and she decided to join!
I still have a couple of blocks to come in to make up my 12 - fingers crossed they will arrive soon.

Next border on Maverick Stars Quilt

This morning I completed the next border on Maverick Stars. I have used the same zig zag border that I used on the Laura Ashley quilt. I really like the framing effect of this border but of course you do need to get your measurements correct to get the triangles to fit.

Here is a closer view of the corner. One of the things that stands out to me is the randomness of the stripes on the white zig zags. At one time I would have hated this and tried to get the stripes to match but now I think it adds to the scrappiness and the design as a whole.
I do want to look into working with stripes more as this accounts for most of the recycled shirts that I love to use!

There will only be one more border which will be scrappy bricks in the blue fabrics. I hope that this will frame the quilt nicely and help to use up all the bits of blue I have left over. I have decided that there is enough black and white spot fabric in the quilt now.

I took this photo a couple of days ago. Most of my sons' clothing is black and this shows what happens if you wash a couple of hundred red charm squares in with your dark wash!

Colourful antique quilts.

Not much quilting has occurred in the last few days so no progress reports at the moment. This week is the last week of school here in England so I am busy with last minute stuff, not least help with GCSE Art coursework which I should be able to show soon.
Anyway I still have loads of stuff to blog from our recent trip to the US.
When we were in Paducah we went to a smaller show in a church hall which had a small display of antique quilts mostly from the 19th century. I was particularly taken with the brightly coloured, pieced ones as these are my favourite type of quilts.

This is a traditional Double Wedding Ring done in the 1940s but it is so modern! I love the rainbow placement of colours in the curved piecing.

This one is Goose Tracks from the 1880s, I love the use of the yellow and the hand quilting in the plain squares.

A lovely example of Trip Around the World. A bit more pastel than some of the Typical Amish ones but the colour placement is superb and gives it real 'movement'.

This one is an unusual colour combination but so refreshingly different. Again I love the yellow!

Electronic patchwork!

Last Thursday Geoff and I went to an exhibition here in Barnsley of the work of Walter Giers who makes electronic art.

Most of it was not to my taste apart from this one piece.

I shall call it electronic patchwork! Here is the grid with no lights.

And then as it lights up different patchwork patterns appear.

How fantastic would that be on a wall in your house?

Maverick Stars Quilt

This quilt was started in February this year and is another that was abandoned, partly due to time and partly due to being undecided about the next border.
I was really pleased with it when I first made it so I do really want to get it to the quilting stage as it will be great for practising my machine quilting and also it will make a great quilt for a child. It would be lovely to have some quilts 'in hand' for when a gift is needed.

The stars are a Bonnie Hunter design from quiltville.com, they are made from a selection of 2 inch squares.

This was where I had got to in February and stopped. This was 25 inches square. First I decided I wanted a rectangular quilt not a square.

So I have added sections to each end, this now measures approx 25 x 33 inches. Next border coming soon! Luckily I have found all the fabrics I was using!

Birthday Block Swap - May Blocks

May was 'my' month in this swap and I thought I would share photos of the blocks I have received.
My theme was black and white log cabin with red centres. I did not give any instructions about the sizes of logs or centres because I wanted the scrappy effect.
There are 12 of us in the group so I was expecting 11 blocks. So far I have received 9, although one lady made two and one block was made for me by Sue who was in a different group from me. 4 members of the group have not sent a block although 2 have been in touch to say that they are still intending to make my block.

I really love the blocks I have received - the advantage of swapping is that you get a much scrappier effect than you could just using your own fabrics (unless you had a mega stash!). What I have decided to do is to use 8 of the blocks as the central panel of the quilt and then add more panels to the sides. The first will be flying geese. I think this could make a really attractive quilt.

Here are some close up photos.

The block I have left over will be made into a cushion for DS2's girlfriend for her birthday next week.