Hazel's Quilts

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Mar pt3

2012-03-11T23:10:00.000Z

I didn't manage to finish my 4-patches for the Festive Mystery quilt last night - but I have done them today.

I couldn't persuade either of my cats to model them like Sunny did over at Sand and Sunshine, but here they are anyway.

Joanna was talking about her favourite high school band yesterday - my high school years were the early eighties, the biggest bands were Micheal Jackson and the New Romantic bands like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, and of course George Michael and Wham!

Nothing jumps out at me as being one favourite band or song from that time - but I will share what is my no. 1 song of the moment from Jethro Tull (but dating from 1977) which I have on all the time!

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Mar pt2

2012-03-10T20:53:00.003Z

So when I settled down with my sewing earlier, I made festive chains of 2" squares and draped them across the ironing board until the two piles of fabric were all matched up.

Then I went for a run, ending up at mum's house where she cooked an early dinner for my brother, two nieces and me. It was homemade roasted butternut squash soup, followed by chicken supremes with broccoli in orange sauce with veg, and then meringue nests with raspberries and cream. Yum!

You would have laughed if you saw me running - I'd borrowed mum's ladle which she wanted back for the soup, and of course I didn't have a bag on me, just my running kit, so I ran 4km carrying the ladle in my hand as I ran!

And home again, I've separated all the chain-sewn squares and pressed them all ready for matching into four-patches.

I'm not sure I'll have time to finish these tonight - I want to have a look at what you're all up to, then I must have a shower, and I'm going out later for a beer or two...

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Mar pt1

2012-03-10T15:37:00.004Z

Today is the Christmas Quiltalong Saturday for March, and our host for the day is Joanna at Needle Thread Happiness.

I have the second set of instructions for QuiltSue's Festive Mystery quilt, and I am all set to go! Especially as I have now dusted, vacuumed, done the washing & hung it out, put the dishwasher on, cleaned the bathroom and spent an hour or so out the front painting the railings to match the new drive gates.

Phew!

I've just been round the world to see what everyone is up, and now I am ready to quilt!

The Christmas Quiltalong is Here Tomorrow!

2012-03-09T23:24:00.000Z

It is Friday evening, a glass of red is on the go, and as it is the second Saturday of the month tomorrow, it will be the second installment of the Christmas Quiltalong! Hurrah!

Our host - Miss March - is Joanna at Needle Thread Happiness and I can't wait for her to reveal the second installment of QuiltSue's Festive Mystery Quilt! (*ahem* - that is after I have finished the cutting for the first installment...oh! I have a busy day ahead!)

So I'll be winging my way over to Massachusetts in the morning - you know, I don't know much about the state (apart from the obvious Bee Gees song) except that it is quite small, it has got a lot of history from the early settlers, and Joanna's photos show it can be jolly cold in winter.

Maybe Joanna will tell us more - so you will all come out to play, won't you? It's going to be terrific fun!

So see you all tomorrow - pip, pip!

A Self-Indulgent Whine

2012-03-08T00:27:00.006Z

OK, so I have not fallen off a cliff into the fathomless void - but I am frustrated with regard to the lack of sewing opportunities that I have had in the last couple of weeks or so.

The problem is that there would appear to be a distinct lack of enough time in the statutory 24 hours per day.

Namely, I struggle to fit in what I do to pay the mortgage; keeping the house (& self) in a state on the right side of having the Environmental Health called in; putting enough E-less grub on the table; working off enough of the E-less grub exercising; playing around with a bit of dirt; and not becoming a hermit and seeing friends and family.

I do love the work that I do, but what with 'times being tough' and consequently having the nose adhered firmly to the grindstone, I occasionally have (and I am not proud of this) distinctly uncharitable thoughts toward those FORTUNATE ladies who are not tied to the work wheel and can devote more of their SPARE TIME to their hobbies including sewing and travelling and generally HAVING FUN and ENJOYING THEMSELVES.

All I have managed in the sewing line is to turn a pair of trousers up, and to make the tiniest progress of Mum's Quilt. I have done the SID around all the borders and had a little play with the daisy chains up the sashing - and I do like it very much. Hrrumph.

*Ahem.

And - breeeeeeathe. Ommmmmmmmmmmmm.

So. I am very much looking forward to being able to have 'a day with the girls' on Saturday - for the very good reason that it will be the second of the Christmas Quiltalong days for 2012 - hurrah, hurrah!

I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to tripping off the Massachusetts to Joanna's place for the day where the second installment of the FESTIVE MYSTERY QUILT (courtesy of QuiltSue) will be revealed, and I just know we will all have a warm welcome.

And if we are all very good, Moxie cat might come and say hello - but I think we might keep our threads and scraps to ourselves before she joins in!

Oh - I'm not ready!! I'd better get cutting! I had a change of heart on the background fabric...

Quilting Mum's Quilt

2012-02-19T22:54:00.000Z

After the excitement of the Christmas Quiltalong last weekend, I'm back in the attic room working on Mum's Quilt.

I've completed the doodled daisies in the centre of each of the blocks, and have to think about how I'd like to quilt the rest of the piece.

Those with longer memories will recall that I've already been round each nine-patch stitchin' in the ditch and I am now heeding Bilbo's advice of continuing with the SID round the block borders.I've just done the one this evening, and I do like the effect.

Next step will be daisy chains all round the red borders, and - I think - a small daisy in each cream triangle to finish with.

Changing My Mind...

2012-02-17T21:01:00.004Z

Now, I know that I loved my Mystery Quilt fabrics when I cut them last weekend, but chatting with my colleague Rita on Monday, and showing her online how we all got on, and my fabric all cut ready for the next step, she said, "Oh! They're lovely - and some of your medium and light fabrics really blend in, don't they?"

NO! They are not supposed to blend in!!

She redeemed herself well when she suggested, "Actually, I think I have some gold holly leaf fabric on a cream background - would you like me to bring it in to see how it looks?"

Hmph.

Yes, please, that would be very kind - which it was, and the fabric is beautiful, and exactly right.

Whilst I was ringing the changes, the soft off-white curtain lining is a better 'fit' for the background too - so more cutting for me this weekend.

Oh, and I have an exciting trip out to Birmingham Rag Market tomorrow morning - just for a little look, you understand...

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Feb final part

2012-02-12T22:39:00.005Z

Blimey - I'm sure it was just me, but that cutting out for the Festive Mystery quilt took FOREVER!

Did anyone else tot up the number of pieces (bet Elizabeth did!)? That is 424 squares of various sizes - and it took me from the end of 'Last Word' on Radio 4 all the way through the 'Money Programme' and all of the 'Westminster Hour'.

My back aches from all the standing up cutting, but on the plus side, I've learnt about the effect of Quantitative Easing on pension annuities; why Liberal Democrats oppose their members standing for election as Police Commissioners; and the pros and cons of the Health Service Bill which is going through the House of Lords at the moment.

And on that informed - but rather dull - note, I'm handing the Christmas Quiltalong baton across to Joanna at Needle, Thread, Happiness for the second Saturday in March - I'm looking forward to it already!

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Feb pt3

2012-02-11T23:43:00.000Z

Well, I don't know about all of you, but I have had the most terrific fun at this first quiltalong of 2012!

I've got to thank each and every one of you for coming and joining in the party, and of course we all have QuiltSue to thank for the Festive Mystery quilt instructions!

I don't mind telling you that it's been a pretty exciting and hectic day today - my first as a quiltalong hostess - and I'm going to reflect on the day and come back tomorrow to wrap things up at my end before handing the baton on the Joanna for next month - you won't forget to come back again then, will you?

And I have some posts and blogs that I need to catch up on too - but that's for tomorrow.

So all that's left to be done here is to enjoy a rather belated Christmas Sherry along with a couple of pieces of Tiffin before turning in.

Goodnight one and all - and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Past...

2012-02-11T21:27:00.000Z

Whilst I've been cutting my fabric, I've been thinking about how we prepare for our family Christmas.

I look forward to Christmas – I know what to expect, all the comfortable traditions that have grown up through the family evolving over the years.

The first sign of Christmas for us is always the Advent calendar. We have none of that modern nonsense of chocolates in the Advent calendar, just a cardboard door to open each day of December up to Christmas Eve, and a little seasonal picture inside, thank you.

As it is now increasingly difficult to buy an Advent calendar without Sindy/Disney/Bob the Builder all complete with chocolates, I now have an Advent candle - which is not without its drawbacks. I have the attention span of a gnat, and keeping an eye on the candle whilst thinking festive thoughts such that it only burns down one day per day is not always successful.

So many people now put the Christmas tree and decorations up anytime from the beginning of December onwards, but we stick to the tradition of buying and putting the tree up the weekend before Christmas. The downside, of course, is that by the time I get to the store, the only trees left are the wonky trees, the ones with no needles on, or those big enough to grace the Albert Hall.

The tree is dressed with decorations accumulated over the years – the concession to modernity is that if the Christmas lights haven’t survived the year in storage, they are chucked out and a replacement set bought rather than being repaired by my Dad or being taken to the electrical shop for fixing – both of whom are sadly long gone.

We have always gone to the service of Nine Carols and Lessons, when you really know that Christmas is here! The difference now is that the service is held the Sunday before, not on Christmas Eve, and – horror – this year the new Vicar at the parish church only had seven lessons. I think we will be going to the neighbouring parish church next year.

And now, the tradition of putting the presents under the tree early evening on Christmas Eve happens at my house, not at the family home we grew up in. This is accompanied by plenty of laughter, sherry and mince pies, with all the accumulated presents being examined closely with the labels read out and much speculation as to what might be contained therein before being put in the washing basket under the tree ready for the next morning...

How does your run up to Christmas go?

Ready for Something Chocolatey?

2012-02-11T18:15:00.000Z

Now in our house, Christmas is not Christmas without a batch of TIFFIN being made.

This is a recipe from the lady my Mum used to work with in the 70's (eek!) and has been tweaked to our own taste (walnuts? Yuk - you can keep 'em). I confess that I have it year round now, but when I was growing up, Tiffin was a real Christmas treat.

So first of all, melt 4oz of hard butter with a tablespoon of syrup.

Whilst that is on the low heat, crush 6oz of almond biscuits or all butter biscuits in a bag & add 2 tablespoons of drinking chocolate, and 2 teaspoons of caster sugar. Add 2oz of chopped cherries and mix all together in the bag.

Add the dry ingredients to the pan & mix well, then transfer into a lined tray & press down well so that the mixture is just about an inch thick.

