Welcome to Saturday Quilting Bring & Share π Hope you are well, ready to bring along your project(s) and share in the quilty goodness of our Worldwide Quilting Community. Use the links below to find tips and inspiration. Why not add to the goodness being shared by leaving an encouraging comment with any of the blogs you visit?
Well! We did have a drought declared in July. The hosepipe ban persists but boy! boy! have we had some rainfall in the past week? β Let’s hope it will soak through the chalk base we live on here, filling up the aquafers so the springs begin to spout again. All round the garden signs are there’s been plenty of water soaking into the surface layers. In early September the grass had become dusty beige stubble, now it is lush, bright green and still growing.
Many plants have had a second spurt of life: for instance the Nasturtiums that had withered and all but disappeared in August are now running rampant through the other plants in my little flower borders.
Confusion in the borders! A nasturtium with rose blooms? Or a rose with nasturtium leaves?
As you can tell from the photos it hasn’t stopped raining yet. A great excuse to spend a quiet Saturday in my sewing room π Here’s a quick round up of current projects. I’m pleased to say I completed the Nativity wall hanging. It is now listed in my Folksy shop.
Having completed the wall-hanging I decided to pick up the blocks completed for this years Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I kept up with the monthly colour challenge through to August, making ten Bullseye Court House Step blocks each month. So I had a collection of eighty 7Β½” (finished size 7″) blocks in a rainbow of colours which make a manageable size quilt, 56″ x 70″, in a 8 block x 10 block layout. Here is the completed flimsy:
It is just about all made from scrap fabrics. Although I did have to buy a small selection of cream/beige neutrals to boost a dwindling supply. Yesterday I searched through my fabric stash to create a pieced backing. I don’t know about you but piecing a backing takes me f-o-r-e-v-e-r!
Worth the effort I think but it is hard to deny the time-saving advantage of using extra wide backing fabrics!
It’s a while since I basted such a large project. I shall take the opportunity to listen to an audio book whilst feeling blessed to be safe and dry in a wonderful ‘work’ space π
Here are this weeks links to tips and inspiration:Β
Edge to Edge long arm quilting across applique on a quilt? Is it a no-no? Rebecca Grace has been working on clients quilts and has some interesting observations to make re. quilting over and/or around applique designs.
In August 2021 Gretchen began hand quilting her Welsh Beauty whole cloth quilt. This week she finished the quilting. It certainly is a finish to celebrate!
Quilter’s Den are stocking a range of Makower fabrics called, ‘Heather and Sage’. I do like the lino-print style panel featuring animals on a background of soft, misty Autumn colours.
Scroll halfway down this page to find a great way to check for correct thread tension. There are also helpful tips and videos about caring for our sewing machines. Thanks to the Sewing Studio for providing this great information on their ‘Repairs and Service’ page π
It’s November so it’s no longer too soon to mention Christmas! But I won’t follow that with the number of days there are left to finish all those projects we have in mind because that would just be mean π Amy Smart has shared a quick patchwork project making tree decorations using 3″ wooden hoops and scrap fabrics.
Hum! Digital photos! I keep seeing warning messages on my phone re. the huge number of images stored in my google account. I deleted a few videos hoping the issue would go away, surprise, surprise the issue remains! I was led via an email newsletter to Paige Shockley’s guest post article ‘Declutter Digital Photos With This Monthly Routine‘. I really need to start applying the practical steps suggested by Paige…
Rachel has finished making a crossbody bag for her daughter. She gives a thumbs-up to the SOTAK pattern and reviews her experience of using waxed canvas in the bag construction.
Happy Stitching (or pinning!)
Allison
Water is life! The garden looks great!
Lovin’ the rainbow flimsy! And the backing looks terrific…great way to use up what you have! π
The ztainbow Scrap Challenge looks great! I have given up piecing quilt backs. I never manage to get them square with the quilt top and it really shows. I found an online retailer who sells 100% cotton bedlinen in really pretty fabrics. The flat sheets are a more manageable price for me than extra wide quilt fabric.
Our hosepipe ban has just been lifted! Very soggy here. π
The rainbow Scrap Challenge looks great! I have given up piecing quilt backs. I never manage to get them square with the quilt top and it really shows. I found an online retailer who sells 100% cotton bedlinen in really pretty fabrics. The flat sheets are a more manageable price for me than extra wide quilt fabric.
Our hosepipe ban has just been lifted! Very soggy here. π
Hi! Louise! I think after today we can be sure the hosepipe ban has been lifted!!!
My pieced backs often lie a bit wonky but I’m happy with that. Sourcing reasonably priced cotton bed sheets is a good alternative to using quilting fabrics on the backs of quilts. I will look into that when I’ve used up all my extra-wide backing off-cuts.
Thanks Laura. I can’t get over how many flowering annuals are still thriving this late in the year. The rains just keep coming!