Patchwork and Quilting Projects this year

 I have to admit that I have been more focussed on my patchwork and quilting projects over the last couple of years. I am enjoying the creativity of patchwork and have learned a lot since I began about 4 years ago.

This month, out group has had a Red Black and White challenge. We had to make something using the three colours. While I have made a larger sized quilt with these colours, I have not completely finished it yet. It does need to be quilted and bound so a trip to the quilters is needed soon!

I did, however, manage to complete a couple of smaller quilts which I have pictured below. Both have come from books or magazines I have found, but the details of the "Baskets" quilt were adapted to suit. Both are smaller wall hanging quilts and will go up in my craft room when I have made space for them on the walls. 

The Whirligig quilt was made from scraps left from the large quilt (yet to be finished)!

I recently finished this quilt. It is a single bed sized quilt and made from about 12 fat quarters. It was fun putting it all together. The blocks are based on a sort of log cabin design but with random colours and a variety of widths of strips. 

I quilted this on my Elna sewing machine.

Card Class in July

 The first Wednesday each month is my Creative Card making class at the local library. We are so lucky having a library that is very community focussed and offers the opportunity for people to learn lots of new skills. So when I got the opportunity to take classes in card making at the library, I jumped at the chance. 

A group of 7 to 10 ladies comes along each month to make cards and they always go home with at least 3 cards (if we are not making cards for charity) and lots of ideas for making cards at home.

This month, we made cards for men and boys. Masculine cards always seem to be the ones that many people have problems with.

These are some of the cards made by the ladies this month.

Key tips for Masculine Cards:

• Choose colours that are most suitable for men and boys - blues, greens and browns are always good tones to think about.
• Keep the design reasonably simple.
• Look for background papers that have abstract designs, nature designs or themes such as fishing, sailing, hunting hiking etc.
• Use die cuts appropriate for men
  
• Use designs you may have used for other cards, but change the design by using the different papers and colours. 

Hope these tips might help you with your own masculine cards!