economy blocks, CQJP blocks, projects for 2014,

I seem to have got a bit carried away this week!  Having made some economy blocks and run out of scraps I then launched into some fat quarters and completed another set so now have 100 blocks.

not sure what will happen to them all now,  I expect they will be put in a box or bag  for a while till I decide whether to make them into one big quilt , will also  have to consider whether to add sashing or not, I expect that will depend on how big I want it to be.   decisions decisions.

I have also constructed the 12 blocks for my CQJP and Helen called yesterday to approve them! Not sure what I would have said and done if they did not meet her expectations,   probably told her to do it herself

I hope it is not going to be too pink!  have included a bit of grey but this is what she asked for. The stitching and embellishments she wants in the same colours, will see how it materialises. Glad I have them all made.

Now to my projects for 2014

I did not realise till I sat down what I had committed myself to.

1. finish of the Tula Pink challenge

2  CQJP 2014

3  do something with the economy blocks

4  quilt the stack and slash wallhanging

5  I have signed up to the hexie BOM for this year.

6  Have the chicken run blocks from R Glewe to do, these are foundation pieced so will have to master foundation piecing first, there are only 3 in the series.

7  I have just bought the instructions for the aiming for accuracy 2013 quilt, this really appeals as it has blocks of different sizes which I have wanted to do for a while.

8  Craftsy BOM with Laura Nownes from 2013 is also on the list, this has 10 not 12 blocks but this is one project I might pass on.

9   Craftsy Mickey Depre pieced hexies project.

10  I could not resist buying the hardanger SAL from Mabel   (sorry not sure of her surname)

11  Last but not least is the round robin I joined with embroidery friends, not sure what has happened with this as so far I have only had 3 to stitch on, it seems to have come to a standstill, hopefully the lady holding it up  will be in touch soon.

numbers 6,7,8,9,and 10 have not even been started yet

Well I think that is it but no doubt I will see other things I want to do too.

Tomorrow I am at the modern quilters group meeting.  I have bought a tablet as we are going to be shown how to use pinterest and similar sites, not having an ipad, lap top or modern phone I would not have been able to take part so with tablet in hand I will boldly attempt to follow what we are told,   do not hold out for much though as these contraptions are all a bit beyond me,  will make plenty of notes so hopefully will get the knack in the end.  I am also hoping to get some advice on my stack and slash quilting, have got some yellow hand quilting cotton to use,   struggled to find the cotton and when I did could not get the colour I wanted, Gutermans is the only make I could find and they do not do a large range but I think the yellow will work

Will let you know how tomorrow  goes 

economy blocks, Tula, Greek crosses

I am today posting the last 4 of the 100 blocks from the Tula Pink sampler.  I have still to do something with 75 of them and the 15 that I have sashed and joined together are no further on than having the batting and backing attached and tacked together.

97

98

99

100   all done!!

This week I have made some economy blocks following a tutorial on Rita`s blog Red Pepper Quilts.  I was using up the few scraps I had that were big enough and ended up with 51    5.5" squares.  Think I will need to make at least 19 more but preferably another 49 before I can make it into a quilt so it is now on back burner till I have more fabric I can use.  I have enjoyed doing these as they are only simple and  only took a day and a half which is quick for me. One has not had its  photo taken as I found it on the floor later!

I follow Sarah at http://sewmeblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/bee-blessed-january-2014.html  hope I have the link right!  She was asking for some Greek cross blocks so thought I would have a go and made some which have found their way to Ireland.  

not sure what has happened here, there are only 5 blocks really but the collage has put the first one in twice.  I have sent 4 to Sarah and kept one as a reference for myself in case I want to do some more.

Sorry the link does not seem to have worked but I did try.

Being quite new to patchwork I was surprised how so many patchworkers did not seem to complete quilts but had so many UFO`s,   when I was just doing my hardanger and things I only worked on one project at a time usually and did not start another till the one I was doing was complete,     now I understand why patchworkers work  in a different way having 2 quilts waiting to be quilted and lots of assorted blocks which I keep in a large hat box. not sure what they are waiting for!

tablecloth

Today I thought I would share a cloth with you that I made many years ago and found in the drawer under my bed whilst searching for another cloth. It is now on the dining room table, well in the centre of the table as it is only 32" square.  I was given this with less than one corner done but cannot remember who it was from. Might even have found it in a charity shop or similar but I think it was more likely given to me by an elderly lady who could no longer see,   hang on as I wrack by brain I have a vague motion it might have been one Granny started, she passed away in 1956 and when I grew up and showed an interest in stitchery Mum gave me quite a few things Granny had done  ( Dad`s Mum) my Mum was not a stitcher.. I enjoyed doing it, it is the only piece of cut work I have done, when I look closely I can see errors but it has stood up to washing a few times so has not done badly.
It is not raining today so have hung it on tine line to photo

Last year I also had a go at a slash and stack hanging, I though I had blogged about this before but can find no trace of it so it must have been in my dreams.I followed a video on justhands-ontv which was very instructive.

