WIP Wednesday #31

I have two quilt projects on the go right now, my blue snowflake appliques and my one-patch quilt. Both were started during classes at the Remarkables Symposium in Queenstown held in April.

Blue snowflakes

I progressed a little bit on my third snowflake block. Here's all three so far.

I started with a selection of blues, (my little girl's favourite colour) and used some white/silver fabric for the snowflakes. I will probably pull some of the green out once I decide how I will piece the blocks together.

Now I need to source some more white/silver fabric. Rather than driving all over Auckland, I decided to try ordering some from equilter.com. Usually I prefer to support my LQSs, but sometimes I just can't find what I need. The exchange rate right now makes ordering from the US a reasonable option. We'll see how it goes.

One-patch

My other project is at the quilting stage, although I'm not sure if I'm heading in the right direction with this one. This is a one-patch quilt that was started in Natalie Murdoch's class. I've done a stitch-in-the-ditch around each block and have started machine quilting three concentric circles in each block. I've done about 1/4 of them, bu t I know I will need a lot more quilting to make it work. I have no idea what I should do.

The picture shows a few blocks, there are 48 all together.

Theraputic applique

I've been unwell these past few weeks, but it's given me a chance to work on some hand sewing. There's nothing better than hand sewing when I want to forget everything else. My sunny spot in the living room has great light and I can sit there for hours.

I spent a while this morning progressing on one of my 'blue snowflake' blocks. They're not really snowflakes, but that's what my little girl calls them and it's a quilt for her (no arguing with that).

This is the third block and I've run out of white/silver/grey fabrics for my snowflakes. I will need to do some searching on Wednesday when I have more time.

I started this project during the Remarkables Symposium in Queenstown in April. I took a class from Chris Kenna as my first foray into needle-turn applique.


My first block took ages to complete, but I'm speeding up. My mother suggested using a bit of glue from a gluestick and a toothpick to keep the fraying under control on those pesky inside corners and it works a treat.

I have a few blue fabrics that tie nicely to a watercolour print of hydrangeas that I had admired for a while. Will post more about this as it progresses.

June Block Lotto

This month's block was simple (too simple even?) but I loved the focus on colours rather than construction. As always, my stash, although manageable, lets me down when I'm looking for the perfect something. But, I think that's why I enjoy playing the Block Lotto so much - believe it or not, it allows me to be unrestrained.

I try very hard to be disciplined and not have too many things on the go. UFOs are fine if they are flying over the desert, not so great in my old house with no storage space. So, each month with Block Lotto I get to do something 'new' without comitting to a whole big project. Of course, if I ever win one month, I will have a new project to deal with. So far, this has not happened (is that good or bad luck?)

Here's a close-up of one of this month's blocks. The colours were violet through to spring green. I spent a lot of time thinking about the colours and pondered my colour wheel a bit. Amazing how colour trends change - all of the greens I see these days are yellow-greens; true greens are harder to find. True blues and violets (purples) are rare as well. Miost blues are a bit green and most purples are quite red.

Although Sophie has not been too strict with the exact colour matching, I was strict on myself to make it more challenging. Always a lesson learned when I do Block Lotto.

Just getting started

The internet is chock full of creative quilters writing and sharing about their work. I thought that it was time for me to join in.

I've been actively quilting for the past 18 months when I started a quilt for my bedroom after a mini makeover - I just couldn't find the perfect bedspread to go with my new wallpaper.

But my journey did not begin there - I discovered (while cleaning out the guest room closet last year) that I had 5 unfinished quilts, the earliest I began in 1987. I spent the last year dedicated to finishing them and have been bit by the bug again.

My mother is a quilter too and this re-discovered hobby has given us something to do and talk about together. She's far away in Virginia, USA which is where I am originally from.

I hope to post about my works in progress and the inspirations that I discover along the way. Happy quilting.