Chill for a couple hours in the fridge to harden, then pour over half a bar of melted chocolate. Put back in the fridge to harden, the cut into tiny conscience-salving squares.

Yum!

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Feb pt2

2012-02-11T15:40:00.004Z

Well I do hope that everyone is enjoying themselves as much as I am! Surely this is what the internet was invented for!

Mind you, I must say that picking fabric is the most difficult part of quilting, and I've never made a scrappy quilt, so this is a new adventure for me!

So I've spent half the morning dithering over my stash and the attic room now looks like one gigantic jumble sale, BUT I have now chosen a bunch of fabrics for the backgound, dark, medium and light elements of the quilt which I am really pleased with. Hurrah!

I'm not giving myself the option of changing my mind and I'm heading to the kitchen for a coffee.

And I'm going to pop my pinny on whilst I am in there and knock up a little festive something to eat - I rather think that we deserve it...

Christmas Quiltalong 2012 - Feb pt1

2012-02-11T12:23:00.004Z

For my version of the Festive Mystery quilt that QuiltSue has designed for us for the Christmas Quilalong this year, I'm going to do a scrappy quilt which I have not done before. I guess that the first step in choosing my fabrics is to separate what I have into light, medium and dark, then to look at the colours and see where we go from there.

So I have a pile of each of light, medium and dark ready to sort into colour groups, but now I have to nip to the shops for a couple of ingredients that I will need for a little festive baking later - and I promise you won't want to miss that!

Whatever projects you're working on today, do remember to sign up to Mr Linky on the Christmas Quiltalong tab - I want to see what everyone else gets up to!

2012 CHRISTMAS QUILTALONG!

2012-02-11T09:00:00.003Z

Hip hip hooray! The Christmas Quiltalong for 2012 starts HERE!

Today! Now!!

So are you all ready? Tinsel? Holly? ~~Sherry?~~ (no! too early!), Christmas music? Sleigh bells? Santa hat? Christmas Chocolates?

You are not allowed any further until you have a least one of the above list to hand!

So what projects are we all up to on this festive morn? We have part one of QuiltSue's Festive Mystery quilt over on the Christmas QAL tab at the top if you fancy that, but whatever you are up to, sign in to Mr Linky and join in the fun! (Drop me an email if you'd prefer the instructions emailed to you for ease of printing out).

I'm off to go to have a root through the stash to choose my fabrics for A Festive Mystery, right after I've finished my breakfast bacon sandwich - see you later!

The Second Saturday of the Month Coming Up...

2012-02-07T18:47:00.008Z

...which means that it's just four days to go until the first of 2012's monthly Christmas Quiltalong days! Hurrah!

So - I think that it would be sensible to just say what the Christmas Quiltalong is - you never know, you might want to join in too!

As Sue says, "It's a day when we lock ourselves away*, work on our projects, post from time to time about our progress during the day, go and visit the other people who're taking part to see what they're up to, maybe eat a little festive something (chocolate's always good) and generally give ourselves almost a "retreat day".

During the course of it, cos it's difficult to stay serious for too long, there could be some fun bits, maybe a little quiz, some suitable music, that sort of thing, and there might be prizes too!"

Now that sounds like a heap of fun, doesn't it? Especially when I tell you that there will be instructions issued each month for a Mystery Quilt - which we'll do a bit of each month, and then have a grand Show Off Day later in the year when it's done.

And by doing a bit each month (or any other Christmas project of your choice, of course), it should help prevent that Christmas Eve panic when you are rushing to sew the binding on to Great Aunt Nelly's quilt to wrap it before she arrives in half an hour for sherry and mince pies.

*If you are having trouble locking yourself away, take a tip from Ali who last year drove her husband a healthy distance away from home, dropped him off with some sandwiches and a flask and left him to make his own way back. I can see this catching on - and if you want a little more time to yourself, you could always blindfold him on the way out and drop him in an unfamiliar area.

So where do we go from here?

Well, we have a different hostess for each of the Quiltalong days, and I'm the first, so you want to be rolling up here on Saturday morning when I'll have a Mr Linky up and running where you can pop your blog details (then we can all visit each other though the day and have a nose at what we are all up to), and then I can email the first instructions through for the Mystery Quilt.

All together now, " Oh, I wish it could be Christmas every daaaaaaaaaaay..."

Progress - and An Announcement!

2012-02-05T21:05:00.010Z

I'm having a lot more fun now with my quilting now that I have settled on the doodled daisies in the blocks, and now have half of them done.

But the real news this weekend is that Sue has finalised the plans for this year's Christmas Quiltaling. Hurrah!

Although the CQAL will still be held on the second Saturday of each month, there are a couple of changes to the format. Sue will be releasing a couple of blocks each month which will make up a Mystery Quilt - and there will be a different hostess each month to keep you ~~on your toes~~ entertained.

The first session is next Saturday, the 11th Feb - and the first hostess? That'll be me!

So I want everyone here bright and early and in the Christmas mood, so look out your seasonal music, paper hats, tinsel, sherry and mince pies - it'll be a hoot!

Blogger Power!

2012-02-02T23:12:00.006Z

I must say that all the comments on my last post have been brilliant in helping me make my mind up about quilting Mum's Quilt - so thank you very much indeed!

When I posted the photo it was 'unclickable' (is that a word?) so you couldn't enlarge the pic to see the daisies that I was not happy with in all their messy glory. So here it is again, just so you can feel superior - don't worry, it is my mission today to make everyone feel better about their own FMQ! Tee hee!

Thank you to Mrs P, Donna and Reenie who valiantly stuck up for the daisies - but after a lot of thought, I really didn't think that they passed muster and so out came the damn unpicker. Again.

Elizabeth made me realise that the daisies were quite rigid and stylised, when they should be natural and flowing - after all, the daisy chains will be, so daisies in the blocks should be too. Mind you, looking at Elizabeth's quilting, she's a natural doodler with some lovely designs squiggled out on her various quilts (look at her Peppermint Burst quilt here).

Then dear Bilbo emailed me with a blisteringly good suggestion - "Whilst you are deciding upon a different motif, one of the things you could do is stitch in the ditch along the seam lines to stabilise the whole quilt and this will vastly improve the overall appearance of whatever you put in each block."

Lightbulb moment!

So here is the stitch in the ditch around the blocks (from the back - can't see any difference on the front!

Then a smaller, doodled daisy.

I like it - now we're getting somewhere!

Nope...

2012-01-28T18:49:00.010Z

...I don't like my daisies in the big blocks.

The centres are a right old mess, although they don't look too bad in the photo. Maybe I'm just too close to them and need to step back a bit.

I'm leaving it alone for this evening, and I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

I suspect that it will be back to the drawing board!

A Pause for Thought

2012-01-26T21:11:00.006Z

I seem to have done nothing at all this week, but then again, I've made quilting decisions and had a practice with my FMQ, so it's not been time wasted.

So tonight I've had a final session with a practice piece, and now I am ready to get stuck in quilting Mum's Quilt.

These flowers in the blocks, daisy chains up the sashing and borders, little three leaf motifs on the cream block backgrounds.

Actually, I might change my mind on the three leaf motifs - Joanna has been doodling ivy leaves, and they look a million dollars, so two or three of those in each cream block background might be the order of the day...

A Small and Rather Meanspirited Rant

2012-01-22T22:03:00.003Z

Google is a modern marvel, it really is.

I can find anything out about anything with just by typing in a few words.
I can look at any High Street or neighbourhood anywhere in the world as if I am walking down the road.
I can express myself by blogging all about my hobbies, words and pictures
I can 'meet' and talk to a wonderful variety of virtual friends from all cultures and corners of the world

And this is all FREE, gratis, no money changes hands - how about that!

But I have become used to being spoilt by all this FREE cleverness, so when Google decides to have a funny five minutes it is VERY IRRITATING INDEED.

For the last few days I have not been able to view certain blogs properly, or to see comments made on the posts that I can only see the top bit of, and I cannot post. I have logged out, logged in. Cleared my cache. Cleared my history. Cleared the thing where Internet Explorer remembers all your passwords and bits of information for form filling.

The result of this strip-down of information is that I still cannot see or comment on a number of blogs properly (it was QuiltSue's earlier this week; today it is Bilbo's) - and now I have to remember all my sodding passwords for every single site where I have an account or I am a member.

Bah!

The Best Laid Plans...

2012-01-19T21:33:00.011Z

The last few days I have been practising my FMQ.

I was very tempted to go for an all over meander for Mum's Quilt, like I did on Sure Steps, but I felt that the blocks would stand 'bringing out' with something else up the sashing and borders.

In fact, I had a plan to quilt a line of 'cinnamen whirls' up the blocks (there's got to be a proper name for these!) and then feathers all the way up the red sashing and borders - maybe slightly wavy like Trudi did here.

Then I actually had a go - and I now see that I will not be doing that. The cinnamen whirls look - well like you see on a dog walker's route when the dogwalker hasn't got any poop bags on them, if you know what I mean.

And the feathers - oh dear - as you can see here, these are for advanced quilter only!

Plan B, then, is quilt a big daisy in each block (with these little three petal jobs in the cream block borders).

Then a daisy chain like this up the red sashing and borders.

I can do those.

Sandwiching, Quilting Thoughts and Opportunistic Cats

2012-01-15T22:38:00.010Z

I've been considering how to quilt Mum's Quilt - I had a doodle on paper, and chatted with mum and I think I am a bit closer to a decision. But I'll have to have a practise first!

Then this evening, I've spent time sandwiching the quilt. I piecing and pressing the back, then I cleared the kitchen (nothing's simple - I had to clean the damn floor first) and taped the backing to the floor.

Then I cut the big piece of wadding to size, put that on the backing and folded the spare and put to one side. Then the top - and once I'd positioned it to my satisfaction, I wielded the spray baste and stuck it all together, then safety pinned it too, just to be on the safe side.

Then I stood up and went to put the rest of the wadding away...

'Now How to Quilt it'

2012-01-11T21:39:00.005Z

Yes, Sand and Sunshine (who made the above comment earlier), how indeed?

ASding have been hugely efficient, and the postman bought me a huge squashy parcel of wadding earlier today (how's that for service? I only put the order in on Monday afternoon). I've found a couple of curtain linings to join together which will be perfect for the backing - so once I've made the sandwich and wielded the spray baste, I'm going to have to make my mind up.

Basically, I guess I have two broad choices:

An all over design - either a meander or single line loop pattern

Feature the blocks - with some sort of motif in each block then either meander the borders or a rather ambitious feather type quilting up the sashing/borders.

