Around the World Blog Hop

I wish we could just hop across the Atlantic as cheaply and easily as this! I was tagged for this hop by Judy at Quilt Paradigm , whom I met during the Triangle Quilt Along, and she's in  the USA, I believe in Arizona, and I'm in The Netherlands, Europe. I've managed to tag two others, for me much closer to home, but more about them later. First I have to answer some questions.

1. What am I working on?

At present I'm working on a few projects. I've finished three bed quilts and one throw this year:

two patterns from books,

Good Night

Jigsaw 

and two from QALs

Triangle Quilt 

Celtic Solstice

(Click on the captions for a link to the relevant posts.)

They were all destined as presents and I needed to concentrate on getting those done, before working on skill-improvement projects. So now I'm making cushion covers to try my own layout ideas and to practise FMQ on something small; I've had my fill of trying to manage 2kg of quilt going through the throat of my Bernina 440QE. (Bernina call it Quilters' Edition, but in my opinion that's something of a misnomer, the space is far too small.)

First cushion cover: finished 

The next two cushions in the making.

I'm also trying different piecing techniques. So far I've made this sample following a "workshop" in Jean Wells' book "Intuitive Colour .." but it needs to have a border and quilting before I start on the following "workshop".

Experiment in Intuitive Piecing

I already have Ricky Tims' "Convergence Quilts" lined up for a future challenge.

My next start, however, will probably be something for Christmas. I have a charm pack of  "Midwinter Red" bought in a sale in January, and hope to start using it at the beginning of October.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

To start with, my patchwork and quilting doesn't fit into a genre yet because I only started two years ago this week! (I'm not counting my false start at patchwork when I was nine years old and vowed never again! or the quilt for my granddaughter's crib, that was started nine years ago and took 5 years to make!). I consider myself to be searching, finding my way, discovering new forms, and accepting new challenges. Just like I have rarely read the same novel more than once (exception: Pride and Prejudice: six times!) I doubt I will ever repeat a quilt. Life is too short.

8 August 2012 was a turning point in my sewing experience when I followed a workshop in my LQS, Quilters Palet, in The Hague, where I made this:

ragtime

(or at least started it. I was painfully slow at cutting and had never heard of chain piecing.)
and another workshop, where I made this:

purple stars

and that winter followed the beginner's patchwork course (nine lessons) and made this:

Green Sampler

Also two quilting courses one for machine and one for hand quilting that same winter, which enabled me to quilt the green sampler in both techniques.

hand appliquéd EPP and, hand quilted

machine pieced,
machine quilted in the ditch
and hand quilted in the centre unit.

So far these seem to fall into a traditional style. Is this a 19th century genre? Please don't label me!
Perhaps it's because I'm a teacher that I'm nervous of autodidactic. I had to be taught the basic skills. I don't want to invent the wheel, but I do aim at modifying it!

A quilt to cover the long thin window in our front door was next on the list. I thought it should be double sided:

from the outside

so people waiting outside had something to look at. Unfortunately, although the rows on both sides are the same height (the geese are 3" high) they don't match perfectly so from the inside we have an unusual stained-glass effect!

Double Vision!
Friendship Stars on the inside and Flying Geese on the outside shining through

This was my first attempt at making something on my own: no teacher, no pattern other than the traditional blocks.

Since last August I have been on a two day fabric-dying retreat, but haven't used any of the fabric yet. I have done workshops in thumb-quilting and FMQ and I have challenged myself severely by taking part in Bonnie Hunter's Celtic solstice mystery quilt along (photo above). Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread! I underestimated the speed at which she expected people to work. I just about managed to keep up, but almost missed Christmas in my single-minded patchworking! (Good job I didn't need to work for nearly two weeks). It may seem odd, but in the last six months I've made so many HSTs that I'm almost perfect! A hurdle overcome: now just join them all up perfectly! Compare the points in the Green Sampler with those in the Jigsaw, or Triangle Quilt and I think there's hope for me yet!

I'm also participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge hosted by Angela at SoScrappy. I was so hooked by the word "rainbow", that I overlooked the "scrappy", so jumped in with only a 2 litre box of scraps to my name. Ha ha; I've been buying "scraps" (alias fat quarters) all year! At one stage I thought of using my self-dyed fabric for this, but decided I wanted to save it for something over which I had more control.

RSC January to June line up

OK, maybe now I've moved forward into modern traditional? Traditional blocks, modern fabrics. But genre isn't important at the moment: for me it's all about challenging myself to try new things and to perfect my existing skills. Who knows what I'll be doing a year from now?

Back to the original question: how does my work differ from others in its genre? It doesn't, except it was made by me, and I'm not others!

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

I write about my quilting experience to have a record of what I'm doing, but I've only been blogging since December last year. I started so I could join the link ups around the Celtic Solstice project and ask questions to other quilters. I unashamedly pick the brains of other blogging quilters, and will give my opinion, for what it's worth, when asked. Never (I hope) when not asked; I'm a teacher, remember, and we are a group prone to holding opinions!

