Farmer's Wife Squares

Last November, way before I started following blogs and just as I was discovering a whole new universe of quilting out there on the web I received the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book as a birthday gift from a my son and his wife.  I read it from cover to cover and the wifey's letters were interesting and inspiring.  My immediate reaction was that it would be an interesting project to embark upon over the winter.

Foolishly I imagined it would be a straightforward project - until I realised they were 6 inch blocks and all that that entails.  Precision cutting, accurate seams and firm pressing.  As some of you will of course know, the smaller the block, less room for mistakes and adjustments.  Then I realised when I popped the CD into my computer that each piece of each block was given as a template to be printed on a single sheet of paper.  Hmmm!  thinking cap on again.  Fortunately I have EQ7  the computer software programme for designing your own quilts. (not that I use it for that very often - note to self to try more of their tutorials soon)

My next task was now to redraw each block and that would in turn give me accurate rotary cutting measurements for each block. Sorted.  (At this point I should have had the foresight to enlarge the blocks too on EQ7 but I didn't)  Then the next decision which fabrics to use.  All I knew at this point was that I didn't want to do this with traditional fabrics or colours.  I have since realised that everyone else in the blogging universe seemed to have the same idea as quite a few have appeared since starting out on my project.  Many being produced in modern bright colours and fabrics.  

When I was given the book I did mention it would be a long term project.  Well I have started now so I will finish. I may not do all 111 blocks as detailed in the book but I will keep going until the layer cake I have decided to use is finished.  Here is how it is progressing so far.  11 blocks down, only 100 to go!

The first few blocks

The birthday gift which started it all

Have a good weekend everyone, happy stitching.

Ideas and Inspiration

Dad sometimes slips me some 'pocket money' and over the last few months it has been been 'burning a hole in my pocket' as they say.  Last week at quilting class we brought along some of our own books and patterns to look at and talk about our favourites.  We had great fun sharing and all agreed it was an enjoyable evening, it was a bit different from our usual class night.  My mind started working overtime again.  

Decision made!  Time to buy some new quilting books.  Now if anyone knows me out there they will know I don't read real books anymore, by that I mean I don't turn pages of paper.  I am a convert to the electronic age in that respect and love my e readers.  I know there are pros an cons but having a suitcase full of heavy books is no longer necessary when going on holiday, my kindle and my iPad are trusty friends, and yes I do use them both.  But and yes, there is always a but isn't there.  I don't like reading quilting books on my tablets - I did try a couple of downloads but they are not so easy to reference.

So after last week's class I decided I would treat myself to some new modern quilting books for ideas and inspiration.  They arrived yesterday, I've had a quick peak and I am looking forward to reading them all cover to cover.

Remember the Lovely Bundle of Fabrics

It's been a busy week here, and I thought after the flurry of posts about Squaring the Circle, I would give you all a rest.  However just to keep you all interested here is a snap of the next quilt in progress using the lovely bundle of fabrics featured last week.  It's coming together nicely. I have a few projects in mind for this little bundle so I pulled some smaller pieces from my stash too and my niece in Oregon might just recognise them.

    

I told you I was hopeless with a camera, these blocks are both the same size ie 6.5in and will be put together the next time I sit down to sew, but for now I am switching off the sewing machine, the iron and the light.

 

Summer Challenge - Seasons

Our quilt class had a challenge over the summer.  The challenge was to make a small Wallhanging no bigger than 24 x 16ins. The subject 'Seasons'.  A very open challenge the only stipulations being its size, hanging tabs on the back and it had to have a label - something not everyone in our class usually has on their finished quilts.  Many of us changed tactics and ideas a few times, and the results were fantastic, it made us all think a little out of our comfort zone.  The result was a very colourful variety of hangings -  Paper pieced sailing ships, log cabins in seasonal colours, turned edge appliqué spring bulbs, pieced changing leaves, an applique handquilted summer daisy, a paper pieced ice crystal,  a summer vacation postcard from New York, rustic pumpkins and corn, and an appliqué and embroidered collage of all seasons.  These were all displayed last week at class, a very diverse and varied selection of hangings.  We all agreed we enjoyed the challenge and hopefully all the hangings will all be displayed in our local library with some of our other projects soon.  This is mine - Changing Seasons - keep it simple was my mantra, due to other things going on in my life at the time.

Changing Seasons

 

We all agreed we had enjoyed the challenge and most agreed the hardest thing to do was choosing how to depict the seasons.  Happy sewing everyone.

and Finally .......

