Diamond Hill and Luv Shack

Hi Everyone,

Ages since I blogged, life just seems to get in the way or is it quilting, not sure but have been busy and just had a few days in ChCHh as well. Party for a great friend celebrating his 65th birthday, Steve only stayed a couple of days but with four brothers and three years since I had visited them I stayed an extra few days so that could catch up with everyone, especially a couple of very close girlfriends.
part 5 of Diamond HIll came out just before I left and Esther had gone to great trouble to give options for making the diamond borders. Being me I had been quietly working away on these borders since month one as knew I wasn't going to piece them but applique them to the sashing strip. Having the picture of the finished quilt the calculations were simple but decided to cut my strips at 3" wide and trim after stitching them - just in case!!!

When I bought the sashing background (stonehenge) thought it was in the perfect tonings to go with my diamonds and it is, it tones right in, so much so that the diamonds lose their definition.
Diamonds would have been perfect against my block fabric but had fallen in love with what I used for my blocks and even though there wasn't enough for the sahings was determined to make it work.
Had cut all my sashings so was not letting it go to waste so played with threads to highlight the diamonds and have used a variegated 12wt thread that has the same colours as the diamonds. In hindsight a solid burgundy might have been the best choice but it looked too bold at the time.
Placing the diamonds was the fiddliest bit, stitching was a breeze as zigged and zagged my way down one side and then back up the other and presto they were done.

When the sashings were only around the blocks I was very uncertain about them but the addition of the dark strips made them start to pop. Thought I would have to wait for part 5 for the central star but suddenly realised it was a Lemoyne Star that was in a foundation piecing pattern book.
Size was almost perfect with only a slight enlargement needed to get my pattern

My plan was for an orange and yellow star but decided to use this gold fabric instead so green became my contrast. Cut and layered my pieces so the green was on top and I could stitch the edges continously. My half square triangles are pieced, just stitched afterwards.

Yesterday I added the next diamond borders and have the top cornerstones in place.

Tossed up between using purple or this red for the base, red won and think it was the right choice.

Last two cornerstones today and will be up to date again.

Have been spending time on Luv Shack the last few weeks as well and progress has been good.
Decided to use butterflies on the border, went with the ones that toned most with the border so as not too in your face.

When the corner ones were on it needed some on the sides as well.

had been thinking about my backing for a while and came across a Kiwiana fabric called Retro Baches which seemed so fitting for this quilt,  Once again not enough left for a complete backing so had to come up with a way to make it work which was of course to make the quilt reversible.
was able to get more of both the border fabric and the red, this is the result for my backing.

Typical Kiwi baches from the 60's and 70's

The half inch red strip just brings the fabric to life and its surrounded by a brillant sunny day, what more could anyone want..

Thought about the quilting problems I might have matching up the borders so spray basted my backing to the batting first and stitched  just inside the red border before turning it over and placing the top. Also made the center of the backing slightly larger than the top so could position the front just inside the stitching line. So far have stitched around nearly all the hearts, with dark grey thread on top and fawn in the bobbin my quilting is working out fine.

So thats what I have been doing the last few weeks, hoping to get this finished or very close to by June 1st when the next part of Secret Garden is released as am dying to find out what comes next and whether we use our contrast fabric or not, love mine and have fingers crossed it will work.

Enjoy your week everyone,

Cheers Jenny