Lots of variations possible on the above, of course.

The all over design would blend all the elements in, but on the other hand, the blocks would feature more strongly with their own quilting - and if I was not feeling hugely confident with feathers (another new thing to learn) I could very happily stipple away on the sashing and inner borders, with something less dense on the outer border so it drapes nicely.

Hmm hmm hmmmm

Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinished!

2012-01-09T22:10:00.006Z

Many thanks to all for the advice about when/if to do diagonal joining of strips for borders - most instructive - it looks like there is no definite 'right' or 'wrong', so as seems normal for quilting it is a case of taking soundings, mulling over, then coming to a decision for what works best for me.

In this case, because I've done diagonal joins on the sashing, inner and skinny borders (and I have enough fabric), I've done diagonals for the outer border - and I'll continue with diagonal border for binding strips to keep the bulk down - but otherwise in future I will be butting up.

So here is the top in all it's finished glory - all ready for the batting and backing fabric.

Not being remotely forward thinking, I realised that I have no wadding and put a panicky order to ASding, and a couple of hours later had email confirmation that it had been packed and dispatched - thank you, Ali!

And the backing? I'd better have a fish round my stash of old curtain linings to see what I can find...

Final Border and A Question

2012-01-07T20:17:00.006Z

I took the quilt top to mum's yesterday and laid it on the bed in order to see how wide the final red border needs to be, and we decided that a 5" finished border would do just fine (as opposed to the 4" border that is on Sue's design). Fab!

However, in the light of Bilbo's comment yesterday, where she said, 'Do factor in the effect of quilting.....any quilting causes the top to shrink slightly. OK, you are never likely to quilt as heavily as I would, but the more you quilt, the smaller the finished item becomes.", I've had a rethink.

I've decided to err on the side of caution, and add another inch onto the outer border - it can always be trimmed back a bit after I've quilted the centre section.

Which neatly brings me to a quick question - as the border is so wide, joining the border strips together in the traditional way with a diagonal join is quite wasteful of fabric, so is there any reason not to 'butt-up' the strips to do a straight seam?

Second Border

2012-01-05T21:59:00.005Z

Sue said yesterday, "Good heavens, you're really going fast on this one. Hopefully that's cos you're enjoying it, not cos you hate it and just want it finished."

No worries on that score, I'm steaming ahead because I'm having such a great time and just loving what I am producing from Sue's design. Hurrah!

In fact, it is so tempting to carry on, even when I'm at the end of my concentration span that I've had to learn to set a realistically achievable goal for each session and then do no more as know that pressing on after this point will only lead to mistakes and a session with Percy Unpicker next time round.

Next step, taking the top round to mum's tomorrow and measuring in situ to see how wide the final red border needs to be. Looking forward to that!

Making Progress...

2012-01-03T22:14:00.003Z

...with the first border. Hurrah!

The second border is a skinny affair in cream - Sue has it as a finished 1" strip, but because I need to win a couple of inches all the way to make it fit the bed well (given that I have a rather ambitious plan to incorporate side pieces to the quilt to hang down the sides of the bed), I'll be using a 2" cream strip.

Once that's on, I'm going to take the top back to mums to put it on the bed to to measure how wide the final red border needs to be...

Sashing Strips and A Bit More Maths

2012-01-02T20:29:00.004Z

I've put the centre sashing strips in Mum's Quilt this evening - and I'm delighted with how the red fabric brings the strips of nine patch blocks out.

I'm also very pleased that when I measured the block strips to cut the sashing, I was only ⅛" inch short of what the measurement should be in theory if you were really accurate with your seam work - i.e. the strip should have been 51 ½" and mine was 51 ⅜".

I have a tendency to over-egg my seam allowances a little so my blocks come out slightly small (these were pretty much ⅛" short over each 9" unfinished block) - something which I must work harder at - so I sewed very scant seems whilst putting the blocks together and this has paid off.

Ha!

No-one Said it Would Be Easy

2011-12-31T16:57:00.004Z

Well, trimming those blocks down was the most difficult thing in the universe.

Not only do the points of the nine patches have to end up in the precise middle of each edge of each block, but each block needs to come out at exactly the same size. And they need to be properly square.

It has taken me two days of extreme concentration doing a couple at a time, and even so, there has been the odd eighth of an inch squished and stretched but the blocks have all been bullyed to fit into three strips of six and I am ready to cut and sew sashing.

As I'm making the quilt slightly larger than the pattern, I'm going round to mum's shortly to put them in-situ on the bed in order to double check that the extra inch I propose on the sashing won't look odd.

And here's the good bit, I'm getting dinner cooked for me too. Hurrah!

A Recovery and Block Creation

2011-12-29T22:37:00.005Z

The cream fabric which I made a hash of cutting yesterday was supposed to be 6" wide in order to be starched and cut into 6" squares, then into triangles.

Because I am also using the cream fabric for the skinny stop border, and I had already decided to make this as a 2" finished border (rather than Sue's suggested 1" finished) this reather neatly means that my 5" wide mistake strip will come in very handy for when I'm cutting 2 1/2 " strips. Hurrah!

This evening I have VERY CAREFULLY sewn the triangles onto the nine patch blocks...

...and now I have the nerve-racking job of trimming the blocks to square them up.

But not this evening - my hour and a half concentration period is more than up, and I'll need to come at this one fresh!

Oh, B*gger

2011-12-28T12:20:00.004Z

Spot the deliberate mistake. Not.

First Piecing for Mum's Quilt

2011-12-27T23:41:00.004Z

I have had such terrific fun today - and of course it does help that Sue's instructions are so clear to follow!

First of all I took my cut fabric from yesterday*...

...and sewed them into strips...

...then cut them carefully into strip sections...

...and sewed the strip sections into nine patch blocks.

Wheee!

Mind you, I have triangles to cut on the bias for the next step, that'll bring put a spoke in my wheels!

*Just to clear up a safety issue which was very sensibly raised after yesterday's post - I must clarify that although I had a very tasty glass of port poured and in a glass on the worktop, I didn't actually drink it until I'd finished using the wickedly sharp cutter. I am rather attached to my digits, and wish for that happy state of affairs to continue!

Unexpected Presents and a Start

2011-12-26T20:29:00.006Z

Joanna has a quote from the Disney film Alice in Wonderland (based rather loosely on the Lewis Carroll books 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass') at top of her blog, "A very Merry Unbirthday to you, to you. A very Merry Unbirthday to you.", and a few days before Christmas I had a Very Merry Unbirthday indeed.

I received a package through the post from my dear hairy-footed friend which contained these marvellous marbled stof fat quarters, along with a oops-outrageously-belated-birthday-gift note.

Unexpected, delightful and beautiful - I love them, and thank you very much indeed, hobbit, you are extremely kind.

Meanwhile, on this Boxing Day evening, I have retreated to the cool of the sewing room in the attic to de-lint and oil the sewing machine and put in a new needle. And now I have a new blade in the cutter, and I have that thrill of starting a new quilt.

With a glass of festive port, obviously.

A Finish, A Pick and a Pause

2011-12-23T14:50:00.008Z

I've had an excellent couple of weeks since the December's final Christmas quiltalong - the most satisfying of which has been to actually finish the QAL quilt, Scatty Stars - hurrah!

I would have posted about it earlier, but everytime I've remembered to go and take a few pics, it's been dark and artificial lights mess about with the colour balance - but here it is.

Although it has been through the machine and been aired and is ready for sleeping under, before I get to snuggle up under it, it has to perform another important service - namely being round the Christmas tree tub, an idea I have cribbed shamelessly from one of the other Christmas QAL girls.

Talking of Christmas, here's what I won from Sue's QAL competition - isn't it beautiful? Wonderful needlework, a lovely border, and a pocket on the back to slide a baton through for hanging. Thank you, Sue!

With Scatty Stars out of the way, the next project is mum's quilt (Sue's Antique Nine Patch), so when big sister Helen was here a couple of weekends ago we all went on a shopping trip to the Cotton Patch.

We spent a happy afternoon wading through about a zillion bolts of fabric and finding four to match up with an offcut of mum's carpet and one of her patterned curtains, and finally we all agreed on what went with what and which fabric would be used where - and now I can't wait to get my teeth into this one!

Before diving in, though, I've taken the opportunity to clear the decks in the sewing room - and it's never been so tidy.

Won't last, will it?

Christmas Quiltalong! December

2011-12-10T21:19:00.005Z

So this is the final Christmas quiltalong day for 2011, and we are having a gallery of all the projects that we've all worked on this year on the QAL Saturdays.

Now I see that lots of the girls have been working on all sorts of beautiful projects through the year and not just the Scatty Stars quilt either.

I've been plugging away at my version of Scatty Stars and have very nearly finished it - I just need to complete handsewing the binding, bury the remaining tails, and attach a label.

Many thanks to Sue and Cathi for organising this year's QAL Saturdays - it's been brilliant and I've 'met' so many new friends from all around the world!

In fact, it's been so much fun this year that it is all happening again in 2012 from February onwards with a guest host each month - I'll have my pinny on and a warm welcome ready for my turn in February, so do join me for mince pies and sherry for next years quilting project, won't you?

Fiddly FMQ & Binding

2011-12-04T22:10:00.006Z

I cut, pieced, trimmed and pressed the binding for Scatty Stars this afternoon, but before I could machine it on, I needed to re-do a couple of the quilted corner stars which were rather near the edge of the quilt.

This was really, really fiddly as they are so near the edge.

Of course if I had been less bloody stubborn, I would have redone the stars after the binding was on - that way I would have had a bit more 'edge' to hang on to whilst doing the FMQ. But no. I tried and unpicked and tried again until I had got it right before I could move on to the binding.

So it took way longer than it should have done, but here is the binding machined and pinned at the back, and an extremely perforated corner with a passable quilted star.

Ends to bury, label to sew & attach, binding to hand sew. Deadline: next Saturday for the QAL gallery...

Quilting the Borders

2011-11-29T23:15:00.008Z

I've had a huge dither about how to quilt the grey border on Scatty Stars.

I had a practise with zig zags of various sorts, and tried stars (which didn't work at all). I could have done a stippled border (whee! Loads of fun!) but I didn't think a swirly border would work well with the rest of the quilt either.

Then I had a eureka moment, though, after I saw Joanna's Christmas Wreath quilt, but rather than wavy lines, kept with tram lines, with a star in each corner.

