CHARM ABOUT YOU

I'm popping in to share a finish, which was actually done last month but what with all the nothingness going on I got sidetracked. The quilt top finally got finished in April and I was excited to quilt it. Honestly it's been a while since I made a quilt, there has been some hand sewing / cross stitch / blackwork in my life and I have been working on piecing another quilt top but my other projects seem to have all turned into cushions!

The quilt pattern is the Land of Magic Quilt by Kid Giddy, you can purchase the full quilt pattern or buy the blocks individually from the Kid Giddy shop. There are some very small pieces in some of the blocks but honestly with  foundation paper piecing that isn't really an issue, one you've got the technique down then you can tackle any pattern. The star and the crown are obviously good ones to start with and build up from there if you're new to the technique.

For the quilting I kept it simple, I love walking foot quilting and fancied some easy mindless lines. Rather than my usual straight lines or cross hatch quilting, I thought about the block positions and what would work with each area. The quilt is roughly split into thirds, with the top and bottom sections quilted with organic wavy lines and the central section with a decorative stitch (mode 2 #19 on my Elna 680) - this stitch is probably my favourite because it looks like clouds or waves and creates such a lovely texture.

It was quilted using Aurifil 40wt thread in Aluminium #2615 and a pretty variegated blue, Stone Washed Denim #3770.

I did decide to add facial features on the mermaid, as soon as I had done it I panicked and wasn't sure  it worked at all but now it's all quilted I am ok with it and she's smiling at least. I used a Sakura Pigma Micron pen, which is waterproof and fade resistant - great for quilt labels too.

It was quick to quilt and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The final effect is gentle and crinkly but doesn't overpower the blocks.

There are a lot of my favourite prints and fabric designers in the blocks, it feels good to use those special fabrics and see them in a finished quilt I am proud of. The unicorn prancing in a field of Denyse Schmidt blooms is pure happiness for me. This quilt is for my three year old niece and my sister helped me choose the prints, which is also special. It was unintentional but she's a Manchester City supporter and there is quite a lot of light blue in there!

For the backing I dug out this print that had been in my stash for quilt some time, the fabric is Oh Clementine by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew. It's so cute, with a soft blue background too. I liked it so much that I decided to use it for the binding as well. Also if feels AMAZING, like really lovely and soft but not thin or slippy. It's made by Windham Fabrics and I would like to try more fabrics from them, especially if it is the same substrate. 

Colour has a big impact on us, it can affect our mood and bring us happiness, especially when its in the form of a rainbow 🌈 We currently have three rainbows displayed in our windows for passersby to spot and smile about! I don't usually work in rainbow order (more on that later) and in fact I don't even arrange my fabric stash by colour but I do enjoy playing about with colour and the satisfaction that comes with choosing fabrics for a project.

Today is my stop on the book tour celebrating the launch of 'Modern Rainbow Patchwork Quilts' by Paula Steel. I am thrilled, not only because Paula is a real life friend who I have had the pleasure of spending time with in our little craft group and I am chuffed to bits for her, because she has created such gorgeous projects in this book! It will entice you to create and the projects in the book include quilts, cushions and mini projects, such as the purse I made. She has thorough and really useful guides for colour, tools and techniques, which makes it super accessible for everyone. Paula's writing style is so personable and honest, just as real as getting great advice and tips from a quilty friend that knows her stuff! It would be hard not to feel happy reading it, I found myself nodding a lot and smiling, I was really inspired.

The project I picked out to make is the rainbow star purse, here is Paula's original from the book: 

credits: photography Jesse Wild @wildjesse and stylist Jaine Bevan @jainebevanstylist

Cleverly Paula used waterproof fabric for the lining on hers so it's perfect for a washbag. I didn't have any nice waterproof fabric though so mine is regular quilting cotton. And now for my confession...

This is everything I love! Patchwork, english paper piecing, appliqué, quilting, hand sewing - I've thrown it all in there to make this version of my Stitchy Pie needle case pattern! And of course that cat!

I used some 45° diamond papers to create a star with some of my favourite prints from my stash - Cocoland cats, a spoonflower print I got recently, Lighthearted by Ayumi Mills, Architextures by Carolyn Friendlander and Bright Heart by Amy Butler.

There are big changes going on for me. Making adjustments, working hard and figuring out what comes next. You know... life stuff!

So today I took it easy. I did some yoga, had coffee with a friend and actually did some machine sewing. 

I made the first two blocks of the Land of Magic Quilt. It is a gorgeous foundation paper piecing pattern (click the link to see Kerry's finished quilt), you can buy the full pattern or individual blocks if you prefer - the crown and star come as a pair. 

I am still getting used to not having her with me all day. I'm not sure how I feel really. Currently I am too busy to actually think about it, which is good on the one hand but I'm starting to need time to 'process' because it is a big change. There is some sadness for me but I am thankful that she likes school and is making friends. I guess I just keep on keeping on :)