I have put a narrow border in lime green around it as there are tiny areas of lime in the fabrics,  I did have a dark turquoise wider border on too but did not like it, prefer just a narrow one. the backing is turquoise with white spots.  The batting is one with a sort of sticky side to it, I have this on the top with the quilt on it, not sure if this is correct.  It is all tacked ready for quilting but still cannot decide how to tackle it,   would prefer to do it by hand but as to what colour thread and what pattern  I have no idea. Advice and suggestions please

This is a photo taken during the summer before border etc was added, it shows the colours better as it was a sunny day.

I have added another photo for my CQJP for 2103 that I took in the garden this morning too as the colours are more true than the one I put on my previous blog

craziness

Well it is finished    nearly,  I have just to attach the bit on the back for hanging it but needed to ask a friend how to do that so  I  will attach it later today, will then have to buy the dowling to hang it.
It has been fun doing this challenge and have signed up to do it next year too,. Helen wants one done in various pink fabrics with stitching in pinks and greys,  tried to dye some thread the other day but it did not work so will have to try and try again till I get it right. I use silk paint and just trickle it on but when I put the grey on and them wanted to have pink in the same piece it turned it all a purple shade.

I quite like the dark green binding,  was going to use an orange spotted one but had a change of heart.

The colours are not looking true on this photo, they are a bit louder than they look,   think is is probably better on the photo than in  real life. Not sure if I will hang it anywhere, will need to take something down and as it is my first finished patchwork it might look a bit odd in the living room with all the hardanger pictures I have done,    maybe I will make some of the pictures into cushions as they are about the right size but I am already overwhelmed with cushions,   will give it all some thought .

We had our Christmas meal yesterday due to Helen`s shift work, it went well, Helen went and collected Catherine and Sal, having dropped off  Alfie the cat  (who enjoyed more than his fair share of turkey) on her way over so he could share the day with us. I had bought a turkey crown which they seemed to enjoy,  lots of hard work but over for another year. I always make a pineapple cream pudding which Mum always made and have a little to enjoy today but to be honest I still feel rather full!    The girls departed at 6pm and it was not long before I was tucked up in bed .

Maybe one of the girls will offer to do the meal next year,   I can live in hope! Well  lets face it they are old enough,  41 and 37 and Sal is 15

block catch up

I seem to have not posted my Tula pink  blocks for 3 weeks so here is a collage of blocks 82 to 90,   thought it would be too much for you all to have them on individually!

Yesterday I was such a proud Mum,  Helen my younger daughter had her graduation for her Palliative care diploma.  It was held at Leeds University and brought back memories of when she graduated 8 years ago as a nurse.  Now she is about to start nursing in Wheatfields a Sue Ryder hospice in Leeds which has been her goal in life for a few years now.    I did take photos of her in her gown but she is not happy with them so I will not share them here, I think they are very good but she has said no.

Christmas will be soon here but we are not having our Christmas lunch till 28th as Helen is working 12 hour shifts over the holiday time.  Catherine and Sal will come over from Halifax for the day on 28th  weather permitting of course.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2014,    keep on blogging.

little mats for Helen

A couple of days ago I finished some little mats for Helen   (pink of course)   These I started a while ago, it was going to be a table runner but then we had a change of heart so now she has one square mat,   2 funny shaped and 4 mug sized ones.   How I dread cutting them around the buttonhole stitch but amazingly I did not cut in to any of my stitches.   Like most of the hardanger I do I just stitch with no pattern and let the needle go where it wants to.

Not sure what she is going to do with these, whether they end up in a drawer or are out on the sideboard, maybe they will appear when she knows I am calling round!  They compliment the large picture I did for her for her previous house,  that was done as a request to go over the bed, needless to say it never got hung but she is planning to put it in her lounge as she has decorated it, 3 walls grey and a feature wall of pink  flowers on a white background, it really looks lovely.   This is her first proper house as she calls it, until now she has lived in shared accomodation since she went away to uni when she was 23, she is now 37 and has bought this house.

I have also done some flowers on a piece of hardanger for my friend Carol who lives in Manchester, she was struggling with a mat she was doing so I have done the bits she could not see to do.   Must admit I find this technique so relaxing, especially after doing so much patchwork.Posted it back to her yesterday so she will get it either today or monday.

The batik blocks quilt is now tacked together with the wadding and backing and on the spare bed until I decide what to do next and also pluck up courage to do it.


Will add the latest tula blocks in the next few days.

ready for quilting

After a lot of deliberation and pondering I have joined up 24 blocks for my first proper quilt piece.     Having cut the blocks with an 8.5" square I realised I had cut 10 on one twist and 5 on the other so back to the 100 blocks and I pulled another 9 out to play with. They all have a bit or similar to batik in each block.These I cut so that I had 12 of each twist and then on friday I spent most of the day arranging them in patterns to see what I liked best. Having to climb up on a dining room chair to photo each one was  bit of a hazard.  After each arrangement I took another photo  and downloaded it to the computer,   17 attempts later I decided on the way I wanted them to be so here is a photo of them all put together,  that took less than 2 hours!

of course when I look at it now I see things that maybe should be in a different place but tough I am not unpicking and will put it down to a learning process.   Having discussed the quilting   I have never machine quilted before with my friend Cheryl,  (thanks Cheryl)  she has advised me to quilt in black on the slashings and then more ponderings as to what to do elsewhere,   feel at the moment that nothing will be done as a bit  dubious about starting. it  measures 32" by 48"   will fit over my knees and keep me warm and cosy

batik quilt

Thank you all first you your comments and advice on the CQ  wall hanging.   I will leave it for a while as I have had mixed advice, some saying stitch on the seams others saying don`t!     Will ponder, I am good at that!

