Back to Scraps

I'm on the final stages of my commission quilt, and soon I'll be able to get back to my own projects. Except Christmas is only a few days away, so I won't be doing much before I head down to the family in Adelaide.

I was working on Scrappy Mountain Majesty blocks before I got sidetracked, so I finished the blocks that I'd started. That's 26 new blocks, 

all nicely ironed and waiting to go onto the design wall.

It's going to be very scrappy, I usually try to control the colour scheme, but this time I'm using it all. I have 138 blocks now, and I usually use 100 for a good size quilt. Whatever is left over will be the beginnings of another top, and I still have lots of squares in the box. It's one of my favorite patterns to make, especially when I'm rushed for time, or stressed and needing some mindless sewing.

I dug out a hand piecing project last week, and discovered that I can no longer see to thread a needle. That made me sad, I've been threading needles effortlessly since I was 3 years old. I have some clip-on magnifying lenses that I use when I do cross stitch, so it looks like I'll have to wear them for all my hand work now.

A stack of Periwinkle blocks need to be pressed; I've been making these for about 8 years. I'm still only halfway to the 35 blocks I need. Talk about slow stitching!

I just remembered this strange needle threader I bought a few years ago, when I didn't need it, so it never got used. It does work, so I'll put that in my hand sewing kit from now on.

 

I'm glad that my glasses mostly still work, and that I'll be getting my cataracts seen to next year. The inconvenience is temporary, and if all else fails I'll crochet something with chunky wool to keep busy.

Frame quilt

Way back in time, about April this year, I was asked if I would make a quilt with Di Ford-Hall fabrics as a tribute to that Australian designer. I love her fabrics and her beautifully designed quilts, so I gladly agreed.

A little while later I received a box of fabrics and began designing a quilt that reflected Di's love of British quilts and textiles. 

I had to keep within the size guidelines for the magazine, but left to myself I would have made it much bigger because I was enjoying those fabrics so much.

I quilted it with a simple overall cable design, sent it off to the magazine with the instructions, and recently I received my copy of Great Australian Quilts.

Our local newsagent didn't have it in, but it's worth asking for, it's an amazing issue.

My quilt was presented beautifully, I'm pretty excited about how good it looks.

It was quite intense, designing this to a deadline, and that might explain why I was so happy to sew squares and simple scrap quilts afterwards. I needed something easy to work on, that didn't require a lot of brainpower. And having had such a nice holiday from the pressure of designing, I then said yes to another commission. But the end is in sight, possible this weekend, and then I can clear away all the mess, and go back to my simple checkerboards again. Just in time for Christmas preparations to hit their stride. What's that song that goes "It's the most wonderful time of the year"? Well yes it is, but it's also the busiest; I'd best get cracking then.