Catching up

Well, since my last post I realised that it isn't spring yet! It is freezing here in Lincolnshire, thermal vests, woolly hats and scarves have all been pulled on again and the plants in the garden are looking very cold and sad. Those in the greenhouse are still hopeful, but rather long and leggy. I have had a month of finishing quilts and seem to have got very far behind with photographing and showing you everything. So this week I am hoping to catch up, so here goes.....

This is the finished Woodland cot quilt started in the last blog post:

Woodland quilt by Green Star Quilts

Oh I do love this quilt and it was hard to let it go to the soon to be born new owner. I have had this owl fabric for a while and it turned out to be just perfect for this quilt.

Woodland quilt by Green Star Quilts

I think I could improve on the badger next time, but the other woodland animals went together very well.

Woodland quilt by Green Star Quilts

and the backing is woodlandy too.....

Woodland quilt by Green Star Quilts

I have finally mastered the machined binding, following Alison's excellent tutorial on her blog

  Cluck Cluck Sew It gives a really great finish once you get good at making the corners fold accurately.

The next quilt finished is a memory quilt for Catherine made from striped t shirts, which was in the blog before last.... yes, I really wasn't joking about getting behind with the photos and blog:

Memory Quilt by Green Star Quilts

This is a single bed size and also looks lovely on our sofa.... it's a good thing I had to give it to the real owner soon after it are finished.... The washed t shirts were so soft too:

Memory Quilt by Green Star Quilts

The design was inspired by the African fabric hanging behind the sofa....

Memory Quilt by Green Star Quilts

The next quilt is one I made towards the end of the month at top speed for a first birthday present for Linsey to give her nephew:

First Bed quilt by Green Star Quilts

It features lots of things from Jude's first year of life including Hampton Court Maze, a London bus and taxi, a stay in a caravan and the Peter Rabbit story.

First Bed Size Quilt by Green Star Quilts

His superman vest was included too and I had to look up which way the S went, easy to get it upside down!

First Bed size Quilt by Green Star Quilts

Last of all I have just finished a small cot quilt for James to give his new nephew, which has just been posted off today:

small cot size quilt by Green Star Quilts

The backing is the same white with a blue spot fabric which I love for baby quilts:

small cot size quilt by Green Star Quilts

So that's it, all up to date, parcels posted in time for the May Bank Holiday and now all I have to do is tidy the sewing room and then and only then will I show you that too! 

In the meantime I am helping with the confetti plans for daughter's wedding in August, cones made from paper doiles and filled with dried lavender.... Has anyone done this?? Do you know how the doiles are folded? It looks simple on the internet but I have yet to try it! 

I hope I will be more organised next month and not have to bombard you with photos and a really long blog post too, sometimes the quilting life just runs away with me!

I hope you are having a super organised week and your sewing areas are incredibly tidy, your ironing piles tiny and dinner is cooked for you every evening,

Very best wishes and kind regards,

Sue

PS. Thank you to Amanda Jean for her weekly link up at Crazy Mom Quilts. She is so inspirational and generous with her ideas.

Spring at last and a Woodland Quilt

At last and at least for today it has been springtime in the garden. I have spent coffee time, lunchtime and afternoon time, well really quite a lot of time actually, sitting in the summer house, in the sun, reading a book. This counts as a holiday day for me! Throughout the day I have walked back to the sewing room and cut out a few squares, sewn a bit and then trotted off down the garden to my sunny chair again. 
It all started when I realised that the view from my window had changed to this:

view from the sewing room window

Yes it's a terrible photo, the windows need cleaning and a car came past at the wrong moment, but the sky is so blue and the Camellia tree has come into glorious flower. It is so beautiful, so exotic looking and so, so pink and frilly!

Camellia flower

Who could stay in doors on such a day? Who could not take her coffee down the garden path and find a comfy chair in the sun? 

Summer house built by a very clever husband!

I'm reading How to Measure a Cow by Margaret Forster, her very last book, recently published after her death and it is so gripping. It is the book club choice this month and I really recommend it.

But of course there is sewing going on too and I am making a cot quilt for Kerry with a woodland theme. This is a new design for me, prompted by some owl fabric I have had for a while. Farmyard animals didn't seem right, so here are my new animal designs to go with owls.... a nightime scene.....

woodland animals by Green Star Quilts

I haven't finished the detail stitching yet, so  there will be antlers to add and eyes and ears to come.

woodland animals by Green Star Quilts

Back in the sunny seat, book in hand, I was joined by someone I hadn't seen before. A beautiful Comma Butterfly kept me company on and off all day.

Comma Butterfly

On the  apple blossom too...

