While in Rome....

I didn't do as the Romans -  I saw no crafting there at all but I guess I was looking in all the wrong places!  So I just had to carry on by myself!




Here are some spools blocks which I hand stitched - sorry cannot remember which I had done before so this is all the ones from Rome and from my workshop....

Carolyn Forster had 81 in her quilt and I have now done 18 - only 63 to go then...? 




Not sure if I have enough of these fabrics to do that many anyway - some of the lighter aquas I only had one fat 1/8th!   The darker colours I have more of but would rather this had a brighter feel so I may be looking for more aqua solids - any suggestions?

My middle square fabric is Heather Moore - Cut Out & Keep - Avenues! 

This is such a different look for me - in the use of solids and the colour scheme - it is quite an adventure!   Think I will need to hold back on the dark mustard colour as it is quite dominant....but need more aqua remember!

Spools workshop - the outcome!

What a fun day I had at the Spools Workshop with Carolyn Forster and in the company of other lovely ladies!


Carolyn led us through the intricacies of set in seams as though they were nothing to worry about and I think I can say that for the most part they were not! 

Everyone was sewing on machine except for me - always the awkward one - but I prefer not to carry around a heavy machine unless I really have to!


I took Emily's lovely little needlecase with me and the charming Helen sitting next to me recognised it as she was in the Goodie Swap too!  How cool is that!
Her Flickr photostreams is heenjanei! and she has also joined in Susan's Christmas tablerunner swap! 


She doesn't have a Blog YET???? does she Helen?  But I would urge her to jump in and join in the fun!  If you can help her think of a good blog name I am sure that might help!  Say hi to her - she really is good fun and her fabric is lovely!




Also linked up with two lovely ladies who work or live in Horsham so we may meet up I hope at my house and really any nice lady in the area is welcome - just leave a comment so I can get back to you (include email or some other contact detail if you have no blog)!  We can meet and stitch and chat....  I may even tidy up a bit before you come....


Anyway here are some photos from the workshop - 


First of all of Carolyn's quilts....


This one was what to do if you don't fancy doing all 81 blocks - make big borders...of course

This one used a Jelly roll of William Morris prints by Barbara Brackman with all background fabric the same....

This one was truly scrappy - thirties, mixed with modern and whatever...but a beautiful quilt with lots of interest - I liked it best!  It was quilted by hand and with the lovely all over pattern Baptist/Amish Fan or elbow quilting or any other variant it is known by!  But gorgeous beyond a doubt!

And just in case you make too many blocks Carolyn likes to make a nice big pincushion!  It is almost a pincushion she does per quilt!

Carolyn also showed us other samples with small sections of a spools quilt (9 blocks in each) which she was outline quilting.  She will then piece each quilted section together with the quilt as you go method.  Great if you want to keep working on your quilt when you are out and about.

Now onto our blocks - these were made by Helen's mum - Jane, I'm thinking - do correct me if I'm wrong for her grandson....

These belonged to the lovely lady sitting on my right and I'm sorry I haven't written down your name - these are Tanya Wheelan fabrics for her daughter ...leave a comment please and let me edit in your name (so embarassing)

Helen's blocks - love those bold graphic prints

These are by Margarita who did brilliantly on her first patchwork course doing inset seams no less!

Next are
 Brenda's delightfully zesty blocks - that colour scheme would look great in my dining room - I did tell her but maybe she will come and see for herself!

And finally mine....all solids except for the print in the centre.  

 

I was trying to focus less on the spool shape itself and see what patterns would emerge....time will tell with a few more blocks.


Still got my visit to the Eternal Maker to come and all my goodies to reveal plus a visit to a vintage barn and one of the maddest but most delightful shopping experiences I have ever had....?

Spools workshop

I have booked into a spools workshop for today with Carolyn Forster at the Quilt Room in Dorking.  I have been on several of Carolyn's courses before and love her way of teaching - so relaxed, so helpful and fun but we do get on with our projects too!


Anyway I have practiced the spools block - I found a couple of ways of making them....with inset seams....

or avoiding them ...

Also you can have full spools - with a different coloured square in the middle (top photo) - or empty spools - which are the same colour as the ends.


We are making spools from jelly roll type cuts of fabric so the centre must be 2.5" or smaller!  


I have chosen some solids in aqua/turquoise/teal, grey/beige/snowy white with a hint of mustard.  Not sure how I came up with this colour scheme but thought I'd see what would come of it....and yesterday at the Eternal Maker I bought a FQ of printed fabric - don't even know the name - which will be the centre square of my spools block....or at least that is what I'm thinking at the moment!

My colour palette is far from my normal colours...maybe I have been looking at those colour schemes by Design Seeds too much of late...that Lynne has a lot to answer for!  Hehe! 




