My Heather Bailey Quilt

This is one of the projects I did for a Christmas present and couldn't show as I didn't want the recipient's Mum to see it too early. I made this quilt for my new niece, Amie Grace. She was born at 4.24 am on Saturday 10 th January. I feel so privileged to have been there at her birth, and to have cut her cord. It is something I shall remember with awe, for the rest of my life.
My admiration for my Sister sky rocketed to new heights.

When I decided to do this quilt I knew I couldn't use pink. Not because Amie's sex wasn't known, but because I'm just not that comfortable with pink. I know, shock horror, but I'm just not a pink girl. Anyhow, when I saw the talented Heather Bailey's Pop Garden, I knew I'd found my fabric. So feminine but bold, and clear, and the shapes of the flowers shout opulent. And of course there's Aqua in there, and a most beautiful and fancy paisley. These are the 3 piece's I chose (I mean, of course, fell in love with).



I didn't want to cut up the big flower print, so decided to do big squares and the placement of the other squares just fell into place. It had to be red sashing, and I found the exact colour and quantity in my stash. I also found some beautiful, soft, small red and white gingham, so these are the final fabrics. I was toying with the larger gingham for the binding, but thankfully decided against it in the end.



This then is the top finished, I decided to do the squares as diamonds, so that they form (loosely I'll admit) a kiss. Never ending love from her Aunty Mandy. The quilt is half quilted in this picture. I decided to stitch in the ditch, then worried it wouldn't be enough quilting. I can't afford professional quilting and so had to do it myself.


I don't think I can explain how I quilted within the squares so here's a picture. I hope you can make out the stitching lines. Basically it ended up looking like a fancy star in the larger square of the quilt. It's not finished in the picture, I kept stitching the squares and triangles and did circles (eek, so tricky) in the centre of all the large daisy's.



I don't have a picture of the finished quilt as I had to finish it in England and forgot to take this all important picture. The binding I eventually used was a tone on tone floral, which was a light old goldly nearly but not quite orange colour. There is a small amount of this colour in the paisley print, first picture of post, middle fabric top left.

I really like how this quilt turned out, I haven't made many (like 3), but, as with most fabric lovers, have plans for many, many more. Hopefully the first one I make for my bed I'll be able to have quilted professionally.

My Aqua Stash

A post I composed in December! But didn't post as I thought I had more fabric to add. I still think I do, but I haven't managed to get around to it as yet. Must get back into the swing of things. Anyhow enjoy pics of my favourite colour. Tell me what yours is and which fabric range you think best shows that colour.

Surf and Sand - Michelle D'Amore

Joel Dewberry

Midwest Modern & Daisy Chain - Amy Butler

Bleeker Street - Michelle D'Amore

Bits and pieces

And there might be more!

I didn't quite get to the bottom of the drawers.
I also haven't looked through my rescued/donated/upholstery/samples/op shop baskets.

I'm not sure what it is about this colour that I like.
I only know it makes me feel happy when I look at it.

Frosty Photo's

Here are some photo's I took today.

Incredible heavy frost,

and an ever beautiful swan.

AND in my Brother-in-laws words 'a couple of bookends'!!!



My niece will hopefully join us very soon. At 41 wks my dear Sister is a bit over the being pregnant bit, and very keen to see her daughter.

More Winter picture's will follow shortly.
Hope all who know me are having a fabulous holiday, we most definatley are.

Megan's quilt as you go Bag

This is my friend Megan's version of the 'In The Pink', JoyPatch Bag. I love her daughters choice of fabrics, they work so perfectly together. I think I've got her hooked on making bags, which might be a good thing. As she's had a few requests, from her daughter's friends, for their own 'In The Pink' bag.

Quilt as you go Bag

I made this bag a few weeks ago now. It was really fun to do as I'd not quilted as I'd gone before. It's encouraged me to make a cot quilt this way, I've just not got it fully designed in my head yet.



I made the bag back and front from scraps. The handle from a fat quarter and the lining from an op-shop asian tablerunner. I think it turned out alright. I followed a pattern by JoyPatch called 'In The Pink', but changed the handle.



My Aqua fabrics post is nearly finished, I just remembered some more tonight but will wait for daylight to take photo's.
I can't show anything else I'm doing, until after Christmas. I can't wait to see my Mum & Sister's faces on Christmas morning. It's going to be just the best Christmas.

Promised Pictures

From the lovely Amy Butler

Oh so yummy Daisy Chain

In fact, I've discovered I have an even larger stash of Aqua fabric's than even I thought!
I've decided to dedicate a whole post to pic's of them all.
You will truly see that I am a bona fide Aqua Addict.


And lastly, but definitely not least.
My 'Melly & Me' Fat Quarter's Bag.
I really love these fabrics, City Girl by Kitty Yoshida.
I think they suit the bag, which was a lot of fun to make.

I'm looking forward to the 'Melly & Me' book, which Melly has just started to think about. I just know it will be filled with fun and funky things. Hopefully a bit of this and a bit of that, a bit for me, a bit for you and some bits for them, plus a bag, any bag, I love making bags.

Once in a lifetime.............

Our evening out in Sydney was fantastic. Two gals from the mountains, drove into the big city and immersed ourselves in Amy's warmth and creative persona. We were dazzled, truly motivated and valet parked. First time in my life, what a hoot!

The following line is what I initially came away with buzzing in my head.

'Do what you love, and love what you do'

At first it sounds too idealistic to be realistic, but thinking further, what I think Amy was hoping to get across to us. Was that if you want joy from what you do, you have to stay true to what you love. Don't give up on it, don't lose sight of it. Don't dilute or temper it. And go for it! Don't hold back. Live it, breathe it, be it. Have courage and conviction, but don't be hasty, let it evolve at it's own pace. Walk when it walks and run when it runs.

(I wrote that last week, I wasn't sure if it sounded too daft. But I've re-read it, and it still resonates true, so I'll leave it).

Neither Jane or I took a camera with us. Ho hum. Too excited?

I have taken a picture of my signed book and of the fabric I bought. But I'm still waiting, for 'im indoors, to be able to download them. I'll do a second post later this week of them, (hopefully).


Santa's bringing me my very own camera for Christmas, I'll be able to blog more confidently and frequently then. Yeehar. If anybody out there can recommend their camera, which they find blogging easy with, could they let me know.

In January I'll be able to show what I'm making at the moment. I don't want to put them on the blog just yet, as I want them to remain a surprise on Christmas morning for my Mum and Sister.

Happy Blogging,
Mandy