My Great Quilting Expedition

I got out my 'Daisy quilt' on Wednesday.  I haven't worked on it in AGES - because small pieces of fabric, needles and a naughty, nine month old puppy are not a good combination.  I am hoping to complete this prior to the Hawkinge Patchwork Group show in October.  I am working on the 6th border and it feels like the quilt is getting large, so I must be over half way?  I took a look at the pattern, and so far, I've hand pieced 1836 pieces... My jaw dropped when I calculated how many pieces I have yet to sew - another 4960 pieces!  The outer border alone has 2212 pieces, including 1540 elongated hexagons.  This is a wake up call.  I am now thinking it might be finished for the show in two and a half years time.  Sometimes it is better not to know. The photo below is of the original Billings coverlet that Carolyn Koenig used as inspiration for her pattern in her book, Creating Heirlooms. Happy quilting, all!

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. ...

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 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 ...

It has felt good to finish a project.  This is only the second finish so far this year.  The quilt top was pieced last year.  I prevaricated about whether to all an additional border or not...and then, somehow, it just got forgotten.  Anyway, no extra border.  I'm not sure whether the flange along the edge of the quilt was worthwhile.  It meant that the binding was machine sewn to the back of the quilt, and I just could not get the mitres as neat as when the binding is machine sewn to the front of the quilt.  It is done and it's a bright, cheerful quilt.  I do like the pattern.  I adapted it from a pattern on the Moda Cookshop blog.  I kept the quilting basic.  I used a ruler to quilt 3 lines around each jewel.  I then FMQ'd pearls between the first and second line.  Everywhere else I used a medium stipple stitch.  I used Hobbs Polydown wadding, which gave a nice puff to the coloured blocks. I finished the thi...

This is my first post since October due to flu and a new pup.  On January 1st, I made a list of projects still unfinished: Works in Progress Carol’s friendship quilt Hearts and Flowers 2 TQS 2017 BOM Daisy’s quilt Passacaglia quilt 2015 Quiltmania Mystery Quilt Hexi wallhanging Gem quilt Phoebe quilt Rambling Ways ...and a list of projects to start Waiting to start Etoile Rouge 2017 BOM Quiltmania 2016 Mystery quilt Amish II Nancy Rink Quilt Diamond Hill by Esther Aliu I've decided not to do the 2017 Quiltmania Mystery quilt this year. It is the 24th February and progress has been slow.  I have two finishes.  Carol's friendship quilt is finished and has arrived in the US OK.  I tried out a faux piping binding this time.  I finished my second version of the Hearts and Flowers Quilt.  I really enjoyed making the first version in Moda Fig Tree fabric scraps and wondered how the same quilt would look ...

I've had a difficult few weeks without much progress to speak of.  Instead of concerted effort at one project, I have flitted between them. I have plenty of WIPs: making a second version of my Hearts and Flowers design - this time in reproduction fabrics a jewel quilt top that still needs an outer border my Hertfordshire quilt has another border half done started a Pine Valley Rambling Ways quilt - 2 blocks appliqued restarted Phebe quilt by Di Ford with some painted appliques for the centre medallion