{quilt} while you're ahead

* 99 *

Life is slowly getting back to normal... the titanium rods in No 1's arm seem to be doing their job, mum has gone back to Italy, the school uniforms are all ready and No 2 pulled/twisted/hurt a muscle in his neck on the trampoline last night so now I'm waiting to taking him to the doctor. 

Great.

I guess this is life with boys...

In the meantime I'm hiding my head in a quilt for my mother and pretend that nothing has happened.

 

(the piecing and quilting is done now, the binding keeps me company in the evening)

(a small laptop quilt from a couple of Moda layer cakes)

Also, lately I've been reading a lot on quilting blogs about 'process', about the importance of showing a work through from the beginning to the end, and not just showing it off at the end: well, I am planning a quilt for one of the boys (not sure who yet... it's a decision that requires high diplomacy during its unveling), a 'solid' affair... navy blue with bright accents

 

I bought a few packs of bright bright bright fat 1/8s in Birmingham at the best stand (the website does not do them justice, trust me on this one) of the show and now my head is twirling around with ideas

 

Should I go traditional? or modern? squares? wonky squares? rows? crosses? log cabins? wonky log cabins? stars? wonky stars?

 

the possibilities are endless

 

I'm leaning towards simple and modern with lots of quilting... (once I've pressed the lot of course...)

* 98 * ** Birmingham Festival of Quilts 2010 - part 2 **

Are you ready for more?

 

 

 

 

 

 

ok, I give up.

Typepad is driving my crazy... it's refusing to uploading photos... so I'll say goodnight and I'll try again tomorrow.

* 97 * ** Birmingham Festival of Quilts 2010 - part 1 **

As I mentioned yesterday last Sunday (although it actually feels more like last year) Ali and I had a visual feast at the Birmingham Festival of Quilts.

To me it seems the focus of this show, as opposed to what I've seen of the Houston and Tokyo shows, is more on 'art-quilts'  than the more traditional kind... and my photos reflect this.

I'm not sure because I didn't buy the show guide, but the theme must have been something around 'summer in the city'... a lot of quilts had that theme

The Guild winner:

 

printed/dyed/distressed fabric, very simply quilted.  I wasn't too keen when I saw it, but looking at the photo now I'm impressed with the sense of depth and layers it has.  What do you think?

More 'cityscapes':

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and my favourite:

 

 

Here's some of the rest:

 

 

 

 

 

and another favorite of mine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ok... that's it for today... more next time.

* 84 * ** newsflash **

It's here!!

The new issue of 'Sew Hip' is out and ... I'm in it!!!

 

oh yes, that's me.

 

Who would have thought...

* 61 *

Finally some action...

 

for No 2, who told me it was about time I made him another quilt.

 

About time indeed.

* 31 * * Mia's quilt *

Mia joined our extended family yesterday and her grandad will give her this quilt tonight...

 

I've had a lot of fun putting it together,

A bit of Amy Butler (you can find her new lines here), a bit of Anna Maria Horner, a bit of Kaffe Fassett, other loveliness from Fabricworm (on Etsy).

40" by 60", organic cotton wadding

The reverse is a puzzle of all the fabrics (I didn't waste an inch!)

and if it wasn't a commission...

I'd seriously consider keeping it for myself.

* 24 *

-  more plotting

 

- more swapping

(Thank you Emma... it's beautiful!  Hope the garland reaches you soon!)

- more flowers

because you can never have enough...

Has spring reached you yet?

We're still waiting, but at least today the sky is a little bit blue!
 

* 22 *

Tea cosy (or cozy... you choose, I give up on this one)

table runner 

and table runner

I'm plotting.

* 19 *

There has been plenty of sewing around here and if the weather decides to brighten up a bit (a lot) I'll be able to take decent photos and show you.

In the meantime here are a couple of placemats and napkins commissioned by Mr M for a business friend

Once again I had to raid my stash for some favourite fabric (the downside of having the same taste as your husband's...)

... but I'm very happy I did.  For the back I used a lovely mellow linen

And last but not least... today was the 2nd day of 'Seven days of specialness' and here's my treat:

Beautifully chosen and perfect to replenish my depleated stash!!

* 9 *

I wasn't going to be left out, so I made myself a placemat too.

I love working with scraps.  I feel much freeier (?) to combine different colours and patterns... there's not pressure about wasting fabric... love it.

Quilting so heavily it's time consuming, not to mention the qty of thread I've been using up... but it's so so lovely... don't you think?  This time I went for triple diagonal lines as an experiment.  You'll be seeing these again somewhere else, me thinks.

The back - scraps and more grey linen - looks good too... in a 'poverty patch' sort of way.  (I've just noticed I missed a quilting line... doh... better sort this out or it will never ever get done...)

The binding is Liberty.  Of course.

Ok, now we all have one.  No arguing.
 

AND ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING... in this time of tragedy and sadness and desperate need... why don't you visit here... and give a little?