A weekend's fun

I spent quite a bit of time working on projects this past weekend, and it got me thinking about my work method.  I rarely start a quilt, and work on it until it is finished.  I tend to have three, four or even five projects all 'current', meaning I am working on them.  I have many WIPs that are not current, that I will go back to at another time (and probably a couple that I never will go back to!).  I seem to work best when I allow myself to do a few hours on one quilt, then a few hours on another, rotating around these projects which are all at different stages.

At the weekend I finished off the last few blocks of my improv Sweetwater Hometown quilt, (photos to follow - I still need to do the sashing).  I also made a few improv blocks for a quilt I am making my Mum.  This quilt is at a very early stage, I've settled on colours (her choice) and have been playing around with improv technique.  I've only made the first six blocks and I've settled on an improv method that works for me.

Mum wanted a quilt made with all solids.  I've added in just a handful of prints as I thought it looked a bit flat.  I love improv, but it is slow and I do seem to waste a fair bit of fabric (lucky it's mostly solids as they are cheaper than prints!).  Mum picked out the design from Malka Dubrawsky's wonderful book, Fresh Quilting.  I took the above photo outside hoping it would improve the colours, but they are really richer than this, and the light colours are really grey and light aquas.

I also spent considerable time choosing colours for a new quilt for my daughter.  She currently has a number of single bed quilts on her double bed, and requested a larger quilt in a half square triangle design.  Choosing colours always takes me quite some time, I like to choose them then leave them somewhere where I can glance at them and be sure I like them as a group before I cut into them.  The stack I pulled for this quilt went for morning tea to a friend's house for her opinion too!  I then cut up 8.5" squares to sew around all four edges and then cross cut the squares diagonally twice so that I get four half square triangle blocks per square.  I also trim them down to 5.5".

The fourth project I spent time on is my Swoon quilt.  Who doesn't adore this block?  I've had the pattern for quite some time and I'm delighted that Katy from I'm A Ginger Monkey has started a Swoon Along.  I am completely addicted to quilt alongs, I find the inspiration and support from other quilters is fabulous.   If you've never tried one, you really should.

All I've done is choose fabrics.  I've decided to cut into my HUGE stash of Meadowsweet and Meadowsweet 2.  I'm really looking forward to this, I just have to buy some fabric for the background.  

I am really happy to be using some of my Meadowsweet stash.  I've been hoarding collecting these gorgeous Sandi Henderson fabrics for years but have rarely used any, I have been waiting for the perfect project - and it's here!   I've been gradually buying them over time and have really got enough fabric for about six quilts.  I'll be ready for any fabric shortage in the future haha!

So that was my weekend's fun, rotating between these four projects, as well as spending time with my daughter who is home from uni on holidays.  My idea of a wonderful weekend!