BLOG 105

I am at a bit of a cross roads at the moment. The Jacobean quilt is out of my system and was well received at the Gresford show. I just need to tidy it up for the in-depth scrutiny of the see-all, know-all judges at the Festival of Quilts.

 So what do you do when you need to think about the next project? ….. You tidy up your workroom, clean out, sort out and throw out! On one hand, I would have been ashamed to show you the mountains of dust, fluff and stuff that were hauled out from inside, around and under the units. On the other hand, having left the cleaning for so long, it was really worth doing and produced satisfying results! So, here is the tidied room; enjoy it because it won’t be like that for much long!

 

Fabric baskets, bookcase and empty design wall

 

     Light box, pin board and storage units

 

              Sewing table and scrap jars

 

              Threads and storage

 

            My doorway to heaven!

 

       Storage, shelves and fabric baskets

Whilst I am deciding what to do as my next project, there is some work-in-progress that I can get on with. Perhaps you may be wondering why these works-in-progress aren’t classed as my next project? I suppose I have always distinguished between my every day quilting, (projects that I can pick up and put down, slice with the cutter and slam under my machine) and my own creative work (patterns that need designing, problems that need solving and fabrics that require manipulating). The first is what I have to do, using my sewing skills for the benefit of others; the second is what I compulsively need to do, developing my sewing/creative skills for my own benefit. I have this creative urge within me that just keeps me moving forward. I can’t describe it; it is just part of me!

Work in progress: As part of the Chester Ps & Qs, we take part in the Linus Project, making quilts for traumatised or disadvantaged children. At the last meeting I attended we started to prepare 6 ½” blocks for a quilt top and I brought it home to finish. So this is the first project on my list to get me back at my sewing machine. From a pile of fabric strips, it doesn’t take long for blocks to be joined, rows to appear and then a quilt top. All it needs now is the border. I will make others in this style to use up the fabrics given to me, and return them so that others can quilt them.

 

                                9-Patch blocks

 

                     Making rows

 

                    Auditioning borders