Comma Butterfly on apple blossom

What a lovely day it has been, lots of sun, a good book and small amounts of sewing, just perfect, we all need a day like this at times.

I hope you have time for a rest day too this week,

Thanks for visiting,

Kind regards,

Sue

A memory quilt for Catherine

This week I am making a memory quilt for Catherine. Her little boys' outgrown t shirts were in the attic for a few years and now I am turning them into a quilt for them to use everyday. It is so, so satisfying to turn a big bag of clothes into a beautiful quilt which will be really useful, to empty their attic a bit and give them something to remind them all of happy baby days too.

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

Almost all the t shirts are strippy, just a few plain ones. I have cut squares of 4.5 inches and when I started to put them up on the design wall, I realised they looked like African Kente cloth. I turned alternate squares so the stripes alternated and then added a thin strip of grey fabric between each square to continue the modern Kente theme. The grey fabric helps to stabilise the stretchy t shirt fabric too.

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

The white strip between the bands of colour looked just right, I love the modern style of this quilt...

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

It was all a bit slow to stitch together, but here is the finished top:

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

I kept some of the little pockets to add interest and you never know when the tooth fariy might need somewhere to put the tooth or the money..... The quilt is layered up now, pinned and ready to quilt....

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

Here in my oh so tidy sewing room (Ha Ha!! ), the quilt is under the sewing machine being quilted in straight lines before the binding is added. It is not quite finished yet but I am really pleased with the way it looks. I have appliqued a sweet little car from one of the
 t shirts at the bottom of the quilt.

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

I'll hope to show the finished quilt during next week. My goodness, we could really do with lots of quilts here in Lincoln. The weather is so cold, I hate to moan as I can see that lots of you in the US have loads of snow and we just have horrid stingy sleet to battle through. Daughter's little dog Nemi is having an operation on her leg today. We are all worried and hope it goes ok, so it is good to have lots of sewing to do, as a distraction, sewing is brilliant! Still, we have brave snowdrops out in the garden along with aconites and despite the cold, the mornings are lighter and things are beginning to stir after the dark months.

Happy quilting this week

kind regards,

Sue

Ps. I am linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts and I can't wait to see her new book soon.

Owls in the Tree quilt

It's far too late to say Happy New Year and so far it's a year that I have seen much of from my bed, after being struck down with a cold and horrid cough which seems to be going on and on..... Husband is very kind, but I'm sure he is also very tired of my coughing and sputtering. Today he has gone to London so I can cough away with disturbing anyone and I have also spread a big quilt, in bits, out on his office floor, so I hope it is stitched together by the time he gets back. To be fair, he never minds tip toeing round the edges, if I don't get quilts quite off the floor in time, it's one of the many things I love about him!
I have also been using my owl fabric to make a little quilt. It has taken a while to use this fabric from the Ten Little Things Collection for Moda Fabrics. that's because I couldn't bear to part with it! The quilt has a woodland theme and I picked the colours out to be bright to match the main owl fabric. 

Owls in the Tree quilt by green Star Quilts

Owls in the Tree quilt by green Star Quilts

Around the edges of the main panels are  bright squares with deer, fireflies, stars, birds and foxes.Egg yolk yellow pieced stars break up the squares and some are quartered to give interest to the quilt:

Owls in the Tree quilt by green Star Quilts

Toadstools, ferns, stars and leaves.....

Owls in the Tree quilt by green Star Quilts

 I wish I had more of these fabrics, but I have used every scrap and it is no longer available, oh I do wish they would reprint it! Here is the backing, a white with pale blue polka dots, another favourite fabric. The binding is a pale grey and white stripe:

Owls in the Tree quilt by green Star Quilts

Here is the finished quilt which measures 102 x 102cm , 40 x 40 inches. It would make a lovely baby quilt, or a wall hanging or sofa throw for an owl enthusiast....

Owls in the Tree quilt by Green Star Quilts

This quilt is for sale on my website here at the bottom of the page.

So this is 2017 and without being political, I think we will need a huge amount of kindness this year along with tolerance and prayers for a better way. Please let's encourage and support each other whereever we are,

Kind regards,

Sue 

Happy Christmas from Green Star Quilts

It is Friday and the Christmas shopping is done. Well I am done with Christmas shopping really. This is the time I love the most, when there is no time left so anything else needed must be home made as I can't bear the shops anymore. We have a very low key present policy here, so there are lots of home made biscuits wrapped up and practical gifts for DIY enthusiasts. But this year I want to share with you Judy's lovely idea for candles...