Oh I did buy more than just one FQ at the Eternal Maker and if you can just wait a bit I will show you...

Empty spools finished!

I just did what Susan said!  I quilted and bound it.  The binding is a pale solid blue from stash which looks nice and quiet and fits in well with the blue print.


All in all one peaceful reflective little quilt that doesn't want to shout about itself!  I loved doing those scrappy spools - great fun!

One little quilt quickly done!  I am liking it now though I have to admit it wasn't love at first sight.


Good practice for the workshop I will be going on in October though I might forget how to do them by then.  




Nicky



Edit: Just linked this post to Quiltstory Fabric Tuesday see my sidebar for their button!  






measurements 
block size 6" finished
quilt size 32" finished


fabrics
Lily and Will 
Kona AshJohn Louden pastel polka dotJinny Beyer Palette for backing
blue solid from stash for binding

Scrappy spools block taken from 
Great Scrap-bag Quilts by Jan Halgrimson

quilting 
Big stitch in cream cotton perle
previous posts
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/07/hexagons-hexalong-hexathon.html
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/07/empty-spools-update.html

FWQ 18 blocks!

I forgot to do my Farmer's Wife blocks last week so I am playing catch up here.


I have done three blocks to get up to the correct number - I had also done three blocks two weeks ago.  So I have a total of 18 blocks.


After all those Spool and Churndash blocks my first two blocks were an obvious choice

Then I did a block I have always had a great affection for - the Friendship Star!

And here are the eighteen blocks together..

Has anyone thought of how they are setting their blocks?  I know they are on point but I haven't really thought about my sashing yet.  I will think about that this week - perhaps the very lovely Kona snow will help calm down my patterns and lift some of those darker colours....!




Nicky

Empty Spools Update!

Well Susan told me to just get on with it - to baste, quilt and bind the empty spools quilt.  So I am!




I used some Jinny Beyer Palette fabric for the backing.  I am using cotton perle yet again - this time cream - to quilt with big stitches round the spools and in the border.  


This is how it looks so far

The cats, Saffy and Emily, both decided my photos needed a bit more excitement with a walk through.  Emily even stood on the quilt but I thought that was going a bit far as she hadn't cleaned her feet yet from going outside.



I had hoped to finish but duty called and we had to attend a few events to celebrate my daughter's last day at the local Primary school after seven years and mine too after twelve....New chapter in our history coming in September and I have to go and buy lots of new uniform....ouch!





Nicky


measurements 
block size 6" finished
quilt size 31.5 finished


fabrics
Lily and Will 
Kona Ash
John Louden pastel polka dot
Jinny Beyer Palette for backing

Scrappy spools block taken from 
Great Scrap-bag Quilts by Jan Halgrimson



quilting
Big stitch in cream cotton perle

previous post
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/07/hexagons-hexalong-hexathon.html

Hexagons Hexalong Hexathon?!"

Well Lynne from Lily's Quilts just had to say those magic words QAL and I was in before I knew it.  But it was not the sort of hexalong I was expecting it was even better!


Here is the information you need - go and check it out: 


Lynn's first post about it Hexalong starts here! 
Her co-hosts Gayle Brindley's first post Hexalong with Lynne which includes a photo of the quilt Kerry Dear's Candied Hexagons
The group Flickr site  Lilys quilts

I had earmarked some fabric but I do not think it will do - I will need a complete re-think.  Another ponder or musing session is in the offing...


In the meantime I offer you some eye-candy....


when this

became this....

More spool blocks - scrappy empty ones this time (thank you Shirley)  - and in soft pastel Lily and Will fabric with Kona Ash, some extra cream on cream from stash and some John Louden Pastel Polka Parade from my local fabric shop for the outer border!  This is so not my usual colour palette and I am still wondering whether I like it!!  It may need a further tweaking...




This may become a wall hanging for my craft/spare bed-room.


As a point of interest - ages ago I told you about a conversation I'd had with my local fabric shopkeeper.  (My previous post is here!) She has responded by buying in nicer fabric pre-cuts and bundles that actually go together - the John Louden fabric is from a jelly roll of polka dots.   Getting closer but maybe not quite there yet...!  Well I had to buy some didn't I....?

John Louden Pastel Polka Parade and Candy Co-ordinates

Don't forget the Hexalong! 


There are new posts now with tutorials on English Paper Piecing (EPP) and Point to point piecing and lots of things to come!  Should be an interesting journey  -  are you hexing in!??






Nicky


measurements 
block size 6" finished
quilt size 31.5 finished


fabrics
Lily and Will 
Kona Ash
John Louden pastel polka dot


Scrappy spools block taken from 
Great Scrap-bag Quilts by Jan Halgrimson