Backing and batting

to quilt vb. to stitch numerous layers together as one 

In my last post I mentioned that snail mail had delivered a very special quilt top to my house.

I've spent some quality time with it, checking and pressing seams, and now we're both ready to move onto the next phase of our relationship. 

Preparing a quilt top for quilting

Let's talk quilt tops 

 A parcel in the post is always a thrill, even when one knows the "surprise" is coming. It's especially exciting when it's a crafty parcel.

This particular especially exciting parcel contained a quilt top... but no ordinary quilt top.

This quilt top has united the talents of twelve patchworkers from all over Australia. How exciting is that! 

This beautiful quilt top took me three hours to prepare for quilting ... yes, that's  three whole hours before it went anywhere near the quilting machine. Where did all that time go?

Dishcloths and diamonds

Dishcloth fever has well and truly hit. 

When they first appeared in the kitchen, they were hardly cast a second glance. 
Their presence was accepted without question. In dark corners they began to multiply.

Dishcloths are a girl's best friend

Warning ... making dishcloths may become addictive

I have recently become a convert to using me-made dishcloths in the pursuit of a sparkling home. 
The benefits of making my own dishcloths are many. For one, they are a perfect opportunity to use up yarn left-overs.

what this really means = buy more yarn

The Quilting Gift - part 2

Finishing the cushion

Bailee decided a crocheted edge would look pretty. She chose two pastel colours of cotton yarn from Mimi's yarn stash. 

The Quilting Gift - part 1

A just for fun short story about a cushion

School holidays had arrived and Bailee had once again come to stay at her grandparents' house. It was always fun staying there as Bailee and her grandmother spent lots of time creating pretty things. It was Mimi who had taught her how to quilt and sew.

"Quilting and piecing", Mimi said, "is just like life Bailee. We take what we have and rearrange the pieces until we have something with which we can be content. Sometimes the fabrics are bright, sometimes they are muted, but they all have their place. It's not what we're given, but how we put it to use that makes everything fit together". 

At first, Bailee had helped Mimi to choose fabrics for Mimi to sew together on her behalf, but as Bailee grew older, she gradually learnt to choose fabrics on her own, and even learnt how to operate the sewing machine safely. 

My new favourite cushion

A pretty cushion cover

A pretty cushion cover was way overdue for my bed. When I say way overdue ... I'm talking four years overdue. 
I'm not sure why it is, but we makers can always find time to make things for others, but finding time to make something for ourselves is way down the list.

I decided it was time to break into my stash of Tanya Whelan fabrics. Her designs are very pretty and very romantic, yet with a modern twist.