BLOG 175

Happily, I have completed the quilt I was making for the newest member of our extended family. It is constructed using the string quilt technique which I featured step-by-step in BLOG 173. I must say that I have enjoyed the speed of this technique. It has enabled me to make inroads into my modest collection of children’s prints and working with the bright colours has brought me joy. I am at my happiest when I am immersed in colour.

                                      String quilt

I have a mind to make a little felt book to accompany the quilt so that the recipient can play I Spy with it. From the close-up below, you can see that there is plenty of detail within the quilt for her to do that. That way she will interact with the quilt and actually look at it!

                                                     Detail

Instead of adding a batting layer this time, I had some fleece in stock and used that instead. The colours are child-like and the feel is soft and cuddly; ideal! I quilted it all over by machine to hold the layers together and to add texture.

                                         Fleece backing

I chose not to add a border but bound it with a colourful stripped fabric cut on the bias.

                                        Binding fabric

All I need now to do is to add her name and sign mine. Job done!

Here is a lovely string quilt from the Festival of Quilts this year. It was made from colourful fabrics with silk insets, I just love it. Perhaps this might inspire me now to make inroads into my collection of Batik fabrics.

                            FOQ String Quilt

 

 

 

 

     

                                     FOQ String quilt detail

 Next Saturday I will be showing my quilts at a Quilters’ Guild Area Day, at Thornton Hough on the Wirral (all welcome!). In the afternoon I have also been asked to do a mini workshop for those present (up to 50 sometimes!). This is the project I will be getting them to make. It’s a small Xmas wall hanging, an easy and straight forward project which is ideal for the festive season. I think it will make a good quick present for a neighbour, friend or relative. It only needs to hang up for a few days over Xmas and then it can be confined to the loft with the rest of their decorations without guilt! (ASIDE: Some people don’t appreciate your efforts so make sure that you only make quilted items for those who you know will appreciate the work that has gone in them. From she who knows!)

             Xmas wall hanging