accuquilt Archives - Clever Chameleon Quilting

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…… 😀

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 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 13, 2019January 19, 2024

Pinwheels and Pretties: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Pinwheels and Pretties colour board from Clever Chameleon

Pinwheels Mystery Quilt Progress

Over a year ago I started a quilt that will actually, one day, be for me! I started it at a Pick-A-Case mystery retreat with Judy in Bordertown. Which I attended at the invitation and insistence of my at-the-time-unmet internet blogger friend, Joy (of Days Filled with Joy blogging fame).

But once I was home from that retreat, the quilt dropped like a stone in the priority queue and stalled. I’m sure many of you will be familiar with the troubles associated with finishing a project for oneself over all the other important and urgent quilts in the works! So, until this past weekend that mystery retreat quilt has laid largely untouched.

What was so special about this past weekend that it got such a quilt back on track? Well, I returned to Judy’s place to spend some more time with her and Joy and other quilter friends. This time my goals were to play with our collective AccuQuilt GO! resources, and to get some more done on “that quilt”! We had a lot fun, and I even made some on target progress too. 😀

July 23, 2019January 19, 2024

Graphic Gems: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Graphic Gems color scheme at Clever Chameleon

I’ve got a new box full of gems! Bright fabric graphic gems!

Do you like these colours? I hope you like these colours, because I love these colours. These are the colours of one of Island Batik’s freshest fabric lines, Graphic Gems – a collection I will happily be working with in the coming months. What’s more, it’s just a taste of what I found in my most recent Island Batik Ambassador delivery.

All the Island Batik Ambassadors have been in a frenzy the last week or so, as new supplies have travelled the globe and landed on doorsteps. Even though I am in Australia, somehow I was one of the first to receive my box this time (!!). Which is awesome because it means the contents were still a surprise when I opened them. That’s a first, out of four Ambassador boxes. 😀 I love, love happy surprises.

What was in my second Ambassador box for the year? Let’s have a look! Pssst…. I made a video…. my first “talkie” ever. I was terrified, but in the end it was actually quite a bit of fun. Come see.