Wednesday 25 April 2012

Three hundred and not counting

It started out innocently enough with the parallelogram shape on the Accuquilt Go! Baby cutter.

I thought I'd crank out a few and see where it led me.


But then it became rather addictive so I carried on.


Which is not always a good idea because once I got past the third round (dark blue flower fabric) it ceases to be scrap friendly. By that I mean that up to and including the blue fabric you can get away with just a fat quarter of fabric which all quilters will probably have.

Thereafter you are looking at 1/2 a yard of fabric and by the time I got to the outer round it was a yard and only then by sewing the little itty bitty scraps together to squeeze out those last few parallelograms.

Of which there are over 300.

The colours were based purely on the centre fabric which was my starting point. I didn't want there to be too much contrast between each round so if I turn the above picture into black and white you can hopefully seen what I mean.


Theoretically it shouldn't work because in the black and white version many of the rounds do not show enough contrast with their neighbours. Yet in colour it works (for me) because the colours are so different.

The top was completed in about November last year I think.
Then it became a 'downstairs' hand-quilting project.


I know I could have finished it a whole lot sooner if I had machine quilted it but that would be missing the point of how much I enjoy hand quilting...including double outlining each of the 300 plus parallelograms.

The border has organic (read: not marked) straightish lines which is nice and mindlessly, effortlessly relaxing.


The technical term for the size of this quilt is a whopper.
It is intended for a very nice person whose exuberant and inspiring personality is, I hope, reflected in this quilt.

As an end of term gift.

Say no more.


The back is just the same piece of fabric, spliced together to make it wide enough.

I have thoroughly and completely enjoyed making this one.


(Linking up to Lee's WIP Wednesday even though this isn't one any more)

Friday 20 April 2012

Progress with a capital 'P'

I continued cutting up strippy, scrappy squares.


All it is, is strips of fabric (didn't matter about the width), sewn together to create an 8 1/2" square. Then I used the curved ruler to take out a section on either side. Took some black and white fabric 8 1/2" x 3", cut the corresponding missing wodges out of that and sewed them back on to the coloured squares.


Randomly placed in so much as I tried to get an even spread of colour throughout the quilt and the blocks alternate vertical and horizontal with the strips.


I still can't quite work out though how I seem to have more and not less scraps at the end of this exercise in scrap busting.

I've reached a hiatus now as I consider whether to make it bigger, add a border of some sort, or finish it as is.

Any thoughts?


Friday 13 April 2012

Scrap busting

I have scraps.

Lots of scraps.

I also bought this pattern probably about 10 years ago.


While having a clear-out I rediscovered it about 18 months ago.

It had sat doing nothing for so long that the paper had started to discolour.


I should really just have chucked it out/passed it on to someone else but in a moment of madness I decided I would make it.

It's been slow and sporadic.

When I began I had visions of a very controlled pattern palette.


Then I didn't touch it for several months and forgot what my game plan was and went random.


Then I picked it up again in the last few days and decided anything would go.


I now have no idea how it is going to turn out.

Nor when it will be finished.

Each one of these alone takes me 45 minutes to piece.


Added to which because I keep losing interest in it, I turn to another scrap buster I am working on at the moment.

Sewing up scrappy squares of all one colour.


Then taking the curved ruler to them.


And adding a bit more on.


A way to go yet before the idea in my head is all sewn up.

(Linking up to Amanda Jean's Finish It Up Friday...although I clearly haven't finished anything up)

Thursday 5 April 2012

Completely and utterly...

...chuffed to have another quilt featured on 100 Days Of Modern Quilts.

Completely caught with my shorts down (literally) as I am in explorer mode elsewhere.

Completely can't work out how to link to the post on my iPad.

Completely hope you can work out how to get to the post without a link to take a peek.

Thank you.

Edited to add: now I am back here is the link


Close up of Tufted Tweets quilt
01 09 10