This is what Gbf and I gave ourselves for Christmas this year - a beautiful retro sideboard. 


Awesome green felt lined drawers. 


It was delivered the weekend before Christmas and I knew there was no way I could look at a blank wall on Christmas day so I went off to my sewing room. 

I dug up some 50's inspired barkcloth samples that I've had for years, even before I was a quilter. 
I tried various background fabrics but these wools were by far the best. I like the way the warm browns echo the colour of the wood in the sideboard. 
 I made a basic wholecloth quilt using the pillowcase method to contain the edges of the batting...

... so I could let the woollen edges run wild and free.

 The barkcloth patches are simply sewn on. I love the rawness of the look, not to mention the fabulous play of textures.

I think it's the fastest quilt I've ever made. I finished it in a day! I might go back and add some more wool patches or add some hand stitches one day but I was so happy to have it hanging on Christmas Day. 
I've called it Atomic Wagga in honour of Aussie woollen patchy quilts and the atomic 50's fabrics. 


Here's it is with the sideboard. Do you think it matches?

 My other current project is opposite to Atomic Wagga in every way.  I call this one Dandy Dresdans. I've been working on it on and off for about a year.


I've finally finished appliquing the dresdans and ric rac. Yay!

... but now I'm dithering about whether the triangle border works or not and whether it needs a green skinny border to break up the red a bit. Oh decisions, decisions...
The center is an old tea towel put on point. The words around the green diamond say:
"If you keep this jumbo towel handy, your pots and pans will shine just dandy". How cute is that!


One last photo... Here's where Gbf and I had breakfast this morning, The Megalong Valley Tea Rooms. What a great start to the new year.


Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a most wonderful year full of fun, friends and fabric delights. Hooray for 2013 - it's going to be a fabulous year!!!

PS Waggas might be the new thing, check out the awesome one made by LeeAnn of Nifty Quilts.