BLOG 150

Apologies for the late posting of my blog this week; circumstances beyond our control! Our phone has been faulty intermittently for 3 weeks now and it has been off completely for a good 9 days. This has meant that we cannot be contacted by people except through mobile phones and, as we don’t freely give out our mobile numbers, it has meant that nobody has been able to contact us during this time. It hasn’t bothered us too much as we have been away, but you do start to wonder if you are missing out on vital messages on the computer, and you are unable to access the information that it usually at your fingertips. I’m sure it will get sorted soon.

Another milestone posting! 150 weeks of talking about my quilting endeavours and I didn’t really think it would go on for so long! But after thinking about it, I now realise that I use the blog to keep me quilting and I quilt to keep my blog going. So it is a symbiotic relationship. And again I feel the need to mention that I have only 30 registered followers after all this time. I know there are loads more of you out there because you tell me so when we meet up so make my week by becoming a follower. It is easy (so I am told) and it costs you nothing but it will make me feel less like a ‘Dilly-no mates’. (Welcome aboard Fiona: tell me how you did it so I can tell others!)

This week I have been getting on with the remaining blocks for my scrap diamonds string quilt which I think I will call ‘A String of Diamonds’ thus acknowledging the string piecing method and the resulting shape formation. My thought was that if I could get the quilt top finished by the Bank Holiday WE, I would try to finish it for the Gresford Exhibition in June, or even put it in as a work in progress. 14 more blocks in both light and dark were required, more motorway sewing! Once I had finished and trimmed them, I sat in front of the TV and removed the papers into a fabric bag. It was all too tempting for Chivers who immediately climbed in, sorted the papers out to his satisfaction and settled down for the night …. and for ever after if his behaviour is anything to go by!

 

                                              Chivers

 Ella’s scrap quilt top also needs finishing for the same exhibition so I have a busy three weeks ahead of me! An understatement!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            Ella’s Quilt

 To prepare the border strips I needed to measure both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the quilt. I did this on my design wall and I measured through the centre of the quilt, not round the outer edges which can stretch after energetic pressing; this is the best advice I can offer for preventing wavy borders. The horizontal measurement is 47 ½” and the vertical 70” and these are the true measurements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       Horizontal

 

                                          Vertical

I cut the top and bottom horizontal borders at 1 ½” x 47 ½” and they were pinned in place, RS together, at the centre and corners first. I then made the quilt top fit the border by pinning securely and easing in any fullness. To get the lengths I required, I needed to join my strips together. I did this by placing two strips RS together, at right angles to one another. (It sometimes helps to draw a line from edge to edge.)

 

 

               

                                       Diagonal join

 I sewed on the line and trimmed away any extra fabric to leave a small seam allowance.

 

                                         Sew and trim

 I pressed the seam open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           Press

 

After adding the horizontal borders, the 70” vertical seams needed extra length to take these borders into account: 70” + 1 ¼” + 1 ¼” = 72 ½”. These were cut accurately and added to the quilt top in the same way to complete the first round of borders. What next I am thinking?