happy quilts

Catch ups.

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Hello lovelies, how have you all been? This is the first time I’ve been able to sit down and catch up with you all. There’s a sink full of dishes to be done, but I’ve made a coffee and I’m taking five minutes out from my chores.

I’m feeling great today because I’ve finally finished another quilt. The recent lockdowns came right when I had run out of fabric to start any new major projects and online shopping wasn’t really an option. To fill the void, I delved deep into my scrap bins LoL.

I had 64 ragged and fraying Flying Geese blocks and 11 bear blocks to work with. I’ve unpicked, starched, pressed, trimmed and reassembled them all. The end result is the Scrap Bin Bears quilt. I think they turned out really well for a quilt made from blocks that were going to be binned (two bears didn’t make the cut).

Next out of the scrap bin are these panda blocks. The original quilt was a failure from my point of view, so I unpicked the entire quilt and I’m putting it back together again in a different layout. I haven’t sorted out the borders properly yet but that’s my job for tomorrow.

I also have an enormous amount of soft blue Tilda scraps, among others, that I’m putting together into log cabin blocks. They are gorgeously pretty and I love how they’re coming together.

Peppermint Stitches opened up fully this week and I was able to pop down on Friday to grab some new fabrics. I’m planning on spending the next couple of weeks finishing up the scrap bin quilts, then I’ll pull out the stops with some new projects.

I hope you’ve all been safe and well in these difficult times. Much love to all, toni xx

Happy Sunday.

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Good morning lovelies! How are things in your neck of the woods this not-so-sunny Sunday? My arm is finally healing from a surgical procedure; the bruising, which got much worse, has gone, and the strength is finally coming back.

I’ve nothing much to show you, only a week ago a coffee cup was too heavy to hold and I was still typing with one hand :o) I have about six quilts that are half made and many more on the drawing board, so I guess it’s time to get back in the saddle and get stitching!

Y’all take care of yourselves; be healthy and safe, be kind to your fellow humans. Much love, toni xx

Paper Doll Sew-Along #7

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Hi lovely quilters, it’s time for the next instalment of our Thermoweb Paper Dolls Sew-Along. Click on the photo below to download the file, or pop on over to our Paper Dolls Sew-Along page where you will find all of the instalments and more. Row 2 is now complete, Autumn/fall is next to come!

I’ve had a lot of requests in recent weeks for the old Flower Fairies pattern so I’ve uploaded it to our free pattern page for a limited time. Keep in mind this is an older pattern and I haven’t updated it yet. Please take care with the wing and body templates, make sure the overlapping pieces do overlap properly, especially around the hair.

I’ve been unpicking this old quilt top I found in my scrap bin. I was never entirely happy with it and being in lockdown has given me the time to revisit the design. It’s been trimmed, pressed and re-set in plain framing strips. Now to fix the borders! This is a procrastination project, I can’t quite get the sloth quilt right and it’s driving me crazy LoL.

I hope you’ve all been well and taking care. Are the lockdowns easing where you are? I’m hoping to be able to stock up on fabric in the coming weeks as the stores start to open again, my stash is seriously depleted LoL. Love to all, toni xx

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Hello lovely quilters! How has your week been? I’ve been diving into my scrap bins, getting creative with recycled materials, and catching up on admin. I completely forgot our wedding anniversary last week, not that we really celebrate beyond marvelling at how we’ve put up with each other for so long. Ha ha ha! But it shows that my mind has been elsewhere.

I’ve put together a sweet little (medium sized) quilt made from scrap fabrics and an old, recycled sheet (for the borders). Rem has claimed it for his own, but I’m really pleased that something so.. so happy, can be created from left over scraps. If you look closely you can see where I’ve joined fabrics to make whole shapes.

My local supply/fabric stores have been closed under the Coronavirus lockdowns so I had to get creative with fabric, especially for the borders. I found an old, orphan sheet in amongst my linen; I gave it a good starch and pressing and took to it with the rotary cutter. Voila! a finished quilt top!

It’s been pressed, de-furred and packaged up ready for quilting. I’ll have the pattern uploaded to Etsy in the next day or two. Now to make a proper start on the Sloths. I wonder if I have another orphan sheet somewhere to cut up for borders LoL. Have fun, take care, stay healthy, give someone a virtual, virus free hug. Much love, toni xx

Hello, Hello, Hello!

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Well hello lovely quilters, how are you all this week? We’re living in uncertain and scary times aren’t we.

We’ve been juggling work commitments and self-isolation. Hubby’s work is considered an essential service and he’s been informed that even in a strict shut down they will be required by the Government to keep operating. Great news from a financial point of view but worrying on the health front.

My eldest has been stood down from her job of seven years and my youngest is facing daily abuse (at work) from frenzied and angry hoarders. They are hiring a security guard to keep the staff safe – normal, everyday people are becoming abusive and violent over laundry products for goodness sake.

I’ve been experimenting with some new designs. One of the most requested themes has been sloths, so I’ve been working on a sloth template. Now to decide on fabric and layout.

I’ve unpicked this quilt and am re-purposing the blocks. I don’t know what I was doing with this one LoL. Sometimes you’ve just got to bin it and start again! I actually enjoy unpicking things (yeah I know I’m weird, no need to tell me).

I had originally thought on expanding the Canine Capers quilt but it didn’t come together. If you like the dog templates and layout, they are the same as the Canine Capers templates. The only thing missing from the pattern is the star block.

That’s it from me today. Take care of yourselves okay, listen to the experts, wash your hands, be safe. Much love, toni xx

Saturday Check-In.

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Hello lovely people, I wanted to check in and see how you were all coping with the news today. Are you okay? Please reach out and let’s talk to each other and get through this.

I’m struggling a little with my anxiety, which is in hyperdrive right now. In between panic attacks I’m dumpster diving into my scrap bins. The plan is to hunker down as best I can and sew myself through this thing. Take care okay, we’ve got this. Much love, toni xx

Plant Sunflowers

Posted on by The Red Boot Quilt Co.

Hey y’all, how are you this week? I have a Post-it note stuck to my monitor telling me to plant sunflowers. I’m not sure who put it there but I think it’s a great idea, don’t you?

I’ve spent the past two days updating the website. Everything should be much easier to find and follow now. Please let me know if you run into any difficulties.

You will see multiple “Buy me a Coffee” buttons across the site. Please don’t feel intimidated by them. It’s up to you if you would like to show a little extra support or not.

If you can share my website with your groups, Guilds, and quilty friends it would be wonderful and do so much towards allowing me to continue making you smile with happy quilts.

The next instalment of the Paper Dolls Sew-Along will be released late tomorrow afternoon. Yay! Have you got your fusible webbing and scrap fabrics ready?

I’ve also been putting together some framed Nine-patch blocks with the intention of using an entire bin of small fabric scraps that would’ve normally gone to landfill. I’ve even cut up some old clothes to recycle. It’s turning out so very soft and pretty.

Well I’ve been sitting at the computer for the better part of nine hours today. My back is aching and I’m craving a coffee (and two panadol). See you this time tomorrow with the next instalment of the Paper Dolls. Much love and thank you always, toni xx