I went through the Tula blocks yesterday and pulled out those with any batik on,  I have 15 and thinking of doing a small wall hanging with these. The blocks will be cut down to 8.5", planning I think to cut them crooked then the eye will not notice so much the errors in the individual blocks,  not so sure I like the black now but what the heck I am a beginner and can and will learn form my mistakes. I think the correct way to go about it is to join the blocks  then add the wadding and backing then quilt it, after that I put the binding on and    wow all is done!!   just like that.

crazy quilt and tula

Once again it is time for 6 more Tula blocks.Only 19 to go after these and then it is all done!!

block 76

block 77,  love the colours and batiks used in this one

block 78,  the purple/yellow fabric is a bit I created with sponging silk paint onto the fabric, this is the nearest I get to dyeing fabric.

block 80

block 81   think this one is nice and fresh looking.

block 79,  this did not upload first time round and did not know how to put it where it should be!

I have now joined the CQJP blocks together.

maybe I am being overcritical but there are one or two bits I do not like.  The large yellow butterfly on the may block, is it too much in my face? and the block below may is the  july one both the centre flowers and the embellished orange flower seem to shout at me. The central flower I see I have not used any of that colour elsewhere,    what do you all feel?

Now I have to stitch over all the seams,   not sure how I go about this, do I do the same stitch all the way down from top to bottom in the same colour and use a similar stitch across the rows or maybe each block has its own stitch,  have it pinned up on the wall for the time being waiting for some inspiration.  Not thinking of adding a border just some narrow binding maybe in a tan colour.

My younger daughter Helen has asked me to do one with lots of pinks and grey for her lounge for next year so I have something to think about.  

blocks completed

I am ahead if myself this morning having done the CQJP block for december.  Of course it has a bit of a Christmas theme!  I think it could do with some more brightness looks a bit dull to me.

I then got all the other blocks out and put them in order on the table and here is what they look like

this is the first time I have looked at them all together and on the whole I am feeling rather pleased with myself!!       Now the big question    what shall I do with them.   Maybe a wall hanging,  if I do that do that should I have sashing?  or maybe make into a book,   not sure how to go about that though.  I suppose I would back each page maybe with a plain cotton fabric or maybe have it as a 6 page book and back each page with another crazy one.  I will take them with me to the K & S and buy some backing fabric,  was thinking of staying with a shade of green possibly dark or maybe I should look for a contrast, tan?  any advice will be greatly received.

I have signed on to do this challenge next year too,   Helen says she might like a pink and grey theme but have not decided yet.

9 more blocks

Time once again to add 6 more Tula blocks,   we are now three quarters of the way through,   well I have finished all 100 but adding them as I add them to the web site.   Oh dear just checked and it appears I have not added any for 3 weeks so have 9 to share with you today.  They are 67 to 75



blocks 67 to 70 still in the stripes design

block 67

block 68  I have really come to love the batik fabrics,  I bought a jelly roll a few years ago before I was quilting,  have now used it all so must replenish my stocks with more batik,   will have to wait till a quilt show then plan to but some half metre lengths!!

block 69

block 70  oh dear  can see a bit of a blunder on this one!

we are now in a section of blocks made using squares.  block 71, one of my favourites.

block 72

block 73

block 74    I love the patterned fabric here but have been unable to track it down,  have taken it to quilt shows and drawn a blank,  if I could find some I would buy 2 metres,  any one seen it anywhere please?

block 75 this is very plain but I find it quite pleasing.

that is all for today,  thank you all for all your encouragement, advice and comments how I love the blogging world!!

CQJP november

Just a short blog today to show my block for november.   My how this year has flown,  it seems no time at all that I started the block for january at the beginning of january and now I have only one block to do.

  My theme for the centre block this month was the falling leaves of autumn,  I am a bit ahead of myself here as we still have most leaves on the trees, never mind.  I used PVA glue on some fabric to stiffen it and then cut tiny leaves out and stab stitched them to the block, both on the branches and the ground below,  think of worked quite well as it is my first attempt with the glue idea.  In the top panel  are fireworks!!  maybe if you squint a bit and screw your faces up you will imagine they are fireworks!

I have also been busy making a few shopping bags, some pin cushions and Christmas tree decorations and have put some cards I made in the past in the bag too in memory of a dear friend who passed away recently.  Her family are having a charity stall at the K & S show in Harrogate to raise funds for the hospice that cared so well for Ann in her last few weeks,   lets hope they raise a large sum.