Gardening and crafting. "Quilt as you go"
Earth Day was yesterday.
The weather was gorgeous here.
Honesty is in flower.
Pieris with budding bluebells. They are usually in flower by now so I know Spring is late.
So Lovely Husband and I tackled a job I had put off for 2 years- taking a wind sewn cherry tree out of this corner. Unfortunately it’s roots were tangled with a huge cotoneaster, so it had to come out too rather than risk the old wall toppling in the future as it grew bigger. I transferred a flowering currant and a Roseraie de l’Hay rose to the area so it wont be so bare long term. I’m hoping the cherry will survive and make more roots in the centre of the front lawn. Did you do anything special on Earth Day?
Ok some makings- I am learning this “quilt as you go” method at the moment. You cut the shapes as normal, put right sides together to make the block, but instead of just sewing them, you add a square of wadding/warm and natural a bit bigger than your block and the same in a backing fabric and sew through the lot. You then flip the top piece down and attach the next piece right sides to it in the same way. Before you know it you have a block all finished and quilted on every seam.
You then cut bars. One for the front 2″ wide and fold it along the long edge so it’s doubled raw edges together. You do the same with the back bar but cut it 2 1/4″. Pin both at the same time to the block edge and machine sew the seam. Then attach the next block by the front bar only. You have to hand sew the back block. So hey presto you now have 2 quilted blocks together.
Above are Blocks 1+2 of Crazy Christmas by Lynette Anderson
It’s a day early but here is Night Before Christmas Block 5’s finished work. Love the stars.
Now this really is the last of these fabrics. I had the offcuts of the 4 cup mats sat loitering on the cutting desk and I finally worked on them to make a larger mat to complete the set. It’s official- NO MORE LEFTOVERS of it! The mat brings me to 10 in Stephanie’s String Challenge. I am so pleased to find a technique for using those biddy bits at the end of a FQ.
And finally the bigger pair of shoes to complete the set in turquoise for a friend’s granddaughter.
There will be more to share soon. I’m grounded and don’t do boredom. 🙂
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