Quilt Inventory

Recently I took part in the Soak Instagram photo challenge. I've never done one before and I thought it might be fun. It's a little bit twee posting up so much craft stuff in a space that really isn't about that so I felt a little stupid, but hey ho, I am kind of tired about how the internet forces you to 'portray' yourself as you want others to see you so I just went for it.



The best thing about it was looking through everyone else's pictures. I really enjoyed it. I'll be sad when it's over. The last day's challenge which is today is called 'soakworthy'. So you have to show a picture of something you think needs this special quilt washing detergent. I decided that everything needs it so I took a picture of every quilt in the house (apart from the tiny ones and one I forgot).



So for posterity here is my list of quilts. 24 in total. That seems way to many to my mind. It also made me see why mum names her quilts. I always thought that was a bit twee and overkill, like you are giving a quilt airs and graces but I do think it helps you describe them. My mental names are so boring in comparison. I haven't named them after the patterns they are from purely because I forget those names so it doesn't help me call them up in my minds eye.



Here goes!
1. Christmas Joy - 2000 - Mum
2. Baskets or Butterflies - 2002 - Mum
3. On-point nine strip - 2004 - Mum
4. Conran half squares - 2008 - Me
5. Seaside Rose - 2008 - Mum
6. Country Album - 2010 - Mum
7. Broken Dishes - 2010 - Me
8. Hearts and Flowers - 2010 - Mum
9. Spring Bouquet - 2010 - Mum
10. The Country Quilt - 2010 - Me
11. Stars - 2010 - Mum
12. Wild Things - 2010 Mum
13. Yellow squares - 2011 - Me
14. Grandad's sheet - 2011 - Me
15. Material Obsessions crazy quilt - 2011 - Me
16. Always Believe - 2012 - Mum
17. Rosie Rabbit - 2012 - Mum
18. Penelope's Hexagons - 2012 - Me
19. Penelope's Chevrons - 2012 - Rachel
20. Nighty Night Owl - 2012 - Mum
21. Swoon - 2012 - Me
22. Swoon offcuts - 2013 - Me
23. MapleO - 2014 - Me
24. Batik Buck-eye - 2014 - Mum



Broken Dishes is the only one which escaped the photo as it was in a box. D'oh. (Update! I have since found two more quilts by mum in a cupboard). And of course it doesn't include any that I gave away or are two small to be folded. It's still quite a haul.

13 made by mum the machine
1 made by Rachel
10 made by me

(Plus the ones I missed out. 1 by me, 2 by mum)

Postage Stamp Complete!

Gold star. Finally. After starting my postage stamp quilt project in October 2011… then putting to down. Picking it up again in Jan 2012… then putting it down, picking it up once again in July 2014… yeah yeah yeah. Finally, today, I have finished making the quit top. I have sewn my last 3/4” block. Phew. I almost ran out of the calico mum had given me. It really was touch and go and some of the Liberty fabric is all but gone. Small slivers remaining.



I really can’t believe I have finished it. I have spent some concentrated time on it over the past few weeks as I really would like to move on. I want to use all the precious leftovers in my scrappy Posie improv quilt. I feel that I have finally ferreted away enough nice bits of fabric in order to start this. I'm really pleased with the borders. I nearly didn't have enough strips of squares to do this. I had to cobble together a few emergency ones at the end. Of course I worked out the maths wrong so that the squares don't join up in the corners, but I just decided I didn't care.



All my planning was basically in vain. I predicted 4.5" blocks; they were 5 1/8". I thought the final size would be 36 x 52: it is in fact it's 47 x 66". I am not sure how this happened but it's all fine.



In the end I sewed each block into groups of 4, then groups of four into four (16 blocks) then sewed two 16 blocks together three times. So it all made for an even quilt. 8 x 12 blocks. All the blocks line up pretty neatly which is amazing. There was a lot of tugging fabric going on to achieve this.

I'm really pleased with the finished top. It feels very tasteful. I spent a long time choosing the fabrics so that I had a slightly purple colour bent. It really appeals to my 'little house on the praire' traditional quilt feel. Time for something really modern after this.

Now I just need to go to my mum's to beg some of her wadding from her enormous roll in the cupboard and piece my backing together from the discounted Liberty fabric I got at Birmingham. Oh and then hand quilt all the plain blocks like this 

Next projects:

Penelope's advent calendar - I really need to get cracking!

Posie improv quilt

Sawtooth star quilt - so nearly complete

Hex purse - just missing a bit!

Fat quarter repro quilt - lost the pattern!

Why does my list never seem to go down?

Advent Calendar

I have been thinking about Christmas. Is this the year of the advent calendar or can I put it off another year. I could not bother at all, but if I am honest, the one my mum used to do for me was better than the actual day itself so I feel mean denying her of the same pleasure. The other thing holding me back has been the absence of nicely designed Christmas fabric. I find it all really traditional and boring usually. Lots of dark green and red which is not really my thing.

I ummed and ahhed with making something without pockets like this great felt number from Purl Bee. It does have pockets, but what are you going to fit in them? It is really nice though. I worry Penelope will chew/eat/lose the bits though and it will get moth lying formant in the cellar. I am considering it though.


Then Katie posted this bundle from Elephant in my Handbag in her fabric roundup and I thought 'Yes! this could either be gross or great!'

The fabric arrived and I am pleased to report I think it might turn out great! It's really crisp and vivid which I like and the pink and green colour scheme is much more my thing. I hoiked out some offcuts for the pocket linings. The colour scheme from the giant hexagon quilt seems to match perfectly so it will be a good scrap buster.



As for the design, well I am going to just copy the great one that Jess made for Mabel. I have no idea what the real sizes are so I am just making it up based on my smallest pocket being 3". That's big enough for some small plastic trash right? I really like Jess'. I hope mine doesn't end up looking like a disco traincrash. I have drawn up a grand pattern. I wanted it to remain as faithful to Jess' as possible. Did I get it right? Who knows!