Sunday, July 1, 2012

A more ambitious project

I've been enjoying Katy's quiltalong on Flickr 'Swooning on a hop along', where participants post photos and offer hints and encouragement to each other as they sew three different quilts designed by Camille Roskelley.  She's an amazing designer and it's well worth a look at her website 'Simplify'.   Katy's blog also has more information.  There's another quiltalong on Flickr, 'My Precious QAL', where participants are challenged to cut into their favourite fabric and make something.  Most of us seem to have fabrics that are too 'precious' to use, but isn't it nicer to see those fabrics made up and being used than to keep them in a bundle on a shelf?  Kelby is running this QAL and you can go to her blog to read more. 

Lots of quilters are joining up to a specific pattern quiltalong, and using their precious fabrics to make that design, so combining it with the My Precious QAL.  I've decided to make Camille's 'Swoon' quilt using a fat quarter bundle of fabric that I have had for years, Chez Moi's 'Posh'.  I think it was amongst  the first fabrics I ordered from the USA.  It's so old I couldn't find any good pictures to link to.    


The blocks are large at 24", and use nearly every inch of the fat quarter they are made from.  My quilt is going to be three blocks by three blocks.


I'm so happy to be using my precious fabrics at last.  I've kept them for so long trying to find the 'perfect' pattern, and I think this is definitely it!


I've nearly finished a fourth block, so I'm almost half way.  They do take a long time to put together, and I've been doing a fair few mistakes that need re-sewing.  Some of my seams are very scant, and some of my points are less than sharp.  I don't think it will be very noticeable once the quilt is made.  It's got flaws but I'm really happy with it!

Once the blocks are made they are then sashed.  I'm starting to think about the quilting already!  


Favourite quilts revisited

Have you ever finished a quilt, loved it, and known in your own mind that you are not quite done with that pattern?

I've revisited a couple of my favourites lately and have a couple of pictures of them as they progress.


This is Kate Conklin's 'There's a Square in There', made with an off white linen/cotton blend as the background and some citron green, grey and red prints.  I've quilted it in a square meander design, and used wool batting so it has more loft than most of my quilts, which have cotton batting.  Once I've finished the hand sewing of the binding I'll get some photos of the whole quilt.


I've wanted to sew another wonky cross quilt for a long time.  I love this block!  This pile is orange, grey and green blocks.  You can see a couple of cross quilts here that I made a while ago - I'm still not sure that I won't make another in the future!  For this quilt, I've made 28 blocks and need 36 so not far to go.  It's fun to make something so simple and effective with a gorgeous stash of fabrics!  All the fabric for this came from my stash too so I'm thinking that gives me a good excuse to go shopping :)

In an effort to keep things real, yes, that is my ironing board complete with the huge hole in the cover.  I've actually bought a new one but every time I think I'll put it on the board I decide I'd rather sew.  I've started using PicMonkey for my photos as I used to use Picnik, which has closed.  I love the effects that they offer, this is 'urban' and has that Instagram look that seems to be everywhere at the moment.  Realy cool isn't it!