Thursday 7 June 2012

STRIPPY SQUARES QUILT - finished at last!!

I've finished this at long last - I posted about the squares when they were on my design wall -last September - so it's taken longer than that. I didn't have a very good winter so didn't do any work on it for at least a couple of months, I can't work when the weather is gloomy and my house faces almost due north so a dark house once the clocks have gone back..

Some of the materials I used, new, recycled and bits given to me.

The border material was given to me - a couple of yards or so - and I didn't really want to cut it up but I knew I couldn't keep it for always, so I used it. There's still some widths left, a few inches deep.

I kept the same material for the binding, too.

I like to have reference pictures of the reverse as well so that I can see, in the future, how I quilted this design. I knew I didn't want to do a huge amount of quilting so thought that just quilting 'in the ditch' would be sufficient. I'm not very good at Maths so hadn't thought it through that there are 49 squares all of which needed to be stitched round. How daft is that?

Kath made me some labels last year and I still have two left. I decided to use this one, which I bought at Threads and Patches in Bletchley, because the flower border matched the backing, though you wouldn't think so from the photo above. It's really small blue flowers and the border sinks into the background. The label's attached now. As usual - the Blog decided to play up and I had to call on Sarah to come and fiddle with it. A couple of clicks and it's behaving itself, Touch Wood!!!

I looked out another quilt top which I want to use Decatur knots on but decided it's not quite wide enough so, when I can bear to leave the second long-hexie English patchwork quilt I'm making, I'll make another border for the Crazy Quilt which is on the design wall upstairs.

I found a quote for stitchers everywhere:
'All my scattering moments are taken up with my needle.'
Ellen Birdseye Wheaton 1851.

7 comments:

Marigold Jam said...

It's really great - love all the many different fabrics - it's what a patchwork quilt really ought to be. Love it!

Kath said...

that looks great Silve. I really like the way the squares look like landscapes through many windows.

crafty cat corner said...

Lovely.
I love quilts full of colour and I know what you mean about not wanting to use the fabric.
What is wrong with us quilters, we love fabric but don't want to cut into it. lol
My squares are coming along but I'm not looking forward to the quilting bit.
Briony
x

Bernard said...

The first thing that I noticed Sylvie, was that it is NOT raining in your garden!
Trust me to notice that first rather than your beautiful quilt. Wow! Forty nine pieces.
A 'PC49er' for sure.
I wonder how many will remember PC 49? :)

Dutch Duo said...

Nice thing about quilts is they last for decades, ALL the girls love thiers use them every summer to sleep under and snuggle in them when feeling poorly, I love the lap one you gave me, dont use it that often as this house is very warm.Love the colours in that one and yes I can see why Kath says it looks like windows...

Dutch Duo said...

Actually looking at it again it looks like Dutch Tulip fields...

Sylve said...

hanks for those lovely comments, makes the slog worthwhile!
Briony, you can always cheat and have it quilted professionally - at a price.
It was just a break in the clouds, Bernard, I'd already taken some in grey miserable conditions and decided not to use them. PC49 was a radio programme, the policeman played by Brian Reece, ran from 1947 to 1953. I was probably doing my homework at the beginning of the series and married at the end. (I looked up the info on Google.)
Hi Teresa, quilts are meant to be used, it's nice to know they are.