Mum's Nearly Insane quilt

Have you heard of the Nearly Insane quilt? I hadn't until I stumbled across it on Frances Meredith's blog Fabadashery.   

A few years ago mum was considering making a Dear Jane quilt, but I convinced her that Nearly Insane was a better option.  (I can't remember why now, but I did.)

I helped mum to order the book, and she made her first few blocks.  Unfortunately she hasn't added many more since that initial start, but each time I go to Auckland we get them out and have another look at them.  She has added some tiny grandmother's garden type blocks, which may or may not make the final cut. 

We browsed through the book again, and decided that rather than trying to machine piece the 6" blocks, it would be easier to English Paper Piece the more intricate blocks. 

We studied Frances' blog again, and took note of some of the modifications she has made to her blocks. 

from Fabadashery blog

Mum bookmarked the blocks she wants to make next, and hopefully she might make a few more Nearly Insane blocks over the winter months.

We also had a play with Lucy Boston! Although mum hand pieced a quilt years ago after a class with Jinny Beyer, she hasn't done any hand piecing lately.  I'm becoming a bit of a convert, so I demonstrated how she could hand piece Lucy Boston if she wanted to.

EEP at the top, hand piecing at the front

 So that's another project started - for mum, not me. 

It rained quite a bit while I was in Auckland so I haven't got any pretty garden photos to share.  Here's a couple taken on my last day.

That's a reflection from the light, not a UFO

The tall tree is a Cabbage Tree - it doesn't grow cabbages. Cordyline australis