I've trimmed the quilt and it's ready for binding (or will be when I've redone a couple of the corner stars as they are rather close to the edge).

Then burying about ten thousand ends (honestly, I'm not kidding here!) and a label, and I'm done!

Project Number Five

2011-11-26T21:22:00.016Z

Despite not having finished Scatty Stars (quite), I am cogitating upon the Next Project.

Now that mum's seen the first couple of quilts that I have made, she's asked me to make her a quilt for her bed. The brief was that she didn't want a really 'busy' pattern, and it had to match the three colours in the curtains, and also the carpet.

Ha! Easy peasy - I just gave her Sue's Pick Four and asked her to choose which one she would like me to do for her.

The designs are all lovely, as we know, and for me, I know that the instructions will be good to follow, and I have the added advantage that if I need to alter the dimensions at all, the esteemed author herself will be able to advise on changes in fabric quantity, and other helpful advice. Brilliant!

Mum's chosen Antique Nine Patch, and we will be going on a fabric choosing expedition when big sister Helen is up in a couple of weeks.

I do have my work cut out slightly in that mum wants to have the quilt with side & bottom pieces - as in this example from the FoQ - to cover over the drawers in the bed base.

I was thinking of side panels and a bottom panel that are removable (zip/buttons/velcro?) so that the top can be washed separately - and of course, I'm not sure how and to what extent these pieces should be patterned.

So lots of food for thought there!

So today, I tried out our nearest independent fabric shop (which I had always thought was monstrously expensive) to see if this would be a good place to shop for what we need, as opposed to Hobbycraft, or the well thought of Cotton Patch - which is over the other side of the City.

I had a pleasant surprise to see the bolts starting at £8 a metre - and a sale shelf of selected fabrics at £5 a metre. So I couldn't resist a metre of this wonderful pattern, and an offcut (about a third of a yard) for £2.

A good day!

That's Better!

2011-11-23T13:22:00.004Z

Right - I've done the tedious unpicking bit, and I'm now doing the fun FMQ stars.

Whee!

There's lots of ends to bury at the end, though.

The grey border needs to be quilted, but I'm not sure how at the mo.

More conundrums!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears...

2011-11-21T20:23:00.005Z

...or Make Your Bloody Mind Up.

I've been cogitating with regard to the colour of the thread used for the FMQ on Scatty Stars - inspecting closely what I've already done in the daylight, and consulting with colleague Rita, and my mother who happened to be around too.

The conclusion is the the light grey is too light, the dark grey is too dark as shown in the pic here.

I am now using a mid grey, and I'm not giving myself the option of changing my mind yet again - it looks better than either of the others, not overwhelming the quilt design, but not fading into nothingness either, so I'm happy.

Well, as happy as a girl with a whole heap of unpicking the too-light and the too-dark sewing can be anyway.

If that Hobbit even thinks, 'I told you to use a practise piece!', there will be trouble!

Hmph.

Scatty Stars Experimental FMQ

2011-11-20T22:25:00.003Z

I loaded up the new dark grey thread this evening, and had a play with some FMQ stars to see how the thread looks against the quilt top.

As predicted, I hit my stride this second session of FMQ, and had to stop myself from romping away doing the whole quilt - I had to remind myself that this was a test to see which thread looks better. The two stars at the top of this block are in dark grey, the bottom two are in the light grey.

Jury out until I see it in daylight tomorrow.

Oh.

2011-11-18T15:53:00.007Z

Colleague Rita points out that the lovely grey thread that I bought last week for the quilting doesn't stand out as much as it might.

Most irritatingly, I think that she is right.

So before I plough on any further with my FMQ stars, I'll give this darker grey thread a go - possibly the dark grey for the top thread & keep the paler grey for the bobbin thread.

If it looks better than the block and a half I've done, I can undo without too much bad language.

Bah.

Scatty Stars Quilting Decisions - Made!

2011-11-17T23:33:00.004Z

This evening I've finished quilting in the ditch around all the blocks, and of course round all the stars. Which leaves the fun bit of the FMQ stars in the railfence blocks.

Or rather, the bit that will be fun once I hit my stride. I did quite some unpicking earlier, and there's been too much in the way of breaking thread (and I broke another needle - I'm too rough!)

The second block of four stars has started well (bottom left here) - and I sensibly made myself stop before the magic hour and a half mark when my concentration gives out & I start to forget the bobbin etc etc....

Scatty Stars Quilting Decisions

2011-11-16T21:55:00.004Z

I got a bit further this evening with quilting Scatty Stars - nice straight lines in the ditches between the blocks, although I've not finished yet.

For quilting the railfence blocks, I am still undecided about how many five pointy stars to FMQ in each block. I thought about four in each, but perhaps that will be a bit dense, so perhaps just one. But then I don't know about the half blocks at the edges.

No doubt it will come to me in due course.

And in other news, as they say, I won Sue's Christmas quiltalong competition, and she says that she will be sending me a small PRIZE - hurrah!

Knowing When to Stop

2011-11-14T21:59:00.004Z

At 6.30pm this evening, I sat down to quilt round the final five stars on Scatty Stars. I finished this at 8pm and I was so delighted with the result that I dived straight on to FMQ the railfence blocks. Whee!

The theory was to doodle about four stars in each block, linking them by going round the outside ditch of the railfence block. The stars looked great - the line of stitching around the edge of the block not so much. With the thickness of the seam to contend with and the free motion foot, the line was not only wavy, I also broke the thread a number of times.

Then I broke the needle.

Not to be thwarted, I undid that attempt, replaced the needle and dived in again with the walking foot, having decided that if blocks were going to be outlined, I could quilt in the ditch on the long seams, which would just leave the star(s) in the middle of each railfence block to FMQ.

I ploughed on, refreshing the thread in the bobbin, re-threaded the needle and was pleased to travel the entire diagonal length of the quilt with no further mishap.

Er - apart from not having replaced the bobbin back into the machine, that is.

Moral: when I say that I can only concentrate on quilting for an hour and a half, I mean it.

Christmas Quiltalong! November, pt5

2011-11-13T21:40:00.004Z

Sue is canvassing opinions as to how best showcase the results of the Christmas quiltalong. It looks like she might ask us all to submit a post with what we've worked on - Scatty Stars quilts and and other projects - to a link so that we can all go and see what our efforts have achieved.

I can't wait to see all the Scatty Stars quilts in one place!

This gives me added impetus to get mine quilted and bound! One more session should see the rest of the stars quilted (five more to do), and then the fun bit of FMQ stars in the railfence blocks. Then binding to make, attach and finish.

I wonder if the 'gallery' can be unveiled on what would be the December quiltalong day?

Christmas Quiltalong! November, pt4

2011-11-12T23:46:00.000Z

I've quilted around three stars, but got sidetracked by what everyone else has been up to!

So I'll be carrying on tomorrow, but in the meantime, it is time for supper - hot chocolate & an egg custard (and cat supper too, the cats are insisting).

It's the final quiltalong Saturday for 2011 - it's been brilliant fun to take part in, and to share with other quilters all round the world. So thank you to Sue and Cathi whose design & hosting duties have made it all possible!

Christmas Quiltalong! November, pt3

2011-11-12T20:16:00.004Z

The washing is on the airer, the biscuits in the tin, the lasagne cooking in the oven as we speak - I'm having a productive day!

My trip around the charity shops today for backing fabric for Scatty Stars didn't turn up anything that I liked more than the beige I had planned to use, so I got stuck in when I got back assembling the quilt sandwich.

My cat has no manners - he walked in from the courtyard garden (stage right) and tramped muddy footprints on to the quilt whilst my back was turned and proceeded to wash his neithers when I wanted to take a photo. Tut.

My plan for quilting is to quilt in the ditch around each star, then FMQ stars into the railfence blocks - it's a good Plan in my head, let's see how it turns out in practise.

I've started with sewing round the stars - I really like the way the quilted stars show up on the back of the quilt.

Glass of apple wine & lasagne first, then I should be able to get the sewing round of the majority of the stars out of the way tonight, leaving the fun stuff for tomorrow.

Christmas Quiltalong! November, pt2

2011-11-12T13:31:00.010Z

I'm doing pretty well so far today - hurrah!

The washing is on the line

The biscuits are cooling on the rack

I've given loads of thought as to how to quilt Scatty Stars, and I have a plan.

And a hitch.

I'm really not sure that I like this backing fabric. It's okay, and it's the best that I have, but as I am just about to nip up the road for a paper, I will have a scout round the charity shops in the town to see if I can do any better.

Christmas Quiltalong! November, pt1

2011-11-12T11:02:00.012Z

Although I have the whole Quiltalong day ahead to quilt Scatty Stars, I only the ability to concentrate for about an hour and a half at a time with my sewing, so my festive day ahead looks like this:

do the washing and then some quilting

do some baking and then some quilting

start a batch of quince wine and then some quilting

nip up the road to the shops and then some quilting

cook lasagne for tea and then some quilting

And although I have run out of sherry, am not keen on mince pies, I promise to wear this all day to get into the Christmas spirit.

Looking Forward to Saturday...

2011-11-10T10:40:00.005Z

...because it will be the last session of Sue & Cathi's Christmas Quiltalong, and having missed last month's I now have my work cut out to finish Scatty Stars.

I've decided that I don't need another border on top of the grey that is half attached - it's quite balanced as it is, I think. Then I'll use the yellow for the binding.

So I need to finish sewing on the skinny grey border, sandwich, quilt, and bind. Doesn't sound much to do when you say it quickly, does it?

Eek!

Not Quite Quilting...

2011-11-03T18:16:00.013Z

Before disappearing off on holiday, I treated myself to a Kindle (which did rather revolutionise my packing - no books!) but rather baulked at the outrageous cost of a case - nearly half as much again as the thing itself.

But a cover or case of some sort was essential to guard against damage occasioned from dropping onto the tiles around the pool/into the sand on the beach/suncreamy finger marks etc etc, so I knocked this up beforehand.

It's a fabric sleeve with cardboard fillets (and a sponge insert on the screen side) kept in place with a couple of rows of 'divider' stitching. The Kindle is in a plastic sleeve, and sticky Velcro dots attach that to Velcro strips inside the back of the cover, then Velcro to fasten. It worked really well.

By chance, a couple of days after I got back, Dave Next Door called round clutching his new laptop and said, 'Um.' When someone says that, they want something.
'What is it?', I asked.
'Um. Are you any good with a sewing machine? There's only a temporary soft cover supplied with this, and it's not very robust, so I was wondering if some sort of pillowcase or something could be rigged up as a carry case...?'
'Of course, leave it with me.'

