Newark Park and the unheralded quilt

 I'm currently on a stint of working away from home from Sunday night to Friday evening, so me and my partner/boyfriend/other half (not sure which term I prefer, probably should decide) are trying to make the most of the weekends.

Last weekend we paid a visit to nearby Newark Park (near Stroud and Tetbury), which is a National Trust property. Despite it's name there is a park, garden and house to visit.

It was a really interesting place - built as a tudor hunting lodge (though not visited by a Tudor monarch - I suspect not many of them were*), modified and extended several times and finally lived in by two Americans who restored the building on behalf of the National Trust and were living there to the early 2000s.

As well as beatiful location and views...

It was possible to see some of the original tudor structure, giving a feel for the original building; this was helped by a really interesting talk with a model of the house demonstrating the phases of the building.

It's not a massive property and very little of the contents are original to the house, and as such there is little explanation of the furniture etc.

One item did catch my eye...

This quilt was evidently random scraps of fabric...

Hand sewn onto a blanket. 

Maybe technically not a quilt as that generally sugests three layer of fabric but I'm not picky! Absolutely zero details about its history but interesting notheless.

If you're ever in the area I recommend a visit, and a walk in the grounds if you have time.

* The original builder's main property, Acton Court in Iron Acton, was visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - we haven't visited it (yet).

Bits and Pieces

 

- I've swatched for my next knitting project, Tree Tram Tro by Kate Davies (not a Ravelry link), with West Yorkshire Spinners BFL DK. I think I've got gauge though I'm not too sure that the fabric is quite as I like it, it seems a little loose.

- I have seven skeins of the BFL so I probably either need to start liking the fabric or come up with an alternative pattern for it.

- Either way I'm fighting the urge to take the yarn and pattern with me on my work trip next week. I'm sure I should take one or two of the things I have in progress. I'm trying to figure out if I am someone who can have five WIPs.

- I also made cookies, NYC Cookies from the Jane's Patisserie book. SO glad for a well stocked baking cupboard as they were a spur of the moment decision. Very tasty and large. Rather than baking all eight I just cooked two and froze the remainign dought as they can be cooked from frozen. The only thing I would change is to squash them flatter prior to cooking.

- I finished the remaining Meadowland Quilt blocks last night and I think I've decided on a layout. I love the finished look of this but I think I'm definitely a person who prefers a squarer quilt.

- Hopefully the planned backing fabric (which I have had for years) is big enough, probably should check that along with ordering some batting.

- I wish Blogger had a spell checker, although I am glad it doesn't have an auto-correct!

FNSI - February 22

 It has just taken me too many attempts to write this blog title - I really need to buy myself a calendar!

Wendy of Sugarlane Designs has once again kindly hosted the Friday Night Sew In, a virtual gathering of sewists around the world via blog and Facebook group.

For rthis FNSI I went old school and worked on some quilt blocks. I have been sewing the block for my Meadowland Quilt together individually , and while this has been satisfying I did wonder how long it would take. Yesterday I decided to give batch piecing the remaining 9 a try. 

 I feel its working, though after 3 hours I don't have any finished blocks to show (and the making process isn't particularly photogenic) but I am at the final press and sew stage on all of them. Only one moment of slight panic when I was pressing and decided to put the Flying Geese bits with their respective centres and spent a few minutes thinking I'd sew the wrong bits together, but I'd just paired them up incorrectly so simply solved.

I'd taken the day off work yesterday as I had to spend the morning driving back from a Dinner I'd attended on Thursday night so I had plenty of time around sewing the blocks together to work on a few more (colourful) projects.

I'm playing catch up with last year's temperature cross-stitch but I am determined that this will be the second cross-stitch ever that I fully finish (my sister will probably be glad to hear that as she inherited the last project I lost interest in and it's fundamental counting error!).

I when it was too late to trust myself to sew correctly I moved onto some knitting for a while.

Bit hard to tell but this is destined to become the first half of a pair of fingerless mittens.

