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Remember - Its not the length of your life that's important - it's the depth.

Monday 25 April 2011

Busy! Busy! Busy!

This weather makes me feel busy, No! not spring cleaning! but stitchin'. I have been sitting in the garden during long hot days (in the conservatory on cooler ones), doing lots of hand sewing. I have decided that 2011 is to be my 'Lets get some UFO's finished' Year. 
Well so far so good, thus far I have completed the stitching on the Rennie Mac silk cushion including the quilting, made a little bag and 2 pincushions with some Cathedral Window units, have started to quilt a Stained Glass Christmas wall hanging that was started in 2009, one of 2 samples for a Stained Glass Workshop I was teaching that year. The other piece (an original of mine) was the one the students were to make is also still waiting to be finished so that's going to be next, then I have some quilt tops that need sorting out (3 at the last count) and THEN I hope to make a start on the large massive collection of hexagons that have been given to me by other people, at the last count I think there is 1 top partially completed, 1 that has the 'flowers ' made and one that is simply 'Hexies' which arrived in 3 x 2 litre ice cream tubs!
I seem to have been dubbed with the title of 'she who collects hexagon quilts', I already have 2 'Antique' ones probably made around the 60's/70's ( I think that's classed as antique?) which I use when I am giving talks to W.I.'s etc. While Judging at the Local Flower Show I was offered one that has just the 'flowers' made  by one of the organizers who explained that she started making it about 30 yrs ago but now can't see to sew and if I didn't want it she was GOING TO THROW IT OUT!!!!  Next one of my friends at S.V.Q. said and I quote.. Oh Lorraine, you collect hexagon quilts don't you, would you take these?' as she was speaking she passed me 3 tubs full of Hexagons, as for the third one which is partially completed I can't actually remember where that came from.! Perhaps I should be labeled 'The Gal who can't say no' when it comes to fabric related items. 
In my post on 31st March I promised to show you the panels I made for the Aldwick Quilt, There were three panels 7" x 7" leaving room for the person constructing the whole piece to trim where required, the finished size was to be 6 1/2" x 18". I wanted to use some traditional techniques as the theme for the piece was 'Stitching Though Time', so I chose Boutis,  Trapunto (Italian corded quilting) and Shadow patchwork which were used as 'focus' panels surrounded by Crazy Log Cabin in a variety of fabrics from my scraps. I used Bridal satin, sheers, velvets, cottons, polyester satins, Cotton and a piece from a child's T shirt, a total of 27 different fabrics, which I hand embroidered before adding braid, ribbon bows, beads etc., at the end is a picture of the 3 panels joined together followed by the completed quilt.


Trapunto
Shadow (shown top)
Boutis








Well that's all for now I'm off to my Slimming World Class so more next time.                                                                                                                  





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