One Step Forward, Two Back

I've had a very unproductive week so far.  It is one of those weeks, where everything I touch seems to go wrong.  It is frustrating as I have a lot of projects I could be getting on with...but I feel like I have lost my confidence.  I know this is silly, but there you go.

Last week was good.  I managed to make good progress with the Etoiles Rouge block of the week.  I managed to do some catching up, by sewing and quilting 12 blocks - so I am now only 6 weeks behind.  I thought a while before taking on this project - not because I thought the piecing was beyond me, but because I was worried about quilting such a large quilt - there will be 49 blocks.  I have managed to quilt large quilts before with my tiny harp space, but it isn't fun.  This is the first project I have tackled as QAYG.  So far, I am happy.  There is something about knowing I haven't a huge quilting job to face at the end that is making the project more enjoyable.  I will probably wait until next week before sewing more blocks as I will then have all the block patterns for another full row. 

I have signed up for the International Miniature Quilt Exchange being hosted by the Quilt Show.  I have been paired with a lovely lady from Colorado in the US.  I think it will be fun and will give me the challenge of working on a small scale.

Happy quilting, all! xx

Having Fun with Textile Paint

Three weeks ago I started a Textile Printing course for beginners- only 10 hours over 5 weeks, but a taster of a range of printing techniques.  The first week we made foam stamps.  In week 2 we worked with linocut and this week we started screen printing. It's all fun but messy (I seem to be able to get paint into places that should be impossible!)  It is so much fun, though.

I love autumn leaves, so decided to make a practice piece using a Sizzix die to cut out the foam for the stamp.  I discovered that acrylic blocks used for rubber stamps are great for self adhesive foam stamps.  The glue can be removed with surgical spirit, making the blocks reusable - unlike wooden blocks.

I applied Jacquard Textile paint in a variety of colours to the block with a foam brush and using a dabbing motion.  Once the leaf was dry, I used the cut out of the leaf as a stencil to apply a small amount of Lumiere Gold with a stencil brush.  Too much fun...even if I manage to get paint everywhere!

The border is a batik I've had in my stash for three years.  It is a fabric I have looked at many times and thinking 'What was I thinking when I bought this??!!!' It is SO ugly!  It is perfect for this, though...so it just goes to show how wrong I was!
Happy quilting!

Fun with Scraps

I have discovered I have more fun playing with scraps than making quilts from patterns.  Maybe it is the serendipity of not knowing what I will end up with.  I wish I was super organised - one of those folk who plan everything out, choose all their fabrics, cut all their pieces and then progress in an organised fashion.

I have tried being organised with the pieces for the semi-circular flying geese border for the TQS 2017 BOM.  I chose all my fabrics and have cut them out...and they are presently sitting there is a box waiting to be pieced.   It is definitely more efficient to do things this way.  A lot of the time I don't have a pattern to follow from and make my decisions 'on the fly' - very inefficient.  Maybe the issue is that I can't discipline myself to plan, as I want to get on with the sewing.

Can good things come from chaos?  I'm not sure...but I'm having fun, and that will have to do for now.

I have a very large stash of scraps...and the stash keeps getting bigger and bigger.  I realised that I had only ever once made a log cabin block, back in the day when I took a Patchwork for Beginners course.  I thought it was time to have another go.  I didn't have a pattern, and only intended to make one block, so would use scraps.  As it turned out, I ended up making 4 blocks, and then using more scraps in a very simple pieced border.  The centre looked rather bare, so I delved into my stash of wool, cut out some shapes and appliqued them by hand.
The result is below:

 

Happy quilting!