If you want to see what everyone else got up to visit the FNSI post on Wendy's Blog.

Some Actual Quilt Progress

 I have some garment works in progress and a long list of things I want to make. But after moving my fabric into a new cabinet I've become enthuastic about make some of my lovely colllection into a quilt or two (or...).

First quilt to be made is a Meadowland Quilt as designed by Then Came June (you've probably seen one or two of them on social media).

I had a bundle of fairly recently purchased Cat Tales fabric earmarked for this.

It is so gorgeous and detailed and the colours should go well in my sewing room.

Cutting out took a while. I mistakenly thought that this was the first quilt I'd made from a vairiety of different sized fabrics and then I remebered the pumpkin quilt and the basketball quilt. 

Next step was deciding which fabrics to use in each block, I took the don't over think it approach to this and hopefullt each combo is unique but if not life's too short to worry.

Three bloks complete so far and I'm liking how they look.

I especially like this block above as all the black cats in the diamond are miraculously the right way up.

Just 9 more blocks to go.

Instant gratification and a slow burner

In an unusual turn of events I have achieved two sewing finishes this weekend.

The first was an Xmas Stocking which I started Friday late afternoon and had completely finished and pressed before midnight. 

I followed a tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew and it turned out really well; I did find that clipping the seams helped the stocking look more snooth. This could have been finished earlier in the evening but I also worked on a second stocking.

This one's taking a little longer for what is hopefully obvious reasons. I only have a fat quarter of each of the three fabrics which isn't quite enough for the size of stocking I want so this is the more time consuming solution I've come up with. 

Before starting the stockings I finished stitching the binding and sewing in the ends on a quilt that has been a WIP for about 8 years. 

Pattern is Sparkle Punch Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman. I couldn't even begin to say what the fabrics are, I think most of them were purchased from an online US store. 

I do know its backed in a Tula Pink extra wide backing fabric from Sew Hot. 

This quilt is destined for my, very patient, sister and her husband. 

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway...

...or maybe a more accurate title would be "Having to quilt the quilt on my frame because the central heating engineer needs space to work!".

The Sparkle Punch Quilt was attached to my quilting frame in late March.

In the normal course of things I would have started quilting it shortly after but whilst setting it up I found that, due to being clever when purchasing the fabric and the forgetting that I had been clever, the backing fabric was too short for the quilt. Loading up the frame had been quite an effort so I wasn't massively keen on starting again having bought new backing, likewise the alternative of makinvbthd top shorter also didn't fill me with joy.

This dilemma took me ages to resolve.

Eventually I decided that the better of the two options was to buy a new backing, which actually was quite easy to swap onto the frame. I actuallynalso prefer this second backing and I know the recipient does too.

A couple more weeks of procrastination passed, I enjoy using me frame and once I get going all is fine but this is a big quilt and the machine a use tends to play up a bit in the early stages requiring unpacking.

Eventually confirming that our central heating replacement was going to take place at the end of July spurred me into action as th frame takesmip a lot of space and would make lifting floorboards in the room tricky.

After all my procrastination the quilting went well, no unpicking required.  I also tried out glide thread which had been recommended in various places and it was brilliant and didn't break once. My free motion quilting it still a big wonky but overall I'm pleased with the effect and am thrilled that this quilt that's been on the go on and off since 2013 is almost finished.

12 Things in 2019 - August Progess

I should really try and write these updates on the last day of the month, I always find myself trying to put the wrong month in the title. 

I wasn't expecting much progress to be made in August due to long weekends away and general summer stuff. But looking back I'm quite pleased.

A small start was made on Xmas quilt no. 2... 

 I continued doing bits and pieces on the Hue Shift Afghan...

Second quarter underway even though I said I'd stop and focus on some other projects. A square takes me just over an hour so it's too tempting to try and do one a night. 

And finally my Floozy cardigan went from skeins of yarn to... 

