It's not mine ...

... but I wish it was.



I couldn't resist sharing the picture of this vintage string quilt that I spotted on e-bay. What a great way to set those string blocks, and don't you just love the wonkiness of it? I so want to try this layout myself. It may not be precision pieced from uniform shapes but it makes me smile just to look at it - it's joyful, that's what it is.

Rectangles

Remember these blocks? I did make a few more - maybe enough for a small lap / cot quilt if I put sashing round them. But ... whilst I love the effect, I fear I haven't got the patience or tenacity to make a whole quilt one block at a time. Which is a pity, as I have cut out enough 2 1/2 inch squares, half-square triangles and rectangles to make one (and it took me hours).

Still, nil desperandum, squares and half-square triangles always come in useful but I was trying to think what I could make with the rectangles - they are 2.5 X 4.5 inches so I couldn't use them to make flying geese. Could have done a very simple rail fence. But then inspiration struck - I remembered I had a copy of this book.

All the quilts in the book are made from simple rectangles so I used one of the patterns. They are really a form of one patch but you can vary the way you set them. I used the layout here.

I wasn't sure at first, but now I've laid out a few of the 'blocks' together to check the effect, it's growing on me. My kind of quilt really, simple and scrappy. And best of all, quick.

Time for Tea

Next up on my list of projects - a tea cosy. My team get into the office at 8.00 and make a pot of tea. Now, whilst there is enough in the pot for me, I can't get in any earlier than 8.10 as I have to drop my son off and the tea in the pot is lukewarm by then. So I made a tea cosy - keeps it nice and hot and waiting for me when I get in.

I can also reveal my finished blue quilt - I was getting heartily tired of it by the end so the borders just got straight lines quilted on them. It covers the ugliest sofa in the world - I would show a picture of it but the deep red buttoned velour and fringe round the bottom would be offensive to many of you. (As it is to me when the quilt rides up and you can see the offending fringe peeping out beneath). Also excuse the bare plaster on the walls - the sofa is in our kitchen and we haven't finished the redecorating yet.

A bit of productivity

Hooray for the Easter Holidays, I've had a week off work and I've been able to get to my sewing machine and actually make something - and boy does it feel good! I'd been wanting to make one of these little doorstops for ages -the tutorial is at Oh Fransson! which I found via Jane's blog, Sew Create It when she made one. They really are a doddle to make, so as well as making one for our kitchen door I made some for presents too. It's a lovely pattern with nice clear instructions. I didn't line mine with fusible fleece (didn't have any) but I used some pretty curtain fabric that has been maturing in my stash for a while (well, it's plaid - how could I resist - I knew I'd use it eventually) and the flowered middle squares are cut from remnants from fabric sample books that I bought for 10p a page and again have been maturing for a couple of years (see, it was an investment, for every piece of fabric there comes a season if you wait long enough).

The doorstops have a zip at the bottom so you can take out the filling and wash it. Do you think I've got enough zips? This is my zip stash. I get them for 10p each - usually they are about 3ft long so I can only make things where you can cut the ends off - like these doorstops or the quilted bags I've made before. Have you seen the price of zips? I just feel I might as well get a lifetime's supply at that price. (I think I might have a stash problem - what with fabric, ribbons and zips, but it's harmless.)

Guess what I used for the filling? I didn't want to put loose beans in because some of them will be presents for homes with animals and small children. My original plan was to just sew up the beans in a bag and put that in but then I saw these bags of rice at Sainsburys for 43p and one of them popped in unopened is enough to weight the bag (I do pop a bit of wadding in the top of the doorstop to keep the shape).

We went to Market Harborough today and look what I found at a Charity Shop - a book on quilts and a vintage Laura Ashley dress and a child's dress to cut up for patchwork. Things are looking up.

I am still here ...

... haven't given up blogging or quilting, just finding it difficult right now. Other aspects of my life (mainly work) have kind of taken over. Can't say I'm pleased about it because I'm not, I always said my quality of life would be diminished if I didn't have some kind of creative outlet that was just for me. I am struggling to find a work-life balance (not helped by the kitchen upheaval - pics to follow in another post, or the bout of flu that I'm just getting over).

This is the sum total of my quilting efforts since Christmas, though I have to say I am ridiculously pleased that the lines so far have all come out straight. Next I'm going to meander in the squares created by the grid pattern.

I would also like to thank those of you who have e-mailed to check on me - it is much appreciated, as is this lovely table mat that Anne sent me, just to cheer me up!

This doesn't seem much of a post after over 2 months without posting but hopefully I'll get back into swing of things before too long.

It's a sandwiched quilt!

I think I'm back in the groove. I knuckled down last night and sandwiched the blue recycled quilt that I made over a year ago now. Of course I haven't the faintest idea how I'm going to actually quilt it but I'm thinking simple is good at this moment in time. Although my back aches now, my kitchen floor is brilliant for sandwiching quilts.

Yesterday we also ordered a new kitchen, we had the existing one put in a few years ago but I couldn't begin to tell you about the sheer incompetence of the builder that did it. Some, but not all examples being: plumbing the outside tap to the hot water supply, installing the dishwasher with a chink in the hose so it leaked all over the newly installed laminate floor, building a frame for the new glazed internal double doors without remembering that it would be impossible to get it in through the back door ... oh, how we laughed! Not. Anyway, though the kitchen looks passable, it hides a multitude of sins so we've bitten the bullet and we're going to get it all put right by a reputable (fingers crossed) firm. I'm going to have a new bigger cooker, which I'm really looking forward to (particularly since the door fell off the one I've got). The fridge door is on it's last legs too, and the first dishwasher we had erupted in flames. Definitely time for a change.

Happy New Year

I waited right until Christmas Day to open my Secret Santa gift from Cheryl - and it was certainly worth the wait - just look at all the goodies she sent me! I'm intrigued by the Peppermint Bark - we don't have anything like this at all in the UK - and you may have noticed that it is all sitting on a lovely Christmas table runner which just fits nicely across my hall table.

We have been in Carlisle since Boxing Day and just got back yesterday so not much done on the creative front (what am I talking about - I haven't done anything creative in weeks). I seem to have lost a bit of impetus - my sewing room is a tip, which doesn't help. Another reason is that I've got three tops waiting to be quilted and I don't want to start piecing another until I've quilted at least one - I really want to see them out on display and not folded up in a plastic bag. I think the thought of sandwiching a big top is becoming a bit of a mental barrier. Still, it has to be done, no pain (in the knee region), no gain.

I'm not much of one for New Year's Resolutions, but I do want to get back on track both with blogging, which I have missed enormously since I've been so busy at work and with getting on and being creative.

Part of Cheryl's Christmas Gift was fabric with pre-printed quilt labels with quotes on them, and one of my favourites was this one, "The best things in life ... aren't things". With that thought in mind I'd like to wish everyone reading this blog peace and happiness in the New Year.