Nearly INSANE COMPLETED (close up!!)

Here are two photos of the quilt close up - again a big difference in colour (one taken inside and one out). I haven't had much time for quilting with Christmas so close, as well as end of year school and dance functions. Heading to the beach for the summer on Christmas Eve, so will take the Nautical quilt in case we have a cool day and I can sit and work on it.

I will have my computer so if I achieve much I will post a snippet!!!

NEARLY INSANE COMPLETED

Finally.............a finished quilt!! I have just done the last stitch on the binding and took a couple of photos to mark the occasion. Unfortunately we have had a cool change this afternoon and the light is not great. The quilt is so big and I have to stand back so far to fit it in the frame, the flash hasn't helped a great deal. However, it is quite a bit brighter than the photos show.

Inside photo

Outside photo

Now........back to quilting the Nautical Quilt and the goal for 2011 is 'Liberty Blue Jane'!!

Nautical update

Here are the completed top and back for the Nautical Quilt. The stripy fabric wasn't quite wide enough so I put in the panel complete with yet another lighthouse..... Now all I have to do is quilt it!!!

Nautical update

Well, not having had much time for quilting with new puppy causing major distractions, I decided it was time to get sashing the Nautical Quilt. So, here are the last 3 blocks.....

I am using a white sashing and a navy post and putting red, navy and white stripe for the backing............and I promise I will quilt this one myself!!!

My Nearly Insane is ready to be collected from the quilter and now I have to decide on the binding.

Next years challenge - Dear Jane!! But, I have to finish these two first.

Nautical update

Well.........I have not posted for quite a while I know!! I have been very busy with lots of exciting things!! We had a wonderful month (September) in France and Italy which was thoroughly enjoyable.

When we returned home I had a few days with my 'walking friends' down along the Great Ocean Road and we completed 3 sections (out of 5) of the Great Ocean Walk (GOW). The weather was unseasonably cool and wet, however we rugged up and enjoyed the beautiful southern coastline.

While I was away my husband and daughter collected the newest addition to our family,

"Hailey"

who is sooooo cute and lively!!

With all this activity you may guess there has not been a lot of sewing time. My Nearly Insane is still with the quilter, and I have, however, managed 2 Nautical blocks...........

Still nauti.......!!

I haven't posted anything for a while but I am still here and working diligently on my Nautical blocks.

I have also given in (again) and sent my Nearly Insane off to be custom quilted. Decided as I have not done my own quilting by hand before it was probably not a good idea to start with such a large project - especially having hand pieced each block over 12 months.

Promise I will do the nautical one by hand though!!!!

Anyway, here are the next 2 blocks - guess which one will be the centre block??

Nautical Quilt

Of course I have had to begin a new project and thought I would do a quick, fun quilt for the beach house (also helps keep away winter blues..........will we ever see the sun again????)

Here are the first 2 blocks.........

Nearly Insane finished quilt top!!!

Here is the quilt with the zig-zag border completed................

And with the final 6 inch border.

I am going to hand quilt it but first the basting..........

then I will finish it off with a striking binding.

Prue's Quilt finished!!

I have had a busy week, starting with the binding on Prue's quilt which now is complete!! However, we did send it out to be machine quilted.

Nearly Insane Border!!

Now I really am going insane............hand piecing the zig-zag border.........agghhh!!! I have one side already sewn on and the second side almost ready.

Here's a sneak preview!

I have had my daughter's quilt machine quilted and it is now ready for the binding...........Dear Jane will have to wait!!

Sad day!!

Today has been the saddest day.......... we had to have our beautiful dog 'Charlie' (Charlotte) down. For 14 years she has been my constant companion. I am not sure what I will do without her......

Nearly Insane top!!

Well it has been a while since I posted my last Nearly Insane Block!!! I have been busy piecing all the rows together - what a job (especially as I am hand piecing the entire quilt top)!!

Today is the first day of the winter school holidays so my daughter and I worked all afternoon to finish............she completed her Turning Twenty quilt top (also pieced by hand)

Tomorrow I am off to Patchwork House to choose the fabric for the zig-zag border.....so still not quite finished!!!!!

Block 71

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!

I have just finished the last block!!!! A nice simple one to finish and I can now emerge from the sewing room and have civilised conversation (well maybe). As there is no school tomorrow (and I have to tackle that Medieval costume) we are going to go out and have Thai for dinner.

