finishing too quickly

What a difference to the previous photos, which were taken in the full sun!

It is Monday here and the realisation of being back at work is crashing down on me hard. I came to my office to find one of my two teeny tiny space heaters gone and a new draft giving me the shivers. I guess being cold is a good way to burn of some padding :-) Anyway, I thought I'd share my new quilt with you. It warms my heart to see it and maybe some of the warmth helps to revive my stiff cold fingers....

I finished my hexagon patchwork quilt just before Christmas. It has taken the better part of a year. This was such an enjoyable project and I didn't want it to end. There is a hexagon shaped hole in my fabric of making now! I loved looking through my fabric boxes, choosing a few prints at the time and making sure to include my all time favourite fabrics. I loved sewing the hexagons together and I even loved basting. There are some lovely memories stitched in also. A holiday in Denmark for example, and a stay at home holiday with my friend Ursula. We spent many happy hours stitching and chatting. If only I could remember which rows we were working on together! I'll forever associate the humble quilter's knot with Ursula because she was blown away by its effective simplicity.

I would have liked to say that the quilt is entirely hand stitched but I sewed the binding on by machine. I just didn't fancy hours of running stitches. But I did of course stitch the binding down by hand on the back. This is probably my favourite part of making a quilt (if I had to choose one).

The wadding is luxurious, as it should be for a quilt stitched by hand. I chose Quilter's Dream Orient, which is a made with a blend of silk, bamboo, tencel and cotton. It is the same wadding that I used for my large crazy quilt I finished last year and I love it, it is soft and warm.

I bought the backing in March in Copenhagen. It is a soft rose pink with a small pink and red flower print. It is quite girly but that's ok. I made the binding from a ripped flat sheet that was beyond repair. I quilted long straight lines, approximately 3 cm apart. Some lines run horizontal, others vertical and others still diagonal across the hexagons. It is almost impossible to photograph but if you look carefully in one of the photos above, you can see the stitches.

I noticed that the quilts I make for myself all look a bit alike. Variations on a theme if you like, because I am using stash fabric. I am a bit of a hoarder but I am only middle aged and I am sure that I'll get to the bottom of my stash by the time I am old. It is quite amazing how much quilt is in a single fat quarter, if you like small blocks and many different prints. The other day I discovered that some of my favourite prints are running out..... I feel less excited about using what I have left and have spent a bit of time to sort the loved from the less loved fabric pieces. The latter will be donated to whoever comes forward. There will be other favourites of course.... I try to buy pieces of fabric when I am on holiday to have a small memory of a good time. I also use up scraps from clothes making, and remnants from my children's quilts. Sam and Annie's quilt were both made with fabrics bought specifically for this purpose. I managed to use up almost every last scrap of these fabrics. Both quilts are unique and very different but they are united in a a way in my own quilts. James' quilt was entirely made from my stash and is most similar to my own ones. Alistair's is a somewhere in between. It pleases me enormously to catch glimpses of my children's quilts in my own, or of a favourite blouse/dress. I imagine being an old lady, tucked up under a quilt of mine, studying the fabrics and knowing that these shared fabrics are tangible evidence of a loving relationship.

the beginnings of a new long term project. 

Right now, sewing quilts my favourite creative activity. I have started a new project already, the Ice Cream Soda quilt by Tales of Cloth. It is another English Paper Piecing project. I treated myself to the pre-cut papers for this one, and the acrylic templates. I am too busy to cut several hundred papers and I'd rather spend the time sewing. Of course we don't need any more blankets but I am sure we can find a use for it. Once more I am using stash fabric but in a more orderly manner and framed by whites and creams.  Well, that's the plan anyway.

Thanks for visiting and saying hello. Have a lovely week.

Christina x