Wednesday 30 January 2013

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

Tuesday 22 January 2013

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!

Saturday 19 January 2013

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



Thursday 17 January 2013

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

Thursday 10 January 2013

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