Block 51

Yah.........another one!!! This one was a bit tricky with the square border (you have to do it in sequence), however it didn't take too long with a mug of strong caffeine solution by my side. Only one to go.........BUT also have a Medieval costume to produce!!! So, I have to interrupt construction of the last block with a trip to Spotlight for fabric and a pattern!!!!

Block 93

My last pair of triangle blocks!! Only 2 blocks to go...................!! Thank goodness for a wet, windy, wintery weekend!!!!!!!

Block 80

Here is the last complicated block (well one with lots of pieces), and I used up lots of different scraps from my purples. I think it looks quite cute. Yvette, only 3 to go!!!!

Block 95

And here is the last one for today - another triangle block. I now have only 4 blocks to go!!!!!!

Block 53

A great way to spend the day stitching with friends when the temperature doesn't get over 12.5C and the fog doesn't lift all day...............and it is only the 4th day of winter, ughhh!!!

Block 96

I had a very productive day today......!! The girls came over for our Friday sewing group and I managed to finish 3 blocks while we discussed and solved many of life's riddles!!!!! Here is the first one....

Block 88

Here is another edge block.........I really love this one!! Only 7 blocks to go!!!!! I have bought and cut the sashing fabric (cream) and was going to do the posts all different (scraps from all the blocks), but I tried it and it looked rather hectic. I have decided to use a mauve with a white spot (I have used it in some if the blocks) as it is a soft colour but still strong enough to set off the blocks. Trying to resist the temptation to start putting it all together before I finish the last few blocks.......!!!

Block 25

Quite a strange block this one..........had a bit of trouble with some of the triangles. Anyway the colours are pretty so hopefully no-one will notice!!

Block 28

Nothing better to do on a gloomy Sunday in late autumn is to sew!!!! Here is another block.............another favourite. Now only 9 to go!!!!!

Block 87

I am now officially insane!!!! Yes, I continued on yesterday to complete yet another block. I now only have 10 to go............

Block 72

Am so close to finishing these blocks I can't stop myself..................6 squares and 5 triangle blocks to go!!! This one was an easy one and the effect is quite striking!!

Block 55

Here's today's challenge. Looks very straight forward, but looks can be deceiving.........and the square in a square in a square is not MEANT to be right in the middle. I thought I had gone horribly wrong somewhere.

NI

As I am so close to finishing all the blocks (12 to go) I decided to pin some blocks to a sheet to see what the end result will look like and to decide on sashing and post fabrics. I think I will stick to a cream quilters muslin for the sashing and maybe a pink for the posts.

Block 22

I am enjoying a regular sewing group now on a Friday at my place - a great way to spend the winter months and give each other encouragement!!! Getting close to finishing the blocks in this quilt, but a long way from finishing!!! Have to choose sashing, block and border fabrics, the backing and I have decided that as it has all been hand pieced I should continue and hand quilt it!!! (Very nervous as I have never done that before)

Anyway, that is all in the future, so here is my latest block (I have decided I HATE paper piecing!!!!)

Block 59

Today I had a few fellow quilting friends around for an impromptu chat and sew session. We enjoyed it so much it may become a regular Friday afternoon thing to keep us going through the winter months. Here is todays' block!

Block 92

I have been home for the last two days with a sick daughter.........welcome to cold weather (and it's not even winter yet!!!!!) So, I have put my time to good use and produced another block, so here it is!!

Block 09

I was lucky enough to find a scrap of this Liberty fabric (which I have used before and run out of) at my favourite fabric store this week, so teamed it up with purple and white to make this block.

Block 40

Thought I'd do a quick one today...............square in a square, in a square, in a square. Then an easy 9 patch and it's done!!

I must attach all my blocks on a sheet to see how they look as I only have a few to go and I will have to choose sashing and post fabric....!!

Block 61

I loved the combination of these fabrics so much I had to use them again. This time fussy cutting 8 flowers. I did realise however, that the other block is 62 so I may need to re-arrange them when laying out the quilt so they are not too close.....!

Block 76

I couldn't resist spending a wet and windy day designing another block..........purple this time. Also the photo doesn't do the colours justice.

Block 23

Another pretty pink one......

Block 91

Decided to do this block today as soon as it was posted!!! Only a handful of blocks to go!!

Block 62

I also managed to sneak ahead of the NI Crew and did this sweet one!!!