Fear of the Unknown

After viewing many of the tumbler quilts on Kathie's blog I just started cutting.  I made my tumblers 3" finished.  My ruler  has two little angles at the bottom for cutting off tiny pieces.  It seemed rather tedious at the time, but it meant that the pieces lined up easily and  in no time at all I put my new quilt top together.

In fact, it's so big I couldn't fit the whole quilt into the frame on my camera. I have pressed the seams open between rows.  There is some dispute as to whether it was a good idea, but I would like to see for myself.  I've been informed that my seams will be weaker, but once it's quilted, surely that is not an issue.  It certainly lies flatter at the moment.  Any comments?

 My intention is to machine quilt it using a walking foot.  In spite of all my lessons on free motion quilting, I'm still too anxious to let go with the darning foot.  I can still remember the same sensation learning to dive.  So many years and so many dives later, in retrospect I know it to be unreasonable.

However, it would be more than tedious to unpick lots of hastily sprayed FMS so I'm opting for the easy, safe road.

Meanwhile, I'm busily baking all sorts of flourless cakes, orange and walnut, chocolate and almond and my new favourite, orange sponge.  Chag Sameach!

On my Bum

 True to my plan for 2012, I have been working in solids.  The applique quilt is coming along nicely.  There are 9 blocks; so far 3 are complete and a fourth is underway.
 

While I haven't been quilting as much as I'd like, I did recently cover a cushion for the window seat.  It's my favourite spot to sit and catch some sun and watch the world go by.  The large print on top is Amy Butler home decorator fabric and the  gusset is a Kaffe Fassett spot.

 The cushion has not one, but two zips.  Initially I made a neutral cover with a zip.  When I stood back to admire my handiwork I realised that there was no life in it at all.  So back to the drawing board and I came up with a much happier, more colourful version 2.  It even has piping. Rather than toss the original away, I left it in place and covered it over.

Zips and piping.  Previously I have said I can't even sew a handkerchief.  I must be getting better at using my sewing machine.  Eventually I'd like to make a shirt.  I even have some beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabric set aside for this very purpose.

 I know it is directional, but in my mind that is a much smaller obstacle to hurdle than  actually making something that fits and I could be seen in publicly. 

The local upholsterer has been having a massive sale so I bought fabric for chair cushions, curtains and even armchairs.  Wish I could have bought some sewing hours to go with them.  I am quietly confident that I will get some more home dec going this year.
 
  No fabulous quilts to show; just humming along, keeping my head above water.  I have an nice repro quilt top I just finished that I'll show next time.  Till then, be good.

   

A New Start

Have you ever had one of those days?  Sure you have.  Well I had one of those years.  Something had to give and it was patchwork; and then of course, blogging.

In the past few weeks I have been able to return to my sewing.

In 2012 I travelled quite a bit.  One of my destinations was Helsinki to see my Finnish friends Hanna and Timo.  In a beautiful store called Stockmann I bought some wool and in no time at all knitted this scarf.

My hosts googled a quilt shop and took me to visit Soile where Hanna saw the quilt pictured in her blog post.

I recognised it as a design from the Material Obsession Book 1 and complimented Soile on her lovely quilt.  Hanna fell in love with it and also some Philip Jacob's fabric in the shop.  So it was decided that a Philip Jacobs version should be made in Australia and Soile would be responsible for the quilting the top when it reached Helsinki.

Hanne and Timo have just left after a 3 month visit to Australia and with them they took some binding, backing and this quilt top:

If you have visited my blog previously you may notice that the header has changed.  It is made from Liberty prints, all donated by Meryl.  She has given me a stash that I am hand piecing into a baby quilt.  Thanks, Meryl. 

Sugar Pie

Last year I made a quilt called "Sugar Pie".  It uses  a sweet, updated version of an old block called 'Ladies' Fancy'.

I had a lovely time colouring in the wedges.  Well, actually, going through my stash finding fabric that was fun and charming.  When I came across the background fabric I almost swooned.  It was just sooo perfect.  I bought everything left on the bolt and used it all up.

Not a great photo, I'm sorry.  The quilt was hand quilted using mainly Perle 12, which is finer than Perle 8.  For a better idea you could always purchase the magazine it is printed in.  Australian Quilters Companion "Old  Quilts Made New" has just hit the newstands. 

Back soon, promise.

Blog, Interrupted

Now,  where was I?

My apologies to anyone who missed me.  After more than 18 months of regular blogging I needed a break.  Anyone who has blogged for any period of time knows what I mean.

During my intermission I haven't really done much sewing, just a bit of knitting in my new favourite colour, chartreuse!  There are two types of people in the world - those who love chartreuse and those who hate it.   I belong to the former group.

Here at quilterie, it is still the year of the solid, so my jumper is a solid stocking stitch and matches some other gorgeous coloured accessories.

Slowly my Amish style quilt top is coming together.  Since the colours are not really anything like Amish colours but the pattern is, I feel it should be called "Qu'amish", a hybrid of quilterie and Amish.

Meanwhile, the single sock situation has continued to grow without any assistance.  Not a lot to show for 6 weeks away, but I hope to show some quilting progress now on a regular basis.  Thanks for checking in on me.

Little Stitches, Big Ideas

Hand quilting creates its own little oasis of calm and solitude.  I have been quietly quilting my red and white quilt, contemplating, amongst other things, a name for this baby. 

The straight lines are 1/2" apart.  Originally I intended cross hatching, but I think the quilting will be dense enough without that.  In fact there is so much quilting in the white squares that feathered circle isn't very clear. 

On my first circle (top right) I even did some 1/4" cross hatching in the centre.  I've left it in for your interest only and will now undo it.  Sometimes there can be too much quilting.  I never thought I'd say that since I am from the school of more-is-more in the quilting department.

On another front, quilterie has been the recipient of a couple of sweet and generous gifts.

In the foreground is a small magnetic case for pins and needles.  It was a surprise present from Jane for no particular reason.  Gifts like these are the best of all; unexpected and generous.  It means someone has been thinking of you.  Thanks Jane! 

Beneath and behind the needle case are 3 half yards of solids from Sharon and a lovely card.  Sharon wants to make sure my Year of the Solids is not stymied by lack of fabric!  Equally unexpected and equally generous.  Thank you so much Sharon.

Now the plan is to go off and cut some fabric for an Amish style quilt top.  I hope I have something to show you later.

Sidetracked

Cleaning up the workspace (again) I came across some blocks I made a few years ago.  I was trying to come up with a quick technique for making the tree blocks and made 9 before I gave up.  I love  tree blocks and I'm surprised they don't appear more in quilts.

After squaring them up at 9" I decided to sash the blocks.

Then they seem to need large setting triangles.  Some fabric originally bought as backing fitted the bill.  I don't even recall which top it was meant to back, so there are no regrets cutting into it.  Yellow green must be my current favourite colour.  Someone even heard me refer to it as a "neutral" the other day.

The idea for the border is still maturing.  Not a solid quilt, it's true.  But the blocks were made 3 years ago  and were found unloved in a UFO bag, so I am not bound by the challenge rules. 

 The item I was searching for is still missing, but at least I have cleaned up a small corner of my sewing world and made a fresh start on something that was gathering cobwebs.

On the red and white front I have drawn up my 5" stencil.    Since I was making my own I made sure I didn't put too many feathers, and I was able to draw a nicer shape of  feather as it attaches to its "rib".  The inside commercial feathers appear a bit stumpy to my eye.

Now for the nasty job of cutting the channels for marking the pattern.