......... the wind dropped and in between the showers the sun came out.

 

Squaring the Circle in the Garden

 

Squaring the Circle,  has a piece of fabric from my very first table runner included in the BLACK block as well as a piece from last years Christmas quilt.

There is a piece in the BROWN block which featured in my daughter-in-law's trip around the world quilt.

In the PURPLE block there are pieces from one of my favourite quilts made with fabrics bought while on holiday in Kalispell, Montana.

PINK is not a colour I use very often but I did have some left over from my niece E's churn dash quilt, a wedding quilt and a baby quilt.

The middle square in the GREEN quilt was from my Mum's quilt which kept her cosy when she felt poorly, stitched together with bits from son no 1's outdoor pursuits quilt.

The RED square reminds me of a quilt still to be completed - a real challenge early on in my quilting.  The top is long completed but lies yet to be sandwiched and quilted. Must get it done soon!

The 'Flames' quilt fabric for my son no 2 is in the ORANGE square

BLUE - ahh!  A few baby quilts in this one and pieces from mother-in-law's.

And the YELLOW square has two fabrics from the kit given to me as a thank you gift for doing wedding flowers for niece F.

A quilt is as you can see is not just a piece of fabric or a sewing project, it has love and care stitched into each stage and like this one can have many lasting happy memories attached to it.  Now you may understand a little more about why I can't part with this one.  I am not usually sentimental about anything and probably that is why my husband has just said "It's only a quilt!"  Yes it is only a quilt, it took me on a journey with lots of thought processes which I had to work through and deal with, but this one is mine and enjoyed piecing it all together, in more ways than one!  

Here are some of the quilting statistics

Scraps sewn together randomly within their colour palette 

Sewn together with Connecting Threads Egyptian Cotton Thread

Trimmed block size 12.5 inches square

Grey sashing, borders and binding Spraytime by Makower

Warm and Natural cotton batting

Ikea fleece for backing

Finished size 49 x 49 inches

Started 16th July, finished 18th August 2013

SQUARING THE CIRCLE

...........as promised.

More to come later this evening

The Last Stitch

Tomorrow,  Monday 19th August would have been Mum and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary and Mum's birthday and to mark the date I will be revealing the finished quilt which started me sewing again.  It has been a huge roller coaster ride, many nights enjoying the challenge, others tough when I found it difficult to concentrate.  The aim was to get me sewing so that I could produce charity quilts for fundraising for Marie Curie Cancer Care.  

In recognition of their special day an In Memory Page at Just Giving in Mum's name has been set up, where donations can be made.  This was the method suggested by the local fundraiser at Marie Curie based at the Glasgow Hospice.  The money donated through this page will be used to help fund more nurses in the community.  Money I receive for my quilts will also be added to the page.  

The link is https://www.justgiving.com/piecing-it-all-together or click on the tab at the top of this page.

I have set an initial target of £2500 but I would like to think I could break this target and go on to higher goals, to enable the charity to have more nurses in our area.  

This quilt I now realise I cannot part with.  Too many thoughts and memories were triggered by each stitch and each stage in the making of this piece.  I may make another one just like it someday when the scrap bin is overflowing again, who knows.  There will be more quilts though, made with many fabrics of different colours, patterns and sizes over the coming months.  Most of them will be sold, auctioned, raffled and donated to the charity for different events.  

Thank you to everyone for their encouragement and comments since this blog began. I know it has been difficult to leave a comment unless you have a google account but I think we have changed the settings to enable you to do this now more easily.   Please feel free to contact me by using the contact box on the right if you are struggling with this technology (as I am - but I'm learning, slowly) and I will try to reply to you if I can.  Thank you for following along.  Audrey 

The Label is on

We now just need the wind to drop a bit and the showers to dry up and we might get the photograph taken!  Watch this space.

Almost There

I started hand stitching the binding on the quilt last night.  There is something calming and restful about handwork.  Sitting in my sewing/dining room (or is it the dining/sewing room)  with the music playing - what a great invention the iPhone or should I say smart phone.  Docking stations and playlists are wonderful, different music for different moods, and activities.  Well anyway I managed two sides stitched before my eyes were drooping.  Sitting with a quilt over your lap is cosy and comforting especially when it has a fleecy backing like this one.  I don't think this particular quilt will be moving far from this room. I am getting far too attached to it at the moment but it's all for a purpose so we will see.  Oops photo is a bit dark sorry, but you get the idea.

