Every little scrap counts

The left over 3 1/2" squares from my Hatchet block quilt were sitting in my quilt room when I popped in to get a tape measure the other day.

I am obviously easily side-tracked because over the next few days, I kept returning to them and eventually ended up with this.

I sewed four of the squares together to make a (wait for it) 4-patch square.
Then I decided to sash them in either a variety of shot cottons, dotty or striped fabric.

There was no real master plan.
I was just having fun faffing. (I've linked that last word because according to comments left on my IG post, Americans do it but don't know what it's called).

I added a couple of borders; one skinny, one not so skinny, and called it done.

Completely love the backing fabric.
Completely forgot I had it until I started rootling.

Yesterday, my first Massdrop purchase arrived - a selection of Tulip needles.

I'd heard only good things about Tulip needles (they're a Japanese brand) and I was keen to try them out.
Nice packaging but for $35 this is what I got.

I'm not sure if that constitutes good value - which is what Massdrop is supposed to be all about. I used one of the generic sewing needles (purple label) to sew the binding down. Initial thoughts are the needle is super smooth, felt good quality but didn't feel as delicately sharp at picking up a tiny bit of fabric. Several times I found I'd gone through to the front. It's early days though and I haven't tried them all yet. Would be interested to hear if anyone else has used this brand before.

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday

Blogger's Bundle Winner

I ran the giveaway to win my Blogger's Bundle across both this blog and IG with the idea I'd amalgamate both sets of comments and pick a winner.

Then I wondered if you'd think it was unfair if you were the winning number but because I'd added the IG comments first and then the blog comments, that then you weren't.

Does that make sense to you?

It does to Fat Quarter Shop because they have very kindly agreed to give two bundles away.
One here and one over on IG.

So, the winner here is

which was 

Thank you to everyone who entered.

And to end on - a little quilt pretty: the result of the 3 1/2" left over squares from my hatchet quilt, mixed up with some dots and shot cottons.

I still think scrap quilts are the best.

Soy Amado No. 65

I've had a couple of months off from making these quilts but the quilted blocks have still been coming in. In one particular pile from Mina in Texas, there were quite a few blocks with white round the edges and I thought they would make a really interesting quilt.

So interesting, I came out of self-imposed Soy Amado exile to make them up into No. 65.

It's slightly breezy out there today and especially so at the coast, so what follows are not the calmest of quilt pictures.

Best one of the back I'm afraid.

And the backdrop in all its glory.

In keeping with the all white theme, I was planning on using only white for the binding. Then I found a backing off cut from my last quilt - hatchet block. I liked the tiny flash of red it gave so added that to the binding length.

And then I found a spot to get one final (and slightly calmer) shot of the front of the quilt.

Giveaway Time

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Earlier in the year, I got the opportunity to put together a Blogger's Choice Bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop

One of the best parts for me of the whole quilting hobby thing, is the putting together of fabrics. I also lucked out on the fabrics I was asked to choose from as there was Cotton & Steel, Jen Kingwell and Kaffe Fassett in there.

You have to choose from little images off the computer screen so it wasn't as easy as I thought it was. I wanted to go for really mad and bold colours that were not so off-the-wall that they didn't go together, as well as being mindful of offering a choice of tones.

I hope I succeeded.

Fat Quarter Shop is very kindly giving one bundle away.

To enter, please leave a comment telling me who your favourite(s) fabric designer is at the moment and why.
Extra comment for followers just because I think if you've hung around a while it's fair - in that comment tell me the temperature where you are.

All random comments, just like my Blogger's Choice Bundle.

Giveaway stays open until Wednesday 27 May, after which I will use Random Number Generator to pick a winner.

Good luck.

A hatchet block quilt.

The hatchet block.

A ridiculously easy block to put together that gives you endless design possibilities.

This is all you need.

The set on the left requires the large square to be light and the two smaller squares dark.
The set on the right is the dark/light reversal.

What size large square you start off with is entirely up to you. I went with a 5" square so I could use some pre-cut charm squares.

The smaller squares MUST be BIGGER than half the size of the larger square for you to get the hatchet effect (so think of the larger square as the hatchet handle and the smaller squares as the chopping blade). They need to stick out either side of the handle but how wide you make them is up to you.

Half the 5" square would be 2 1/2", so I made my smaller squares 3". The bigger you make the smaller squares, the narrower the larger square will become. On reflection, I would have gone up to 3 1/2"for a more pronounced hatchet effect but I still like it as it is.

Place the smaller square as per below - right sides of fabrics facing.

I've pencil marked the sewing lines but in reality I don't bother - I just eyeball.

Once you've sewn, cut off the excess fabric.

And you should be left with a block looking like this.

After that, it's just a question of playing around to get a design you like.

I chose to make the centre darks with solids, then two rounds of pattern,then a round of solids and so on.

And the back - which was my first time using the IKEA Nummers fabric.
I'll be doing that again as I bought a whole roll.

An Anna Maria Horner Swap Option Two

I kind of like the last quilt too much to give away, so I needed a back-up plan and this one is it.

If my partner expresses a preference on Instagram, that's fine. If she doesn't, she's getting this one.

It's a very fun block to make using the Triangler ruler and just the right size for a mini quilt.

I used Perle cotton on the star block, a combination of running  and chain stitch and then switched to my sewing machine to densely free motion quilt the space. (I would say 'negative space' but that starts to sound modern which I'm not. I think.)

That was actually really fun as I treated each section completely different and just 'drew' whatever came into my head.

Within reason of course.

Some things are best kept in your head.

How can anyone one not like brown when it looks as beautiful as it does in these fabrics?

And the back.

I got carried away and did a video for Instagram to try and show the texture of the quilting off. Then I discovered you can only upload 15 seconds worth.

So here's the longer version (not sure why it doesn't cover the full screen though) - popcorn is optional.