Some older quilts

I'm still working on quilting the queen-size quilt, and it doesn't look much different, although I have finally finished the now-hated double-stipple, and am fmq-ditching the stars. So I thought I'd show you some more of my quilts which weren't fully blogged at the time. This is a series of four square play quilts made for a friend's four children at Chrismas 2007. You can see all four together here.

Up first is Sun, Sand & Sea.

I designed this one to use the four corner blocks I'd originally made for another project, then changed my mind.

If I were making this now, I'd add a lot more quilting - although admittedly I was in a huge rush to get them finished and sent to arrive in time for Christmas!

You can see below how I labelled all of my quilts at this point; hand-embroidering ym initials and the year into the binding with DMC floss. That changed shortly after, and I now print a label for almost every quilt with the following information: quilt name, any personal or quilt details, such as a baby's name and birth date, fibre content of the inner and outer and care instructions. I also identify myself as the maker and designer and inlcude the year and my location. Some quilts require my full name, address and phone number - if they're for exhibition or publication in a magazine. I often include a message either from myself or the person commissioning the piece.

Next up is Cabins in Queensland - the name reflects the quilts' destination.

This quilt used some of the bright log cabin blocks I made using strips swapped with other EB Quilters.

I later used more of the same blocks in a reversed setting (i.e. I started with the hot colours in the centre)  for a friend's baby.

This was also very simply quilted; in the ditch between blocks and around the red centres.

I think I still have a few of these blocks left over!

The third of these quilts is Butterfly Carnival.

I really wanted to feature the fun butterfly print, and chose the basic red, white and black to give it a dramatic look.

The pinwheel blocks add to the movement. I really like the effect gained by fussy-cutting the black and white print for the centre block below.

And I love the bold striped border! I rememeebr not having time to go and get a larger piece for the backing, so added a couple of borders to the main piece of white, which led to the challenge of placing and positioning the backing accurately. I did an ok job!

The final quilt is my favourite. I love the colour combination in Blueberry & Lime.

This is another of my medallion-style quilts where the pattern is created by different colouring of the patches in the blocks, although it is simpler than most of my others (e.g. Eleanor's Quilt, Evening Indulgence and Daydreams).

My favourite thing about these quilts? When the owners visited us sometime later, out came the quilts (brought all the way from Queensalnd) for the babies to play on, and I could see they had been both well-used and well cared-for. Exactly what I like to see!

I was really pleased with the effect of this quilting on the back - but looking at it now, it's awfully plain and simple! I did very little more than quilt in-the-ditch, and no free-motion work at all!

It's amazing to think this was only a couple of years ago. I wonder what I'll think of my current quilts by 2012?!