June

My photo for this month is a look back at what I made 10 years ago.  This was Transitions and is a 12.5" square mini quilt designed by Kandy Newton and was part of a monthly mini quilt challenge that year on BQL Yahoo group.  It has contrasting coloured strips of fabric inserted and sewn one way to show one colour and in the opposite direction to show the contrasting colour.  Over the years this has been stored the strips seem to have been 'pressed' rather than the gentle curve of the changing direction.

Only 6 days in and it's quiet at the moment.  I've done work on my Hearts quilt, which on my Finish A Long listing and it would be good to get this quilted and done.  I haven't thought of a destination for this quilt as yet, so may ask the family if anyone would like it.  I have started the quilting with machine sewn circles, which I am now nearly at the end of sewing in the ends

You can just about see in the photo above - it's in turquoise colour thread, 3" and 6" diameter circles that I'd cut out on freezer paper which I'd sewn around.  I've also sewn half and quarter circles on the sides and corners of the patterned part but haven't decided how to quilt the corner squares.  Because of those there is also a deep black border to quilt and I thought I might do wavy lines in multicolour thread.

It's good to see progress at last on my Finish A Long list.

I hadn't mentioned that after the May Bank Holiday I went to a quilt exhibition by the New Forest Quilters in New Milton with my Mum.

The group celebrated its 40th anniversary with showing a lot of challenge quilts along with individual members quilts and it was held in the local school's drama hall.

I instantly recognised the one above as a Splendid Sampler quilt.  Mine are still blocks!

What I like about exhibition challenges - how different fabrics affect the outcome of the quilts - and even a different arrangement of the same blocks - half square triangles and four patch.  This was a mystery quilt challenge.

My Mum liked the Japanese inspired quilts, below is a photo of one of them

I rather liked these two red ones, one is certainly done with English Paper Piecing (EPP) and possibly the second one too.

I could have taken more photos.  Thank you to the ladies of the New Forest Quilt group - it was a lovely exhibition.