Eleanor's teddy quilt

Apart from a name (and hence a label) this quilt is done, and I'll give it to Eleanor tomorrow. Of course, that means it may never get a label, but never mind!

This is the back (fairy frost) after quilting, before binding:
And here's the completed quilt. I've wanted to do a snow crystal block for ages.

Although there are some missed points, I really like this little quilt, and I know it'll be well used.
A detail of the centre, where you can see the quilte diamonds:

And an angled shot to show the quilting on the front (all taken inside tonight):

This is the third quilt I've made with the Dance with Fairies range this year. I have plenty more, but am moving on to some different projects for a while.

The Box is Back!

The story of The Box:

I bought a standard, every-day postage box from my local post office to send a small 1st birthday quilt to Baby Hillbilly in 2006. Ellie then formed an attachment to said box, and when she moved, it went with her. She 'lent' it to me a year later, sending me some fabric for the bed quilt she'd commissioned for Baby Hillbilly. Sadly it wasn't big enough to return the single bed quilt in, but when the Little One arrived shortly after, I returned the box with a play quilt. Since then, Ellie has subjected it to a photo shoot and who knows what else! Then yesterday it was back on my doorstep containing the Pay It Forward gifts Ellie made me. I wonder what it's next journey will be?

Ellie made me a fantastic bag in black and white, which might actually be big enough to lug around all the stuff I tend to take with me. Plus, with the handle, it's far too long for James to claim!

But the bag is outshone by the gorgeous dress she made for Eleanor. Eleanor wore it out today, and it's perfect on her. Unfortunately she's at a bad stage for photos, and it's hard to get anything decent - I had to stand her on my sewing table to have any chance!

Thank you Ellie, we love them!

Quantity

Here is Fairy Dancing, the bed quilt for my niece Zoe, who's just turned two.

I finished sewing the label on at 1.30 this morning, and had ot be at her party at the awfully early hour of 9am. That meant getting up earlier than I would for work; plus I had to photograph it!

I'm not entirely happy with it. I was working to such a tight timeframe, I didn't have the chance to make changes where I might otherwise have.

And being so rushed, I didn't get to check the photos before we had to wrap it and leave, and they're not as sharp as they should be. I'm getting tired of that.

But I do like this row of stars.

And these fairies bordered by triangles.

The photo for the label was taken at James' birthday party last year - and the same facepainter was there today! (Yes, James was a butterfly again!)

And here's the two-year-old fairy looking at her new quilt:

I've been working on Eleanor's teddy quilt tonight, and getting frustrated with skimpy seam allowances where there should have been ample. I'm starting to think I need to wind back on quilt numbers and focus on taking time to make quilts I like, rather than committing myself to some I really don't want to. Despite the problems, it's nice to be working on a design I love, and something for my own family for a change. And Eleanor will be wanting a bed quilt soon, too!

On that grumpy note, I'm off to bed.

Swimming

New arrivals; stash = 1.075km.
Margaret; I hold you responsible for most of this next selection!

And this lot for a new commission:

And a selection of fabric stacks which have recently left, or are about to leave. From left, my offering the Great International Stash-Busting-Giveaway, 5in charm squares for a swap with the EB quilters, and 6.5in charm squares for my 1km giveaway.

No sewing tonight, just lots more cutting. And the spotlight B&W fabrics that Kelly found for me arrived, too. Thank you very much, Kelly ! Tomorrow night I must get on with Zoe's quilt again; I've not touched it for 2 nights, and her party is on Sunday!

And here I am at the pool yesterday with Eleanor and James. We went to my old local pool with Mummy. They loved it, and although neither can swim (they both start lessons in March - I've finally got myself organised and booked them in!) it was infinitely easier this time than last summer. It's a great pool; plenty of grass, relatively quiet, and by late afternoon the large gum trees shade most of the 50m pool, as well as the toddler pool being shaded.

James is desperate to go off the diving board, so I got him to practise jumping in the shallow end and going right under water when he landed. He got really good at it, so we started diving for his diving rings. I'd swim down (about 1m) with him in my arms, and guide his hand to pick it up himself. If I could remember anything from when I trained as a swim teacher, I'd've tried more seriously to teach him something! I trained to teach the swim and survive classes after doing several of the RLSSA life saving awards, but started teaching skiing instead, and never actually taught swimming.

More stars

While I was meant to be adding borders to Zoe's quilt tonight, I was making another 8 of these stars. I now have 15, with another 20 to go for this quilt. I think I'll stick with it. My idea was to make something which might appeal more to teenage boys.
It's not as orange as it appears in the photo, they're mostly deeper, richer reds.

More

At last the centre of Zoe's quit top is complete. It's 50in across. I just need to add the borders, then can start sandwiching and quilting.
Surprisingly, the blocks in the next 2 photos are the same:

And here's a slightly different star for the Bushfire Quilts Project. I'm not entirely sold on it, although I've done 7 of the planned 35. I really think it would have been better on the white background I'd planned, if only I'd been able to find more white. I might have to try and get to Tricia's and see what she has on Tuesday. Any thoughts?

