The blocks for my 'Staffordshire hoard' were made - and this is them laid out ready to sew together. Like so many 'scrap' quilts the layout needed to appear random, but really I wanted to make sure that fabrics were distributed across the quilt top rather than clumped together. I think that I managed it OK, but it would have been easier if I'd had a bit more variety in the paler patches!
The precision piecing continued in order to get all the right seams to match with each other. Now it's time to get on with the quilting. Apart from one hideous kink (near the machine - I'm going to have to re-sew that bit!) it's coming out slightly wonky, but more or less OK, I think.
How do you quilt? I miss Radio 4 (can't have it loud enough without feeling that it would disturb other people) which is what I usually listen to. Now I have the technology to stick an iPod down my bra (classy!) once I've downloaded some podcasts from iPlayer. I sew away happily with my audio landscape 'comfort blanket'.
Of course, all this requirement for precision must be balanced - the yin and yang of quilting!
I read about this idea in 'Cloth Paper Scissors' (I think). Take a square of felt, add a square of fusible, jig saw some fabric scraps over it, then cut up to the size that you fancy before adding stitches or other embellishments. Six little hand sewing projects, perfectly portable!
These are cut into 4 1/2" x 3" pieces, ideal for card toppers. I just hope that everyone I want to send cards to likes purple too!
To finish with something finished, these cards are assembled now. The card background printed and the little kantha pieces stuck on with double sided tape.
In fact I made another one (not shown here!) and kits for another half a dozen or so. Some of my friends came round for some kitchen table crafting last week but some of those who couldn't come wanted kits. Quick to make, fun to finish.
Not long now and I'll have got back to my C&G sample piece and finished it. Quicker now I've stopped echo quilting around the motifs and started the straight lines!
Hi Plum your 'Staffordshire hoard' quilt is gorgeous, it jumped out at me when I was looking at Esther's WOW. Love the soft floating look it gives you from a distance; it is just lovely. Thanks for sharing the card tips, you have got me thinking about some scrap cards I picked up the other day and some old sheet music I have . Cheers Glenda
ReplyDeleteI like everything about the Staffordshire hoard quilt. The colors and layout are just right. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThe quilt top is looking fab, the purples and the low values are great together and the grey works really well keeping them under control, love it !!!!!
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