First light, first quilt and more strings!

Here's the rail bridge over the Hutt River and an early morning kayaker enjoying the beautiful weather. Aren't the reflections stunning?

I think I showed a quilt some time ago that was my first one, well this one surfaced recently in one of my 'tidy-up the sewing room ' sessions.  It is made from pieces of dresses shortened by the owner of the dress shop in Hataitai back in the seventies and constructed like a "quilt as you go" block.

As you can no doubt make out, the fabrics are all stretchy and polycotton; on checking I find the batting which is quite thin, has a layer of butter muslin. The backing is a white polycotton and I finished it off by turning the sides over to the back and hemming them down - same treatment for the top and bottom. It is these days the preferred daytime bedding for Floyd, my black and white cat; folded into four it is perfect for him to stretch out on.

I've just updated the idea by doing another jelly roll type [hope I'm not infringing someone's copyright by calling them that?] I'll share it with you when I decide on the border but by coincidence I was looking in some old books for instructions for cathedral window for one of the Shut-in Stitchers [I'm not allowed to take my iPad into the prison!]  when I came across this quilt

and the book it was in -

published in 1980, full of really good ideas still.

And while I'm on a nostalgia trip, here's my crazy woollen wagga!

I pinned all these pieces onto an old blanket one weekend after I had dislocated something in my lower back while sitting crossed legged warping up my tapestry loom! the mind boggles - anyway, I spent the rest of the weekend lying on the living room floor and what else can a person do but put together a crazy quilt!

Lots here from my friendly shop owner, the off cuts from shortening trousers and the rest from the scraps of my dressmaking, BQ of course (Before Quilting).  No batting but the backing is red velvet and the binding is satin ribbon.  It is tied with nylon yard which used to be bright orange.  It's a great car quilt for picnics.

To close today I have a slightly different photo to share; my son was experimenting with photographing light and this is one of my favourites, and a quote that resonates with me, "If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would get done." Anonymous

Nice talking with you, take care -
June