Quilting is for me the last in a long line of handicrafts: knitting, embroidery, crochet, dressmaking, spinning, weaving, lace making (yes, really) in that order. Even though they're all different they're all textiles, and I've always wanted to create an eclectic project, combining several of the skills.

I learnt many years ago that all artists and crafts(wo)men have to learn their skills before they can branch out on their own and, in the case of artists, develop a genre. Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondriaan spring to mind. Until now I've been developing skills and pushing myself further: finding challenges, and I expect that to continue till I drop. I have been collecting patterns online from everywhere, but have the most quilting satisfaction in creating my own layout, like the window hanging or the cushions.

I don't consider myself an artist, but aim on being a good craftswoman in whatever field.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

Both my writing and my patchwork and quilting processes are planned, with pauses for deliberation between times. Professionally I write concisely, and think sometimes my blog comes across as rather terse. I like to plan and to finish a project before starting the next, but sometimes fate conspires otherwise: someone really needs a quilt, or a workshop comes up which I really want to follow, both of which have resulted in current projects being put on the back burner.

Toadstool mini quilt,
workshop project.
Planned, but not by me.
After nearly a year: not a priority.
Is it a WIP or  is it a UFO?

However, looking back over the past few months I see a development away from the planned and into the experimental influenced by what I see online, especially Victoria Finlay-Wolfe's "playing", and LeeAnna's use of colour.

I'm moving away too from civil war reproduction fabrics and traditional layouts, and towards modern fabrics, again influenced by all the fabulously creative people out there  in the wide world of blogland.

I would like to introduce you

to two quilting bloggers who will be continuing the hop next week.
Firstly to Ruth of  Charly's and Ben's Crafty Corner who is an active member of the Irish Modern Quilt Guild, but not only creative with needle and thread, but also with lenses and shutter speeds, and probably much more besides.
Secondly to Gina, The Occasional Quilter, who lives in Wales and whom I met through the RSC. She is a real planner: she decided in January exactly how she would tackle the rainbow quilt and so far has stuck to her plan. I expect she will reach her goal by 1 January 2015, but I'll let her tell you about that and much more, next week.

I'm linking up to

       

So head over there now to see what else is happening among quilters and other needle and thread addicts.

Happy Sewing

Marly.

Jigsaw Quilt finished!

I joined the Finish Along at The Littlest Thistle for the second quarter in 2014 and my list of projected finishes is here. This is my second finish.

In this quilt I finally beat the HST. Half Square Triangles had to be accurate; no fudging possible!

Jigsaw Quilt:

Pattern: Jigsaw Quilt by Pam and Nicky Lintott from "Two From One Jelly Roll Quilts"

Top fabric: : Bella Solid Sand and "Metropolitan Fair" by Barbara Brackman, both from Moda

Backing fabric: : "Prairie Rose" by Sue Daley Designs for Riley Blake Designs

The block is simple: one large and five small HSTs, made from 2.5" strips so each small HST measures 2 by 2"

Before washing

In the photo below the block construction shows up more clearly. The large print triangles were cut from two strip-pieced jelly roll strips of the same colour; the solid triangles from a 4.5" strip. I cut all the triangles, large and small, using my Omnigrid 96 ruler from paired strips - one solid, one print - lying right sides together.

Before washing: quilting detail
(bindweed!)

I got rather carried away and made one block too many! Now I have a themed label.

I stitched the information on the label by machine having reinforced the back of that piece with fusible Vlieseline H180. I stitched the label on after quilting and together with the binding, but I think next time I make such a large label I'll appliqué it before quilting. Such a large overall quilting design wouldn't make the label illegible; it would hold it in place better.

After washing: label

This is my second finish for the second quarter:

As far as the Finish Along goes, I'm behind schedule. It's time to move on to putting the borders onto Celtic Solstice and getting the quilting done. 

I'm linking up to:

so hop over there to see what other people have finished this week.

This is my second finish in Q2 of Finish Along.

At the end of the second quarter I'm linking my finishes to Katy at the Littlest Thistle. Click on the logo above to view other participants' finishes.

Happy Sewing

Marly.

WIP Wednesday - Jigsaw Quilt

This quilt has been on the go for a couple of months, and I've been plucking up courage to quilt it. Finally I took my courage in both hands, fitted the BSR to the Bernina 440, put on my quilting gloves and covered the quilt in bindweed. Unfortunately it's too dark now to take a photo close up. Even though there is another couple of hours before sunset, it's dark and dreary; it's been raining all day and is still completely overcast. That's also the reason it's a bit out of focus top right: I obviously can't hold the camera steady for 2.5 seconds - it seemed like forever.

Jigsaw Quilt
pattern: Pam & Nikki Lintott
fabric: Metropolitan Fair by Barbara Brackman for Moda.

Well the motif is leaves on a vine, but the leaves look like bindweed. (When I had a garden bindweed was the bane of my life. I seemed to be forever digging it out.) I was hoping to do dot to dot quilting on this one, but my results are too erratic at the moment. I need more practice.

