Two more blocks!

Hello

I have finally finished two more blocks, although one of them needs a rethink...

This block has taken me since last August to complete(!), but it is now done and I am very happy with the end result.

This block I am not so happy about - in fact I am very unhappy with it, but decided to post it all the same. It's the one I started over Easter. I angst over the fabric choice for the bowl and it wasn't until I photographed it that I realised that the foot of the bowl a. requires reshaping and b. needs to be straight! I was in too much of a hurry. I am also unhappy with the teal bud - it's the wrong shade. Dear Janers say - "finished is better than perfect", but the bowl needs further thought. I love the fabric, it's a Moda, but it is just not right - the teal background is "muddy" whereas the rest of the quilt is quite bright. I will leave well alone for the time being and then come back to it near the end.

Eight more blocks to go!

Fiona in a sunny Engalnd (for a change!)

Block 11

Block 11

This block seems to have taken me forever and yet it is such a simple one - maybe that's it! I have added a couple of new fabrics to this block - a red from the French General range and a mustard batik, which will add to the collection as I am getting concerned that I will not have enough of the mustard coloured fabrics to complete the blocks and do the vine border, so I am looking forward to seeing the vine pattern this month.

A question about printing

Good morning,

I have just printed off this month's block and in order to do so I had to change the parameters of my priinter as I had just printed off another block of the Maltaville Quilt (I'm on a roll!) and it suddenly occured to me...

What parameters is everyone using to print off the BTCT patterns?

I have been using "fit to page", but with Margaret Mew's instructions for printing off the Maltaville blocks I have to use "None". I have now printed off Block 22 of BTCT using both parameters and there *is* a difference, i.e. those little flowers and circles in this month's blocks are larger!

At the end of the day I suppose it does not matter as long as all the blocks are printed using the same parameters, but interestingly, on my quilt the block on the 2nd row with all the little leaves is larger mainly because I had to use Gay's purchased pattern for that particular block. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will not have to make that one again!, but I think in future I will have to be more aware of the printing parameters.

Two more blocks completed



I have been finishing up some blocks this week and completed two more  for my version of the BTCT quilt. Initially, I was unsure about the fabric I have used for the urn. I felt it was too heavy, but it has all the colours which I am using in the quilt and when I layed the pattern over the top the design fitted just perfectly, so... but all those fingers! This block completes my first row. No photograph though I am afraid as I live in a small cottage and just do not have the floor space, so I'll take the blocks into work next week and take a photo then.

Although I did not enjoy making all those berries (and I have still got to make all those grapes!), I am pleased with the outcome. I particularly like the basket fabric which whilst it looks too contemporary, I think blends in well. It reminds me of some of the fabrics in the Julia Southgate quilt dated about 1807 and in the V & A Museum collection, so many of the fabrics in that quilt you would have thought it had been made in 2007!

I am looking forward to the next block which should be up sometime today or tonight. I am also working on my first wreath for the quilt, so hopefully I will finish stitching it during the week.

Hello and Block 8

Hello, it has been a little while since I last wrote, it's not as if though, I haven't checked the blog regularly. I have had a lot of problems uploading comments with Blogger not allowing me access, but with Sharon's help, I hope that I have now resolved the problem, which I believe many of us have had.



Above is block no. 8. Once I had settled on my fabrics and combinations, which took me an age as I agonised whether to include the cream fabric or not, this block went together quite quickly, although it has taken me nearly a month, but unfortunately, work got in the way. Apologies that the picture is so dark, but I took it early this morning and the sky was very overcast.

Block 9, May's block is now prepped and ready to stitch - 43 berries hmmm.



Two more blocks... done!

It has been some time since I have been able to log on and take a look at everyone's work. There is so much inspiration and talent on this list and I have greatly enjoyed looking back over the last three weeks of entries. I have particularly enjoyed looking at the pictures of quilts nearing completion (well, nearer than mine) - I am just looking forward to finishing a row, although I find it hard to believe that I have now completed 7 blocks so I keep telling myself that that's more than 25% completed LOL!

