I am attempting to be disciplined at the moment, and concentrating on making the quilt for my friend...she didn't want it too wonky, and yet not too rigid, so I have gone back to the 'magic numbers' design I've used before, here:
http://molebags.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/jim-jams-and-tablecloths.html
and here:
http://molebags.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/nearly-finished.html
You just need to cut squares six and a half inches, four and a half inches and two and a half inches square, and they will always fit together. I decided to have more cream squares than any other colour for a random look.
To see if I was on the right track, I photographed the fabric individually, and made this mock-up in Adobe InDesign. It looks quite convincing, and no fabric was harmed in making this picture!
She was pleased with the idea so now its up on the wall (and the top of the cupboard), waiting to be sewn together.
Here are the first few to be joined up (they are actually square, but this isn't a very good photo..)
While we were in the Eternal Maker choosing fabric, I somehow found myself agreeing to make a ruffle top for my other friend- just as well its a quick thing to make, so I can get back to the main event!
These peppered cottons are gorgeous! Might have to make myself one of these too, hmm, maybe in lovely terracotta colour...
I have managed to make a little something for myself too this week, a cushion made from vintage fabric, with lovely yellow bobbles! I am having a craze for these and I'd really like to sew them on to everything, but Mr P is ambivalent to say the least regarding bobbles, so I may have to restrain myself..
Its very satisfying to make something from bits I already had, and some odd buttons from the button tin. Mr P. says this cushion is kitsch (which is usually a good thing) but hideous (which isn't), but I don't care...
Loving those bobbles (sorry Mr P)!
I think there's something addictive about hexagons! Here are the ones I've been paper-piecing for the last two years or so. These are two inches across. (tiny tennis players added for scale).
I was surrounding each flower with a white background, but now I've decided that black looks better, so now I need to start a new production line of black ones. At least I never get bored during the long cold wet evenings in front of the fire.
(Of course this leaves me with lots of orphaned white ones to use for another project...)
Then there are these black flowers, which are waiting for the perfect background. Maybe this black and white crosshatch?
I have also been experimenting with larger hexagons, sewn by machine.
Last summer I was thinking about a faded blue quilt:
http://molebags.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/blue.html
.. and I think big hexagons could be the ideal method. I'd like it to look as though its already old and soft and faded, which it will be, as it will be mostly made from my collection of vintage bits and pieces.
I love it when an idea that's been on hold comes together, and I like the idea of updating a traditional method for this quilt.
These six inch hexagons come together quite easily, especially using a quarter-inch guide foot on the machine. You need to start each seam a quarter-inch from the edge of the fabric, and make a couple of reverse stitches to anchor the end of the seams. Even I (Mrs Slapdash) can do it!
Meanwhile, back at the tennis, its game set and match to Cecil on the right. And he raises his arms in victory!
But what's this? A giant cat has invaded the court!
Run away!
(you don't get excitement like that at Wimbledon!)
This weekend the sun came out! Mr P was delighted to be able to spend time in the garden, hacking and slashing. The snowdrops and hellebores are out, giving us hope that one day spring will finally arrive.
Meanwhile, after a trip to the fabulous Eternal Maker,
https://www.eternalmaker.com/
(and a delicious lunch),
I now have this stack of beautiful fabric waiting to become a quilt for a friend. I was deeply impressed at her speedy and decisive choices- I've never been known to spend less than an hour in this fabulous fabric emporium, and then I always leave with a guilty bag of things I didn't know I wanted, which need to be smuggled into the house up my jumper....
Loving these colours (even the beige!), especially the splash of lime green. Now we just need to decide on the design...
I have been musing about where inspiration comes from, and this weekend the landscape seemed to be obliging by using the same steely grey/silver palette.
The stubble makes me think of the pelt of an animal, spread like a rug over the hill.
The last lit-up corncob lantern amongst the ragged shreds.
Silvery saw marks, against the blue of the corrugated iron (mmm, corrugated iron is amongst Mr P's favourite things- strange man!)
..and look at this striking abstract image made by chainsaw cuts in a fallen tree- maybe these will all work their way into the quilt?
