BLOG 326

BLOG 326

I have been making steady progress with my Xmas gifts this week. All 5 blocks of the boat wall hanging have been sewn using the paper foundation method and joined together with narrow strips of the sea fabric. It was decoratively quilted through the batting only. The backing fabric was cut out to the same size and placed over the top with RS together. You will notice a slit through a strip of Bondaweb just below the top of the backing strip (RS); this is for turning the wall hanging through after it has been sewn.

                 Fusible strip

             RS together

The layers were sewn together using an accurate ¼” seam allowance. Notice the dot ¼” in from the corner. I stopped sewing just before that dot and sewed 3 stitches on the diagonal across the corner.

                   Corner dot

I usually go back and forward along these corner stitches a couple of times to reinforce and soften the corner when the wall hanging gets turned through. I forgot to do it and so I went back again to do it.

               Reinforced corners

The wall hanging is turned RS outwards through the bonded slit just below the top of the hanging.

                   Turning through

When the paper on the fusible is removed, it is easy to match the cut edges and iron them together so they stick onto the cotton wading. A thin hanging sleeve will go over the top of this to hide it.

               Fused slit

                  Decorative hanger

             Completed hanging

I attended a wreath-making workshop run by a local gardening club yesterday …  and walked out with an 8’ decorative strip!!! The trouble I had to get it into the car! It was all done on a willow base with natural vegetation from the garden and it fits fine along the top of our fire place. I was thrilled to have learned how to do this for the first time, and I also know how to make a wreath too from watching the other more experienced members. I really want to make a willow sheep but haven’t found a suitable workshop yet.

                Decorative strip

I have been running a small course with our village craft group and here is the simple 5” tree block.

                Tree block

I am just at the quilting stage now and I have noticed that I have sewn 6 blocks instead of the 5 I intended to do. This is above and beyond the call of duty and, as there are some unfinished demonstration blocks, I think it is fair to assume that I will be making 2 hangings now!

              In progress

The other project I demonstrated was a wall strip made with 3 hexagon stars. And so Christmas gets closer and I am so excited!

 

                     Hexagon stars