A New Quilt♡

Hello lovely friends♡ It's late Sunday evening here, where, for most of you in your little part of the world, Sunday is just awaking♡

Early this week I had a request for a quilt to be made to be used as a throw for a nursery nursing chair. And, the request was if possible could it be finished in a week or two. Also, if at all possible could I use Australian theme fabrics mixed with a few solids and green prints. And......not a lot of bright fabrics, please. Though, some brighter greens thrown into the mix were acceptable.

Fortunately, I have remnants of fabrics with Aussie animals and flora so I pulled these out, with various green prints and a few solids; sending  a photo to the mum-to-be for the okay. So, receiving the green light I began.

I stitched 4" squares together. Fabrics where sweet joeys are peeping out of mumma's pouch and cockatoos and kookaburras enjoying a laugh in an old gum tree. There are platypuses chasing fish in and out of reeds deep in riverbeds and other platypuses sitting on the river bank fishing with their pelican chums. Koalas are catching rides on the back of jumping kangaroos and there are a couple of chubby koalas enjoying a banquet of eucalyptus leaves.. There's  a little gum nut, Snugglepot......or is it Cuddlepie (of May Gibbs fame) setting sail in a little tinnie with her friend, Koala. There's even a blue fairy wren singing a merry tune where more little gum nuts listen, enthralled. Such a sweet fabric. The other fabrics added to the mix are spotty spots,  Australian floral designs and a few Kona solids. The binding is Kona Bluegrass which do-si-do around the quilt quite nicely.

The backing fabric  is very different to the quilt front. It's a fabric with cute doggies all over. An interesting choice but it is what the mum-to-be requested. But then, it's really two quilts in one. Double the fun and whimsy.

I bought the doggy fabric when out shopping with my daughter in San Fransisco. It was the first time I stepped over the threshold of Hobby Lobby. It's certainly a shop with all things craft, isn't it?? I thought at the time you would be hard pressed to not find what you wanted. Though, I must say for fabrics and pure wool I prefer smaller independent patchwork and wool shops.

I'm still bemused by my little shopping expedition in Hobby Lobby. My daughter and I were at the cutting counter and as the sales assistant was cutting the doggy fabric  she asked me what country I was from; to which I replied, Australia. At this point she told us that she would never travel to Australia. Intrigued, I asked her why ever not. She went on to say that she would be terrified to visit Australia as it was a communist country.  My daughter and I looked at each other simultaneously and silently questioned.......What??!! When??!! How??!! I wanted to enlighten this dear lady that perhaps she should board a plane and dip her conservative toes in the land down under and experience for herself a land where government  serves the people and, for the most part endeavours to make the lives of their citizens better, but I thought better of it. Of course, the both of us walked out of the shop incredulous, chortling as we went. Truly, the ignorance of some Americans is astounding. I must say when the sad time arrived when I had to say  au revoir to my daughter and son-in-law, I said to my daughter to wish me luck as I departed for that communist land in which I live; the home of her youth. I'm still chuckling over the dear lady's thoughts on Australia. =) Yes indeedy, I'm thankful and feel blessed to live in Australia.

Oh, while I'm broaching the subject of politics, another aside. So, so sorry.......but you know me. =) We're having a federal election within the next few months and can you believe, we have a right wing conservative party called the Trumpet of Patriotism!! It is a party where their intention is to get an elected representative or two into the hallowed halls of Parliament. You have got to be kidding!! Imagine my surprise when one evening the Trump-like, bloated and over-fed billionaire leader of this party took over my TV screen in an over-long advertisement sitting with Tucker Carlson??!! What??!! They were trumpeting on and on and on, how Australia needs to have Trump policies. I don't think so!! I had heard Carlson had been doing the rounds here, spewing out his buddy Trump's propoganda. However did he get into Australia?? Truly Border Force, you  should be more particular, indeed, more selective with whom you allow to enter. Such a pity his entry visa wasn't denied and sent packing on the next plane. Ahh....us Aussies are just too friendly. =)

But....back to the quilt. I machine quilted vertical and horizontal stitching lines a quarter of an inch in from the seams. I was half way through the quilting where I discovered an almighty boo boo. The backing fabric is upside down. The things one does when one isn't thinking. In all my years of quilting I cannot recall doing this before. Truly, I wonder about my muddly head sometimes. Not to worry. I sent a photo to the mum-to-be as I really didn't want to spend hours and hours unpicking stitches, and all's good with her. We decided to call it a Topsy Turvey quilt.

Oopsa daisy. =)

Another finished quilt. A speedy quilt which was pieced and machine quilted in a few days. I enjoy fashioning small quilts. It's a welcome change to huge queen bed size quilts which seem to take me forever. I always find simple patchwork quilts where squares dance happily with each other, charming. Fingers crossed the mum-to-be likes this pretty.

Hoping you enjoy a pleasant Sunday lovely lovelies......lovely friends; joying in something you love to do♡ I enjoyed a lovely day, though it was a busy one. Somehow, I managed to squeeze in the hand stitching of the binding of the topsy turvey quilt. Remember, keep your light shining in your little part of the world. Mine is shining brightly here♡ Take care♡

Until the next time......