This is the colourwork pretty much complete so I'm not sure if the sleeves and body will drag now or whether the desire to wear it (and start something else) will drive me on. 

So far 2 projects completed and 5 underway,  which includes two quilt tops awaiting quilting. The stats still have time to improve! 

12 Things in 2019 - June Progress

It felt like I got heaps of crafting done this month but when I review my actual progress on the 12 Things it doesn't seem so much!

Blocks were finished and layout finalised for the first Xmas quilt. 

A few blocks were knitted fot the Hue Shift Afghan... 

I am getting quicker at these so hopefully it won't take forever, although with 100 blocks and a border who am I kidding? 

I also finished the CBTL, but I haven't blocked it yet so no photos. I definitely think I'll get more wear out of it than the knitted version. 

July's plans are the Hue Shift Afghan and another Xmas top, if I can remain focused on specific projects! 

Progress Update

So around a week off work spent decorating a large bedroom I have managed to make some progress on my UFOs, or at least some of them. I haven't done anything on the Kindle cover or the socks.

I am pleased with progress on the Xmas quilt, I'm over half way with the binding. I was a bit impatient to get this one finished so I bought some fabric called craft cotton for the binding. Regretting that a little now as I don't know why but it's stiffer than normal cotton so a bit awkward to manipulate but it seems to look okay sewn on so I'm persevering.

The knitted blanket is going well...

This should be the 46th square of 49, with the remaining ones being duplicates of the ones below it, nothing too tricky or time consuming there.
You may have noticed I said should be...while searching for this final strip I noticed that one strip is missing it's top square. Not too sure how this happened as I've been working through the books in order. Luckily it's a simple one so quickly sorted, just taking the shineout of finishing the above strip a little. Oh well!

Still Crafting...

...just forgot about the blogging a little.

When I opened my blog I realised I'd set myself a 13 in 2013 challenge and immediately I thought I must have already failed.  I read the list preparing to admit defeat and then I remembered it was a UFO challenge...no surrender yet then!

And even better I am very pleased to report the completion of No. 11 the crochet scarf (and considering the ongoing cold temperatures here and the reappearance of serious snow it was none too soon).

And I have tracked down, on Ravelry, gloves and a cap using a similar stitch pattern...

... although I suppose my 13 in 2013 should take priority (we'll see!).


I do have another finish to report, but unfortunately no accompanying photo, a jelly roll quilt - on day to machine sew, two weeks to hand stitch the binding! 

Cutting, cutting, cutting...

This update is a little late as it was what I did last weekend and the weekend before (when not teaching my mother how to do tiny patchwork with a sewing machine)...

This may not look like much but it is just over 800 4.5inch squares cut by me from various yardages in preparation for making a king size (another ridiculously large quilt) version of the Sparkle Punch Quilt designed by Elizabeth Hartman.  Although it took a while it was nice to finally cut into this fabric which I have had a fair while.

Two Quilts, One Weekend

The jelly roll race quilts went very well.  My sister and I worked on them on Saturday and Sunday, alternating time on the sewing machine.

My sister's quilt was made from a Kate Spain Serenade jelly roll with some grey pezzy print as the binding.  She has done really well with it and has totally finished her first ever quilt.

Mine was made from a Summersville jelly roll and I still have most of the binding to sew on, judging by my sister's efforts that shouldn't take too long!

Let the race begin...

I have a weekend of crafty activities planned with my sister and the main event is Jelly Roll Race quilts.  Although our race will be a bit more of a training run as we only have one sewing machine and this is my sister's first ever attempt at using one.  I'm sure the results will be good all round though.

A (Bright) Blast from the Past

Whilst up in Scotland my mum unearthed an English paper pieced quilt top we made together many years ago for my sister.  I tacked the hexies around the paper templates and my mum sewed all the hexies together.  Removing the papers at the end was a major group effort!

(Whilst trying to take a decent photo of this top I was kicking myself for not taking advantage of this evening's gloriously sunny weather to show it at its best!)


