So I'm on my own with the boys till early next week - I may not have time for much blogging, especially as F's borrowed my camera (his is a chunky DSLR, mine fits happily in a jeans pocket) - I'm already feeling a bit lost without it! It's going to be a busy few days, the boys will miss their Daddy and the evenings will feel very quiet - a good time to get the sewing machine out. I have just invested in a cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter so that I can cut fabric for patchwork more accurately (I'm always a bit ashamed of the insides of my cushion covers!).
Here's a few projects that I've seen on Pinterest lately that I find inspiring; I think I could manage something along these kinds of reasonably simple geometric lines.
well what do you know, it's a rainbow....
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| block by Platty 82 via Flickr |
love the yellow among the blues....
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| by Manda McGrory of Treefall Design |
plains and patterns, squares and triangles....
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| by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts in Australia, inspired by a tray designed by Maria Holmer Dhalgren |
Now this is the kind of thing I aspire to in my dreams...it's by Lu Summers of Summersville, and I wish I had a 100th of her talent and discipline, it's so fabulous!
What I have noticed is that most of the quilts that I really like are made up of all or predominantly plain fabrics. And most of my fabric is really not what you could call plain. So thank goodness for the ever wonderful Jane Foster, for showing me how to make vintage patterns work in a patchwork project!
So I plan to start simple, use a mix of plains (if I can find any!) and patterns, and I think the time may have come to try something a bit bigger than a cushion cover....wish me luck!
Rachel x
Oh yes.. good luck! I wish I could quilt. I might have to learn. Love Jane's and Lu's - so special. x
ReplyDeleteI've never tried actual quilting, I think I might need to get a different foot for my sewing machine (don't you just love how I sound like I know what I'm talking about? haven't a clue, have never changed the foot!) I'll start by sewing all the bits for the top together and figure out what to do with them later! x
DeleteThey are gorgeous. Good luck with that little project! x
ReplyDeleteKnowing me Jen it'll be a long time in the planning stages, and then probably have a few pauses in the construction phase... fingers crossed one day I'll finish it! But hey, maybe this project will be different?! x
DeleteOh good luck- I am sure you will get there. Lovely images! I still haven't ventured onto Pinterest- I think I may spend hours there! Jx
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo, I just need to get a load of fabric out and start getting excited about how lovely it all is - didn't happen tonight, will try harder tomorrow! Pinterest is great but it is a total time sponge. I don't even know how many pins I've got on there but I have come across some great stuff, including lovely ideas of craft stuff to do with kids, so I don't feel too guilty about it! x
DeleteI usually get 3 - 4 weeks on my lonesome when my hubby goes back to England every year, I start off hating it and by the end I'm quite liking it! Is that bad???
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the quilting, I made a kiddie quit ages ago and didn't use a special foot, I think it's called 'stitch in the ditch' - the line where the fabrics are joined (they were squares so pretty easy). I love the second to last quilt, it is beautiful! Makes me want to get back to the one I started a while back, but I'm being good and trying to get one project finished and then move on to the next...
Have fun
Jo :)
I think I'm going the other way Jo, enjoying the novelty of it at the mo but will be missing him loads in a couple of days! Didn't sleep very well last night though, did feel weird him not being here.
DeleteI like the sound of 'stitch in the ditch'! I've got a friend who makes lovely patchwork blankets with no batting inside, she just uses cheap Ikea fleece blankets for the back so they're thick enough to be snuggly, and uses squares of gorgeous vintage fabrics for the top...think I'm going to try that for this project - the simpler I keep it the more likely it'll get finished! x
great plan. look forward to seeing what you come up with. hang in there these few days, hope you get through it relatively unscathed! it's a very good thing you're doing. and maybe one day you can get away for a couple of days too. x
ReplyDeleteThanks Fran, going pretty well so far, baked some muffins earlier and have kept every empty cardboard box for the last week or so - Max loves junk modelling so that should keep him entertained for a while.
DeleteI have had some interesting reactions from friends about Frank going away, some people think I must be resentful or cross about it, but I do really think it's important to remember that just because we're a couple doesn't mean we should do everything together! He works really hard and it's good to spend time apart sometimes, it makes me appreciate him all the more when I realise how much I miss him. I'm planning a weekend away later this year with a few friends, we'll be staying in a house with a hot tub in the New Forest - so I'll get my time off then! x
I love the patchwork duvet cover! I could do with one of those for my campervan :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it lovely? I think it might be a quilt on top of a duvet, but it wouldn't be hard to do a patchwork duvet cover at all, as you wouldn't need to quilt it. Watch this space, if I get good at it I'll start taking big commissions! :)
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