The Exploding Block

I think the tutorial the other night at class was quite successful.  I am looking forward to seeing some of the ladies try this out for themselves.  This is a good beginners block but can also challenge the more experienced amongst us.  Armed with my pre cut squares from my lucky dip boxes (remember the boxes which hold my less than a metre cuts of fabrics) I set out to demonstrate to the ladies a technique I found courtesy of Jenny Doan of the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  The video can be found here.  This simple method produces a quick and easy block similar to a square in a square block, and the good thing is you can start with a square any size you like and build it up as you go.  The only step I would add to the process is to trim each step and square the block as you go for a neater sharper finish.  The class will work on this mini project for the Linus project.

I mentioned last time I was trying this out before the class using leftovers of pastel blues and pinks and I can now reveal part of my quilt top.

Progress

It's been a busy week again here. Tradesmen coming and going and making a good job of our nice new velux window in the boys shower room.  That of course has meant a good deal of cleaning and tidying up after all their good work.  However the results are looking good.  A much brighter airier room and now, since I have washed down all the tiles and painted the window surround I am pleased with the results.

Strangely enough even although I have been engrossed in household chores I have managed a bit of sewing.  A few more blocks have been added to  the bundle of blocks I am using for the tutorial this week at class.  I will tell you about that next week.  This will be another Marie Curie quilt in pale pastel blues creams and pinks. I am using up the leftovers from my MILs quilt below which I made some time ago when I was still a novice and  making quilts for all the family.   It's good to bust the stash!  

Mother in Law's Lap Quilt

Rainy Day And Plenty To Do .......but

As the rain is falling here once again you would think I would have more time to sit and sew. Even the garden looks a bit bedraggled and the birds have deserted the feeders it's so wet. At least we haven't seen much of the predicted storm here.

My problem seems to be sitting thinking and not doing and a lack of decision making on what exactly I should be doing.  Too many things going around in my head related to household, family, holiday and quilting.  I need to start making lists again!  

I have a few WIP as I said last time.  My BOM quilt is almost done, just a few stray threads to hide and the label to be put on.  (Just Do It!!!).  I've had a lot going on this week at home and there are only 24 hours in a day and like everyone else I need to sleep.

I finalised the class syllabus just in time, gathered up my sewing bag and checked everything was in place for the first class of the new session last Tuesday.  I even managed to bake a lemon sponge cake for our cup of tea.  This was to be the grand reveal of our BOM project we have been working on since this time last year.  What I surprise, what a wonderful array of quilts, very talented ladies who don't seem to know their own strengths and abilities. Colours were rich and varied, Christmassy, fresh and zingy, cool and warm, modern and traditional, muted and striking, pastels and brights, each one well stitched and set in a variety of ways.  Each of us could find fault with our own work and that's ok, hopefully we will have learned a lot on our journey working through the blocks on this quilt.  It's not the making the mistakes it's how we fix the problem or know how to change things for the next time. I know we all agreed that cutting accurately, and having an exact 1/4inch seam was essential.

Next week we start planning our next big project, we will all be working on our own again but will spend one class night each month working on an appliqué project by Bunny Hill. Watch this space to see how I get on.  This is a new challenge for me. I've never attempted anything quite like this before, read small and fiddley, handwork and time consuming.  I understand from the ladies though that it is very therapeutic and relaxing - just what I need. There are so many methods of appliqué, choosing the right one may be my first challenge.

Slow Quilting Week

I've been working on quilting my BOM quilt for class this week - it's taking me longer than I thought.  Today I hope to spend the afternoon sitting in front of my machine to try to get it finished.  The Show and Tell of this project is on Tuesday at class and although the requirement is to get the top pieced for this week I would just like to get mine finished so I can move on to something else.

I have at least three WIP projects lying in their baskets and a list of projects I would like to start.  I need to break through the lethargy and get moving again.

K and I had a little trip yesterday and had lunch out and a blether before visiting Kaleidoscope for backing and binding to finish our quilts.  The ladies in the shop were getting ready for the trip to Birmingham and were preparing scrap bags of batiks to sell at the annual quilting show.  Some of our ladies from class are making the trip next weekend and I hope they come back full of enthusiasm with new ideas to share with our class.

Enjoy what's left of your weekend whatever you are doing.