I consulted about design and techniques with colleague Rita, who next day brought in a length of manly pinstripe fabric, some very thin wadding, an odd colour brown canvas-weight cotton & a length of Velcro. Then it was just a case of putting it all together.

I took it round to much astonished praise from the Next Doors, and received appropriate and very satisfactory remuneration.

Glad to be of service, sir.

All this doesn't get the borders on Scatty Stars, of course, or it sandwiched, quilted and bound, but there you go.

Sure Progress, Sure Steps...

2011-09-25T22:25:00.007+01:00

Finding the time to quilt at the moment is a casualty of the ongoing necessity of having to earn a crust, however, at least I have decided on the borders for Scatty Christmas Stars. The main reason that this was a bit tricky was the quilt is pretty scrappy and I haven't built up a huge amount of coordinating fabrics in my stash as yet.

I must thank everyone for sensible advice and suggestions - isn't the Internet brilliant? - I settled on the grey/beige which I used in the stars as a skinny border, then yellow (a mustard coloured shirt from the charity shop) as an outer border.

I've cut, pieced and am halfway through sewing the inner border, so just the outer border to go and I will have my top finished - must check that I have enough batting for this, and decide on the backing fabric.

Also, I'm giving some thought as to how to quilt this, and ~~copying~~ taking inspiration from Sand and Sunshine, I would like to incorporate stars into the quilting - I think maybe in the railfence blocks and maybe something curvy in the stars to soften the angles....hmm....hmm

I did find time to finish the binding and sew a label for the Pick Four quilt - so here is SURE STEPS all set for sleeping under!

Hurrah, hurrah!

Isn't this a lovely design? Making this has been so much fun, from receiving my copy of Sue Abrey's Pick Four through the post, to taking part in the bloghop, to being able to put together the design with confidence, and having a light bulb moment with my machine quilting!

Thank you again, Sue, and I have my next Project from the book already lined up...

Border Fabric Decisions

2011-09-13T19:45:00.006+01:00

I took a very deep breath and held my nerve with the cutter yesterday evening, and trimmed Scatty Stars into a rectangle. Phew!

And now comes another tricky bit - choosing the border fabric. I'm closer to a decision than it looks from the picture here, as I have mentally dismissed some of these, but I still have to make my mind up.

Hmm.

In other news, as they say, I'm plodding on with sewing the binding on to the quilt from Sue's Pick Four.

A very enjoyable sitting-in-front-of-the-TV job - lovely.

Christmas Quiltalong! September, pt4

2011-09-11T23:03:00.005+01:00

I'm more caught up with everyone else now that I have the blocks all pieced - I do have Scary Cutting to do, but I'm going to come at that fresh on another day.

I'm surprised that I had to do very little wrangling to match up the blocks - some of the star ones from earlier in the year don't bear a great deal of close scrutiny, but somehow they are all together pretty well now.

Of course, now I'm having a dither about what to use as the borders. I'd really like to pick up the colour of the roses for a thin border, then yellow/gold for a fat border and grey binding. Or maybe not. Up for discussion...

Well, I've had a lovely QAL weekend, thank you to Sue and Cathi - and I'm having a great deal of fun seeing all the different versions of Scatty Stars coming together. I think that Cathi said something about a gallery of all the finished quilts, which is just a superb idea - I love it!

Christmas Quiltalong! September, pt3

2011-09-11T11:49:00.004+01:00

Once I had decided to replace the original brown-green-brown connector blocks, Sue commented, "At least the railfence blocks are quick to do."

And my goodness, she is right! Half an hour at the machine last night, finishing off and pressing this morning - it really has not taken long at all to bang together these twenty blocks in from my pile of cut pieces.

The next step is to make sure that I am happy with the layout, and to get these into a single piece - and looking ahead, there is a Scary Cutting Alert, but I'll take a deep breath and cross that bridge when I come to it!

Christmas Quiltalong! September, pt2

2011-09-10T20:06:00.003+01:00

I'm STILL getting my replacement railfence blocks sorted out, folks. Good grief.

Although I am mighty pleased with my frugality - buying an outsize cotton blouse from the charity shop which yields about a yard of fabric - there is much to be said for a nice straightford yard-off-the-bolt in terms of ease of cutting.

Getting this far has taken about an hour and a half with the mat, cutter & ruler. So now I am having dinner, and going to see what everyone is getting up to.

Christmas Quiltalong! September, pt1

2011-09-10T12:33:00.003+01:00

It's the second Saturday of the month, which can only mean that it is time for Sue & Cathi's Christmas Quiltalong!

I'm behind with my blocks, having decided to change the railfence blocks from those I pieced last month, but have the fabric and cutter at the ready.

And I have this month's instructions to hand, too, so off we go!

Name?

2011-09-06T18:21:00.004+01:00

The ends are all buried, the binding is machined on, and I'm all ready to handsew it down to the back - then the final job will be to incorporate an embroidered label to the back.

Except I am still dithering on what to call it.

What do you reckon?

Festival of Quilts 2011

2011-09-04T19:16:00.007+01:00

With all the bloghop excitement, and making Stepping Stones from Sue's book (have spent an hour and a half this afternoon burying thread ends - Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz), I have quite forgotten to post about my visit to the Festival of Quilts.

I'm fortunate to live close to the NEC where the event is held, so a £4.95 train ticket, two local trains and three quarters of an hour after stepping out my own front door, I was striding into the Show.

About half the space is taken up with showing quilts - every last one of them was absolutely stunning (if not all to my taste). I started round this area, just appreciating the skill involved. Difficult to chose a favourite, but maybe it was this one.

Being rather mean in the purse department I didn't fork out for a guide book, but I was pleased to find myself loosely following a couple of ladies who had not only bought the guide book, but one of whom was not wearing her reading glasses so needed her friend to read out pertinent bits about each quilt. Splendid!

They had more stamina than me, so I peeled off for a cup of tea when I'd seen enough, before heading to the trade stands where stallholders were selling any and every kind of item you could possibly ever want in connection with your quilting hobby.

Anything from the 'essential' (fabric, cutters, threads) through to the 'nice-to-haves' ('designer' fabrics, sewing machines, Accuquilt Go!); to the 'you're-going-to-have-to-make-your-living-at-this-to-justify-the-spend' (computerised long arm quilting systems - think same cost as decent second-hand runaround).

I bought some thread and allowed myself a couple of metres of cat-pattern print, and paid a pound in the Quilters' Guild tombola which won me a pin cushion, but managed not to spend more than that.

And in amongst all that lot, I met up with Trudi on the Machine Quilting stand - which was just brilliant, and I had a go on a quilting machine whilst talking with her about our common other hobby.

My eyes remained saucer-like for the entire time - what a fabulous day!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 10!

2011-09-02T13:44:00.006+01:00

Now here is a sad thing - it is the last day of the Sue Abrey Pick Four bloghop - boo! I did think that I might manage to have Stepping Stones finished for the end of the tour, but it is nearly - but not quite.

I've quilted three of the four borders, then it's just the ends to bury, a label to attached and the binding, and that's it.

You know, there is no stopping me with the FMQ lark - I would never in a million years have thought that it would this much fun! I think that my days of tracing round a template and sewing round the shape as I did on Helen's Quilt are behind me - quilting Scatty Stars holds no fear for me now!

So for this special last day of the tour, you need to nip over to another Hazel (which is really weird! But only if your name is Hazel, I suppose) at QuiltHaze who has some brilliant photos up, and of course has your last giveaway to enter for a signed copy of Pick Four. Draws are still open at Bejewelled Quilts, SewCalGal, Sew'n Wild Oaks , Sweet P Quilts and at Quilting Prolifically - but get a move on!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 9!

2011-09-01T21:37:00.005+01:00

I have been enjoying the Sue Abrey's Pick Four bloghop so much - I don't know what it is about seeing Sue's designs that the bloghopper's have made up so many different fabrics, but I find it fascinating! Today is no different - Trudi at Quilting Prolifically (not far up the road) has made the cover quilt in shades of mauve, and it looks fantastic!

Trudi is only safe from my kleptomaniac tendencies as she has not finished the quilting and binding, but I will be sure to keep my eye on it to see how it turns out.

Meanwhile, I have been quilting Stepping Stones, and here's a radical turn up for the books, I am THOROUGHLY enjoying myself with the FMQ! It is fab! It is fun! The results look great! Two sides down, two to go! Then today's pondering is how to quilt the cream corner squares.

But whilst I am busy pondering and being Mrs Smug, go to see Trudi's post - remember there is a signed copy of Pick Four up for grabs - and if you're quick, you'll be in time for the giveaways at Bejewelled Quilts, SewCalGal, Sew'n Wild Oaks and at Sweet P Quilting

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 8!

2011-08-31T20:12:00.005+01:00

Day 8 of Sue Abrey's Pick Four bloghop already - where does the time go?

The signed book copy is still being offered at Bejewelled Quilts, SewCalGal and Sew'n Wild Quilts, but before you rush off and enter, let me show you how I'm getting on with quilting Stepping Stones.

Now the body of the quilt is quilted with cream thread in a wide meander pattern, (do try to keep up), and I've spent a couple of days pondering about quilting on the borders.

I had a couple of ideas (no, you are not going to be shown my first idea - what I thought might be whimsey and cute, turned out to be - well - rubbish), then decided to do a meander pattern, but smaller than the one on the main body of the quilt.

Here's a pic - I've angled the light to make the quilting stand out here - otherwise you would hardly see it. I am very pleased with this, and when I look at again in daylight I think that I will still be very pleased with it, although I do hope that having more dense quilting round the edges won't affect the overall drape of the quilt.

Whilst I worry about that, why don't you go and have a look at today's bloghopper (hoppee?) who is Paulette at Sweet P Quilting, who has made a couple of quilts from Pick Four, and - my - they look good! I looked at how far away British Columbia is on the map, and it's so far away to the west that I'm suprised Paulette is even up yet - it is not nip-across-and-pinch-a-quilt distance.

Perhaps Sue has deliberately chosen bloggers as far away from here as possible to minimise possible beautiful quilt theft? Mind you, I stand a better chance tomorrow as Trudi is only a county or two up the road from me...watch out, Trudi!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 7!

2011-08-30T14:26:00.005+01:00

No time to stop again today, folks, but you must head over to the Beatles-inspired post that Lynn at Sew 'n' Wild Quilts has put together for her 'day' for Sue Abrey's Pick Four! It's a real hoot, and very clever!

