I decided to ease myself back into quilting mode by doing some easy quilt techniques, before heading back to Quilters Academy and all that wonderful precision piecing!
ONE BLOCK WONDER
Jenny and Pam from my quilting group each decided to make a One Block Wonder quilt, a technique taught by Maxine Rosenthal. I had purchased some fabric to make one myself some time ago and was finally inspired to give it a go.
This is my fabric - shades of beige, cream and grey
Wild Horses by Henry Alexander (I think).
I started using one of the designs in Maxine's book, but the project ended up taking on a life of it's own ......
I've called it Hip to be Square
I sort of got carried away by the cubes....... the original design didn't have any at all. Some are bold but there are hidden ones as well.
Hidden cubes
I have no idea how to quilt this thing. All the seams are pressed open, so no ditch and because the technique insists on keeping all the points on, each kaleidoscope has a lump in the centre where all those points meet.
Kaleidoscope back
To add to the problem, I decided to partially piece the backing as well, using a slab of the original fabric and my leftover hexagons and experimental cubes. For now, it's in the Too Hard Basket.
Experimental cubes ended up on the back ... lol
FRENCH BRAID
One project I'd wanted to do for some time was another french braid, as my first one was unsuccessful. Armed with Jane Hardy Miller's book, I got stuck in. Honestly, the hardest part to making one of these is selecting the fabrics. How embarrassing to have failed at making one of these, they are super quick and easy. This one is huge, easily the biggest quilt I've made so far.
I've called this one Purple Rain
QUILTERS ACADEMY BOOK 3
Here I was getting organised to start QA Vol 3 in the New Year when I realised I still have one left to do from Vol 2. Yikes....it's the Final Exam quilt. It's my next project, promise. :)
Leslie your work is beautiful. Glad your back quilting again. Hint if pieces are too thick at joins a nice hit with a hammer will flatten out the bulk. I used to do it alot when hemming jeans etc. It works a treat.
ReplyDeleteAlison
lol Ali - a hammer! Excellent I'll give that a try. :)
DeleteYour one-block wonder is mind-blowing. WOW!
ReplyDeleteKarmen
Thank you Karmen. Have you made one? They are quite additive once you get started. :)
DeleteGlad to see you back in full flight.
ReplyDeleteHip to Be Square is Marvellous ... a mind blowing twist on the One Block Wonders.
Have you tried pressing the 6 points in a circle ?
If this won't work .. try a squirt of starch and the hot iron followed up by the hammer/mallet. Squashing seams works for me.
Hugz Helen
Hey Helen! I will try the hammer thing - just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit before doing the quilting.
ReplyDelete