The only thing I really dislike about quilting...

...is quilting.

Bear with me - I love picking out fabrics, I love choosing patterns and cutting out and piecing - I even like hand-sewing the back of the binding.  Unfortunately there's another quite important part of quilting, and that's layering up your backing, batting and quilt top and then sewing them together, and it's that part that makes me groan.

Ella's Doll Quilt is FINALLY at the stage where I can begin quilting it, but I'm not at all sure what sort of pattern to use.  I wanted to free-motion quilt it with some cheerful stars and hearts, so I thought I'd have a practice on my kaleidoscope scrappy quilt.

I set up my beautiful machine very carefully, quilting table and all:

What could possibly go wrong?

I had a quick practice on a spare bit of batting and some of the backing fabric I was using.  I decided to do a nice, simple, quatrefoil motif to sit in the middle of the diamond shapes.  I drew it out in white pencil, took a deep breath, and got stuck in.

But unfortunately, free-motion quilting is not my friend.

...oh, my.

So I spent a jolly hour or two cursing and unpicking all those horrible wonky stitches, vowed not to be beaten, and quilted the entire thing with GOOD, SENSIBLE STRAIGHT LINES.

*phew*

It doesn't have the binding on yet since I wanted to crack on with Ella's quilt, but now you see the dilemma I am in.  I have finished the top, pieced the back, and pin-basted Ella's very carefully, but December is hurtling onwards and it MUST, MUST be finished by Christmas.  Any thoughts?

Pins in, time to get stitching.  Um.

Back again!

Hello!

I wasn't around last week because I was having the most LOVELY time in Norfolk with several very dear old friends, drinking slightly too much wine and paddling in the sea (in November, in the rain - it was fun once my feet went sufficiently numb, honest).

We also had a most handsome gentleman visitor to our cottage, so handsome I had to take his photo:

His name was Aristotle.  Yes, really!

But I am back now and still tidying up after our wonderful closing-down sale, which went brilliantly.  We saw lots of lovely people who said lots of nice things... and bought a lot of fabric!  There's still a fair bit to get rid of, which is in the shop as ever:  http://folksy.com/shops/materialgoodsonline

This week I'm planning to measure up all the remaining fabric to see what we have left, and next week I'm going to start listing the bolt-ends on eBay.

Shouldn't take long, eh?

...or maybe it will.  :(

I have some nice ladies coming to visit me on Monday who are hoping to take a fair bit of it off my hands, and if anything else is left after that, we'll do a final Clearance Sale in January.  That should take care of it, don't you think?

And then I can get on with these ladies!  They're shaping up rather pleasingly, I think?

"We want more jewellery, damn it!"

68 Days to Christmas...

This week I have wrenched myself away from the scrappy strings and squares at last.  I'd made a significant dent in my scrap box and besides, it isn't as if I don't have other things that need getting on with.

One of the most guilt-inducing is this one - a dollies quilt for Ella, the daughter of a very good friend.  I'd promised to make one and suggested it might be ready for Christmas… last Christmas.  I KNOW.

But I am making good progress at last, thanks mostly to my extremely helpful cat Emma.  At least, she thinks so...

"Get on with it, Monkey Butler."

And now at least I have all my blocks finished, if not yet framed, embroidered with faces and buttons, or arranged in order.  The block was originally based on one by Sarah Fielke in her quilt "The 'Burbs" from Material Obsession, but as you can see it's evolved a bit from there...

Here are closeups of a few of the dolls I'm most proud of:

Ms Pink Hair likes knitting, punk rock, and hair dye.

Ms Sari likes thunderstorms, chocolate and cats.

Ms Ballet Dancer likes classical music, foot rubs and smelly cheese.

(ohhh, she was a headache!  But Ella is a fab ballet dancer so I knew I had to put one in)

Ms Kimono likes horror films, spicy curry and bubble baths.

You'll be seeing more of this once I get all the buttons, faces, jewellery and the rest sewn on.  Surely the end is in sight within the next 68 days?  See you next week!