Moving on ….

27 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by motifbyhand in 2016, March

Tags

Applique, block a day, block of the month, EPP, Feathered, Foxley Village, Kaffe Fassett, Tilda, Zandra Rhodes

Hello … I’m back!!

Suffice to say that 2015 was a difficult year. But I now take on 2016 with positive thoughts and energy.

Resolution #1 – For several years now I have wanted to do a Block-a-Day. I considered doing a star a day as many others were working at last year as I do like stars. And I am liking the appliqued circles that are being gripped up by many already this year. But, as I have long wanted to do an Orange Peel quilt, I decided to make this my own block-a-day quilt for 2016.

The plan is to hand applique slim orange peel (or melon) shapes cut from the many and varied fabrics in the in-store Kaffe Fassett range, supplemented by my personal stash collected over many years, onto a background of charcoal coloured linen. The linen is called Hanky Linen. It comes in many colours and is used mostly as a ground for hand embroidery. I chose the charcoal as a strong neutral to offset the saturated colours of the Kaffe fabrics. These fabrics fascinate me: even the ugliest ones have appeal!

I have already designated working title – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (GBU).

I am happy to report that I am on track. While I relish the rare opportunity to regularly do daily block, I do have a routine where I do a few blocks at a time a couple of times a week. These are quick and satisfying … and it is difficult to stop at one!! I have been working diligently and am up to date. The photograph below is quite dated now but I will post more photos in the next day or so.

Resolution #2 – Of course I can do a Block-a-Week!

So here I go with an EPP block of the week based on this quilt.

Since I first saw pictures of this quilt around the web and Pinterest some time ago I have been tempted to make it. See more about it the wonderfully interesting and informative blog hosted by Regan –

http://floatingonaquiltedcloud.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/life-is-good.html

I am using the English Paper Piecing method to construct the equilateral triangles out of a scrappy selection of reproduction fabrics, mostly US Civil War era. I am on the hunt for the main chrome yellow coloured fabric so would welcome any suggestions. It is coming together nicely and a block a week is really no pressure. Again, the very bad photograph below is not up to date.

Resolution #3 – Now, I did actually have ambitions of also doing a Block-a-Month to hone my very immature hand piecing skills but have had to be rational and let that one go until 2017. I am considering one of Jen Kingwell’s patterns, possible The Circle Game.

Resolution #4 – Confession time! I resolved to blog more regularly to post progress on my daily and weekly blocks as well as any other quilting news and info. And importantly, to share all the new fabrics arriving in the shop. So far I am a dismal failure … but I am not giving this one up! To be honest, I had a post written in early January but …. I hope this post is a new beginning.

Shop news: New fabrics arriving regularly. I received new stock of some Kaffe Collective fabrics, Anna Maria Horner’s Fibs and Fables and True Colors, some Tula Pink True Colors and a luscious range designed by Zandra Rhodes called Feathered:

https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Motifsbyhand?ref=hdr_shop_menu

The Homespun Magazine’s TILDA Block of the Month quilt Foxley Village, designed by Natalie Bird of Birdhouse Designs, is popular.

I have been stitching along with this one too. It is the first BOM that I have following along with and I am loving the discipline it imposes.

Please follow me on Instagram too as I often drop photos and news there too.

Thanks for visiting.

Jacqueline

BTW … At the top of my New Years Resolutions for 2017 is to improve my photography!!

https://www.etsy.com/assets/js/etsy_mini_shop.jsnew Etsy.Mini(8165877,’thumbnail’,5,5,0,’https://www.etsy.com’);

Going with the flow.

29 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by motifbyhand in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Atelier, Community, Dutch Heritage, English Paper Piecing, Grant Park, Hearts Content, Mill Book 1852, petra Prins, Richmond Reds, Rug Hooking, Tilda, Tilda fabrics

Life does get in the way sometimes. I have so many ideas, so many plans buzzing around my mind but so many other things seems to prevent them coming to fruition. Thank heavens it is all good stuff so my frustration is tempered and without regret.

Take this morning for example …. I had the best of intentions for a productive day of chores interspersed with some stitching and playing with fabrics in my workroom. What happened? A luxurious sleep-in and a delightful two-hour Facetime chat with my three grandchildren, daughter and favourite son-in-law (my only one but he likes the chuck-up!) took me through to lunch. But I have been industrious this afternoon and have checked a few tasks off the list, including one biggie that I have been putting off.

I am going to give you a glimpse of the new pattern I am working on at the moment. This is what I wanted to spend more time doing:

Daisy Chain

English paper piecing over thimbles and squares to make rings. Aren’t the Tilda fabrics so soft and pretty. They are very gentle and mellow palette that make me smile as I sit and stitch. I am also smiling because this is coming together very quickly so I am seeing the pattern of interlocking rings come together in just a few hours of work. I have actually moved on and have just about completed the rings and am pulling together my ideas for the applique centre.

These delicate colours are a contrast to my current rug hooking project. I decided to try using monk’s cloth for this one and have to admit that I am finding it less enjoyable than using linen as the ground fabric. However, my grandson and I are having fun with this design … I will leave it to you to identify his contribution! Now tell me, do you see two dinosaurs? Silly me, I thought I was hooking up two crows!!