Here’s my first block of the month. It’s pretty much finished, I just need to sort out some ribbon or braid to go between the hearts and chimney. It was a bit too quick to do but fun! Theoretically I could start the february one tomorrow but I am going to wait and try and get some more fabrics, as I’m quite short of some of the colours and I need some more background fabric.
I’ve decided to make this quilt as a project for the year. It’s a Pat Sloan quilt and seems to have run as a ‘block of the month’ quilt last year with many American groups. I fell in love with it online, and have just got the pattern through from America. The idea is to make a block each month from January to November and then in December you assemble it, add the borders and quilt it - and then you have a quilt. I really like the idea of making a quilt over the year and it will be hand appliqued and hand quilted so will be a relaxing project hopefully! I’m going to try and use up some more of my batik fabrics to make it, although I will have to buy some more too I think.
The joys of the crafter’s life! I am used to what I call ‘quilter’s fingers’ which I seem to get from quilting. First of all I get great holes in the tips of my fingers (from the end of the sewing needle) which bleed and hurt like crazy, then they thankfully go numb - and eventually without any quilting they recover. Now I seem to have also developed tapestry worker’s fingers too! All the skin and cuticles around my nails keep splitting and bleeding - youch! Plus I’m getting a crooked back from stooping over my tapestry frame and trying to do that while following the pattern. So I’m in the wars - lol!
So I slowed down a fair bit and started planning some new projects for the year. I’ve planned out and started a simple striped quilt for my bed and a matching angel wallhanging/quilt (more on that later and hopefully some photos) and I’m also planning out what I’d like to do for a Christmas wallhanging and also thinking about doing a wallhanging/quilt as a project for the whole year. So lots on my mind….
Just a few notes and photos to let you all know how everything is going with my projects.
I’ve started the hare! The friend and I finally started yesterday. So here it is - a long way to go yet!
This is my fox - which is growing quite nicely. I must start and do some other jobs though, it is taking over my life somewhat!
I am still doing my quilt. I’ve now finished quilting the border of little squares
and am quilting the main squares. This is one I’ve just finshed. I still haven’t made up my mind on what to do with the plain squares, but I have a fair bit more other quilting to do so there’s no rush to decide.
Wishing everyone a very ‘Happy New Year’ - and apologies for being a little late with saying it. I was planning on doing a review of the year for 2006, and then a post on the 1st - but obviously it didn’t happen! As requested, here’s an update on my fox tapestry. I am loving doing it, although finding it hard to sort out the colours, as the shading is very subtle. I haven’t really started the hare one yet. And yes I am still working on the purple quilt. I have nearly finished the quilting on the squares in the border, but I still haven’t made my mind up what I’m doing with the plain purple squares as yet.