We made the quilt a generous single size, which as my sister now likes a double bed, is too small for her bed.  But fear not this is not destined to languish unfinished forever.  We've decided to back it with a fleece fabric so she can use it as a blanket for lazing on the sofa or for extra warmth in the winter.  Hopefully I'll get this backed and quilted in the very near future as it's a shame to keep something so cheerful hidden away.

For Japan - A Year On (Link Up)

Borrowed from Nellie's Niceties

As a follower of Nellie's Niceties I have just seen her post about two quilts she is selling to raise money for the International Rescue Committee's ongoing work in Japan.  Please go and visit her blog and read all about it and then share all about it on your blog, facebook or twitter, or even better by far place a bid on one of the quilts!

Borrowed from Nellie's Niceties

Landscape Quilt

On Saturday, after a significant diversion round the Somerset countryside (read getting lost for over an hour) I attended, for the first time, a quilting course at Midsomer Quilting.  A lovely LQS between Bath and Bristol where the kettle seems to be permanently on to keep the husbands' creche happy!


The course I'd decided to attend was Landscape Quilts taught by Effie Galletly. When I eventually found the shop I found the course in full swing transferring landscape photos to patterns, a fairly time consuming process.  I eventually settled on a photo I'd taken in Skye a few years ago as my quilt subject (I'd brought a good selection of pictures as I didn't know what'd work and dithered a lot over which to use).

The next few hours were busily consumed converting this picture to a set of fabric templates.

We then got to rummage through Effie's extensive landscape themed scraps box.  Very kindly she supplemented the fabrics we had brought along meaning that we got the best effect without having to buy lot of bits of fabrics when we only needed a small square.

By the end of the class I'd managed to find all the pieces of fabric I needed (the water sections proved to be a persistent problem even when I'd found the perfect fabric) and had manage to cut some out using the templates.

I've got some days off coming up visiting my family, I may find some time during the holiday to do a little more on this - maybe even attempt the scary sewing up!

Well Prepared!

A couple of days before Christmas I decided that what I really needed was to break into the "Reindeer Games by Sandy Gervaise" jelly roll I had bought in the summer and make a Christmas quilt.  Luckily I found a single jelly roll design in Pam and Nicky Lintott's book Jelly Roll Quilts (can't remember the name of the design at the minute).  And so amidst preparing for Christmas day I start making a jelly roll quilt.  Unsurprisingly I did not manage to finish this before the big day.  In truth it has taken me until just after Twelfth Night to finish the quilt top.

No matter that it wasn't ready to be my Christmas quilt this year I'm really happy how this has turned out.  I did have a crisis of confidence about the white borders in both colour and thickness but I this they've turned out fine.  And I have used almost every last scrap of the jelly roll.  The remaining bits (a slight error and some of the square border) will be sewn together to make a festive mat for the table or maybe a cushion cover - not sure yet.


One other thing I really like this quilt for is that it has taught me how to nest seams properly (who knew how you pressed the seam could have such a major effect) and thanks to that I have perfect points all over this quilt.

As far as I can see there isn't a mismatched seam anywhere on the centre.  Hopefully this is not beginners luck and marks the beginning of more accuracy in my quilts. Fingers crossed!


I think I will quilt this with another quilt I have in the pipeline, I was going to leave the top until next December but I have all the bits I need and I don't fancy another attempt to finish a quilt before Christmas 2012!

Forgotten Finish!

I mentioned making a raggy quilt a while ago and then went to the course to learn how to make it; bound and tumble dried it and then promptly forgot to post it here!  Lucky the weather's getting cooler or it may never have made it to the blog.

I still love this fabric and how the quilt turned out, although I don't think Val and Sue at the quilt shop believe I am going to keep it for myself - but as I said in an earlier post I have had a very long attachment to Padding ton Bear.

And I managed to find some marmalade-esque binding.  This quilt will get plenty of use of the winter when I'm curled up on the sofa knitting.