Blue Wren Cushion {Finished!}

The last two weeks have been a flurry of pattern writing, fabric cutting, sewing and general organising at work. Some of the Frangipani Fabrics team (Briony, Cath and myself) are heading over to Melbourne tomorrow via boat to have a stall at the Australasian Quilt Convention, so we have been super busy getting ready for it. Our stall will be focusing on Indigenous Australian fabrics, including seven quilt patterns we are releasing, and it's going to be SO much fun! If you're heading to AQC, please come and say hi at Stall 153 :o).

I'll be teaching a short class (a Make and Take class) each day the convention is on. Briony and I came up with this design, and we are so pleased with it! It was a real team effort in terms of its construction too - I cut and basted the pieces, started the sewing and then Briony took over and completed the wren and appliqued it onto the background (which I put together). And then I quilted it and finished the cushion :o).  It's an English Paper Pieced Blue Wren, made entirely with Indigenous fabrics, and finishes up as a 20" square cushion (or mini quilt.) Kits for this project will be available at the show - and we are taking preorders for kits for those of you who aren't coming to AQC! We are also taking pre-orders for the pattern (which will ship once we get back from AQC).

We have also made up an Australian animal quilt, using Kristy from Quiet Play's fantastic foundation pieced pattern. This will be available as a kit at the show as well. Cath made the blocks for this one, and I pieced and quilted the quilt. These animals look fantastic using Indigenous prints :o)

I'll share more of our booth next week (probably on IG, but also in this space if I get a chance!)

I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

xx Jess

Improv Quilt Beginnings

Almost as soon as I'd finished piecing my Gravity quilt top, I jumped feet first into my next quilty project - an improv quilt as a class sample for a series of improv workshops I'll be teaching at Frangipani Fabrics later this year. I've been busting to start this quilt for months, so it's SO nice to be able to start working on it. It was also a really nice excuse to cut into some new fabric - the bundle of Carkai I got very recently from Polka Dot Tea. I added lots more Carolyn Friedlander from my stash, along with a few friends.

I'll be teaching a range of improv techniques for these workshops, so I'm incorporating all of these techniques into this quilt. First up was log cabins.

And then wonky crosses, and inserting strips. I have not touched a ruler while making these blocks - and I don't think I can go back to using one for improv after this. This is such a fun and fast way to piece - and I just love the organic lines produced by ruler-free cutting.

I had a bit of time to start playing with strip piecing today - not the best photo I'm afraid, but I'm hoping to get a bunch more of these done later this week so I'll try to get a better one for my next update post on this quilt ;o).

Every time I make an improv quilt, it's like I rediscover how much joy and inspiration I get from working like this. I think you'll probably see quite a few improv quilts from me this year - this quilt has sparked heaps of ideas I'd like to try out when I get a chance!

xx Jess