Blue and Green World

Well… I did lots of things actually…. I had a really good week in Northumberland, and managed to see a fair bit of the coastline, a trip to Lindisfarne, a trip to a Honey Farm and more. But this is what I got up to quilting-wise.

I took my remaining block of the month bits with me to do as they were small and easily portable and easy sewing. I managed alot more than I expected to! On an evening I curled up in front of the real fire (so soothing and relaxing, I love real fires!) and I sewed. I finished the remaining blocks for the year and also the borders. On the last evening I sewed the quilt front together.

I am now enjoying quilting this quilt as it’s now ‘backed and wadded’ so to speak. Apologies for the unclear photo of it put together I will take more when I’ve finished the quilting. It’s so big to photograph, I need to get some people to hold it up I think!

Also on holiday, while looking around Lindisfarne, I bought these cards by Mary Fleeson. I really admire her artwork. I am now wondering if it’s possible to convert the designs in to quilts/wallhangings…. so watch this space!

Here it is completed! I still look at this in awe as I can’t believe I assembled 800 diamonds to create the star. A big thanks go to my mum who cut out all the diamonds for me, a mammoth job in itself. I’m really pleased with it and look forward to having it hanging over the wardrobe in my bedroom. In the meantime my cat is enjoying using it as a tent, as it’s hung over a chair in my lounge!

I fell in love with this poncho when I saw my friend wearing it! I managed to borrow the pattern last year, but have only just managed to find some wool to knit it in. The pattern is a bit of a nightmare, I can’t figure out the tension at all, so I’m knitting an adaption of it. I have the right size needles and the proper wool but mine comes out much bigger. My tension is the same as my friends, which makes me suspect that the pattern is wonky….

I know it seems mad to be looking towards winter in August, and when we finally have some hot sunny weather at last, but I am really enjoying knitting it!

There’s a bit of a sense of deja vu here… but here’s the block of the month for August. I was a bit worried about doing the same design twice in one month and considered doing the September block this month and leaving this one until next month. But a few days after giving the other quilt to my friend I wanted to make another one for myself! So here it is. I loved doing this one. Poppies are probably my favourite flower and it is such a bright cheery design and nice big simple pieces to applique!

Here’s what I have been working on for the past week, it’s a present for a friend. I was quite sad to see it go, as I really like it! The design is actually the August block of the month, but it’s quite a big one this month - 15" by 41" so it works quite well as a hanging on it’s own (it’s quite a nice size for the back of a door I think). My friend had joked that she wanted it making for her birthday so I decided to suprise her by actually doing it!

And here’s what my mum made for her, the pumpkin doll on the right in the photo. I made the doll on the left a while back and she’s been quite admired although she was always faceless as I never had the nerve to try and make a face (I was scared I’d ruin it if I did). So my mum gave her a face when she made the doll for my friend.

The last month or so I’ve been busy sorting out my front bedroom, getting it decorated (a big job as it was in quite a state!) and organising furniture and storage. The aim is to have it as a spare bedroom but with lots of storage for art and craft materials. It’s painted now but I’m still hunting for furniture. I’ve just become so tired doing it and I’m back to quilting. It’s hard to explain but there is something so therapeutic about quilting which always calms me down and makes the world make sense again, always so helpful when I get overwhelmed by things.

I’m now back working with the lone star quilt. It’s all together now (wadding and backing on too) and I have started quilting it. I decided to heavily quilt it, partly for the fun of doing it and also to try and give it some stability and to pull it into shape (with it being made up of so many pieces it’s not 100% square lol!).

As well as that I am getting inspired to start a new quilt! I moved into this place 10 months ago now and the first place I decorated was the main room. It’s a big light room and I decided to paint it all off white as a calming room and a good backdrop for all my different coloured quilts. Ten months on and it’s driving me crazy - I need to have some colour! So the fireplace wall is going to be painted pink and I’ve planned a big quilt as a throw for my sofa. Here’s the fabric for it, I’ll keep you updated!

Oooops I nearly forgot to blog this! I finished this block back at the beginning of the month and it feels like ages since now! It’s a pretty one again I think, although I am now looking forward to the August block which I really like the look of…..

I made these cushions for a friend’s birthday a couple of weeks back. I bought the fabric months back and had them all planned out - and then got sidetracked - so when it came to making them I’d completely forgotten what I’d planned to do! Anyway I am pleased with how they have turned out and had great fun making them.

I’m halfway there now

Here’s the finished block of the month for June. I really like this one in the calming shades of blue and green. The curvy stems were a bit of a nightmare to cut and sew but generally it was a very straightforward block. I got very tempted when I finished this block to carry on and finish the whole quilt. I’m getting excited and impatient to have it all put together and done.

But then a friend mentioned that she fancied doing a lone star quilt and that spurred me on to get on with mine and finish that instead! I am currently putting the last diamond together so it should be assembled soon. Then I need to decide what I’m doing about borders. I’m fancying doing some embroidery as well as appliqued flowers on them but I’m not sure as yet.

There are some quilt designs that I just have to do before I die, and this is one of them! I really love lone star quilts. I started this one a few weeks back but just haven’t got around to blogging it until today. The idea is to make a big quilt to hang over the big and very ugly (but useful lol!) fitted wardrobe in my bedroom. I have got just over half of the star assembled so far and thankfully it is alot more fun to do than I thought it would be. There are alot of diamonds to put together but it’s wonderful seeing all the colours come together.