Cosy backing and tiny stitches - must get daylight bulb before winter

What a Lovely Surprise

Thank you to my sister-in-law and niece for this lively, bright bundle of fabrics brought back from Oregon. This is a donation towards my project for quilts for Marie Curie.  I love the appropriate colours of the blues and yellows. My thinking cap is on for a suitable pattern to incorporate them in a future quilt.

Off to do a bit of stitching now.

Sneaky Peek

I am so pleased with how this is all progressing.  I am really enjoying my sewing again although sometimes memories and thoughts curtail the stitching for brief moments. Usually all happy ones.  I didn't expect the journey of this quilt to be quite as thought provoking as it has been.  However it has achieved what my boys intended.......to get me back to my sewing machine.  

My techie has been working hard too and very soon you will see some minor changes to the blog page. Little tabs at the top will soon direct you to a page of my recently completed quilts for 2013.  There will be a few more tabs appearing shortly.  Watch this space!

Sewing and Blogging, when do I fit in the housework??  Hope you like the sneaky peek.

Layers sandwiched - time for quilting

What Is A Quilt?

 

The definition of a quilt according to the Oxford English dictionary is : A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.

 

This one was made earlier this year for Hampden
 

A quilt is normally three layers of fabric sandwiched together.  This can be done using a variety of methods, from hand stitching, machine stitching, ties, buttons and embellishments.  In most cases the top is pieced using different cotton fabrics of varying shades and colours, cut in to small pieces and joined up again to make a colourful block forming shapes and patterns.  Generally these blocks are then sewn together to make the quilt top, then framed with a border.  Fabrics used originally were scraps of worn out clothing, shirts, skirts, blouses and dresses, all beyond repair but cut up and reshaped by the thrifty housewife to make a cosy blanket for the cold winter nights, before central heating!

 

As many quilters will tell you a quilt is what you make it!  Many quilters are artistic and make wall-hangings and beautiful pictures, however my quilts are not artistic and always practical. My quilts have so many uses, a quilt is a Hug in all respects, it offers comfort, warmth and memories.  (I usually can tell you where each piece of fabric was purchased, memories of outings and holidays always come to mind).

A quilt can be made for a new addition to the family whether it be a new baby or a pet!  A quilt can be a throw for over the back of the sofa to add accent colours to a newly decorated room.  A quilt is handy to have in the car for picnics.  A quilt can be a comfort for many a student, travelling abroad or leaving home to study  at university or college and to live in a new flat or halls, a small reminder of home.  A quilt can keep elderly legs free from drafts and warm the feet when circulation is not quite as it should be. As you can appreciate my quilting passion covers all ages and everyone should have one! Or two or ........?

My husband still cannot grasp the concept of buying metres of fabric, cutting it up into small pieces, then sewing them all back together.  I however find it therapeutic, challenging, fulfilling, relaxing, frustrating, enjoyable, colourful, thought provoking and fun.

I thought I would show you some of my quilts made last year and donated to the Hampden Park Quilt Project for Alzheimer Scotland.  5000 quilts covered our national stadium in June and I was honoured to have some of mine out there on the pitch to make this colourful spectacle.

 

One of the many rows of quilts on the pitch
with 7 of my quilts

 

Another three in the third row

My current project is progressing very well and I am delighted to say I have been sewing more regularly since starting this blog.  You might even see the completed quilt very soon, maybe even next week all being well,  when I will also be giving details of how you can support Marie Curie Cancer Care.  Thank you all for following.

Coming Along Nicely......

....sorry no photos this week.  I have been progressing though and I am pleased with how it is all coming together.  I also have been working on another project too so I have not been idle.  My quilty friends will however be a bit disappointed with me.  We have a quilt pattern within the group which is always the old favourite standby for the 'new baby' it's way too easy for most of our members and I have been trying to persuade our ladies to 'think outside their particular box'.......so I have banned it this session.   New patterns must be tried out and tested for the future.  However I thought I would just sneak this one in before the start of the new term.  It's not even for a new baby - it just suits the colours and hopefully the gentleman I am making it for will be happy with it.  I will post a picture when its finished and after he has received it.

The ladies of our group have asked about trying a block of the month quilt (BOM).  Well that's what is rumbling about in my head this afternoon.  Off to jot down the ideas before committing myself once again.  It seems possible but like everything new it will take a few hours of preparation, planning, trials and no doubt errors too.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend while the sun is still shining.  Happy quilting!