Saturday Finish

On Saturday I sewed the last few stitches of the binding down on my 77" square Leafy Mystery which grew out of  the project I set for the U3A members. I wanted to use up this set of fabric which I bought at Chilford years ago (the barn burnt down in 2012) and make a bigger version. It's quite grungy but now it's done I do quite like its muted quality and Maggie's quilting lifts it into another sphere. One photo shows the fabric more and the other the quilting.

Day 58: VE Day

Out with the socially distanced neighbours

and their patriotic pooches.

Friday was Day 58 of our lockdown but VE day marked an end to five years of war's shadow so the rejoicing of many must have been immense. My father was in Germany and my mother had to bring up my brother on her own. When a neighbour banged on her door to announce "Th' war's over, Jenny" it was a case of abandoned child in bed and "up the street" for a night of revelry and rejoicing; pubs opened (not for my Methodist mum!), a band appeared and there was revelry and dancing. And my brother remains unscathed to this day. For some families any joy was tinged with greater sadness. My mother lost two cousins, both only sons and one an only child. Furthermore as I grew up I was aware that some of my local friends' fathers had been captured by the Japanese and suffered terribly. So Day 58 is not too bad under the circumstances. We marked the day by a two minute silence in the road and at six a socially distanced drinks party also in the road - our neighbour parked his car across! We zoomed with our family at three and listened to Churchill's speech later along with the Queen and other programmes marking the event.
It was a glorious hot day so I lunched and sat outside but early in the morning  finished the last set of logs and in the hottest part of the afternoon laid them out as best I could and numbered them. It's very ho hum and rather than putting every fabric in every placement  it might have been better to have attempted shading from light to dark. Too late now.

Coming down the stairs

Laid out and numbered

Nearing the finish

I did two stints of 15 blocks which together with my tryout block and the ten on the first day comes to 41 leaving 9 to do. I set out to complete these this afternoon but haven't added the last round, partly because I had to do more cutting out and I've been sitting outside on this lovely warm day and also because I didn't want to rush meal making. And I've allowed time for G & T today.

Yesterday's stint

And on another note it was bed changing and quilt changeover today

Lockdown Logs

First round laid out

Yesterday I amended the block from the weekend and set myself to make ten more, laying out each round. 
On automatic pilot I realised I had added the third strip in the usual way on the third side so I had ten pieces to unpick.

Wrong, right ready to attach, done.

Despite the delay I easily completed the ten in my usual afternoon sewing session so today I'll aim for 15. I need 50 in all.

The afternoon stint

Testing Testing

Before embarking on lots of cutting I made a test block. It's a good thing I did because I cut strips 7.5" for the last two rounds instead of 8".

Initial choice

I had also chosen a long hoarded wodge of fabric for the corner squares. However it did look very white in my practice block so I cut a 3.25 square from some fabric bought while on retreat and laid it on top. I decided to go with that. I'll unpick and replace the original.

I prefer this one

Both fabrics

This is going to be a very blurry murky quilt.

Day 53

Celestial Timepiece 77.5" x 81.5"

I realise I have been remiss with blogging but busy with sewing. On an evening last week I put in the last stitch of hand quilting on my Celestial Timepiece. I've decided to call it that not only because it has many star blocks but because it is a distillation of my love of patchwork and quilting and is rooted in my first lessons in piecing. It is the one quilt I shall ask my daughter not to let go and pass on though the female line. Since taking this photo I've added binding and it's gone to the bottom of the binding pile. That way it will be number 200 on my list when finished..

Labels: I usually try to include lines of poetry or a quote.

Bernina 570

Having got 5 quilts awaiting hand sewing binding down I now needed to make labels. My Bernina 570 has been on my conscience. I seemed to have problems at the outset and although it did lovely alphabet stitching I found the manipulation of words and letters difficult. I've been meaning to get  the machine out since going on the Bernina course last March. I made labels referring to not one but two sections of the manual. Yay! it's much easier to use and not make mistakes than my Janome.

So that's where my blues went.

Favourite side minus detritus

Reverse

I have a reversible runner on the chest at the side of my bed and it gets dusty so in Lockdown non-regular household jobs mode I removed the detritus off to wash it. Looking within I found long ago piles of fabric from my early quiltmaking days. I succumbed and took out this pile which was old fashioned when I bought it and is even more so now and not very good quality either. There was a pattern with it and in my present gungho mood I was off, cutting pieces and making a trial block- I plan 50 9" squares to be set on point.

Pattern and my diagram

Masses of fabric: tasteful right?

Best Laid plans

. . . go astray.
It was two or three years ago now that Bonnie Quilters made a sampler quilt. I made two sets of blocks. The traditional blue and white one "My Bonnie Blues"  (seen here )was  finished last year but the modernish blocks which I have been hesitant about because I like them so much (go figure) have been waiting in the wings. 

I had always planned to use this lovely grey fabric to sash them but on laying them out the effect is underwhelming. I asked my husband for a second opinion and he said "I see what you mean". So my idea of a tasteful refined sampler go out of the window as I haven't anything else and refuse absolutely to countenance white. So I shall cut framing strips for each block and go for a mishmash.

Finishing the chequerboard quilt

Machine quilting this wasn't hard as I didn't need to turn it, just sew from one side to the other,first vertically on either side of the block seams and centre block seams then horizontally though the two inner block seams. I use a big stitch and reduced tension and foot pressure. I was very anxious after the first few inches but in my present gungho approach carried on regardless. The wide Janome walking foot makes for a good width away. I'm pleased with the result. I used the backing trimmings to make a facing and added to the pile of quilts awaiting hand sewing to finish.

