Granny Square Day 2018

It was Granny Square Day on the 15th August so it would have been churlish not to take part.

A bit different from the regular Granny Square - just wanted to try this out for future reference.

Also at the same time I made some more crochet covers for some pebbles which are now out in our garden among the gravel so it will be interesting to see how they weather.

Denim Jacket completed!

The final panel on the back of my denim jacket is finished!

As I mentioned earlier this month, I let my four grandchildren design their own heart using images and words of the things they love and are important to them.  They also got to choose their own colour scheme and I have to say they all made a great job of it.  I only had to get creative fitting in all their designs in to the space.

And this what all the designs look like when put together - modelled by Hope.

I'm going to feel a bit bereft now it's finished so busy planning my next project!

Journal Quilt - Green and Blue

For the August Journal Quilt, I used green and blue fabrics from my stash of hand dyed fabrics.   Some I printed on the gelli plate using a stencil which had some text.   It was one of those occasions when one print was enough - the colours and the print looked so good I was reluctant to do further prints in case it was ruined.

For the log cabin part, I started with a Courthouse Steps design which had a larger than normal centre as I then cut the finished panel into four, rearranged the pieces so the centres were in the corners and then reassembled them.

The centre 'cross', which was the gelli printed fabric, was machine quilted along with 'in the ditch' for the other rounds.   For a change I bound each edge separately so I could have different colours.

I know it doesn't show in the photo, but the sizing of this quilt went horribly wrong!   I started by drawing it out on paper, cutting it up to see what it looked like and to help with the colour placing.  I then diligently added all the seam allowances, including those needed for the reassembling, but somehow or other it did not work out!    I managed to tweak it as far as I could but the long side is more 8.1/2" instead of 9".   Never mind, if at any stage they go for exhibition, I won't include this one which after all has been said, is one of my favourites this year.

Denim Jacket - The home run

I've added a small panel of stitching to my denim jacket which now leaves just one more to do.

I recently bought Joyful Stitching by Laura Wasilowski, a textile artist I have long admired, mainly through seeing her work in Quilting Arts Magazine.   This book has really inspired me and is definitely freeing up my embroidery.   I know I am a bit obsessed with everything being balanced and neat looking - it's a problem I have in all aspects of my creative work but I am (I think!) getting better.

Inspired by the stitching Laura has done in this book, I used some of her ideas to complete this little panel in my jacket.

The final panel is underway and is again inspired by one of the other loves of my life - my grandchildren.

I have decided to give the four of them design rights and will get each of them to decorate a heart with the things they like which I will embroider on to the jacket.

Mad or what?