And if you are popping over there, do nick that beautiful halloween quilt that she's put together from Pick Four for me, won't you? I won't tell!

Remember that the draws for a signed copy of the book are still open at Silver Thimble Quilts, Magnolia Bay Quilts, Bejewelled Quilts and at SewCalGal, if you are quick!

Whooosh!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 6!

2011-08-29T14:25:00.004+01:00

Just a quick one today - but whilst I am thinking about how to quilt the borders of Stepping Stones (thread decided, thank you girls, but still musing about the pattern), you have a treat in strore as SewCalGirl is reviewing a copy of Sue Abrey's Pick Four, AND she has an signed copy to give away too!

Signed copies are also up for grabs still at Silver Thimble Quilts, Magnolia Bay Quilts and Bejewelled Quilts, so what are you waiting for?

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 5!

2011-08-28T20:31:00.007+01:00

I'm sorry to be late posting this - honestly - but I kept on going with just a bit more before I take a pic for the blog, just a bit more.... and before you know it, it is mid evening and I have finished the quilting the main body of Stepping Stones - hurrah!

And I haven't told you where you are going for Day 5 of the Sue Abrey's Pick Four bloghop yet - I'll show you the quilt first, then you can whizz off to the blog hop in a mo.

I had to do a bit of unpicking and have another go where one of the corners looked a bit scrunched up, but apart from that minor set back I am quite happy with this. I even managed some little curly bits (where I'd backed myself into a corner!).

The FMQ is not terribly even, but not disastrous either, and I had a kind email through earlier from Sand & Sunshine with some links to a couple of really useful sites which have 'FMQ step by step' guides on them - thank you, m'dear - so I can do some practise pieces.

My next decision is whether to quilt the borders in the same cream thread - where it will really show up, or use the green/copper variegated thread. Not sure if quilting in different colours for the main body and the border will look a bit funny?? All advice welcome on that one.

Now you've got a blog hop to zoom off to, and I have thread-ends to bury - so off you hop to see what Barb at Bejewelled Quilts has been up to. Just look at the lovely quilt that she has made from Pick Four - it looks fab! I was tempted to make that one myself...actually I'm even more tempted to make it now!

Barb will have a signed copy of Pick Four up for grabs (and the draw is still open at Silver Thimble and at Magnolia Bay Quilts) - so what are you waiting for?

'Pick Four' Prize Draw – Addendum

2011-08-28T02:01:00.007+01:00

Further to the Prize Draw post, Domino and Oliver wish to make clear the following:

1. Domino is sitting on ‘Helen’s Quilt’ – my only quilt finish to date. Contrary to aspersions cast, there is no food in the pot with the tickets – if there was, butterball Dom would not be looking the other way, there would be a whirl of activity while this was scoffed – with or without tickets.

2. Oliver is extremely comfortable in the spare room sitting on the quilt of another Ollie – the late and sorely missed bearded collie of the same name.

It is brushed cotton (or washed so often to within an inch of it’s life that it acts as brushed cotton) and was so kindly sent to me by Bilbo. She has no idea of the number of times it has been scrutinised in minute detail with regard to fabric matching/border balancing/binding width/quilt style and pattern, not to say sat on, pummelled, dribble on and used as prize sleeping area too, of course – er, the latter by the cats.

3. Oliver does love flippy flappy paper bit and does indeed turn into a wild chasing thing when confronting with a rolled up bits of newspaper. However, his interest in lots of pieces of paper when he would be otherwise asleep on aforementioned quilt - thank you very much – was indeed peaked by the introduction of a spray of catnip to the bowl.

He does lurrrrrrrrrrrrve proper catnip – I have a couple of pots growing in the courtyard garden and it gets him well high. Catnip spray is a poor substitute for the real thing, but it still makes Oli dribble – hence the soggy tickets.

Just to clear that up.

As you were.

My 'Pick Four' Blop Hop Winner!

2011-08-27T19:47:00.041+01:00

I thought that using Random.org lacked a bit of ceremony for the draw for Sue's book, so I numbered all the entries, did a ticket for each one, and asked Domino to pick one.

But he wasn't bothered about the draw - it's the making and finishing of quilts which is more up his street.

Then I asked Oliver to pick one, and he was much more helpful.

But then it all turned into a bit of a wild game, and the tickets started getting a bit soggy.

So I picked one - it is 134 - Janet. Hurrah!

Well done, Janet! An email is winging it's way all the way to the Yukon Territory in NW Canada asking for your address which I will forward to Sue & she will get your signed copy of Pick Four to you.

The rest of you better get over to Quilt Hollow (hurry up - not much time left here!), Silver Thimble, and Magnolia Bay Quilts to enter the draw - then follow the rest of the Hop for more chances to win.

Or you'll have to buy your own copy - but it is worth it, I promise.

Are you still here? You don't think I've had time to finish quilting Stepping Stones with all this excitement going do you? Come back tomorrow to see that - now off you pop!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 4!

2011-08-27T09:26:00.002+01:00

I've closed the comments on my Pick Four review, so you'll just have to run over to Quilt Hollow and Silver Thimble Talk if you still want a chance to win your own copy whilst I work out how to do the random number generator thingy.

Oh - I nearly forgot - it is Kim's day today at Magnolia Bay Quilts. She's already had books published, so it'll be very interesting to see an author's view of Pick Four. She'll be giving people a chance to win a copy too.

Off you go - I have some head scratching to do here - and I'll post the WINNER later!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 3!

2011-08-26T09:16:00.007+01:00

I do hope that you are enjoying Sue's Blog Hop as much as I am - all your lovely comments on my day on Wednesday when we started have delighted me!

Before I got stuck in to replying yesterday evening, I had another go at free machine quilting Stepping Stones - this time with an oiled-up sewing machine and cream quilting thread. Better, but I'll be scrutinising further this morning in daylight to see if I am happy with the result.

Then back to the computer - I've had some wonderful comments from 'no-reply' bloggers who haven't left me an email address which means that I can't get back in touch with you - which is going to be a bit tricky if you get drawn to win the book! The draw is open to midnight tonight (BST), so if you know that the above applies to you, leave me another comment on Wednesday's post with your email contact details.

And the techie bit for changing your settings so this doesn't happen again with the other girls on the Hop? In the blogger dashboard, 'edit profile' (left hand side by your photo) and tick 'show my email address'. Oh - and it's only the person whose blog you are leaving a comment on who can see your email address.

And now, you need to get yourselves off to Pat at Silver Thimble Talk - I'll be over soon to see what she has to say about Pick Four. She will be giving away a signed copy too - it's like Christmas, but knowing what the present will be! (Well, that's if your Christmas has an element of disappointment in that you might not get a present - or that you have to buy the present yourself - but for ten people it will be like Christmas. Oh stop it - you know what I mean.)

I loved seeing Mary at Quilt Hollow's wonderful Antique Nine Patch quilt yesterday - isn't it a stunner? If North Carolina wasn't so far away, I'd be across to steal it off her in a flash! Her book giveaway will be drawn on Saturday, so if you haven't participated, what are you waiting for...?

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 2!

2011-08-25T09:39:00.004+01:00

I am overwhelmed by all your lovely comments yesterday - thank you very much! I'll be coming back to you in due course (and poking my nose in around your blogs too, if you don't mind). You can still leave a comment for me as I won't be closing the draw for your own autographed copy of Pick Four until the end of the week.

Whilst you are at a loose end today, though, waiting for me to finish unpicking my unsuccessful attempt at FMQ at the weekend (it is taking bloody hours - note to self for future reference - if you are unsure about any aspect of your quilting do NOT just plough on regardless), tootle on over to Mary at Quilt Hollow who is your host for today for Sue Abrey's Pick Four bloghop.

Move along - nothing to see here - unpicking baaaaaad quilting is not a spectator sport!

'Pick Four' Blog Hop - Day 1!

2011-08-24T08:30:00.009+01:00

Good morning, good morning - what an exciting day this is!

Normally, there’s just me rattling on here and a handful of quilting chums metaphorically drinking tea and eating cake (all right, me moaning on about how difficult this quilting lark is and the FairyGodmother Quilters telling me not to be such a wet hen) but today, you join me on the first stop QuiltSue’s blog hop, where Sue Abrey has asked me to review her new book, Pick Four.

Wow!

I am delighted to not only be involved, but be the FIRST STOP on the hop – so come on in, take a seat – there’s tea in the pot – and let me tell you all about it…

Now, you might be forgiven for thinking that I am not going to be able to write a particularly informed piece on this as I am rather a novice quilter. In fact, I pieced my first two bits of fabric together at the beginning of this year, and to date I have completed a set of practice table mats and just one quilt from a jelly roll that my big sister Helen gave me for Christmas – called Helen’s Quilt.

Of course, I am working on Cathi & Sue's Christmas QAL Scatty Stars quilt, and then there is the Project that I have been working on for the past three weeks.

But Sue said that I was perfect to review her book, as ~~if I could follow it then any old dingbat will be able to get on with it~~ I am the ‘target market’ which the publishers wish to aim at, so I have been ‘road testing’ one of the designs, Stepping Stones (don’t tell me that you hadn’t realised what I was up to for the past three weeks, regular faces?).

How I would love to tell you that I have pieced, sandwiched, quilted and bound the quilt in 3 weeks flat! I was making a pretty decent go of it, but – alas – that wasn’t quite to be, due to a hitch with the choice of thread that I was having a go with for the free machine quilting.

I’ve been banging on about the nuts and bolts of how I am getting on with it on my previous posts – if you are really keen, just go back to 5th August post, and work forward – by the way, if you have an idea for what I should call this quilt, do feel free make suggestions.

But enough ramblings – you want to know about the BOOK, and the PRIZE, don’t you?

I’m sure that the other girls will be showing you plenty of Sue’s gorgeous designs through the next ten days – there are twelve quilts in all – but the one thing that I wanted to focus on is the other bits – how is the quilter going to get on with this book?

Is it worth parting with your hard-earned cash? Having seen a design they like, are they going to be able to actually get themselves something lovely at the other end of it, or will they be throwing the book across with room with an anguished cry of ‘what do you mean!?’

Fear not – there are no nightmares here! And this is why – the book does not give you a design and say 'get on with it', it takes you through a number of important stages.

1 Fabric selection – absolutely vital for the novice, and surely considered reading for the more experienced quilter! And with just four fabrics to have to get your head around (the clue is in the book title, people) this is ideal for the ‘new quilters’ who haven’t built up wardrobes full of fabric bolts to mix and match as the fancy strikes.

