Tuesday 25 August 2020

Free to Quilt: Celtic Knot

Free to Quilt: Celtic Knot: Self Indulgence! This striking quilt started off the year for the ladies at Studio Quilters and pushed us to the limits of our sk...

Celtic Knot

Self Indulgence!


This striking quilt started off the year for the ladies at Studio Quilters and pushed us to the limits of our skill (and patience!) 



Susan did all the preparation and reminded us of the technique for bias appliqué. We got ourselves in knots trying to follow the pattern and most of us took our blocks home to sort them out in the calm of our own sewing rooms!





All of our perseverance paid off though and, soon enough, everyone returned their finished blocks. Susan and Debra then worked together to set them into this beautiful background layout. The narrow white sashing really lifted it. Great job!



Then it was over to me for quilting. After I had stitched in the ditch to stabilise the whole piece, I set about enhancing the individual blocks by stitching around the knots to make them pop. This was slow work as I had to stop and start 13 times in each block. But once that was done, I quickly added ribbon candy in the wider sashing. I love that texture. 


And relax! ...... Having saved the best bit for last, I indulged myself with this continuous feather border.
Susan kindly added a wide border for me to play in!











This was some serious fun!
Once I started this bit, I just couldn't stop. One continuous line, three times round; spine, top and bottom feathers.

















A lovely texture on the back if I do say so myself.


Happy Quilting Everyone - Stay safe and keep cheerful! 
Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving your comments. Please share on Facebook, Pinterest  etc.

Thursday 6 August 2020

Free to Quilt: Inner Circle

Free to Quilt: Inner Circle: Dawn to Dusk It was only yesterday afternoon that Carole M (from Connecting Threads) dropped off this charming little ...

Inner Circle

Dawn to Dusk







It was only yesterday afternoon that Carole M (from Connecting Threads) dropped off this charming little quilt top for me to finish. 








She has wanted to do an Irish Chain for ages, she told me. Although the floral fabric was not one of her favourites; set against the crisp white on white, it looks so fresh and the perfect frame for her delightful appliqué. 





The weather forecast promises another scorcher on Friday, so I was determined to get on with it while the loft was still bearable.


My first task was to stabilise the whole quilt with lots of ruler work in the pieced blocks. Then I could fill in the open spaces with a free motion design. I was in the mood for circles and I mixed up the sizes for a lovely texture. 






Of course, I found room for some feathers around the hearts.



I made good progress yesterday afternoon and set to it first thing this morning. I cracked on all day and finished it in time for tea!












Happy Quilting Everyone - Stay safe and keep cheerful! 
Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving your comments. Please share on Facebook, Pinterest  etc.

Sunday 2 August 2020

Free to Quilt: Continuity

Free to Quilt: Continuity: Too Much Fun! This is officially my favourite way to quilt - free flowing, continuous lines.  Val's lovely fresh aqua a...

Continuity

Too Much Fun!


This is officially my favourite way to quilt - free flowing, continuous lines. 

Val's lovely fresh aqua and yellow quilt was beckoning today, so I braved the heat in the loft. It actually wasn't too bad. I've used this feathered swirl design on a couple of Val's quilts already, but it seems (to me) to really suit this style of patchwork. 


She kindly left me a nice wide, crisp white border to play in! I have worked out how to quilt the whole border all the way round in one continuous line - 

and it really is the most fun!

Earlier in the week, I quilted this beautifully pieced antique looking top made by Margaret (one of the Rayner's Lane ladies). 


It features lovely Civil War style fabrics. 


This quilt demanded a bit more ruler work - Margaret showed me the original quilting design in the magazine article. 





But I put my own interpretation on it -

 for example, substituting ribbon candy for the cross hatching.














The texture looked lovely from the back.










Happy Quilting Everyone - Stay safe and keep cheerful! 
Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving your comments. Please share on Facebook, Pinterest  etc.