Friday 11 May 2012

Old and new things


So here is the first of the unfinished quilts that I want to complete before starting anything new. This is a split ninepatch that I love because of the dark, warm jewel colours and its rich cream/tan background. I wanted a very simple border pattern and went with this Amish pumpkin seed design - it is so elegantly simple and a real pleasure to sew.
And here is the first block of our group's friendship quilt. We are all making ten blocks and will give them to each other for Christmas. I chose Dresden Plate because I had never done it. Our colour theme is blue and cream (much harder to find fabrics than blue and white) and I had problems getting a pattern the right size. Our blocks were decided to be 9 inches finished and I could only find a 9 inch pattern. I didn't want the plate to fill the block from edge to edge so I cut down the pattern and redrew the curved edges. What a pleasure these blocks are going to be to sew while listening to the radio or watching tv and good to take along to quilt group as well. This one is my first sample and will probably be mine as I want to make one the same for the four corners of my quilt. I'm not fond of sampler quilts and a friend said she was going to make the same block for the four corners to give it a bit of symmetry (I always need symmetry in my quilts - a substitute for an ordered mind, I think). Right - off to do some more.

Thursday 3 May 2012

Labelled - what now?


I don't usually label my quilts but realise now that it would have been a good idea, so am going to go back and do them when I have time. But I have embroidered one for my daughter's quilt and am quite pleased with it. The only Aida fabric I had that had the right number of holes per inch was thicker than I would have liked and I must look out for something thinner because the corners were a bit clumsy when I'd turned them under. I know I could have left it flat but didn't want to risk it fraying over the years. I had to reinforce the corners which also took away from the delicacy but I love the alphabet I found - I have used it on embroidered samplers I've given as gifts and it always looks elegant. We're making a friendship quilt in our group; blocks to be exchanged at Christmas. I've said I will do Dresden Plates so I could start them now. Or I could (and really should) put binding on a quilt which I love to bits but have never finished, put binding on a quilt that will really look good on our bedroom wall if I finish it, finish a Halloween table topper that I had to put aside when I was ill or start a new quilt. We all know which is most tempting from those choices and I do want to get into my new pile of Civil War reproductions. On the other hand, my new sewing machine is lovely to use and those two bindings would make me feel really good. We'll see... Hummph! Irritated; I always write in paragraphs and this has come out as one block - I hate the new Blogger setup.