Tuesday 12 October 2010

An Indian summer quilt

Finally finished: 


This quilt has had a very syncopated rhythm. Fits of activity followed by several weeks of being ignored. In the days and weeks after the birth of the baby I would rush to it whenever I could. Just to sew for twenty minutes made those hectic days easier.


I had been planning it in my mind for a long time. I knew I wanted strong simple geometric shapes so that the fabrics could speak for themselves. Baby's blocks fitted the bill perfectly. 


I also knew that it had to be done as quickly as is possible with a technique that is by definition slow. I did not want to still be making it in two years time (I have form). Deciding to make it a runner was part of that decision. A trip to the wonderful V&A quilts exhibition in the spring inspired me to get on with it. 

When it came to the 'how' of making it, I looked at lots of pictures on Flickr, got inspired by a few blogs, most notably Alicia Paulson's, read a few books, and just muddled through my own way using raw edges, zig zag stitch and fusible interlining.


As befits a patchwork, the fabrics are from many different places. Above you can see the selvedge of a limited edition Liberty print done for the V&A show. There are also some Liberty offcuts, some from my stash, a vintage fair, a couple of Japanese on-line treats and a few from my local haberdashery. I also added some trimmings into the mix.



It has turned out just how I hoped: a simple, not too fussy or pretty summer quilt. So pleased I actually finished it!

5 comments:

  1. it is beautiful! love the colours and the matryoshkas and the william morris from my granny's sofa! what an achievement. x

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  2. Gorgeous Mim! So impressed that you have found the time for this amidst all the crazy chaos of family life. Well done mate! p.s. Blog is pretty lovely too. There's a ring of Bagpuss to it....x

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  3. Thanks for your comments. Francesca, your granny's sofa sounds seriously cool. Bagpuss is an endless source of inspiration for all crafters and all human beings.

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  4. Lovely choice of colors and fabrics! Congratulations on persevering with what turned out to be a lovely project.

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a year above the shop

a year above the shop