fun Archives - Clever Chameleon Quilting

December 17, 2019January 19, 2024

Warm Wishes: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Christmas Star colour board at Clever Chameleon

The Christmas Season is Heating Up!

The tree is up, presents are bought, plans are mostly laid. The weather outside is variable; this week it is stinking hot, until it’s not. It’s going to be 44C by Friday. For those of you not familiar with Celcius to Farenheit, 44C is about 111F. Then Saturday will have a maximum of 25C….. that will be one heck of a cool change when it blows through. It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas!

Although 44C is not the hottest we’ve ever had (46.6C in Jan 2019), it will equal our hottest December day on record. In fact, heat records are set to fall in much of this sunburnt country of ours this week while I try to pack and quilt. Two not-so-great options for this weather, but we have health, water and shelter, and no bushfires nearby – a lot to be thankful for. Christmas Day will be more like our December average of 28C.

And in harmony with end-of-year thankfulness, it’s that time of year when the Chameleon expresses his gratitude to you my readers by breaking out in song. Continue reading for your annual dose of Clever Chameleon Quilty Christmas Carols!

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 3, 2019January 19, 2024

Once Upon A Story: Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots applique block by Dione Gardner-Stephen at Clever Chameleon Quilting

It’s Story Time Again!! Once Upon A Story…..

…. there were two hardworking and dedicated quilt bloggers, one at Seams to be Sew and the other at Clever Chameleon. Their names were Marian and Dione.

One day, Marian decided to go into the internet forest in search of quilt designers to help create a huge blog hop. A blog hop where there would be a free quilt block pattern at every stop, and lots of prizes too. The theme was to be Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes: Once Upon A Story.

Dione, who spends a great deal of time tending to posts in the internet forest, thought she’d like to be part of this gig. Like all good forests though, this one was full of big bad wolves who tried to deceive and eat her: distraction, too many choices, changes of mind, poor organisation…. But also like all good fairy tales, the heroes won in the end. After much deliberation, Puss in Boots was the pick from her list of favourite fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The block was made, the pattern written and the post is up. The Chameleon slayed all the big bad wolves and Dione lived happily ever after…..

Welcome to my stop on the Once Upon a Story Row Along!

September 3, 2019January 19, 2024

Hello Beautiful!!: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Hello Beautiful Ogre!

Once Upon a Story row-along at Seams to be Sew

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this guy has a face that surely only a mother could love. But he has a good heart, and this much maligned but very amenable Ogre is our feature today because….. this is a sneak peak of a quilt panel I am working on for the Once Upon a Story row-along, organised by Marian of Seams to be Sew. And this row-along starts today! Read on to find out more about it.

You will want absolutely to find out more… there are free patterns and raffle prizes at every hop stop – including a download of EQ8 for one lucky winner, and lots of fabric prizes from our major sponsor Northcott Fabrics. Yup, Do. Not. Forget. to enter to win! The more you participate in this hop, the better your chances! Did I say, it starts today? Yes I did, and I hope you are sitting up and taking notice!

This week, my Tuesday is mostly about looking forward to what is next. September is the Accuquilt “Child’s Play” challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors. And it is getting near to the end of our Love with a Twist quilt along too. Busy, busy, like the bees that have come out in force for the first few days of our Spring. Already the weather feels warmer!

How’s your Tuesday looking? Our Ogre’s putting his best face forward!

August 24, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist: Omniscient Owl

Omniscient Owl balloon appliqué from the Love with a Twist series by Dione Gardner-Stephen of Clever Chameleon

Owl Love You Forever…..

Our all-knowing balloon owl for Love with a Twist is an observant old bird. And a bit of a snoop too. In fact, he knows too much about most people and loves us all anyway. Although this version of him looks a bit worried for some reason….. perhaps he knows something about me that he shouldn’t. I wonder what’s ruffled his feathers? haha.

This owl applique is already sewn onto my Twin size version of Love with a Twist. When I make a second owl for my Throw size quilt, perhaps I will take more care in positioning the eyes to get a more optimistic expression. I am sure you will take note of my owl and take more care with yours, unless you like his slightly startled-looking persona, of course. 😀 Then again, maybe it takes all types to make a quilt….. he certainly looks just fine in the context of my entire project so far. He might be worried about me, but the feeling is not really mutual. I like having a few characters around the place.

Omniscient Owl is our second option for Block 7 of the Love with a Twist quilt along. The wisest of followers will add him to their Love with a Twist collection asap. So, keep reading to download your pdf pattern and find out how to put him together.