A Good News Day is always a good time to say Thank You

Shadows of Auntie Green with blue ribbon

Shadows of Auntie Green has found her own little place in (South) Australian quilt history

Do you remember the story behind my April Island Batik Ambassador Quilt, Shadows of Auntie Green? It was inspired by a quilt from Australia’s early quilt history called Auntie Green’s Coverlet. And do you remember how I struggled with knowing quite how to finish this quilt off, and I got lots of lovely suggestions from readers that sparked just the right idea?

Well. that’s exactly what happened, and today I got a big but lovely shock in the form of a first ribbon at the South Australian Quilters’ Guild annual show, the Festival of Quilts. I pinned the ribbon on the quilt myself but I’m still not quite sure that I believe it. Somebody pinch me!!

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Beary Colourful BOM: Always Growing Yellow-Green Bear

 Yellow-Green Bear of Always Growing by Clever Chameleon

The Always Learning Green Bear from May has been exploring his family tree and he has discovered a cousin! Please welcome the aspirational July Yellow-Green Bear to the Beary Colourful family.

If you spend much time with young children on a regular basis, you will know that they love to think that they are “Big”. And also that they are “Bigger”. Bigger than their siblings….bigger than their peers….. bigger then that mark on the wall that shows how tall they used to be. 

Growth charts never really go out of fashion, do they? The motifs on them might change but the very simple act of repeatedly measuring yourself on the wall never grows old. And getting taller is linked to some pretty exciting milestones. Especially if you are aiming to beat a height restriction for that ride at the theme park. 120cm was the obsessed-over mark by my kids, thanks to the waterslide at the local pool. Thankfully, for my sanity, my youngest child is very tall for his age!

So, since I strongly associate the colour yellow-green with fresh growth, the seventh bear in the Beary Colourful Quilt BOM series celebrates all things growing. With a garden on his tummy, a growth chart by his side and an aspirational posture, this bear expects bigger and better things. Or a splat in the eye. Hahahaha, poor bear; I think he’s safe enough with no birds on this quilt. Keep on striving, little bear!

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Bring Out Your Bears!! Join the Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

Teddy Bears' Picnic at Clever Chameleon

The 2018 Monthly Color Challenge is half done, and so are our Beary Colourful Bears. I think that calls for a mini-celebration, don’t you? So, let’s have a Teddy Bears’ Picnic!

Are you doing the Beary Colourful BOM with me? Want to, but need a little nudge? Well, here we go! I would love to see your bears. Even if I have already seen them before. I think they’d look great en masse so let’s give it a try it shall we?

Purple Bear of a Little Bit SillyAt the bottom of this post is a link party. A Teddy Bears’ Picnic. If you have completed any or all of the Beary Colourful Bears, you are invited to link up a picture of each one. And for each bear you link up to my Teddy Bears’ Picnic, you will receive an entry into a random prize draw. Two lucky bears will be offered an exclusive quilted postcard from the Chameleon and me, to be sent anywhere in the world.

I know, right!!?!! Pick yourself up off the floor! Exclusive. Dare I say….. collectable?!! hahahaha

Tokens they may be, but sincerely meant and all yours. Stitched into them will be all of my huge appreciation of everyone who has been a part of this very fun BOM journey so far.  And if you win, you’ll still have your postcard once you’ve gifted your Beary Colourful quilt.  🙂 Or you can use it as a unique gift card with your quilt if you are that way inclined.

So if you’ve made a bear or plan to soon, join our picnic. Show us your bears!

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A Two-Faced Pumpkin Quilt Facing Tutorial (and Modern Winding Ways finished)

Modern Winding Ways quilting detail

Island Batik ambassador button

Modern Winding Ways is finished. 

Quilted, faced (invisibly bound) and hung. 🙂 And de-fluffed with several passes of a sticky clothes-lint roller. Crikey, does black fabric show batting lint or what!!?! So, that is it – my June Island Batik Ambassador challenge crossed off the list. Happy days. 

If you’d like to follow the whole design and construction journey for Modern Winding Ways, you can find out more about the design stage here and the flimsy stage here. Today we are just going to have a little look at how I finished it. Including a quick tutorial on how to face a quilt, with a bonus little side project. 

Two-faced Pumpkin quilt pad/table protector

Ummmmm….  I said “face a quilt”….. not “put a face on a quilt”.

A two-faced quilt?….. sinister…… Or should that be a pumpkin with a face on his back side?…… ? *snigger* 

Don’t mind me. Long week, small children. Just roll your eyes and join me for the Two-faced Pumpkin facing tutorial. An easy facing method to make you smile. And if you’d like to make a Two-faced Pumpkin table protector like mine as a practice piece, then be my guest. Everything you need to know is here. The fabrics for both projects featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

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