Trundling towards the end of March

 Deadlines.  Getting blocks done and sent off to this month’s block Mamma, with a Ukrainian coloured theme.  Thinking there may be displaced families coming to UK and needing quilted comfort. 

Based on a block by Blossom Heart Quilts these blocks put together create a secondary pattern, so pop over and have a look.

Cut of date for next week is the latest ATC swap on the online TG group.  This time it’s daydreams.  It’s one of those that I knew what I wanted to do but it was a different matter in reality. I have taken photos looking through the tree canopy up to the sky. And this is what I’ve sewn.

I used blue fabric (a leftover piece from the quilt blocks, above) as a background sky and used a confetti of green fabric scraps for the leaves. I free machined the branches before scattering the leaves and free machined the leaves after.  Here’s the back of the piece.

Actually that looks more interesting, but that’s now been covered with card to write on. The card was stitched on, so I could write details.  I usually make two cards and the one above is the second attempt.The first one I had scattered the confetti a bit thick so I then knew I didn’t need much to get the effect I needed. 

The kaleidoscope quilt top is done and now decisions about backing to decide.  I’ve now run out of the black fabric and have got a large amount of the pink with holes cut out, so I can use that for sides, top and bottom for binding.  I have bought another piece of black but not big enough as I didn’t measure before purchasing.  I went to Bourne Quilters yesterday who suggested piecing the back with what I have left, but  I don’t fancy that.  So the quilt top might hibernate for a bit - not too long, I hope.

The top looks good, though.

My cardigan continues to grow as I’m past the neckline shaping it’s just plain knitting with garter stitch edges and I’m pleased how it’s going. 

Still keeping busy.

International Quilting Day - Saturday

 I’ve been busy working on a quilt that has been languishing and time to get it done.  Last year I had wedges of pink fabric cut out from several years ago when kaleidoscope/stack and whack projects were started at Bourne Quilters.  I had some black floral print fabric which contrasted well with the shocking pink.  You will see one block on my header above.

These blocks sat for a while until I got them out again with a third fabric, with specks of pink and purple (amongst other colours) that would contrast well and decided to make sashing with this.  I also made a ninth block and I decided on a Dresden Plate and made the ‘plate’ yesterday.

By now I’m getting a little short on the black fabric so 2 pieces were joined together to make the background for this. I sewed the plate onto the background this morning while watching the Region 4 Zoom coffee morning.  This morning involved a talk my Erica Manser of The Quilting Studio, Plymouth, which was about her set up and how she loads quilts onto her machine and a lot more info that one wouldn’t have thought of when getting a quilt long armed.

This afternoon I joined into rows.

The rows have yet to be joined,  but it will be Monday or Tuesday’s job. During this afternoon I’d been watching You Tubes with the The Idiot Quilter, This Quilting Life and Alex Anderson

So I didn’t start anything new, but pleased to make good progress and hopefully this quilt will hibernate no more.

International Quilting Day

Saturday 19 March is International Quilting Day.  There’s more information about it here .

Back in 2004 my friend Brenda and I started what was to become 4 years of a day for local quilters to get together and celebrate.  It was then taken on for a few more years by Pauline’s Patchworks of Dorchester, but stopped some years ago.  There have been a few sewing days on that day in subsequent years but very low key.  When I briefly lived in Yorkshire quilters’ days were started there to celebrate Quilting Day, which still goes on now, but unfortunately by the time that happened I returned back to Dorset!

This year I will join in the Quilters’ Guild regional coffee morning on Zoom and I hope to start to put together another languishing quilt top, or I may start something new - who knows?  Look out for some free shows on The Quilt Show and there’s always several quilting videos on You Tube to watch. 

Anyway, what ever you do enjoy a day dedicated to quilting.

March Beginnings

It's been a while but I'll start with my monthly marker.  There is a wee bit to catch up on, so grab a cup of tea (or beverage of your choice!).

The stitches are bright so I had to make this my marker.  

I had the chance to go to a wool sale at the end of last month so picked up some yarn including some Aran to make myself a cardigan.  This is a new cast on and an unusual technique for me, starting at the neck collar and making the cardigan in one piece. I have made a top down cardigan before but not starting like that, so it will be an interesting make.

This called the Harvest cardigan by Tin Can Knits, which is a free pattern.  I've liked the look of their patterns and decided to have a go at this one.

Here's my progress as at today (15 March) after two false starts and a bit of un-knitting.

The garter stitch section (on the right) is the border of the cardigan which starts with the neck and continues down the fronts.  Left of that is the main body of the cardigan and the stitch markers are marking the raglan increases.  I have found this a difficult start but now I feel I'm on the way with getting this made.  It is a top down all-in-one knitting project, so apart from the underarms and weaving in ends when starting new balls of yarn, there should be no sewing up.

I started a third page of my stitching book and decided on the colour green and use the sew and flip method to join the fabrics together. I’d also used selvedges to feature in this page.  There will be more embroidery and quilting in this block.  I still haven’t finished pages one and two but that’s ok, I can go back to those pages. 

I will do another post about the stitching book later this month.

I do have a finish 🎉

The black and orange quilt is now finished and I stitched the last stitch at the beginning of this month.

I'm pleased it'f finished and it looks really brilliant.  It's single bed size and it may go to a charity, possibly Siblings Together, not sure at this point.  I hope to tackle the black and pink quilt blocks next, but I'll have to get brain in gear for that one.

Last week I went to the West Country Embroiderers' Dorset Day, this year run by Sherborne group.  Their speaker was Michele Carragher, who is an embroidery artist and costume embroiderer for TV and film productions, most well known is Game of Thrones.  She had brought samples of her work, which was just so detailed and exquisite.  This is just three of the items, the first is a collar from one of the characters in Game of Thrones.  Do click on the photos and have a close look.  I love the moths in the second photo.

And I won the table prize.

I've made a card for a friend whose birthday was last weekend.  I'm not much of a card maker but I figured that if I made a postcard and attached it to coloured card with double sided tape it could be a picture to enjoy after.  I sewed a brass ring to the back of the postcard. 

As you can see I drew the daffodil in a vase and hand stitched with Kantha stitch.  The fabric was a cream linen look base with a variegated pale blue thread for the background.  I did think it looked a bit uneven, but its all my own work, and I am pleased how it turned out.

(Are you still here? ;o) )

Finally, yesterday I went to Poole West Country Embroiderers meeting where there wasn't any stitching, but they are things that can be interpreted in stitch.

Top left are two small fold up boxes (purses), the purple one is unfolded.  Top right are origami butterflies (I had an origami paper pad which is used for these). The bird picture at the bottom left is using paper serviettes or novelty tissues and separating the layers as a basis for cards or notebook covers.  I found that the two ply serviette I took had a paler version of the top layer so I used that as a background for the fussy cut birds on the top layer.  In spite of not stitching a thing it was a fun day.

A note for your diaries if you live in Dorset or coming to the county for your holidays in August....

Good to see that back again this year.