Tuesday 19 September 2017

And the next update...

The theme of the last couple of months has been quilting, knitting and destahing fabric; the latter because I realised if I wanted to combine quilting and knitting there was no way I was going to be able to get through my healthy fabric stash.

Unless I lived to infinity which I don't think is possible just yet.

So let's kick off with Soy Amado. Three big bags of quilts went off last week and I'm just waiting to hear where they've gone which I will then, hopefully, share pictures of.

The blocks have continued to come and I have quite the leaning tower of blocks to choose from. I will get around to making some more soon but my sewing machine is currently occupied...more on that shortly.

Soy Amado No. 123


I have a thing for dahlias, the more jewel like the better.
It was raining when this pic was taken so there was no inclination to go looking for a local scene.
It was either the trusty washing line or my dahlia border and the the dahlias won out.

Soy Amado No. 124



No. 125

I know. Another chance to brag about the dahlias.



No. 126 was another beautifully made one from @grannyjack123 on Instagram and was a fabulously colourful shot on a miserably grey summer's day. If you look closely, you'll spot a couple of keen swimmers getting in to the sea.



No. 127 - many of the blocks are country flags, very generously sent by an IGer in Germany. There's even a Guernsey one.



I've carried on knitting.


This is a Mulberry & Silk yarn from Sherwood Yarn in a colourway called King's Ransom. The pattern (available on Ravelry) is called the Bosky Cardigan but I did slightly alter it by adding the vertical edging along either front edge as I felt it didn't add enough boobage coverage. It's lovely to wear and I've reblocked that slightly squiffy left (as you look at the pic) bottom edge bit. Can't recommend the yarn highly enough.

Appreciate it's not the most tantilisingly styled pic you've ever seen but I'm also seed stitch deep in an Addison sweater.


I'm knitting that one in Blacker DK Gotland. It's got quite a rough texture when compared to the cardigan above but when I wet blocked the swatch,it did go much softer. Currently finished the front and am half way up the back. This one is knitted in separate pieces, whereas one above was knitted top down in the round which is always much easier in terms of less seaming to do.

I also visited (and possibly may have purchased) a couple of yarn stores over the summer.

Imagiknit in San Francisco which, believe it or not, was completely overwhelming. I walked in the door and the choice was too much. Two rooms crammed with yarn, yarn and more yarn. Their system was to categorise by yarn weight and then composition but it was still a 'where do I start' moment.

Plus, I cycled there using Google Maps on my phone which told me it would be an 18 minute cycle ride from where I left my husband. I told him I 'won't be long' but Google Maps doesn't take in to account the hills in San Francisco.

I returned to him two hours later.


Definitely worth a visit though.




I also visited Loop in London.





Oh and a five minute walk from where I was staying in San Francisco was Britex Fabrics. Very hard not be impressed/overawed.








Long flights mean the opportunity for hand piecing and the following represent two transatlantic flights...minus the backing to the blocks which I forgot to cut out and bring with me.



I don't really have a game plan for these blocks - I think they're just blocks to do whilst on the move so maybe in a couple of years I'll have enough to put together for a whole quilt.

And then there's this.

My Pickled Fish Quilt finally got it's border put on it.


Simply put, scrappy quilts are the best. They're fun, quirky, happy, mad, zesty, visually interesting and completely and utterly by cup of tea.

A form of controlled chaos.


Which I love, love, love.


And now I'm on a mission to quilt it.
Lines just 1/4' apart which are giving the most amazing texture to the quilt.
I can't remove it from under my machine until I've finished so when there's a sneaky spare moment to be found, that's where I am.

I'm using all sorts of weight and colour of threads (including monofilament) every few lines so it's not just a uniform look but again, a disjointed feast for the eyes.

Hopefully, it's working.


10 comments:

  1. Your dahlias are stunning, as are the SA quilts! As for that yarn shop...do they provide sleeping bags if you still haven't made up your mind at closing time?

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  2. Gorgeous dahlias, and all your soy amadeo quilts. I love what you have done and are doing with your Pickled Fish quilt. So good to see a quilter who embraces colour, scrappy and clashy.

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  3. Wow! So great to see a post after I binged through all of you blogging history when I found it in July! I love the color and movement of the Pickled Fish. I have discovered that I like hand piecing better than EPP. Your tulip rounds are so neat. What do you like to use to make your templates? So glad you had fun in your travels. I am going to pass your blog onto my mom who is a yard junkie and quilter. Thanks for the quilty love without the quilty police!!

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  4. Aaargh... totally fabulous fabric shops, deep envy there. I really love how the quilting on Pickled Fish gives that wonderful texture - I didn't think it was possible to improve on perfection, but there you are, making it even better :-)

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  5. A bright and gorgeous collection of quilts, scrappy fish and beautiful knits. Just looking at the photos of the fabric shop made me go all wobbly - the choice of solids alone would have me in a spin.

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  6. I always love to read your posts. I like to knit too but I am determined to sew up my fabric first! Besides, it is too hot where I live most of the time to have much knitting. You did a fabulous job on that pickle dish quilt. The quilting is looking good too. You made a good choice on that. The Soy Amado quilts are always a joy to look at. It is so amazing to see how random blocks can be put together to make such beautiful quilts.

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  7. As always, it is just so exciting and fun to see you've posted to your blog. I love everything!! Your colors are so outrageous ... like the best a summer day can offer and then some!

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  8. I group of friends decided to use the SA concept to make a quilt for flood victims. They ask me where I got the idea from... you are a big role model and today I will tell them all to go visit your site. Love all your work. And I knit too. Mostly fair isle color work. Right now I am working on a longer jacket with a steek.
    Textiles are just one of the greatest things ever!

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  9. Wow, love your Pickled Fish quilt. So many lovely scraps and now dense quilting with a variety of threads. Super. Well done on the latest Soy Amado Quilts, they are always so bright and eye-catching.

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  10. Love your hand pieced blocks so much! Can't wait to see the finished quilt eventually. And your Pickled fish quilt is a joy. So quirky and fun. You have a gift for putting fabrics together!

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