Word Quilts

I like the idea of a quilt with words. I have since I saw Elizabeth Hartman's Billboard Quilts.

I ordered this book, Word Play Quilts by Tonya Ricucci from Fishpond, a month or so ago and it arrived Tuesday from Britain ... just when I thought I was shopping relatively local. It contains everything I need to know in order to make quilts with words just like on the cover.

As always it comes down to squares, rectangles and triangles. And it shows me how to construct every letter of the alphabet.

I look forward to having a play in the hols. 2 weeks to go.

Library Books

I go in fits and starts with library books. When I was sick last weekend, I ordered some. I do love that I can order on the www, and then pick them up from my local library 2 km from my house. Two I ordered came in. I have been looking forward to them since Thursday.

Unfortunately, neither is a keeper.

The first - Simply Mini Quilts - might suit an absolute beginner with its 9 pages of instructions at the start. None of the mini quilts are really to my taste, nor particularly orginal ... I've seen them all, or least variations of them, on the www.

The second - Quilting Line and Colour - is certainly more advanced and artistic. I enjoyed looking at the pics and the instructions seem to be detailed with photos, drawings and step by steps. And I did enjoy the chapter on the author's involvement in quilting. However, none of the quilts have me running the stash or sewing machine.

Oh well, I hope the next shipment is more to my taste. I am looking for inspiration for the next Auckland Modern Quilt Guild's challenge. The challenge is to make a tiny quilt (20 x 24-ish") using a block/pattern we have never used before. The quilts are to be gifted to the NICU or PICU at Akld Hospital. Still not sure that I will enter into the challenge. No spare time really. School is still really busy and I am at 10/25 for the Wonky Log Cabin. I need to the get to Wonky Log Cabin done by Easter.

Re-thinking the Grey and Green

I was thinking a Strips and Bricks number like here @ a stitch in dye.

But now I am LOVING this log cabin by Alicia Paulson of posie gets cosy.

So much so, I have ordered Modern Log Cabin Quliting from fishpond.co.nz. (Fishpond was cheaper than Book Depository - a pleasant surprise. I don't even look at Amazon anymore. Their extorniate overseas postage kills any bargain book prices.)

I Heart Auckland Libraries

... previously known as Manukau Libraries before we became a 'Super City' last year. I love being able to go on the website to reserve books and getting the email to say 'your book is in' at my local branch which is all of 4 km from my house! I liked the Material Obsession Books - particularly book #2. I also enjoyed Boo Davis' Dare to be Square. Every quilt is made with just squares and rectangles. My fave might just be the sausage dog! This book below is quite pretty.

I like this pattern in particular.

I had a play with it on Sunday afternoon using leftover strips from the Jelly Rolls I used to make the 'wedding quilt' in 2009. It's quite straightforward. I just need to set the other pieces in. I might just use up the jelly rolls and make a few random blocks.

I really should be quilting the Leicester Square Quilt but it's been very warm and 90+% humidity most days - not really weather for sitting under a quilt,

Bargain Books Online

Check out http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/ Free postage to NZ.

I ordered Prints Charming for $30ish NZ and The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook for $30ish NZ. Both go for about $45 each in NZ. Crazy shopping.