Christmas candles 2016

She has done this with a much deeper bowl but it still looks lovely in a shallow one. So take a vintage cut glass or moulded glass bowl, just the sort you sent to the jumble sale but can buy back again in a charity shop! Wash and dry it until it sparkles. Fill half full with aquarium gravel from a general shop like Wilkos, (yes I know it looks like biscuitcrumbs for Santa's reindeer in the photo) and then sit as many tealights in the gravel as you like. I used red and white ones which were scented too. When the candles are lit the glass glimmers and sparkles beautifully especially in the dark. So it is just a bowl of light and hope for 2017 because I think we really need that more than presents this Christmas.

Christmas candles 2016

If you have little ones around at Christmas you can use battery electric tealights for safety.

So just to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. thank you for reading my blog, listening to my ramblings and sending messages of encouragement for quilt making. As the local
co-ordinator for Project Linus UK I have given away 425 quilts to children in need of an extra cuddle this year. It is a huge tribute to the kindness and generosity of the quilting community here in Lincoln area. Well done and thank you so very much, I hope it just balances the scales of compassion just a little bit in this world today. 

Happy Christmas 2016

Thank you also to Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts, her Finish UP Friday link sets my quilting compass every week,

Happy Christmas everyone,

kind regards,

Sue   

A Picture quilt for Ada

It has been a huge honour to make a quilt for a customer in America. The quilting community in The States is vast and multi talented so to be asked to a quilt for baby Ada was a big surprise and I felt I must do my very best as it might be seen by some very clever quilters!!
Karen, a proud Granny to be, gave me a list of things to add to the quilt which meant a lot to their family, she also sent over some treasured fabrics to be included. I am just going to show you some highlights, I had such fun making it all fit together.....

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

There was a Celtic Cross, some books, a Dala horse from Sweden .....

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

A Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

Here is the finished top of the quilt:

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

The pots of flowers in the nine patch blocks came from Karen's dress fabric and there is a dove flying in the top corner: 

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

So here is the finished quilt which I hope will be a real treasure for baby Ada who surprised us all by arriving two weeks early!

Picture quilt by Green Star Quilts

Although it isn't a Christmas quilt, it does seem a bit Christmassy, I think it's the stars which sparkle in the night sky!

 Are you all ready, cards written, presents wrapped, tree decorated, all ready to go in every way? Is it just me who is still dashing about hiding ready made Christmas food in the freezer and hoping the turkey will make it's own way into the oven.... I just feel it all starts too soon, it should all begin with making mince pies whilst listening to carols from King's College Cambridge on Christmas Eve. Then I love all the secret rustlings of coloured paper and 'You can't come in' shouts from behind closed bedroom doors. We have a £10 Christmas in our house, only that to be spent on each person but hand made gifts can be added on, this year I have new biscuit cutters and I plan to make boxes of reindeer shortbread.... if it works and it may not as my biscuits tend to have a mind of their own in the oven, I will tell you the recipe....

In the last week before Christmas I hope you all have a little time to slow down, sit down, wind down and enjoy the little, small things which make it such a special time,

Kindest Regards,

Sue 

PS. I am linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts, it's so kind of her to provide this link everyweek, thank you Amanda.

Memory quilts in Spring colours

This month I have made a larger than single bed size memory quilt for Lauren. Her children's clothes were such happy colours, sun, sand and seaside holidays kind of colours and they made a lovely modern style quilt which I was really pleased with, it is amazing how the colours all complimented each other and came together so well! I think we need a few of sunshine reminders at the moment. I keep thinking 'Nearly there,very nearly there ', as I draw the curtains at 4.30 pm, so early in the afternoon and nearly at the shortest day and then positive thinking all the way to Spring and hooray, new flowers in the garden and buds on the trees and sun, that lovely, delicate and so welcome spring sunshine!

memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

There's something about memory quilts which makes me feel so close to the families I make them for, it is such a personal thing to send someone your baby clothes to cut up.The trust they have that I will make something lovely from them is a huge compliment and I take it really seriously.

memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

I really enjoyed doing the swiggly quilting ( this is a very serious quilting term) too !!

memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

I have just finished a second smaller quilt for Lauren too, made from leftover little pieces of fabric and some that didn't fit in the first quilt. 

memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

And tarahh, at last I have got the hang of machined binding and those tricky folded corners, even with a scrap pieced strip.... after I realised it is important not to get a seam on the corner..... impressive eh?

I have just sent off to the USA a quilt for Karen  and will show pictures of it next time. This photo is a little corner...The parcel hasn't arrived with her yet so I don't want to spoil her surprise! 

Happy quilting on these dark winter days, keep eating chocolate and don't over do the Christmas shopping,

Kind regards,

Sue