Picture Free Post

Hi everyone.

Thanks so much for your lovely comments on the barnyard quilt.  I’ve decided to not be lazy and to stitch the extra borders on to the quilt – it was my original plan and I tend to ditch the final borders of my quilts out of sheer laziness.  It’s a habit I recognise in myself and so I’m not doing that this time.

I’ve had a few questions regarding where I got the pattern from – it was a quilt along by this lady here:

http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/the-quilty-barn-along-tutorial.html

She did make mention of taking it down at some point so I would suggest saving a copy of the instructions if you do want to make it.  You need to make your own six inch block for the barn wall but that’s not at all difficult, and there are eleventy million out there on the internet to use if you need help.

I’ve got a housework day today planned (oh my gosh, the state of the children’s rooms…….) but hopefully after lunch I shall be able to throw in a little stitching that I may be able to show you.

Till then, happy quilting!

 

Is it done yet?

I’ve been UFO’ing again, and I’ve been working on this quilt:

I had made the blocks months ago (conservatively, it was probably closer to years) and had put it away, as I do with so many of my projects, because I didn’t have the right fabric to finish the sashings and borders.  But some time ago I brought the fabric online, and over the weekend I was able to finish.

 

 

But I don’t know if I’ve finished.  The original design had borders.  But the more I look at it the more I think it’ll do.  Apart from the fact that it’s already a big quilt, the borders will make it immense and if I do actually finish this quilt all the way to the quilting, it’ll need to be a certain size to hang on the wall.  It’s definitely a wall quilt for me, I’ve never been a lover of one direction quilts on beds.  The fabric I have for the border is the same one I’ve used for the cornerstones of the sashings.  I planned to put a small cream border next, then a wider red one as the final border. 

But I don’t know.  I’m hemming and hawwing a lot about this top.

So what do you think?  Am I being lazy by not adding a final border?  I’m thinking if I leave it as is, I’ll bind it with a stronger colour –perhaps even the green I used in the sashings. 

I’ve got it hanging on the design wall right now and each time I pass by I give it more thought.  Maybe a few more days hanging might firm up what I think.

Apart from quilting, it’s been a busy, hectic time here, but that is nothing new.  I have houseworked my butt off today, and I feel very virtuous.  So some soup for lunch will do me, and then I will have a few hours in the sewing room guilt free before I have to do the child from school, child to ballet run.

Busy Busy Busy.  But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy Quilting!

A Finish

Hello lovely readers.

It is me, she with the cotton wool head. 

My cold is still there, hanging on for dear life despite the drugs I am throwing at it.  But it’s fine – it’s slowly, gradually leaving the building, as they say.

I managed to sew yesterday while the house was quiet and I have another flimsy to show you.

The close ups give a much better idea of the colour – I’m still struggling with photography – my aim is to replicate as much as possible the original colour of the quilts I make.  Some days are better than others.

It’s a BIG quilt, and it’s stretchy as all get go.  After deciding I didn’t need to press it, I really did and spent much time unpicking and pressing and trimming back to get it all to go together.  I do like it, but I think if I made another one I would pay more attention the the colour placement, and try and highlight the centre squares.  And perhaps I would limit the amount of fabrics in it. 

But I doubt I’ll do another one.

Still it was a good exercise in quilting, and I must admit that as far as quilts go it was a quickie.  So it’s all good.

Now I’m going to take my cotton wool head and have some hot soup and maybe curl in front of the tellie with a movie and some knitting – it’s about all I feel up to right now.

Hope you have a lovely day!

Suzie

Update on the sick old me

So my first daughter has had a really nasty cold, which she has given to me.  I’m sick of being sick, you guys.  I know it’s the time of year but seriously – twice in two months is doing me in!

But no whinging from me today (apart from that small one).  I have managed to fit some sewing in and have got motoring along with these blocks:

I made a whole lot of them, and then realised that despite saying I didn’t need to press them last post, I really did.  And that made them all a little distorted, try as I might, so I had to then trim them all down.  But it was worth the effort (it always is worth the effort) and I am much happier with them.

I’ve made all my blocks up but just pinned a few onto the board for pinup purposes.  It’s a much darker quilt than I originally thought it would be.  But it’s going to be quilted and popped on my spare bed, so this one will definitely be used and abused.  So dark is probably better than light!

I also had a go at Quiltville’s spools designed for leaders and enders.  I’m no good at that, I think I’ve told you that before.  I end up just sewing the whole quilt in one go rather than using them for their original purpose.  But they have intrigued me and so I had a go.

Hideously horrible photo that one.  I’ll take a better one on the proper camera.

Do you find your ipad takes horrendous photos or is it just me?

Anyway, we have a long weekend and visitors this week so I may not be back for a while (what’s new??) but I hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

Suzie