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I eventually found a picture of the quilt that has inspired me to embark on my latest colourful quilt. It appears to be on a wall behind someone’s sewing machine and I have still no idea of where it originated. Reminiscent of the ‘piano key’ borders that appear on quilts, this is more random. Cutting colourful strips at differing heights removes the angst of lining up seams every time you sew them together.

                            Inspiration

This is the pattern I drafted and I placed it beside the sewing machine for reference. I sorted out the first full set of strips and I start to sew.

                                                      Pattern

After attempting to sew one single pattern section of 10 strip, I decided to try a strip piecing method and this was much better. I took strips #1 and #2 from the tray and fed them through, repeating this 3 more times. Then I went back to the first one I had sewn and added strip #3, and repeated it. I continued until I had sewn every strip onto all 4 blocks. 

Strip piecing is much more economical on thread and gives a satisfying rhythm to sewing because you are repeating number sequences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 Machine and strips

I used a ¼” foot for accuracy and I always sewed from top to bottom or from light to bright. If you recall, the individual seam allowances were pressed from light to bright, so all the seams are pressed away from the foot and go under it easily.

                                   Light to bright

I didn’t do any pinning; I just place the top corner of the block under the foot and sew for ½”. Then I positioned the lower corners together and let the machine feed the fabric under the foot, keeping the edges level.

                                           Edges level

I eventually got into a rhythm of sewing 5 blocks at a time, and I used a thread saver (a strip of fabric the width of the sewing foot) to go under the foot so I could release all the fabric sets and separate them for the addition of the next strip in the sequence.

 

                              Thread saver

 And before I knew it I had 5 blocks, then 20 blocks and now 56 blocks. I need to decide how I am going to use the blocks now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                         5 blocks

                                                  20 blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      56 blocks

Notice that at this stage they have not been pressed. I want to wait until I know how I am going to position the blocks and therefore iron them so they are sympathetic to my sewing system.

Another modest achievement this week was the making of a quilt for the Alzheimer’s project. It is 1 metre squares as requested and it will be one of many for the Hampden Park Quilt Project. The idea of the project, run by Ann Hill, is to try and cover the football pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow with quilts.

                                        1 metre quilt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                  Detail

If anyone is interested in participating by donating a quilt(s), here is the info from Ann:

5,000 quilts of 40” square (or close) are needed to cover Scotland’s international football pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Aerial photographs will be taken and sold. The quilts will be auctioned off and those left will be adopted by care homes throughout Scotland. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of dementia and how it affects not only the person affected but their families and friends. www.annhillquilter.co.uk