I finished a second top with my Kiwiana fabrics in the meantime. There is definitely enough left for at least one more quilt, maybe even two. For this quilt, I used a free pattern called Garden Tiles from Robert Kaufman. I adjusted the measurements to suit my needs, as well as the number of rows and columns. The basic idea looked similar to the Shadow Boxes pattern I used in my first Kiwiana quilt, but the result is quite different.
For this one, I can actually see some custom quilting. The sashing forms a secondary pattern of white crosses, and these areas are just begging for a nice custom design.
But no quilting will happen anytime soon for this top since I do not have a suitable backing. I am working hard on the idea of another trip to New Zealand, but it will have to wait until summer in the southern hemisphere. Until then, it will go on a hanger and into the closet, and I will keep thinking about possible quilting patterns that echo Maori designs.
If you are interested in this free pattern, you can find it on the Robert Kaufman website by following the link below.
Welcome to April! I started a lot of seeds in March, most of them indoors because it is still too cold for many to survive outside. But my peas, radishes, spinach, and carrots are all in the ground, as they do not mind the occasional overnight frost.
My veggie beds are all in the backyard. In the front yard, I have the sunflower beds but not much else, so we have started turning the area into a rose garden. There was one very pretty rose there when we bought the house, a Peace Rose, with beautiful colouring and a wonderful scent. Then a friend came across a rose called Pumpkin Patch and just had to buy it for me. We added a few more, and they are doing really well, which gave us the idea to plant as many roses out front as will fit.
But roses are expensive, so this project will take multiple years. We have eight so far, and I have ordered four more, which I should be able to pick up any day now.
As for our Safari, it would not be a very satisfying experience without seeing a lion, would it? I fiddled around with his mane a lot, trying to keep it as simple as possible, but it needed to be a bit spiky to give it enough texture. I did not like the smooth variations I came up with, so be prepared to cut plenty of points. Overall, I am now very happy with the way he turned out, very majestic but still rather friendly-looking.
As always, the pattern will be available for free download until the end of the month and move to the pattern store when the May block is released.
EDIT: The month of free download is over, and the block has moved to the pattern store where it is now available for purchase.
It was a lot of work, but I am happy to announce that the pattern gallery on my website is finally finished. Pattern sales will continue through the Square shop, as this seems to be working well. However, organizing patterns into categories and adding tags on my website gives me better control, making it much easier for customers to find what they are looking for.
I have essentially recreated the old website shop while linking each item to the new Square shop. The main pattern list displays all patterns in numerical order, with the newest ones appearing first. I decided to bring back all individual blocks from previous BOMs, but to keep the main pattern list manageable, they and the pattern bundles are not included. Instead, there are links in the sidebar to view all individual blocks in numerical order, as well as the available pattern bundles.
When you click on a pattern, it takes you to its page on my website, not the Square store. There, you will find a detailed description, including measurements, required skills, and skill level. If the pattern is part of a series, all related items are listed at the bottom. The buttons link directly to the corresponding items in the Square pattern store.
All individual blocks from my BOM projects, starting with Tuxedo Cats, are available for purchase. They are listed in the individual block category but can also be accessed from the full quilt’s pattern page. Simply scroll down to the series list, where each block is linked directly to its item in the pattern store.
I have checked everything carefully, but with so many links to add, mistakes can happen. If you come across a link that does not lead where you expect, please let me know, and I will fix it as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy the new pattern catalogue. Happy browsing!
