Here I am, back in lockdown because of the outbreak of covid cases in Sydney.  I'm very disappointed to be missing out on my workshops but then I know it is the right thing for everyone to just settle down and play it safe. Hopefully it will mean a much shorter lockdown and we'll be back to a sense of normality soon.

One silver lining is that it's given me time to list some of my new patterns in my Etsy store and even write this blog post. I did get a bit behind on my computer things. 

So here I am with - not just one, but 3 new patterns!!!

While I'm saying 3 "new patterns" 2 of the quilts are in fact quite old. Some of you might even recognise them from past blogposts.

The first is Hextravaganza, a quilt that I started in 2011! Wow, that is 10 years ago!

I started it as a way to show off the fabrics by my one of my favourite fabric designers, Jennifer Paganelli. There are bits and pieces and snippets from several of her ranges. 

I still remember the moment when the idea for this quilt came to me. I was in the car waiting to go through a roundabout when I had the thought that the beautiful bird and flower fabrics that feature Jennifer's fabrics would look wonderful surrounded by hexagons. I was tempted to drive right around the round about and head straight home to my sewing room, but instead I had to go straight ahead to work. Though I started making hexies that night when I got home.

I used to post pictures of the hexagon blocks as I would finish them and give them names like CocoCoconut Ice, Toffee Apple Bouquet and Butterfly Kisses.

Over the years I would have flurries of working on the blocks but then would get distracted by other projects. It was at a time I was working full time and didn't have as much time for sewing. I mostly finished the top a couple of years ago and then last year I finally added finishing touches and wrote the pattern. 

The pattern covers how to make the blocks, from sewing hexagons, applique instructions, fussy-cutting tips and then how to bring them together as a quilt. As with all of my patterns it is full of colour photo step by step instructions. The printed version includes an acrylic hexagon window template to use for fussy cutting. The downloadable PDF version has the hexagon template for you to trace onto template plastic or cardboard to make your own. 

If you're curious to read some of my early blogposts about the hexagon blocks you can step back in time here;  

From Paper Clips to Safety Pins  Lots of pretty blocks.

Hexing Around - More blocks with names to match. 

A Few More Hexagons - Chatting about my inspirations. 



The next pattern is Across the Fields. I also started this quilt in 2011. Obviously it was a good year for starting quilts..

I started with a stack of Denise Schmidt's range called Greenfield Hills and added extra fabrics from my stash. 

I made a zillion blocks but then they sat untouched until I made them into a top in 2013, and then they sat for a few more years until I decided to send a pile of tops to be long-arm quilted by Leanne of Mt Vincent quilts. She always does a wonderful job and it's great to have it quilted and finished.
It's an easy, but super effective quilt. I've written the pattern to make it suitable for fat quarters and have listed the requirements for different sizes. 

When it came to writing the pattern I needed to make some test blocks so I used these fruit and veggie fabrics that I have had forever. 
What do you think?? Should I keep going with it and make a big fruit and veggie salad quilt? 

Here are some links to old blog posts when I was working on the quilt. I really am grateful to have these posts to refer to as a diary of my work. 

When I first started the blocks - What Do You Do At Quilt Camp?

When I pieced the blocks together - I think I need a bigger design wall.



My third quilt pattern is " Grow Free, Wildflowers", a happy, scrappy, improv and applique quilt. This one is relatively new,  made last year during lockdown as an attempt to use up some of my scraps. 
It ended up being 85in x 85in, a perfect bed size. 

It started with the improv blocks and then as it was growing on my design wall I began to think that it looked like a colourful stone wall. I was reminded of a photo I took in France of a flower growing on a wall, so I added some flower blocks, and then a few more grew, like wildflowers popping up in spring. 

I machine quilted it myself, in the ditch around the shapes to stabilise the quilt, and then I've been adding hand quilting with perle 8 thread with different stitches following inspiration from each fabric. I figure it can be a travel project when I'm on the road again, I can just keep adding hand quilting here and there. 



The pattern has step by step photos with instructions to make the improv blocks one by one, and also how to make several at once. It has the template pattern sheets for the flowers with instructions for applique,  and lots colourful photos.

I always mention the colourful photos when I describe my patterns because when I first started to write patterns it was recommended to me to print in black and white because it was more economical. After a while it occurred to me that a lot of quilters are attracted to playing with fabric because we get to play with colour, plus people associate me with colourful quilts so it makes perfect sense that my patterns are colourful too. I also like the idea that my patterns are lovely things in themselves and colourful pictures add to that. 

Rachaeldaisy Barbie often likes to jump in to help show off new patterns. 


I enjoyed making this quilt so much that I've started another one. It will have the same improv blocks but with the flowers blocks all in one row across the quilt plus a few scattered through the quilt. I'm on a mission to finish it in the next couple of days so I'll be back with photos soon. 

So there you are, my 3 newest patterns. They are available in my Etsy Store here, along with lots of other colourful patterns and fabulous things. 
I've got a few more on the go at the moment, some new quilts and I'm also writing some patterns from other quilts from my past. There is always more than enough projects to keep me busy.. 

Now for some real flowers, a wonderful array of native flowers seen one day when Mr Daisy and I were out and about. I never cease to wonder at the beauty of flowers and how they come in all sorts of shapes and colours. 















Thank you for reading my news and adventures. My next post will be one of my travel posts,  I'm still sorting through photos but I'll be back soon with sunny travel photos from my recent trip to the top end of Australia. Wishing you a fun and fabulous, flowery week!!