Quilting

Facing
I used a skirt waistband approach for the first time which makes for neater corners. I referred to an Elm Street Quilts Blog tutorial.

The pile

Chequerboard

Yesterday I embarked on quilting the chequerboard quilt. I never look forward to quilting but I found myself enjoying doing the Mad March Hare quilt and started on Chequerboard while the iron was hot.

Ready to start

Doing the verticals

Mad March Hare quilt

Stymied temporarily on my illusion quilt while I await fresh fabric supplies and reconcile myself to substituting on three rows, I resolved to get to grips with quilting the Mad March Hare quilt. The hardest part is deciding what to do. Constrained by lack of ability and wish not to spend too much time (piecing is my thing), I only aspire to utility quilting.

Block cross hatching completed and sashing marked with soap.

For this one I located some variegated thread suitable for the multi-coloured blocks and quilted diagonally across each turning the quilt and back tracking along the edge to the next diagonal starting point. Normally I would then stitch in the ditch along the sashing; this time I switched to a self coloured thread and quilted up and down crisscrossing the sashing, vertical rows first, then horizontal travelling from one to the other sashing oblong along the side of the sashing post. When all complete the pieced sashing posts were quilted on all four sides.

Sashing oblongs done

Interesting shapes emerged: stars, octagons and oddly shaped diamonds.

Woven check backing wide enough not to need joining, a nice surprise.

I remembered the binding I had made at the outset in the sashing fabric and found it easily too!
The lines were marked with sliver of soap.
I am quite pleased and now onto the chequerboard.
Though perhaps I might make some face masks as there are murmurings about making these mandatory (although none are to had!). I hate anything over my face.  And I'm hopeless at this sort of sewing partly because I hate it.

New project

I have a cupboard full of UFOs, planned projects and abandoned bits and pieces but am I working on any of them? No. Instead I've embarked on my third new start, a Christaquilts pattern based on an optical illusion called Cafe Walls. The pieces are quite big, 5" finished, so I hope to make a good sized quilt, a keeper as I've used treasured Carolyn Friedlander fabric. I may have to order more of the brown. 

No illusion as yet

I have set up in the spare bedroom piecing on a Bernina so I can put my Janome into the table insert in my sewing room to machine quilt the first two starts.

In the spare bedroom

Sewin Room

Flowery Mystery

Yesterday evening, Easter Sunday, I completed sewing down the Flowery Mystery facings.  Mystery instructions start  here on the 7th November blog post. The design is more subtle than first appears and the clues have everybody foxed.

The pieced back.
I used Stitch 19 on my Janome for the quilting. It undulates.

58 x 74.5"

Close up
I shall sell it and if not donate it.

Easter Sunday

Lots of windows display children's drawings of  rainbows. I notice quilting friends have made super strip pieced ones with lots of bright fabrics. Mine is very rough and ready. I tried out a new binding method spectacularly unsuccessfully and left in the freezer paper behind the indigo arc but it will do for its temporary purpose. We shall re-emerge. Our world will be different and feel different, less safe. But "When I behold .  " . .

Easter

I am still proceeding with my quilting. The end of my hand quilting project is in sight. I need to start thinking about making another project, a keeper, worthy of hand quilting. Probably my modern sampler.

Flowery mystery, not quite finished

Meanwhile yesterday I spray sandwiched the Cherrywood tops, both with woven check backings. During the week I quilted the flowery sample mystery with an undulating stitch and added facing. I just have one side to stitch down along with bindings on my Siblings Together quilt and the Leafy Mystery. Hmm that's enough hand sewing to be going on with.  When the weather turns on Monday I'll start something new, a pattern I bought at QuiltCon though I had already stuck a picture of something similar in my book as something to try to work out. It's an optical illusion as in straight lines appearing as curved.
I might have two machines set up in separate rooms, one for the new project and one for quilting my Cherrywood quilts which are to be sales or donations.
In the meantime . .

Changed the bed

Sheep by Gail Lawther

Mice from my daughter

Clever sheep: Gail made this to order.
It's one of her New Zealand inspired pieces.

Autumn Mystery

I have had these fabrics for a long time and I thought I would use them up in a larger version of the U3A mystery quilt. They are very murky but Maggie's lovely longarm quilting  has transformed it somewhat I think I'll keep it for the time being.

Last night we held our Book Group meeting on Zoom; it was so wonderful to see members' familiar faces. We didn't start till 8.05 to allow for the clap. We go to our doors and clap in appreciation of health service workers and get to know our neighbours are there - a lovely moment of solidarity. Also yesterday we put thank you messages on our bins which were out for collection. A true day of thanksgiving.

Hiatus

Seen on our walk around the neighbourhood this helpful installation. I've learnt he is called Mr (Last) Straw.

I completed the second Cherrywood top, my mad March Hare.The sashing far from calming things down is very much in your face. I cut it out before making the blocks so I was committed. If I had auditioned possibilities I might have made a different choice. But now I am warming to it. Along with the Chequerboard it will be given or sold.

Before

When I laid it out there was a jarring note. Feeling virtuous I replaced the wrongly sited sashing post.

After

Now I might get on with some finishing off some projects. A hiatus in my feverish piecing session.