Sue talks about how to choose what goes with what – brilliant and foolproof! I am sure that there are lots of people to whom matching stuff comes easily, but there are also a lot of people like me who are a bit hopeless – so I can’t tell you enough how helpful this section is.

2 Concise, no nonsense 'how to make a quilt’ section, including sections on how to cut, piece, press, sandwich, bind.

3 Designs – from beginner to quilts for the more experienced quilter – you’ll be seeing a LOT more of these, so I won’t steal the other girls’ thunder!

4 Good step by step instructions for each quilt – inc. clear shopping list, cutting list, piecing (which way to press seams so they nestle together nicely – not just the cop out of ‘oh, just press towards the darker fabric' – what if you have equally dark fabrics adjacent??). Attention to detail means that – for example – with my Stepping Stones quilt, Sue says ‘there will be a block left over’ – how long would I have pondered and worried about that if it hadn’t been said?

5 Alternative colourways – it’s always a struggle for me to differentiate between whether I like a quilt DESIGN or the designer’s FABRIC so Sue shows each quilt with a number of alternative colourways. The different colours make such a difference! In fact, the purist in me did toy with the idea of only ever making one quilt design in my whole life over and over with different fabrics, just to see how different the same quilt would look. I gave myself a bit of shake and decided against this.

6 Quilting options – as Sue says, “I got cross with patterns which said ‘quilt as desired’”, and this is quite right – how dare a pattern take you this far and drop you at the end? Surely, how you do the quilting makes a massive difference to the finished article?! In a very useful general section as well as a ‘why I did this’ section at the end of each design, Sue explains the thinking behind the quilting.

I wanted to tell you a Bit About The Author, but I’ve banged on long enough – the tea’s getting cold and you’ll want to get on.

I love this book (can you tell?) which could have been written just for me – and I’ve loved being involved with this blog hop! Thank Sue for giving me the opportunity to foist my opinions onto you all, so until next time…

…what’s that? You’ve come all this way and I haven’t told you how to win a prize? Oh!

The PRIZE to the lucky winner is – of course – a copy of Sue Abrey’s Pick Four. It’s a signed copy (which is more than my copy is, might I add). You will love it – I promise – experienced quilters will love the designs, and novice quilters will be able to achieve them too.

My pea brain gets a bit confused with the complexities of some ‘giveaways’ so this is really simple. Just leave a comment on this post and I’ll enter you into a random number draw on Saturday morning (BST). If you are ‘no-reply blogger’, you’ll have to sort your settings out and not be so darn elusive, or include your email address in your reply.

If you don’t win the prize this time, you may get lucky again – as for each day of the nine remaining days of the blog hop there is another copy being given away – AND you get to visit some entertaining and clever quilters who will be giving their take on Sue Abrey’s Pick Four. Next stop, tomorrow, is Mary at Quilt Hollow….

Otherwise, you are just going to have to put your hand in your pocket and buy your own copy from Martingales or Amazon.

I do hope that you’ve enjoyed looking at Sue’s book with me, thank you for being here – and good luck in the draw!

Good News and A Right Pain!

2011-08-23T22:01:00.004+01:00

I'll start with the good news - It is the start of Sue's 'Pick Four' blog hop tomorrow, for which I am ..... drum roll.... the first blogger - I am so excited!

I also gave the sewing machine a bit of a going over earlier with a brush, and a dot of oil here and there in accordance with the manual and it is now purring along smooth as anything - hurrah!

And the bad news is that I have spent a second evening undoing all the quilting that I did on Sunday evening AND I haven't finished. How come it only took an hour or so to do, and this long to undo?

Difficult Decisions...

2011-08-22T16:16:00.005+01:00

I've decided that a cream thread would be much easier on the eye for quilting this particular quilt - as this is my first go at free machine quilting, having such a striking thread - although beautiful - is rather unforgiving for the novice!

Over to Hobbycraft later, and an evening of unpicking ahead, I think....

What a shame that I couldn't press on - there's rather a good reason that I had hoped to be able to get this finished for Wednesday...

Musings of a Free Machine Quilter!

2011-08-21T22:38:00.005+01:00

Thoughts following this evening's progress:

-I've broken two needles (something to do with the quilting foot - the plastic presser is very close to where the needle strikes down - I may have to do a little 'adjusting' with a file)

-I can only do about ten mins at a time before the shoulders ache

-the pickup on the needle is not smooth when you apply your foot to the pedal. This is not an issue when piecing, but it is when quilting - I'd like a needle speed of somewhere in the middle of 'needle stationary' and 'needle doing a million stitches per second'. Not sure if this is something that would improve if I had the machine serviced (something long overdue, I'm sure).

-the thread breaks too easily (the top tension seems to have to be twanging tight in order to keep the bottom thread from looping)

-It is much quicker to free machine quilt than ever I had thought - I was surprised to find that this evening's session has seen about a quarter of the body of the quilt complete

-I am seriously less than smooth in manouevering the quilt over the plate - stitch consistancy does not bear close scrutiny!

-I've not made a good choice with the quilting thread - I've used a varigated copper/green which picks up the darker colours really well, but this shows up far to strongly on the pale colours. Cream would have worked better, I think.

But as a first effort this is not too shoddy, though - and although I'm mulling over the latter two points (not ruling out unpicking and starting again), I am actually very pleased with the overall look of the thing.

On balance, a good night.

Biting The Bullet...

2011-08-21T21:03:00.002+01:00

... and trying to remember to breathe!

Quilt Top Finish!

2011-08-18T20:19:00.005+01:00

Well I am having such a brilliant evening! Here is my current project top all finished and ready for making up into a quilt!

That's a week and a half for this novice quilter to put a whole quilt top together - to put that in context, my concentration only allows for stints of about an hour and a half at a time, I work full time and this includes the busiest weekend of the year in terms of my other hobby - not to mention the QAL and a visit to the Festival of Quilts.

There's so much in the instructions that has helped - from telling me that I will have a spare block left over to which way to press the seams at each step which means that everything all nestles together nicely to help get your points all matching up.

This all leads to stress-free quilting - exactly what you need if your new to the hobby. No throwing the instructions across the room with a plaintiff wail of 'what do you mean?!'

Moving this on, it was by chance (the Quilting Gods a-smilin' down on me again) that I have the perfect backing in a pair of curtains which I bought from the charity shop a month or so back - although I'll need to piece them together to get a piece large enough.

Another piece of good fortune is that when I measured the spare batting I have, the quilt will JUST (with about 3/4" to spare) fit widthways to leave me with a good usable piece left over.

And I found out why all my fabrics are in need of pressing before I use them - this is Domino doing a quick exit from the scraps basket where he had clearly spent much of the afternoon.

In other news, I am also VERY excited as there is a Special Event in blogland going on from the middle of next week for ten days which I am cock-a-hoop to be involved with! All I can say at the mo is that it may pay dividends for you to BE HERE next Wednesday!

Quilting Gods?

2011-08-17T20:59:00.005+01:00

After my grumpy post the other day about the Scatty Christmas Stars QAL quilt, the fairygodmother quilters Sue and Bilbo both recommended changing the railfence blocks - they being too strong for the star blocks, rather than my conclusion of changing the background on the star blocks, them being too weedy.

I had been all set to change the background of the star blocks into something stronger, so I had a grand dither of the first order.

Someone was looking down on me, though, as a very quick scout round the local Salvation Army shop yesterday lunchtime produced an outsized cotton top in grey with roses, and a yard and a half of rather lovely curtain fabric, and I'm thinking that the yellow part of the curtain can be the outer rails, and the grey-with-roses as the inner.

You'll have to use your imagination a bit here - and ignore the cat's bottom as he exits stage right. It looks good to me - mind you, I'll still have some serious wrestling to do when putting the railfences together with some of the star blocks, what with the latter being a bit dodgy, but it's going to be less time consuming re-doing the railfences than the star blocks.

In other news, as they say, I have put the skinny border onto my current project - the fat border & corners to piece and sew and I'll be ready for quilting!

The Festival of Quilts (yes, I know, pics soon, I promise!) has given me lots of ideas on that score, so much so that I keep changing my mind...

Uh-oh.

2011-08-15T21:17:00.011+01:00

First the good news - I've finished piecing the top of my current project!

Next stop is the skinny border to piece, cut and sew on - I can't tell you how delighted I am with this one! It is an absolute pleasure.

However, things are not all rosy in the garden - I have hit a hitch of the first order with regard to the Scatty Stars Christmas Quiltalong quilt. I knew that there was something not pleasing to my eye when I posted the other day, and that the quilt looked austere - I could have used the word disconnected or flat instead.

Not the fault of the design, but of my fabric choices - and big sister Helen who was up for the weekend put her finger on it right away, saying, 'It's too 'checkerboard' all the contrast is between the star blocks and the rail fence blocks, not the stars and the rest of the quilt. If the stars had a different background they would jump out much better.'

Everyone should have a big sister Helen.

So - what is to be done about this? I can either
(a) press on with the quilt as it is, and have something which will get on my nerves everytime I see it
(b) stick it in a cupboard unfinished in a grump, kicking the cat on the way
(c) rescue the situation now by redoing the star blocks.

The latter sounds wildly drastic but this is something I would contemplate for another reason - it has crossed my mind on more than one occasion as to how I am possibly going to shoehorn the blocks together.

Because the first few star blocks are a bit 'first-time' on the seam allowances (not to mention having pressed the life out of them with all that means with regard to the incredible shrinking cream fabric) so perhaps this is not quite the nuclear option that it might first appear to be.

I still like the idea of yellow & cream for the stars, and for the star background, a dress fabric that I have had tidied away for years. I have four weeks to the next QAL Saturday, so I have time to get back up to speed. I may even incorporate these stars into the backing...see, I'm feeling better about it already!

Christmas Quiltalong! August, pt4

2011-08-14T01:06:00.004+01:00

I couldn't resist a quick half hour at the machine before bedtime (now rather overdue) - so I finished piecing the strips and cutting them into rail fence blocks.

I think that it looks rather austere, but I have a flame red fabric for the thin border, which I hope will give the design a lift and if I have enough, I could use the flame red for the binding too.

Talking of designs, one of the pleasures for me of these monthly quiltalong days has been to see what everyone else around the world is up to which I've not managed to do properly this time round - so tomorrow I will be sure to catch up.

Is is just me who is still astounded by the fact that there are people thousands of miles apart who have totally different lives, situations and cultures who are sitting down at the same time to produce a dozen variations on the same quilt design?

