Quilt construction Archives - Page 4 of 13

October 19, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist: Articulate Avian

Articulate Avian balloon parrot appliqué by Dione Gardner-Stephen at Clever Chameleon

The Soul of the Party at Love with a Twist…..

You know that intolerable squeaky noise that balloons make when they are twisted and folded into shapes? Well, did you know, that’s actually the trapped soul of a departed parrot? The screeching balloon is passing on the parrot’s desire to party one last time before he heads off to wreak havoc in the afterlife. True! 😀 So, today we shall give the parrot soul a party-balloon body – perhaps that will satisfy him and he will leave after the cake without torturing us any further. One can only hope!

In October, we are onto our last two standard Blocks for the Love with a Twist quilt along – Blocks 9A and 9B. Today we have the free pattern for Block 9A. Read on to collect your parrot balloon pattern and enjoy Snowball the partying Cockatoo’s funky dance moves on Youtube if you wish. Happy weekend everyone!

October 11, 2019January 19, 2024

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving table top quilt with turkey at Clever Chameleon

Wishing all my Canadian friends a wonderful holiday for the coming weekend

Australians as a whole don’t do Thanksgiving, although many traditional churches do have a low-key harvest thanksgiving service in our late summer or early autumn. But I like thankfulness, and since it’s likely impossible to indulge in too much thankfulness, the Chameleon and I are getting on the Canadian bandwagon today. Happy Thanksgiving for the weekend and Monday, Canadian friends and everyone!

It wasn’t until last year that I became aware that Canada has its own Thanksgiving Day, separate from the American occasion. And then I forgot again. Until I was reminded recently by Ann on Instagram, after I showed previews of my current Island Batik project. And of course, I was also reminded again right here by several friends on Tuesday. So while, I wasn’t initially planning on having this project done in time for Canada’s holiday, I have since become enthused. After all, my Canadian readers might make up only 10% of my views, but easily several times that percentage of my commenters. You Canadians are such a friendly and encouraging bunch, punching way above your comment weight, and for that I am genuinely thankful.

And so it happens, that I have pulled out all the stops to have a Friday, Canadian Thanksgiving, Island Batik Ambassador October challenge finish. If you are not Canadian, like me and 90% of my readers, then today you get to take an extra, small thankful pause for free. And, if you’ve been eagerly awaiting for the turkey’s reverse side since Tuesday, then be extra thankful. Today’s your lucky day! Your wait has been cut very short and you are about to cop an eyeful.

You’re welcome. 😀

October 8, 2019January 19, 2024

Talking Turkey: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Talking Turkey colour board at Clever Chameleon

October’s Island Batik Challenge is “Top It Off”

Top it off button for October's Island Batik challenge

My challenge as an Island Batik Ambassador in October is to: create a holiday runner or table topper, any size; must include appliqué. But don’t you think that’s a bit too easy for the Chameleon? He’s a challenge veteran by now!

So, let’s make it a proper challenge then. Purely self-imposed. Hmmm…… How about also: use the Accuquilt Cleopatra’s Fan die supplied in the July ambassador supplies box; make it juvenile; and choose a culturally irrelevant holiday. That should Top it right Off!

Pieced Cleopatra's Fans blocks at Clever Chameleon for turkey feathers

Hahaha. Sure! Luckily, I have just the thing in mind…. 😀 Remember when I said that I had lots of ideas for September’s Accuquilt challenge, but most of them didn’t meet at least one of the challenge requirements? Well, I wasn’t joking! Several of my designs fit all the requirements, except that they were too small. Luckily for me, a little tweaking and *taa dah*, one of them is now perfect for a small Thanksgiving quilt. Now also known as a table topper! So, I’m making a September’s-reject, decidedly juvenile, Cleopatra’s Fan turkey for October’s Island Batik challenge. One un-adult Thanksgiving table topper, involving appliqué, coming right your way. Brought to you by a confused Chameleon (who doesn’t do Thanksgiving because he’s Australian, but would like to), by a brave Island Batik (who asked for a holiday quilt, but may yet regret it) and poor Accuquilt (who is the innocent victim this time around).

Just remember…. Cleopatra’s Fan is a nice, staid, formal block and you don’t have to abuse it like the Chameleon does! Buuuuuuut, it is fun…… 😀

October 1, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist: Classy Crocodile

What a Load of Croc colour board at Clever Chameleon

What a Load of Croc! Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

“Never Smile at a Crocodile, Oh, you can’t get friendly with a Crocodile….. “

What a load of croc! Classy Crocodile will be your friend any day. He even promises not to nibble at your edges. He has no idea why you would not want to be BFFs with him, so the least you can do is give him a grin!

Do you know what else is a load of crock?! October! Well, not October per se, but the fact that it’s here already. Not goooooood! Where’d September go anyway? I’m thinking the last half of September is probably still around here somewhere…. under a pile of papers perhaps? I can even prove that I didn’t use up all of September, because I am still standing here holding a crocodile balloon pattern. And the crocodile balloon is our second September balloon for Love with a Twist, so the month is clearly not done! As a temporary measure, while I work out where the time leak is, I declare today to be the 31st of September and we’ll sneak in that Classy Croc.

Classy Crocodile is our second option for Block 10 of the Love with a Twist quilt along, competing with our elephants for your affections. If you leave him off the quilt though, be aware that there will be floods of crocodile tears! And you must never disappoint a Crocodile; that much is good advice! Keep reading today to download your balloon crocodile pdf pattern and find out how to put him together. And then join in our usual Colour & Inspiration Tuesday party. All the best parties have animal balloons! 😀

September 27, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist: Excellent Elephants

Excellent Edward Elephant balloon appliqué from the Love with a Twist series by Dione Gardner-Stephen of Clever Chameleon

It’s only fair….

Rabbit appliqués for the Love with a Twist quilt along at Clever Chameleon

Do you remember a while back, how we had a mummy rabbit and her baby for Love with a Twist for Mother’s Day? So it seems only fair that we have a Love with a Twist daddy and his baby for Father’s Day too. Not more rabbits, though. That would be asking for trouble…. 🙂

Father’s Day?!? Yes, I know that most of the world celebrates Father’s Day in June… but there are a few outliers, and Australia is one of them. Father’s Day in Australia (and New Zealand, Fiji and PNG) is the first Sunday in September. Which this year, was September 1st. Unfortunately I was not ready to go with this block on September 1st, or even later in that week. And it was Royal Show Week anyway. But it is still September, and I am ready now, so let’s do this! If you’d prefer to come back and read this post on Father’s Day….. try October 6, apparently it’ll be Father’s Day in Luxembourg. 😀

Elephant appliqués for the Love with a Twist quilt along at Clever Chameleon

This elephant duo (Edward and Ellie) is our first option for Block 10 of the Love with a Twist quilt along. You need both elephants to make this long thin block, but they come as individual downloads. So make sure you get both of them.

A very smiley crocodile will be our second option for Block 10. The Croc is currently in my schedule for Tuesday…. that’s the 31st of September, right? Right….. I did say I wasn’t going to be slave to the calendar on this quilt along, let’s show it who’s boss! Anyway…. keep reading today to download your two elephant pdf patterns and find out how to put them together.