I've been quilting since 2013. This blog is my personal quilting diary, that charts my progress (and occasional regression) from the start. I use it so I can look back at my past projects...and hopefully see my skills improve!

Tuesday 21 November 2017

What to do on a Dreary Day

I have been having fun painting on some pfd white cotton.  The designs are by Jacquelynne Steves, from her Art of Home Club.  I used Jacquard Textile Color paint in a palette limited to 5 colours.  I have always admired the traditional folk art on canal barges in the UK and chose my colours as a nod to those cheerful, happy barges.





I'm thinking of adding sashing around each block and then, maybe adding an outer border painted with some of the garlands on the blocks... maybe slightly enlarged.  I'm not sure yet.

Saturday 18 November 2017

Busy, but not much to show

It was all hands on deck to finish the Billings quilt before the Hawkinge Patchwork Show.  I am so happy with it after more than two years in progress!  I also managed to finish my Roman mosaic test piece.



 I learned a lot from the process of making this small piece.  I have always wanted to make a Roman mosaic quilt and when I saw a youtube video showing Cheryl Lynch's method, I just had to try it. 

I printed out my source pattern fish on paper in colour - A4 size. I taped it to my light box, and then removed the backing from a piece of Steam a Seam Lite and carefully taped it on top of the source photo, tacky side up.  I found it easiest to use scissors to cut up small pieces of fabric in my chosen colours.  I then uded pointed tweezers to position the mosaic pieces onto the fusible.  I love the Steam a seam as it is so easy to reposition the fabric pieces due to the tacky surface.  When all the mosaic pieces were in position, I removed the fusible from the light box and fused the piece with a hot dry iron, covering the piece with a teflon sheet.  Very important:  I waited until the fused fabric had cooled before trying to separate it from the backing paper.  If the piece didn't come off the backing paper as a single sheet, I reapplied heat and then waited again until cool.  I then placed the piece on my backing fabric and fused again. I love the fact that the backing fabric can be seen between the mosaic pieces.  The background fabric becomes the 'grout' between the mosaic pieces.

For the mosaic braid border, I used standard Seam a Seam and I think it worked better, as the fabric sheet was somewhat sturdier and easier to handle.

I placed a sheet of tulle over the top of the mosaic fabric, and used a layer of wool wadding and backing.  I only quilted the piece very lightly.  I'm not certain that the tulle is needed, as the fused fabric is pretty sturdy, but - better safe than sorry!

I hope I get the opportunity to tackle a larger project.  I took lots of photos of Roman mosaics in Italy a couple of months ago, so have plenty of source material.