Summer

 I have the same problem as last week, in that the colours of this quilt are much softer in real life - the wide border is a soft creamy calico, for example.

I'm really pleased with this little quilt.  Its A3 size, made for my quilt group challenge which was to represent the season which I pulled out of a hat.  Mine was summer, and this piece is called 'Norfolk Summer'.  I was trying to get the lazy golden fields and the big skies - all from the remains of my scrap collection!

Thanks to Benta for my 'hedgehog' (which is really an Australian echidna, sorry for transplanting it!).  I think that the quilt really needed that and the tiny bird embroidered at the top too.

My other crafting fun has been to make these paracord key rings.  As a result of misunderstanding some paracord bracelet instructions, I had four short lengths of cord with no particular use for it.  A gal pal, Nicki, suggested that key chains might be the way forward, and she was right.  I love it when I have the fixings on hand to make something from almost nothing!
Thanks for the idea!

School summer holidays are in full swing, and I'm going for the relaxed vibe!  I hope that you are able to enjoy some relaxed crafting too.

I beat my deadline!

 Quillow complete!

The photos don't do the soft colours justice - I may try some more photos on a day when the light is different.  However, the quillow is finished three days earlier than my self imposed deadline.

Here is the quillow in it's cushion form, using the same sort of quarter square triangle blocks that are on the quilt, but a smaller scale.

 Here is is unfurled as a quilt.

 Then I tried a 'flat' photo - but at 60" square it didn't quite fit into the space on my sewing room floor!

Lastly, folded up.  Technically it isn't truly finished as I haven't made and added the label yet, but that will happen when I have my printable fabric out in a couple of days time. 

Another project complete!

Another week disappears!

 Week 25 in our Aves Block of the Week journey.  Another lovely pieced block.

 The rest of my sewing week (when the sewing room was cool enough to be in!) was laying out this quilt....

...and chain piecing to form the quilt top.  I'm pleased to say that I actually got further than this and now have a quilt ready for hand stitching the reverse of the binding on.  I'm pleased that I was able to make good progress on it!

Making Good Progress

Another nice easy pieced block this week for Aves - although it still had 57 pieces to include within its 6 1/2" square!

I can see now that I could have made a better fabric choice for what became the central star - the 'bookbinder' fabric which I love should have been swapped for something with a smaller pattern.  Never mind - its all a learning process!

It gave me plenty of time to work on my other current quilting project - which needed 50 quarter square triangle blocks.

Which need to be added to 50 plain fabric blocks.  I love a bit of chain piecing!

Soon the quilt top will be made and I'll turn my attention to the 20" cushion front for the quillow. 

Enjoying the simple repetitive sewing.

I've also used a few of the scraps from the quilt to make other projects - covered notebooks and tissue holders.  More simple sewing, but very satisfying to be able to give homemade gifts away!