Watercolour Rainbow table runner/wall hanging

I made this little table runner/wall hanging from the leftover material from making this wedding quilt.  The batiks were too beautiful to ignore or separate so I played around with them and came up with this simple stacked design which studies their colour graduation.  I think it's like a muted rainbow, washed away by the rain. :)
The border is the same chatreuse I used to bind the wedding quilt too - it's a bit brighter than it looks here and I love the acidity against the pastels.  The backing was some pink batik I had in my stash.  You can see the simple quilting I used best on the back and the little hanging pockets I included on each corner so the recipient can hang it using some doweling if they want.
Overall, I was very happy with the result of this little piece and think it is apt that, like its big sister quilt, it has been gifted as a wedding present.

Hot Pink and more Pink!

Yes, it's very pink...with just a touch of butter yellow on the back.
This is my latest baby quilt to go to its new owner born just a few weeks ago and the request from the donor was that it be pink, pink and more pink.
By happy coincidence I have been working on largely monochromatic designs in my charity quilting group "Giving Hands" where we have been concentrating on using light and dark values within a colour family to create contrast.   This is where the pattern (called Fresh Beginnings) came from too although I altered the borders a little.
The border fabric (and the strip on the back) is a gorgeous little alphabet number from the "Love U" by Deb Strain for Moda, just perfect for the job.  The spotted backing material also comes from this range.
The little squares are scrappy from my stash - some cute hearts, some Jan Mullen fabric, some textured solids...and a few fussy cut donkeys for whimsy.
I really love the pop of yellow on the back and I adore the scooters!  Maybe a Vespa is something this little girl will aspire to one day. :)

Quilt and craft fair debrief

Had a great time as always but didn't buy as much.  The fabrics were lovely as usual and if I had seen a bali pop I liked then I might have been tempted but fat quarters are so expensive here compared to US prices so I much prefer to internet shop.
However I did support local a bit - I bought some lovely varigated threads in cute lolly like mixed packs of mini spools for accent hand quilting around applique etc.  I also bought a triangular ruler and a drunkards path template.
I attended two workshops which were interesting.  One on how to use jelly rolls, which gave me some good ideas about sewing strips together for a string quilt type finish and also about separating strips into light, medium and dark, both of which I knew in theory but it was a good refresher.  The second one was on quilt as you go techniques which I would like to try at some stage but think it may need practice!
The quilt exhibition as always was lovely, my favourite probably being a 1930s repro quilt with a gorgeously sunny yellow background.  Not the most technical but it made me happy just looking at it.
So inspired to start cutting again - have had a bit of a break but have some plans now and some definite projects other than my hand quilted hexagons...

Quilt and Craft Show

I am making my annual pilgrimage to the Quilt and Craft Show tomorrow.  Really looking forward to it!  I have my eye on a couple of workshops, hope to get some cool cottons for hand quilting and maybe find a nifty gadget or two.
Material isn't high on my priority list this year.  I have quite the stash already and need to use some of it up!  That being said, if there is something so unusual, so amazing...then I might have to get it. :)
I will also be interested to see the quilt display, I love what people come up with, it really is an art form.
Watch out for a show round up sometime over the weekend...

Linking things together

Blogger has some cool toys for seeing who is reading my modest little blog.  I am very excited that lots of you come from the USA!  How international and as I consider the whole modern quilting movement in the States to be very exciting I feel just a little bit honoured.

Anyway, enough blushing.  If any of you out there want to find me on Facebook (don't even think about Twitter!) I am here:
https://www.facebook.com/JemimaQuilts
Feel free to like me and share with others.  I am keen to be in touch with other quilters as I find you guys so inspiring.

Balinese Wedding Quilt

 This is the latest quilt to have been kept under wraps until it was gifted last weekend...  It is a rather cute rectangle in square design using a luscious jelly roll (or rather Bali pop) of batik fabrics.  I am becoming rather fond of batiks and appreciating their saturation and design.  At a distance they give this beautiful watercolour effect while up close they are a riot of pattern and colour. 

Anyway, this particular quilt was for a good friend of mine who got married on the weekend.  She is an Indonesian teacher and loves Bali and Indonesia, so this was (I hope) an appropriate gift!

It is a good large lap quilt size and generous enough for two to snuggle under.

 The little applique hearts, also in batik, scattered over the quilt make it just that little more romantic. :)  Thanks to my teacher Trish, who suggested adding the touch of hand quilting around the hearts.  This won't be the last time I do that - it really adds another dimension and personalises it even more.  I am really getting into the hand quilting at the moment - ironic as I took up quilting to find a craft where I didn't need to hand sew!

The binding is the same chatreuse found in flashes in the quilt - I couldn't get enough of the "pop" it produces so had to use it for the binding.  The back is a real indigo blue/purple with what almost look like little silvery stars on it.  Also appropriate if you know my husband and I...

Themed Quilts

Every year Swancon (the Perth Science Fiction convention) is held at Easter.  Every year there is an art show and this year for the first time I decided to enter it!  I don't consider myself much of an artist (although I was in an art exhibition at uni, which was a laugh) and I entered this one in the spirit of things with a couple of themed quilts. 
The first one is a bit of a laugh and was great fun to make - square in square with the central spaceship material being 3D!  That's right 3D!  And it really worked.  Looked more hologram like to my eyes but there was a definite effect.  The glasses made the wilder patterned material jump out too.  Whoa! :)

The second one was a Manga/anime themed improvisational quilted wallhanging which I called "Thunderblossom" after the main character.  I love the rich gold metallic which is throughout each of the materials in this one.

It's on its side here but you get the idea...
Anyway they have now both gone to good homes, where I hope they will be loved and enjoyed.