Quilt construction Archives - Page 5 of 13

September 17, 2019January 19, 2024

Wishful Thinking: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Wishful thinking colour board at Clever Chameleon

I’ve been doing some Wishful Thinking…..

This month’s Island Batik Ambassador challenge has caused me lots and lots of thinking and sketching; drafting and redrafting. My task is to create a 45″ x 60″ or larger quilt for a child or a teen using the AccuQuilt Cleopatra’s Fan block die. They call this innocent-sounding little challenge “Child’s Play”.

Child’s Play?! “Rocket Science” is more like it! 😀 Tricky….. So many ideas, but all of them too small or too big or the wrong colour….etc, etc. Happily, in the end, I have a beautiful and simple idea for this month’s quilt. But, oh, the convoluted thought-roads I took to get there! Luckily for me there was some lovely mind-scenery on the way.

“She’s finally lost it”, I hear you thinking. Well….. likely so. But then, I have an imaginary Chameleon as a sidekick, so maybe I never “had it” to begin with, haha. Don’t worry, now that I know the way to the quilt, I will show you the shortcut. I will spare you the ideas maze.

August 31, 2019January 19, 2024

Shine Bright: an Island Batik quilt finish

Shine Bright quilt as a bed runner at Clever Chameleon

I was beginning to think this poor project was slightly cursed!

The advice on this beautiful little quilt reads “Shine Bright”. There were times, however I felt like it should have read more along the lines of “Burn, Sucker!”. haha In short; the quilt is finished and it is good. Actually, it’s really lovely. It is exactly what I wanted and needed. The journey, however, was blessed with a few unwanted twists and turns. The long version of the story goes as follows……

August 20, 2019January 19, 2024

Victorian Lace: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Victorian lace quilting design with crazy patchwork colour board at Clever Chameleon

Tackling a UFO from the Victorian Era!

Not really. 😀 It’s just an unfinished flimsy from March, but March does seem like ever such a long time ago. Time flies, does it not?

Do you remember my Crazed Diamonds crazy patchwork piece? No?!! 😮 I’d be quite surprised if you did actually, there’s been a lot of water under all manner of quilting bridges since then! But full marks if you have any idea what I am talking about. And bonus points for reading on…..

August 2, 2019January 19, 2024

Wonky Stars – Bright Beginnings

This month I am getting into my Island Batik Ambassador challenge really early. What a Star!

If you think that the enthusiasm is caused by new supplies, you’d be spot on! A new box of goodies from Island Batik always gets the creative juices flowing. The Island Batik Ambassador Challenge for me for August is to make a project featuring a star block of my choosing. I have long wanted to do something with wonky stars, so now is the time.

Blueberry Patch fabric collection by Island Batik.

I’ve already finished my August flimsy, and I didn’t even change my mind about what I was doing, or with which fabrics! Wonders will never cease. And I’ve even put together a little tutorial about how to make these wonky stars with minimal maths and no geometry lessons. Don’t get me wrong; I love maths and geometry. But I love sewing more. 😀

July 26, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist: Nifty Neck Balloon Giraffe

Nifty Neck Giraffe appliqué from the Love with a Twist series by Dione Gardner-Stephen of Clever Chameleon

Shall I tell you a tall story….?

Sure! Once upon a time, there were two slightly naughty, spotted goats who lived with their grandma in a thatched cottage in a small village. Their names were Girome and Giraldeen, and they were non-identical twins. Girome had already grown a little larger than Giraldeen, and a little bit naughtier too.

Girome and Giraldeen, the balloon giraffes

One day Girome said to Giraldeen, “I spy a new lolly jar! Let’s raid it”. And Giraldeen replied “I like your thinking, but we’re banned from climbing the shelves. Remember?”

“Ahhh…..” said Girome, “But Nan didn’t ban us from using our Ninja skills. We won’t be climbing to get it”. And with that Girome fetched a rope.
“Ninja skills?! Do we have Ninja skills?” wondered Giraldeen. “Indeed” assured Girome, “We are kids, of course we have Ninja skills”. And he tied the rope around his middle and explained to Giraldeen what he wanted her to do.

Disaster!

Giraldeen had never been particularly good at sports, but Girome insisted. Honest! So Giraldeen whirled Girome around and around with the rope, attempting to throw him up to the lolly jar. But unfortunately, when she let go, Girome overshot the shelves. Instead of nabbing the lolly jar in an awesome Ninja move, his head lodged in the thatch in the ceiling, where he stuck fast. Giraldeen’s throw was way off the mark!

Attempting to put things right, Giraldeen pulled and pulled on the rope, but when Girome finally popped free his neck was streeeeee-tched. Giraldeen took one look and burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard she couldn’t talk. “Gir….. Gir…. ha ha hafff, Gir hahahaha, Gir haff”, she spluttered.

Read on to finish this tall story, collect your two gir-haff balloon pdf patterns and find out all the details for making the most of the next block of the Love with a Twist quilt along.