Pippi Longstocking Pumpkins

Remember Pippi Longstocking? She was the main character in a series of children's books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. When we were growing up she was also a star of children's television. Wildly independent and with red braids that wildly sat perpendicular to her head, she had a certain eccentric fashion 'flair'. I'd forgotten all about Pippi until Roberta commented on my Pippi Longstocking crows with their little striped legs and it made me laugh. She was SO right!

Happily, both crows are now complete and resting atop their patchwork pumpkin perches.

I almost lost patience with the fiddling needed to make the crow and leaf work, but that's what happens when you make up the pattern as you go, isn't it? Still love those little stars.

I like to use a narrow border on small items like table toppers so I included a 1/4" green border.

That pumpkin print is pretty sweet, too.

One of these will be for the Holly Bazaar silent auction so I'm going to have Roberta quilt them for me as I'm not sure that my limited straight line quilting will do them justice....M

Snow Goose

Last time I showed you Roberta's Due South which reminded me of all of the Canada Geese that will be flying south soon for the winter. Well, today we're stepping into the next season with her beautiful Snow Goose.

To say that I became a little weak kneed when I saw this one would be an understatement. I had seen a block back in the spring but now the entire top is finished and it is gorgeous! Scrappy, lots of flying geese, tiny nine patches - I could go on. Right in my wheelhouse.

The reds and greens are very reminiscent of the Fig Tree colours in Fly Away Home, which I totally gravitate to, and there's a gorgeous teenie tiny paisley tucked away in that sashing. The whole thing just makes me think that I need one too!

Not surprisingly, the fabric line she used is called "Snowfall" and its by Minick & Simpson (gotta love anything by those sisters!!). There are some wovens in it too, which just really make the quilt.  














She worked on it through the winter and finished it up this spring so now she is 'waiting for the LA'er to get off of her butt and get it quilted so she can get the binding on it'. (Ahem...she would be the longarm quilter in question 😊.)

I don't have a pic of it but the binding will be a beautiful red plaid which will be so nice cut on the bias. And you know how I love my bias check bindings. Sigh.

Sharing this beauty with everyone at Finished or Not Friday...M

This Is A First

Over the years I have had the great good fortune to be able to share quilts made by my mother, family and friends. Today I have a new friend to add to that list. You've heard me mention my longarm quilter Roberta. Well, her little terrier Ivy has a new finish to share with you.

Called Due South, it is a pattern by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company who also writes most of the posts for Moda's The Cutting Table blog. Rather timely, don't you think, given that any day now our geese will begin the long flight south for the winter?

Apparently it will be her summer reading quilt and I think it is perfect for that. It reminds me of Fly Away Home which I made a few years ago but with stars added. Still love all of those geese on an angle.














She used the gorgeous Nest fabric collection by Lella Boutique, which is new to me. Isn't that backing just adorable?

The quilt came together in about two months, which is apparently the quickest she has finished a quilt in a very long time. Little wonder, as she is so busy quilting for everyone else! 

She made four geese at a time and then trimmed them to size. Once they were all finished it came together very quickly.  

Apparently there was some stewing for a bit over the outer border before she decided to just follow Carrie's lead, and she is very glad she did. It really lends to the feel of the quilt.

Roberta has made many of Carrie's patterns over the years loves the talent she has for putting together complicated looking quilts with ease, as she is a great pattern writer.

It's all quilted and she was just finishing up the binding when I saw it. I hope I didn't drool on it when we were snapping pics because I just luuuv that floral print.

Ivy took it for a test drive and it seems to fit the bill. Spoiler alert: I've got another of Roberta's quilts to share with you the next time....M

Pumpkin Seeds

I've got a couple of pumpkin table toppers that I am making for the Holly Bazaar but no real pattern. But seeds of ideas have been percolating and I think I've now got a design that I'm going to like.

This topper that I saw on Cozy Little Quilts was the inspiration (its by Pattern Basket) but I wanted it a little edgier - maybe even a little wonky - so the pumpkins will have a few wonky stars scattered about and an improv crow will be perched on top (she says with confidence). The wonky stars I knew I could do; the crow, not so much.

Actually, once I started making the little stars I didn't want to stop. My squares were cut to 2" so they are tiny and sweet, finishing at 1.5". I used the same three blacks for the star points and made the centre block on each of them from a different print. This would make a very cute Halloween quilt or throw...

Corners were added and then it was time to think about a leaf for the pumpkin.

After that it was a bit of a math session to figure out my crow. I used this tutorial as a starting point and then figured out my measurements...

Success - a crow is born! (Don't you love those little stripey legs?). Now to put it all together and figure out the border(s). The second topper should go together much faster....M