BLOG 494

 

Blog 494

 

 

I spent this week constructing the quilt top, a joy to do because I was working with colour! This involved joining the tiles together in rows first and then the rows together to make the quilt top.  I had to make sure that all of the tiles were in sequence otherwise the flow of colours would be upset. It had to be done carefully and logically and the staggered rows had to be maintained.

 

               Sequence of tiles

 

 

Starting from the left hand side I worked one row at a time. I picked the tiles off the wall (line A) in sequence to make a pile and then I pinned them in the same strict sequence ready for sewing.

 

              Line A tiles

 

              Line A pinned

 

 

Using a string piecing method, I sewed alternative seams on the first run down the line and then returned to do the ones In between.

 

                Sewing the tiles

 

              Alternate seams

 

               String piecing

 

 

Once the line was complete, I pressed it and returned it to its position on the wall. I worked methodically through the rows in this way.

 

           Completed rows

 

 

The next step was to join pairs of rows together and, because of the staggered nature of the tiles, one row needed to be lined up against its neighbour before the downward seam was sewn. I did this by lining up the horizontal seams of line A with the centres of the tiles in line B. These were pinned to prevent any slippage and sewn.

 

            Lining up rows

 

            Staggering seams

 

                Pinned row

 

 

Once the pairs were sewn, the quilt top was constructed and I was delighted with it. There were just 2 unused tiles left at the end of it all which I happily threw in the bin!!

 

BTW: The reason I work in staggered lines is so that I don’t have to match up seams during construction. They are often very bulky in this crumb quilt process. Also, by staggering the tiles, I get a better spread of colour and avoid strong lines. It is the way I often choose to work when creating painterly backgrounds, like the ones I made for my book ‘Enchanted Views; Quilts inspired by wrought iron designs’.  

 

             Sewing pairs

 

               Progress

 

             Completed top

 

             Left overs

 

I know not what I will do with this piece of work. Perhaps it will stay as it is or it may become a backdrop for some sort of silhouette? I need to live with it for a while so my mind can enjoy it and hopefully bubble up with some ideas.