biscuit: FW 17: Bride and 18: Carol

Well another week has past and I am still in control it would seem. I thought I would fall behind because of half term and because I have been hit by the dreaded winter vomiting. But the only good side to this is that for 24 hours after you are feeling well again you are still contagious so I am in my confinement, feeling weak, but managing to do a little bit of sewing. This might be a long post as I have time on my side here.

Luckily I had cut the templates and fabric all out in advance as it's something very easy to keep on top of whilst watch The Apprentice. In fact, I am often ahead of myself. This can work against me sometimes as when I see other blocks people have created I want to change my fabrics! If I had seen Kerry's Bride block before I cut my own fabrics out then I would have changed my mind totally! Ack.

Block 17: Bride

But I am happy with my block. It really needs to be on point, but I haven't really decided fully about how it will end up. I don't need a massive quilt at the end of this. I really don't. I had planned to make half the blocks and put skip blocks in with it to even out the intensity, but I don't seem to have dropped many of the blocks. So far I have not completed Block 2: Aimee – it's not going well. My colours are not good so I keep putting it down. It's all a bit too fiddely for me and I am sure I really like the block. And block 5: Anne – nope. just not for me. But considering we are nearly a quarter of the way through that's not many to drop. I am in danger or making nearly all of them! I do feel some are weaker then others though and either I redo them in better fabric or i just take them out. Anyway that's in the future. Back to this week. The block was good, it came together pretty easily.

It took me a long time to choose fabrics. Look at my mess! Usually I really enjoy trawling the instagram block tag first for inspiration but it was pretty empty this time. Obviously I love Kerry's block with the use of solids and the variation in the small coloured bits but I didn't see that because I started early, so I looked at Fiona's for inspiration. I really couldn't say how this related to my final block, other than I knew that the big diamonds should be the main flowery fabric. Anyway who knows if I really achieved that as my lawn is quite pale really and I meant it to shine out, but I still like it. The problem with lawn though is the show through. I am hoping you won't see it against white wadding.

I'm getting much better at my seams so the backs are looking a lot tidier.

And I have started leaving all the outside edges untrimmed so that I have some extra leeway when trimming the final block to size. It makes all the difference and doesn't seem to affect putting the block units together too greatly.

Block 18: Carol

I thought this block was going to take ages but actually it was pretty quick. I felt quite bold using the dark purple as it's by far the darkest colour I have used so far but I am in danger of being too safe and having all my blocks look samey. I wan them to look more varied, to step out and create something more along the lines of the quilts I seem to pin by other people. Such bold colour choices I always think. So come on, get emboldening. I have already seen some people using dark colours – black even – to great effect. Check out Sue's and Emmy's. I really like them and this one. So this purple is my stab at it. Need to use it in some more blocks.

Yes I caved in and used coloured pencils after saying I wouldn't. Primarily because I was down in my parents cellar trying to have a little throw out and found my school pencil case with every coloured pencil in it that I have ever owned – quite a collection. I am amazed I never got rid of them but they are Caran D'Ache Supracolor Soft Pencils which I remember being THE BEST. I remember mum buying me and my sister our first tin. I was so excited. I wish I'd kept the tin now. Anyway, the pencil case stinks. It's been in the cellar for at least fifteen years, but they are all there so I thought I might as well start using them to see if they do indeed make life easier. And they do! Result. See a quality pencil crayon is for LIFE folks.

I also created my triangles the normal way instead of trying to make big batches of HSTs. It was much easier and more accurate. D'oh. I am much happier with the end result.

So here they all are so far laid out just to check that the dark purple is going to work. I think it's going to be fine. Do I wish it was black? Maybe, but you know, small steps. Looking at them all laid out makes me think: more dark purple, more orange sprigs, more turquoise, more text print and more bird print. Best get cutting out some more blocks.