January started well then I got sick - again

January started well, sewing wise, and I was full of enthusiasm.  Then I got sick again in early January, which put me behind. All better once more and we had plans for a Sydney, Goulburn and Canberra trip in early February, but sadly I succumbed to the bug again after a day in Sydney, so once I was well enough to travel, we came straight home.  It meant that I couldn't hand over two quilts - the music quilt and the medallion quilt.  I should really just post the music quilt to my friend in Goulburn as I've been ill three times in the last year or so, when we had planned to meet up.  

At least the medallion quilt is finally finished.  Made from a BOM kit from 1998, which I purchased on special in 2004 from Barossa Quilt Cottage, and finally starting sewing up in 2023!  Pieced and quilted with Guterman 50wt cotton threads, and one section quilted with 60wt Bottom Line.  

I'm reasonably happy with it although the free motion quilting is a bit dodgy in places.  I had my main machine serviced and found that the tension was all out of whack when I got it back.  I've had to re-calibrate my settings for free motion quilting.  The border and backing fabrics are from my stash.  The backing fabric in particular, I think I've had for probably about as long as I've had the kit.  It was a great backing fabric to hide the differing quilting thread colours, blue, white and red.  I don't have much of it left unfortunately.  The border was added to make it a little bigger, and I'm glad I had a suitable fabric in the stash.  I will give it to the friend from Canberra in a few weeks' time.  Fingers crossed!

            

Finished size:  62.5" x 76" (before washing)  

I also made a library bag in January, for the granddaughter, who started school this year.  Where has that time gone?!!  It feels like she was only just born!  She wanted Bluey fabric.  I've used a lot of Bluey fabric for items for her in the last two years.  I don't have much left in the stash.

No fabrics purchased this month for my stash.  I did pick up some Aussie flag fabric that was on sale at Spotlight, to pass on to the Aussie Hero Quilts group who make quilts for servicemen and women.  But since it came in and went out, it doesn't count for my annual tally.

January/February 2024 fabric tally

Finishes this month:  medallion quilt = 6.2m,  library bag = 0.3m 

Fabric used:  - 6.5m         Fabric acquired:  +0 m

Running tally:  - 6.5m

The Colour Catcher sheets from washing the medallion quilt!