A New Seamstress in the Making

The Commonwealth Games are in full swing, and causing quite a stir in this part of the country.  The opening ceremony was quite spectacular as I sat watching it on television on Wednesday night, although I did wonder to myself if the rest of the world would understand all the nuances of the Scottish dialect in the lyrics sung by Karen Dunbar and John Barrowman as the visited Edinburgh Castle, St Andrews, the Forth Bridge, flanked by dancing Tunnocks Teacakes and Irn Brew. Techie captured the Red Arrows as they flew over our house on the way to the fly past at Parkhead on the east side of Glasgow. All very spectacular.  

As you know I'm not a sports fan but I did watch some of the triathlon and the swimming.  I hope all the foreign visitors realise that they are experiencing something quite unusual while visiting Scotland...... The weather!  This is so unusual for us to have such a long fine spell of warm sunny days with temperatures in the high 20s,  although I do believe there were some sprinkles fell earlier today.

Niece E and I had a lovely day yesterday.  It was the hand over of her Gran's sewing machine.  This young lady is quite and artist and I can see her becoming a seamstress and crafter soon too.  Her request was to make a small bag to carry her sketch book and pencils. After deciding on a pattern earlier in the week she had the pick of my stash for her mini messenger bag.  I found it very interesting watching her choose.  Her first choice was a bright striking white on white fabric, one of my favourites, however pointing out it would become very grubby quite quickly she decided on a retro style print featuring sewing accessories.  The way she chose the contrasting fabric for the lining was interesting she laid out the pieces on the table gradually auditioning and eliminating the unwanted ones till she found the one she liked.  This all without any help from me.

 

oops watch the hair doesn't get in the way

The Sketchbook fits nicely

 

Ta Da!

 

Didn't she do well!  We had a great day and I hope E will continue to experiment with the machine and go on to make bigger and better pieces.  We will arrange another day soon for another sewing session.

I have still not managed any sewing myself this week but I hope to make progress on the class BOM this weekend.  The blocks are all finished, the top pieced and its now ready to be sandwiched together, although I'm struggling to decide on the backing.

I hope you all have a good week and continue to enjoy this lovely weather.

 

Time Management - Nil Points

Where are the days flying off to - yet another week gone, nothing interesting to blog about and no sewing done of any note.  I really don't know what I am doing with my time these days.  Spending too much time thinking and not doing, I am sure would be the answer.

I did manage to make a few blocks at our class on Tuesday evening but that was all the stitching I have achieved in a while.  I did however collect Mum's sewing machine which has been for a service and is now ready to be passed on to my niece E.  Electrics all checked, a shiny new light bulb, and the missing spool pin replaced a new needle and a good clean and it's all ready to go.  I learned to sew on this machine with Mum looking on.  Mum and I made a few outfits together on this machine including my wedding dress!

E has already got a couple of projects in mind and is planning to stitch on the machine and I hope she enjoys using the machine and learns how satisfying it can be to make crafty things for herself.  I hope she is still keeping herself fit because this is no lightweight - I don't think she will be carrying it very far!

 

An Outing

What a lovely day we had yesterday.  Our quilt group went on a little outing. This was the first time we had done this kind of thing together so it was a real experiment and I am delighted to say it worked.  Rather than organise a minibus, arrangements had been made to car share.  We all met at the arranged time in the garden centre for coffee and yummy warm scones before embarking on our foray for fabrics.  

Eleven eager quilters descended on Kaleidoscope all with saved pennies in hand, bright eyes and bubbling with excitement ready to cause mayhem in the shop.  The ladies were very helpful and patient with us, answering many questions and helping us work out fabric requirements.

Bolts and layer cakes were being piled up in little bundles around the shop for our variety of projects in the making, jewel tones, backing fabrics, crib quilts, bed runners and cushions were some of the projects I heard being mentioned.  

My selection of fabrics

 

Soon it was time for lunch and a hungry group walked across the car park to the eatery.  Well, we did spend a little longer there than I anticipated - it was very busy and a little slow but the food was good and sustained us for the afternoon.  Some ladies headed off home with their bags in hand and I am sure had a lovely evening going through all their purchases.

A few of us returned for another look.  It's good to walk away for a little while from the bundle of fabrics you have initially chosen.  A second look will sometimes give you more inspiration to add another colour or change that one fabric you are not quite 100% sure of.  Sometimes it's good to have a break to let your head settle.  To remember or actually look at the list you made with those essential items that you really need to complete the project you are in the middle of. Or indeed you might just see more than you really need and decide to buy it anyway.

Well no matter what went through all our minds yesterday I think the consensus was that it was an excellent day out - we enjoyed the camaraderie and experience of each other's knowledge for a really fun day.  I hope we can all do it again in the future.