BLOG 478

Blog 478

(Sorry about the lateness of my blog this week; I am usually pleased with myself for the promptness of my postings every Sunday. Unfortunately the phones were down due to the storms and I had no access to the internet. )

 

I have had a few days on my own this week because Rog has been down to the Forest of Dean helping his cousin on the farm. It was the time of the annual TB test and thankfully all the cattle were clear! The farm has been clear for 18 years now but it is always an anxious time for his cousin. Whilst he was away, it is fair to say that for me time passes differently! I have the space to catch up on things which need doing round the house. I am happy to eat snack-type meals as and when I fancy them and I can do what I want when I want! So I have tidied up around the house, sorted out unwanted ‘stuff’ and filled a large bag for the charity shop. So with my conscience clear on the domestic front, I was able to slope off to my playroom.

My main concern recently has been to do something with the mountain of scraps I have accumulated over the years. They are stored in one of my deep storage baskets and, whatever I make, I don’t seem to make any impression on them! (I am reminded of one of the stories that I read to my children years ago: ‘The Magic Porridge Pot’ which just kept over-flowing before it started to engulf everything!!!)

           Scraps

 

So I have made a decision that I will use these scraps to make a series of quilt tops for the Linus project. I have a lot of ‘Stitch and Flip’ panels already made and I will continue to add to these and construct quilts in a variety of designs. There! I have said it; I have written in my blog … so it will happen!!

 And just a reminder of the technique: I sew strips onto a sheet of cheap paper with a small stitch that perforates the paper as I sew. Once the paper has been covered with strips and pressed, the excess fabric is removed from round the edges. The paper can then be removed and the fabric panel has been made.

             Pressed strips

 

 

 

                Stitch and flip

 

 

           Trimming

 

 

             Really small scraps (I can bin these!)

 

 

 

             Removing paper

 

 

These are my building blocks so let’s see what I can do with them over the next few weeks.

 

           Small medium large

 

 

 

            Black trim

 

 

              Pattern row

 

And here is quilt Number 1. I have photo’d it alongside my creative work (which I must get back to) so you can see the contrast. The Stitch and Flip technique is one that reminds me of motorway driving. It is the quickest way from A to B; it is a prescribed route so you don’t have to deviate; it is tedious so you don’t have to think too much about what you are doing; you can just put your foot down and drive! Sometimes, you just need projects like this to make an impression on your fabric stash.

              Quilt 1

 

 

           Potential quilts