Tuesday 13 September 2016

Struggling and enjoying

... that is how it goes when you start a QAL not knowing what the final quilt will be like. I have finished ten new blocks for the Splendid Sampler quilt since the last time I showed my blocks. Here is what I renamed a Dutch kitchen tile and an allotment shed, both appliqued.


Two more appliques, the nice and easy cone flower and the intimidating 17-piece monster.


Two examples of paper-piecing.On the left the straight forward flying geese, and on the right a nerve-wrecking shell. In the middle section I felt really, really stupid when I was unpicking the red fabric for the xth time and had to tape the paper foundation back together because I had just perforated that cursed line too many times. Finally I pinned the red in place from the right side, flipped it open and at that strange angle it finally went on the right way.


For this Dresden plate ring I just happened  to have the Easy Dresden ruler so I didn't need to cut the wedges with a template. I have learned to take liberties to change the blocks if I feel like it. Here I used a striped background fabric instead of piecing the background from 1½" strips.


My favourites are the pieced blocks. They don't take too much time to finish and still they can have something  interesting to offer. With two new blocks every week I prefer the blocks not be too time consuming. Making this quilt with friends and sharing our experiences makes it worth while.


The thornless hawthorn socks are finished. We don't have sea hawthorn bushes here, but the poisonous berries of the lily of the valley are the perfect colour too. I knitted the foot part without the bubbles and with a rib knit on top so the sock has a nice snug fit for shoes and the legs with bubbles to show.


Same yarns, and my grandmother's mitten pattern for the legs.


It is time to change to autumn flowers. We have had some chilly mornings with only 3C after a cloudless night, but some very lovely sunny and fresh days like today.