I stitched the whole of the above block whilst watching the Royal wedding - which was most of the day! I even prepared myself a picnic to watch infront of the TV! But somehow working on this block was very fitting for the day when I discovered the next day the lace around the skirt of HRH Duchess of Cambridge's, which was made at the Royal School of Needlewaork over at Hampton Court Palace, was appliqued onto the dress!

The next block has been "hanging around" for a few weeks and I got it finished last Monday. I am uncertain about one of the fabrics which I am introducing into the quilt for the first time - it seems to dominate mainly because it has some white in the fabric design. I am in two minds as to whether I should remove it?

Well, that's my news. I am two-thirds of the way through another block, so hopefully, I will be able to post that one next weekend.

The Pineapple block

A dose of a heavy cold last week had me staying at home for a couple of days and, with nothing else prepped other than this block, meant it was about time I tackled this block as it has been sitting around since Christmas. I have to say that I enjoyed the challenge of the "fingers". I have never worked with such narrow selvedges, but I am generally pleased with the result. So maybe now I should be tackling those wreaths whilst I am on a roll!

C'est fini... Block 15!

I haven't been around as much as I would have liked these past 2 - 3 weeks, but my work has had to take precedent. I finally finished block 15 early this morning. It took me longer than I would have liked as I had a long period of indecisiveness - the vase was unpicked a couple of times (I am using a cotton sateen as the back ground and started stitching it to the wrong side!), as were the purple side flowers (I tried a chocolate brown fabric and the teal, but came back to the purple) and finally, the flower spray went through several incarnations. But, I am now generally pleased with how it came out although looking at the photograph I can see areas where I need to do better, namely the reverse applique and smoothing some of the edges, but finished is as good as done, so these matters will wait until later.

Block 3 finished!

I am on a roll! I had already prepped this block, so hence the reason why it has only taken me a week to stitch it. I am particularly pleased with the fabric I used for the pot. I still have the dreaded pineapple block on the go, but will spend some time this afternoon preparing another three blocks, so it maybe a couple of weeks before I post the next block.

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions of what vodka could be better used for than taking pencil marks off fabric, you are all after my own heart! and continue to make me smile :-)

For any New Zealander reading this blog today - Kia ora, Happy Waitangi Day!

Block 2 - finally finished!

This block took me longer than I would have liked, but work got in the way! I am not sure about the single strand of thread that I used for the embroidered stems, but the original has just one strand so... I will live with it for a little while and then decide whether I put in a slightly thicker thread.

Some advice please on pencil marks! If you look carefully on the left-hand inside double flowers there are a couple of pencil lines made by mistake. I have used a fabric eraser to remove them, one each side of the side stem, and in truth it is better, but I can still see the lines - does anyone have any "magic" ideas so I can remove them a little more? I have heard about dabbing with vodka, but haven't tried it... yet!

Sharon has asked me to post a link to my blog (http://countrythreads.blogspot.com/), so you can see some more pictures of the quilt. I am a little nervous about this as I do not have permission from Gay to upload my photographs, but I've added a couple more pictures and will in the meantime contact Gay. I am sure it will be fine.

My first block and a "hello!"

Hello everyone! Many thanks to Sharon for allowing me to join the group. I have greatly enjoyed reading all the past blogs. The pictures and posts have been a source of great inspiration to me.

I have a great passion for applique (I loathe piecing!), and love old quilts and reproducing them. I also love chasing down the reproduction fabrics for my quilts, all of which is a bit of an anathema here in the UK! But with this quilt I am exploring new horizons, having been inspired by Edyta Sitar's quilts (Laundry Basket Quilts), where she mixes reproduction fabrics with batiks. Her quilts seem to take on a new dimension. So I decided to take up the challenge with her new fabric range, only problem is I am starting at the beginning where collecting batiks is now the challenge!

Above is my first block and my second should be finished by tonight - if all goes to plan!