Free to Quilt: Happy Birthday Bunmi!

Free to Quilt: Happy Birthday Bunmi!: Sweet Strawberry! When Bunmi mentioned that she had a big birthday coming up this year, it took a moment for me to take the hint! ...

Happy Birthday Bunmi!

Sweet Strawberry!

When Bunmi mentioned that she had a big birthday coming up this year, it took a moment for me to take the hint! But of course I just had to make her a gift. 

She is all about bold bright colours, which you know is not my thing. So I put my pastels and florals to one side and raided my stash for strong contrasting pieces. As usual it was 'make it up as you go along'. 

I started off making these shooting star units, without really counting them. When I thought I had enough, I sorted them into sets, deliberately mixing and matching odd shades here and there to make it interesting, and threw all the leftover ones into the last star for a multi-coloured centre block. 

I set the five star blocks in to a nine patch layout with dark green squares. Then I decided I didn't like it! So I unpicked it and replaced the green with this vivid turquoise 'Linen Texture' - better! 

I wanted the nine patch panel 'on point' - they always seem to look nicer that way. So then I set about building up setting triangles using strips of bold colours. Where the strips were too short, I added triangles on the end to extend them. That made the design even more interesting. I love it when a quilt just evolves that way. 

I made sure the finished size was no wider than 42 inches so that I could back it with a single width of that green fabric (which, as it turned out, Bunmi really liked!) I had fun quilting it with a combination of ruler work, curls and waving feathers. 

I had it all finished before my class at Bunmi's shop on Thursday and I couldn't resist giving it to her a couple of weeks early - and she loved it! 

So there I was all up to date! Time for a little self indulgence. This little pink strawberry has been on my wish list for a while. I was going to make a whole bunch of them, but so far I have just finished this one. 

How sweet is that?

 Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Free to Quilt: Sensational Sandy!

Free to Quilt: Sensational Sandy!: "Why are you sewing so fast?" "Because I want to get to the end before I run out of thread!"  That is jus...

Sensational Sandy!

"Why are you sewing so fast?"

"Because I want to get to the end before I run out of thread!" 

That is just how it went. I started on Sandy's splendid quilt, Saturday before last, and set about systematically stabilizing all the frames and dipping in to complete the intricate detail. I worked at it steadily all week and by Friday I was panicking that I would not have enough thread to finish it. So I put in an emergency fast tracked order for more thread. (Why is it always the weekend when that happens?)

Then Gloria came to my rescue on Saturday with half a reel! It was still going to be tight, but I was in with a chance. After a nine hour stint on Sunday, I finally finished it with about 10 inches to spare!

You really need a steady hand to work this semi circle ruler on these rings. 

But the effect of the curved cross hatching is so pleasing. It made a pretty frame to set off the Flying Geese with the freehand feathers.

Then there was all that lovely open space to play with in the centre. 

Sandy's colour choice made the Halo Block really stand out.

More ruler work to create curves, filled in with more open cross hatching and feathers. 

And the overall effect on the back was so satisfying.

35 hours to quilt - can you imagine how many hours Sandy spent piecing it? 

What a beauty! 

Now I am finishing off a surprise gift for someone - all will be revealed soon! 

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk

Free to Quilt: Blonde Beauty!

Free to Quilt: Blonde Beauty!: And a Heavenly Halo These 'hook' feathers have become my go to design for an all over feather fill. So I was really hap...

Blonde Beauty!

And a Heavenly Halo

These 'hook' feathers have become my go to design for an all over feather fill. So I was really happy when Val asked me to do them on this stunning Windmill quilt that she was asked to make for a friend. It was part foundation pieced on to tear away Vilene, so it was beautifully straight and flat to work with on the frame. 

The creamy neutral tones worked so well and I had fun spotting fabrics from my collection that had found their way into Val's stash. It was a really big one at 7ft by 8 ft. Val knows the limitations of my frame and sized it accordingly. ( I really need a loft extension!!) 

So it filled my frame and kept me busy for three days. But it really is such a flowing design, that I just have to keep going once I have got into the rhythm. I simply can't tear myself away until it's done!

No sooner had I parted with this one, than I started work on the next one in the queue - and it will be quite a challenge. 

This is Sandy's version of the Halo Quilt (Block of the month from 2017 'The Quilt Show' designed by the late Sue Garman). Again, Sandy decided to keep within my size constraints so that I could quilt it for her. 



I absolutely love her choice of fabrics and colours and I have been looking forward to doing my bit on it. It is twice the size of my version, which only went as far as the curved flying geese. So there are twelve or so 'frames' around the central medallion Halo block. 

A top with so much small piecing in it is inevitably prone to a bit of distortion, so I gave a lot of thought to how best to tackle it. I decided to float it and baste it all first, rather than pinning the top to the front bar. Then I was able to roll it back and start from the middle and work my way out, straightening each frame as I go.  
There is still a lot of stitch in the ditch to do, to stabilize it fully, before I can get into all that lovely open space to do the fun detail.

I have clocked up 10 hours already this weekend!!

Happy Quilting Everyone!

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www.englishquilter.co.uk