Blog Inspiration

Have discovered a new blog that looks ace. Gorgeous quilts, and prolific! Luckily this busy person shares all this quilty goodness with the web, thank you very much! Always good to be inspired :D

http://bendingpins.com/

Looking forward to future posts X

Unlike David Bowie's new song, this one is growing on me

Am working on my latest commission, twin quilts. Two almost identical, but with some artistic licence :)

Suggested block layout, in bad light

Not a palette I would choose for myself, and to start with I found it hard to like the colours, though I really enjoy making star blocks - simple but effective. Slowly, though, the colours are becoming more appealing and soothing. It is good to work out of my usual comfort zone, and the results are worth it. 

I won't sew anything together till I have the two quilts laid out side by side where I can check for block position, but in the meantime I have quite a star production line going on. I find it easier to make half a dozen or so together, then I can batch iron and chain piece. Happy hours!

Game of Thrones Quilt in ALL its glory!

Have some (hundreds) of pics of this beauty:

Game Of Thrones Quilt - finished! WOOHOO!

 This is the finished article, please excuse the light - it is Scotland in January after all. Even at 2 in the afternoon daylight is limited, esp when the day is overshadowed by snow clouds. (Hardly any snow though, a few flakes fell, as if to say 'See this? This is a wee sample of what I'm doing to the South MWAHAHAHA!')

Game of Thrones reverse side - showing quilting

You probably can't see this very well, but the blocks were quilted and the sashings left alone. I don't usually do this but I liked the idea of separating them out this way.

Game of Thrones backing close-up

Game of Thrones backing close-up

Behind the scenes of the photoshoot

I made my Hubby (red jacket) and daughter help me take the photos - Katie was standing on the wall and they were both struggling (Hubby has Post-Viral Chronic Fatigue, but tried manfully, bless, to keep his arms up) when Brian our neighbour rushed over to help - lovely man!

Martell - Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

Arryn - As High as Honour

Greyjoy - We Do Not Sow

Lannister - Hear Me Roar!

Baratheon - Ours Is The Fury

Tyrell - Growing Strong

Tully - Family, Duty. Honour

Targaryen - Fire And Blood

I quilted in the House Mottoes first, then filled in the rest of the block. I tried to keep the quilting sympathetic, although you can't see it as well as I'd like in the pics. The Lannister one has quilted pebbles to represent gold coins; the Greyjoy has waves to represent the sea; Tyrell has flowers; most of the rest are stippled cos you can't go wrong with a good stipple!

A close-up of some of the quilting - I had great fun doing this one :)

You can just make out my wee label in the binding, Handmade By Fankle

I am really chuffed with how it finished. I used a 2" binding rather than my usual 2.5" because the wadding is quite thin. The fabrics were all washed before use (Ha! Not making that mistake again!) and even so, a couple of Colour Catchers were still dark when I took the quilt out of the machine.

The corners mitred beautifully, and I think the sashing really works with the blocks; dots were just right I think - I couldn't find a plain fabric of the right colour that would tie in without being too strong and a patterned one wouldn't have fitted with the rest of the design. I used an applique stitch to edge the designs which were stuck down with craft spray. I thought about needle-turn but the corners were far too intricate for me, but hopefully the stitches won't let it Frey (ha). 

All done. *Happy Sigh.*

Now only 2 more to finish for my other lovely customers.......


But first I think I'll have a wee snack and a read of my book (John Connolly)


Thanks for looking!
         xxxxxx

A finish!

WOOHOO!!!

Game of Thrones is FINISHED!!! It is drying as I type, draped over towels on the spare bed.

There will be pics tomorrow, hopefully loads, when I get to borrow my pal's decent camera.  I did different quilting on the blocks, and it all washed beautifully too.

So will be a big finish with pics tomorrow. I like it loads. I keep going through to the spare room to admire it.

Hope you want to see  it :D

Late, but not never

Do you think the 10th of Jan is a bit too late to wish anyone a Happy New Year?

Well, given that I am never usually on time, in the spirit of better late than never, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now that I have passed that hurdle, I can get on with some crafty news.
Although the blog has been quiet over the festive period, which I think is entirely understandable, the sewing has not stopped, merely taken a brief hiatus. But now, it has got back on track, gathering speed, and was chugging along quite nicely until I realised I have not got any decent orange thread. I wouldnt normally mind, but without a decent thread you cannot quilt, as I have discovered through much trial and lots of error; and this is the LAST QUILTING to be done on my Game of Thrones quilt, so it is pretty darn important, I think!

All but half a block done, have tried a variety of styles appropriate to each block, and I WILL be posting pics of the quilting once it is all done. I should be able to pick some up this afternoon, so hopefully will get to the binding stage tonight - but......as I have a tendency to promise then spectacularly fail to deliver due to circumstances usually outside my control, I shall make no claims, just wishes :)

The commission stars has been temporarily passed on to my pal, who was happy (she claimed!) to make a few squares for me, so that is still moving even if I'm not moving it.

I have also been tempted by lots of lovely new ideas and block designs.


Isn't the new year, and lengthening days, and winter sunlight, a great inspiration? 

X