Free to Quilt: Bright Start

Free to Quilt: Bright Start: First Off The Frame!  It doesn't get much brighter than this! It was a race to see whose quilt arrived first and Rose won. She warned me...

Bright Start

First Off The Frame! 

It doesn't get much brighter than this! It was a race to see whose quilt arrived first and Rose won. She warned me I would need sunglasses and she was right. 

A big bold Kaffe Fassett creation with such contrasting colours it made my eyes go funny. True to form, Rose had exceeded my previous size constraints, and suggested I could cut it down if necessary. Little did she know I now had my frame at full width and her quilt was to be my inaugural challenge. The pattern was so busy that I felt an all over texture would be the best treatment. This seemingly simple design takes a bit of concentration but was just the effect I wanted.

Next up was the much anticipated 'Hunter's Star' - a group effort from Studio Quiters, ably finished off by Val.

In the past I have sometimes whinged about green quilts being a bit dull and dreary. But this was a real relief after all that orange. Look how crisp it looks laid out on the frame. 

I gave this the full ruler treatment with matching motifs in each half of the blocks. 

And wishbones along the flying geese border.

I clocked up more than 16 hours and I'm very happy how it turned out. 

Such beautiful piecing - well done ladies!

 Then another Kaffe Fassett (this time for Gail). But I had terrible bobbin tension issues with this one and it went horribly wrong. I ended up unpicking the whole quilt (which took four days) and starting from scratch with an all over feather. 

Here's how it turned out, from the back. 

Much better!

 

A little light relief turned up in the form of this delightful lap quilt pieced by Jean S. Quite simple to quilt but such fun! 

Phew - So much to do! Having started to draft this blog in early March, I had no time to finish it, as I ploughed on with the next beautiful top on my pile.

 This was the first of two from Jackie.  

She was keen to get it back in time for her friend's 80th birthday. 

There was a lot of open space for me to fill in and I really went to town on it. 

More than 30 hours but well worth the effort and I'm really pleased with it. 

Then I absolutely had to divert my attention to making roman blinds to match the made to measure curtains I had ordered for the sitting room, as they were suddenly ready and due to arrive. They were literally on the doorstep before I had chance to start. Having ordered extra fabric for the blinds, which had arrived a month earlier, I was astonished to find a bag of excess fabric which came with the curtains. 

Even more astonishingly, there was enough yardage to make both of the blinds. Here's how it turned out. (Shed in the background since demolished to make way for a new one). The curtains were made by a local firm and were beautifully done. It took us most of a day to hang them and 'dress' them. While they were still tied up for the recommended 48 hours, I cracked on and got the blinds made and hung. (Now I need to make cushions before the sofas arrive!)

So at last, I have just finished Jackie's second quilt. Again with the Kaffe Fassett! - but in less gaudy blues and greens. 

Now I am (almost) up to date, having gone full circle to start on another big one from Rose!

Happy Quilting Everyone - Stay safe and keep cheerful! 

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