Sunday, August 24, 2008

Weekend progress

I am in finish-up and get-on-with-it mode.

First this weekend, the European Quilt top was finished.
I am not at all sure now about the inner border. But it is done. Points of course do not match and it will have to be quilted flat.

Then I finally got Mum's embroidered blocks into a top. Frankly, I am mortified how badly I have done this. I certainly will never work with this particular silk fabric ever, ever again. It frays if you even think about the box it is in never mind actually touch it. I wonder why I try to make accurate designs when I am so bad at it and I love to make freer more liberated design- as I go quilts.

This was supposed to grow into a massive showcase quilt but given that (a) I messed up and (b) Mum made the very valid point that we'd see it more if it were a wall hanging, neither of us really wanting a black quilt on the bed, it will get one more border at most. I am debating whether it simply needs black binding, a black plain border or a black border with maybe some text metallic painted on.What do you think?



Either way neither will be quilted for a few days as I am going to order a new free-motion foot for my machine which we discovered at Festival. There is a free motion foot of course that comes as standard but this one is supposed to reduce the eyelashing problem I have been having on some of my backs, particularly when I stitch curves. When it does get quilted the European one is going to have rose and leaf desgin taken from one of the fabrics used with the green squares having red roses on them to try and give the centre a more cohesive feel.

I also spent much of yesterday out in the garage in my little corner trying out fabric paints on little samples. I was so engrossed that, despite facing a window I did not notice what Dennis was up to in the garden until I looked up and saw I had company.
I have also done a little bit of African embroidery, and done a lot of work on my city and guilds household item design. It is truly amazing how long you can spend with sketchbooks and samples just to make a cushion. But that's for a later post - I hope to get it to makeable stage this week.

5 comments:

Donna said...

I'd add a black border to your wall hanging and then see if it needs more... maybe quilt in a light mettalic like thread....

floribunda said...

I like quilt pixie's idea of quilting the border with metallic thread -- something simple. Love your husband's sense of humor!

Kristin L said...

I like Dennis. He's funny.

How about a black border, at least as wide as the gold sashing, and within it a gold stripe (embroidered?) like the red stripe in the sashing?

Vicki W said...

Dennis is a riot! That cracked me up. I lvoe the European Quilt. what a great memento of your trip. I like the wall hanging too and vote for a black border with gold textile paint lettering.

Kate North said...

I think I'd be inclined to put a black border on it - it would make it float a little and I think set off all the celtic knotwork nicely.

Can't believe you've got the European quilt together already. Looks great.