Tula Pink Giveaway - and a Tula Quilt Finish!

I've been starting new projects at a ridiculous rate over the last few weeks - so I currently have six projects in various stages of completion that I'm actively working on. This is a bit ridiculous even for me, so I'm thrilled to say I have something that's actually finished to share today :oD. I'm especially excited that this quilt is finally finished. I started making it almost three years ago, when Tula Pink's Birds and Bees collection first came out. And I have a really awesome giveaway at the end for all of you Tula fans!

The pattern is the Colour Block quilt, designed by Tula Pink for her Saltwater collection. It's a really nice pattern to use larger scale prints, and it is one of those really clever and simple patterns to make. I chose kona solids for the background, in colours that would blend well with the prints. This quilt top has been sitting in my to-finish pile for a few years, wanting to be finished. The size (84" x 96") was what made me hesitate to quilt it - so when I was given a frame earlier this year I decided this would be the first quilt to go on the frame.

And the last as it happens, for a few reasons. When I set my machine up on the frame, I realised I only had about 4" of quilting space at any time, which meant my options for quilting were fairly limited. I decided to go for dense organic straight lines, and I adore the texture. The other negative while I was using the frame was the number of thread breakages I had while quilting. I'm pretty sure I was just expecting too much of my machine on the frame, and expecting it to stitch faster than it's capable of. The other thing that might have played a role is the fact that I used a high thread count flat sheet for the backing fabric. Whatever the reason, I haven't used the frame since!

I used a whole bunch of Aurifil 50wt threads to quilt it - many of them are variegated from Tula Pink's first collection for Aurifil. I love how the thread blends in some areas, but contrasts a lot in others (especially on the darker fabrics.) I'm yet to wash this one, but I'm a bit excited to see how it crinkles once it's washed.

I promised a giveaway today, and it's a pretty amazing one! The Fat Quarter Shop have offered a bundle of Tula Pink's latest collection Eden, in the Lotus colourway. I LOVE the colours in this bundle - they're a little different from Tula's usual shades of green and blue.

If you'd like a chance to win this bundle, please just leave me a comment and let me know what you'd make with it (or if you'd just stash it like I would!!) That's it, no hoops! The giveaway is open to everyone, and comments will close next Wednesday 14th October at 8pm AEST.

Please make sure you are NOT A NO REPLY BLOGGER - I have had lots and lots of no reply comments lately, so if I haven't replied to you it means I can't. If you're a no-reply blogger I have no way of contacting you and you will not be eligible to win this bundle :o)

I hope you're all having a wonderful week!

xx Jess

Some FAL action!!

Finally! I'm so excited to be working on my Colour Blocks quilt again (free pattern by Tula Pink). I started this quilt around Christmas time last year, and I've been working on it in dribs and drabs. It's the perfect quilt to do that with, since it's broken down into bite-sized sections. I've been cutting each colour as I go, so I'm not getting confused with where I'm at when I leave it for a few weeks at a time ;o) I only have a few more of the sections to piece, and then start putting the other side together as well. So. Excited.

This is the entire right hand side of the quilt - it measures 24" x about 96" (not the best photo sorry - I nearly killed myself climbing on our old rickety outdoor table taking this one.) I'm really excited about how this is coming together - I love how the different purples play together, and pick up some of the colours in the fabrics. It's not all purple by the way - there is another smaller purple section on the other side of the quilt, but the rest of it is mainly blues and neutrals, with a few pops of pink.

I must say I'm getting a wee bit nervous about the prospect of actually quilting it. And basting it. It's going to finish up at around 85" x 96" which is HUGE compared to anything I've done so far...

Hoping to get a bit more done over the weekend :o)

xx Jess