4 inch squares organised for piecing

i had to really concentrate on getting the right edges together - luckily i realised at the beginning that i needed a system to keep the rows aligned

4 inch squares layout

this is what i am using as inspiration - its from our garden a few years ago - put into PhotoPlus and viewed with a grid - Just like patchwork!!



Anyhoo - this is my interpretation,  just a flavour - but i think that the colours flow so i am happy with it





now - how to sew it up - firstly to assemble in piles to keep the right order

monocrhromatic texture

this shows the texture on the squares.  the dark green was a door curtain when my daughter moved into her place.  it was covered in paint splatters - but even though i really didnt like it  i kept it in for use as a paint throw- but it really adds pop to this and i already like it on my oven gloves - reuse reuse and reuse - its surprising how things look so good in another setting after a good wash!

birdy visitors?

a pair of blue tits are weighing up whether this will be a suitable home - i know last year they looked but never occupied - fingers crossed for this year though as it is really interesting to watch the constant feeding during the summer like when the robins moved in to their robin box with the baby robins

4 inch squares

i have decided to just improvise - no particular plan only a simple 4" square quilt made of solid colours - well monochromatics anyway. i have just picked out from my stash the colours i think will go together - just on how i feel - and started cutting and adding to the pile with another complimentary colour.

Very happy with it so far .. i expect i will try and be random in the placement - and my plan is to be more organised and press the seams properly - as i must admit i am not always too hot on pressing!

this is the life!

bright tote - obsessions

i think i see a theme - if i find something i like - i can't stop at 1 or 2 !!

see here and here for proof!

my new mirror

not to everyone's taste - which is how i ended up with it :-) - but i really like it!!


 

lap size colour wheel

the back and front are 100% Upcycled- the paint smudges on the back only add to the charm - honest ;-)

this is the third time i have made this quilt - this time i quilted with a stipple with variegated thread rather than the straight lines of last time

here in black and here how i did it originally (now gracing my bed)

comfy oven gloves

with having time off over the Christmas break i have had time to potter - i also realised (when i kept burning my fingers) my oven gloves were past their best - and for some reason i tend not to think of making bits for myself - however several burnt fingers later here they are.  i really like the square quilting and they are just the right thickness - they have cotton covers and poly filling - but that's fine and heat  resistant enough.  Already in use and working well with the jam tarts!

new totes

these are from an embroidered wool sample that i bought for 50p and reclaimed curtaining that used to hide my computer bits and bobs many moons ago. i think they look really classy as they have a bit of weight to them.  Good enough to gift - but i'm keeping one myself!

new cushion - japanese quilt blocks

made from a couple of curtain samples and an old cushion to fill ...i love to upcycle!

The weave block is from a book of Japanese quilt blocks and the strips end up about an inch wide.  Fiddly but very enjoyable.  the squares are 3inch squares- i was contemplating making a quilt of this size block - but I'm not sure...i have so many plans that i don't seem to start any of them.. still.. the thinking about it is just as enjoyable!

oh and the background is the zigzag quilt from here which i unpicked and unpicked and unpicked ... however glad to say that it's growing on me now :-)

is it black or brown?

new bag - reversible with either black on brown or brown on black - recycled from a display curtains

front of bunting baby quilt

back

zig zag quilting on bunting quilt

a pretty cool life.: Rainbow Bunting Baby Quilt Tutorial

a pretty cool life.: Rainbow Bunting Baby Quilt Tutorial

Boy baby bunting

adapted from here.  thanks for the idea, a pretty cool life.  i have adapted to make pointier bunting and prime colours - with a dark blue background so it can be used as a stroller blanket and hopefully not show the grime.

2 baskets

The first 2 of many - Thanks to this tutorial from Pink Penguin




Be warned ---very addictive!!

new obsession

quilt back made

finally decided on a straight forward striped back for this quilt - using the colours from the front and keeping simple geometric lines -  and have started quilting with a stipple in brown thread ( which is soft compared to the straight lines of the fabric piecing- fairly pleased with it so far.

the great unpicking continues

this is the back of the zig zag quilt - i tried a new machine quilting pattern but i cannot cope with the creases...why are we so self critical?!  anyway i've been unpicking little stitch by little tiny stich for weeks!!

design process

initial design phase -

setting up excel for strips that are 6.5" x 2.5"

 i started with the idea of a 'railfence' zigzag

and noticed that using the brown fabric in the middle created a shadow effect

then a bit more tweaking and i noticed if i changed the pattern it looked more like weaving

 the final choice was to change from blue to red - which i thought harmonised the colours ( the computer doesnt really reflect the true colours of my fabrics)

joined the strips and cut to 6.5" squares
and joined 10x12 squares
the hardest part was aligning all the points - but i'm pleased with the results

.....still no decision on the back ...just a few ideas kicking about.......

shadow quilt

what is it with the zig zags - i'm hooked



liking how this turned out .. it reminds me of my candy wrapper purses

 once again though , what to do with the back?