Christmas Quiltalong! August, pt3

2011-08-13T21:15:00.006+01:00

Six months into the Christmas quiltalong we have completed the twelve stars for the Christmas quilt, and are now onto the connecting blocks.

We do all of these in one fell swoop, so earlier I cut all the 3 1/2" strips needed for these blocks, and I am about half way through piecing the strips and cutting into blocks.

Again, my quiltalong Saturday turns into a weekend number - and I have a head stuffed full of wonderful quilt thoughts which I have brought back from the Show.

Christmas Quiltalong! August, pt2

2011-08-13T16:24:00.005+01:00

I'm back from the Festival of Quilts - much more about that later - but in the meantime, here are my purchases. I have been very restrained!

I'm going to have a cup of tea and a wander around the world to see how everyone is getting on, and then I'd better get sewing!

Christmas Quiltalong! August, pt1

2011-08-13T08:36:00.003+01:00

I have a very exciting day lined up - not only is it the Christmas Quiltalong Saturday (Cathi hosting this month), but I am off in a minute to spend the day at the Festival of Quilts!

So no time to lose - sandwiches to make, flat shoes to put on, camera to charge, and possibly a little spending money to take with me.

Back later...

Quilt Magic!

2011-08-10T20:59:00.010+01:00

So I've gone from this pile of fabric...

cut...

pieced...

cut again...

then TA DA!

Quilt magic*!

The instructions have very helpfully pointed out that there will be a mini block left over - good job that this was mentioned - I would have been worried! It is this attention to detail in the instructions which gives you so much confidence to get stuck in.

*yes, you're right - there's a block the wrong way round on the bottom row. Well spotted. What do you want - a prize?

Concentration!

2011-08-10T09:50:00.008+01:00

Isn't this brilliant fun!

Although I must say that I nearly turned blue in the face from this exercise, holding my breath with every double-measured, triple-checked cut of the big friendly squares.

No rhubarb wine for me whilst this was going on!

But it was well worth the effort, as I have ended up with a pile of sixty-four identically sized mini blocks, all ready for a spot of quilt magic...

Smug!

2011-08-09T19:13:00.005+01:00

Being picky about piecing these big friendly squares this week and ensuring that the centres are an accurate 4" - resewing where necessary - has certainly paid off! Ha!

I wonder if there should be a note written at this point in the instructions saying 'Oi! You! Before you go any further, have you checked your seam work??'

Although on reflection, this rather crosses the line from the instructions being clear and straightforward to being really bossy, so perhaps not.

But why is accuracy important here? Because the next stage of this project is to get the cutter out and slice the blocks into four identically sized mini blocks...

A Productive Evening

2011-08-07T23:29:00.004+01:00

I've spent this evening putting these lovely big friendly squares together. I love this cleverly designed pattern, there is no fiddly messing about!

I would have done more, however, despite having washed, ironed and starched the incredible shrinking cream fabric before I started - it continues to shrink when pressed.

Grr.

It means that I'm re-piecing the green-cream-green strips as I go with a skinnier seam in order that the cream centre block measures the full 4".

It's paying off, though, as I'm not having to force the strips into matching up, and the size of the big blocks are spot-on, which I'm sure will help when it comes to the next stage.

And I'm being extremely cautious with the iron!

A Rainy Afternoon

2011-08-07T20:01:00.004+01:00

After yesterday's flirt with disaster when I nearly made a mess of cutting, today I am enjoying myself tremendously piecing my cut fabric.

I've had a lovely afternoon sewing, listening to the radio with heavy summer rainstorms outside, made all the more stress-free by the clarity of the instructions in the pattern.

Excellent fun!

A Close Shave!

2011-08-07T12:45:00.004+01:00

Yesterday's task was to cut all the fabric ready for my next project - and what a delight it is to have all the fabric cut ready for sewing for the whole quilt!

I did narrowly avoid DISASTER, however, which taught me a salutary lesson in concentration.

The 'shopping list' of fabrics is sensibly in the order of most to least needed; the cutting list in the order of fabrics needed. So far so good! However, the fabrics that I am using are different in colour to those listed - except two of my colours are similar to those used, but - crucially - I'm just not using these for same parts as they are in the pattern.

Even though I had taken a copy of the instructions and crossed out all of the instances the given colour and substituted the colour of the fabric that I am using, I still very nearly cut the wrong set of strips for a particular colour (compounded by the fact that my instances of scribbled 'green' look remarkably similar to the scribbled 'cream').

Spotted just in time - note to self to keep concentrating, and not pour a glass of rhubarb wine until after all the difficult bits are done!

The Morning After!

2011-08-05T20:54:00.006+01:00

My lovely new quilt is very warm indeed - something which will be of terrific benefit in the depths of winter, but with the current very warm spell has meant that I have totally overheated and slept very badly for the past couple of nights.

I've endured this rather than not use the quilt, though - I'm that delighted with it! Nice to see that Domino has given the quilt his seal of approval, too, along with a light dusting of cat hairs.

And onwards and upwards - to the next project!

Although my lips are most definitely sealed with regard to the design (all being revealed in due course, people), here's the fabric that I plan to use.

The more observant will notice that I've had a rush of blood to the head and am using a fabric which has a slight pattern to it. I know how to walk on the wild side!

Finished!

2011-08-03T18:49:00.011+01:00

Here we go! All finished! So here in true Vision On gallery style are a few pics (as if you haven't seen more than enough over the last few months! I promise that I'll stop after this!)

I have to say THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me along the way with this first quilt - experienced quilters who have helped out with the technical stuff, everyone who has posted lovely comments, and of course - because otherwise we would not be here at all - my talented big sister Helen who got the ball rolling in the first place with her Christmas present of a jelly roll & quilt book.

So what's this first quilt called? Well, Spring Garden Trellis is a bit on a mouthful, so I've settled on ...

See you for the next one!

So Near But Not Quite There!

2011-08-01T21:17:00.008+01:00

I sat down and finished the hand sewing the binding this evening!

Joanna asked, 'Don't you love doing the binding?' and yes, I do! Not sure if it is because it makes the quilt look so neat, or if it means you're on the home straight, and will soon be using the quilt to keep toasty warm.

Actually, keeping toasty warm is the last thing needed at the moment - the weather has been warm and sunny for quite a while, and sitting sewing this evening with (a) a cat and (b) a quilt on my lap was a bit much.

I haven't quite finished, though, as I want to put a label on the back.

Colleague Rita suggested that I embroider it, which I am mulling over. She also suggested that a small pearl button in the centre of each of the corner flower would look good, and I'm mulling over that too.

What do need a bit of attention - irritatingly - are some of the ends of the first few flowers that I quilted. My initial thread securing method was not good, and I need to rectify a few loose ends.

Home Straight II

2011-07-31T23:34:00.003+01:00

I've machined the binding onto the edge of the quilt this afternoon, and this evening I have been sitting in front of the television, hand-sewing it down.

It goes on a bit - but I am just over half way round, so another good session (or more likely two shorter ones), and I'll be done!

Binding...

2011-07-30T21:38:00.002+01:00

...all cut, pieced, trimmed and pressed ready for sewing.

Home Straight!

2011-07-28T23:16:00.005+01:00

I have finished quilting Spring Garden Trellis! Hurrah!

That's 20 flower motifs, 12 small circles, 18 pairs of leaves around the borders and 4 mini flowers in the corners. Of course, it has taken forever and a day, but I have enjoyed the journey immensely, and will not hesitate to embark on the next project with gusto.

All that remains to be done here, is to apply the binding. I did some sums, and I have enough of either the incredible shrinking cream fabric, or the dark yellow which is moonlighting in the Scatty Christmas Stars quilt, so which to choose?

Here is where Bilbo - as so often - is absolutely spot on with regard to quilting advice. She said,"As for binding, think of it as a picture frame. With that in mind the decision will make itself (probably!)"

Which it has without a doubt - laying out the trimmed quilt against both fabrics and it is obvious to me that it is the yellow option all the way.

I've just got to remember the binding lessons that I have learnt - for a start, I'll have to go back and check what width to cut the binding strips...

Corner Quilting

2011-07-28T16:01:00.005+01:00

Just the other three corner motifs to quilt now, and then binding to finish.

So that means I will have to make my final decision for this quilt - what to use as binding?

I could use the incredible shrinking cream fabric (now washed and ironed, so hopefully no more shrinking), or the yellow of the skinny border (assuming I have enough) - there's going to be some measuring and maths going on later!

One to Go!

2011-07-26T22:32:00.003+01:00

All but one of the leaf motifs are now completed, and the template for the corner flowers is cut out.

But I've done enough for tonight, and I do have some rather special bedtime reading lined up...

Looking Forward!

2011-07-26T13:33:00.007+01:00

I'm galloping along with the leaf motifs now on Spring Garden Trellis (11 down, 7 to go), and I've even worked out how to quilt the small flowers for each corner - hurrah! Just the binding to decide on and sew, and that'll be that!

I'm now looking ahead to my next project, which the attentive will remember is planned to be a couple of smaller cat-sized quilts, with cat design.

However, I received a very exciting package through the post this morning, which means that the cat quilts are on the back burner, as I have a new project in mind.

Don't feel sorry for the cats - they'll cope, somehow...

Selective Memory!

2011-07-24T11:07:00.006+01:00

I said the other day, "When I first thought about quilting Spring Garden Trellis, I......had a vague thought in my mind that I wanted use a leaf motif to quilt around the borders."

Oh no I didn't! Utter rubbish!

According to this post in April, I said, "I was thinking about half-flowers," after SewAli commented, "That's a great motif, you could go for something leafy around the border."

So thank you, Ali, for an excellent suggestion!

Border Quilting Decisions

2011-07-22T20:48:00.007+01:00

When I first thought about quilting Spring Garden Trellis, I knew that I wanted to quilt flowers in the middle, and had a vague thought in my mind that I wanted use a leaf motif to quilt around the borders.

Mind you, once I found out what heavy going the flower motif quilting was, I very nearly changed my mind and decided to use a continuous pattern instead.

I stuck to my original plan though - I find that your first idea is most often the best one - and found a clipart leaf which I elongated and angled; and copied and flipped a second one, matched them up, and resized them.

I traced it onto translucent thick plastic flexible sheeting, cut round it - and voila - a template to use for the border quilting.

I traced round it with the airpen, and got quilting - the first off is here.

I'm rather pleased with it. Er - that's one down, seventeen to go...