Twenty-five Pin Cushions

My Patchwork of the Crosses has taken a back seat this weekend.

But that is fine because I have been busy making twenty-five pin cushions.

As you can see they look very flat at the moment  - stuffing is next on the list.

I had fun deciding on designs. 

These were first - fussy cut motifs fused on and then quilted.

Then onto some scraps from a previous project - they were already pieced into strips.

Now for some simple stripes,

framed ones, 

squares and now of to stuff them and close the gap. 

They all have a layer of batting on the top side and have been straight line machine quilted.

These are gifts for a group of young people (11 and 12 year olds) in a South 

Auckland school that am about to teach to make a quilt.

I am also teaching 20+ staff members at the school to make the same quilt - our

Easy Retro Beginners Quilt and I can't wait to get started.

Tips for POTC

As promised here are some tips I found useful when English Paper Piecing 

my Patchwork of the Crosses blocks.

I have enjoyed using the Sewline Glue Stick, but don't overdo the amount of glue you add on.

I put the glue onto the card not the fabric and hold it briefly in place to help it stick.

You can always add more glue if the fabric is coming unattached.

I am enjoying the wider seam allowance that these templates allow as if my 

cutting / matching is a fraction out I have room to move to get my motifs 

lining up perfectly.

When cutting eight of one fabric that doesn't need fussy cutting I fold it over and four 

at once.  I  hold the plastic template in place and cut around it.

When cutting my 24 background honeycombs that go around each

block I have my fabric folded in four and I draw around my plastic honeycomb

interlocking each shape as I go, then cut out with my good dressmaking scissors.

I have been using a fine pigma pen recently for this. It is nice and fine and after

all I am only drawing on the cutting line.

Once an area is surrounded I remove the card. This is keeping the card in 

better condition as I was tending to bend the pieces quite a lot when I was 

working further out in my block. My cards are being used many times and 

that is working out just fine.

I found a the beginning my blocks were all in a similar format - with the cross being 

well defined in my first four honeycombs - now I am trying to take my 

focus elsewhere in the block eg: out to the edges.

Next I need to go back and re-use some of the fabrics but put them in 

a different positions within the blocks.

Patchwork of the Crosses Update

This is the block that I have made this week - the challenge I set myself was to 

make a block that didn't have the simple four piece cross in the middle with two fabrics 

on the outside. I had decided my block layout was getting too predictable.

I have been busy this week trying to get all the background honeycombs added onto 

the blocks I have made - just three more blocks to go. From now on they are going 

on as I make them - that keeps life more interesting as creating new blocks is 

so much more fun than adding on the cream pieces.

This is Cynthia's first block made in red French General - how stunning  and

fresh looking is that.

And these are Pauline' s next three blocks in the Japanese taupe range.

I love the way she is mixing textures with the print fabric and the woven.

Back soon with stitching tips.

100 Modern Quilt Blocks

We had another great day at our Breakfast Club on Saturday morning - beautiful 

Pain Aux Raisins with coffee started the morning.

Then it was time to share the latest ten blocks everyone had made.

Everyone is doing such a great job of their blocks.

This month's set was the start of the triangle section of Tula Pink's book.

Some people had not worked with triangles before and they did particularly well.

This is the next set to be made before the July Meeting.

And some are already asking what the plan is for next year's

Saturday morning Breakfast Club!!!!

Patchwork of the Crosses Progress

This week has seen the second row completed and one new block made.

I am surprised how much better each block looks once it is surrounded by the cream fabric.

We are building up a special selection of the 8m pieces that you need for backgrounds 

at the shop. It might pay for you to decide what you want and purchase it so you can start surrounding your blocks. I suspect it will become a bit of a chore if you leave adding

the neutral until the end.

Sue has been busy and sent in photos of her next set of blocks - she too seems to be addicted!!!

They are so cool - thanks for sending in your photos Sue.

Back tomorrow with the next set of 10 blocks form our "100 Modern Quilt Blocks".

We had our Breakfast Club meeting at the shop this morning.

A Finished 1930s Quilt and a Taupe Start

As promised here are the two machine pieced quilts I have been working on lately.

The first is a 1930s quilt. 

In fact it is made with authentic American Feedsack fabrics for the 30s that 

I purchased from the States. The yellow is new fabric but typical of the yellow 

used at this time. ere are some close-ups so you can see the fabrics more clearly.

I have machine pieced and quilted this cot quilt - 32" by 44".

This is the new machine project I have started. And it is a welcome

return to my all time favourite fabrics - Japanese woven taupes.

It is great to use a variety of fabrics and to make quilts in a variety 

of styles, but Iove returning to my taupe collection.

This will be a big quilt - the block is 8" finished.

Back soon, Robyn

Patchwork of the Crosses Blocks - A Big Variety

This week has seen two more extreme blocks created or started. 

One that is rather dull and a centre that might just be to far "out there".

First the duller one - very brown. But I still like it.

I am trying to add the background fabric to my blocks as I go now, 

so I have a bit of catching up to do - three more blocks to surround.

But I am sure I will have to make a new one as well as I need to show 

you a new one each week! A good excuse for keeping up the variety of activity!!!!

I have eight joined up now. I will post  a photo as each row is added.

This the "too much wow" factor centre that may never get into the quilt - we will see.

Pauline has joined us in Patchwork of the Crosses and she has decided to use her 

favourite (and mine actually) Japanese taupe fabrics - aren't her blocks stunning.

 About a month ago we sent Sue a big bundle of fat eighths from our 1800s

range and she has produced these fabulous Patchwork of the Crosses blocks.

She is lucky enough to have been to Lucy Boston's house in the UK and actually

seen the original quilt.

Back tomorrow with a new finished quilt and a new started quilt.

These are both machine pieced. I always like to have a hand and a machine 

project on the go. 

Pity there isn't just one of each started!!

But really patchwork is an addiction and two just wouldn't seem right!

I do finish just about everything I start - some just take longer.

But it is all good and I am never ever bored, with nothing to do.