Mariner's Compass Finished

Yayyy I finally got the border to work out and finished the top of my Mariner's compass this week. I just have to sandwich it now which will be a weekend endeavor as it is sooooo big, it is 96" x 96". Then I can start quilting it, though have to work out what I want to quilt on it, I have some ideas but I am sure more will come once I start.

I placed the top onto my bed to gauge size and it is long enough all round for both me and my mother. This quilt is my Mum's and Dad's Christmas present.

A better view of the last border 

I then made some pillow cases to go with the quilt - well actually the top of the pillow case, I need to wait until I have sandwiched the quilt to use the backing to make the back of the pillow case.

While doing all this during the week I also traced out the next border for my Diamond Hill onto Polyfuse and started cutting them out and have stuck first corner to green for the leaves. As you can see I have used different flowers this time in the border to the previous border so I am hoping my ideas will pan out to make the quilt bigger, only time will tell.

Well that is it for this week, keep quilting everyone.

UFO's - Attempting to finish

Well it has been a couple of weeks and I have started to drag out the UFO's and attempt to get them finished. I also have had some progress on Christmas presents and managed to complete one Christmas present so am feeling very accomplished at the moment.

The first UFO that I have completed is my Diamond Hill, I have completed it as far as the pattern is concerned but it is too small for my bed. As this is my present to myself I need the quilt to be bigger as I have just bought myself a new mattress and by god it is tall, I feel like I can nearly touch the ceiling when I sit up lol. So as for Diamond Hill I need to make it bigger. The photo's I have are without the final 1" pink border but they have been attached. I think I will do another applique border and plain border to finish it off. I was thinking about using flowers from the blocks so that most of the flowers will be incorporated into the borders from the blocks. I won't be adding any more diamond blocks as I thought if I make the applique meet in the middle instead it would be more like a final round so to speak. Any way we will see once it is done.

So the poor Diamond Hill went back into the UFO pile while I start to slowly work on the applique part.

I then started on some Christmas presents and managed to get one done. I made 6 placemat's for my boss who likes tractors and his wife who likes lady bugs. Last year I did a table centerpiece using the same ladybug material so I thought why not do some placemat's that will go with this. Then next year for Christmas I can do a table runner that will match.

Here is the Centerpiece.

Here is whole placemat

A better if not blurry look at the machine embroidery of the Tractor's

A close up of the red, ladybug and green material.

I then went through the UFO pile and picked up my Mariner's compass quilt again and soon discovered why it was in the UFO pile. I have one final border to go and trying to work out how to make the border fit as I have cut all my material to make the squares for the border so I can't change my mind on what will be in the border even if I wanted to as I don't have much of the fabric left. So I think I have worked it out that the squares need to have a sashing between them to get it to fit the centerpiece.

Centerpiece so far.

closer look at the mariner's compass

some machine embroidery

some machine embroidery

could not believe I found this fabric to go with my compass

the corner block

blocks for the final border.

Well that is it for me this time round. I was given a desert rose plant that is supposed to be brown thumb proof (which is me) and so far it has proven to have survived me. Thought I would share what beautiful colours it has and I am thoroughly enjoying seeing this every time I come up my driveway and see the rich beautiful pink sitting there. I must say I am really glad that it has survived me. I do really well with plants until the really bad heat of summer comes then it's like I can't keep up with them and they all start dying. Oh well I know how they feel, as the heat makes me want to curl up and frizzle too :).

Till next time happy quilting everyone.