Waaaaay back in 1992 I had this idea to create a quilt - initially to be monochromatic but this changed! I was telling my students about the idea and, of course, they wanted to start NEXT WEEK PLEASE! Naturally I said yes and immediately created the first block. The idea was to work through all the possabilities with applique - as many techniques as possible and we started. I was only ever one week ahead of them and by the end (because the majority of them wanted to make a queen size quilt!) of the some 20 blocks I had gone from the monochromatic idea to bringing in "some" colour as the blocks progressed into more detailed ones.
The cottage above is one of the more heavily worked blocks and I'm ashamed to say that it's taken me this long to almost finishing a small number of the blocks. I've had the six 12in blocks plus three 6in x 12in. blocks put together into a quilt top probably since around 1993 but have never quilted it!!! As I progress through quilting the blocks I'll share with you the rest of them. The other blocks (ones that relate to our marriage and such) are to be put together into another wall quilt although I may turn them into pages for a fabric book now. Don't know what I'm doing with the remainder! :)
The other pics are details of the embroidered garden - a range of silk ribbon plus normal thread techniques were used - the rose vine over the roof and the tiny "Alissium" are some of the wonderful hand-dyed threads available. I used one of those newish propelling chalk pencils (which are wonderful by the way!) to mark the grid lines for quilting but not worried as it will have to be washed when I've finished it. It's been floating around for so long that it's really quite filthy!
When I taught the class quite a lot of students completed their quilts and it's now having a resurgence as more people see it. I'm starting another class, after all these years, next month but only the blocks on this particular quilt - NOT the full selection!
I definately find hand quilting very addictive and just could never contemplate machine quilting a quilt such as this. All the handwork in it deserves hand quilting I feel. Sore fingers though as haven't done a lot of fine hand quilting lately! I tend to make a larger stitch than what the traditionalists would do as I like to actually "see" the quilting rather than get caught up in so many stitches to the inch!!!
I have promised myself to post more often in this last half of the year so let's see how I go. I have been rather prolific over the past few months but mostly projects for the mags so can't really show them here yet. HAVE been working on some pieces for my Artistic Licence group's exhibit in the regional gallery next year so will take some pics and show them too. Until next time, happy stitching and stay safe everyone.
Jan
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