Block Swaps and Other Bits and Pieces

My block swap partner for August was Erin in Queensland. Erin had two choices for block and I chose to make her a Road to California as she said she didn't have many of those.

This is the block I sent Erin:

Erin was kind enough to send me two blocks this month, one in each of my colourway options. I have now decided to use these blocks to make a donation quilt to the Calvary Hospice here in Adelaide which is looking for lap quilts to give each of their patients when they come in. My Mum spent some months in the hospice before she died 23 years ago so I would like to do something for them. They only want 48x48" which is perfect for these blocks as they are 12 inch blocks!

On some non-quilty items, my younger son Simon had an exciting day this week when he bought his first car.

Paid for it in cash, not bad for only working a few days a week. He's a saver that boy!

Then we have Miss Olivia who is more of a wrecker!

Which is clearly an exhausting business!

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August UFO Progress (not a finish though)

August has been a funny month, pretty ordinary all around I'd say for a variety of reasons.  I didn't seem to get enough sewing time this month and didn't get my project finished but I have it well underway. My UFO project was to try out the Folded 3D Mariner's Compass Ruler Set which I've had for a couple of years and I did do that so I guess you could say its a finish!

This was my practice block and apart from ending up with the purple on top when I had planned to use it as one of the background colours (note to self to study cutting instructions much more carefully!) it worked out okay.

I have been planning to make my brother a quilt using these blocks and as he will be 60 in November this seemed like the time for a quilt. I have made 4 blocks in one colourway and have a centre block and 4 others in progress. Just need to make one more lot of four and then square them up, then ........ hmmm so quite a bit of work to do yet! So not a finish for August but I've decided this will be September's UFO project too.  Some of my UFO projects I don't have a real need to have finished any time in particular and I need to get this one done!

Any way this is the other block (x4) which I have completed.

My brother has always loved the sea and the river so I am trying to use fabric with a meaning. The centre fabric reminds me of the wood on a jetty. I have other nautical themed fabric and other fabric which is themed around London as his daughter is currently living there.

So that's my August (and September) UFO project so far.

I thought I'd finish with another photo of our lovely 'pup' Olivia who is working on sending me bankrupt. Apart from eating everything in sight , she is (reluctantly) on first name terms with the vet already and we've only had her for 3 months!

I finally managed to get her to smile for me to take a photo, she normally looks really miserable in photos!

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Mariner's Compass Quilt - This Month's UFO

Now when I say UFO I really mean not started yet!  A couple of years ago (or maybe more) I bought The Folded 3-D Mariner's Compass set at the Quilt and Craft Fair here in Adelaide and haven't used it yet.  My brother is turning 60 in November (we share the same birth date but we're not twins, he's 8 years older than me!) and has always had an affinity with the sea so I thought I would make him a quilt using these blocks.

I have some fabric I've put together over the last few months but not sure if it will be enough! As I hadn't used the tool before, rather than use up my precious chosen fabrics I thought I'd better make a block with other fabric to try it out and I'm very glad I did. I do think the instructions could be worded better, particularly relating to fabric cutting instructions but the instructions for the method were great.

It came together very quickly and easily and my only issue was that I had planned on the dark purple fabric being at the back and the other darker patterned fabric at the front.  As it is now the purple kind of takes over rather than being a highlight as I had in mind. I have now written on my pattern to make things a bit clearer!

As it was dark by the time I finished, some of the fabric is a bit reflective in the flash photo but you get the idea at least!

I might use this block in a cushion or something!

Now I need to plan the quilt and see if I have anywhere near enough fabric for what I have in mind. If not I think I could make blocks in a couple of colour options and alternate them, we'll see.

Out with the graph paper and pencil I think!

Celestial Stars - Block 2!

Now that I have my July UFO projects out of the way I managed to find the time to put another of my Celestial Star blocks together.

I'm not sure whether I like this one as much but its not too bad.  Here it is laid out on the table waiting to be stitched together.  You can't see it in this photo but I managed to cut off the pointy end of one of the centre wedges when I was trimming them up. Who knows how I managed that but it didn't end up being a problem as it was just inside the seam allowance fortunately so I didn't need to redo it.

Here it is all put together:

Perhaps the reason I don't like this one as much is that there's not enough contrast in the outer ring with the blue and dark green.  Still when all the blocks go together it will probably work.
As a reminder this is the first star I made:

So two down and two to go!  If you'd like to join in the quiltalong too head over to this post at from Blank Pages.

Thanks for visiting my blog today,