Wanted (has now been obtained)

I realised I wasn't going to be satisfied until I'd put a few quilt tops together for the Bushfire Quilt Project, so I popped into my local Spotlight this afternoon for some background fabrics. Unfortunately their range was rather low, but I bought the rest of the bolt of these two fabrics. I've done some calculations since I got home, and to make single bed quilts (which is what I've heard there's a need for, along with queen-size) I need another 2.4m of the black and 1m of the white. If you could have a look at your local Spotlight and pick some up if they have any, I would be most grateful. I'm happy to reimburse you for fabric and postage; they're only $6.99/m.

(These squares about about 11cm)

Thanks to the wonder of bloggers, Kelly has already found the fabric for me, though I'm still on the look-out for cheap backing and batting.

I've rather blown the budget on fabric, but if anyone knows where I can get batting cheaply (I'm in Adelaide) I would like to do the quilting as well, since Tia's going to have her hands more than full!

I'm hoping to be able to use as many scraps as possible (blues to go with the white, and reds to go with the black) to make the stars. (I'm planning to make quilts which will suit boys).

Take a break

Why don't you take a quick rest and stretch break from sewing stars for the Bushfire Quilt Project and check out the week of lovely giveaways Kylie is having in the lead-up to her 100th post. I don't think she's closed entries to any yet, so go ahead and put your name in the hat!

Then sew some more stars!

Priorities

I took the day off work to try and get Zoe's quilt done. I have managed to complete strips of these
And these


But I still have a along way to go, yet I've been interspersing work on Zoe's quilt with whipping up some of these stars.

They're rather quick to make, and quite relaxing given their free-form compared with the fiddly work on the other stars I'm making. I've already got some more on the go. The points all come from my rarely-touched scrap box.

The reason I'm making them is so that I can send them to Tia who will be putting then tgether in sets of 25 to make quilts for survivors of the Victorian Firestorms. They are 12.5in. Visit Tia's blog, or click on the button below (and in my siderbar to the right) to take you to the Flickr group for more information on how you can join in and help.

1.061km

No need for words.

Snissors

James has been doing a lot of writing and cutting this week. Here are a selection of Js (he turns the paper frequently!). And he loves the 'snissors' and can cut along a line quite well. He likes to cut a slit into a piece of paper to make pants for Bec! And we have had numerous pieces of scrap paper turned into confetti. He stands beside me while I cut fabric and does his 'work' as we chat; most companionable.
But it's all hard work, and he needed a nap under his teddy quilt!

I've started work on my niece's bed quilt. The first few nights I was restricted because I'd orderd some fabric which ended up being too dark. Luckily I found what I needed at an Australian online store, and has the right shades within 2 days. In fact, I've had 3 orders with the same shop in a week, because I keep finding other stuff I need urgently.

First came a strip of these double-backed flying geese, because I had all the fabric I needed.

I decided to start on Eleanor's teddy quilt when I'd got as far as I could with the bed quilt - but ran out of a fabric for that, too! Some blue fossil fern should arrive for that tomorrow.

The block above will be getting pink corners; I got it this far last night before the paler pink arrived.

And this triangle will be 1/8th of a block, but I didn't have enough of the green to do more at that stage. I've now completed 40 of these for one strip, and have another 40 to go for the 5 blocks in another strip.

Oops

Around Christmas I posted about a label on my fancy new shoes stating that they should not be put in the washing machine or tumble dryer, or ironed. Neither, it seems, should mobile phones - though I didn't get as far as ironing that. Oops!

Safe

Only a few days ago I was marvelling that South Australia had come through such an incredibly hot heatwave without a big fire incident. If only that had held true for our eastern states. Firestorms far worse the Black Friday and Ash Wednesday (something we couldn't imagine days ago) have wreaked havoc through Victoria. So far everyone I know appears to be safe, but already I know of friends who have lost loved ones. We can only hope it doesn't get too much worse, and join the wave of people donating and volunteering to provide relief in Australia's worst ever disaster. Please contact Red Cross to donate.

TGISBG Winner

With James' assistance, the winner of my giveaway was comment #83 - Kim . I will be in touch.

Thank you all for coming by and joining in! I hope you'll continue to visit and say hello.

Frosty

With the temperature tipped to hit 43 again tomorrow, the only frosty thing here is this selection of fabrics which arrived today. Rather handy, since one of the winners of my 1km giveaway happens to like Fairy Frosts!
And while we're talking about fairies, more of the Dance With fairies range arrived yesterday, too. The pinks, greens and a little of the yellow is destined for a bed quilt for my niece, which I need to start, and have finished in 2 weeks in time for her 2nd birthday party!

I'd thought there should be more to the range when I first saw it, but only recently managed to track some down. It's a new but rather elusive range!

And here's a peek at a quilt top I've just finished:

It will be put aside for a while now, so I can tackle my niece's quilt, and Eleanor's teddy quilt, which has also been waiting on the green leaves above.

I have spent the night cutting 5in and 6.5in charm squares (the former for a swap with the EB girls, the latter for my 1km giveaway winners) and still have a LOT to go!

Come back tomorrow for the winner of The Great International Stash-Busting Giveaway!

With the outgoings of giveaways, let's count this as stash-neutral ;) I doubt I won anything in TGISBG, as I had a nasty headache and was only able to look at and enter a few.