I'm now heading off to the sewing corner to quilt in the ditch along the border and add tram rail quilting along the border - with the walking foot. Hopefully I'll be ready to put the binding on tomorrow and get a Friday finish.

I'm linking up to 

    

so pop over there and see what others are working on this week.

Happy sewing

Marly.

Finish along Q2

In an effort to prioritise my projects I'm participating in the finish along hosted by Katy at The Littlest Thistle.

I think finishing the following 5 projects should be feasible

1. Triangle quilt:

I'm participating in the quilt along hosted by the Sassy Quilter, but making a single-bed sized quilt. I have just under 500 triangles cut. I was late starting sewing because I wasn't able to buy more fabric until Saturday but I'm hoping to catch up this week and, if I keep on schedule, should be finished by the end of April .

2. Jigsaw quilt: 

Jigsaw quilt pattern by Pam & Nicky Lintott
from Two From One Jelly Roll Quilts
in Mmeropolitan Fair by Barbara Beckman for Moda

The top is finished, I have the wadding, but I still need to get backing fabric. I forgot to buy some when I was at the quilt show last weekend. This should be finished in May.

3. Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter Mystery December 2013): 

The top is in four pieces (hence the labels), joined in rows, and has been since the second week in January! To make it ready for quilt-as-you go I just have to join the rows (at present they're webbed). I have both wadding and backing fabric. The problem is I now wonder if I could maybe quilt the whole single bed sized quilt in one go on my Bernina 440QE. Quilting the entire quilt in one go would enable me to try some more interesting quilting, maybe emphasizing the circles. This has to be decided and done, I hope before the end of June.

4. Cardigan

Back and both fronts and hopefully enough wool for both sleeves.
otherwise they'll have to be 3/4 sleeves.

which I started a couple of years ago, before Carpal Tunnel Syndrome forced me to stop knitting. When you can't knit one needle in one go, you know it's time to stop. After operations on both wrists last year I'm going to pick it up again. Now, where was I ...?



5. Toadstool House mini quilt:

I started this in a workshop on using the Apliquick: it was the piece for the workshop, but to be honest, it's not my thing. This is the first time I've started something and really lost interest very quickly. It's such a small thing, and most of it is cut and ready to appliqué, but until a few moments ago I was seriously considering scrapping it al together. But I don't like giving up, so here it is. This is going to be a real challenge to finish. Meanwhile I can be thinking what I'm going to do with it. Any ideas?

Happy sewing and fortuitous finishes

Marly.

Work in Progress on the Design Wall

Monday:

My Jigsaw quilt centre is finished. I'm working on the pieced inner border.

Jigsaw Quilt from Two from One Jelly Roll Quilts by Pam and Nicky Lintott, made in "Metropolitan Fair" by Barbara Brackman for Moda

I love this pattern, and so far it has all gone together very smoothly. I think I shall be making another one soon, but in softer fabrics.

Update Wednesday:

Now the top is finished and it's off the wall and waiting for me to get some backing fabric. Meanwhile I have other projects to keep me occupied.

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday,

with Stitch by Stitch for Anything goes Monday,

  with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.
and with Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social

Happy Sewing

Marly.

Wednesday current progress

The Jigsaw Quilt is progressing well. 

Blocks 20 and 21 laid out ready to sew.

All subunits have been made, and after these two there are only eight more blocks to finish.

I'm linking up today to Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednsday

and to Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social.

So please join us and see what other quilters are doing this week.

Happy sewing

Marly.

Work in Progress on the Design Wall

There are three projects on my wall this morning.

Emma stars, Jigsaw Quilt and teal blocks

Firstly, all those stars: here are thirty four of the required thirty six for the penultimate border of the Emma Quilt (last year's BO2M in the Dutch patchwork magazine "Quilt & Zo".



And here are the other two: the EPP finished yesterday evening, and now stuck onto their background squares ready to be appliquéd this evening.


I shall probably start arranging the blocks later, to give myself a break from the sewing machine, and I expect to be able to sew them all together and add the border this week, and also start on the EPP for the next border.




Secondly, on the wall (bottom left) are two teal blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2014. Not much done on that last week I'm afraid.

Thirdly, there are six blocks for my Jigsaw Quilt from this book made in "Metropolitan Fair" by Barbara Brackman for Moda.
Two more blocks are partly pieced on the cutting mat, and the pieces for the rest are in plastic bags on the sewing table. I'm now going to get cutting all the remaining small HSTs - the large ones are all done - and get sewing.

I'm linking up to 

Stitch by Stitch for Anything Goes Mondays
and Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday

so hop over there and take a look 

at what is keeping some other quilters occupied this week.

Happy Sewing

Marly.

WIP Wednesday

I'm turning this:

Metropolitain Fair Jelly Roll

into this:

Jigsaw Quilt block

I started cutting this morning and am about to finish putting the first block together. The next 3 are partially made too.

It's the Jigsaw Quilt from this book made in Metropolitan Fair by Barbara Brackman for Moda.

I'm linking to Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday, and to Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social. Go and have a look at what some others are working on at the moment.

Happy sewing

Marly.