It’s been a few months since my last quilty update and so, it’s time for another update. If you remember I posted my quilt plans for the year in February, and it’s been useful and helped me not add too many more things to my list, despite a visit to the Festival of Quilts in August!
The ‘stretch project’ I set myself is still the main focus, as now I don’t want to not do that. But it’s not just that project in this update.
So how am I doing?
1 The teal flying geese
I’ve still not started this one, and I’m wondering if I will get to this one this year. I’m still debating whether or not to postpone this one until next year, or wondering if I could spend an afternoon getting started. But then again, maybe I should spend that time finishing some of the things I’ve started, or the other non-quilt projects on my list!
2 The mystery block a month
Progress on this one remains steady, and I think that’s mostly because it’s linked to the ‘stretch project’. I’m almost back on my slightly relaxed track with this one, which is great news. Since the last update I’ve shared the following monthly blocks:
I’ve also laid the blocks out partly to see what they look like together, but mostly to check I’ve got the right greens in the right place - and I have, so far, phew!
And while this looks good, I don’t think this will be exactly how it ends up as I suspect, looking at Sherri’s other quilts, that there will be sashing (or borders) in between each block, and so that will give me more decisions to make when the time comes!
I hope to share the August block later this week, or early next week - which definitely takes me back on track, not that I’ve started sewing it yet of course!
3 The jeans and pyjamas
Nothing to see here, and no updates either. I still think this one will happen this year though.
4 The Essex linen kisses
There has been a spurt of progress since the last update, and the quilt top is together.
And it’s looking fab.
Since my last update I’ve sewn all the blocks together, added sashing in between the blocks with pops of corresponding colour by the crosses. I also decided I wanted to add more borders, and just about had enough material left to add a narrow border following the colour wash across the blanket.
Then I added a final glittery gold/charcoal border, and considered the backing fabric and binding. I’ve bought some gold bias binding which I’ll use to finish off the quilt, but the backing fabric was more problematic. I saw a beautiful ochre colour material, and ordered that - but when it arrived it wasn’t right for this quilt, even though it was lovely. I realised the backing needs to be bright to really work, and so ordered some bright orange and bright green fabrics when they were on sale, and typically these both work!
Now I can’t choose which I prefer. I like the orange, but I think the green may work better as this blanket’s purpose is a picnic blanket - my thinking is that any grass stains will show less on the green! I’m forever practical.
Actually I think that’s my decision, so you never know that may even be the prompt for me to pick this up again. Keep on watching this space.
5 My floral fancy
No update here either, but in my defence at the start of October I’ve got a day’s training on my new Bernina machine at their London HQ, so I’m hoping that I will gleam knowledge, or at least know how from there, and that that will help!
6 My English Paper Piecing (EPP) blue diamonds
I have made progress here, it’s been just the thing to pick up on those warm summer days in the garden. I’ve even cut into the vintage tablecloth, and while it was never going to be a heartbreak thing for me, I did have a bit of a ‘should I be doing this’ little wobble.
But I pressed on as I wanted to free up more of the small diamond templates, as my pile of green and blue blocks are growing more quickly than I have free templates. MOH suggested I just bought some more, but I have them - they’re just covered in fabric, and freeing them gees me along on this project.
I think it’s going to work out pretty well too, though now I think I may need an additional fabric for the larger diamonds, but we’ll see.
And the ‘stretch’ project
My quilting timetable is still very much dominated by this project, and it’s still delivering the results. Since my last update I’ve completed the following quilts to be donated to charity:
Which makes nine completed quilts, all of which are photographed below and have been donated to the Mansfield Project Linus Coordinator.
I was able to donate these at the same time as attending a ‘Project Linus Sewing Day’ with a new-to-me patchwork group. I went along to their day to find out more about the group, take part in the day and to take these quilts along with me to donate.
Of course I started, but didn’t quite finish, another quilt on the day so I spent a short amount of time finishing this baby quilt the next day, so it’s ready for the next patchwork group meeting. It’s not my usual style of quilt, but all the materials were provided by the charity and all I needed to do was sew.
I’ve still more to come on this stretch project, and hopefully at least some of the other projects too. I’ll share how I get on later in the year, and with the summer days moving behind us I’m hoping for many more sewing room days, which will definitely help!
